A Matter of Honor (29 page)

Aggie sniffed and he pressed a clean white handkerchief into her hands. She dabbed at her face. “How can you accuse me of such a thing? I waited and waited, but you were gone.”

“Aggie.” His arm was warm around her shoulders
.
“You mean you knew nothing of this letter?”

“Nothing.”

“But why, why would your father do such a thing?”

Aggie shook her head. “Please, let me see

it.”

He took the letter from the table beside him and put it in her hands.

Aggie studied it for some moments. “It is my father’s hand,” she said f
i
nally. “But I knew nothing of it. He - he behaved very strangely sometimes in those last years. But I never thought he would do such a thing.” She raised pleading eyes. “You must believe me, Denby
.
He said no word to me of it.

I-
”
She took a deep breath. “I concluded that you - had tired of me.”

The hand that clasped her shoulder tightened. “Never! The receipt of this so unnerved me that I left immediately to join the forces f
i
ghting Napoleon.”

“If only you had come to me first.” The words were out before she belatedly recalled that his lordship was now pledged to another.

He did not notice her expression of dismay. “I thought of it,” he replied. “But my rage was so excessive that I could not trust myself with you. And I did not wish to cause a public scandal.”

  He drew her toward him and she felt her resistance melting. But she must resist him, she told herself grimly. They had straightened out the past, but that had little effect on the future. Denby was going to marry Lady Alicia Temple.

He pulled her into his arms. Aggie, trying to stem her feelings of longing, stammered, “Your lady mother tells me you plan to marry.”

“I do. As soon as possible.” His eyes were bright and Aggie’s heart sank. Why must she love this man?

“I - I see. I wish you every happiness,” she murmured, bending every effort to keep back the tears.

“I’m sure I am quite blessed in my choice of a bride,” he said, his eyes staring down into hers.

Privately, Aggie thought Lady Alicia quite the reverse of a blessing, but she did not say so. For one thing, to do so was not proper. And for another, the warmth in the Earl’s eyes seemed to be pulling at her, drawing her into their enticing depths.

“I
-”
Aggie began, but the rest of her sentence was silenced by the Earl’s lips on hers. Tender and persuasive at f
i
rst, they grew more and more passionate. His lips were giving, and yet taking, and as her own mouth opened to admit his seeking tongue a sweet pang of longing coursed through her.

It seemed that by the touch of his lips he reached the very depths of her soul, reached them and stirred some part of herself she had never known existed. Her awareness of the outside world vanished. All she knew was this warmth, this joy, this terrible pressing need to blend herself with him body and soul, to melt into him so that they were no longer two separate entities, but one merged being.

She tried, but she could not withstand him. And, her heart cried, surely she could be allowed this one last kiss before he left her life forever. But when he released her, she forced herself to say
,
“Your lady wife, milord, would surely object to this.”

He shook his head. “I think not. Aggie, my dear
,
now that we know the truth, surely you will not hold the past against me.”

“No, of course not,” she said. “But it is unseemly to be kissing me now when
-”

“Aggie, Aggie.” His arm clasped her close against his side. “How I have wanted you. Wanted you to distraction. And you so cold and icy.” He wound a long strand of hair around his f
i
nger.

Aggie tried to free herself from his grasp. Surely he would not offer her
carte blanche.
Not now. Not when they had just spoken of his marriage. “Milord.” She strove to make her voice cold. “Release me. This is unseemly.”

“I shall never do that,” he said, his lips seeking her throat.

Aggie sagged against him. She seemed to be f
i
ghting a losing battle, but she would not

- could not - give in. “I - cannot - do - such

- a - thing.”

There was silence in the room as the Earl ceased moving. Aggie, captive in the circle of his arms, wished herself dead and buried, but the thunderous response she had expected did not come. “You cannot marry me?” he said, his tone dangerously soft.

“Marry you?” Her voice rose sharply.

“Of course - Aggie! You thought I meant you dishonor?”

She could only nod. “I - what else could I believe?”

He touched her cheek with a gentle f
i
nger, sending echoes of delight over her whole trembling body. “I understand, Aggie. But believe me, I have had matrimony in mind.” A shadow of pain crossed his strong features. “At f
i
rst I was angry. I meant to get revenge. But then I realized that I still loved you.”

“And I you
,
” she whispered. “But I could not believe you meant to do honorably by me. I have nothing.” She bowed her head. “I thought you meant me to take Lady Alicia’s former place. So, I fear, did she.”

  “Look me in the eyes, Aggie,” he commanded. She raised her eyes to his, those smoky eyes that seemed to pierce her very heart. “Lady Alicia
was
once what you thought she was to me. I am a man with a man’s needs. But I swear to you - on our love.” His voice was hoarse with emotion. “That since you entered this house Alicia has been nothing to me.”

She looked long into his eyes, her heart thudding madly in her breast. “Your wife,” she repeated. “Really your wife.”

He drew her closer still. “Yes, my darling, my wife. We have lost f
i
ve years, but we will have the rest of our lives together.”

She sighed in contentment. “Oh, yes
,
Denby
.”

He was again gathering her into his arms when a slight tap on the open door caused them both to look up. “I could not wait till dinner,” said Lady Denby from the doorway with a mischievous smile. “But I see that everything has gone well.”

“Yes
,
indeed
.
Mother,” replied the Earl, “exactly as we wished.” And, while the Countess looked on in approbation, his lordship once more gathered his bride-to-be into his arms and kissed her soundly.

Copyright © 1982 by Nina Pykare

Originally published by Dell Candlelight Regency (ISBN 0440161282)

Electronically published in 2008 by Belgrave House/Regency

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This is a work of fiction. All names in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to any person living or dead is coincidental.