Page 20 of The Spy and His Lady Love
He had to use the word passion? “I forgive you. My referring to you as someone else’s name will never happen again.” Pain radiated inside her at her mortification. Once she and Newbury were married, seeing Mr. Sinclair on a regular basis would be awkward. Perhaps Mr. Sinclair would find other lodgings. Wouldn’t bachelor quarters be more to his liking? She could only hope.
The three of them living in the same house would only cause unnecessary tension.
“Thank you for your forgiveness. And I will pretend you never referred to me as another, provided it doesn’t happen again.”
“It won’t.” She prayed with all her heart she told the truth.
“Then.” He moved close to her, his warm hands gently cupping her cheeks, causing her to inhale as she waited for his lips to touch hers. When they did, she closed her eyes, wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into him. The kiss, as before, started out gentle and teasing. He licked across her lips, silently asking permission to enter. Her lips parted and he thrust his tongue inside her mouth and she twirled her tongue around with his. Need pooled inside her belly, she moaned and pressed her breasts against his hard chest. Seeking to repeat the feelings he gave her in the coach and wanting to touch him, she moved her hands to his face and just as her fingertips grazed his skin his fingers curled around her wrists and pulled them away. He stepped back out of reach. Oh God, she’d forgotten about his face and murmured, “I’m sorry.”
They stood several feet apart, both breathing heavily, and she noticed his features were flush as she knew hers to be as well. What shocked her was he looked as moved by the kiss as she was.
“No need to apologize. I should’ve told you I don’t like my face touched.”
“I’ll remember for…next time.”
“Thank you.”
The air between them thickened with tension, and she didn’t know how to change it. “Did you really want to discuss our honeymoon with me?”
He’d forgotten allabout that. “Yes. Unfortunately, due to my work schedule, we’ll have to postpone our honeymoon until a later date. I promise I will take you on a trip to the continent in the very near future.”
The kiss they shared had his body strung up tighter than a violin, and just now his heart slowed down to a normal beat. He needed to be very careful with her. He’d almost let her touch his face. Been so lost in their kiss, he’d almost missed her hands moving. Until he divulged his secret, he had to be more careful. It didn’t help that he craved her touch everywhere on his body including his face. Hopefully, his actions just now didn’t frighten her away from touching him once they wed. When he’d gripped her wrists and pulled away, he’d seen the shock register on her face. And a little bit of pain as he’d gripped her wrists tightly in his panic.
“I believe you are attending a musical this evening at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Cavanaugh. I wish I could attend, but alas I cannot. My cousin will be in attendance and will seek you out.” He bowed. “Good day, Lady Penelope.”
In his haste to leave, he almost forgot his cane. Good thing he wore his brace, otherwise he would have walked with only the slightest limp, or none at all, giving himself away.
The rideto the musical seemed to take forever as Penelope looked out the window into the darkness beyond, wondering what was holding them up. Not long after they approached a coach with a broken wheel, Wentworth signaled the driver to pull over and see if they were in need of assistance.
How fortunate or unfortunate for her that it was Mr. Sinclair’s carriage with the broken wheel. Wentworth invited him to travel with them when he realized they were both attending the Cavanaugh’s musical. Wentworth climbed in the carriage first and took his seat beside Emma. “Mr. Sinclair is joining us since he’s having transportation issues. You remember my wife, the duchess, and my sister, Lady Penelope?”
Mr. Sinclair took the seat beside her and nodded his head first to Emma and then to her. “Yes. It’s a pleasure to see both of you again. And I must thank you for rescuing me. Dreadful thing when a carriage breaks down.”
“We are happy to give you a ride,” Emma said with a gracious smile.
“I understand, after speaking to Newbury, that plans for the wedding are coming along nicely,” Mr. Sinclair said.
Wentworth replied, “Yes. It was a pleasant surprise when he dropped by for tea this afternoon.”
“Yes. He told me. Let me say how sorry I am that I’ll be away taking care of business when the wedding takes place.” Mr. Sinclair pivoted in his seat and looked right at Penelope, and she shivered.
Why did his eyes have the same effect on her as the duke’s? Was it because their color and their looks were so similar? That looking into Mr. Sinclair’s eyes was like looking into the duke’s? And their features. So familiar? The reasoning did not matter, what mattered was how her body responded, making her confused. How could she be in Newbury’s arms this afternoon, kissing him and willing to give herself to him. Then wanting the same with his cousin. Could she be losing her mind?
“I’m sorry. His Grace must be disappointed as you are his only living relative,” Penelope said as she dropped her eyes to her lap to hide her disappointment.
“He understands completely.”
Thank goodness they arrived because Penelope needed fresh air. The cologne Mr. Sinclair wore was the same as Newbury, making her wonder why they both preferred the same scent of sandalwood. Perhaps Mr. Sinclair had no cologne of his own and borrowed from Newbury. No matter the reasoning, it unsettled her to have them both smelling the same.
Penelope sat in the third row between Emma and Mr. Sinclair. Wentworth sat on Emma’s other side.Really?she huffed. Wasn’t it bad enough they’d given the man a ride, did he have to insinuate himself into their party and take the seat beside her? She knew she was being unkind, but couldn’t help herself.
“I don’t understand why these poor girls have to perform.” Mr. Sinclair leaned close to Penelope, and the warmth from his body melted into hers. “Two of them are good, but the poor youngest one hasn’t had time to perfect her voice or violin. If their parents are seeking husbands for them, I wish them well.” He paused. “Although the eldest daughter is quite fetching. I would consider her myself if I was in the market for a wife.”
Quickly, she covered her mouth before an unladylike noise escaped and made its way to all the ears in the room. Mr. Sinclair thought highly of himself. What made him think Mr. and Mrs. Cavanaugh would even consider him for one of their daughters? “I believe they are seeking titles. And unless I’m mistaken, you do not possess one.”
He leaned closer, and his minty breath wafted across her cheek. “If Newbury dies, who do you think takes over the title?”
Once again, she covered her mouth to stifle her rude noises. “Let’s pray that never comes to fruition, and he has many heirs.”
