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Authors: Adrienne Basso

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BOOK: A Little Bit Sinful
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“And your father?”

Eleanor lowered her gaze. “The earl spends much of his time away from home. I doubt he will even be aware that I am gone.”

Sebastian shifted restlessly. His concerned expression surprised and embarrassed her. She searched for a flippant, offhand remark, but her wits deserted her. How precisely did one explain that her father didn’t give a tinker’s damn about her?

Thankfully Sebastian let the matter pass. Arm in arm they walked to the waiting carriage. Eleanor lifted her foot to step into the carriage, then suddenly stopped.

“Second thoughts, dearest?” he whispered in her ear.

Dozens!
Eleanor shook her head. “I’m remembering your queasy stomach and difficulties with a long coach ride. How will you manage?”

“By riding my horse.” He sighed deeply. “‘Tis nothing short of criminal letting all the privacy of a long carriage ride go to waste, yet I know there’s no help for it. My stomach refuses to cooperate and allow me to take advantage of it.”

“It’s broad daylight,” Eleanor exclaimed.

“And?” He raised his brow questionably and Eleanor blushed. But she also smiled.

“Are you certain you don’t mind riding in the carriage alone?” he asked as he assisted her inside.

“I’ll be fine. Safer it seems, considering your stomach problems. And amorous intentions.”

“Saucy baggage.” He leaned in and kissed the tip of her nose. “You unman me by speaking of such things.”

Laughing, Eleanor leaned back against the brown velvet squabs. She saw Sebastian mount his horse. With a quick salute, he galloped out of view and she realized he was going to take a different route than the carriage out of Town. It was a wise move. Drawing the shade to maintain her anonymity, Eleanor tried to relax.

It was difficult. Her nerves resurfaced as the coach navigated the London streets and she questioned the rightness of her decision, concluding that running away with Sebastian was either going to be the most daring, marvelous moment of her life or the greatest disaster.

Fearing the long ride would leave too much time for reflection and doubt, Eleanor pulled out the book she had packed in her reticule. The poetry of Lord Byron provided a minor distraction, but true relaxation was impossible. Every time the carriage lurched to a halt in the traffic, she feared the door would be thrown open and she would be discovered.

Fortunately her nerves finally settled when they reached the outskirts of London. Sebastian reappeared outside her window, his reassuring presence
an oasis of calm. The condition of the roads improved. The carriage was well-sprung and comfortable, the driver skilled and considerate.

Abandoning her book, Eleanor leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Before too long the carriage came to a stop. Shaking off her foggy countenance, Eleanor looked out the window, expecting to see they had arrived at an inn. Instead, she saw a large, looming structure of solid gray stone.

“Welcome to Chaswick Manor, my lady.”

Eleanor took Sebastian’s hand and stepped out of the coach. The late afternoon light was quickly fading, but she was able to take in the manor house and expansive grounds. Built centuries earlier, the main structure was a medieval castle that had been added to and modified over the years.

There was a somewhat modern columned portico in the center of the front facade with wide marble steps leading up to the front doors. Doors that were currently shut tight. Did the servants not know of their impending arrival?

Ignoring the fluttering in her stomach, Eleanor stretched her cramped muscles. “‘Tis a very impressive residence,” she commented. “Did you grow up here?”

“Yes.” Sebastian smiled apologetically at his curt answer. “I’ve spent little time here as an adult. In fact, the last time I was here was several months ago for my grandmother’s funeral.”

Oh dear.
She reached out to clasp his hand, but he turned away.

The front door opened and an elderly gentleman, presumably the butler, emerged. “Good day, Lord Benton.”

“Ah, Higgins. See to the baggage, will you? And have my horse brought to the mews. He needs his dinner and a thorough brushing.”

“Very good, my lord.”

Eleanor smiled awkwardly as the butler bowed again. He walked respectfully behind her, keeping his eyes lowered, almost as if he didn’t notice her. She thought it terribly rude of Sebastian not to introduce her and wondered if he was the type of aristocrat who didn’t think his servants were worthy of basic human considerations.

Thoughts of the butler were soon forgotten as they entered the house, their footsteps echoing on the black and white marble floor. It was a cavernous hall, dominated by a grand staircase boasting elaborately carved balustrades and railings. Eleanor had never seen anything like it.

