Page 45 of Rescuing a Tantalising Heiress
But nothing took her interest, and thanking the footman, she stepped out into the hallway. It was dark there, but a chink of light could be seen beneath Edward’s study door; smiling to herself—and checking no one had seen her—Isabella knocked gently at the door and let herself in without invitation.
“Oh…” Edward said, looking up from his desk in surprise.
Isabella closed the door behind her, bringing her finger to her lips. Edward looked uncomfortable.
“I wasn’t seen,” she whispered, even as her heart was beating fast at the possibility of having been seen.
“Isabella, I…this is all too much,” Edward said, and Isabella’s face fell.
She did not understand what she had done wrong. Earlier on, he had been apologetic, and the kiss they had shared had been…
“But I thought…you wanted it,” Isabella said.
Edward sighed.
“I do, but…I don’t want to drag you into a scandal. And that’s what’s going to happen if we persist. I’m supposed to be a gentleman and to set an example. If it was discovered…” he said, and Isabella’s face fell.
The last thing she wanted was to drag him into scandal, and yet she could not understand his objection to what they were doing. They had agreed to keep the matter a secret, and if theirs was to be a courtship, it could be revealed at the proper time. It appeared he was capable of a rapid change of heart, for already his thoughts had swung from passion to fear and back again.
“Oh, but does it really matter if it is?” she asked, and he nodded.
“It does, I’m afraid. Look…I enjoy your company, and I want it to continue. But we really must be careful. We’re a small household, and you never know who’s listening or who could betray us,” Edward replied.
Isabella felt dejected, but she nodded, understanding the difficult position he was in.
“Then I’ll say goodnight,” she replied, and he nodded.
“Goodnight,” he replied, returning to his correspondence.
A tear ran down Isabella’s cheek, and she sighed, opening the door cautiously and peering out into the dark hallway. There was no one about, and the house appeared at rest. She closed the door quietly behind her and made her way upstairs to bed, feeling embarrassed in her boldness and regretting having been so forward in her affections.
Is this what it’s like? Is this what romance is like?she asked herself as she made her way upstairs to bed.
“You’re late tonight, my lady,” Anne said as Isabella entered her bedroom to find the maid laying out her day dress for the following morning.
“Yes, and all I want is to go to bed and forget everything,” Isabella replied, and that was precisely what she did, for Isabella could only feel a sense of regret for having fallen in love, even as she knew it would be far harder to forget it.
Chapter 18
Edward could not sleep that night, and having tossed and turned for several hours, he returned to his study and finished the last of his correspondence as the dawn broke over the moorland. He felt angry with himself for having behaved so rakishly and could only imagine what Isabella must think of him.
To kiss her, to not kiss her—oh, what was I thinking? I wasn’t thinking,Edward thought to himself, angry for having succumbed again so readily to his own temptations.
He did not want Isabella to think of him as a rake, but that was just how he had behaved—in his own eyes, at least. The Duke of Burlington had trusted him with his daughter. Edward had betrayed that trust—not once, but twice.
“Breakfast, my lord,” Marston said, knocking at the study door.
“Bring it to me in here, Marston,” Edward called out, for he was in no mood for another awkward meal in the dining room.
The butler did as Edward asked, and a plate of sausages and eggs was brought, along with coffee and toast with butter and marmalade. Edward ate at his desk, fearing his next encounter with Isabella and wondering just how upset she was.
And what if she still tells her father. Then it won’t matter either way,Edward thought to himself, finishing his breakfast just as a knock came at his study door.
He feared it was Isabella, but instead, the butler announced the arrival—to Edward’s surprise—of his friend, Benjamin, the Baron of Longley. Edward had not expected the baron’s return so soon, and he hoped he was bringing some fresh news as to the kidnappers and the plot against the Duke of Burlington.
“Will you have some breakfast?” Edward asked as Benjamin was shown into his study.
“No, it’s quite all right, but I was in the district and thought I’d call on you,” Benjamin replied, seating himself by the hearth, as Edward looked at him in surprise.
