Page 105 of Not a Fine Gentleman
“Well, that’s a tally in his favor,” she said hotly. “I married a very fine gentleman and endured a hellish marriage.”
“Not all gentlemen are the scoundrels Hennessy was,” Christian said quietly.
“No, of course not, but perhaps what I want—what I need—is a man, a real man who can take me to a new world away from the one I once knew. I don’t want that world anymore. I don’t fit there anymore.”
“So, this is a rebellion of sorts?”
“No, this is about loving the man for who he is, without being concerned with whether he is a constable or a lord.”
Christian let out a long, slow breath. “Does he return your love?”
A sensation of sand slipping away from under her feet filtered through her. “I’m not certain yet if what he feels for me is desire or the first seeds of love.”
“Did he make advances?” he asked sharply.
“Nothing that I didn’t welcome.”
He shot to his feet. “I’m going to kill him.”
“Don’t you touch him!” She leaped up. An explosion of pain in her side left her gasping. Spots blinked in front of her eyes.
“Margaret, sit down,” he said in gentle firmness. He took her by the arms and guided her back down to the sofa.
“We aren’t lovers, Chris,” she explained. “We’ve only kissed.”
Of course, that last kiss might have led to other pleasures. She would have been incapable of stopping him with the rushing rapids of desire sweeping her to him. If he didn’t love her, that form of intimacy might have been almost as big a mistake as marrying Hennessy—a solid argument for not letting it get that far again until he declared himself and married her. Every hope in her heart begged her to believe he did return her love on that level.
“I’m still gonna kill him,” Christian muttered, but his voice lacked conviction.
She put on her big-sister voice. “No, what you are going to do is keep this information to yourself. I will decide if and when the time is right to inform the family.”
He sat back and folded his arms, a gleam in his eye. “Does Rachel know?”
“She suspects.” No doubt the moment they saw each other next, Rachel would pester her until Margaret confessed everything.
Would Rachel be as supportive as Margaret hoped, or would she come under the condemnation of her entire family?
