Page 30 of The Lady’s Sweet Revenge (Safely in Scotland #3)
S neaking around with Harlow was growing tedious and Reese wondered for the thousandth time why he’d ever written to his mother and asked her to come. For the countess was the greatest risk to Harlow’s reputation.
That very morning he’d nearly given them away when he’d come into the breakfast room and caught himself just shy of bending to kiss Harlow.
And only a few moments ago, his mother had entered his study when he was helping Harlow put her hair to rights after an extremely zealous round of kissing. And touching.
If they were not careful, his mother would be the reason they would be forced to marry after all. Wouldn’t she just love that? Not only to see him married, but married to a friend’s—make that a duchess’s—daughter.
He couldn’t let the woman win.
“Are you well? You seem angry,” Harlow asked when she’d finished reading the last chapter.
“Apologies. I’m not angry with ye. It’s just my mother. I wish I would have realized how much of an impediment she would become. Perhaps I was hasty in asking her to come.”
“If I’m to understand correctly, it didn’t sound like you asked her at all. She said there were orders and threats, my lord.”
“My thoughts had been to protect your reputation. Had I known then how thoroughly I would end up ruining you myself, I wouldn’t have bothered.” He offered a smile, feeling the guilt seep all the way down to his feet. He’d wanted to protect her and now…
“It’s strange that it is called ruination, don’t you think?” she asked as she kissed him under the jaw. “When I feel anything but ruined. I feel free and powerful. Please don’t regret anything we’ve done and hopefully do in the future.”
“I should regret it, but I don’t. Instead, I feel only guilt for having taken something so precious from you.”
“You didn’t take anything from me. It was freely given.”
“A gift for your future husband. Not meant for me.” Mixed in with the guilt was an underlying jealousy of a man neither of them yet knew. The husband she would one day have.
Harlow shrugged. I feel like it was I who received a gift. I wanted to live. Or perhaps it was that I wanted to feel alive. And you gave that to me.” She chuckled. “I’m sure I’m not explaining it correctly, but I can assure you what I feel is far from ruined.”
“I’m glad you are enjoying yourself, but if my mother were to catch us, she would demand we wed and neither of us wanted marriage in that way.
” He watched her closely to see her reaction.
Had she considered it? Would she answer differently if he were to ask her again in this moment where they were sharing their souls?
He opened his mouth to ask, but the words got trapped in his throat. He’d promised himself he’d not utter the request again until he was certain of the answer he would receive. And he didn’t know what she might say.
Proposing would open him up to two possible outcomes. Endless happiness, or utter destruction.
*
All this talk of ruination had Harlow uneasy. After they’d shared a blissful moment in the garden, they’d gone back to their book. When it was his turn to read, she studied him closely. The way his lashes were darker then his hair as they brushed his cheeks when he blinked.
She loved the low rumble of his voice with the Scottish lilt to certain words. She could listen to him speak for hours. She watched his fingers as he turned the pages and knew how they felt when he touched her skin or even deep inside her body.
But as much as he roused her body to pleasure, he also had a way of rousing her heart to feel things she’d never felt before. She was growing more certain each day, the feeling was love.
She worried when she left Scotland she would miss him terribly and she didn’t think any other man would save her from wanting Reese.
Aboard Merrick’s ship she’d promised herself she would accept the next proposal of marriage she received.
After the fear was gone, she’d amended that pledge somewhat.
She would seriously consider marriage with a man who met her own criteria rather than that of her brothers.
So long as the man was kind and his request was offered out of genuine interest, she would accept.
And now she realized she only wanted to marry one man. Reese.
He’d tried to offer and she’d put him off. Now she wondered how she might encourage him to propose again.
Belle ran ahead of them as they walked back to the castle. They held hands up until they breached the trees where they could be seen by anyone in the house who cared enough to look.
The countess was likely in the drawing room which faced the grounds. And she would be looking. She seemed eager to catch them in some situation that would force their hand.
At the door Reese pulled her to the side quickly to steal a final kiss where no one could see them.
“I’ll see you soon,” he said as he turned for his study and she for the drawing room where she would spend the afternoon with his mother.
