LITMIR.BIZ

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prefer to think of it as heroics. Don’t disabuse me of the notion.’

      ‘Heroics, if you must, but now is not the time for you to be up.’

      ‘I wouldn’t be if you acted sensibly and stayed. I believe I offended you. It wasn’t my intention.’

      ‘It is nothing to do with you. Nothing at all. I’m tired. I need to rest.’ Hattie concentrated on keeping the candle steady. ‘If you need someone, I’ll wake Mrs Hampstead.’

      She hoped he thought her voice stern and unyielding. To her ears, it sounded hopelessly breathless.

      ‘Come here.’ His voice allowed for no refusal.

      Hattie took a step towards the stairs. Her stomach tensed. If she started towards him, she’d be in his arms, begging for his touch. And she already knew that was a hopeless cause. ‘That wouldn’t be a good idea.’

      ‘I’ve gone beyond what you consider a good idea or not, Harriet.’ He ran his hands through his hair. ‘Come here. Let me see your face. All I can see is the light from the candle.’

      She wiped the back of her hand across her eyes and straightened her skirt. He was too far away and the candlelight hid her upset state. ‘No one calls me Harriet.’

      ‘I know. It is why I am doing so.’ He held out his hand. ‘I’ve no wish to frighten you. Come back and talk to me.’

      ‘Why should I?’

      ‘I had no idea about your husband’s betrayal. I thought your prim reserve was from a different cause. I’m sorry.’

      ‘It served my purpose.’ Hattie raised her chin. ‘It is the first time I could speak of it.’

      ‘Are you crying over him?’

      ‘I shed my last tear for him a long time ago.’

      ‘Then why the tears?’

      ‘Because I’ve wasted my life.’ When she said the words, she knew she meant them. They had sprung from a place deep within her. She’d wanted to erase all trace of Charles from her life, but she hadn’t done. For too long she had been hiding, fearful of the long shadow. ‘It is not what I wanted. I had so many plans. I’ve done none of them.’

      His hand closed about hers and gently took the candlestick from her. ‘You will burn your hand.’

      ‘I already have.’ She gave a shaky laugh. ‘It is fine. I won’t set the house on fire.’

      Rather than letting her go, he pulled her to his hard body. ‘Silence. Perfect silence.’

      He bent his head and captured her lips, demanding a response. Hattie opened her mouth and tasted the sweet interior.

      A deep and dark fire welled up inside her, blotting out everything else. She twined her hands about his neck and held him close, allowing her body to say things that she didn’t dare. His mouth travelled over her face, softly nuzzling her cheeks and temple. ‘Hush now.’

      A soft moan escaped from her throat. With the last vestige of common sense, she put her hands on his shoulders and created a space between their bodies. ‘I ought to go.’

      ‘Why did you bring me here?’ he said, sliding his hands down her back and cupping her body to his.

      ‘I told you. Because I wanted to make sure you lived. You saved me and my honour.’ Hattie kept her head up and looked him straight in the eye, attempting to ignore the fire blazing in her nether regions. If she wasn’t hanging on to him, she’d fall. Her legs had become wobblier than jelly.

      ‘It is poor excuse. We have gone beyond such things.’ He traced the outline of her lips. ‘Whatever you do, give solid reasons, rather than mealy-mouthed excuses.’

      He placed a kiss in the corner of her mouth.

      ‘Why do you think I brought you here?’

      ‘Because you craved intimacy. You wanted more to your life than a solitary kiss in windswept ruins.’ His fingers touched her face, gentle but at the same time wildly exciting. ‘You wanted it as badly as I do. You have been driving me mad with longing, Harriet. The things I want to do with you.’

      She turned her face to his palm. She was tempted to pinch herself to see if she was awake or if she had somehow fallen asleep and was dreaming. ‘Did I?’

      ‘You do.’ He put his hands on her shoulders. His face turned grave. ‘I’m not making promises that I can’t keep, Harriet. You understand that. It is about living in the moment with no regrets. I can offer you a summer and that is all.’

      ‘I’m aware of the rules of engagement, as it were.’ She tucked her head into her chest, torn between a longing to put her head on his chest and listen to his heartbeat and the instinct to flee. He wasn’t offering anything honourable, only pleasure and only for the summer.

      There was nothing wrong with taking her pleasure. She was a widow, rather than a débutante in search of good marriage. Sir Christopher was notoriously single. With discretion all things were possible.

      ‘A summer affair sounds intriguing, but we must be circumspect,’ she said quickly before she lost her nerve.

      He raised an eyebrow. ‘Bringing me here is circumspect? The story will be all around the village before morning.’

      ‘I brought you here because you were injured.’ Hattie tilted her chin upwards to show she had considered the potential for disaster. ‘I was doing my Christian duty. No one dare gainsay that.’

      ‘You kissed me all the same. And shall do again, I wager.’

      A single finger lifted her face so she was staring directly into his eyes. His lashes were far too long and pretty for a man, she thought abstractly. She wasn’t in love with him, not in the way she had thought she’d been in love with Charles. She desired him and his touch. Her heart was safe, more than safe. Passion might burn white-hot, but it rapidly turned to ash. She knew not to want for ever with this man. She’d settle for living in the moment for this one summer. ‘Then we are agreed.’

      ‘Until the summer ends.’ He bent his head and softly kissed her lips. This time, the kiss was less fierce. It was a gentle heart-stopping persuasion. His mouth pressed kisses against her eyes, her nose and trailed down to her ear. Hattie knew that Charles had never kissed her like this. These kisses were about giving pleasure and healing.

      She twined her arms about his neck, pressing her body against his. Hattie opened her mouth and allowed her tongue to tangle with his. In that kiss, all her fears and regrets fell away and all she knew was the feel of his lips against hers.

      Her hand mimicked his and slid down the length of his torso. Instantly he stiffened.

      ‘Is something wrong?’

      He groaned in the back of his throat and put her from him. His face contorted in pain as he rotated his shoulder. ‘I’m sorry. It is worse than I thought.’

      She clapped her hands over her mouth. She’d been so intent on assuaging her own anguish that she’d forgotten about his very real pain. ‘You are hurt. You have no business being up and about. This should never have happened.’

      ‘I’m very glad it did.’ He gave a ghost of a smile. ‘I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. You must never cry alone in a corridor again.’

      ‘You should have done. The last thing I wanted to do is to cause you to get worse.’ She felt the hot tears prick the backs of her eyes. ‘You are the one who is supposed to be recovering from a terrible fight. You shouldn’t have to comfort me because of something that happened seven years ago.’

      ‘Allow me to be the judge of that.’

      ‘You are to get back in bed.’

      ‘And you shall join me in a bit of bed-sport?’

      Hattie knew her face flamed.

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