His Christmas Match (A Gentleman's Guide to Once Upon a Time) (27 page)

Felding
paused just inside the door and glanced around. Lady Jillian turned toward him
and straightened exhibiting a smile on her face.
 
Rosalind had expected Felding to go to her
but instead strode in Penelope and Rosalind’s direction.
 

“Might
I have a private word with Miss Valentine?” Noah said to his sister.

“Of
course, dear brother.”
 
She turned to
Rosalind. “If you will excuse me.”

Rosalind
watched Penelope leave.

“Miss
Valentine, I hope we can speak before you return to my sister’s home?”

She
blinked up at Felding. His face was sober and eyes intense.
 
“Is something wrong, Lord Felding?”

Felding
blew out a breath and glanced around.
 

He
drew her further toward the window putting more space between them and the
guests. “I would rather not be overheard, and the more we speak away from the
others the more they will strain to hear.”

She
glanced to those gathered in the room.
 
Many watched them with interest. “Very well. I will make myself
available when you have the opportunity.”
 
What could he possibly wish to speak with her about? Had she not been a
good companion to Penelope? Had she not fulfilled her duties as required? Would
he wish to complain to her current employer?

“Lord
Felding,” Lady Jillian said as she drew up to his side. “Please, join us for
tea.”

His
jaw tightened and his back stiffened before he offered Rosalind a quick bow.
“If you will excuse me.”

“Of
course,” Rosalind muttered as he pivoted and walked away.

As
she watched his retreating back another thought assaulted her.
 
What if he wished to discuss the kiss? What
if he wanted to apologize and wish it had never happened? What if he wished to
make sure there was nothing that could ever come from what they shared because
he was going to marry Lady Jillian?

Her
stomach churned.
 
She would rather be
disciplined by an employer than be gently rejected by Felding.

Twenty-Two

Rosalind’s
patience was at an end. For the last hour, she had sat with the ladies
listening to their conversations and offering nothing. She was not acquainted
with anyone they spoke of nor had she ever attended a ball, soiree, picnic or
many of the other entertainments they discussed.
 
It was no different from her last house
party, not that she had been an actual guest, but the entertainments were the
same and gossip became prevalent when ladies had nothing better to do than sit
around sipping tea.

Most
of the gossip was being shared among the misses as they giggled back and
forth.
 
Penelope was seated further away
and in quiet conversation with Lady Meadows.
 
Across the room, in an arrangement beside the fire, sat Lady Lavins,
Mrs. Parker and Mrs. Chambers.
 
Rosalind
could not hear what they were discussing either, but it had to be much more
interesting than what Lady Jillian and the young women thought were fascinating
topics.
 
However, she didn’t know anyone
very well and couldn’t bring herself to intrude on private discussion just
because she wanted away from the silly misses surrounding her.

Rosalind
would have joined Penelope and Lady Meadows, but Penelope moved from Rosalind
as soon as she had taken a seat and joined their hostess further away from the
others.
 
Clearly Penelope didn’t wish for
anyone else to be a part of their discussion, especially Rosalind, and left her
with these strangers.

Besides,
she wouldn’t have been able to concentrate even if she knew the persons being
discussed.
 
Rosalind couldn’t forget that
Felding wished to speak with her, and she couldn’t stop thinking about the
possibilities of what he wished to say.

With
a sigh, Rosalind stood.
 
She needed to be
away from their silliness and a breath of fresh air would be welcoming.
 
She quietly stepped from the room without
anyone commenting on her exit and went to her chambers for her pelisse and
boots.
 
On her way out of the house, she
glanced back into the parlor. All was as it had been when she left, and nobody
seemed to note her absence. Not that she expected them too.

Rosalind
let herself out of the manor through a door at the back of the house.
 
The moon was full tonight and the sky
cloudless. Torches were lit around the parameter of the swept terrace, and the
light reflected off of the snow so that she was able to see well enough to
negotiate the path to the gazebo. Once inside, she brushed the snow off of a
bench and then sank down onto it. Closing her eyes Rosalind let the peaceful
silence engulf her.
 
For all the snow and
the dampness in the air, the night wasn’t overly cold.

The
crunch of boots alerted Rosalind to someone approaching. She wasn’t alarmed but
wondered who else would be out here and why they hadn’t used one of the cleared
paths.
 
She straightened and looked
around.
 
Rosalind came to her feet when
Lord Broadridge stepped inside the enclosure.
 

“I
saw your escape from inside the house and thought it a brilliant idea.”

Why
did he wish to join her? They really shouldn’t be out in the darkness alone.
Though if he could see her from the billiard room, others could as well, and it
probably wasn’t any different than walking in the gardens where others could
observe from windows so that propriety wasn’t brought into question.

“I
grew tired of being in the billiard room watching the contest take place and
thought to get some fresh air for myself.”

She
glanced out at the sky through the opening.
 
Stars twinkled from above. “It is a beautiful night.” She sighed.

Broadridge
stepped to her side. “Yes. Beautiful indeed.”

She
glanced at him and pulled back. He was much closer to her person than she
realized, and he wasn’t looking at the sky either. Had he just complimented
her? Was he flirting with her? To what purpose?

“I
like you, Miss Valentine.”

Rosalind
studied him.
 
Should she say that she
liked him too? But she really didn’t know the gentleman all that well and
thought to not see him again after the house party.

