Chapter 21 #2
She only giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck. “At least we told them about our betrothal first.” She sighed, her breath feathering over his neck. “I was going to pay a call on Mrs. Elmhurst to share our happy news, but now I might be too tired to walk there and back.”
“Look around you. This estate doesn’t want for anything. There are at least a half-dozen different carriages at our disposal.”
* * *
Samantha laughed as wind ruffled her hair.
At least it was wavy and didn’t just stick straight out in every direction.
Trent was nothing short of beautiful as he smiled at her.
He’d chosen a small cabriolet so it would be open to the summer air and sunshine, and he could simply drive it himself.
It was hard to believe this was really the life she was going to have.
It still felt like a dream. As they neared their destination, he slowed the carriage.
“There is one advantage of having short hair. It doesn’t blow in my face.”
He climbed down and offered his hand to help her down. “Perhaps you should keep it short then.”
“You really don’t mind it? You don’t think it makes me look masculine? Or undesirable?”
He tipped his head. “Surely you’ve noticed how much I desire you.”
“I may have. In fact, right now I can see that you’re thinking about kissing me, but we need to behave ourselves.”
“You’re right. I won’t make any promises once we’re married, though.” He held out an arm and she walked with him to the door.
A knowing smile turned up Mrs. Elmhurst’s lips as she looked between them. “Good afternoon,” she said quietly. “I’ve just put Emma down for a nap. Do you mind if we visit out here? She hasn’t been napping very well lately, and I’d hate to wake her.”
Trent merely nodded and stepped back to make space. He obviously knew, firsthand, the struggle of getting a young child to sleep sometimes.
“You’re welcome to bring her up to visit Maggie any time,” Trent suggested. “Perhaps it will help to wear her out. It might be good for both of them, in fact. Lord knows, Maggie is hard to get down some nights.”
“I wouldn’t want to impose. You have already done so much for us.”
“Don’t be silly. It’s only a playdate. I doubt it would be any extra work for Mrs. Baird. In fact, it might even make her job easier because they’ll entertain each other.”
“Thank you for all your kindness, Mr. Gibson. And yours as well, Miss Allister.”
“I would be glad of your company, too,” Samantha said. “We can visit while the girls play.”
She looked around. “I’m sorry. I feel like a terrible hostess, standing outside.”
“It’s lovely weather today,” Samantha assured her. “Besides, we’ve come to share some news, and we can do that just as well out here.” She took hold of Trent’s hand. “Mr. Gibson and I are going to be married.”
“Oh! That makes me so happy!” Her hands fluttered up to her chest. “Congratulations to you both!”
Anthony came around the side of the house, a wide grin on his face. He reached to shake Trent’s hand. “Congratulations, sir.”
“Thank you, Anthony.”
He raised a brow at Samantha. “Not as complicated as you thought?”
She chuckled. “Not complicated at all, it turns out.”
As they all sat down for dinner that evening, it wasn’t complicated.
It was perfect. Maggie giggling beside her, and Trent smiling from across the table.
The thing that had changed was that she no longer felt like her presence was a blemish.
A stain, leaching onto a scene of pure innocence.
Funny that she felt that way now that she’d done some very not innocent things with Trent.
Her cheeks warmed as she remembered what they’d done in the library that afternoon. Trent raised his brow. He knew, and it only made her blush more.
None of the men she’d been with had ever cared about her pleasure. They’d sometimes been angry if she didn’t feign pleasure, but never took the time to make it happen. Trent was special. And he was hers.
After Maggie went upstairs with Mrs. Baird, Trent came around the table and sat down next to her. He held out a hand, still offering and leaving the decision up to her, just as he had in the very beginning.
“Why are you like this?” she asked.
“Like what?”
“Kind, patient, respectful.” She placed her hand in his. “Even after everything that has happened between us, you still offer, but have no expectations for reciprocation.”
He shrugged. “Because of my mother, probably. Men put her through hell.” He squeezed her hand. “Not as much as you, I imagine. But more than she deserved. I swore I’d never be one of them.” He lifted her hand to his lips.
“You never could be. You’ll always be a perfect gentleman, Trent Gibson.”
“Even after the library?” He winked at her, and her stomach fluttered. “Let’s go upstairs and get changed. Maggie will be wanting her stories.”
When they entered Samantha’s room after Maggie was asleep, she led him to the chair and urged him to sit. She climbed on his lap and laid her head on his shoulder. “I was hoping we might talk for a bit.”
He rubbed his hand over her back and side. “What’s on your mind?”
“I want to go down to Raven Row and tell Simon in person. Would you mind?”
“We’ll all go. Ash wants us to marry down there.”
“Really?” She sat up and looked into his eyes.
He nodded. “He insists on it, but I’ll only agree to it if that’s what you want.”
“When did you talk to him about marrying me?”
He chuckled. “The night I made that embarrassment of a proposal. He knew that I was in danger of crossing lines and warned me that your brother would kill me if my intentions weren’t pure.”
“I’m sorry.” She kissed his cheek. “Simon was there. He saw me in my darkest moments. So he’s just trying to keep me safe.”
“As he should.”
She laid her head back on his shoulder. “A wedding in Raven Row would be perfect. All of the most important people in my life could attend. Simon, Daisy, Michael, everyone who was so good to me, even when I was incapable of really accepting it.”
“It won’t be hard for you to go back there?”
“I don’t believe so.” She opened the top button on his pajamas, and then the next. “Perhaps, while we’re down there, I’ll talk to Ella about some nightclothes that will be easier for you to remove.”