Page 26

A ilis had just climbed onto a footstool in the vicarage’s drawing room to give the shelves a light dusting when she heard a man’s deep growl coming from behind her.

In the next moment, big arms encircled her waist as she was scooped up and then gently set back on her feet, this time on the steady wood floor.

She turned to face the culprit, knowing exactly who he was, since she had recognized that delicious growl that sent tingles skimming through her body.

“Your Grace? What brings you here this morning?” It was a bright, sunny day, which was why she had felt the need to do a little cleaning, since sunshine seemed to expose the balls of dust gathered atop the shelves. “Your Grace? Are you just going to stand there glowering at me?”

He still had his hands on her waist, his touch warming her to the point of blushing.

“Temple,” he said sternly, “did I or did I not tell you to take it easy when you returned home?”

Ah, he was irritated with her. Hence his referring to her as Temple rather than Miss Temple or merely Ailis .

She tipped her chin up and tossed him a stubborn look. “You did, and I am doing just that. Since when is light dusting—”

“You might have fallen off the footstool, especially as unbalanced as you are with a healing shoulder and your arm encumbered by a sling.”

He had a point, but she refused to acknowledge it.

“What are you doing here?” He was not the only one who could toss admonishments. Was he not supposed to be at Langford Hall, reveling in the admiration of the ton ’s most beautiful women?

“Do not change the subject.” He emitted another of those sensual, lionlike growls that shot more tingles through her. “Why are you doing any work at all?”

Instead of releasing her, he drew her closer.

She could not overlook that he still had his arms wrapped around her waist. His touch felt awfully nice, but she was never going to acknowledge this either.

Nor would she ever admit he had gained a firm hold on her heart, a grip she found extremely troubling and unexpected. She hadn’t realized just how deeply she was drawn to him until spending last night alone in her bedchamber and aching for his company.

Really aching for him.

This was the true reason he had caught her doing light chores around the house today. She needed to keep busy in order to get her mind off him. And now, his coming around to the manse when he should have been entertaining his guests was not helping at all.

“Which of the ladies is your favorite?” she asked, ignoring his question, since she was never going to answer him honestly and reveal he was the reason she was too unsettled to rest in her bed. “Or is it too soon to select a favorite?”

“It isn’t too soon. My mind was easily made up.”

“Ah, after only a few minutes in their company? You are quite the decisive man. So, which diamond did you choose?”

“None of them.” He frowned again. “Not a single one of them is suitable, as I believe I mentioned yesterday.”

She noticed he was gritting his teeth as he awaited her response to this statement—an outrageous statement at that, since it had taken these young ladies a week to travel here, and he had already dismissed them before a full day had passed.

“I will not be a party to your bad behavior,” she remarked. “You cannot escape them by pretending you need to see about my health.”

“It isn’t a pretense. I would be here even if I adored all four of those young ladies, which I absolutely do not. Each one is a complete and utter mismatch, a monumentally inconvenient waste of time for me.”

“I see. Complete and utter. That is quite decisive.” She attempted to take a step back in order to slip out of his grasp.

He tugged her closer instead, apparently not ready to let her go just yet. Not that she minded his nearness, for he was big and handsome, and his scent was always nice. A hint of fruit, spice, and maleness.

But someone might walk in on them and misconstrue the situation.

She cleared her throat. “As you can see, I am fine. You ought to return to your guests now.”

“No, Temple. You shall not be rid of me so easily.”

“No?” She placed a hand on his chest, intending to nudge him back a step, but his body felt so warm and solid beneath her palm that she scandalously allowed it to linger there. She enjoyed the strong, steady beat of his heart.

Was it beating that little bit stronger for her?

Hers was in a mad flutter.

Again, not something ever to admit to him.

She let out a soft breath and looked up at him. “May I speak honestly, Your Grace?”

He finally managed a smile, albeit a small one, and she could tell by the light twitch of his lips that he was struggling not to let it come forth.

A pity, for he had a divine smile.

Divine lips, too.

“You are asking my permission?” Now his smile fully burst forth. “Why bother to ask me now when you have never done so before? Don’t you always speak your mind, Ailis?”

