Page 54 of His Wicked Secret
“Of course. If you ask me, only the rich can afford to pretend otherwise. I’ve worked alongside women who’ve worked as hard as if not harder than me. I think it’s a shame that the law doesn’t agree in such matters.”
They sat there gazing at each other in the boat, and he knew she was seeing him the way he wanted her to, as the man who agreed with her on nearly every issue that truly mattered. Her lips parted and she wet her lips, and he started to lean in, ready to steal a kiss…
The line on her pole suddenly jerked, and Audrey squealed, lunging for it. The boat rocked, and Jonathan caught Audrey around the waist so she didn’t fall headfirst into the lake. She reeled in the fish, which turned out to be a fine, fat carp.
“Well done!” He helped her unhook the fish and put it into the basket in their boat. She beamed at him as she wiped her hands on a small cloth she’d brought and reached for another worm. Jonathan stayed close to her, his heart hammering. After everything that had happened between them, he was still nervous as ever to ask the one question that had been burning inside him.
“Audrey…I need to speak with you”
He’d only gotten that far when she threw herself at him and they both toppled to the bottom of the boat. She kissed him hard, her mouth locked on his, and he gripped her waist, kissing her back. He could always ask to marry her later. Surely there would be another good moment. But for now, he wanted to enjoy this.
Audrey tugged at his trousers, but he gently stayed her hand. “Easy, my sweet. We aren’t in a place private enough for that.”
“Oh? I thought you enjoyed a bit of risk. Emily told me”
His eyes widened, and he pushed her up a bit. “What do you know about me and Emily?” He’d made the foolish mistake of helping Emily escape Godric’s estate before the two realized they were in love. He’d assumed, also foolishly, that Emily might have been interested in him, but he’d been wrong. It was still a source of embarrassment to him, though they’d been able to laugh at it since.
“She told me you were brazen enough to try to seduce her at an inn. I assumed you had a streak of voyeurism in you.”
He groaned. “That was a different time. Besides, we were in a private room. I also didn’t care about her like I do you. It’s…it’s entirely different.”
She went still above him. “You care about me?”
He lifted one of her hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “Isn’t it obvious? I care for you far more than is wise.”
She kissed him again, and this time he didn’t care if anyone was watching.
16
Charles baited his hook and cast it far out into the lake. Once his hook and lure sank below the water, he glanced around for the boats. The one carrying James and Gillian had drifted behind the sweeping protective curtain of an ancient willow tree close to the left side of the lake. The other, the one with Audrey and Jonathan, was drifting along in the middle of the lake. Audrey was reeling in a fish, and Jonathan rushed to help her. Moments later they fell deep into the boat and vanished from view.
Charles sighed. “So much for spending time alone without the ladies.” He knew a black cloud had to be forming over his head when he idly wondered whether the dandies back inside the house would be preferable company.
He was glad that both of his friends were well on their way to winning the hearts of their women, but it didn’t help his own situation. The sinking feeling that all of his friends were leaving him as they married was almost too much to bear. He stared at the rippling surface of the lake, watching the light play upon the water. Most days he didn’t think about the past, but whenever he was alone and it was quiet, the memories always crept back upon him. Memories that had left scars on his heart.
The river Cam at Cambridge, while not a lake, was so glassy smooth and slow that punting boats coasted on its surface with ease. It reminded him of this very lake. He shivered. The memory of the lead weights wrapped around his ankles was something he could never forget. Charles closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. He wasn’t sinking underwater. He was fine, just fine. Plenty of air to fill his lungs.
“My lord?” Tom Linley’s voice startled him. He opened his eyes to see the young man watching him with open concern. He smiled, trying to relax a little.
“Have a seat and dip your toes in the water, lad.” He patted the wood planks of the dock beside him.
“I really shouldn’t,” the young man said.
“Linley, sit,” Charles ordered.
Tom plopped down on the planks, frowning.
“Boots and stockings off, and feet in the water.” Charles faced him with an imposing stare.
Linley resisted for a moment before blowing out a deeply frustrated breath. Then he slipped off his boots and stockings. He dipped his toes in the water warily, as if it might bite him.
“Christ, lad, it’s only water.”
“’Tis cold water,” Linley huffed.
Charles laughed. “Can you swim? Be honest with me.”
“Yes, quite well, actually.” Linley raised his chin with pride, and well he should. Most men couldn’t.