He
took a step forward, and she shifted back. Alarm rang through her that perhaps
she was in a dangerous situation after all.

“I’ve
been watching you, you know.” His hand came up and caressed her cheek.
 
Rosalind took another step back coming
against one of the pillars supporting the rounded structure. Before she could
sidestep Broadridge, he was towering over her.
 
Rosalind glanced in each direction trying to determine how to make her
escape, but there were built in benches on either side of her. She was trapped.

“I
think we would do well together,” Broadridge said as he settled his hands at
her waist.

Rosalind
eyed him askance. “How so?” She asked slowly.

“I
can offer you more than Thorn or Felding.”

Her
heart increased at the mention of Thorn. Did he know of the rumors? Did
Broadridge believe the rumors or Thorn?
 
If he believed Thorn, then he was also aware nothing had been offered.
But how did Felding figure in? As far as anyone knew, he was a family friend.

“I
could set you up in a grand house, carriage at your disposal, the finest
clothing, almost anything you wished.”

Rosalind
tried to pull back but her head was already pressed against the beam.

Broadridge
bent and just as he was about to kiss her, Rosalind turned her face away.
 
She could only assume what he was offering,
and marriage was not part of the bargain.
 
“I am not interested, Lord Broadridge.”

He
chuckled.
 
“You expect me to believe that?”
His lips touched her neck.

Rosalind
pushed against his chest. “Please don’t.

Broadridge
chuckled.
 
“You might play the sweet
innocent around others, but I know better.”

His
words chilled her, and Rosalind looked back at his face.

“Thorn
has had you and no doubt Felding as well.”

“You
are mistaken,” she bit out through clenched teeth.

Broadridge
hitched an eyebrow.
 
“I had assumed the
rumors with Thorn might be untrue as I heard two versions of the event.” He
stepped closer bringing his body against hers.
 
“After seeing you on Felding’s lap and allowing him to practically
seduce you in the snow, I knew the rumors to be true.”

Rosalind
gasped and pushed more forcefully at his chest. “You are mistaken.”

“No,
dear, I am sure I am not.”

His
arms went around her body pulling her tight against him. Rosalind struggled to
break free.
 

“Why
should you enjoy their company without benefits? I can give you so much.” His
mouth lowered to hers once again.
 
She
turned from him, but the lack of her lips was not a deterrent. Broadridge
kissed her cheek before making his way to her neck. Bile rose in her throat. If
she screamed would anyone hear her?
 
Would they believe her if she told them he had come to her? Or would it
be just like the last house party, and she would be more ruined than before if
that was even possible.
   

Rosalind
took a deep breath and pushed with all of her might, but she could not dislodge
the man. “Please let me go.”

He
pulled back slightly and smiled looking at her with hooded eyes. “You don’t
really mean that.”

“Yes,
I do,” Rosalind yelled.

“I’ll
convince you otherwise.” His mouth descended again.

Panic
surged with the need to be away from him.
 
Rosalind didn’t care what title he may hold one day. Nobody had the
right to ignore her protests.
 
She drew
up her hand and struck him across the face. “I said, let me go.” She pushed
again and this time he stepped back, one hand cradling his cheek.

“That,
Miss Valentine, was a grave mistake.”
 
His voice was cold, hard, and it sent a chill down her spine so different
than the gentleman that had been useless during the scavenger hunt or even
solicitous towards her while that sat by the lake earlier.

Rosalind
sprinted to the opposite side of the gazebo placing her back to an
opening.
 
“The mistake was thinking you
could come out here and accost me.”

“If
you didn’t wish for company from a gentleman, then why did you leave the
ladies?”

“I
simply wished for fresh air.”

He
tilted his head, studied her, and stepped in her direction, quiet and slow like
a panther stalking his prey.
 
She fisted
her hands and willed them to quit shaking and glanced behind her. There was no
path just deep snow.

“Unless
you were waiting for Felding?”
 
Broadridge took another step in her direction. “I can assure you that it
will be some time before he joins you. He is in the middle of a billiard match
with your brother.”

Rage
boiled within her. How dare he assume she was meeting a lover!
 
“I can assure you, Lord Broadridge, that it
was not my intention to meet anyone,” she bit out. “I wanted to be alone!”

“Come
now, Miss Valentine, you don’t expect me to believe that do you?”

He
sickened her. What had she done to deserve this treatment? Why would Broadridge
assume she was of a low moral character?

Perhaps
it was because he had seen her with Felding. Who else had seen them, and what
must they think? Nobody would ever believe nothing occurred between her and
Thorn if they were witness to her and Felding’s kiss.

Her
stomach tightened, and Rosalind feared she would be ill. She should have never
come to this party. She should have stayed at the Sandlin estate where she
belonged with children and where her heart was safe.

Broadridge
advanced and grasped her arm. Why had she simply stood here? She needed to get
away but the path leading back to the house was on the opposite side of the
gazebo and she would have to go around Broadridge to get there.
 

“I
do expect you to believe me,” she argued. “I’ve not given you any reason to
believe I would be interested in your offer, and what you heard with regard to
Thorn are rumors with no factual basis.”

He
laughed.
 
“I am not as foolish as you
think, Miss Valentine.”

She
tried to jerk her arm out of his grasp, but he held too tightly. She should
have stepped into the snow. The frigid cold in her boots was better than this.