Page 46 of One Scandal Too Many
Charlotte dismounted from Kallippos and walked over to him. “I thought we were both dismounting.”
He stared down at her. “Do you trust me?” he asked her.
“Of course,” she said. “There was a time I might not have, but I do now.”
“Then give me your hand.” She reached up and he pulled her into his saddle. “We can talk like this.”
“So you can seduce me into your way of thinking?” she asked. Charlotte wasn’t unhappy to be with him in the saddle, though. Her grin stole away any doubt there.
He grinned. “You already know me so well.” Declan gave into his need and did pull her into his arms. He held her against him as he tied Kallippos’s reins to his saddle. “Then there’s no reason for you to object to this.”
“What is this?” she wiggled against him. “I can ride on Kallippos. I don’t need to be in your arms.”
“Yes, you do,” he told her. “Otherwise, you might ride away, and I cannot allow that. It won’t take long to arrive where we are going.” He grinned. “Luckily for us, Scotland isn’t too far away, and we will be married before anyone can prevent it.”
“We can’t...” She struggled against him, but Declan held her close. Once they were in Scotland, she would accept that this was the only way. She wanted to be with him. He was willing to wager his entire future on that belief.
“I assure you,” he said. “We can. Darling,” he said in a mischievous tone. “We are eloping. By the time your father discovers anything, it will be far too late.”
Charlotte sighed. “You might regret marrying me.”
“I’ll never regret that.” Declan had never been surer of anything in his life. If he had to elope with her to have her as his wife, then he would. He’d rather have married her in a church and kept it all proper. But if her father really would not approve of their marriage, then he was all right doing it the scandalous way.
“Then let’s get married,” she said. “We will weather the scandal together.” Her grin made his heart leap with joy. They were going to do this. He was going to marry Charlotte.
It shouldn’t take more than a few hours for them to reach the border, then perhaps another hour after that to the nearest village. Once there they could say their vows. As far as a wedding night, they could decide on that after. He’d already taken her innocence. There was no need for a consummation, but he’d gladly make love to her again if she wanted him. For now, he just needed to make her his wife. The rest could wait. At least for a little while.
Chapter Twenty-One
Charlotte could notbelieve this was happening. He was actually abducting her. More importantly, she didn’t even care. Though she was glad he had decided on this course of action. Not that she would admit that to him. The arrogant arse didn’t even consider her objections. Well, maybe he had. That was why he had decided upon an elopement. If he had not listened to her, then he would have foolishly still tried to ask her father for her hand. Normally, she’d demand to be returned, because she hated being ordered around and she had a tendency to do the exact opposite of what had been commanded. But in this one instance she decided to be more compliant. She wanted to marry him, and she’d allow him to take her to Scotland.
Instead, he had believed her. This was the solution he had decided would be best. He wanted to marry her, and he was going to ensure that he did. It might even be considered romantic. There was only one downside to their little adventure. He still had not told her that he loved her. A part of her wished he had said the words, though it did not escape her notice that she had never said them either.
She wanted to tell him that she adored him. That he was the only man that would ever have her heart. Charlotte had not been certain. She’d never been in love before. How was she to know when it was real? But now that they were on their way to Scotland, she had to accept that she had fallen for hima while ago. It had perhaps happened during their first real conversation. His arrogance had been evident even then, and that had excited her.
Over time, that need to be near him grew and developed into the love she felt today. He would be her husband soon. She had little doubt of that now. They would spend the rest of their days together. As long as her father didn’t find a way to ruin it all for her. Charlotte didn’t want to believe he could, but it was her father. The duke was capable of almost anything.
Declan slowed the horses. “If I allow you on your horse, will you ride away?”
An excellent question. She should. Because she was afraid of what her father might do. But Declan was correct. There was little he could do once they said their vows. They would be married, and in England, not a lot could undo a marriage. Besides, she didn’t know this terrain well. What would happen to her if she got lost? Riding away from him would be a terrible idea. “No,” she told him. “For better or worse this is what we are doing. I agreed to marry you.”
“You’re not going to fight me on the wedding?” He lifted a brow. “I have to be certain. You seemed against marrying me at first.”
“That is not true,” she said. “I was never against marrying you. I only said no because my father would be. He’s had plans for me for a while. Not that he shared those plans with me. Only that they exist.”
“So, when we get to the village in Scotland you will marry me?” he asked.
Charlotte nodded. “I don’t see any reason not to. I can’t very well return to Havenwood now.” She doubted she could after spending the night in the cottage with Declan. “They would have questions. All of which I would be uncomfortable answering.” She nearly shuddered at the thought of being interrogated byMrs. Havenwood. The headmistress could get any information out of anyone. She’d wager on those odds. That didn’t mean she wanted to be the subject of that sort of inquiry.
He pulled on the reins to halt the horses. Declan lifted his hand and caressed her cheek. “I know you said you’d marry me, but you must forgive me for having my doubts. You were so reluctant that your compliance seemed impossible. I thought I would have to do more to convince you of the wisdom of being my wife.”
“You can still do that if you wish.” She tilted her lips upward into a wanton smile. “What would you have done to persuade me?”
He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. “I could kiss you.”
“That would be an excellent start.” Charlotte wrapped her arms around his neck. “I like when you kiss me. But I don’t know if that would be enough to sway me to the benefits of marriage.”
“It might entice you into my bed,” he said. “Which should be enough to induce you to the idea. We can be together every night. Maybe even more than that, if we so desire. In my bed, that is.”
