Chapter 4
Peter had come to retrieve Deborah from her chamber then carried her to the parlor where everyone had gathered. Beside the settee was a pair of crutches. Freedom to move about.
Deborah pushed herself up from the settee, balanced her weight on her good leg then reached for the crutches, only to lose her balance and fall back on her bum.
Percy chuckled and held them out before her. “Try again.”
She reached forward and grasped both then pulled herself to standing again while he held them steady. She then put her arms over the crutches so that they were supported and grasped the handles, again, with weight on her good leg while keeping the injured one bent.
“What do I do next?” she asked.
“It would help if you did not have the table in front of you,” he laughed, then moved it out of the way. “Balance on your good leg, bend your elbows and keep your shoulders relaxed. Now move the crutches a step ahead of you, make certain they are secure then step with your good leg.”
She did, then swayed, nearly falling over again, but Percy placed a hand at her waist to steady her.
“I will help my sister,” Peter announced, nearly shoving Percy away from her.
Since when did Peter care so much, or was he simply being overprotective?
“Put the weight on your hands, where they grip and use your upper arms instead of relying on the crutches to support you under your arms,” Peter explained.
Deborah made a note but her arms were not as strong as she would like. Then again, what should she expect? For the past month she’d been sitting about and lifting nothing heavier than a book.
“Try again,” Peter encouraged, then stayed by her side as she maneuvered around the parlor, which had far too much furniture within, and something she’d not noticed previously—not until it was in her way.
Soon, she became more confident and steadier and made her way to the door that opened to the terrace, except she had no intention of remaining there. She wanted to visit her favorite place.
Deborah stood contemplating the handle to the door. Would she lose her balance and fall over if she tried to reach for it? Would one of the crutches drop which would leave her standing with only the one with no way to pick the other up?
Percy rushed forward and opened the door. “You can learn how to open doors later,” he assured her.
“I will escort you outside,” Peter offered then moved to follow, once again, stepping between Deborah and Percy.
“Mr. Peter, the stable manager is requesting your presence.”
Deborah glanced back at her brother and Peter glowered. Not at the servant but at Percy.
Goodness, had the two had a falling out?
“I will not be long.” Peter then turned and marched from the parlor.
She dismissed him and maneuvered herself along the terrace.
“Do you want to sit?” Percy asked.
“Not here,” she answered and continued across the terrace and onto the path surrounded by gardens.
However, she needed to be careful. For the most part, it was a well-worn, flat path, because she had walked this way nearly daily since she was a child, but there was also uneven ground in a few places.
While her progress was slow, Deborah believed that with only a little more practice, she might be quite good at walking with crutches. She only wished it wasn’t so tiring.
Percy remained by her side, one hand behind her, without touching, as if he was prepared to catch her if she started to fall.
Soon, she crossed beneath a canopy of trees to a small clearing that held a bench.
She practically fell onto it when she tried to sit, then leaned the crutches beside her as she settled back.
“Those are more tiring and difficult than I anticipated.” She laughed. “I only need to rest a moment and then we can return.”
Percy sat next to her and looked around. “This area certainly is sheltered,” he murmured.
“The reason I love it,” Deborah confessed. “I like to hide in here, away from everyone. They cannot see me from the terrace or the house, nor can I see them. It is my favorite place to read.”
“I can certainly understand the benefits of such a place,” he said as his eyes grew darker.
Perhaps she should not have come here since it was not proper to be alone with him. But Deborah had needed to be somewhere different and this was the first place that she had wanted to come.
Percy turned toward her. “I must leave soon,” he reminded her. “My parents have written and father needs to discuss matters involving the estate.”
She knew that he could not remain here forever, but that did not mean that her heart did not ache with the very idea of him leaving.
“I may miss you, Percy.” Until he told her of any decision he had reached, she would not confess that she had truly fallen in love with him, far beyond the infatuation that had developed a year earlier.
“It has also occurred to me that while we have spent many afternoons visiting and trying to determine if we care enough for each other to court, there is one thing we have not done that may help us make a determination.”
“What could make such a determination?”
“This.” He then placed his hand on her cheek, turned her to face him, then pressed his lips against hers.
It was a light, gentle kiss, and absolutely perfect.
Her heart soared. He must be thinking beyond friendship and more courtship if he had kissed her.
When he pulled back, Deborah smiled. “Did you learn anything from that?”
“Only that I would like to kiss you some more.” And he did, and soon they were heated, open-mouthed and consuming, unlike anything that she could have ever imagined, and most inadequately described in books.
Her body grew heated as her head became dizzy, but the kisses continued and she did not want them to stop, even if she had to cling to his shoulders to keep from falling.
It was then that Percy scooped her up and settled her on his lap, his hands caressing up and down her back, then her side, as he devoured her.
