Chapter 12 #3
What was she going to do? Wednesday was too soon.
Adam would ruin everything…her reputation, her chance to wed the proper husband!
Oh, if only she could somehow speak to Dominick, somehow see him before the races and let him know that she wanted to become his wife.
If only there was some way she could make Adam promise he wouldn’t say anything until after Wednesday, buying her a little more time—
The idea, a feminine, manipulative ploy as old as time, came to her at the same instant Adam lowered his head to kiss her.
Tears sprang to her eyes as she forced herself to think of the only thing that had made her weep in years, Camille’s death, and she began to cry in earnest, hating herself for exploiting her painful memories but believing she had no other choice.
She was doing it for Camille’s sake, after all.
Adam felt her shoulders trembling an instant before he tasted a salty, telltale wetness on her lips. Drawing back as if stung, he regarded her in astonishment.
“Camille. What the devil…?”
“I—I’m sorry, Adam,” she sobbed, her eyes like huge green pools as tears tumbled down her cheeks. “I…I don’t know why I’m crying…”
Now you’ve gone and done it, he thought angrily, thoroughly exasperated with himself. Pushed her too damn hard. Forced his will on her when he had promised that he never would. As she sank into her chair and wept harder, burying her face in her hands, his self-disgust mounted.
Why did he have to be so blasted impatient anyway?
She hadn’t deliberately done anything to displease him.
It wasn’t her fault that his jealousy and frustration were practically eating him alive.
He knew she was playing a harmless virgin’s game, harmless but for the bruised male pride her hapless suitors would be nursing when she announced who she intended to marry.
Why couldn’t he allow her to satisfy her girlish fantasies?
“Camille, it’s all right,” he said, at a total loss as how best to comfort her. What man wasn’t stumped when faced with a woman’s tears? He made a quick search of his pockets and, finding a cambric handkerchief, went down on one knee beside her.
“Look at me,” he bade her gently. When she lifted her head, he cradled her softly rounded chin in his palm and wiped the moisture from her flushed face.
“Shhh, love,” he murmured, attempting to calm her.
“Forgive me. I shouldn’t have been so harsh with you, so impatient. Shhh, there’s no need to cry.”
“Oh, Adam…I’d like to announce our betrothal, too,” she managed shakily, gazing at him so beseechingly that he felt like kicking himself. “But not…at the Tates’.”
“Where then, love?” he asked.
“I thought we might have a small engagement party, not too many people…here at Briarwood. At home. Papa would have liked that.” She took the handkerchief from him with trembling fingers and delicately blew her nose. “Do you think that would be all right?”
Elation momentarily clogging his throat, Adam knew he could refuse her nothing.
He gathered her into his arms and stroked her honey-colored hair, reveling in its silkiness.
Only when she lifted her head from his shoulder to look at him did he murmur, “Of course, love. Anything, if it will please you. When would you like to have your party?”
“I—was thinking a week from this Saturday, just so Ertha and Prue would have enough time to prepare everything.” She hesitated, “Unless you would like it to be sooner…”
“Next Saturday will be fine,” Adam said, finding it difficult to believe that they had finally picked a day to announce their betrothal. He would have to play their charade a little longer, but at least now there was an end in sight.
He hugged her more tightly, feeling as if he would never let her go.
He hadn’t told her yet how much he had come to care for her, wanting to find that perfect moment, and he quickly decided that now was not the time.
Not when he had just caused her unhappiness; her face was still slightly damp with tears brought on by his own callousness.
No, he would wait until everything felt right between them.
“Adam…”
“Yes, love?”
“Would you mind if we waited a few more days before telling Ertha or any of the other servants? Say…until Friday? I want to enjoy our secret just a little while longer.”
“Whatever you wish.”
She seemed to relax fully in his arms then, and he felt a sweeping relief that he had consoled and pleased her.
Curling his forefinger beneath her chin, he raised her face to him again, entranced anew by the stunning radiance of her eyes.
In that moment he was certain as surely as he was breathing that if for some reason he could not gain his revenge, he would be content just to have this captivating woman beside him for the rest of his life.
With infinite tenderness, he moved his mouth over her soft lips, exulting in the sweet taste of her, still lightly tinged with salt. Then he deepened his kiss, swearing in his heart as she parted her lips that he would do his utmost to never again be the source of her unhappy tears. Never.