Becoming a Lady (6 page)

“Mr. Seton, there you are.”

Miss Peabody’s shrill voice made him jerk away from Dorothy as if she were on fire. Well, something was on fire, since he suddenly felt like he couldn’t breathe due to his burning lungs.

He pasted a smile to his lips and hesitantly faced the older woman. “Miss Peabody, did you have a nice visit with your friend?”

“Indeed, I did.” She frowned. “But I fear you are vexed with me for leaving Miss Paxton’s side.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Dorothy answered. “I wasn’t by myself for very long before Mr. Seton kept me company.”

He nodded. “Miss Paxton is correct. I’m not upset in the least.” Except for when their conversation was interrupted.

“Splendid. We can now continue our stroll along the deck,” Miss Peabody said.

Calvin turned to Dorothy and offered his arm. “You don’t mind if I join you?”

A mischievous grin stole across her beautiful face.
“Of course not.
Miss Peabody and I would be delighted.”

She placed her gloved hand around the crook of his arm, and he felt like a prince escorting such a lovely lady.
Prince?
He shook the thought away. He needed to stop thinking in such a way. This was Dorothy Paxton
for goodness sake. Not a princess!

Calvin tried to join in the mundane conversation Miss Peabody had started about the weather, which led to traveling on a ship, but he couldn’t. All he could do was focus on the lovely woman beside him who was doing her best to answer politely even though her tone of voice indicated how bored she was with the current topic. He even caught her a few times rolling her eyes when Miss Peabody looked away.

He knew the companion was carrying on this particular conversation to see if Dorothy could converse properly, which so far she proved she could—except for when they were alone, anyway. For the life of him, he couldn’t stop thinking about what he’d like to do with her if they were alone.

The wind shifted and became a little stronger. Miss Peabody held on to her bonnet with one hand—even though he didn’t think it was going anywhere tied to her head so tightly—and bundled the cloak around her neck with her other hand.

“This weather is so unpredictable, do you not agree, Mr. Seton?”

“Indeed, I do. But that’s to be expected when traveling on a ship.”

Another gush of wind came up behind them. Miss Peabody stumbled, and Calvin quickly grabbed her.

“I thank you, Mr. Seton, but I fear I won’t be able to handle much more of this. Miss Paxton and I shall have to quit the deck and return to our rooms.”

“Actually, Miss Peabody,” Dorothy quickly said, “I’m not ready to quit the deck. I’m enjoying the stroll immensely, and I don’t mind the wind.”

Calvin patted the companion’s hand. “If you would like to return to your room, I shall take over the responsibility of entertaining Miss Paxton.”

The woman blinked the wind out of her eyes. “But that’s not proper.”

“Of course it is. The deck is still full of people. It’ll be no different if I was with Miss Paxton at a ball.”

“Well…” the companion said hesitantly as she glanced around at the others. “If you say so, then I’ll believe you.”

“I assure you, it’s proper.”

She gave a small curtsey. “Then if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to leave before I’m blown away.”

“I’ll be down in a while, Miss Peabody,” Dorothy called after her.

Once the older woman left, Dorothy chuckled. She met Calvin’s gaze and shook her head.

“I can’t believe you lied to her!”

“Pardon me? How, pray tell, did I lie?”

“By telling her this is proper.”

“But it is.” He swept his hand around the deck. “We have many people to be our chaperones while we take a turn around the deck together.”

“We do now.” She stepped closer and squeezed his arm. “But what will happen when they all leave?”

“Why would they leave?”

Another gust of wind blew, bringing with it a spray of water from the ocean. She nodded toward the people again. “I assume the weather is too cold for such gentle-bred people. They are leaving now.”

By Jove, Dorothy was correct. Because of the stronger winds, more people were rushing toward the stairs, heading for their rooms and shelter. Soon there would just be a handful of people, and maybe only Calvin and Dorothy.

Excitement shot through him. They’d be alone at last!

Chapter Six

Dorothy knew that certain gleam in a man’s eyes and the hooded way he gazed at a woman. The look of desire was evident in Calvin’s expression. This wasn’t the first time a man had looked at her in such a way—granted, the men were usually extremely intoxicated when they’d done this to her before—but this was certainly the first time her heartbeat hammered so hard it nearly broke a rib. And she couldn’t recall ever staring at a man and thinking she’d never seen anyone so handsome, and who smelled so good. Then again, she was used to the pungent scent of tobacco and alcohol clinging to men’s clothes.

Calvin had rubbed his leg a few times during their stroll. It surprised her that he didn’t want to return to his room as well if his leg was paining him.

Another strong gust of wind came up from behind them and literally shoved her against Calvin. She braced her hands on his hard chest as he clutched her shoulders.

“This blasted wind,” she muttered.

He chuckled. “I must agree. It seems as if this wind has plans of its own, and we are reluctant to fight it.”

Although her palms felt good right where they rested, she really must step back. Being this close was dangerous to her state of mind. Yet she couldn’t get her legs to cooperate, especially with the wind fighting her.

For the life of her, all she could do was study his face—slightly
stubbled
square chin, straight nose, dreamy green eyes…and heaven help her, his tempting lips. Those lips were hard to tear her gaze away from.

“Dorothy? Are you ill?”

She nodded. “I believe so, yes.”

The corner of his lips lifted. “Then perhaps you would like me to escort you back to your room.”

She really should allow him to do that. The chilly air would eventually create icicles on her legs, and the spray from the ocean would drench her if she stayed out here any longer. Yet going to her room at this particular moment was out of the question since Miss P would only pound Dorothy with more etiquette lessons.

