Page 47 of Bella Darcy is on the Run

George's eyes darted towards the door as her voice rose. He stepped closer and placed one finger gently over her lips to silence her, and both of them went still. His finger traced the outline of her mouth, the rough skin of his hand strangely tender against her own. He stepped nearer, allowing the touch to continue along the line of her jaw and down her neck before his fingertips brushed lightly across the skin above the neckline of her wrapper.

"Bella," he whispered. "I have been so very stupid."

Then he took her into his arms and kissed her. There was nothing hurried in his exploration. The kiss began soft and sweet, his hands resting at the base of her spine as he pulled her close, but, degree by degree it grew warmer and more sensual. Her mouth parted beneath his and his tongue traced the line of her full lower lip, causing Bella to moan softly and press herself more firmly against him. Her own hands began to wander, threading through his hair, which was surprisingly soft beneath her fingers, then moving over the strong lines of his shoulders and down his back. She even dared to dip a little lower and feel the firmness of his buttocks beneath his tight breeches.

It was at that moment that George pulled away with a groan. His breathing was ragged, and for several seconds he simply looked at her before taking both her hands in his. "You are right. We do not have to live the life prescribed for us." His eyes were bright now, his earlier misery replaced with a sudden excitement. "The Customs Office has offered me a position travelling between ports where smuggling is known to be a risk and assisting with investigations. Come with me. We can leave tonight. We can pack a bag, slip away and be married in Scotland before I begin. My darling, headstrong Princess. It could be glorious. And I know you love an adventure."

He grinned at her then, the deep dimple appearing in his cheek, and Bella wanted desperately to say yes. Every fibre of her heart seemed to reach for him and for the great unknown he offered. Months earlier, perhaps even days earlier, she would have done it without a thought. But she knew that she could not.

"It is the most wonderful offer," she said softly. "But I cannot run again."

His smile faded.

"I keep running, George. It brought me to you, and that is perhaps the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me, but I cannot put my family through it again. They were so worried. I hurt them terribly. I nearly broke my father's heart and my mother's too, and I will not do that again. I am so sorry."

George released her hands and ran both of his through his hair as he stepped away, visibly trying to gather himself.

"No. I am sorry. That was ridiculous. Of course I would never put you in that position. I do not know what I was thinking. I came here to make things right and appear to have made everything worse."

Bella reached for him and drew him back towards the bed, taking his hand between both of hers when they were seated once more. "I am not saying that I do not wish to be..." She looked shyly down at her lap, suddenly finding the words much more difficult to say now that her anger had left her. "Connected to you, George. Very much the opposite. But we must find a way to do this properly."

George studied her profile for a moment. "What do you suggest?"

Bella drew in a breath. "I would like to go downstairs and speak to my parents. I believe my mother has spoken to Papa by now and that he will have softened."

"I do not think he will have softened very much if he discovers that I climbed into his daughter's bedchamber in the middle of the night," George said, casting a worried glance towards the door.

"That part is not ideal," Bella conceded. "But it has brought you back to me, so I cannot be too unhappy about it. My mother will deal with Papa. She is very good at that."

She leaned towards him and placed both hands against his face before kissing him sweetly. When she drew away, she delighted in his expression. He looked soft and loving, but also distinctly panicked, and it pleased her greatly to see her strong captain so utterly undone. "Now come, my brave captain. Let us see what can be achieved together."

✽✽✽

Bella changed quickly behind the screen into a simple day dress. George blushed quite handsomely when she asked him to help with the smaller buttons at the top of her back that she could not reach, but he accomplished the task without comment, his fingers moving with reverent care and brushing lightly against the bare skin of her back.

That achieved, they crept along the hall and down the stairs as quietly as their feet could carry them. Bella would not lie to her parents again, but perhaps it was best if they did not immediately discover that George had entered the house through her bedroom window. She stopped before the parlour door, where she could hear the soft murmur of voices from within, and looked back at him with a small smile. "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I shall ever be, Princess," he said, his mouth set in a determined line.

With that, Bella knocked softly upon the door and pushed it ajar, popping her head around the wood. She had felt quite brave before that moment, settled upon a plan and confident that she could see it through, but that had been when she imagined her mother and father sitting together reading or talking quietly. To her horror, the room was full.

Mina was sketching in one corner, while Kate sat tucked into the corner of a settee with a huge book open across her lap and her feet curled beneath her. Aunt Lydia and her parents were sitting together near the fire, conversing quietly, and every head in the room turned towards Bella as she appeared.

"Good evening, everyone," she said weakly.

Aunt Lydia let out a squeal of delight and rose quickly. "Oh, my darling girl, my beautiful Bella. Look at you. You look much improved. Are you well? You must come and sit by the fire."

She caught hold of Bella and pulled her rather inelegantly into the room, causing the door to fall fully open and reveal George standing sheepishly beyond it.

"Captain Harwood," her aunt said, her eyes going as round as saucers. "What an unexpected pleasure. It is perhaps a little late for visitors, but..." She looked back towards her sister and brother-in-law.

Bella's mama gave the smallest nod, and Lydia immediately turned back to George with renewed enthusiasm. "Well, come in then, Captain. You cannot stand about in the hallway all night."

George stepped into the room and came to stand beside Bella. She had the uncomfortable impression that they resembled prisoners in the dock awaiting sentence as he bowed and greeted her parents and aunt before accepting introductions to her sisters.

"He is very pretty, Bella," Mina said, looking him over with unabashed interest. "I can see why you ran away with him."

"I did not run away with him," Bella said quickly. "We met when..." She closed her mouth at the stern look from her father.