Page 59 of A Rake's Redemption
“I did not say that.”
“But it is true, nae?”
His gaze intensified. “I do not want you to be humiliated.”
She could hardly think when he looked at her like that. She swallowed hard. “Ye and I had an agreement. I will uphold my part.”
“But you do not have to. I have no right to use you for my revenge.” Alex paused. “I could find you a small house close by or in a country village, if you prefer—”
“I will nae take charity. I will earn my wages.” Inis set her mouth, partly hoping to keep her thoughts focused. “I want to do this. Icando this.”
Alex gave her a thoughtful look. “You really want to go to America that badly?”
Inis didn’t think of it as what shewanted. She had been in England nearly two months. Her uncle’s men would have scoured all of Northern Ireland by now, and he would have sent them farther out. The duke might even have hired Bow Street runners if he’d found out about her stowing away on a ship bound for London. As tempting as tucking herself away in a remote village sounded, she would not be beholden to Alex for food, clothing, and shelter unless she was doing something to earn it. And she certainly was not going to live her life as a mistress, waiting for him to come to her, pleasure her, make her feel like— Inis cut the thought off. Alex had not given any indication he was interested in such things. Irrationally, her temper stirred again. Sweet Mary. Why were her thoughts even straying in that direction? The man was a rake. Even he admitted that.Andhe had a group of married lovers who’d formed a club to reminisce about him. Lord have mercy.
“Inis?”
She refocused. “What?”
“I asked if you wanted to go to America so badly you’re willing to risk being insulted at a ball?”
She really had no choice. It was either flee the country or eventually end up back in Ireland, married to a man she could not abide. Inis nodded. “It is what I want.”
…
Alex tried to ignore the curious glances Caroline kept giving him later that afternoon as she came to instruct Inis on acceptable topics for polite conversation. Inis appeared animated and her dialect much less pronounced, while he had been unusually quiet.
They were in the front parlor where Caroline had rearranged various potted plants around the room to serve as “guests” that Inis was supposed to make polite comments to and then move on the next “group.” Since the point of the exercise was to promote proper dialogue and the plants couldn’t speak, Caroline had moved Alex around to stand beside the various containers to do the talking. When his remarks sounded stilted, Caroline had joined in, although she’d given him a quizzical look.
She probably wondered what was wrong with him. He was rarely at a loss for words and he’d certainly mastered the art of saying profoundly nothing of value while being completely charming, but today his mind was drifting to more important matters.
Why was Inis so intent on going to America?
He knew she was spirited and independent minded, but did she truly crave such adventure? Many of England’s poor indentured themselves to Americans in need of skills and services, so it was possible she did want to seek a better life for herself, given that she was an orphan. Enduring insults at a ball might even seem a smaller price to pay than having to work for an unknown employer for a set period of years.
The idea might even make sense since the States were more tolerant in what jobs a woman could hold. Keeping her on wasn’t really feasible, as much as Alex enjoyed Inis’s company. In the two months she’d been here, she’d not made any friends, with the possible exception of Elsie. The other maids practically wrinkled their noses when Inis entered a room. The stable boys tolerated her only because Alex had proclaimed her his hostler. Jameson grudgingly admitted she did know how to handle horses, but it was hardly an acceptable occupation for a female and certainly would keep her from being accepted by respectable ladies of the common class.
He probably shouldn’t have offered to set her up in a small house. He should have known she would take it the wrong way, but damn it. Alex found himself in the strange predicament ofwantingto provide for Inis. He should have known she’d be too proud to accept charity. Not that he was feeling totally charitable. He could envision visits that would begin very properly clothed, taking tea in the parlor, and end up in a tangled mass of bed sheets with both of them naked. It stung his pride to realize she probably had not even beenthinkingalong those lines, let alone considering such a thing. It was somewhat of a shock to him thathewas even considering it. Never in his life had he ever wanted a mistress. And he knew, instinctively, that with Inis it would never be a one-time thing. That fact should have scared him, but it didn’t.
“Alexander?”
He started at the sound of Caroline’s voice. “Yes?”
She gave an exasperated sigh. “I swear, you have been woolgathering all afternoon. How am I supposed to be teaching Inis the art of meaningless conversation if you do not contribute?”
He managed an engaging grin. “If it is meaningless, why is it important?”
“Now you have turned into a philosopher?”
His grin widened. “That is an interesting question, is it not?”
Caroline rolled her eyes. “Yes, Socrates, it is. For the moment, however, I am trying to introduce Lady Inis O’Brien to you.”
Alex turned and bowed in Inis direction, taking her hand and raising it to his lips. “Enchanted, I am sure, my lady.”
Inis made a sound somewhere between a gasp and a gurgle as he kissed her hand. As his mouth touched her skin, a distinct tingle ran through him and he realized that “enchanted” might be the word that applied to him.
…
