The Scandalous Love of a Duke. Jane Lark

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СКАЧАТЬ broad-rimmed poke straw-bonnet, while her hands were covered by the same kid leather gloves she’d worn in London, which must feel excruciatingly hot in this heat.

      He halted the animals, set the brake, looped the ribbons across the rail and jumped down.

      He had come out in unseemly dress; he’d not intended speaking to anyone. His black waistcoat hung open and his shirtsleeves were rolled up. He probably looked like a labourer, but he had wished to be the man from Egypt again today and not a duke.

      “Katherine?” he said again, approaching her.

      She hadn’t said a thing, or even moved since she’d turned, but as he neared, she took a step back.

      She looked as though any minute she might turn and run.

      He reached out and caught her forearm to stop her.

      “What on earth were you wool-gathering over?”

      Those wide blue eyes, which did not show their true colour when hidden in the shadow of her bonnet, questioned his existence.

      His hand slid down her slender arm and felt her muscle judder from the intimacy. Then he gripped her fingers and lifted them to his lips.

      He would rather have kissed her skin than her worn leather glove.

      He let her hand fall.

      “You should have heard the horses yards back.”

      She was blushing again, and her eyes glittered with a starry look, as though she was shocked, or…

      The air left his lungs.

      Or…

      He knew that look of want. He’d seen it in a hundred women’s eyes.

      Without thought, one hand released the bow securing the ribbons of her bonnet, while the other cupped her nape. Then as her bonnet tumbled down her back and fell into the dust, he kissed her mouth.

      He burned for her, and the uncertain pressure of her fingers gripping his shoulders was sublime as she opened her mouth under the pressure of his lips. His tongue invaded, taking as she gave, claiming what he suddenly desperately wanted to be his.

      She arched against him and his other arm came about her waist to pull her body nearer.

      A tender, desperate and shocked sound came from her mouth and then she was pulling away, and pushing him back. An instant later she gave him a stinging slap across the cheek.

       Damn!

      His hand covered his cheek, but instead of feeling regret or guilt it was laughter which rose inside him and a feeling of relief, as though a cork had just blown from an effervescent bottle and let emotion spew out.

      She was clearly not amused by his laughter and her cheeks flamed red, while her eyes burned a bright turquoise. It was a look of insulted pride.

      Yet, a moment ago, her eyes had said quite clearly “kiss me”, and far more, and she’d been pliant and willing when he’d accepted that unspoken offer.

      His heart thumped steadily. He had been too long without a woman.

      He dragged in a deep breath and smiled, genuinely. He could not remember the last time he had smiled from emotion and not merely made the correct face.

      The horses whickered behind him.

      Both his hands gripped her waist.

      She stepped back, out of his reach, almost treading on her bonnet.

      He bent and picked it up.

      Katherine’s heart raced. What had she done? What had she let him do? Why had he done it?

      She had not even known John was there. She had not even known he was in the county. His only greeting had been her name.

      She took another step back, longing to distance herself from the tug she felt towards him as he stood straight again, gripping her bonnet in his hand.

      Why had he kissed her? She was mute with anger and embarrassment. She felt appalled. Why would he do that? Why had she let him?

      “John!” she said as his hand reached out towards her again, while his other gripped her bonnet. She stepped back once more, avoiding him, but at the same time lifted her hand to claim her bonnet.

      He pulled it out of reach.

      “What did you think you were you doing?” she thrust accusingly at him.

      “Saying hello.” He laughed again, as though kissing her on a public highway was a joke.

      There was warmth in his eyes, though, which had not been there on the day of the funeral, and her heart ached to see it, no matter that she was angry. She saw a glimpse of the old John there.

      “Let me have my bonnet!”

      He lifted his arm so she would never be able to reach it, and merely smiled.

      “John! Do not be a brute!” She didn’t understand what was going on, and she lifted her hand to slap him again, but his free hand caught her wrist. “The weather has touched you in the head, John!”

      “Not the weather, Katherine.” He grinned. But then his smile slipped away and an austere look came over him.

      Her heartbeat rang like a hammer on an anvil. Did he think it was acceptable to kiss a woman like that?

      A dark light suddenly glowed at the heart of his pale eyes.

      Her hand shook as she reached out for her bonnet again. She felt sick.

      When he lifted it away once more, she said, “Let me have it, John,” feeling suddenly desperate and a little afraid of him.

      “So you can cover up that pretty face. These things are a crime. Someone ought to make a law against poke bonnets. Perhaps I shall propose it in the house – every woman’s bonnet must let a man see her face.”

      He was being ridiculous. “John!”

      “Katherine,” he mocked.

      She could not believe he was doing this. Nor that he had kissed her so crudely.

      She had done nothing but worship him for nearly a decade and he was busy ridiculing her. She hated him suddenly. “Give me back my bonnet, John, and let me go, and you are not to come near me again. I am not something for you to play with, Your Grace.” Fool. You fool, Katherine.

      His manor changed almost instantly and his hand let her arm go, as his other fell to offer her bonnet.

      “It was not an insult, Katherine,” he said as she gripped it.

      “Then you kiss every woman you see walking alone on a road, I suppose?” Of course he would not. Only the ones who were foolish enough to love him, and only the ones who had no family to protect them.

      His СКАЧАТЬ