Page 7 of Her Wicked Longing
Letty studied the books around her, a pensive look uponherface.
“He deserves a good wife, you know. Quite a few ladies have set their caps for him, but…” Letty trailed off. She sighed and met Gillian’s confused gaze. “Well, none of them are interested in a love match. I believe my brother deserves that, don’t youagree?”
There was a hint of warning in Letty’s tone that Gillian understood. If she wouldn’t love James, she needed to leave him alone. Which of course she must, because earls didn’t marry ladies’maids.
“I agree,” she said quietly. “I have no designs upon him, truthfully, MissFordyce.”
Letty smiled. “If you did think you were developing feelings for him, that would be acceptable.” Her answer surprisedGillian.
“But—” shebegan.
“I want no title hunters for James. It’s love or nothing. After our father passed away, our mother grew…forgetful and unwell, and it’s up to me to protect him, at least in the ways of theheart.”
“A noble endeavor,” Gillian agreed. If she’d had siblings to look out for, she would have done the same. She had two half-siblings, a sister and a brother, but… Well, they didn’t even know about her, and she could never tell them. She was a bastard child, after all, and aservant.
Letty looked ready to speak again, but James returned, books stacked inhisarms.
“Shall we deliver these to the footman? I don’t want to be carrying books into Gunter’s. They might end up sticky if someone’s flavored icemelts.”
“Good point, James.” Letty, James, and Gillian left the shop. Gillian still couldn’t believe she was here on the streets with an earl and his sister, acting the part of a fine lady, but the deception had gone too far, and she could not gobacknow.
They climbed into the carriage that bore the Pembroke crest and gave the books to the footman, who tucked them in a leather coach box. When they reached Gunter’s, James offered to let them stay in the carriage. The weather was fine, and Gillian and Letty agreed it would be more pleasant to eat their ices in the carriage rather than go indoors where the crowds were suretobe.
Young men, employees of Gunter’s, ran across the street to carriages and back again, carrying ices. Letty waved to a few ladies in another carriage and turned to James and Gillian. “It’s been positively ages since I’ve talked with Miss Dawkins and Lady Fairchild. Do you mind if I go andseethem?”
“Not at all,” James replied before glancing to Gillian, who nodded, butblushed.
It was perfectly acceptable not to be chaperoned at Gunter’s. It was one of the few places in London that escaped the stigma of being a place where a lady could be ruined simply by being alone with a man. Letty hastily departed the carriage and went to join her friends. Gillian now sat facing James. A flutter of nerves stirred in her belly, and she resisted the urge to place a hand over herstomach.
“Afraid to be alone with me?” James teased. “We’re quitesafehere.”
Gillian blushed. “I’m not afraid. I’ve just never been to Gunter’s…”As a lady, she added silently. She’d followed her mistress there plenty of times, but never to indulge in confectionaries or converse with gentlemen. She was watchful and silent unless her ladyneededher.
“Never been to Gunter’s? Lord, where have you been, Miss Beaumont?” James leaned forward slightly, resting his forearms on his knees. He studied hercuriously.
“Where have I been?” she echoed, confused by hisquestion.
“Clearly you haven’t been in London. I mean, if you haven’t been toGunter’s.”
“Oh…” She scrambled to come up with a story of where she’d been. “I live in the country and rarely come to London.” She searched her memory in vain for a place he’d likely not have been to. “I’m from Lothbrook.” It was a small village, one she’d never heard of until recently when Audrey had used her influence as the secret columnist Lady Society to reunite a young woman from Lothbrook with a rakehell who’d fallen in lovewithher.
“Lothbrook,” James mused thoughtfully. “Where have I heard that namebefore?”
“Oh—”
Before Gillian could find herself in deeper trouble, she jumped as a Gunter’s employee suddenly appeared by the carriage and held out two dishes with icesinside.
“Thank you.” James handed the lad his payment, and when Gillian attempted to argue, hetskedand waved a fingerather.
“Miss Beaumont, do you really think a proper gentleman would allow you to pay for your own ices?” The teasing look in his eyes made her flush all over, and she felt bold enough to respond by showing a flare of minor annoyancewithhim.
“After what occurred in the bookshop, you are claiming tobea proper gentleman, LordPembroke?”
James dipped his spoon into his ice and took a bite. As he licked his lips, his lashes lowered tohalf-mast.
“I confess. You’ve discovered my flaw. I’m more rogue than gentleman, and I don’t plan to apologize for that kiss, not when you tasted sweeter thanthisice.”
Gillian gasped. His openly sensual words weretoomuch.