It was only when his hand cupped her swollen and achy breast and a thumb caressed over a nipple did she gasp with the pleasure that swept through her.
“Deborah, where are you?”
Percy quickly removed Deborah from his lap and sat her beside him then scooted away. The last thing Percy needed was to have to explain to his friend before he had his audience with Kenley.
“Mother needs to speak with you,” Peter said as he stepped between the bushes that had shielded them from being seen from the house or the terrace.
Deborah blew out a sigh. “Very well.” She grabbed her crutches and attempted to stand, nearly losing her balance.
Percy was quick to assist her. “I will walk with you,” he offered.
“My sister will be fine. The distance is not so far,” Peter dismissed and watched as Deborah navigated her way down the path and soon disappeared.
Only then did Percy turn to Peter who raised his fist and struck Percy in the nose. He brought his hands to his face and when he drew them away noted the blood. “What the bloody hell did you do that for?”
“You were attempting to seduce my sister.”
“We were sitting on the bench,” he argued.
“Only after I called out. Before that, she was on your bloody lap and your hand…” His fist connected with Percy’s eye.
“I was kissing her. Not seducing,” Percy argued.
“She is not the type of woman you usually enjoy flirting with and kissing. She is my sister!”
“She is different,” Percy insisted.
“I know you. I have seen you each Season and Deborah will not be another one of your conquests.” Peter’s fist connected with his jaw.
He did not have conquests. Yes, he may have kissed his share of misses in dark gardens, but this was different.
“I forbid any further association with my sister. Any of my sisters.”
“I only care for Deborah.”
Peter’s fist connected with his stomach and Percy doubled over. He should fight back but Peter was only defending Deborah’s honor and Percy had kissed her, most thoroughly.
“If you see her ruined then have her marry me,” Percy offered. It would certainly hasten the courtship and he did love her.
“I will not subject my sister to a forced marriage because you attempted to seduce her.”
“It was not an attempt.”
Peter’s fist nearly shattered his cheek.
“Do you even care that I love her?”
“Have you told her that?”
“No. I thought to wait. I thought…”
Peter’s fist caught his mouth this time, splitting his bottom lip and loosening a few teeth, or so it felt like. “Because it is a lie and you are just trying to save yourself.”
Those words were followed by another punch to his gut. Peter had protected his sister’s honor, when it had not been necessary, but Percy was done taking a beating.
“You will leave here and never return. If you so much as look at Deborah again, you will be meeting me at dawn.”
Bloody hell! How had everything gone so wrong? He would explain but his friend was in no state of mind to listen to reason. The fact that he loved her should be enough for Peter to stop hitting him, but he didn’t seem to care.
“A servant will pack your belongings and I will have your carriage brought around.” He grabbed Percy’s arm and practically dragged him to the front of the house, avoiding the inside. “Remain here.”
Peter marched inside and Percy sought a small bench to slip down to with a groan. Everything hurt from his head to his middle and he could only imagine what his face looked like.
Would he have reacted in the same manner had he come across either of his sisters being so thoroughly kissed?
Undoubtedly, and for that, he could not blame his friend. He just wished Peter would allow him to explain his intentions.
Peter returned a moment later. “You will leave as soon as all is ready and I will make your excuses.”
“I had hoped to remain to speak with Kenley.”
“I will tell my brother all that he needs to know.”
“You do not even know what that is.” Percy raised himself up. “I had intended to ask permission to court Deborah.”
Peter snorted. “If that were true, you would have waited to kiss her. Instead, you thought to seduce her.”
“I did not.”
“I saw you with my own eyes.”
He truly could not argue what he and Deborah had been about. Yes, he had wanted to seduce her, but he would not have.
“I care for her.”
Peter snorted. “It was love a few moments ago.”
“I do love her!” Percy insisted.
“If that were true, you would not have pulled her onto your lap as if she were a lightskirt but showed more honor and respect.”
Maybe Peter had never been overcome with desire, so much so that it overtook all reason.
“I apologize,” he muttered and wondered if his friend could even see reason now or if he was too blinded by anger.
A moment later his carriage arrived and the driver hurried to open the door as a footman exited with his trunk.
Percy stepped inside only because trying to reason with Peter would only see him further injured.
“Do not ever go near my sister again.” Peter slammed the carriage door. “I am not certain that I can even call you friend anymore,” he sneered just as the carriage pulled away.
Percy had hoped to still have a word with Kenley and took a room at a local inn, where he spent two days recovering from the pain inflicted on his body.
Then, in hopes that Peter would not be around, he returned to Deborah’s home only to be given a missive by the butler that stated that Peter had apprised Kenley of what transpired and that Percy was no longer welcome at Kenley Manor, nor would he ever be.