Compromising Prudence (7 page)

“She doesn’t,” Charles said.

“Hush, you! If you want my advice, make him take you abroad. Do him a world of good. Never goes anywhere except the fields of Kent. It’s all hedge sparrow this and songbird thrush that.”

“The estate keeps me busy,” Charles said stiffly.

“Tosh! At least take the woman on a trip.”

“Brighton?” Pru had always longed to go there, but Papa had insisted on Bath and a turn around the Pump Room with Aunt Hetty was not her idea of summer fun.

“Why Brighton?” Charles asked.

“We always went to Bath,” Pru said with a shrug. “Brighton sounds exciting.”

“Bath? Dowagers and card assemblies!” Graham shuddered. “Good Lord! Take the woman to Scotland.”

Charles caught Pru’s eye and smiled, that sweet smile that made her think of a young boy. “Scotland. Do you know, I’ve always meant to go there? I just might.”

“Oh, yes please!” Pru clapped her hands. “Oh, this is famous! I suppose the trip will have to be after the Season.”

Charles shifted in his chair. “Spring is devilish hard to get away. Nesting season, you know.”

“Of course. I shall want time to settle in any way. And a trip should be properly planned. Scotland.”

“You’ve settled in a bit here,” Charles said.

She arched her brow. “I’ve hired more staff for the place. I told you I would.”

“Did you?” He frowned as if genuinely trying to remember. She would take this as a lesson.
Never tell Charles something important when he was thinking about birds.
“Do you think we need them?”

Graham slapped his knee, laughing, and earned a glare from his twin.

“Of course we need them,” Pru said patiently.
“I
need them at any rate. If you expect me to bring your sister out, it necessitates more than a month-long visit. We’ll be spending an entire Season in London and as fine as your staff is, they could hardly be expected to manage the entire Season with us in residence. You must own that I needed a new abigail.”

“You’ve been very busy today.”

She eyed Charles anxiously, but he didn’t seem displeased; he looked rather…stunned. Pole-axed was the word her sister, Grace would use.

Graham cleared his throat. “What time is the wedding?”

“After breakfast,” Charles said.

“Wonderful,” Graham said. “What time do we eat?”

They spent a delightful evening, but Charles was relieved when Graham made noises about leaving. He followed his brother to the door, but once outside, Graham turned back to him.

Charles sighed. “This is where you ask me if I’m sure and if I know who her father is.”

“’Course you know. Hard not to. Not the sort of family I’d choose, but sober as a judge is for you, I wager. Tell me you didn’t just meet her.”

“I just met her.”

“Lord!” Graham wiped his face with his hand. “Say she isn’t carrying the next set of Hatterly twins.”

“Nothing of the sort!”

“She has no chaperone, has she? Where is her family in this? I tell you this wedding seems a complete hum.”

“It isn’t a hum,” Charles said. “Prudence is exactly as she seems: a lovely young woman who is foolish enough to yoke herself to this family.”

Graham sagged against the door. “She’s staying here, isn’t she?”

Charles remained silent.

Graham cursed softly and placed his hat on his head. “Very well. If she can lure you away from the fields and skies, I suppose I must approve.”

“It isn’t for you to approve.”

“Rest easy, Charles. I didn’t mean to give offense over your little sparrow.” He took up his walking stick and went out into the night.

Charles stood in the doorway to the drawing room, silently watching Prudence extinguishing the candles. She remained backlit by the fireplace as she paced, clasping and unclasping her hands.

“Nervous?” He slowly crossed the room.

“Of course I am. Tomorrow we will be married. Riveted! Tenants for life! ’Til death do we part. Yoked for all eternity!”

“Now you’re making me nervous.”

“You should be nervous. We both should be. It’s an enormous step we are taking and one which will not only affect us, but our families as well.” She turned to face him.

He jammed his hands in his pockets. “I wondered when you might have second thoughts. But I’m afraid we are already past the point of — ”

“Your brother knows I’m staying here. Doesn’t he?”

“Yes, I’m afraid it’s obvious you’re in residence. But he would protect you if I asked him to. Graham only seems like a dasher. He’s actually rather circumspect.”

“And the one you called Sherry?”

“Has no notion you’re staying here. Are you asking me to release you from our bargain?”

She shook her head and he exhaled. He wasn’t aware he’d been holding his breath, but the tension between his shoulders eased slightly. She started to move away from him and turned her face, but halted and lifted her chin instead. In their brief acquaintance he had come to admire her curious way of plain dealing. He would have expected a girl of her upbringing to be missish.

“What would you normally do after you dined at your club?”

