Chapter 12
All day long, as the rain changed to snow flurries, went back to rain and then settled into snow from thick clouds that didn’t look to clear anytime soon, Colin thought about that impromptu kiss Lucy had given him.
Why had she done it? No amount of staring out the window provided him the answer he sought.
And how could he cajole a repeat performance?
For her satiny lips had cradled his as perfectly as they had all those years ago, but now the heat they’d oh so briefly exchanged was more tantalizing than those innocent kisses of yesteryear.
When he glanced at her, she sat with embroidery in her lap, her fingers still, her attention riveted to her window, but a small smile curved those highly kissable lips.
What did she think about? It was maddening to wish to know.
And still he couldn’t tear his attention away from her mouth.
That kiss they’d shared hadn’t been nearly enough.
He’d barely gotten acquainted with her last night, and he craved the taste of her, wished to see what experience had taught her, and if she’d be of a mind for a dalliance before parting…
Damn it all to hell. Colin shifted on his bench as thoughts of her tightened his length.
Lucy wasn’t that sort of woman. No one night tupping for her, and rightly so.
She was the marrying type, didn’t deserve such treatment, and he didn’t want to do the leg-shackling bit again, for that meant his heart would need be engaged.
This development vastly complicated the remainder of the trip, and they were but a day out from Derbyshire.
On the one hand rested a possible renewal of a relationship with this elusive woman who’d haunted him during their years apart, but on the other hand waited the spoils of his father’s wager.
There simply wasn’t more time to consider each. What to do?
Then he gave himself a mental shake. Get hold of yourself, man. Outside of that kiss, brought on by an excess of emotion and a remembrance of the past, Lucy hasn’t shown an interest in you, romantic or otherwise. Go for the easy win and forget the rest.
If only life were that easy. Sometimes, a man needed the challenge.
They were obliged to stop at a posting inn for lunch and for the driver to talk with other travelers and assess the road situation, for the snow came down at a good clip now.
The precipitation hadn’t yet covered the barren fields, but it would soon, and though the roads would freeze, the precipitation would render travel hazardous.
Once in yet another private dining room, the ladies of his party removed their outerwear, and he gaped in surprise.
Lucy didn’t wear the light blue day dress she had the last few days.
Now, draped in a gown of ivory velvet trimmed with a gold satin sash and an outer skirt of sheer white tulle embroidered with tiny golden flowers, she was magnificent.
Colin raked his gaze up and down her figure, pausing to admire the swell of her pale breasts over a neckline considerably lower than the blue dress.
He forgot how to breathe. Hell, he forgot his own name. He opened and closed his mouth, but no sound emerged.
When she glanced at him, she smiled, and her eyes twinkled. “Is there something you’d like to say, Colin?” She looked at Ellen, who shrugged, but regarded him with speculation.
“Uh…” He cleared his throat, but his thoughts were still murky.
“Grant me patience.” Ellen muttered and followed it up with a huff. “Shall I order tea or some luncheon, Father?” she asked in a voice saturated with annoyance. “From the snatches of conversation I overheard on the way in, the cook has made special Christmas meat pies for the midday meal.”
“Please. And ask to have a fire lit.” The words felt ripped from his throat as if he had no idea how to communicate verbally, not since beholding Lucy in such an outfit.
Did she have an assignation she’d failed to inform him of?
Why the devil did she have to look so stunning?
When his daughter, who wore her traveling dress instead of a fancy one, exited the room, he heaved a sigh and once more peered at Lucy.
“You are beautiful. What prompted… this?” He waved a hand to encompass her person.
“It’s Christmas Eve.” She shrugged as if that explained everything. At his frown, she laughed and rolled her eyes. “Ellen suggested that since I had this gown with me, I should wear it today, in an effort to infuse our last full travel day with a festive air.”
“I heartily agree with that.” Each time she moved, the golden embroidery and tiny crystal beadwork around the bodice winked in the candlelight. “In any event, I’m glad your cloak isn’t hiding your dress. It certainly cheers me.”
God, could I be any more of a nodcock? I sound like a green schoolboy.
