Page 6 of Boxing With My Duke (A Sweet and Lighthearted Regency #16)

C arlton made his way back to the room—after requesting the innkeeper and his wife to keep the wedding a secret. He was under no illusion they would stay silent, but he was certain they’d keep quiet until he and Catherine checked out. They wouldn’t risk angering a duke. That should protect her reputation. If it didn’t, he’d marry her. For some strange reason, the notion of being married to Catherine wasn’t as ludicrous as it would have been four days ago.

Entering the room, he realized she was fast asleep in the bed. Those long chestnut locks were spread out on the pillow. Those pouty pink lips were slightly open and curved in a slight smile as she slept. Holy Hell ! She is beautiful! So breathtakingly lovely she made him yearn to take her in his arms and kiss her awake. He shook his head at such thoughts. She’s an innocent, for God’s sake. Her reputation had already been put at risk. He would not drag it through the mud.

Turning away, he made a pallet on the floor next to the sleeping pup. Damn , it was as hot as Hades in the room. He always slept naked with a window open, but he couldn’t open the window, or Catherine would likely catch a chill. Carlton didn’t expect to get any sleep, in any case, and would most likely be up before her. He removed his clothing down to his smalls and lay on his back, willing his mind to stop churning.

Encountering Douglas had made everything more complicated. Imagine Douglas asking him to name the boxing ring after him. Yes , he was the best boxer in the club, but it was just the kind of thing Douglas would request. The utter arrogance of the man. But Carlton would concede to keep Catherine’s reputation safe and he unwed.

Welcome to Scotland , indeed…

Welcome to Scotland ?

Carlton sat up with a jolt.

Douglas had said those exact words to him as they shook hands. But that couldn’t be… The hair on the back of his neck stood up. Double damn! It was true. This . Is . Scotland . Triple damn! This is a disaster. And it’s all my fault. Thanks to ancient Scottish common law, he and Catherine were married. I’ve got to tell her, but how? Dazed by the revelation, he stood and walked to the bed, unsure of what to do. She’s sleeping so peacefully. No . I won’t wake her and tell her now. It will ruin her sleep. I’ll tell her in the morning.

He lay back down and stared up at the ceiling. Unable to concentrate, he stood and began pacing. He needed to come up with a solution to this fiasco. A soft moan reached his ears. Poor pup . “ It’s all right, boy,” he whispered, squatting on his haunches to check on Riggs . That’s odd. The dog was sound asleep. The moan sounded again—this time it was more of a cry—and he realized it was coming from Catherine , not the dog. Thrashing followed a third moan, and he leaped up and ran to the bed. Too late, he realized he was only wearing his smalls. Tears were streaming down Catherine’s cheeks.

“ Don’t leave me in here, please,” she cried over and over.

Is she talking about the carriage hiding place? “ Catherine , wake up. Wake up, honey. It’s me, Carlton ,” he said, sitting next to her on the bed. He shook her gently to wake her. When that failed, he pulled her into his arms and traced her cheekbones and her chin with his fingertip. “ Wake up, sweetness.”

Catherine uttered another faint moan as her hands moved to the back of his head and she tugged his face down to hers. His lips to hers.

Carlton knew it was wrong. Knew she was still in the throes of her dream. But he couldn’t stop himself. Not at this moment. Not when every part of him was flooded with desire.

Closing his eyes, he kissed her. Her lips trembled and his passion soared as she responded to his kiss. She opened her mouth, and he swept his tongue in and caressed hers, then ran it gently along the curve of her full lips. A breathy moan escaped her, and she pressed herself against him.

The feel of her luscious breasts pressing into his chest intensified his need to an almost fevered pitch, and he dived in for another deep kiss.

Her lips were made for kissing and her body was made for loving, but he forced himself to stop. What am I doing? She’s having a nightmare and I’m taking advantage of her .

He wanted her, but not like this. He had to put an end to this… now . Pulling away, he placed his hands on her shoulders and gently patted her face. “ Catherine , wake up, love.”

Her eyes fluttered open. “ Wha -what’s happening?”

“ You were having a nightmare…”

“ Oh , no! What was I saying?” she asked, her eyes wide in her stricken face.

“ Something about a box. You begged me not to leave you in there. Were you upset about the hiding place in the carriage?” Double Damn ! “ I didn’t think of that at the time. I’m so sorry for being so thoughtless.” He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling like a first-class heel. Not only for making her hide in the box in his carriage when the highwayman had shown up, but for kissing her when she was in the throes of a bad dream.

