One Dance with a Duke
Page 54
Author: Tessa Dare
Of course she didn’t mind the attention herself. But she knew how Spencer hated crowds. She pulled him as far to the side as possible, putting his back toward the horde of onlookers.
“There now,” she said, keeping her arms laced around his neck. “Just pretend we’re dancing.”
He winced. “The ride from Braxton Hall nearly killed me. With these ribs, pretense is all I can manage.”
“Why are you in town at all? I heard you were playing cards.”
“Well, I meant to. That’s the reason I came to London. I’d no idea you’d be here. My intention was to win back Jack’s debt from the gaming lord himself. I’d arranged the game, prepared my stakes and sharpened my strategy—do you know that man’s one of the best piquet players in England?”
“I suspect you’re better.”
His mouth tipped with an arrogant grin. “I suspect I’d have proved you right, in the end. It might have taken me hours, though, and we were just sitting down to the table when your boy found me, and I read your note. And after that …” He blew out a breath. “After that, I just said to hell with it. I wrote him a bank draft instead.”
She gasped. “You didn’t!”
“I did. Because whatever amount your brother owed, it wasn’t worth a single hour’s delay in seeing you.” He swallowed hard. “All Jack’s debts are paid, Amelia. You needn’t worry about his safety anymore.”
“Oh, Spencer. You’re very good to have done that. But I wish I’d had the opportunity to speak with you first. Jack’s gone. He sailed from Bristol on a brigantine bound for America. You were right. I was doing him more harm than good. He’s my brother, and I’ll always love him. But I’ll have to love him from afar just now. Our marriage is more important to me than anything.” She lowered her voice and gripped him tight. “You are more important to me than anything. I’ll never let anything come between us again.”
“I … I can’t believe it.” He blinked away a glimmer of emotion. “What of the debt?”
“Laurent has another buyer for the cottage.” When he began to form a question, she added, “The debts are ours to dispatch, not yours. We’ll repay you every penny. Jack is our problem, our family’s responsibility.”
“Your problems are mine. Your family too, if you’ll have me. I was a complete bastard to ask you to choose. And you can’t give up that cottage. It’s your home.”
“It’s a house. Just a pile of stones and mortar, and a crumbling one at that. It’s meaningless without love to fill it. My home is wherever you are.” She felt a smile warming her face. “Here we are right back where we started, aren’t we? You owning my brother’s debt, me with only a drafty cottage in Gloucestershire as collateral.”
“Is it wrong of me to demand Briarbank in payment anyhow? The property needn’t change hands. A very long lease will suffice. I love it there, and I love being there with you. And I love you. God, I haven’t said that to you nearly enough, but I’m going to make up for it now by telling you five times a day. I love you, Amelia. Since the very first night, I knew you were the only woman for me. Until the day I die, I will love you. I love—”
“Hush.” She put a finger to his lips. Had he gone mad, or had he forgotten the crowd of onlookers at his back? Leaning in close, she teased, “It’s a quarter past midnight. Don’t exhaust all five so early in the day. I’d like something to look forward to, once we get home.”
He grasped her hand and kissed her fingers warmly. “You needn’t worry on that score.” He brought her close and whispered in her ear. “God, how I’ve missed you. Not only in bed, but especially in bed. It’s a very big bed, and it’s damned empty without you. Life is empty without you.”
Feeling it prudent to change the subject before she went to custard, she cleared her throat and asked, “How’s Claudia?”
“At Braxton Hall. I’ve promised to return quickly. She’s still considering her options, but I’ve told her she’ll have my support, no matter what her choice.”
“She will have our support.”
He released a deep sigh. “Thank you.” He raised a hand to her face, cradling her cheek in his palm. “And you? You are well?” He flicked a glance downward, toward her belly.
“Yes.” She smiled. “Both of us.”
As his thumb stroked sweetly over her cheek, his eyes warmed to rich shades of gold and green. He gave her one of those rare, devastating smiles. “What a beautiful mother you’ll be.”
He bent his head, clearly seeking a kiss.
She put a hand to his chest, holding him off.
“Spencer,” she whispered, darting a glance to either side. “There are hundreds of people about.”
“Are there? I hadn’t noticed.”
“Your heart’s pounding.”
“That’s for you.”
And now her own heart skipped a beat. She’d spent her whole life loving those around her, and still she’d never dreamed she could love someone this much—so much it stretched the very seams of her soul. Better yet was the knowledge that the love would only grow, and she would have to grow with it.
“You realize, you do have a certain reputation,” she murmured. “Everyone here is expecting to watch you cart me from the room in a scandalous, barbaric display.”
“Then they’ll be disappointed. I’m scarcely fit to lift a kitten at the moment, and even if I were …” He cupped her face in both hands, and his gaze reached so far into hers she felt it warming her toes. “It’s never been my desire to conquer you, Amelia. If you leave this room with me, it must be at my side. As my wife, my lover, my partner …” His thumb brushed her lip. “My dearest friend. Would you do that?”
She managed a tearful nod.
“Then may I kiss you now, in front of all these people?”
She nodded again, this time smiling through the tears. “On the lips, if you please. And do it properly.”