She forced herself to step away from him.
“Heavens, no.
Why would I want to return to that stuffy old room?” She turned and faced the deck, taking in deep breaths of the sea air. “I’d rather be out in the open where I don’t run into a wall every eight steps.”

He took her hand and hooked it over his arm, continuing their stroll. His limp became more prominent, which worried her.

“Mr. Seton, might I enquire to how your leg is holding up in this chilly weather?”

His body stiffened, and suddenly, the pleasant expression he’d been wearing turned into a mask of indifference. “Why do you ask?”

“I don’t wish you to be uncomfortable during our stroll.”

He ran his hand over his thigh again. “I must admit, the coldness makes it ache more than I’d like, but I shall be fine.” He patted her hand over his elbow. “Not to worry. I’ll keep you outdoors as long as you are able.”

“You may regret making the promise.”

A few more people scurried below deck, and now only a handful of couples were left. Dorothy expected them to flee to their rooms within minutes as well.

“Please forgive me for making you stay with Miss Peabody in such close quarters,” Calvin continued, “but you must understand your lessons are extremely important.”

“I understand about the lessons, but what confuses me is why my grandfather expects me to act like the rest of his grandchildren when I was brought up in such a vastly different manner. He knows what kind of woman my mother was, so I’m certain the duke knows how I turned out.”

Calvin stopped them by some large crates that helped block the wind. It also helped block them from the others.

“I’m doing this for you, Dorothy. I want your family to see you as a lady, just as they should,” he said as he gently caressed her cheek. “If they knew you like I do, they would see you for the wonderful, kind woman you really are.”

Although his words warmed her, she wondered if he’d lost his mind. He couldn’t possibly be speaking of her. “Pray, Calvin, who are you referring to? Because I know you’re not thinking of me.”

He chuckled. “Indeed, I am.”

She liked the way his voice deepened, and the way his eyes darkened. She especially enjoyed the warmth from his stroke on her cheek, erasing the chill on her skin and creating different stirrings in her body that left her far from cold.

“Dorothy Paxton, you are a delight to be around, and I’m sure once your family gets to know you, they’ll think the same.”

Confused, she arched an eyebrow.
“A delight?
That’s a different way to say it. Not too long ago, you had said my personality was
forthright
. Have you perhaps changed your mind?”

He stepped closer, and on impulse, she stepped back. The mood between them had changed, and the excitement pounding in her chest frightened her, only because she was afraid she’d want to fall against him and have him hold her in a very improper embrace.

“I have changed my mind, Dorothy.”

He stepped closer, and once again she stepped back, but a large crate kept her from going any further. She raised her hands between them to keep him from coming any nearer, but all her palms seemed to want to do was rest against his chest. His heartbeat thudded in a fast rhythm, matching the pace of hers.

“W—why did you change your mind about me?” Good heavens! Was that her voice? If so, why did it sound so sultry?

“Perhaps it’s because I’ve had the privilege to see how you’ve blossomed since we first met.”

His gaze swept over her face, his fingertips following as they brushed her forehead, her cheeks, and across her bottom lip. His eyes remained on her mouth even though his fingers moved over her chin and slowly down her neck.

Cotton took up residence in her throat, making it impossible to tell him to stop. Her mind insisted she put a halt to this insanity, yet her body urged Calvin’s exploration, and her lonely heart enjoyed the way he made her melt. There was no way she could stop him now, even if the ship sank.

“Dorothy, you’re breathtaking,” he whispered and leaned his face closer.

Unwilling to push him back, she closed her eyes and offered her mouth for his taking. He covered her lips with his own as his arms wrapped around her, pulling her body against his. She clutched his jacket, hanging on before her legs gave out beneath her.

His soft mustache stroked her skin in a sensual way. She mimicked the tenderness he showered on her mouth. Surprised over the tingles cascading through her, she gasped, but he took the opportunity to deepen the kiss.

Never had spirals of heat blazed through every nerve in her body, making her burn with passion. She shivered, but not from the outdoor elements. Instead, desire flooded her every sense, igniting a greater sensation to flow inside her body.

Calvin kept the kiss soft as his gentle lips moved over hers. She slid her palms up his chest and around his neck, but this only made it possible for her to feel his muscular chest that much better. Instead of being uncomfortable, the warmth from his body gave her an odd feeling of comfort and security.

Since these feelings rushing through her were so foreign, she should be frightened, yet she felt more at ease with him than she had with any man. They were pressed together so closely she should be having difficulty breathing. Instead, her breaths came deep and fast, as did his.

Silently, she prayed that nothing would stop this incredible feeling.

* * * *

Calvin couldn’t get enough of this passionate woman. Her response to his demanding kiss was better than he’d anticipated. He’d kissed enough women to know which were innocent and which were not, and Dorothy was innocent despite of the way she’d been reared. It pleased him to know she’d never been kissed this way—and that she enjoyed his attention.

Her body melted against his as he devoured her mouth; only his frame and the crate behind her kept her standing. And because she responded so well, he couldn’t stop his hand from wandering to her waist.
So small.
So soft.
Somehow she had captured his heart, and he didn’t care.

It hadn’t helped matters when she’d become concerned for his injury…wanting
him
to be comfortable. She hadn’t acted like his deformity made her skittish in the least. Usually women didn’t want to discuss his injury because it made
them
feel unsafe. Dorothy was the first woman to act as if he were a whole man instead of an invalid child who needed a nursemaid. He didn’t know if this was the reason why he wanted to kiss her or not. Right now, all he knew was how perfect she fit in his embrace…

He brought his mind to a quick halt. What was he thinking? She could
not
be perfect in his arms! She was
Longdale’s
granddaughter. Calvin could
not
have any passionate feelings for her whatsoever.