“Thank you for saving my bonnet. It’s one of my favorites,” she said, retying the ribbons tighter.
George smiled. “I aim to please, my lady.”
“Whenever you wish to visit is certainly agreeable to me, my lord.”
After resisting his attraction to Miss Weston for weeks, he found that the more time he spent with her, the more time he wanted to be with her. She wasn’t a classic beauty, but her expressive brown eyes and intelligence drew him in. He longedto kiss her plump lips. Perhaps someday soon, if he could manage to be alone with her, he could indulge in his longing.
Did she share his attraction?
She certainly seemed pleased to see him and wasn’t shy or acting like a simpering miss whenever he was in her company. He couldn’t abide new debutantes, although he couldn’t fault the young women completely. They’d probably been taught from birth that men preferred women who had no opinions of their own and didn’t dare to contradict a lord. Those restrictions were nonsense as far as George was concerned. He wanted a wife who could stimulate his mind as well as his body.
What?
Since when did the word wife slip into his vocabulary?
He had to chuckle because Richard had mentioned it was time for him to look for a wife not long ago. He was nine and twenty, and the life of a bachelor was getting intolerable. He’d even become bored with the delightful widows who wished to share his bed.
“My lord, what’s so funny?” Miss Weston asked.
He hadn’t realized he’d laughed out loud. There was no way he was going to tell Miss Weston of his thoughts. It was too early in their acquaintance for that. He wanted to make sure she shared his feelings before he said anything. George had to think fast. “I merely had the image of me running after your bonnet in my mind.”
“I’m sure you would have looked most gallant if the ribbons had indeed come untied,” she said with a smile.
“How are you enjoying Bath, my lady?”
Miss Weston hesitated before answering. “Quite well, but truth be told, my father sent me here because he was most displeased with me.”
George stopped walking and turned to her. “Whatever do you mean? What could have happened to displease him?” He’dheard of no scandal involving Miss Weston during the Season. As far as the ton was concerned, she was someone of little consequence. It was only due to her large dowry that she was even tolerated at some of the Society events.
“He expected me to marry by the end of last Season, but I refused to accept either of the two offers of marriage I received.”
That surprised George, and he reached up to caress her face. “My lady, you don’t have to explain further. It’s none of my business, and I don’t mean to pry.”
Miss Weston leaned into his palm. “It’s fine, my lord. I hope you don’t mind me unburdening myself.”
George held out his arm again. “Not at all, my dear. If you feel comfortable telling me, I’ll be happy to listen.”
“Thank you, Lord Spenser. It was clear that both of the proposals had everything to do with my dowry and nothing to do with me. When I explained my reasons for rejecting both men, my father was very angry. It was only when my aunt stepped in and offered to take me to Bath for the summer that he ceased his tirade. I suppose I’m better off out of his sight for a while.”
George didn’t know what to say. He was grateful Miss Weston hadn’t accepted either proposal. He’d had no idea that she’d received any, but it made sense. Her dowry of ten thousand pounds would attract every fortune hunter looking to shore up their diminishing cash flow, but he didn’t need her dowry and just liked spending time with her. “If you don’t mind me saying so, your dowry is most impressive and, unfortunately, will attract all the fortune hunters and insolvent peers looking for wives.”
Miss Weston nodded. “Exactly. One proposal was from a doddering baron older than my father, and the other from the second son of an earl whom I had shared one dance with. He had talked nonstop about his hounds, and I didn’t get a word inedgewise. Neither man had spent more than ten minutes in my company the entire Season before they approached my father.”
George could feel his anger rising. Anger at her father for his blatant disregard of Miss Weston’s feelings and wishes for a husband. He wasn’t sure how much he could say. He didn’t want to insult her father. On the other hand, her father didn’t seem to love his daughter very much if he was willing to accept either of those proposals.
“My lady, I’m truly sorry your father doesn’t see your true worth.”
Miss Weston looked at him, and he could see the longing in her eyes. “Thank you for your kind words, Lord Spenser. You must understand that my father blames me for the death of my mother. I never knew her, but she was the love of my father’s life, and I was told he was never the same again. She died three days after I was born. From that day forward, my care was handled by a series of nannies and governesses. As I got older, my father began to realize that I was very quick with my numbers. He began to invite me to go with him when he went to the factory. By the time I was seventeen, I understood the intricacies of running the textile business and was helping him with the ledgers and offering my opinion on the best fabrics to produce.”
“Miss Weston, you are truly a remarkable young lady, and I enjoy your company very much.”
She gave him a brilliant smile. “I very much enjoy your company as well, my lord.”
George leaned toward her and whispered in her ear. “I would also very much like to kiss you.”
A blush stole up Miss Weston’s face and stained her cheeks pink. “I’d like that as well, my lord.” She looked behind her to check on Ellie. Her maid was still following them but seemed distracted by picking up some pretty seashells beside theboardwalk. She pulled him behind one of the bathing huts. “We only have a moment.”
George wasted no time in pressing a series of small kisses along her lips. When she moaned her pleasure, he deepened the kiss, and his world shifted. He pulled her against him and relished the feeling of her curves as she leaned into him. He never wanted to stop kissing her. Had he already fallen in love with her, all the while denying his true feelings? When they finally broke apart, they were both breathless.