Of course she didn’t mind the attention herself. But she knew how Spencer hated crowds. She pulled him as far to the side as possible, putting his back toward the horde of onlookers.
“There now,” she said, keeping her arms laced around his neck. “Just pretend we’re dancing.”
He winced. “The ride from Braxton Hall nearly killed me. With these ribs, pretense is all I can manage.”
“Why are you in town at all? I heard you were playing cards.”
“Well, I meant to. That’s the reason I came to London. I’d no idea you’d be here. My intention was to win back Jack’s debt from the gaming lord himself. I’d arranged the game, prepared my stakes and sharpened my strategy—do you know that man’s one of the best piquet players in England?”
“I suspect you’re better.”
His mouth tipped with an arrogant grin. “I suspect I’d have proved you right, in the end. It might have taken me hours, though, and we were just sitting down to the table when your boy found me, and I read your note. And after that …” He blew out a breath. “After that, I just said to hell with it. I wrote him a bank draft instead.”
She gasped. “You didn’t!”
“I did. Because whatever amount your brother owed, it wasn’t worth a single hour’s delay in seeing you.” He swallowed hard. “All Jack’s debts are paid, Amelia. You needn’t worry about his safety anymore.”
“Oh, Spencer. You’re very good to have done that. But I wish I’d had the opportunity to speak with you first. Jack’s gone. He sailed from Bristol on a brigantine bound for America. You were right. I was doing him more harm than good. He’s my brother, and I’ll always love him. But I’ll have to love him from afar just now. Our marriage is more important to me than anything.” She lowered her voice and gripped him tight. “You are more important to me than anything. I’ll never let anything come between us again.”
“I … I can’t believe it.” He blinked away a glimmer of emotion. “What of the debt?”
“Laurent has another buyer for the cottage.” When he began to form a question, she added, “The debts are ours to dispatch, not yours. We’ll repay you every penny. Jack is our problem, our family’s responsibility.”
“Your problems are mine. Your family too, if you’ll have me. I was a complete bastard to ask you to choose. And you can’t give up that cottage. It’s your home.”
“It’s a house. Just a pile of stones and mortar, and a crumbling one at that. It’s meaningless without love to fill it. My home is wherever you are.” She felt a smile warming her face. “Here we are right back where we started, aren’t we? You owning my brother’s debt, me with only a drafty cottage in Gloucestershire as collateral.”
“Is it wrong of me to demand Briarbank in payment anyhow? The property needn’t change hands. A very long lease will suffice. I love it there, and I love being there with you. And I love you. God, I haven’t said that to you nearly enough, but I’m going to make up for it now by telling you five times a day. I love you, Amelia. Since the very first night, I knew you were the only woman for me. Until the day I die, I will love you. I love—”
“Hush.” She put a finger to his lips. Had he gone mad, or had he forgotten the crowd of onlookers at his back? Leaning in close, she teased, “It’s a quarter past midnight. Don’t exhaust all five so early in the day. I’d like something to look forward to, once we get home.”
He grasped her hand and kissed her fingers warmly. “You needn’t worry on that score.” He brought her close and whispered in her ear. “God, how I’ve missed you. Not only in bed, but especially in bed. It’s a very big bed, and it’s damned empty without you. Life is empty without you.”
Feeling it prudent to change the subject before she went to custard, she cleared her throat and asked, “How’s Claudia?”
“At Braxton Hall. I’ve promised to return quickly. She’s still considering her options, but I’ve told her she’ll have my support, no matter what her choice.”
“She will have our support.”
He released a deep sigh. “Thank you.” He raised a hand to her face, cradling her cheek in his palm. “And you? You are well?” He flicked a glance downward, toward her belly.
“Yes.” She smiled. “Both of us.”
As his thumb stroked sweetly over her cheek, his eyes warmed to rich shades of gold and green. He gave her one of those rare, devastating smiles. “What a beautiful mother you’ll be.”
He bent his head, clearly seeking a kiss.
She put a hand to his chest, holding him off.
“Spencer,” she whispered, darting a glance to either side. “There are hundreds of people about.”
“Are there? I hadn’t noticed.”
“Your heart’s pounding.”
“That’s for you.”
And now her own heart skipped a beat. She’d spent her whole life loving those around her, and still she’d never dreamed she could love someone this much—so much it stretched the very seams of her soul. Better yet was the knowledge that the love would only grow, and she would have to grow with it.
“You realize, you do have a certain reputation,” she murmured. “Everyone here is expecting to watch you cart me from the room in a scandalous, barbaric display.”
“Then they’ll be disappointed. I’m scarcely fit to lift a kitten at the moment, and even if I were …” He cupped her face in both hands, and his gaze reached so far into hers she felt it warming her toes. “It’s never been my desire to conquer you, Amelia. If you leave this room with me, it must be at my side. As my wife, my lover, my partner …” His thumb brushed her lip. “My dearest friend. Would you do that?”
She managed a tearful nod.
“Then may I kiss you now, in front of all these people?”
She nodded again, this time smiling through the tears. “On the lips, if you please. And do it properly.”
