Page 15 of Dare to Tempt an Earl This Spring (Wedding Fever #1)
S he had promised him a ride today, yes.
My Ashley.
The words still echoed in her ears, sending shivers through her whole body, wreaking havoc on her heart.
Why was she so affected by this earl who had nearly ruined her life? Very well, perhaps ruined was a bit strong, but he had certainly complicated things with Jordan—if not entirely severed that thread. And yet, despite her reasons for approaching him, never had she expected that anything he did or said could make her pulse flutter so erratically.
And then there was his confrontation with the duke…how could one man make her feel so relieved, vexed, and utterly amused all at once? The male species!
Ashley simply couldn’t understand them.
She had thought she had, at least to some extent, figured them out. She’d read the whole handbook after all. A man’s mind couldn’t juggle too many things at once, surely—three, at most, in her estimation.
Duty. Procreation. Pleasure.
Nothing too complicated. Except, perhaps, for the last one—pleasure. The specifics of what brought each individual man joy differed. One look at the Duke of Paisley, and she knew that his twisted version of pleasure came from other people’s suffering.
Perhaps Thomas could keep honor right there with duty. The way he’d come to her rescue certainly brought no other thought besides honor to mind.
The events in the bookshop had proven as much.
But Paisley clearly wasn’t above getting his hands dirty if it meant winning. The bitter taste of that realization still clung to her tongue, sharp and lingering. Strange, really, because in another world, she and the duke could have been allies. He wanted Linsey’s horses, and she wanted him to lose them.
Yet somehow, the mere notion of aligning herself with the duke sharpened the bitter taste in her mouth. And he knew about Jordan. Funny, she had once called him her Jordan, but that didn’t feel true anymore.
My Ashley.
Drat. The words unsettled her more than she imagined, clouding her thoughts. She didn’t know what to feel or think anymore, couldn’t focus. So, she shoved those two words—and the loathsome duke—out of her mind, forcing herself to concentrate on the man standing before her. She had a more immediate challenge to face.
He smiled at her, and—oh, his smile. Stop it, Ashley. “You should have told me you wanted to come into town,” he said, his voice low, concerned. “I would have escorted you.”
Ashley looked away for a moment, steeling herself before meeting his gaze again. The tension between him and the duke still lingered in the air, thick and undeniable. And yet, the way he looked at her now was far too gentle for words.
“I’m sorry,” she offered simply.
His brow furrowed. “There’s no need to apologize. Did you need something in town other than visiting the bookshop?”
Ashley sighed, her shoulders sinking. “A riding habit. Or habits.”
His blink of surprise was almost comical. “You didn’t bring one with you?”
I don’t own any. “I don’t often ride, so it never occurred to me.” That, at least, was true. While he loved horses, it hadn’t seemed like something that mattered to her.
“Ah, well, shall we commission some for you?”
“No need. I already did before entering the bookshop.”
He nodded. “Is there anything else you require?”
She shook her head, searching his gaze. “Are you all right?”
Linsey dragged a hand through his hair, mussing the strands in frustration. “Paisley. He’s gone too far.”
Ashley shrugged, more to hide her uncertainty than indifference. Everyone had their reasons. He wanted to marry her to save his horses, the duke wanted the horses, and she wanted to stop him from having—in diabolical terms—all he held dear.
But meeting Paisley today…
She inwardly shuddered. Did that make her any better than the duke? The thought thoroughly unsettled her. Her gaze dropped to the cobblestone beneath her boots, her heart heavy with doubt. Could she even follow through with her plan? And if she didn’t? Did that mean she lost? She glanced up at the tall, handsome man beside her. Even if she abandoned her revenge plot, she couldn’t marry Linsey.
There was no way to make this work.
Setting Jordan aside, their entire engagement was built on a lie. She sighed softly. No matter her intentions, it seemed inevitable that Linsey would be hurt.
Then don’t hurt him.
She jolted at the intrusion of that thought. Don’t hurt him?
But that would mean marrying him.
Could she do that?
No, no. That would be madness. Wouldn’t it? But…they were already engaged, after all.
But Jordan…
He left, Ashley. And he hasn’t sent so much as a note after he’d disappeared.
