Page 38 of A Baron's Scandalous Quill
“I am very helpful,” Charlotte insisted with a smile. “I imagine you didn’t come here, though, just to tell me that you sinned.”
“I didn’t sin!”
“What exactly did you do then?”
“I’m not going into particulars.” Becca blushed such a deep shade of red, she felt as if her face was on fire. “When it happened, I felt certain that’s all it was between us. Just attraction. Yet when we had stopped, we were so soft with one another, so tender, it felt like something more,” she said in a rush. Now that she had stopped, the words were flowing freely.
“Then today, he spoke of paying back all the men his father had ever cheated. Oh, Charlotte. He is so generous of spirit. So kind.So assured to do what is right. There’s a nervousness to him in company, but when you see beneath all of that, I have found a man who is confident in his own skin. I…like him.”
“More than you should?”
“Far more than I should.” Becca nodded, her nerves now returning tenfold. “I fear if I continue in this way, what if I fall for the baron completely? If I keep writing for him, what if this is not just a passing affair, but something more? What if my heart is in danger?”
“From what I hear of affairs, the heart is rarely never involved.” Charlotte sighed and returned to perching on the desk. “You should read the rest of our paper more. The number of affairs that go wrong and end up public. Pah! There are many.”
“Public? Oh God!” Becca turned around and threw her hands over her face. If anyone ever knew about what she and the baron had done together, it would surely risk his reputation.
“Calm yourself.” Charlotte waved a hand at her. “Listen, Becca. What is so wrong if your heart does get involved?”
“What do you mean?” Becca turned to face her.
“Many a marriage has crossed boundaries. They all make the news when they do. We even publish them in our papers, but it happens. Why couldn’t you and Lord Lancaster be one of them?”
Becca froze, not saying anything as she considered the possibility. What if things were to progress so far between her and William that he did indeed want to marry her? She imagined what it could be like to wake up every day beside that man, to be smiling constantly as she always did in his company, to share in the excitement together, to enjoy such conversation, too, that she never knew a day without laughter in it?
“Oh,” Becca murmured.
“Yes, oh.” Charlotte nodded, clearly seeing the conversation as one that was finished. “Stop overthinkin’ it and just enjoy yourself. You never know what is goin’ to happen, and if you do fall in love, then who knows.” She shrugged. “Maybe he will fall in love with you, too.”
Chapter 14
“My lord.”
“For God’s sake, Henry. Would you please call me William?” He turned to face his butler, who stood behind him in the doorway of the parlor. Henry merely smiled but refused to give in. “You’re infuriating, you know that?”
“Perhaps a little.” Henry nodded, as if in agreement. “Anyway, I have come to talk to you about lunch. Shall I have lunch prepared for you and Miss Thornton? Will she be coming again today?”
“Yes, she will.” William turned his head around and looked through the window to the track leading up from the gate. Even as they spoke, she made her customary appearance through the gate. She didn’t carry her large reticule today but a heavier leather satchel, which had to be full of papers and some more of her writing, for she was struggling with the weight of it.
William smiled as he watched her, eager to go out and assist her, though her appearance struck him so much that he was quite transfixed to the spot, watching her.
She had her usual contented expression in place, always happy, and her golden hair was peeking through beyond the brim of her bonnet. The gown she had worn today was pale sage green, quitestunning in how it complimented her coloring and flattered her figure.
“My lord?”
“What?” William looked around to see Henry staring at him. “Did you say something?”
Henry chuckled deeply.
“Never mind. I shall leave you and Becca to it.”
“To it?”
“To your work,” Henry said pointedly.
William adjusted his tailcoat uncomfortably. He was still wondering why Henry had not said anything about what was passing between him and Becca. Henry plainly suspected what was happening, even if he didn’t know completely. Usually, there was no subject that was off-limits between the pair of them, but clearly, Henry thought this subject was.
“Enjoy your work, my lord,” Henry said then left.
