Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 82982 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82982 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
She bit her bottom lip, bringing attention to her full mouth. I was drawn to it. To her. How, I wondered, would she taste under my lips? Would she be as sweet as I thought? Would she gasp softly as I slid my tongue in to taste her? Whimper as I dragged my mouth down her neck?
How silky would her skin be under my tongue?
Dinner arriving interrupted my passion-filled thoughts. I had to shake my head and shift in my chair to ease the growing ache in my cock. It seemed he was as on board with my ideas about Madeleine as my thoughts were.
But he and my brain needed to be patient. Madeleine was not only fearful of the world, she was innocent. It would take patience and time for her to trust me and for our physical relations to begin.
But I had a feeling she would be worth the wait.
We supped on my favorite—roasted beef with fresh vegetables. A rich sauce accompanied the meal, and I ate heartily, grateful to be home and eating from my own kitchen. My cook, Mrs. Dodd, was excellent and could as easily prepare a feast for twenty as a simple meal for two. Madeleine ate slowly, her portions far too small for my liking, but I knew she was nervous. She would relax eventually. She enjoyed her dessert, though, the rich bread pudding with a brown-sugar sauce sweet and indulgent. I would have to ask Mrs. Dodd to regularly make more desserts for Madeleine to enjoy.
After dinner, we strolled in the garden, and I was amazed at her knowledge of the various plants and flowers, once again surprising me with her intelligence. I had kept our conversation at dinner light and easy, answering her questions about the estate and the village.
I looked down at her, her small hand tucked into the crook of my arm. We paused, and she looked out at the well-laid property, inhaling the scent of the flowers and grass.
“Your estate is so lovely,” she mused.
I turned to her. “I would like it to be our estate, Madeleine. I meant what I said in the carriage. I wish to marry you.”
Her eyes were huge in her face, and her one-word response was shocked. “Why?”
I smiled and dared to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear, enjoying the feel of the silky curl against my skin.
“I require a wife. You require protection. I find you fascinating. Intriguing. Beautiful. I wish to give you the life I think you deserve. I believe we would suit.”
She didn’t respond, and I kept speaking.
“I am not a man of emotion, Madeleine. But I promise to be a good husband. I will care for you and make sure you want for nothing. We can have a family and reside here at Wheaton. Is that not your wish? A husband and children? A home in the country?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“But you are hesitating.”
“I am in shock.”
I laughed lightly. “I am as well, if I am being frank. I went to Cliffwood to best your father and win back a piece of land I coveted for years. I did not expect to return with a fiancée.”
“Lydia? Geraldine?” she asked anxiously.
“Will stay on here, with you. Lydia will be your lady’s maid. Mrs. Dougall will find a place for Geraldine. Something that will give her purpose but not be too taxing.”
“She is a wonderful seamstress, and she loves to bake. Her pastries are decadent.”
“Then I will instruct Mrs. Dougall to use her skills.”
“Are you certain, my lord?”
“Quite.” I paused, studying her face. “Do you fear me, Madeleine?”
She hesitated, and I took her hands in mine. I wanted to peel away the gloves, but I had a feeling she needed to trust me before she would show me what she was hiding under the leather. “I swear to you that you will not be mistreated here. You will have nothing to fear from the world—or from me. I will protect you, Madeleine. Your life will be vastly different from what you have known. You have only to say yes, and I will arrange it all.”
To my horror, her chin began to quiver, and tears filled her eyes. “Madeleine?” I asked. “Is the idea of being married to me so repugnant?”
She turned away, covering her face. I moved behind her, gently holding her shaking shoulders. “Speak your thoughts out loud, my sweet. I shall not be angry.”
She turned, her cheeks wet, her eyes bright in the waning light. “My lord, only days ago, I was cold, scared, and hungry. My life was nothing but pain and work. I felt only hatred and anger directed toward me. It was a continuous circle I thought would never be broken.”
I wiped the tears from under her eyes. “And now?”
“You took me from that. I am in a stunning garden, wearing a dress that makes me feel beautiful. I soaked in a bath for the first time in years. I feel clean and rejuvenated. There is a bed to sleep in with blankets. A fire to warm me. A full belly.” A sob escaped her lips. “And you are standing in front of me—a kind, wonderful man—asking me to marry you. Promising me I will never return to that place. Offering me the dream I kept hidden for so long. I am overwhelmed with gratitude and a feeling I had lost long ago.”