Page 24 of An Earl by Any Other Name
“Christ, woman, it’s one bloody kiss!”
His other hand shot out, grabbing her by the shoulders and dragging her up to her knees. He planted a kiss on her and she bit him. Hard.
Everything happened so fast after that. Someone bellowed like an enraged beast and Owen was ripped away from her. Leo was there, a vengeful god. He swung a fist and knocked Owen flat on the bed next to Ivy. He didn’t stir. Ivy’s body exploded with shivers, and she fought off the tears that rushed forth now that Leo was here.
Gripping her shoulders, he looked her over, as though inspecting her for injuries. “Are you well? He didn’t…”
“No. I’m fine,” she assured him.
As her heartbeat slowed, she became aware of people speaking outside the open door to the lodge. Leo lunged for the bed, shoving Owen off the other side. He landed with a thud out of sight of anyone who might come into the cabin. Then Leo wrapped the blanket around Ivy and hauled her into his arms, kissing her ruthlessly. She melted instantly, but seconds later, she stiffened as voices echoed inside the lodge.
“What in God’s name?” someone shouted.
Leo broke the kiss.
Her father stood in the open doorway, backed by Mr. Atherton and Mr. Pevenly.
“Oh, Lord,” Mr. Pevenly muttered as he and Mr. Atherton retreated outside.
Ivy’s father didn’t budge an inch. His rifle hung dangerously ready to be fired and Ivy wondered if she should slide her body in front of Leo’s to protect him.
“Care to explain why you and my daughter are in that bed?”
Leo met her father’s stare head-on.
“Because I have been with her, and I intend to marry her.”
Ivy’s mind blanked. Marry her? Surely he didn’t mean that…He was doing it because he’d been caught compromising her.
“You seem to be courting my daughter out of order. Bedding typically follows matrimony, Hampton.” Her father raised the gun an inch, a hint of a threat.
“I’m well aware, Mr. Leighton,” Leo said stiffly, and tucked Ivy under his arm, supporting her.
Did he know she was in a state of shock? What sensible woman wouldn’t be while facing an irate father in nothing but a blanket, with a lover who offered marriage only to do right by her. Finally she found her voice.
“You don’t have to marry me,” she told him, not looking at him, in case he saw the disappointment in her eyes.
“Of course he does,” her father snapped at the same time Leo growled, “Of course I do.”
Nausea welled up inside her, and she stared at him. He let her go, and she slid off the bed to gather her clothes. This wasn’t what she wanted. She couldn’t marry him, and she couldn’t do it this way even if she had wanted marriage.
“Escort her back to the house when she is dressed. Then you and I will talk, Lord Hampton.”
Leo assented in a quick nod. A silent exchange seemed to pass between him and her father before her father at last left the hunting lodge.
Ivy struggled to dress with trembling hands. Marriage was the only way to save her reputation, but she didn’t want to marry a man who would despise her because he’d been forced to go to the altar. She didn’t even want to think about how it would destroy her freedom, her rights…everything she had been fighting so hard for this last year since she’d joined the WSPU.
“This isn’t right…We shouldn’t have to—” Her words came out haltingly as despair choked her.
“No, Ivy. You will listen to me.” He caught her arm and dragged her around to face him. “I want to marry you. I wanted to before this happened.” He gestured to the rumpled bed.
She wrinkled her nose. “What?”
He stepped closer, invading her space and running riot over her senses. Curling an arm around her waist, he drew her against him and did something that sent her heart skittering. Leo trailed a fingertip down the bridge of her nose and tapped the end of it.
“I said…I want to marry you, Button.”
Button? Her chest tightened painfully. “You know…who I am?” Her voice broke a little as she tried to face the fact that her past was no longer a mystery to him. He knows who I am…
