Page 20 of Brazen

Chapter Seven

That evening, Mia sat between her aunt and sister in the small alcove of Sir Stirling’s ballroom. Tonight and tomorrow evening, he and his wife were hosting balls for guests invited to his house party, as well as guests from around the region. Not surprisingly, even at eleven p.m., the party was already a crush. She hadn’t seen Mr. Forbes since that afternoon when he’d dropped her at the castle, and Aunt Leana had been against sending someone after dark to fetch her clothes. Mia agreed. No telling if the highwaymen might strike again.

“Are you all right, Mia?” her aunt asked. “You still look a bit tired.”

“You do look fatigued,” Angeline said.

In truth, she was tired, but said, “I am fine, really.”

Aunt Leana’s brow furrowed. “I still cannot believe highwaymen tried to rob your carriage. What is this world coming to? I wish Mr. Forbes would make an appearance. I want to thank him for rescuing you.”

“He did not rescue me,” Mia said irritably. “The highwaymen were gone by the time he arrived.”

“Still, he delivered you safely, and he was kind enough to send a note that our carriage was repaired and on its way home.”

“He probably returned home himself,” Mia said. At least, she hoped he had.

“I still say it is terribly romantic riding on his lap,” Angeline said.

“It was uncomfortable,” Mia said.

The ride on his horse had been the strangest experience she’d ever had. Aside from when he had carried her, she’d never been so intimately close to a man. This time, however, she’d been so close there had been no way to mistake the hard length between his legs.

She wasn’t ignorant of how offspring came into being. Living in the country, Mia had grown up around animals, and inevitably observed the male sexual anatomy when animals copulated. She had been kissed four times in her life. Once, when she was twelve, which she was certain didn’t count. Once, when she was eighteen, a kiss so chaste that she’d deduced the priests were right when they preached that the marriage bed was intended for procreation only. The third and fourth kisses, however, awakened what she realized were the reasons young women too often found themselves in a delicate situation before their wedding day.

Despite this understanding, she had no real experience with men, particularly men as worldly as Mr. Forbes. But there had been no mistaking his male anatomy when it had hardened. It had felt much larger than she would have thought, however. Certainly, larger than any she’d observed with the farm animals. Her imagination was running away with her. Mr. Forbes couldn’t be as large as she’d imagined. And that was the problem. She’d spent far too much time imagining.

“I wager Mr. Forbes found it very exciting,” Aunt Leana said. “Men love to have a woman sit on their lap.”

“He was not excited,” Mia blurted.

Aunt Leana cast her a knowing look. “My dear, a man would have to be in his grave not to get excited with you sitting on his lap.”

“He made not the slightest attempt at seduction,” Mia said.

“He will. You must give him the right opportunity. There he is,” Aunt Leana said under her breath.

Mia spotted Mr. Forbes talking with a group of men, including Sir Stirling, not ten feet to their left. Her cheeks warmed with the memory of how he had wrapped the plaid around her body, then pulled her close, cocooning her in his warmth.

“Aunt, I do believe I am tired. I think I shall retire.” Mia started to stand.

Aunt Leana grasped her arm and halted her rise. “Remember our agreement.”

“At least one dance,” Angeline said.

Mia looked sharply at her. “I never knew you had such a perverse streak, Angeline.”

Angeline smiled. “It isn’t all that pleasant being the object of matchmaking, is it?”

“It is quite different for me than you—as you know.”

“Quite the contrary,” Angeline said. “It is far more reasonable for us to find you a husband than me. I plan to marry George.”

“It is far more logical that a man will want to marry you than me,” Mia countered.

“Do as I instructed and he will fall into your lap,” Leana whispered.

Further discussion was cut off when Sir Stirling’s eyes slid past Mr. Forbes to their alcove. He smiled and, to Mia’s horror, clapped Mr. Forbes on the back and nodded toward them. Mr. Forbes shifted and his eyes met Mia’s. She acknowledged with a graceful nod—she hoped it was graceful. Inside, her stomach did a somersault.