The abrupt turn of conversation made him smile. “Return home of course. I’m not one for gaming and such. “They were close enough now that he could reach out and touch her if he chose.

“You would be working if I weren’t here, wouldn’t you?”

“Probably.” Now that his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he could make out the lovely lines of her face.

She sighed. “It has occurred to me that I owe you an apology.”

He took a step closer. “Why would such a thing occur to you?”

“Something your brother said. I haven’t been very good about living up to my part of the bargain.”

She ducked her chin, but he placed a finger under the tip and lifted it back up. The firelight did beautiful things to her face, highlighting her cheekbones and making delicate shadows underneath them. “Tell me what you imagine you’ve done wrong.”

“I promised to leave you in peace, to occupy myself and I’ve done a wretched job of things. I may be a bit too managing for my own good. I turned your house upside down, invaded your study, kept you from going to your club, interfered with your ability to work — ”

He cut her off with a kiss.

Gently. Softly. She had every chance to refuse him, but instead she parted her lips and he drank more deeply.

He’d wanted to do that all night.

Her hands slid up his chest and around his neck as she pressed herself closer to him. He’d only meant to stop her self-flagellation, but he didn’t pull away. All through dinner he’d been entranced, watching her. The curve of her lips, the tilt of her head, her husky laugh, everything about her grew more alluring with each hour he spent in her company.

He didn’t want her to leave him in peace. He wanted her just like this, sweetly inflaming his senses. His arms were around her now, holding her tightly. He would never let go.

He needed to let go.

He and Prudence had gone about the entire marriage and courtship the wrong way. They had violated every rule of civil conduct in almost every way imaginable — except for this. He wouldn’t defile her with his base needs. In spite of her sisters’ instructions, Prudence couldn’t possibly understand what it meant to lie together. He needed to stop for both of them. They would get this part right.

She was not his wife yet. A dim part of his mind suggested that was splitting hairs, but the better part of his nature prompted him to leave her lips and trace her jaw line. She muttered something unintelligible that sounded like a protest.

Charles planted a kiss on the velvet-soft skin just below her ear. “If I don’t stop kissing you, I’ll do something unforgivable.”

“Whose forgiveness would you require?” Her voice was dark and husky.

Oh God, it makes me want her even more.

He needed to step back, to put space between them. He couldn’t think with her breasts crushed against him. The fabric of her gown was so thin, he could feel every lush curve underneath, warm against his hands.

He groaned and rested his forehead against hers. “My own. I made a promise to myself.”

“I won’t hold you to it.”

“I’m a man, not a beast.”

“You can be both with me.”

That did it. He pulled away slightly. “Not tonight, Prudence. Tomorrow I will be your husband, but tonight I will remain a gentleman. I won’t ruin you.”

“I’m already ruined, thoroughly and completely ruined. Well, actually just a tiny bit ruined because he barely kissed me, but — ”

“No buts, Miss Wemberly.” He put her firmly away.

She narrowed her eyes.

“I see. Oh, how very like a man. You will decide what is best for me. You kiss me and arouse me, tempt me with carnal thoughts and then put me aside for my own good. I am heartily sick of being told what I will do and when I will do it!”

“Prudence — ”

“Oh, no! I’m Miss Wemberly again, am I not, Mr. Hatterly? Very well, if it’s a dutiful wife in name only that you’re seeking, by all means, I shall leave you to you birds. I’m fatigued anyway.”

She stormed from the room leaving him in that befuddled state that only she could induce. What the devil had just happened? His bride-to-be was as mercurial as May weather.

A glass of brandy did little to steady his nerves and so Charles retreated to the only thing in the world that ever made complete sense to him. He went to his study to work.

Pru spent a restless night plagued by warped dreams of being married in her nightrail. Birds nested in her hair. Tommy Petworth and his wretched friends snickered in the choir loft while Papa and several members of Parliament sang mournful hymns.

From nowhere, an orchestra broke into a country reel and all the attendants began dancing. Merriment reigned until the music became a waltz and Papa halted the celebration with the announcement that no daughter of his would ever waltz — even though they now allowed the dance at Almack’s. When Mrs. Forbes finally pronounced them to be wed, Hatterly snatched her up and plopped her down on a white mare. He slapped its rear and announced, “Off you go!”

Perhaps it was the clatter of wheels or the bell of the ragman, but Pru woke uncharacteristically early and summoned her abigail. Her eyes were dry and scratchy from her miserable night. She wanted nothing more than breakfast. She was surprised to find Hatterly already seated in the morning room drinking his coffee and perusing the Times. He set down his paper with a slight frown.