Chapter 3 #2
A small part of him that James would barely admit to was hoping that all this fuss that she was making about not telling him about herself was a ruse – something to get him even more interested in her than he already was.
Smith was spluttering beside him, unable or unwilling to answer Miss Kirkland’s accusations.
James smiled. Perhaps even this was a front, hoping that he would then press her to accept a place in his bed.
It just took one look at her face to see that her outrage was genuine.
“If you think that I am taking one step into that chamber with you,” she said firmly, pointing a finger menacingly at him, “you are very much mistaken, Mr Paendly. I have never been so insulted in my – ”
James tried not to imagine exactly what that would look like as he said, “No one is forcing you to do anything, Miss Kirkland.”
She laughed bitterly. “Says the man who threatened to abandon me at the side of the road not an hour ago!”
Shuffling slightly uncomfortably in his seat, for that was not his finest hour, James was about to speak when Smith interrupted him.
“I will go in and order supper, m’lord.”
He was gone before James could order him back, but perhaps that was for the best. There did not seem to be any other way of cooling Miss Kirkland’s temper.
“I cannot repeat any more strongly,” she said slowly, not taking her eyes from him, “that I absolutely could not do it.”
James stared at her without speaking, and she coloured slightly.
Would it be possible, he wondered slyly?
Was there any way that he would be able to convince her to share his bed?
He knew his own attractions, had seen them create impressive effects each time that he was in town, though the desperate attempts for young ladies to be seduced by him was wearying after a while.
Not so with Miss Kirkland. There was something so pure about the way that her eyes widened at the very idea, and yet the soft swells of her body cried out to him that this was skin ready for pleasure.
But her eyes were averted now, and she had swallowed, and when her voice spoke once more all of that prepossession had disappeared. “I am no scarlet woman, sir, and nothing you can say to me can convince me to share a room with you.”
James swallowed. She was such a delightful morsel, and he was starting to hunger for her in a way that was simply not gentlemanly.
“I am aware of the…the inconvenience,” he said quietly, trying to keep his eyes to her face, and nowhere else. “I am very happy to offer to sleep on the chamber floor, giving you full reign of the bed itself.”
It was difficult not to hold his breath as he made this offer – rather rakishly too, if James was honest with himself. He had danced that particular dance before, and it had taken but twenty minutes to gain acceptance onto the bed, and then into the bed, and then into the young woman in question.
To seduce a woman who already feels comfortable is no hard hill to climb.
“I cannot, sir,” said Miss Kirkland, breaking into his delightful memories, and a sharp bitterness flowed through him, mingled with growing desire. “But I have a solution which I would like to propose.”
James’ traitorous heart leapt, hopeful that she would still come around to the idea. Was it so unseemly to desire such a woman? Was it really unthinkable that she may want him too?
“I will sleep here, in the coach,” Miss Kirkland said decidedly with a look of firm determination on her features. “That solves the problem entirely, for I have little spare coin on me at any rate. You take the chamber in the inn, I will sleep here, and we can continue our journey on the morrow.”
James internally groaned. Well, she had him good and cornered now. As a gentleman, there was no possibility that he could allow her to do such a thing, and if she was half as intelligent as he suspected her to be, the very beautiful Miss Kirkland knew precisely that.
He sighed, and inclined his head. “‘Tis a generous offer, but I could not possibly accept it. Your idea, however, has merit and I would be honoured if you would accept the room inside the inn, and I will sleep here tonight.”
“Why thank you, Mr Paendly,” she said a little too quickly and with a broad smile. “You are a very noble man for offering to do so.”
James sighed again. He had been played: he knew it, and she knew it, and he had come out decidedly on the bottom. Well, he had slept in worse places before, that was true. All he needed now was something to eat, and he could collapse with tiredness, curled up in the coach.
A knocking at the door startled him, but when he opened it there was only Smith standing there.
“’Pologies for disturbing, m’lord,” he said with a nervous look at Miss Kirkland, who was thankfully remaining silent. “I came to tell you, sir, that food has been sent up to the room, and – ”
“Marvellous,” said Miss Kirkland, opening her own door and stepping out of the carriage. “Smith, you may take my luggage up with me.”
And off she strode towards the inn.
James watched her go with a sad smile. What had it been: two hours since he had first encountered Miss Rebecca Kirkland? She had bedazzled him and confused him and beguiled him almost in equal measure since then, and yet he was nowhere near understanding her.
Smith was staring at him in confusion, and James shrugged. “You heard the lady, Smith, take her luggage up for her. And bring me some food out here, will you? I will be napping across the boards.”
It was not until Smith nodded slowly that something struck James. “My word, Smith, is this where you normally sleep?”
A flush of defiance crept over his servant’s face as he nodded.
“Well, my apologies for stealing your spot,” said James easily, knowing full well that Smith would rather chop his own arm off than take offence from his master. “And where will you be staying the night, then?”
Smith broke out into a broad grin. “Well, there is a serving maid who I know here, m’lord – Abigail, she is – and…well, whenever we are passing, I usually drop in and…give her a visit.”
James chuckled and shook his head. “I bet you do, you old rascal! Be off with you then, after luggage and food has been taken care of, and mind that you are here early tomorrow morning. I would imagine that our passenger will want to depart without delay.”
Still grinning, Smith bowed his head, and pulled Miss Kirkland’s luggage down from the roof and carried it over to the inn.
James was still smiling after Smith had brought him something to eat – a little stew, it looked like, with indistinct meat swimming in the centre of the bowl. Well, he thought, at least one of us tupping a girl this night, though I confess I would much rather it had been myself!
Unpalatable food swallowed down, James attempted to make himself as comfortable as it was possible to be in the coach. It is going to be a long night, with the thoughts of Miss Rebecca Kirkland swimming through his mind and the thought of her even now undressing in the inn before him.