Page 30 of Yule Be Mine

“Then I must be different than all the other young ladies you know, Yule.” She bounced on the seat, then settled back in it and gave him a saucy smile. “And I think that’s why you want to marry me. Because I am different.”

“I cannot say you are wrong, my love.” He grinned at her and edged close enough to put his arm around her shoulders. “So, what would you like to do with the rest of our afternoon?”

She leaned closer to him, her chest brushing his arm, excitement snapping in her eyes. “I think you should compromise me.”

Yule froze, squeezing her arm in a vise-like grasp. At last he blurted out, “You mean here in the carriage?”

She giggled. He could be so literal sometimes. “No, silly. That would be very uncomfortable, don’t you think?”

He gave her a strange, sidewise glance, then hastily said, “Yes, it would.”

“But another place, like a bed, say, would be very pleasant, don’t you think?”

Now Yule looked as though he was suffering a megrim. “What gave you this idea, Penelope?”

“Well, your kisses, for one thing.” She leaned toward him, but he backed away. “You’ve been teaching me all about that, and each time you kiss me…” Quick as a snake, she darted over and gave him a hard peck on the lips. “Or I kiss you, I feel those tingles I told you about. Those very pleasant tingles. Then, of course your sisters have helped me quite a lot to understand what happens when a husband and wife engage in carnal embrace.”

“Carnal embrace?” Yule’s face got a pinched look to it.

“That is what Charlotte said Iphigenia called it.”

“She would.” He cocked his head. “What has she told you that makes you want to ‘engage in carnal embrace’ with me before we are married?”

“Well, for one thing…” Penelope spoke slowly, trying to get her thoughts into a coherent frame. “What Iphigenia said about…how it was done, made me…curious. It sounded awfully funny at first, but the more I thought about those tingles, I decided perhaps it might be quite nice indeed.” She leaned toward Yule, and this time he allowed it until her head was resting on his chest, so wonderfully comfortable. “And if you compromised me, then Mama and Papa would have to let you marry me right away.” She snuggled deeper into his chest. “And then we could do this all the time.” She looked up at him and her cheeks heated. “This and…the other things.”

Yule shook his head, although Penelope didn’t think he was saying no… “Do you know the risk we would be taking?”

“We’re already engaged, Yule. All we would be doing is what they used to call ‘anticipating the wedding night’ by a little bit.” She wrapped her arms around his and leaned her head back on his shoulder. “Like getting a head start in a race.”

“We would be anticipating it by six months, Penelope.”

“Not when Mama and Papa find out. Then we’d only be anticipating it by a week at most.” She hugged his arm and Yule groaned She’d wager his resolve was slipping.

“Your mother is going to be extremely disappointed and likely very vocal about it.”

“Mama can’t say much of anything publicly. She wouldn’t want to risk damaging my reputation, and Charlotte’s by association.” Penelope shrugged. “Mama has another daughter who can have a long, decorous engagement with parties all around town.”

“By that time, we might even have the promise of a grandchild to offer your parents by way of appeasement.” Yule sounded almost convinced.

She smiled in what she hoped was a seductive manner. The Quartermain girls hadn’t said much about seducing a gentleman, but Penelope had garnered things at her mother’s afternoon teas in Ireland when Mama didn’t know—or forgot—Penelope was listening.

It must have worked, because Yule rapped on the carriage’s trap. His coachman opened it and looked down at them. “Yes, my lord?”

“There’s been a change of plan, Lewis. Head for The Grafton if you please.”

“Very good, my lord.” The trap snapped shut, leaving Yule and Penelope in silence.

After a good long moment, Yule turned to her. “Are you certain, Penelope?”

“I am.” She squeezed his arm again. “Aren’t you?”

“I’m certain I don’t want to have to take cold baths for the next six months.”

“Why would you ever do that, Yule?” Why would anyone in their right mind wish to take cold baths?

“Part of a ritual gentlemen bachelors must endure until they are married.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Don’t worry, my love. You will soon.”