Page 5 of Tempted By the English Marquis
She had turned nineteen on the sea voyage from Rome, so she understood enough of the world to know that what she felt was lust. A sexual craving for him. For a man she could not have.
Tomorrow, I will be sailing for home. I shall never see him again. How terribly sad.
“I have asked the servants to bring out some blankets to make sure you do not get a chill,” said Gideon.
“Thank you, Lord Holwell. I will be most happy to ride in the carriage. And while I have my cloak and gloves to help keep me warm, the blankets will be most appreciated.”
London in late September was still fine. The nights were a little cooler than Serafina was used to experiencing in Rome, but she had learned to dress sensibly and wear a woolen chemise under her gown.
The small group was gathered in the mews at the rear of Mowbray House. Gideon, Augusta, Victoria, and Serafina were to spend the afternoon at Hampton Court Palace. Through his many connections, the Duke of Mowbray had managed to get permission for a private party to visit the former royal residence. She was quite looking forward to sharing the day with her friends.
They stood to one side of an open carriage while servants brought blankets and warm bricks from the kitchens. When she caught sight of the generously sized picnic basket being loaded onto the back of the carriage, Serafina’s stomach gave an appreciative growl.
Lady Victoria giggled. “I see there will be stiff competition for the apple pies.”
Gideon shook his head. “We shall all eat exactly our fair share of the food. You are a young lady, Victoria, not a piggy at the trough.”
As the eldest of the Kembal offspring, Gideon was in command of their group. Serafina suspected he fancied himself as the gruff older brother tasked with the job of keeping his wayward younger sisters in check, but she had seen that playful glint in his eye on more than one occasion. He enjoyed being out with them.
I expect it makes a nice change from your gentlemen’s clubs and manly pursuits.
She had numerous older brothers and cousins and knew exactly how society expected them to behave. All serious in their conduct and thoughts.
And eldest sons have it the worst. All those expectations weighing them down…
Fun and amusements were meant for children and young women, not grown men. If men wished for entertainment, they should seek it in the boxing ring or at the fencing clubs. Her brother Matteo had a passion for swordplay.
And yet here Gideon was. Once again leading a group of young ladies on an expedition to somewhere new. To another day filled with laughter.
Serafina reached for her English phrase book, and quickly thumbed through it. What had he said?Pig. Piggy.
Augusta took the book from out of her hands and pointed at a word.Suino. Serafina burst out laughing. Lady Victoria wagged a finger at her brother, to which Gideon simply threw up his hands.
I will miss these people.
A footman stopped and spoke a few brief words to Gideon, after which he nodded. “Thank you. I think we are ready to leave now.”
Serafina caught the conspiratorial look which passed between Victoria and Augusta. The sisters linked arms and all but danced over to the waiting carriage. A footman in Mowbray livery assisted them up the short step and into their seats. They sat side by side with their backs facing toward the front. When they leaned in, their heads touched. And while it was evident, they thought they were sharing some delightful secret, Serafina was prepared to have a good guess at what had passed between the Kembal sisters. They were playing at matchmaker.
I would suggest your efforts are a little misguided. Gideon doesn’t see me that way.
TheCaelianwould be sailing tomorrow morning, and she, along with Nico and Matteo, would be onboard. In six weeks, she would be back home in Rome.
Gideon stepped forward and offered Serafina his arm. “Miss de Luca, may I escort you to the carriage?”
She took his arm and gave him a cheerful, “Thank you, Lord Holwell.”
He was polite and kind to her, attentive to a fault. But she had come to accept that the hopes of Gideon’s sisters did not have any real chance of success. The Marquis of Holwell didn’t view her as anything more than a guest in his family’s home. Someone to be treated with respect and protected.
Gideon said nothing as he took his place next to her in the carriage. Serafina caught the sideways glare he shot his sisters as he climbed in. There were many unspoken words in that look.
What a pity we don’t have longer to get to know one another, Gideon. If we did, you might come to realize that while I am a few years younger than you, I am a fully grown woman.
Today was their last day, and she had decided to set aside any thoughts of regret and simply enjoy the outing. Once she was onboard the ship, there would be plenty of time to ponder what might have been. To think about the English marquis who had stirred her body to life and made Serafina consider what being the object of a man’s desire could really mean.
ChapterThree
The journey to Hampton Court Palace was a pleasant one, the conversation light and engaging. Victoria kept them amused with tales of games she and her friends often played at social gatherings and how they cunningly managed to get extra helpings of cake and desserts. Gideon had always thought he took his food seriously, but his sister was on an entirely different level. She was obsessed with knowing every minute detail of how dishes were prepared.
