Pool and he had never recovered since.
Maria was sure that she saw something in his face as he looked upon her. A little flicker of excitement ebbed its way through her body.
“Capital, capital,” Sir John chanted, “Then I believe that you have truly been introduced back into society my dear.”
Thomas looked nervously from Sir John to Maria, for he knew the true meaning behind her uncle’s words. Unbeknownst to Maria, he would soon have her married off to the most eligible bachelor. He had hoped that Sir John would have given her some time to re-adjust after her absence, to become re-acquainted with her friends and home before pursuing a suitable match for her.
Dawn was just raising its sleepy head when the last of the guests, tired, but contented, climbed into their carriages.
Maria stifled a yawn, but was too excited to go to bed. She feared that, once she closed her eyes, her magical night would disappear and the handsome gentleman would be gone from her life forever.
“Thomas, we are to have a picnic on Upper Bank on Sunday, if the weather stays fine. Would you be so kind to honour us with your presence?” Sir John announced.
“A picnic, oh how wonderful!” Maria exclaimed.
Thomas couldn’t help but smile at her eagerness. She was like a child in so many ways, as if she was seeing and hearing things for the first time, “Yes, Sir John, I would be honoured.”
“That’s settled then. I shall inform Mrs Clegg to see to everything that we would need.”
Reluctantly, Thomas joined Maria on the straight-backed chesterfield sofa. He had hoped that he could have taken the chair, but Sir John had already lowered his heavy frame in to it and settled down as if he was not going to move for the next hour or so. So, now, here he sat, mere inches away from the woman that took his body on a journey of a new meaning. Everything about her made his body tense with anticipation—the brush of her skirts against his leg, the smooth skin of her arm that ever so slightly touched his jacket and—owing to his height—the view of the gentle swell of her breasts above her gown.
He swallowed hard, shifted a little in the seat and tried to control the rise of desire that made him hard with need for her.
“Are you alright Tom?” Maria asked, seemingly concerned.
“Er... Yes I’m fine,” he forced the smile while his body raged on. “And how have you enjoyed your first evening back in society?” he almost whispered. He desperately needed some kind of distraction, anything to take his mind off the real issue that was bothering him.
He knew that he had picked the wrong subject as soon as he saw her face light up, causing his lust to go in to over drive. “Oh Tom, it has been simply amazing. I wanted it to last forever,” she replied passionately.
He smiled adoringly at her. Her abundance of energy and almost childlike enthusiasm were infectious and he too, suddenly realised that he never wanted this night to end.
“It is almost dawn; shall we go outside and watch the sunrise?” she asked, jumping to her feet. “Come Tom, let us go!”
He too stood up. She sounded like that young girl he’d known, eager to experience all life had to offer. He so very much wanted to see the sunrise, but he knew that it was not proper for them to be alone, and his body had reminded him of a very good reason why he, in particular, should not be left alone with her. His face must have shown his disappointment, for Maria’s smile faded on her lips.
“Tom?” she questioned.
“I… forgive me, Miss Austin… but…”
“Oh, do not be a fool man,” Sir John’s voice cut in, “have you not been good friends for long enough? Go, watch your sunrise.”
Thomas showed his surprise in Sir John’s offer, for he knew as well as Thomas did that it was not fitting for a young lady to be alone in presence of a young man until a better acquaintance had been established. He had been counting on Sir John to put an end to his torment
Maria was sure that she saw something in his face as he looked upon her. A little flicker of excitement ebbed its way through her body.
“Capital, capital,” Sir John chanted, “Then I believe that you have truly been introduced back into society my dear.”
Thomas looked nervously from Sir John to Maria, for he knew the true meaning behind her uncle’s words. Unbeknownst to Maria, he would soon have her married off to the most eligible bachelor. He had hoped that Sir John would have given her some time to re-adjust after her absence, to become re-acquainted with her friends and home before pursuing a suitable match for her.
Dawn was just raising its sleepy head when the last of the guests, tired, but contented, climbed into their carriages.
Maria stifled a yawn, but was too excited to go to bed. She feared that, once she closed her eyes, her magical night would disappear and the handsome gentleman would be gone from her life forever.
“Thomas, we are to have a picnic on Upper Bank on Sunday, if the weather stays fine. Would you be so kind to honour us with your presence?” Sir John announced.
“A picnic, oh how wonderful!” Maria exclaimed.
Thomas couldn’t help but smile at her eagerness. She was like a child in so many ways, as if she was seeing and hearing things for the first time, “Yes, Sir John, I would be honoured.”
“That’s settled then. I shall inform Mrs Clegg to see to everything that we would need.”
Reluctantly, Thomas joined Maria on the straight-backed chesterfield sofa. He had hoped that he could have taken the chair, but Sir John had already lowered his heavy frame in to it and settled down as if he was not going to move for the next hour or so. So, now, here he sat, mere inches away from the woman that took his body on a journey of a new meaning. Everything about her made his body tense with anticipation—the brush of her skirts against his leg, the smooth skin of her arm that ever so slightly touched his jacket and—owing to his height—the view of the gentle swell of her breasts above her gown.
He swallowed hard, shifted a little in the seat and tried to control the rise of desire that made him hard with need for her.
“Are you alright Tom?” Maria asked, seemingly concerned.
“Er... Yes I’m fine,” he forced the smile while his body raged on. “And how have you enjoyed your first evening back in society?” he almost whispered. He desperately needed some kind of distraction, anything to take his mind off the real issue that was bothering him.
He knew that he had picked the wrong subject as soon as he saw her face light up, causing his lust to go in to over drive. “Oh Tom, it has been simply amazing. I wanted it to last forever,” she replied passionately.
He smiled adoringly at her. Her abundance of energy and almost childlike enthusiasm were infectious and he too, suddenly realised that he never wanted this night to end.
“It is almost dawn; shall we go outside and watch the sunrise?” she asked, jumping to her feet. “Come Tom, let us go!”
He too stood up. She sounded like that young girl he’d known, eager to experience all life had to offer. He so very much wanted to see the sunrise, but he knew that it was not proper for them to be alone, and his body had reminded him of a very good reason why he, in particular, should not be left alone with her. His face must have shown his disappointment, for Maria’s smile faded on her lips.
“Tom?” she questioned.
“I… forgive me, Miss Austin… but…”
“Oh, do not be a fool man,” Sir John’s voice cut in, “have you not been good friends for long enough? Go, watch your sunrise.”
Thomas showed his surprise in Sir John’s offer, for he knew as well as Thomas did that it was not fitting for a young lady to be alone in presence of a young man until a better acquaintance had been established. He had been counting on Sir John to put an end to his torment
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