Usually, Harlow lamented having to sit in near silence with the woman, while stabbing her fingers repeatedly in an effort to create a crude rendering of a flower.
Especially when she would rather spend the day with Reese looking at real flowers in the garden while kissing.
But today she had something she wished to speak about with the countess.
Rather than launch into the topic immediately, Harlow started with easier discussion.
“It is a lovely day. I’m surprised you don’t wish to sit on the terrace.”
“The terrace has limited shade and I do not need to be harassed by insects.”
Harlow smiled. She could argue there were few insects on the terrace and there was a cool breeze coming off the ocean that made the sun bearable if one could not avoid it entirely.
Belle rested her head on Harlow’s foot as she stretched out for her midday nap.
“Does the beast have to follow you everywhere?” the woman said as her nose pinched up in distaste. “She smells.”
“Should I send her away?” Harlow asked, knowing the woman would not be so rude as to make her order the dog from the room.
“No. The beast looks comfortable. I’ll simply have to bear it, I guess.”
Harlow pressed her lips together to hide her smile.
“Did the earl say when they would be finished with the repairs on the steps? The insidious hammering is not good for my nerves.” The woman sent another look toward the glass doors where the men were working.
“I’m sure it will not be so long. I didn’t make such a large hole after all.”
The woman didn’t crack a smile at Harlow’s joke, but she stopped frowning which was an improvement at least.
“You seem unhappy here, my lady.” Harlow darted a look to see the surprise on the woman’s face.
“I don’t think it strange that a person not enjoy being forced into something they didn’t want to do.”
Harlow struggled to keep her satisfaction hidden away when the woman went for the bait straightaway.
“I imagine that is to be expected. I do not fancy being told what to do either. At home I’m constantly ordered about and manipulated by my brothers.
To their detriment. For once I realize what they want from me, I am usually dead set against it.
No one likes being contorted to others’ whims. Even earls. ”
The woman’s dark eyes flared with interest.
“I see. It is a good point you make.”
“Oh, I don’t know that I made a point.” Except for the one she just poked through the skin of her thumb. “I am simply making an observation.”
“Do you have any other observations you wish to share?”
Harlow tilted her head to the side deciding how to broach the next topic.
“You said you know my mother.”
“Yes. I don’t know that I could call us dear friends, but we were presented at court at the same time so there was a certain bond. Your father and the late earl were friends.”
“Do you think I am like my mother?”
The woman set her stitching aside to take a long look at Harlow. “You certainly look like her. Though I’d never known your mother to be so prone to life threatening events.”
“You’re right. My mother is rather calm, while I grow restless when I sit too long.”
The countess nodded. “You get that from your father. A trait he seems to have passed on to all of his children for your brothers are full of energy as well.”
“I do think it normal for children to get parts of their personalities from both parents, do you agree?”
“Yes. I think that is the way of heredity.” She tilted her head seeming quite curious.
“It’s just that while my personality more closely resembles that of my father, I am more comfortable with my mother. We don’t always get on with people who are too similar to us.”
Her brow rose when she realized where this conversation was going.
“Another good observation, Lady Harlow. You are wise beyond your years. What a wonderful daughter-in-law you will make to a lucky woman when you marry her son.”
It seemed Harlow was not the only one directing the conversation strategically. She would not let the opportunity pass.
“I do hope so. Of course, I don’t know how well received it would be if I were to tell a potential mother-in-law that she should not push for a match so earnestly for she was causing more harm than good.”
The woman smiled then, something more terrifying than when she glared or sneered.
“I’m certain if the woman was smart she would receive the information very well, indeed.”
“One can only hope,” Harlow concluded, knowing if his mother didn’t stop pushing him, he would continue to reject marriage forever just to spite her.
Which would be a travesty on many fronts.
For Reese would make a wonderful husband and father, whether he was her husband or not.
She’d hate for him to give up on a life of happiness just to win a war with the countess.
The other woman smiled. “Yes, one can hope.” With that she picked up her needlepoint again and went back to work.
Harlow hoped this was not considered manipulation on her part. She only wanted him to be free of his mother’s constant pressure so he could choose for himself. And now that Lady Breckenridge seemed to agree, Harlow could move on to the second part of her plan.