Chapter Twenty-Six
About thirty minutes earlier, a gloriously naked Franny had come apart beneath Edward. And now, here she was, sitting at his table, wearing a blue day dress, her eyes sparkling, her hair in a loose plait, and scooping a bite of porridge into her mouth. She swallowed and then smiled at him.
“Even Mrs. Benson’s porridge and boiled eggs are delicious,” Franny said. “Would you believe that last night she asked me what I eat when I am training, and then she actually prepared it? Even after she was up all night looking out for me.” She sighed. “She is so wonderful.”
Edward’s instincts were always correct. The second he introduced Mrs. Benson and Franny, their mutual affection was apparent, and their budding friendship warmed his heart.
“She has become one of my dearest companions,” he said. “I am thankful she took me in when I moved here.”
“Where did you move here from?” Franny asked. Her gaze intently on him, she scraped the last of the porridge from her bowl.
For the first time in his six-and-twenty years, Edward wanted to share everything about himself with a woman. He pushed his empty dishes to the center of the table, leaned back in his chair, and settled into storytelling mode. “I was raised outside of Nottingham. My father owned a lace factory.”
“A lace factory,” Franny said. “How fascinating.”
Not particularly, but he wanted her to know even the most mundane things about him. He also desired to know every single minute detail about her.
“I’m the second of four sons,” Edward said.
“My eldest brother will eventually take over the factory. To my father’s disappointment, I never had an interest in the family business.
As far back as I can remember, I’d wanted to live in London.
I wavered between making my fortune as a prizefighter or living a life of service as a lawman. ”
“Did I destroy your dreams?” Franny asked.
“Not at all,” Edward said. “You helped me discover that my correct path was as a lawman, not a pugilist, and of that I am glad. I have no regrets.”
Biting her lip and not looking at all convinced, Franny nodded.
“I had a happy childhood,” he continued. “We had a beautiful home, a doting mother, a few servants, and when we weren’t helping my father, my brothers and I ran about the countryside. The four of us wrestled and boxed every day. I almost always won, which made me think I was better than I was.”
“You were prideful back then,” Franny agreed. “But still, I’m ashamed of my behavior.”
Edward flicked a dismissive wrist. “You will get no argument from me about my arrogance. I needed to be knocked down a few pegs. Even now, I fight my hubris. In the long run, you made me a better man.”
“I suspect you were always a good man beneath that swagger.” Her grin was all white teeth and mischief.
Supercilious with a big heart, he supposed.
“A few days after moving to London, I was cornered in an alley by a pickpocket. He was taller and broader than me, but I knocked him out with one punch.” Edward feigned a jab.
Then, pretending to be his unconscious assailant, he tilted his head, closed his eyes, and stuck out his tongue.
His thespian skills must have been atrocious because Franny did not laugh. He opened his eyes and was met with the biggest frown he’d ever had the displeasure of seeing.
“What a terrible welcome to our city. And then you met me, and I behaved abominably,” she said.
“And yet I stayed. Truthfully, I love London.” Hopefully, his assurance assuaged her guilt.
“Do you ever think about climbing back into the ring?” Franny asked.
“Sometimes. But only to exercise. I have no desire to compete. How about you, Franny? What was your childhood like?”
Her eyes glazed over with a faraway, dreamy look.
“Our home was always full of Papa’s friends and students.
My mother was a governess before she married Papa, and my grandfather disowned her when she married.
I don’t think she cared because I remember her smiling all of the time.
She taught me to read and write. Life was quite jolly until about my ninth birthday.
My mother became ill and died soon after.
” Unshed tears glistened in Franny’s eyes.
“Papa and I were so sad. Instead of dealing with our heartache, we threw ourselves into boxing. And then one day, Papa brought Josie home. She’d been living on the streets.
No parents. No place to live. Nothing to eat.
I disliked her at first because I thought she was a smelly boy.
But I quickly came to love her like a sister.
She brought happiness and laughter to our house again.
The three of us worked at the St Giles Gymnasium, and eventually, I begged Papa to open a gymnasium in a safer part of town so that we could attract more female students.
Josie fell in love with and married an aristocrat.
And here we are today with influential ladies meeting in our upstairs saloon.
Josie is a champion. Papa is the best coach in London.
And I…” She sighed. “Well, I work hard at bookkeeping and instructing, but I have failed at being a champion. However, I will fight my demons, keep my promise, and climb back into the ring.”