Ah, he was liking her again. Ailis. It felt so nice to hear her name come out in the deep rumble of his voice.

She cleared her throat again. “Well, yes. I do my best to always be honest with you. With anyone, in truth. But I also try to be kind, for I never wish to hurt anyone’s feelings.”

“Are you about to hurt mine?” He was still smiling, so she did not think he was overly concerned about what she was going to say.

“No, Your Grace. I never would.”

He gave her cheek a light caress. “Go on, then, speak your mind.”

She licked her lips and cleared her throat yet again, then took several deep breaths while trying to collect her thoughts.

He laughed. “Ailis, stop making sounds like a little chicken and just tell me.”

She nodded. “All right, here goes…and these are my sincere and honest feelings. You must not mistake them for pandering or mere flattery. What I would like to say is that the world needs wonderful men like you. The world needs offspring from wonderful men such as you. This is why you must marry.”

He arched an eyebrow. “Ah, that is quite the revelation.”

“Why are you surprised that I think so highly of you? Most people do. My point is, who will lead us in the next generations if not the children and grandchildren of these rare men of intelligence and valor?”

“Such as myself?”

She nodded again. “They do not spring from the ground like wheat stalks or root vegetables. These exceptional people must come from somewhere equally exceptional—for example, from their forefathers. Oh, I am not saying you are the only source. But I think you are a vital and important influence.”

He grinned. “And what of you, Ailis? Should such exceptional children not also come from exceptional mothers? Do they not need to be nurtured by intelligent, compassionate women like yourself? This is perhaps more important than any impression a father might have on their upbringing.”

“Perhaps, and I agree that mothers are also vitally important. But how would I ever qualify as someone exceptional? My influence does not extend beyond the parishioners of this church, and it is merely one of several in Broadmoor. Your influence, on the other hand, impacts the entire country and even extends to other nations.”

“You hold me in too high regard,” he insisted. “And need I point out that siring offspring with a woman who is spoiled, short-tempered, and shortsighted is not going to create these splendid children you seem to think will lead us into the future?”

“Are all the diamonds visiting you so awful?”

He shrugged and finally took a step back, releasing her. “Perhaps not quite as bad as I make them out to be, but I am not so far off the mark. They are not right for me.”

She set aside her feather duster and motioned for him to take a chair so they could sit and talk. “Surely you must have come across some intelligent, thoughtful, and compassionate young ladies in your time in London. I cannot believe there is no one out there who would suit you to perfection.”

“There might be,” he admitted, “but she is definitely not one of those four. In any event, all is not what it seems.”

“What do you mean?” She frowned, for he was being mysterious suddenly. “What is it that I am not seeing, Your Grace?”

He took a deep breath. “Ailis, can I trust you?”

Her eyes widened. “Of course you can. I promise you this. Have I ever given you reason to doubt me?”

His expression turned thoughtful. “You earned my trust years ago and have never let me down.”

Having said that, he remained silent a long moment.

But this extended silence only added to her confusion.

She became even more confused when he began to remove his jacket.

Of course, he still had on his cravat, a lovely forest-green silk that looked quite elegant on him, a waistcoat also of forest-green silk shot through with threads of silver, a shirt of finest white lawn, and buff trousers that molded to his long legs.

Her heart beat a little faster as he undid the cuff of his sleeve. “What are you doing?”

He cast her a wry smile. “Ailis, stop fretting. I am not going to take off my clothes in front of you.”

She let out a breath and chuckled. “Oh, how disappointing,” she teased. “I was hoping you would put on a show for me.”

She expected him to grin, but his expression suddenly sobered and a glint of pain shone in his eyes.

“You would not say that if you had to look upon this for the rest of your life.” He rolled up his shirt sleeve and exposed what appeared to be burn marks that ran up the length of his forearm.

“It is the same on my other arm and my legs.”

“Jonas,” she said in a strangled whisper, unable to imagine the incredible pain he must have experienced when suffering those burns.

Her heart broke. It simply broke into a thousand pieces, and she wished she could say something or do anything to make his past anguish and suffering magically disappear.