Page 38 of My Gentleman Spy
Chapter Fourteen
That night Will attemptedto sleep on the floor of their cabin for a second time, but in the early hours, Hattie felt him slide in beside her. He wrapped his arm around her in a now familiar hold and from the gentle snores which soon arose from him, she knew he had fallenasleep.
Hattie lay awake in the night. The moon which shone through the cabin window bathed the room in a soft pearl bluelight.
Eventually she lifted Will’s arm from around her and slipped out of bed. Putting his greatcoat on, she crossed to the bench by the window and satdown.
In the bed, Will rolled over onto his other side, and slepton.
She smiled as she watched him sleep. He was a magnificent specimen of a man. Whenever he wrapped his arms around her, she felt butterflies flutter in her stomach. The woman who eventually married him would have a wonderfulhusband.
But Will Saunders was not for her. He was born and bred for the life of theton. A world of wealth, fabulous parties, and self-centered people. That was the world she had left behind. Her life now had a purpose. Her work with the poor brought hope to people who otherwise hadnothing.
Will for all his kindness would neverunderstand.
When they returned to England they would go their separate ways. In time he would forget her. She knew however, she would never forget him. Never forget the first man who had held herheart.
She turned and looked up at the moon. It was close to a full moon. The moon’s light shone on the white caps of the waves. They looked like tiny white lanterns dancing up and down in a never- endingbob.
“Can’tsleep?”
Will had crept silently from the bed and now came to sit besideher.
“Just thinking,” shereplied.
“Ofwhat?”
The memory of standing on the gangplank of theBlade of Orionslipped into her mind. The emotion she felt before she took the leap into a new life, stirred oncemore.
You were brave then. Why notnow?
She softly chortled and feeling her cheeks blush red, turned away. Will reached out and touching her face, drew her gaze back tohim.
“Of what,Hattie?”
Her gaze fell on his lips. Those soft, warm lips which had captivated her when Will kissed her that first day in the townsquare.
“Of what it would be like to be yourlover.”
She held her breath. Her gaze remained locked on his lips. She had been bold enough to say the words, but she was not possessed of the strength to meet hisgaze.
Will took hold of her hand and raising it to his lips, kissed itgently.
“Do you realize what you are saying? I mean what being my lover wouldentail.”
Hattie puffed out her cheeks. She had held onto the slim hope that this was one secret she would never be forced to reveal to him. But if she was to bring their relationship to the place she desired, she would have to be honest with Will when it came tosex.
Hattie rose from the bench and bending over placed a tentative kiss on Will's lips. She had never taken the lead before in a sexual encounter with a man, but her heart called for her to take a chance. The worst he could do would be to sayno.
“Yes, I do understand. Will, I am not avirgin.”
He returned thekiss.
“I take it the reverend decided he was entitled to liberties being your fiancé and took them before you leftLondon.”
Shenodded.
She had been led to believe that love making was a beautiful thing between a man and a woman. She had seen the shared kisses and whispers between Edgar and Miranda in the months after they were wed. How Miranda’s eyes lit up whenever Edgar touchedher.