Fine. But what if Linsey found out the truth? Would he hate her? Would he look at her the way he had just looked at Paisley—with distaste, anger, disdain?
Her motives had been impure, and she feared that would taint, well, everything!
Her chest tightened at the thought.
“Ashley?”
She blinked, Linsey’s face coming back into focus. “I’m sorry. I was lost in thought.”
“So where did your thoughts wander to?” he asked, his tone soft yet searching.
She smiled. “It’s a secret.” Her heart wasn’t ready to bare the truth. “Now tell me—what brought you to town?”
“You,” he said simply, before glancing over his shoulders. “Oh, right, I almost forgot. I thought we could visit the stationer’s while we are here.”
“The stationer’s?”
“To send word to The Times for our engagement announcement.” He waved grandly and then grinned. “Or for our wedding invitations.”
Engagement announcement. Wedding invitations.
The world seemed to close in around her, her pulse roaring in her ears. Yes, she knew they were engaged, but hearing it, talking about wedding invitations, made it all too real.
“I…ahem…”
He arched a brow. “We need wedding invitations, you know.”
“Isn’t it too soon?” she asked, her voice wavering.
“You know about my wager,” he reminded her gently, “so there’s no reason to mince words. I need to marry, or Paisley wins.”
She understood that, but…ah, criminy. Why did her heart throb at his answer? He could look at her so sweetly and still utter those words with a straight face. Yet she knew the truth. She’d always known.
Paisley must have truly thrown her off her game.
“You are also the one who asked me to marry you, remember. There must be a reason you did that, wasn’t there?”
Yes … “There is…” Say it, Ashley. Now is the time. ’Tis no time to clear the air like the present. Confess and put an end to it all. “I…” She couldn’t do it. To confess would mean revealing all her flaws. All her imperfections. But for as long as she could, she wanted to be that other Ashley in his eyes, the one he’d somehow drawn out. So she just couldn’t do it. She shook her head, smiling. “I couldn’t stand spinsterhood looming.”
That, at least, was also the truth.
He chuckled, offering his arm. “Now, that I believe but it seems too soon.” He shrugged and offered his elbow. “Shall we, then?”
Ashley nodded, slipping her hand through his arm, one question echoing louder than the rest—what on earth was she going to do next?
*
Thomas stepped into the stationer’s shop behind Ashley, the tinkling bell above the door announcing their arrival. Shelves lined the walls, displaying an assortment of crisp paper rolls in various sizes, while a polished window display showcased sleek fountain pens, their barrels gleaming in the sunlight. A small sign boasted that they were the latest imports from Switzerland, equipped with barrels to hold ink—a symbol of elegance and practicality. The air also carried the comforting scent of fresh paper, wax, and ink, immediately easing his nerves that tensed in the bookshop.
He moved closer, brushing his fingers over the surface of one pen. Nearby sat corked bottles of ink, sealed with wax, their contents a rich, permanent black. Thomas sighed, hoping the invitations he was about to commission would carry the same sense of permanence. A corner of the shop was dedicated to wax seals, intricate designs carved into each stamp, alongside sticks of vibrant sealing wax in hues of red, gold, and blue.
He wanted the best for them.
He also just wanted to elope.
Damn Paisley.
The stationer, a gentleman with keen eyes and a welcoming smile, approached Thomas, clearly recognizing him. “Good day, my lord. How may I assist you today?”
Thomas gestured toward Ashley, who stood distantly, inspecting stationery in the far corner. “I’m here for wedding invitations. They need to befit the occasion, embossed with my family crest in gold.”
He sensed Ashley’s gaze with the last.
A slow smile crept across the old man’s face, and his gaze softened as it flicked to Ashley. “If I may, my lord—on behalf of my family and staff, we extend our heartfelt congratulations.”
It was the first time anyone had congratulated him so wholeheartedly, and Thomas couldn’t help but smile brightly. “Thank you.”