This was Lucy, who he’d known for years… except, it wasn’t. She was different in all the ways that mattered, and he desperately wanted to know why.
Her widening smile warmed his insides. Too much more of that and he’d be lost.
Colin was saved another response by Ellen pelting back into the dining room.
Her face was wreathed in happiness and joy that surely had nothing to do with the mundane task of ordering food and a fire.
“What has happened?” So help him, if she’d flirted with another footman—or any young man—he’d wring the unfortunate’s neck and ring a peal over her head.
She was much too young for all of that, and he most certainly wouldn’t allow it until her Come Out, or even ever.
“Oh, Papa, it’s the best news,” she enthused as she ran lightly over the worn hardwood to stand in front of him.
“While ordering luncheon, I happened upon one of my school chums—Emily Harrison. She’s in a few of my classes, and we chatted a bit.
Can you believe she and her family are heading to Derbyshire for Christmastide as well?
I don’t know her intimately, but how wonderful her people are from the same place ours are. ”
“It’s not outside the realm of possibility since many families travel during this week,” he said dryly with an amused glance at Lucy.
Which he shouldn’t have done, for one look at that gown and the curves it clung to had tiny fires licking through his blood.
“What bearing does meeting your friend have on our present circumstances?”
“I’d like to ride with them the rest of the way. Please, Papa?” Ellen clasped her hands together and peered at him with the right amount of pleading in her eyes. “I haven’t asked you for much recently, but I’d like this ever so much.”
“But earlier in our trip, you said you wished to spend time with me,” he countered with a grin.
She rolled her eyes. “We have nearly two weeks to do that, and we’ve made enormous strides at repairing our relationship, thanks to Lucy.” Ellen clutched onto his arm. “Please let me go. Please.” She went as far as to hop in her excitement.
Yes, thanks to Lucy. Again, he peered at her.
She’d been the thread that mended their torn lives.
The woman is nothing short of magic. Finally, he waved a hand and focused his attention on his daughter.
“Go. It’s all right, but make sure Miss Harrison’s family drops you at Lancaster Hall as soon as possible.
I’ve promised your great-grandmother we’d all be together for Christmas breakfast. And mind you retrieve your luggage from the carriage. ”
“Oh, thank you!” Ellen leaned upon her tiptoes and placed a noisy kiss to his cheek.
“I love you.” Then she launched herself into Lucy’s arms and kissed her as well.
“You look smashing, Lucy. I knew you would. See you tomorrow.” And then, she dashed from the room and the echo of her heels on the hardwood rang in the sudden silence.
Dear Lord, I’m alone with Lucy.
Colin looked at her, who’d narrowed her eyes. “What?”
“You spoil her. At times, it’s quite all right to deny her requests. She will live just fine, and be all the stronger for it.”
He shrugged. “I know.” Before he could say more, the innkeeper’s wife hustled into the room with a lad of about twelve.
While the boy darted to the fireplace and quickly had a nice blaze, the woman set down a large, silver tray upon the table and began to set out quite an impressive tea spread, complete with sandwiches, the lauded meat pies, which were all golden pastry and steaming hot, as well as four types of sweets.
When they were both finished, Colin smiled.
“Thank you.” As they left, the woman closed the door behind her.
The finality of that act shivered through his soul.
What the bloody hell do I do now? Before, when he’d known Lucy, they’d both been very young with only untried love between them.
Now they were adults, had they had been through marriages, suffered loss, gained experience.
They were different, and yet here they were, with the same old tension simmering between them that had only sharpened into deep desire.
His hands were damp inside his gloves, and quickly he removed them as well as his greatcoat.
Colin threw the garments along with his beaver felt top hat onto one of the wingback leather chairs near the fireplace.
He didn’t much care if everything landed on the furniture or not.
“Uh, shall we sit and do justice to this lovely tea?” How was a man supposed to do something as pedestrian as eating while such a vision of beauty occupied the same room?
“I’d like that.” As she moved past him, the fragrance of daises teased his nose, and he once more gawked at her as if he’d never seen her before. “What is it about traveling that makes a person famished?”