“The gargoyles on the newel posts were Grandmother’s idea,” Sebastian said. “She commissioned them when she came here as a young bride. Aren’t they hideous?”

“Gothic architecture was very popular with her generation,” Eleanor said, though she agreed completely.

The ghastly statues added a formality to the already cold atmosphere of the entryway, an area Eleanor always thought should be welcoming and inviting. She hoped the rest of the house would be different, but alas the grand, gloomy feeling continued as they made their way to the drawing room.

Eleanor could see that the furnishings were of good quality, but easily thirty years out of style. The interiors were done in dark colors, creating a dull, almost oppressive atmosphere. Though elegant, it
lacked the comfort of a home and Eleanor could understand why Sebastian spent so little time at the estate.

The drawing room was slightly better. A newly lit fire blazed in the hearth, and thick Aubusson carpets in teal and ivory covered the floor. The coordinating draperies bracketing the windows were heavy velvet and overdone with fringe, but Eleanor caught a glimpse through them of a magnificent garden complete with graveled walks, perfectly trimmed box hedges, and beds of colorful flowers.

It was heartening to discover her future residence was at its core a fine property. A stirring of excitement rose inside her at the realization that she was soon to be mistress of this estate. It would not be too difficult to transform the place into a comfortable home for her and Sebastian. Furnishings could be rearranged, color schemes changed, vibrant carpets and artwork added.

Sebastian excused himself to arrange for refreshments, returning quickly. “I’m afraid I have some bad news,” he said, sounding exasperated. “Apparently the vicar has been called away to Shropshire, to attend his sick mother. He isn’t expected back until sometime later tomorrow.”

The vicar was away? That meant they could not be married this evening, as they had planned. Cautioning herself not to overreact, Eleanor took a deep breath. “I am very sorry to hear of his dilemma. I shall pray for his mother’s rapid recovery.”

Sebastian grimaced. “We’ll go into the village after tea. I’ll send a servant ahead to secure a room for you at the local inn, then settle you there myself. ‘Tis far from elegant, but it’s clean. For appearances,
one of the chambermaids will accompany you, and to ensure your safety I will also send James, my most trusted footman. He’ll sleep outside your door.”

“Goodness, you sound as if I am going into the heart of France in the middle of the war.”

Sebastian puffed out a breath and ran his fingers through his hair. “You can’t stay here without a proper chaperone.”

Eleanor bit her bottom lip. “Who is to know?”

“The servants?”

“True, yet I’m sure they owe you some loyalty.” He kept silent and she continued. “Well, at the very least they will hold their tongues for fear of losing their positions. Besides, once the vicar appears tomorrow, we shall be married by special license and this will no longer matter.”

“We could elope to Gretna Green,” Sebastian suggested unenthusiastically.

“I have no wish to travel on the Great North Road like a criminal fleeing the law,” Eleanor declared. “We agreed to be married on your estate.” She could sense he was starting to waver but was not yet convinced. Determined to persuade him, Eleanor reached up and laid a finger against his lips. “I want to stay here.”

She realized when she spoke how true her words were. She had committed herself to this man and despite the impropriety of the situation she did not want to leave him. Even for one night.

“Are you sure?” His voice trailed away.

“I am.”

Their eyes held for a moment until Sebastian broke the contact and glanced away. “I wish I could offer to sleep in the stables to ensure you are alone
in the house,” he said, his voice suddenly amused. “But hay makes me sneeze.”

She smiled, trying to imagine him with a clogged head and a stuffy nose. The image was difficult to conjure, yet it made him appear more vulnerable in her mind, more human. He might be a sophisticated man with far more life experience, but in the end it was a comfort to realize he was still just a man.

Tea arrived. It was delivered by the housekeeper, the ring of keys around her waist jingling merrily. Eleanor lifted her chin and met the older woman’s eye squarely, wondering what she must be thinking. Surely it had to be an unusual occurrence for the viscount to bring an unchaperoned female guest to the manor. What had he told the staff about her?

“Thank you, Mrs. Florid,” Sebastian said to the servant. “Lady Eleanor and I will serve ourselves.”

The housekeeper hesitated, eyeing Sebastian guardedly before nodding. She started to back out of the room, then stopped. “Beg your pardon, my lady. The staff and I would like to extend our felicitations to you and his lordship on your upcoming nuptials. We hope you’ll be very happy.”

