Chapter 3 #2
“I have never been too good with rules, but I suppose I am willing to hear what you’ve come up with,” he said.
“I do not wish for there to be any rumors of impropriety between us. I am already the talk of the ton, given that nothing like this has happened before, and I know people will take a great interest in this arrangement. I want all of our promenades to take place in public. I do not want to give anyone any reason to whisper about us.”
“People are always going to whisper,” he said with a casual wave of his hand, but then she glared at him, and he wore a conciliatory look. “But I understand that we can still take measures to keep the rumors at bay. Anything else?”
“No touching,” she said immediately, and as she did so, her gaze drifted toward his chest, and a strange sensation came upon her palm. It was as though she was touching his chest again, feeling his heartbeat. The last thing she needed was to be plunged into that hazy state of mind again.
“Very well, if you can agree to that, then I can too,” he said, implying that she was going to struggle with it. She decided to ignore the comment as he would only tease her again, and she did not want to get drawn into a bickering argument that he would undoubtedly enjoy.
“And there is one final thing,” she said.
“Just one?” he teased.
“I do not want there to be any talk of marriage. Not even in jest,” she said.
Edmund grinned and put his hands on his hips. “Now that, my lady, I can promise with absolute certainty. I have to admit, I was afraid that you would be a little more demanding than that. Just three rules… well… I suppose I can try my best to follow them. Now then—”
But Rose had more to say, for she decided that she wasn’t going to make it easy for him. She didn’t like the idea that he could simply pay money and dictate how she would spend time with him. If he wanted to go on promenades with her, then he was going to have to earn it.
“There are some other conditions I have that I do not consider rules.”
“Go on,” Edmund said, the smile dropping from his face. He narrowed his eyes, and his tone was guarded.
“Well, I thought you should know about my habits and inclinations, as it will make it easier to arrange the itinerary for our events. Firstly, I do not wake early. It is not good for my constitution. I have a strict routine that has never failed me, and I shall not adjust it now. Secondly, I do not enjoy long walks, so please refrain from arranging anything of that sort. Thirdly, if we are to visit a public park, I would prefer the smoother paths. Gravel has an unfortunate habit of damaging one’s shoes.
“I see... Your shoes?” he asked, leaning down to peer at her feet. Rose noticed this and tucked them beneath her dress.
“Yes, I value my personal property and wish to keep it in good condition. If you expect to spend time with me, then you must ensure that I am comfortable. That is what I would respect from a gentleman, after all,” she said with a challenging look in her eyes, almost as though she wanted to get him to admit that he wasn’t a gentleman.
He would not give in to her so easily, however.
“Your wishes are my command,” he said, making a theatrical bow that was clearly meant to be insulting rather than anything else. “And is there anything further? Would you like to tell me what activities would bring you delight?”
“No,” Rose sighed, looking down at her fingernails. “I will leave all of that in your capable hands. I do not wish to trouble myself with the details,” she said.
She was glad her face was angled away from him because she felt embarrassed. It brought her shame to act so spoiled as she often rolled her eyes at women who acted more like children. However, in this instance, she decided that it was just justified because it might make him reconsider.
While the arrangement was enough to allay her parents’ worries for a while, an even better outcome would have been for Edmund to cut their agreement short, so she could lay all the blame at his feet.
She could say that she had given it a good go, but that Edmund had been unable to commit.
No fault would be hers, and her parents would not be able to say that she hadn’t tried.
And she wouldn’t have to spend more time with Edmund.
But then, Edmund closed the distance between them and placed a finger beneath her chin, tilting her face up. His smile was less amused and more dashing, while he seemed to possess a quality that made his eyes darker and deeper, and she started to feel as though he was peering beyond her flesh.
“I will arrange everything, my lady; it will be my pleasure. I will make you see the world in ways you have never perceived before,” he said.
“Be careful not to promise something you cannot deliver.”
Edmund grinned. “And you must be careful too. Careful not to fall in love,” he said.
There was a smirk on his face that seemed to imply he was being half-serious, but his eyes were not dancing with humor.
His finger lingered beneath her chin. It was curled a little and melted against her soft skin.
Her breath was halting as this was the second time that they had been in close proximity.
“That will never happen,” she scoffed, although her words did lack the conviction that she might have wanted to display.
But then a chill ran down her spine as the smile fell from his face and he pursed his lips.
He lowered his gaze, and the words that followed lacked the playfulness and bouncing lightness they usually had.
“Ensure that it does not, because I have one rule, one condition of my own. If you begin to feel more than intended, we end this at once.”
He pulled his hand away and then marched out of the room, his footsteps fading into the distance. She was left in the drawing room, stunned by the harsh words and by the troubling thought that he seemed far too certain her resolve would not hold.