“ No . Yes . No . I get panicked when I’m in closed spaces. But I was fine. You did nothing wrong, Carlton .” She glanced down and plucked at the coverlet. “ My brother and I played hide-and-seek when we were small. It was our favorite thing to play. I’m afraid my hiding place was too good. He couldn’t find me and forgot to tell anyone. We were five. I was trapped in the window’s box seat in the library for hours. Sometimes , I have nightmares about it. And sometimes I become most anxious when I feel trapped in enclosed or dark spaces,” she said in a soft voice. “ I know it’s childish, but there you have it.”

“ It’s not childish,” he said, lifting her chin and looking into her eyes. “ That was a genuinely frightening experience you had as a child. Sometimes those stay with us for many years.”

“ Thank you for understanding,” she whispered. “ Um … Carlton ?”

“ Yes , Catherine ?”

“ Did we just kiss?”

“ Well , technically, you kissed me first. Not that I minded, but I’m afraid we got a little carried away.”

“ Oh !” She averted her gaze. “ I - I , did you think it was brazen of me?”

“ No . I thought it was wonderful of you.”

“ Really ?”

“ Really .”

“ Um … Carlton ?”

“ Yes , Catherine ?”

“ Just so you know, it was my first kiss,” she whispered. “ And I - I’m glad it was w-with you.”

“ You are?” Her first kiss? How has this beautiful woman never been kissed before? Carlton felt conflicted in his reaction. Anger that she’d never experienced a kiss before and pleased as punch that he’d been her first.

Her cheeks blushed a pretty pink. “ Well , I have never spent so much time with a man outside of my family. Between the death of my older brother and then my father, I’ve never been officially out in Society …” She shrugged her delicate shoulders.

“ I see. Well , that explains why I never encountered you at any Society functions. Not that I go to many, mind you. Only when I can no longer stand my dear mother’s nagging. But if I had met you at a ball, I would have damn well asked you to dance and, most assuredly, stolen a kiss or three behind a potted palm.”

She giggled and gave him a teasing punch on his shoulder. “ I am very sorry for being so brazen in my sleep. I can’t imagine what came over me.”

“ Don’t be sorry! I found it most pleasurable.”

She looked up…and her eyes brightened. “ You did? I wish I’d been awake, so I could remember it.”

His eyes held hers. “ I suppose you could persuade me to go for a second round.” He held up a hand. “ Purely for the memory, of course.”

“ You would do that?” Her eyes misted.

“ I would.” He wanted an excuse to kiss her again. As he leaned in, he jerked himself back. “ Good grief!” Even though the only light in the room came from the fireplace, he realized he was down to his smalls. And she was awake. “ Avert your eyes for a moment.” How was he screwing up everything?

She complied, and he rushed to the fireplace, snatched up his pants, and put them on.

“ This is the best I can do,” he said sheepishly. “ I jumped up so quickly to check on you, I forgot I didn’t have my breeches on.”

She chuckled. “ I suppose I can forgive you since your intentions are so noble.”

He grinned. “ Let’s have another go at making a memory,” he said, taking her into his arms. Leaning down, he teased her lips open. He took full advantage of this opportunity and kissed her lightly at first and then deepening the kiss until he felt her quivering in his arms. Pulling away, he nuzzled the side of her neck. “ You smell wonderful,” he murmured, kissing her neck, her ears, and then her lips.

“ Lemon and Lilac ,” she murmured. “ I think I’ll remember this kiss.”

He claimed her lips once more and could have kissed her forever, but his body was thrumming with desire, and he couldn’t compromise her innocence. Gently , he pulled away, breaking their kiss. Carlton held her face in his hands and stared into her luminous blue eyes. “ We should stop now while I’m still able.”

“ Thank you for my second kiss and my first memory.”

“ You’re welcome.” He kissed the top of her nose. And leaned back to look into her eyes. He felt torn inside. He should tell her the truth about their situation, but he couldn’t. The smile on her face was so tender, so sweet. It had been her first and second kiss, for goodness’ sake. He wouldn’t ruin it. “ We should get some sleep. I’m fine by the fireplace.”

He awoke with the first rays of the sun and lay there for a few minutes, thinking about Catherine . And kiss numbers one and two. And how he should tell her the truth? And how would she react once he told her? Riggs stirred next to him, and he pushed his swirling thoughts away. “ I should take you out, buddy.” Swiftly , he donned his clothes and carried the pup downstairs.

