Page 52 of The Return of the Rake

“Good afternoon, Mrs Adamson.”

“And to you, Mr Repton. The Reverend Honeywell and young Master Tanner are here. I believe they have an appointment with Mr King?”

“Show them in,” called a deep voice from the interior of the room.

Repton nodded and stepped back, gesturing for the reverend and his charge to enter. “Then I shall leave—” Anne said, turning away.

“Hold there a moment!”

She looked back, startled by King’s voice as he appeared in the doorway. “Repton, look after my guests,” he ordered, before stepping into the corridor and closing the door behind him.

“Shall I order tea?” she asked, struggling not to feel flustered by his sudden proximity.

He nodded, a glittering look in his eyes. “Yes and ask Mrs Fairway to send cake and biscuits. I doubt Tommy has tasted the like before, the poor fellow. He’s all skin and bones.”

“I shall see to it.” Anne nodded, aware she sounded a trifle breathless. “If that is all—”

“No, it isn’t all,” King said, grasping her wrist before she could turn away. “Not by a long chalk. Have dinner with me.”

Anne shot him an incredulous glance, even though her reckless heart leapt with joy at the suggestion.

“We have trod this path before, Mr King, and we both decided it would lead to no good.”

“Did we?” King asked, lowering his voice. “Or did you tell me you could take pride in me, that you would call me your own, and gladly? You said you meant it this morning. Do you still this afternoon, or have you thought better of it?”

Anne glared at him crossly. “I did and I do, for I am not so frivolous or shallow as to say such things and recant them a few hours later, but how does that help anyone?”

“It helped me,” he said, gazing at her. “It helped me to decide what it was I wanted from the rest of my life. I’m in no position to make offers yet, and you deserve a good deal more than I’ve given you these past days, but… but I want to know I’ve the chance to win you. Honourably, and in full view of the world.”

Anne gasped, her hand moving to her heart, for that poor organ was leaping around like a demented rabbit and her wits seemed to have gone begging, for she could not grasp his meaning.

“The w-world? Win me?” she stammered, gazing at him and hardly daring to hope she had heard him correctly. “I… I don’t understand.”

“I think you do,” he said with a grin, and leaned in, stealing a kiss from her before she even knew what he intended. “Are you brave enough, Mrs Adamson, to show the people of this town you care nothing for what they think of me or of you? For I will if you will.”

Too stunned to speak, Anne merely nodded. King smiled with delight, such a smile that made her heart skip and dance and her breath catch.

“I’ll not beg for dinner then, for you’re right, it’s a risk. From now on, we’ll do this thing properly. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

With that, he went back into his room, winking at her before closing the door.

Anne stood there for a long moment, her senses reeling. She lifted an unsteady hand to her lips, trying to remember exactly what it was he’d just said to her but in too much of a tizzy to think clearly.

“Is everything all right, missus?”

Anne almost leapt from her skin, having forgotten Martha was working down the hallway.

“Oh!” she exclaimed. “Yes. Yes, indeed, I was… I was just wondering if… if we ought to light the fire in the parlour. It’s rather early, but it’s such a dismal day and it feels so cheerful, even if no one will use it until this evening.”

“I’ve got to put all the dust sheets on in number four,” Martha said doubtfully. “And then sweep the carpets in the hallway, and…”

“I’ll get Mr Cogger to see to it, don’t worry, Martha,” Anne said hurriedly, and made her way down to the kitchens.

Mrs Fairway, who was up to her elbows in bread dough, took one look at Anne and sighed. “What’s he done now?”

Anne moved to the nearest chair and sat down a bare moment before her knees gave out.

“I…” she began, and then shook her head.