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“I beg your pardon, of course I did not mean to insinuate you were. I’m very partial to riding, too. Especially to hunting.”
The dowager leaned back in her chair by the fireplace. “It does not surprise me to hear it, Miss Araminta. You have that look about you.”
Lord Ludbridge intervened quickly. “Perhaps we should have refreshments now so that I can show Miss Partington around. Rain is threatening.”
Over a dish of tea and cucumber sandwiches, the dowager Lady Ludbridge mentioned her five other sons and the fine marriages some of them had made. “Alas, there is not much left for a sixth son, and so I fear poor Ralph will have to wait awhile before he’s in a position to take a wife.”
This was pleasing news to Araminta, who said, to shore up opposition to any attempts Mr. Tunley might be making to mitigate his single state, “He is a charming young man.” She turned to Lord Ludbridge. “No wonder Miss Hazlett is taken by him, though I suspect her efforts to entice Lord Debenham will bear more fruit.”
The dowager sipped her tea. “Lord Debenham? What does he have to do with this?”
Lo
rd Ludbridge looked uncomfortable before smiling at Araminta. “Lord Debenham is a rather different kettle of fish, and not, I believe, someone who could be compared to my brother. I really cannot see that any young lady who found a man of Ralph’s character pleasing to her would be similarly interested in Lord Debenham—”
“Oh, I’m not suggesting there’s a remote resemblance between the respective characters of your darling brother and his employer. I simply fear Miss Hazlett is using Mr. Tunley as a useful conduit to get the attention of Lord Debenham. Why, she all but admitted it to me, when I saw her leave his supper room at Vauxhall Gardens several weeks ago.”
“My, but you are forthcoming,” the dowager said, as if this were hardly a good thing.
Lord Ludbridge rose quickly. “Miss Partington, perhaps you’d care for a walk?”
“That would be lovely.” Araminta offered her future mother-in-law her sweetest smile as she followed Lord Ludbridge into the lobby. She did not care for the dowager, but that was a problem easily solved. Once she and Teddy were married they’d send the old woman to her majestic Scottish castle or the quaint Queen Anne estate, where she could not interfere with the way Araminta intended to manage things.
She squeezed his arm and offered him an adoring look as he gazed down at her. In fact, she really was feeling most indulgent toward him, so there was no feigning the arrangement of her facial muscles.
“I am so happy to know you, Lord Ludbridge,” she murmured as he led her into the garden and onto a gravel path that traversed a formal arrangement of shrubs and flowerbeds, while well-tended grass swept down to the river. She shaded her eyes and imagined grand entertainments with guests being transported from the city by barge up to their front door. It was too exciting for words.
“And I, you, Miss Partington. I...I have never met a more lovely girl, in fact.” He seemed lost for words after that, as he continued to stroll with her toward a copse of enormous elm trees a short distance away.
“Oh!” Araminta cried as a drop of rain landed upon her chest, quickly followed by more.
“We must hurry!” Lord Ludbridge seized her hand and together they ran across the last stretch of grass to seek shelter beneath the thick branches of an elm tree. Araminta was breathing heavily, but laughing from the exertion, and in a fit of abandon, she threw her arms about His Lordship’s neck and drew down his head to kiss him deeply.
She felt him stiffen momentarily with surprise, but he was quickly kissing her back, sweeping her into his strong embrace and thrilling her with the hardness of his chest and the growing, incendiary passion of his response.
“Darling girl,” he murmured between kisses as his hands ran over her back, skimming the top of her bottom, going no farther but creating the most alarming force of desire deep within Araminta’s groin.
She pressed herself harder against him, cupping his face as if that could intensify the kiss, wishing they were in a position whereby they could divest their garments and indulge in a mad coupling that would satisfy Araminta on every level.
“Oh, my dear lord,” she gasped as she dropped her hands and suddenly found they were upon his rump. Such a hard, manly rump that she could not wait to feel in all its nakedness. This preliminary lead-up to what she would soon be able to enjoy for the rest of her life was almost more than she could bear.
“Miss Partington!” he gasped at last, drawing back and placing his hands on her shoulders as if he did not trust himself. “Forgive me. I have behaved in a most ungentlemanly manner. I have entirely forgotten myself.” His breath came rapidly and, appearing distraught, he raked his hands through his hair. “I must atone.”
“You need not, please, my lord. I was...I was equally to blame.” She averted her eyes to look at the dripping leaves as if she were ashamed of herself. “I do not know what came over me, except...that I wanted this as much as you.” She ended on a whisper as he gathered her in his arms.
Araminta wilted against him. This was heavenly. Everything she ever could have dreamed of. Lord Ludbridge was utterly divine. She could not imagine a husband more to her taste. And he was entirely smitten. Entirely!
“Did you? Did you really?”
“Oh, yes!” She raised her head to kiss him again but he shook his head, his look regretful as he put a gentle hand on her shoulder to hold her away.
“Miss Partington, this isn’t the right place, I know that. But I will find the right place, very soon.” He paused, as if uncertain whether to go on, then said in a rush, “I want to ask you a most important question. A question that will have very great ramifications for you and me for the rest of our lives.”
Dear Lord, the moment was upon her, even sooner than she had anticipated. “What are you saying, Lord Ludbridge?” she prompted, her heart beating wildly.
He shook his head. “Not yet, Miss Partington, not yet—”
No! She held out her hands imploringly. He had all but asked her the question upon which hinged her whole future. How could he withhold something so very important at the very last moment?
