His Christmas Match (A Gentleman's Guide to Once Upon a Time) (24 page)

Noah
sighed and relaxed back against the desk. Penelope had seen nothing he need
concern himself with though she was correct. Noah had been about to kiss
Rosalind.
 
“You misunderstood.” Noah
tipped the glass and took another drink.

“Truly?”
Penelope asked with interest. “Did I misunderstand when I watched you kissing
her this afternoon after she fell onto your lap?”

Noah
choked on the liquid. “How? What?” He couldn’t form a coherent thought. If
Penelope had seen them then others might have as well. He needed to speak with
Demetrius before he heard from someone else.
 
He respected their friendship too much to have Rosalind dishonored by
gossip.
 
They would marry quickly, and
there would be no reason for him to ever hunt for a wife again.

“I
had gone upstairs to retrieve my shawl. I could see you clearly from the
window.”

He
slouched and rubbed his forehead. How many bedrooms had windows that had view
of the rocks?

“Everyone
else was downstairs,” Penelope added.

Noah
looked up at her. “Are you certain?”

She
bit her bottom lip and seemed to think for a moment. “I believe so. I didn’t
count or make a list,” she defended.

“Bloody
hell,” Noah muttered.
 
He probably should
apologize to his sister, but he knew she had heard it from him before.

He
stood and stared at her.
 
“If you saw me
with Rosalind, why would you assume I would be marrying Lady Jillian?”

“Because
her brother just told Rosalind that you intended to ask for Lady Jillian’s hand
right before Rosalind decided her ankle pained her too much to remain
downstairs.”

His
heart ceased for a moment.
 
What must
Rosalind think of him?
 
He knew in his
gut she believed Broadridge and must think Noah the biggest heel on earth. He
should have taken time to assure her that he wished to court her and that he
discovered feelings for her he hadn’t known existed. He should have told her
that he wanted to go on kissing her and much more, but instead they had taken
off after children.

“Do
you think she is hurt?”

Penelope
snorted.
 
“As well as feeling betrayed, I
am sure.”

Noah
set the glass on the table and moved toward the door.

“Where
are you going?”

“To
explain to Rosalind.”

“Oh
no.” Penelope was shaking her head. “The last place you need to be is alone in
a bedchamber with her.”

“Nobody
will know.”

“Unless
someone is coming down the hall when you exit.” She took a step toward
him.
 
“And what if someone else saw the
two of you today? That will only make matters worse. It will be the second
house party in which Rosalind is ruined except this time it will be a
certainty.”
 
Penelope placed a hand on
his chest. “Do you really wish to do that to her?”

Of
course he didn’t, but he needed to make her understand.

“Is
there a chance you can convince her to come back downstairs?”

“So
you can explain while Lady Jillian sinks her claws into your arm?”

“Bring
her here.” Noah gestured to his surroundings.

“So
someone can find you alone with her in here.” She snorted again. “Yes, that
would be much better for her reputation,” Penelope said dryly.

“Then
what the hell am I supposed to do?” Noah yelled.

Penelope
offered him a sweet smile, and her eyes sparkled with mischief. “Just leave it
to me.”

* * *

Rosalind
lay curled in the bed her tears long spent.
 
Why did Felding have to go and kiss her?
 
Why couldn’t he have just treated her like another sister especially
when he intended to marry Lady Jillian?
 
Had a part of him believed the rumors of her and Thorn?
 
Was he testing her to see if perhaps she was
open for seduction?
 

She
rolled on her back and stared up at the pink canopy.
 
Felding wouldn’t treat her so callously,
would he?

The
door creaked open, and Rosalind quickly wiped her damp cheeks with her sleeve.

Penelope
poked her head around the door and then entered.
 
“How are you feeling?”

“Better,”
Rosalind lied. But was it really a lie?
 
Penelope was asking after her ankle, and it wasn’t paining her any
further.

“I
think it is best that you remain off of it until at least tomorrow.”

Rosalind
nodded.
 
It was her intention to remain
in bed until it was time to leave.

Penelope
moved to the end of the bed and gestured to her foot. “May I?”

Rosalind
nodded.

Penelope
lifted the skirt and rolled down the socking so that she could view Rosalind’s injury
and frowned.

“What
is it?”
 
Certainly it wasn’t so bad not
that Rosalind had bothered to look.
 
There wasn’t time after they returned from outside, and frankly, she was
too miserable after leaving the gathering.

Penelope
gently touched the side of her leg. It was tender but not overly painful.
 
Rosalind sat up and looked at her ankle.
 
It was only slightly swollen.
 

“You
must definitely stay in bed.”

At
least there was evidence for her reason to remain in her chamber.
 
Rosalind had never been so happy for
swellings in her life.
 
She would have
endured a broken bone if it meant she could avoid watching Felding court Lady
Jillian.

“Supper
should be delivered shortly,” Penelope announced brightly.

Rosalind
glanced out the window. It had grown very dark. Had she completely lost track
of time while she was embraced in self-pity?
 
“Thank you,” she said a moment later.

“Would
you like me to help you out of that gown and into a nightdress?” Penelope asked
as she moved toward the dresser.

“Yes,
please.” As she was not going anywhere this evening, she might as well be
comfortable.

Penelope
was quick with undoing the buttons on her gown and loosening the corset.
 
Rosalind sighed when it was gone and
stretched feeling free for the first time in hours.
 
They quickly removed the chemise and pulled
the nightdress over her head before Penelope helped her slip into a wrap for
modesty. Rosalind had just gotten back beneath the covers when there was a
scratch at the door.
 
