Page 49 of Romancing the Rifleman
His shoulders sagged with relief.“Thank you.”
She bit her lip.“Tell me the precise wording.Tell me exactly what you promised him.”
He frowned in concentration.“I swore that when you returned from this house party, your maidenhead would be intact.”
Diana brightened.It wasn’t ideal.
But she could work around that.
“Very well, then.We will make absolutely sure that I return to London with my maidenhead firmly in place.”
He smiled at her, relieved.“Thank you.”
“However,” she said firmly.
He stiffened.“However?”
She struggled to find the right words.“I am very innocent in most ways.You were the first man I ever kissed.”A soft smile came over his face.Instead of pausing to enjoy it, she soldiered on.“But I am not entirely ignorant of the marital act and what it entails.”
He nodded sagely.“I imagine your great-aunt told you what to expect.”
Diana scoffed.“Gracious, no.Aunt Griselda doesn’t know the first thing about making love.”She made a conciliatory gesture with her hand.“Leastwise, not with a man.”
For the first time all night, Harrington laughed.
Diana gave him a pointed look.“I trust you will keep that in confidence.”
He placed a hand over his heart.“Your Aunt Griselda is one of my favorite people on the face of this earth.I would never say anything that could cause her grief.Besides, I’m not exactly in a position to cast the first stone.”
Diana peered at him, wondering if this curious half-statement was an allusion to the page he had marked in his book of scandalous prints by folding the corner down.The one in which the man was being spanked with a birch—and appeared to be enjoying it.
Part of her wanted to ask.But she was nervous of how he would react to learning that she had snooped through his things.The situation was tenuous enough as it was.
She opted for a half-truth.“I stumbled upon a book ofprints.”She gave the last word extra emphasis, hoping he would catch on.
Understanding flared in his eyes.“Ah.Not ignorant at all, then.”
“And I do have married friends.”There.That phrasing was vague enough that he could plausibly assume that Ceci had been the one to pull her aside before her wedding and tell her about the birds and the bees.She didn’t want to dampen the mood by revealing that everything she knew about the marital act, she had learned from his little sister.
She scooted closer to him on the bed, raising her hand to trace behind his ear.“What I’m trying to say is, we both know there are other things we could do, ways of giving and receiving pleasure, that would not compromise my maidenhead in any way.”
Harrington’s eyes were wary once again.“But what if I can’t stop?What if I lose control?”
“I don’t think you will.But we need to trust one another.”She took his hand in hers, squeezing it.“We’re married.We’re partners.When I say that I would never do anything that would cause you to break your vow, I want you to believe me.”
“I want to believe you,” he said hesitantly.“But as the saying goes, the flesh is weak.”
She lifted her chin.“I am not weak.”She wanted to add,and neither are you.But she held off, because she knew he would argue.
“That’s true,” he agreed reluctantly.
“Good.Then let me see if I can ease your mind.”She took his hand, placing it over her heart, and looked him square in the eye.“I, Diana Latimer… no, DianaAstley… solemnly swear on the grave of my mother, Lydia Latimer, that I will return to London at the end of this gathering with my maidenhead intact.That I will not allow my husband, Harrington, to perform any act that would place the vow he made upon the grave of his little brother, John, in jeopardy.”
His expression was fraught.“You don’t have to do this, Diana.”
“I already did.”She gave him an arch look.“So, do you believeIam strong enough to keep my vow?”
He frowned.“I know you are.”