“I have some splendid choices for you,” the stationer said, guiding him to a polished oak table where samples were spread out like treasures. Thomas cast a quick glance at Ashley, who still lingered off to the side, before he turned back to the man, who presented a variety of heavyweight papers, each one more exquisite than the last, their surfaces smooth and inviting to the touch. “For such a distinguished request, I recommend our finest vellum. It has a subtle sheen that will beautifully complement the gold embossing of your crest, my lord.”
Had Paisley’s words affected her more than she led on?
He distractedly examined fonts and layouts with the stationer, the man offering expert advice on achieving the perfect balance of elegance and legibility. He couldn’t follow the man, but a sample of gold embossing caught the light, casting a regal shimmer across the crest, left Thomas certain it was the right choice.
Yet, despite the weight of this decision, Ashley remained distant, only casting him brief glances from her corner of the shop.
He wanted the input of his betrothed. After all, this wasn’t just any order; it was the first announcement of their future together. Yet she had distanced herself from the selection process, and without Ashley’s engagement, it felt a bit incomplete.
He cursed Paisley again.
Even so, the stationer’s attentiveness reassured him that the invitations would not merely announce a wedding; they would declare his commitment and devotion to the world. He strode over to Ashley. If she didn’t come to him, he would go to her. “What do you think about this one?”
Her gaze skimmed over the design. “It’s very pretty.”
“Then you like it?”
She nodded again. “I am fine with whatever you choose.”
Thomas furrowed his brows. “Are you all right?” She did seem fine moments ago, or had he imagined that?
Her smile seemed a bit forced. “I’m just a bit overwhelmed. I believe I need a touch of fresh air.”
Thomas nodded. She did look a bit pale all of a sudden. “Let’s step outside for a moment.” He returned to the stationer and nodded his approval. They could settle any other details later. They stepped from the shop. “Shall we return in the carriage or on horseback?”
“Do you mind if we walk back? A stroll would be nice, and your estate isn’t that far.”
With a nod, Thomas guided her to the carriage used and instructed the carriage driver to take the horses back to the estate. As he turned toward Ashley, a gentle breeze stirred the air, carrying with it the scent of freshly cut grass and the faintest trace of distant rain.
Perhaps this was what they needed at the moment.
He led her to the path that ran to his home. Fields of green stretched out on either side, framed by tall hedgerows that swayed gently in the breeze. The soft glow of the morning sun kissed the tops of the trees, creating long shadows that stretched across the road. Thomas glanced at Ashley beside him, her eyes fixed ahead, lost in her own thoughts.
He averted his gaze again.
She’d been fine up till the moment they entered the shop. Could it truly be meeting Paisley, or did it have to do with the wedding invitations? Was she having doubts?
He tugged at his cravat.
Oh, right.
He wasn’t wearing one except when he was in London.
His estate loomed in the distance, the spires of its roof barely visible beyond the rows of trees. It was a familiar sight, but today it felt different somehow. Thomas felt it in the quiet tension, in the way Ashley’s fingers lightly grazed his arm before falling away.
Thomas’s pulse quickened.
How to get their playful mood of the past few days back?
He wanted to reach for her hand, to close the distance between them, but something held him back—perhaps the unspoken doubts that had clouded their morning. Instead, they walked side by side, the silence between them not entirely uncomfortable, but heavy with unspoken words.
“I never thought I’d enjoy a country stroll so much,” Ashley remarked suddenly, her voice breaking through the silence between them.
“You’re such a city girl,” Thomas teased lightly, grasping the statement that felt more like a lifeline.
She smiled wider. “You’ve said as much, and you are still right.”
“Does it bother you?” he asked, glancing at her. “That I’m not?”
She pursed her lips thoughtfully. “No. You wouldn’t be you otherwise.”
Thomas nodded, relieved by her answer, and before he knew it, he leaned in and pressed a brief kiss to her cheek—a soft, sweet peck.
Ashley blinked in surprise but didn’t pull away, and for a moment, the world felt steady again. Thomas grinned, entranced by the sudden closeness, weaving the spell. “Are you still up for a ride?”
Ashley held his gaze, her smile fading into something more unreadable, her eyes shining with the same unanswered question hanging between them.
“Always,” she whispered, a promise that lingered in the air between them. But good or bad, he still couldn’t tell.