Penelope opened it
to a servant carrying a tray which was set on the table to the window.
 
Penelope dismissed the young woman and placed
a napkin on Rosalind’s lap before bringing her a plate and utensils.

Rosalind
stared down at the roasted duckling, beans, and potatoes. It smelled rich and
delicious, but her stomach tightened at the very thought of taking one
bite.
 
She was not hungry. Her appetite
had fled when she learned Felding was going to marry Lady Jillian.

Penelope
settled at the table with a plate before her.

“Why
aren’t you joining the others?”

“It
is only fair that I remain with you since you remained with me.”

“That
was different,” Rosalind argued. “You were ill. I am not.”

Penelope
placed her spoon on the plate. “If you must know, I don’t wish to dine with
them this evening.”

Rosalind
hitched a brow. “Has someone angered you?”
 
Though she shouldn’t gossip, Rosalind would love for something to take
her mind from Felding.

“My
brother!”

So
much for talking of someone else. “What has he done?”
 
Rosalind asked though not certain she wanted
the answer, especially if it was related to Lady Jillian.

“His
encouragement of Lady Jillian when we first arrived.”

It
was as she feared. “I know you don’t like her, but if Lord Felding is smitten.”

Penelope
snorted. “He is not smitten.”

Rosalind
looked down and moved the food about on her plate not willing to take a bite
for fear her stomach would rebel.

“It
is Lady Jillian and her brother who have it in their fool head that Noah plans
on offering for her.”

Rosalind’s
head jerked up and her pulse quickened. “He doesn’t?”

“No.”
 
Penelope cut off a piece of duck and ate it
chewing and going about her meal as if she hadn’t answered the most important
question.

“Are
you certain?” Rosalind asked slowly, hoping the excitement of this news didn’t
reveal itself in her tone.

Her
friend swallowed before answering. “Very certain. I questioned Noah about it
earlier after I heard rumors.”

Rosalind’s
stomach began to relax. Perhaps she might be able to eat something tonight.

“Noah
had intended on courting her before he arrived,” Penelope reminded her. “But
then he came to know her and realized they would never suit.”

Rosalind
bit her bottom lip to keep from smiling, but inside happiness replaced all of
the early pain.

Penelope
placed her wine glass back on the table. “I can’t wait until we are away from
that brother and sister and I know Noah would be in agreement.”

Rosalind
simply nodded. She, too, would be glad to see them gone. Of course that didn’t
mean Lord Felding would wish to court her instead.
 
Perhaps after this afternoon, he would
determine they didn’t suit either.

Besides,
what business did she have of even hoping for such a match?
 
Felding was a marquess and she was . . . not
a lady.”

Rosalind
blinked back tears and tore off a piece of bread. Felding may not be marrying
Lady Jillian, but that didn’t mean he would wish to marry her.
 
This spring he would probably find the
perfect
lady
and be married before
June was complete.

“What
is wrong, Rosalind?”
 
Penelope asked
quietly.

She
sniffed. “My ankle . . . that is all.”

Penelope
pushed back the chair and stood. “I will ask a maid to give you something for
the pain.”

She
was about to object. Her ankle was barely uncomfortable, but most medicine that
helped with pain also helped a person sleep. She would dearly love to give
herself up to oblivion at the moment. Anything to stop the ache in her heart.
Then, tomorrow she could begin a new day and hopefully be stronger and able to
shield herself to anguish.

Twenty

Noah
glanced up from the breakfast table when he sensed movement at the door. He had
been waiting all morning for Rosalind to appear.
 
Would her ankle keep her from joining them
today?
 
What was he to do if she didn’t
make an appearance?
 

He
reached for his cup and took a drink of coffee. Since when did he worry about
how his day would progress if a woman was not present? It was ridiculous. He
was only concerned with her injury and would ask Penelope how she fared if
Rosalind did not come down.

Lady
Jillian stepped into the room and glanced around. She nodded to the guests as
she made her way to the buffet and filled a plate. Noah prepared himself for
her to take the empty seat on either side of him.

Last
night had been near unbearable. Where he sat she sat beside him. Where he stood
she stood next to him.
 
She was even on
his team for charades, but she didn’t exactly participate.
 
Not once did she try to guess the answer, and
she refused to pantomime at her turn. Noah could have sworn he heard her
exclaim that it was a ridiculous game.
 
Even if he didn’t enjoy parlor games, when at a house party he
participated and got into the spirit of the entertainment.
 
Lady Jillian had held herself away from the
others with a select few young misses, and Noah couldn’t imagine a lifetime of
living with such condescension of others.

Lady
Jillian came around the table and stopped beside him.
 
Before Noah could stand, a footman was
pulling a chair out to assist her.
 

“Good
morning, Lord Felding,” she greeted him. “I trust you slept well.”

“Yes,
thank you,” he answered politely.
 
In
truth, he had not.
 
Much of his rest was
fitful with thoughts of Rosalind remembering the feel of her on his lap, her
lips against his, and how she didn’t shy away but became more engaged as their
kisses deepened. It left him achy with need until he had to get out of bed and
drink more of the brandy he had won from Meadows.
 
After he managed to fall asleep, his dreams
were filled with Rosalind. When he woke this morning, his body still ached, and
a headache pounded at the base of the skull.
 
He turned to Lady Jillian and wondered if perhaps he should have
answered truthfully. Would she have been shocked and appalled and moved away
from him?