Guilt twisted Edward’s insides. She was in this predicament because she had saved his life.
Of course, his life wouldn’t have been in danger if it weren’t for her in the first place.
Then again, he wouldn’t have found his jewelry thief if it wasn’t for her dragging him to The Round Table.
Hell, who was he fooling? He and Franny were an explosive fervor.
Two peas in a pod. Destined to make good trouble together.
“I think you are quite resilient and brave.” Edward shrugged. “I, on the other hand, was a cowardly chicken. I had one pint-sized woman punch me in the nose, and I have not boxed since.”
Franny brought her hands to her mouth. “Edward, are we both afraid to step into the ring?”
“I don’t honestly know.”
“How interesting.” She stared into the corner.
“What are you thinking, Frances Valentine?”
“Shall we spar together?”
“In the ring?” he asked.
“Of course.”
Edward grinned. “I’d prefer to spar between the sheets. But if you insist.”
“I insist.” She fluttered her lashes. “I shall take it easy on you.”
“In the ring or in bed?” he asked. “Because I’d prefer you rough me up between the sheets.”
“Easy in the ring. Hard between the sheets.” A second after she uttered her scandalous taunt, her cheeks turned scarlet.
Hopefully, the look he sent her was smoldering enough to drench her sweet cunny, because his cock was alive and interested.
“This time, I will not underestimate your ability, and I will take you seriously. Which means I may actually get in a few solid jabs before you knock me out.” He was in superior enough physical shape that he suspected he could elude her.
And as strong as her punches were, he doubted she could knock a man his size out.
But underestimating her five years ago had been a massive miscalculation.
His cock twitched and his balls ached. Hell, he should grab her and drag her back into his bedroom right this very minute.
She feigned a competitive growl as her eyes twinkled. “Challenge accepted. Prepare to lose to a woman.” She wriggled in her seat. “I cannot believe it, but I am rather excited to train today.”
So much for dragging her back to bed right now because he would not interfere with her goals, but later on, after she’d trained, and when they crawled beneath his blankets, all bets were off.
Unfortunately, having her stay with him no longer seemed to be a safety necessity. He hated to ask, but he needed to know her intentions. “I suppose you will want to go home now that you are safe?” Even as he said this, his intuition troubled him. Lawman did occasionally lock up the wrong men.
Stop being a fool. Lance confessed. You don’t want Franny to go home because you want her to warm your bed.
Sighing, she looked at the floor. “I suppose so.”
Her voice sounded so meek. Did this mean she didn’t want to go?
Dare he tell her how much he enjoyed having her stay with him?
No, you fool! What is the point? She can’t continue staying with you.
You will destroy her reputation. Not to mention, Coach had entrusted him with his daughter, and he’d taken advantage of that trust. But he could take her to see her father, and he could help her get the gymnasium ready.
“As luck has it, I have the day to myself,” he said.
“I cannot imagine you ever taking a day off work to rest.”
“I used to work seven days a week, and I even worked evenings, arresting pickpockets on Drury Lane.”
“I’m not surprised. You are industrious, and since you aren’t working today, you can train with me,” she said with an emphatic chin bob.
“We can train after we prepare the gym to reopen. Honestly, I don’t think we have to do a lot.
Just clean up the supplies still on the floor, clear out the smoke, and get the word out.
Young Sky and Nicolas can help with that. ”
And once they had finished with all of her tasks, he could spend the rest of the day between her silky thighs. He cleared his prurient thoughts with a full-body shake.
“I would like to go to Greenpark House first,” she said. “I need to visit Papa and Harry. I also want to talk to Josie and Papa about opening the studio back up. They will be thrilled to hear that our enemy is in custody.”
“I’d assumed we would start our day at the Davenports,” he said.
She bent over and looked under the table. “Goodbye, Zigzag.”
“Shall we be on our way?” he asked.
Smiling, she stood. “I’m ready.”
Thank heavens, because the sooner they visited Greenpark House, the sooner they could take care of the gymnasium.
And the sooner the gymnasium was ready, the sooner they could train.
And the sooner they trained, the sooner they could rut like animals.
To hell with being entrusted with her reputation.
They were way past that. Once he chased her around the ring, or she chased him, both sounded erotic as hell, he would sink himself deep inside this woman who owned his heart, body, and soul.