stumbled to a stop under the rose arbor and spun to stare at him. “We met last night.”
“I’ve seen you before, bringing your nephew to see his father. You passed by my window every Saturday.”
She shook her head in patent disbelief. Though most of the people in her village of Banfries were familiar to her, she couldn’t claim to have met everyone who resided in the four miles between her home and the prison. “You’ve watched me?”
“Just for those minutes I could see you.”
She didn’t know what to say to that. She didn’t know what to feel about it. Should she be flattered? Unnerved? Offended? She rather thought she was all three, but they were buried under a mountain of astonishment.
Evidently interpreting her silence as encouragement, Connor smiled and reached for her hand. “Marry me, Adelaide.”
In the absence of anything else to say, she settled for the obvious. “You’re in earnest.”
She couldn’t believe he was in earnest. It was even more alarming that a small part of her was tempted to accept his offer. She knew almost nothing of Connor Brice except that he was willing to sneak into a party to which he was not invited and watch a woman through his window for months before speaking with her. He could be a drunkard. Or a consummate gambler. He could be a thief or a murderer. He could be all four.
She didn’t love Sir Robert, but four months of courtship had afforded her some assurance of his character.
Those four months had also depleted much of her inheritance. She was out of time.
“I can’t.” The words felt thick and sour in her mouth. Her hand felt cold and empty when she pulled it away. “I’m sorry. I have to go.”
Connor stepped in front of her, blocking her path. “Not to Sir Robert.”
“He’s a good man.”
“Give me time to prove I’m a better man. Give me another day.”
She shook her head. Every day she put off Sir Robert was a day her family’s future remained in peril. The risk of offending Sir Robert was too real, the consequences too great.
“I’m offering another option,” Connor pressed. “I’m giving you the chance to have something more than—”
“I don’t need more. I don’t want it.” How easily the lie slipped from her tongue. “I want to secure what I have.”
That, at least, was the truth.
A hardness settled over his face. “Is there nothing I can say to change your mind?”
“Nothing. I’m sorry.” She stepped past him, only to have him catch her arm and spin her around again.
“Kiss me good-bye,” he growled. “Give me that, at least.”
He yanked her to him before she could think of denying him.
This kiss wasn’t gentle. There was no coaxing or teasing or easy slide into warmth. His mouth slanted over hers and took it. His breath was hot, his scent as intoxicating as the whiskey she’d sampled the night before. The rasp of stubble against sensitive skin made her shiver. The skillful pressure of his lips and smooth glide of his tongue made her tremble.
His hand cupped the nape of her neck, angling her head to his liking . . . and hers.
The world spun away. And just as quickly righted itself when laughter erupted directly on the other side of the arbor.
Mrs. Cress. The tour. A wave of panic washed over her.
She froze, her mouth open an inch from Connor’s lips.
Connor moved. In a single fluid motion, he pulled them both out from the shelter of the arbor and into full view of a dozen guests.
Which is precisely when her world begin to spin away once more, and this time, there would be no righting it.
Chapter 5
A delaide was surrounded by a sea of wide eyes, gaping mouths, and a silence so absolute it was deafening.
She tore herself away from Connor and then stood there, as red-faced as any of the guests . . . with the possible exception of Sir Robert, whose skin wore scarlet blooms that were expanding with disconcerting speed.
Never in her life had she known such mortification, not even when she’d
“I’ve seen you before, bringing your nephew to see his father. You passed by my window every Saturday.”
She shook her head in patent disbelief. Though most of the people in her village of Banfries were familiar to her, she couldn’t claim to have met everyone who resided in the four miles between her home and the prison. “You’ve watched me?”
“Just for those minutes I could see you.”
She didn’t know what to say to that. She didn’t know what to feel about it. Should she be flattered? Unnerved? Offended? She rather thought she was all three, but they were buried under a mountain of astonishment.
Evidently interpreting her silence as encouragement, Connor smiled and reached for her hand. “Marry me, Adelaide.”
In the absence of anything else to say, she settled for the obvious. “You’re in earnest.”
She couldn’t believe he was in earnest. It was even more alarming that a small part of her was tempted to accept his offer. She knew almost nothing of Connor Brice except that he was willing to sneak into a party to which he was not invited and watch a woman through his window for months before speaking with her. He could be a drunkard. Or a consummate gambler. He could be a thief or a murderer. He could be all four.
She didn’t love Sir Robert, but four months of courtship had afforded her some assurance of his character.
Those four months had also depleted much of her inheritance. She was out of time.
“I can’t.” The words felt thick and sour in her mouth. Her hand felt cold and empty when she pulled it away. “I’m sorry. I have to go.”
Connor stepped in front of her, blocking her path. “Not to Sir Robert.”
“He’s a good man.”
“Give me time to prove I’m a better man. Give me another day.”
She shook her head. Every day she put off Sir Robert was a day her family’s future remained in peril. The risk of offending Sir Robert was too real, the consequences too great.
“I’m offering another option,” Connor pressed. “I’m giving you the chance to have something more than—”
“I don’t need more. I don’t want it.” How easily the lie slipped from her tongue. “I want to secure what I have.”
That, at least, was the truth.
A hardness settled over his face. “Is there nothing I can say to change your mind?”
“Nothing. I’m sorry.” She stepped past him, only to have him catch her arm and spin her around again.
“Kiss me good-bye,” he growled. “Give me that, at least.”
He yanked her to him before she could think of denying him.
This kiss wasn’t gentle. There was no coaxing or teasing or easy slide into warmth. His mouth slanted over hers and took it. His breath was hot, his scent as intoxicating as the whiskey she’d sampled the night before. The rasp of stubble against sensitive skin made her shiver. The skillful pressure of his lips and smooth glide of his tongue made her tremble.
His hand cupped the nape of her neck, angling her head to his liking . . . and hers.
The world spun away. And just as quickly righted itself when laughter erupted directly on the other side of the arbor.
Mrs. Cress. The tour. A wave of panic washed over her.
She froze, her mouth open an inch from Connor’s lips.
Connor moved. In a single fluid motion, he pulled them both out from the shelter of the arbor and into full view of a dozen guests.
Which is precisely when her world begin to spin away once more, and this time, there would be no righting it.
Chapter 5
A delaide was surrounded by a sea of wide eyes, gaping mouths, and a silence so absolute it was deafening.
She tore herself away from Connor and then stood there, as red-faced as any of the guests . . . with the possible exception of Sir Robert, whose skin wore scarlet blooms that were expanding with disconcerting speed.
Never in her life had she known such mortification, not even when she’d
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