Will She Be Mine by Jessica L. Jackson

bitter tears of regret. Gradually, the anxiety of the
afternoon washed away and she felt more optimistic. Those four women had the
power to make her future life here in the village a living torment or a haven
away from the prying, unforgiving eyes of others. This proffered chance must
not be squandered. If she disappointed them by not confessing to Thaddeus, then
her status as a pariah would begin again. All the inroads into acceptance she
had made would disappear. She must tell him and pray for the best.

Chapter Ten
     
    On the third rainy day, Amelia answered another knock at her
door, Mrs. Edley being at the chandler. To her surprised pleasure, Thaddeus
stood on the tiny porch, hunched against the driving rain, wearing one of the
new Macintosh coats designed to keep the wearer dry.
    “Thaddeus,” Amelia said, searching behind him for anyone on
the street who might have noticed his arrival. No one appeared to be about on
this gray miserable day. “Please, step in out of the weather. I will leave the
door open, though, as Mrs. Edley is out.”
    “Of course,” her neighbor agreed, stepping into the wide,
green, brown and cream tiled hallway where puddles immediately began to form
around his feet. “How are you?”
    “Very well, thank you. I wish the rain would end, though, as
the house has been very gloomy.”
    Thaddeus’ appreciative gaze roamed over her. He took a deep
breath and ventured, “I hoped, foolishly perhaps, that you were disappointed
that our drive has been delayed.”
    “That also,” she admitted, chuckling softly. She noticed he
carried a package tucked under the edge of his overcoat. “What have you there?”
    “Ah, yes.” Thaddeus pulled out a bundle and unwrapped it. He
handed her three books. “These are some botanical texts I thought might
interest you. Also, this is the published diary of a traveling botanist who
journeyed throughout the Orient collecting specimens and seeds to bring back to
England.”
    “How exciting,” Amelia said, gratefully accepting the books.
She turned and placed them on a small side table set against the wall. After
facing Thaddeus again, she admitted, “I have been longing for something to
read. These will do nicely.”
    “Excellent.” He fell silent, staring at her and playing with
the oilcloth wrapping he held between his hands.
    “Is there anything else?” Amelia asked, feeling flushed and
pleasantly stimulated by his continued close scrutiny.
    “I’m wet.”
    “Yes.”
    “I’m dripping all over your floor.”
    “Yes, you are. Mrs. Edley will have something to say about
it, I’m sure.”
    “She frightens me to death,” he admitted. After another long
silence, heavy with expectation, he hoarsely whispered, “I want to kiss you so
badly that I’m aching inside.”
    “Oh,” Amelia gasped. “But…you cannot.”
    “I know,” he agreed, the hint of a moan coloring his
response. “Never?”
    Amelia discovered that her breathing had quickened and the
urgent desire to fling herself into his arms was almost more than she could
resist. With immense reluctance she took a small step backward. “After our
drive. Maybe then. If that remains your wish.”
    She watched understanding gleam in his eyes and he nodded.
An anticipatory grin brought forth his dimples.
     
    “There is naught that you could tell me that would remove my
desire to kiss you,” he promised. Without approaching nearer, Thaddeus managed
to capture her hand with his long reach and press a hot, lingering kiss into
her palm. Feeling her pulse leap he ventured another kiss upon the soft skin of
her wrist, his eyelids half closing in heavy yearning.
     
    Amelia discovered that somehow her feet had disobeyed her
mind and followed the direction of her heart instead, for now she stood much
closer to Thaddeus than was wise. Maybe he wouldn’t notice. He opened his
blue-green eyes and stared directly into hers. The heat she saw there startled
her. He’d noticed.
    Hesitantly, she reached