Page 10 of Tempted By the English Marquis
Gideon rose from his seat and held out his arms. “Sorry, Coco. Yes, we should have got that. Do I take it that the big circle was meant to be the bush?”
Coco stepped into her brother’s embrace, accepting his hug. “Yes. I thought it was easy. No one seems to take these games as seriously as I do. It’s not fair.”
The door of the drawing room opened, and the Duke and Duchess of Mowbray entered. The duke, who was dressed in a black evening suit and had his coat slung over his arm, was followed by his wife. They both moved in such a comfortable, almost serene fashion that Serafina was tempted to think that she had imagined the blazing argument her hosts had been conducting just a moment ago.
The duke nodded to Serafina. “Miss de Luca, I am sorry that this is your last evening with us.”
Serafina rose from her place on the sofa and dipped into a curtsy. “Your Grace. Your Grace.”
Lady Anne, the Duchess of Mowbray, who was dressed elegantly in a crimson gown, came, and embraced her. She gave Serafina a soft kiss on the cheek. “We shall all miss you terribly. I will say goodbye now as I am not sure if I will get a chance to say a fond farewell in the morning. Your brother says you are sailing early, and I may well be still abed when you go.”
The de Luca ship was sailing from Wapping on the high tide, and the coach, with Serafina and her luggage, would be leaving Mowbray House just after three in the morning.
“We should say our farewells tonight. I don’t expect anyone to stir from their sleep at that hour. As soon as I can get settled in my cabin on board the ship, I will be going back to bed,” replied Serafina.
“It’s been lovely having you stay with us. I hope you have got to see plenty of London,” said the duke. He nodded at Gideon, who came to stand alongside him. “I hear Gideon has been very attentive at making sure you got to take many good memories home with you.”
Serafina broke into a broad smile. Hopefully it would distract anyone’s gaze from the heat which burned on her cheeks.
“Lord Holwell has been generous with his time. I cannot imagine that he would think a day trip to Hampton Court Palace with three young ladies was the highlight of his week.” She bowed to Gideon. “You have performed the role of ambassador for your family and your country most admirably, Lord Holwell.”
She was leaving with more than just fond memories of the Kembal siblings. As a result of their shopping trips to the various arcades, Serafina was also taking several large boxes of ribbons, fabrics, and trimmings home with her. Her mother would have to be the arbitrator of which de Luca daughter got what pieces and how they were to be incorporated into new gowns. In her own personal travel trunk, she had stored gold lace, dark green wool, and some fine English cotton. These would be the makings of special garments just for herself, souvenirs of her grand adventure that she could wear in the years ahead.
The other, less tangible, but somehow more powerful private recollections were those that Gideon had unknowingly gifted to her. These didn’t belong in her luggage—rather they existed in her heart. And always would.
Only she knew what standing this close to Gideon did to her. Or how his mere presence set her pulse racing. The warmth of his hands on her body at the maze this afternoon would be forever seared into her skin.
For a moment, she had thought he would murmur sweet words of love to her. Or perhaps lift her face, then bend and kiss her. Instead, she had remained with her head bowed, praying that he would take whatever liberties he wished, only to suffer the humiliation of him setting her away from him.
If you had but taken the chance and kissed me . . . I was so sure you were about to, and now I will never know what your lips taste like.
Her departure from England would leave her with many unanswered questions. Of what might have been.
If she had been a couple of years older, he may have viewed her differently. Who knew? When their gazes had finally met in the maze, his eyes had been shining bright. His breath ragged. She was certain he had been struggling with his emotions. But he had let her go, hadn’t taken what he could so easily have claimed.
The one consolation was that she hadn’t been foolish or brave enough to offer him her lips. Now that would have been awkward. It would have been even more unfortunate had Augusta and Victoria arrived when Gideon and she were mid-embrace. There wouldn’t have been any way that she and the marquis could have explained why they were standing so close to one another for several heart-stopping seconds.
Then again, I might simply have imagined it all.
Perhaps this whole thing had just been a figment of her youthful desires. The first blush of love. No doubt in time she would see it as such. She would look back and laugh at her silly fantasy of the English lord falling in love with her.
Gideon clasped his hands together and bowed to her. “Let us not say goodbye this evening, Serafina. I, for one, shall make the journey to the dockside and see you safely on board your ship tomorrow morning.”
A smiling Augusta joined them, taking hold of Serafina’s arm. “As will I. The hour will be ungodly, but we shall still make a jolly farewell party for you, my dear friend.”
Serafina caught the brief expression of disappointment on Gideon’s face, but it quickly disappeared. Had he been hoping to spend that last hour alone with her?
No. Don’t be foolish.If he felt anything for her, their encounter in the maze would have been the perfect opportunity for Gideon to have made his move. And if he had kissed her, then right now he would be in discussions with Matteo and Nico, and she wouldn’t be packing.
He didn’t kiss me, and I must let it go. He can’t see past the difference in our ages.
Gideon viewed her through the same lens of protection and duty that he did his sisters. He had set their relationship firmly at friendship. That thought finally settled matters. Cleared her mind. Hers had been nothing more than a meaningless infatuation, one brought on by having been away from home for such a long period. This time tomorrow, she would be on her way to Rome. The Marquis of Holwell would be just a pleasant memory that she would occasionally think back on and remember with a smile.
The Duke of Mowbray offered his wife his arm. She took it and gave him a sultry grin. Serafina held her breath as the duke’s gaze drifted over the duchess’s breasts and hips. When her father did that to her mother, it usually meant they took supper in their private apartments.
“You look ravishing this evening, my love. None can compare,” murmured the duke.
“I dress only for your gaze and your masterful touch,” replied the duchess.
