Page 53 of Rose and the Rogue
“We’re going to marry, Rose. I mean, if you accept my offer.”
“Oh, Adrian…I don’t need you to do that. I knew what I was doing when I accepted your invitation. I know it was only for a night.”
“You thought I’d take you to bed for a night?” he asked, his tone incredulous. “And you honestly think that I’m going to just let you disappear after this? Rose, I want to marry you.”
“You’re very kind to offer, but Adrian, I’m not appropriate as a wife. We’ve talked about this before, have we not? I don’t have the skills to be a housewife.”
“Housewife? You’d be a viscountess!”
“Even worse. I definitely don’t have the skills for that. Unless viscountesses sing and play instruments all day.”
“Well…they could. Not that the ones I’m familiar with have done so. But Rose, it doesn’t matter. After this, you can’t pretend as if nothing has happened.”
“Why not?” Rose asked bluntly.
A long and puzzled silence followed.
“I will not tell. You will not tell. I’m never going to get married, so no one will ever know that I’m not a virgin. And you’ll find a suitable bride from your class when you are ready to do so.”
“I don’t want a suitable bride, I want you.”
She smiled and shook her head. “Perhaps we should talk about this later.” Rose didn’t want to think of mundane things, not after a night of illicit, sensuous pleasure. She’d never dreamed such a thing would happen to her, and she still didn’t entirely believe it had. All she wanted was to treasure the feelings of bliss that swirled lazily within her.
“Later, then. But we will talk about it.” Adrian gave Rosalind one last, lingering kiss, leaving her in a delighted haze. “It’s getting close to morning. I’m heartbroken to tell you we have to leave this bed.”
How did she dress? How did she get downstairs? How did she get into the carriage, and then across the city to her own home? Rose was too overwhelmed to notice any of these things. For her, the revelation of the previous night occupied all her thoughts.
The door of the carriage opened, and Adrian helped her out. “We’re here,” he told her in a low voice. “You’re standing at the head of the straight path from the mews to the back door of your house.”
“That goes to kitchens. It’s never locked,” Rose told him. “I’ll be all right.”
“Rose,” he said then. “We’re going to be together again. I promise.”
“I don’t need promises, Adrian.”
“I’m making one anyway. Give me a day or two, please?”
She smiled, knowing that he was watching her. “I’m not fleeing the country, you know.”
“You’d better not. Now best get moving, love.” He kissed her hand, his lips warm and challenging against her skin, sparking a reaction in her body. Then he released her and moved away so she could slip into the house without being noticed. Behind her, the sky began to blush, but she couldn’t see it.
Chapter 18
Adrian spent the day in a haze. Rose destroyed him last night. She was a lover without inhibitions and with infinite curiosity. He was not ever going to sleep with another woman. He couldn’t. It would be a total disappointment.
With Rose, he felt like he mattered, as if she wanted to not just make love to him but actually understand his own mind during the act of loving. She responded to everything with joy and affection and openness and the result was that he was ruined for the rest of his life.
He had to have her, just as he’d told Carlos before. Last night only confirmed his beliefs. He was going to marry Rose, give her his name, give her a home, and family and everything she wanted. Because he couldn’t face the alternative, which was an existence without her.
So the next day, Adrian arrived at the Blake house at three. He knew the women were out, since the stableboy was very informative after receiving a few coins. Their absence was actually a good thing.
“Good morning, Alice,” he greeted the maid who he had seen there before.
She tried to look cold, but failed. “Miss Blake is not at home, sir. I am sorry.”
“Don’t be. It’s Mr. Blake I’ve come to call on.”
“Oh!” Alice said, flustered. “I’ll…I’ll see if he’s at home, sir. Do you mind waiting in the hall a moment?” She hurried away. Obviously, her instructions regarding him and other gentlemen had only covered keeping him away from Rosalind. Now she had to find out if the master would be “at home” to Adrian.