When they returned to the room, Catherine was up and dressed and tying up her hair.

Her eyes met his, and she gave him a shy smile. “ Good morning, Carlton .”

“ Good morning, Catherine .”

“ Thank you for taking Riggs out. How is he doing this morning?”

“ Much better,” he replied, offering the dozing pup up for her morning kiss and then placing him on his little bed. “ He’s healing quickly, and I predict he’ll be a holy terror in no time at all.”

Catherine giggled as she finished pinning up her hair.

“ Before we go down to break our fast, I must tell you something,” Carlton began.

“ Of course. But first…um, I know this is awkward, but could you please help me lace up my dress?”

“ I’m happy to assist, my lady,” he said with his best wolfish grin.

Her cheeks turned a rosy pink again, and she hastily turned around. How he loved seeing her blush.

Is this what it would feel like to be married to Catherine ? Small intimate moments like this? Happily , lacing up her dress before escorting her down to breakfast and then happily unlacing it before bed? He’d put off marriage for so long that his mother had practically given up on him. And yet, after spending more than four days in close confines with Catherine and getting to know her, he realized it was something he could easily do. With her. Unable to resist, he lowered his head and kissed her nape.

She uttered a small gasp and spun around to face him. Her eyes were wide, but a smile played about her lips. “ You kissed the back of my neck.”

“ I did, didn’t I ? Did you mind it?”

She shook her head. “ I - I liked it. I liked last night’s kisses too.”

He breathed out a deep sigh. How he yearned to take her in his arms and kiss her again. But he needed to tell her the truth. And then she would probably hate him. And that would be awful. Carlton knew he was being selfish, but he’d been wanting to kiss her again since he woke up. Leaning down, he lifted her chin and kissed her lips, tender at first and then hungrily.

Catherine uttered a soft moan, slipping her arms around his neck and pressing herself against him. Now it was his turn to moan as he reluctantly broke their kiss.

He stepped back and raked his hands through his hair. “ Catherine , there is something you should know.”

“ What is it?” She reached out and laid her hand on his cheek. “ You look so pained. What’s wrong? Is it Edward or Serafina ? Did you find out something? Are they hurt?”

A panicked look came into her eyes, and he sought to reassure her. “ No , this is not about Edward or Serafina . This is about us.”

“ Us ?” Confusion replaced the panic expression.

“ There’s no getting around this. We are married,” he said.

Her face went from confusion to stunned. “ What ? How can that be? We’ve said no vows in a church, in front of a minister, with our family and guests in the pews.”

“ This is Scotland . I’ve been here several times and I know the old ways and ancient traditions. But the problem is, I thought we were still in England . I forgot we’d crossed the border.”

“ So ? I still don’t understand.”

“ Scotland has irregular marriage laws. Couples don’t need to say their vows in a church. Handfasting over the blacksmith’s anvil is but one of them. It was the furthest thing from my mind, I assure you. And we only took the room together because it was the only one available. But …”

“ Go on,” she said in a calm voice.

He was worried that she sounded so calm, but he forged ahead. “ In Scotland , when a couple declares themselves married to others publicly—whether or not they shared a bed—they are considered married. By law. No church or vicar is needed.”

“ Oh , I see…” She nodded. “ Last night in front of the Brambles and then in front of the Duke of Douglas . We declared ourselves, didn’t we?”

“ Yes , we did. When you think about it, what we did was similar to handfasting over the anvil. We declared ourselves in front of witnesses—therefore, the marriage is binding.” He wanted to shrivel up and disappear. “ I am so sorry. I should not have allowed this to happen. All I can do is plead stupidity.”

“ I see,” was all she said. She turned around and walked to the window. She stood there silently, looking out for several moments.

“ It’s not the end of the world, is it?” she whispered, her back still to him. “ Surely , if you wish it, you can have the marriage annulled.”

He swallowed hard. Carlton was suddenly unsure of himself.

“ Perhaps we should discuss this further after we have breakfast and get our trip underway. We must deal with Edward and Serafina first. And then, I promise, we’ll talk about this again.”

She finally turned around and the tears in her eyes nearly undid him. “ Yes , you’re right,” she said in a husky voice. “ We must find Edward and Serafina first. And then we can speak of this again.”