No, that wasn’t possible! But he had to admit that she’d broken through the hard shell surrounding his heart to let a bit of her light shine in. Was that so bad?
He pushed his stallion to run faster. Zeus was breathing hard by the time they reached the stables, and Jon jumped down, handing the reins to the groom. “Rub him down good and give him a large portion of oats.”
“Yes, my lord.”
On the ride back to his home, Hartley had decided he would once again venture into Bath and attend an Assembly Room dance. He wanted to hold Harriet in his arms again, but unfortunately, he had no idea when the next dance would be held. He’d been lucky the first time he’d ventured to the Assembly Room. Now he would need to inquire when the next dance would be.
He stalked into his manor and raced up the stairs.
“Seaford!” he yelled, walking into his bedchamber.
“My lord, your bath is nearly ready,” his valet called from the dressing room.
Jon paced his room, trying to reconcile his desire to see Lady Harriet with his desire not to appear in public again. Could he endure the whispers and stares a second time? Yes, he would do it because his siren called to him and he was powerless to resist her.
Seaford entered his bedchamber a few moments later. “Your bath is all set, sir. Let me help you with your boots.”
Jon sat in the chair while Seaford pulled off his boots. “When is the next dance at the Assembly Room?”
Seaford looked up at him, confusion written on his face. “Pardon?”
“Are you growing deaf now?”
“Not at all. I’m merely surprised by your question, that’s all. We’ve been here for two years, and it’s the first time you’ve inquired about such a thing.”
Jon grunted. “Well?”
“It’s in two days.”
“I see. Write to your lady and invite her. You both shall attend with me.”
“My lord, that would not be appropriate,” his valet said, pulling off the second boot. “Servants and tradespeople would not be welcome at the Assembly Room dance. Bath is similar to the rules regarding attendance at events as London is.”
“I see,” Jon said, standing and peeling off his clothes. He knew he was acting erratically, but he wanted to see Lady Harriet and hold her again in his arms, even if it meant going out in public once more. If he could face an army of French soldiers, he could face the people of Bath. Their daggers didn’t sport wickedly sharp blades, although their words could be just as hurtful. He would ignore their whispers and stares as he did the first time he danced with the lady. It would be worth it to hold her close again.
As he sank into the steaming water, he thought about his batman. Seaford had been a faithful servant for years, and Jon would always be grateful for his dedication, but now it was time to allow his valet to live his life to the fullest.
He’d already started putting his plan in place with the cleaning of the dower house and would now write to his solicitor and ask him to attend to him immediately.
Chapter 11
Oh, what a man! How couldthe heavens bear to part with such a magnificent man? Her very own guardian angel.
Harriet hadn’t stopped thinking about Hartley for the past two days or dreaming about their kisses at night. His delicious mouth. His luxurious hair. His broad chest. Everything about him was a marvel, and she wanted all of it. She’d left him the last time with a notice of where she would be this evening and wondered if the earl would attend the dance. She’d been disappointed that he hadn’t been at the property line the past two mornings. Would she see him tonight?
Please attend this evening, my lord. I long to feel your arms around me again and your lips upon mine.
Harriet was shocked to feel such an overwhelming attraction and desire to be with the earl after so short an acquaintance. She’d believed she would never find a man who suited her especially since she didn’t particularly want to have a Season, but after meeting Hartley, she knew she’d never meet his equal again. How could any man measure up to his raw power, his masculine beauty, and his penetrating stare? A stare that saw straight through to her very soul. No one had ever looked at her that way.
Like she was enough.
Not like she was odd or too bold. Hartley saw her, really saw her, and she instinctively knew that his acceptance was a once-in-a-lifetime thing. She wasn’t ready to give him or his toe-curling kisses up.
Was this love? Had she already fallen irrevocably in love with him? Could one fall in love so quickly? She didn’t know and had no idea what she’d do if he rejected her. It was too terrible to think about. She vowed to do her best to convince him that they would do well together. Surely he could see that, couldn’t he?
She was glad Mercy and Wiltshire would be arriving tomorrow. She desperately wanted to talk to her sister about all these new feelings. She knew her grandmother would understand her attraction to the earl, but she wasn’t sure her mother would ever approve. Eleanor wanted her to have a London Season, but that wasn’t Harriet’s dream. She loved the London home Wiltshire had bought them when he married Mercy, but she didn’t like all the rules the ton used to control young ladies. If she wanted to walk outside without a bonnet, she didn’t want to be criticized for it. In Bath, she was free to do as she pleased on her grandmother’s estate. As far as she was concerned, it was the ideal situation.
She was sitting in the parlor with her mother during visiting hours when Wilson announced their first guests.