Eleanor relaxed. Apparently Sebastian had informed the staff that she was his betrothed. Or he had told at least one individual, which in truth was all that was necessary. In Eleanor’s experience, servants’ gossip spread faster than wildfire.

“Thank you for your kind words, Mrs. Florid.” Eleanor grinned. “I look forward to meeting the staff and working closely with you in the future.”

Smiling broadly, the housekeeper dropped a hasty curtsy and quit the room. Eleanor reached for
the silver teapot and poured a cup, handing it over to a scowling Sebastian.

“That was most unexpected,” he declared, stirring milk into his tea. “I vow she was beaming at us like a doting grandmother.”

Eleanor placed her hand on Sebastian’s forearm. “Weddings cause females of all ages to act a bit giddy.”

“Except you, thank heavens.” He turned his arm and intertwined their hands, his thumb rubbing idly across her palm. “Mrs. Florid is at least sixty years old. One would hope a woman of her years is beyond acting giddy.”

“I think it’s sweet.”

Sebastian huffed in disagreement. Eleanor poured herself a cup of tea, refusing to pick up the argument. This mundane, peaceful domestic scene put her in a contemplative frame of mind and she didn’t want to spoil the mood.

They ate a few of the sandwiches from the tray and several of the cakes. Eleanor asked him questions about the estate and his boyhood years. He answered readily, spinning a few tall tales of his exploits as a young boy, making her laugh loudly when he detailed his attempt at being a highwayman at the age of five.

“Your neighbor actually handed over her emerald necklace?” Eleanor asked.

“Along with the matching earbobs.” He smiled, his eyes twinkling brightly at the memory. “I was a very fierce thief, you know, passionate and determined.”

“I believe it.”

He laughed. “I can still recall how ecstatic I felt
with my success. Eager to show off my loot, I ran directly to my mother. She nearly fainted when I told her what I had done. Of course I was forced to return the jewels immediately.

“As punishment, my mother ordered my tutor to administer a sound paddling, then cried more than I did when it was over. My grandmother defended me staunchly, insisting that my mother should be proud to have such a high-spirited, imaginative son. And Lady Gately, my helpless victim, was also very kind. She insisted that no harm had been done and then confessed to having a soft spot for a fatherless boy.”

“Were you very young when your father died?”

“Practically an infant. I have no memories of him at all.” The regret in Sebastian’s voice was subtle. It made Eleanor’s heart ache to hear it.

“And your mother?”

Sebastian stiffened. “I was young, though unfortunately I remember her death with vivid, painful detail.”

A lump caught in Eleanor’s throat. She remembered well her own grief, for she too had lost her mother when she was a girl. Wordlessly Eleanor took Sebastian’s hand in understanding, patting it gently until she felt his body finally relax.

“Tell me, what profession did you next attempt after failing to make a success of robbing the highways?”

Sebastian squeezed her hand. “Why, I prepared to become a pirate, of course. They work as a crew, therefore, the blame for these scurrilous acts are shared. I recruited several lads from the village to join my band and we plotted our first attack.”

Eleanor’s brows knit together. “The estate is landlocked.”

He threw back his head and laughed. “Trifling details to a gang of boys intent on mischief.”

She smiled and he told her several of his pirate tales. Eleanor was amazed at what he was able to get the other boys to do, then surmised that even at a young age his natural leadership had surfaced. Not until the ormolu clock on the mantelpiece chimed the hour did she realize how late it had gotten.

“I’ll tell Mrs. Florid to push supper back an hour so there will be time for you to indulge in a bath,” Sebastian announced, as he rose to his feet. “I’m sure you’d relish the chance to soak away the travel dust.”

Only if you agree to join me.
A rush of heat permeated her body at the sensual notion. Where had that thought emerged from? Eleanor wondered, but then one look at Sebastian’s stormy gray eyes and she knew the answer.

Too shy to voice her wanton thoughts aloud, Eleanor reasoned there would be time enough for them to be together later tonight. The carnal ache she felt at the very idea of sharing his bed had her blushing like a schoolgirl. Fortunately, Sebastian seemed oblivious to her predicament.

BOOK: A Little Bit Sinful
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