Never Turn Away (Kellington Book Six) (11 page)

Evelyn could not fault their taste, though she
wished them all to perdition, which was most definitely not in the spirit of
Christmas.

After asking Mr. Keegan’s permission, Joseph danced
with Mrs. Keegan, who blushed like a young girl.  He also danced with Oates, as
well as the maids from Evelyn’s household.  Soon every woman between sixteen
and eighty was angling for an introduction to the handsome police inspector.

It became apparent that the one woman he had no
interest in dancing with was her.

Attention was taken away from Joseph for the moment
as Viscount Smithton arrived.  There was almost an audible sigh as the handsome
viscount entered the room.  He seemed rather oblivious to the attention, for
instead of doing the decent thing and favoring a few fortunate women with a
dance, he went straight to the squire and began talking about the spring crops.

Professor Dodson’s arrival didn’t cause as much of a
stir, in part because he wasn’t nearly as dashing.  But he wasted no time in
asking ladies to dance, which made him much more agreeable than Smithton, who
had committed the unpardonable sin of being at the assembly for three-quarters
of an hour without dancing even once.

As Evelyn watched her neighbors dance, her attention
was drawn to two giggling girls nearby.  Holly was the daughter of the
blacksmith.  Laura was the daughter of a farmer and they were both looking
admiringly at Joseph, who was dancing with Anna for, perhaps, the third time? 

The nerve of Mrs. Trowbridge to importune him so.

“He’s quite handsome,” said Holly.  “And with no
sweetheart in London, either.”

“How do you know that?” asked Laura.

“My father asked him.  I was not supposed to be listening. 
I was embarrassed that Papa had asked that, but I also wanted to hug him for
it.  Imagine a man that handsome with no one to cook or clean for him.  Especially
with all the danger he faces in London.  Such a shame it is.”

“I would cook and clean for him.  And do other
things a wife should.  ‘Twould be no hardship, I can tell you that.”  The two
girls giggled.

Evelyn thought it highly inappropriate that the girls
would be gossiping about her guest.  Especially since they so clearly echoed
her own thoughts.  The song ended and the musicians warmed up for the next,
which was to be the one waltz.  Since it was the country, the waltz was still
considered a bit fast, which meant everyone looked forward to it all the more. 
For a moment, Evelyn wondered what it would be like to waltz across the floor
in Joseph’s arms.  And, more importantly, whether he would remember he asked
her to dance it.

She was interrupted from her reverie by Mr. Keegan. 
“Lady Evelyn, please come with me,” he said with a smile.  But instead of
leading her to the dance floor, he delivered her to Joseph, who was standing
with Mrs. Keegan.

“Lady Evelyn, how beautiful you look tonight,”
exclaimed Mrs. Keegan.  “Does she not, Inspector?”

“Yes, Mrs. Keegan, she is quite lovely.”

“Mr. Keegan is about to ask me to dance, so I think
it would be quite the thing for you to ask Lady Evelyn, as well,” said Mrs.
Keegan, all but shoving him in the lady’s direction, before being whirled onto
the floor by her husband.

Joseph and Evelyn were left standing close to each
other.  He held out his hand.  “Shall we?”

*                    *                    *

It was the height of lunacy and not at all the
mission Lynwood had assigned him.  But Joseph had never known such pleasure as holding
Evelyn in his arms as they waltzed across the assembly room.

He had learned to waltz early in his career as a
means for him to blend in at assemblies in London in order to gather
information.  But at the moment, gaining intelligence was the furthest thing
from his mind.  All he could think about was the feel of Evelyn’s body beneath
his hand and her fingers on his shoulder.

Neither spoke for the first few minutes. 

He was not a particularly skilled dancer, but it was
easy to move through the room with Evelyn as his partner.  It was as if their
bodies fit together by design.  As he moved, so did she.  He held her just a
bit closer than he knew was proper.  She did not object, which was just as well
since he wasn’t sure if he could loosen his hold after feeling the heat of her
throughout his body.

After a few revolutions around the room, she spoke. 
“You waltz beautifully, Joseph.”

“It is easy to do so when you are in my arms.  Are
you enjoying your evening?”

“I am right now.” 

She smiled at him and the full force of it hit him
like a velvet-wrapped club.  He stumbled the slightest, but he simply pulled
her closer and was righted again.

He cleared his throat.  “It is unusual to see a
social event in which all classes are welcome.”

“I am sure that is the case in London, but it has
long been the tradition in Caversham.  My father often organized assemblies
such as these.” 

“Well, it is certainly a lovely night and I cannot
think of a better way to spend it.”  At least in a public forum.  He would like
to kiss her again, but that would have to wait until later, if at all.

“You have been very popular tonight,” she said.

“I believe people are simply being polite to
Lynwood’s guest.”

“Perhaps your deductive skills are not quite as
sharp as I believed,” she said with a smile, which was met with Joseph’s raised
brow.  “These mamas would dearly love to find you a wife.  I believe Mrs.
Trowbridge would have you marry both of her girls if possible.”

“Mayhap that was why she tried so hard to sell me
the vitality elixir.”

They both laughed and it was the feel of Evelyn
enjoying herself in his arms that made Joseph curse the things that could not
be.

The waltz ended too quickly and Evelyn was off to
dance with one of her tenant farmers.  Joseph walked the perimeter of the room,
keeping his eye on her.  Truth be told, he couldn’t keep his eyes off her.  He
also watched Dodson, Smithton and Kensington, none of whom appeared to be
acting oddly.  Or, at least, more oddly than usual.

Mrs. Trowbridge took the opportunity to once again
speak to him of her daughters.  “Inspector,” she said, as she suddenly popped
up from behind a collection of greenery, “Anna looked particularly graceful as
she waltzed with young Kensington, did she not?”

“I am afraid I did not get the chance to study her,
since I was otherwise occupied.”

“That’s right, you were dancing with Lady Evelyn.  I
wondered why she did not dance with her soon-to-be-betrothed.”

“Her what?”

“I am never one to gossip, but it is all but certain
that she will soon be the Viscountess Smithton.”

“I did not realize she and the viscount had an
understanding.”

“How else will he pay the taxes on his estate?  Lady
Evelyn is an heiress, you know,” said Mrs. Trowbridge, pronouncing “heiress” as
if it were a most distasteful disease.

“I thought the viscount’s estate was prosperous.”

“It is, to an extent.  The timber most of all.  But
his father has the worst of luck with investments and his younger brother is an
inveterate gamester, though quite handsome.”

“You said he has timber on his property?”

“Yes.  He has been quite helpful in Caversham, identifying
trees that are diseased or in danger of falling down.  He’s been a veritable
godsend in what he’s done for the village.  I always thought Anna would make a
particularly good viscountess, but it seems he has a partiality to Lady
Evelyn’s blunt.  Would you like to spend Christmas with us?  My cook can do
wonders with a goose.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Trowbridge, but I expect to be gone
by then.”

“Oh,” she said, with some disappointment.   “Anna
and Merida will be sorry to hear it.”

“Yes, well, it is unavoidable.  If you will excuse
me,” he said bowing, then quickly departing.  He wanted to learn where Smithton
was in relation to Evelyn.  If he was an expert on trees, he could easily have
cut through the tree and made it fall near Evelyn.  Smithton had been in Caversham
that day.  It was unlikely but not impossible that he’d caused the accident.

But Joseph could see neither Smithton nor Evelyn.  He
strode through the assembly room, his senses on alert.  He didn’t like not
knowing where she was.  He passed the French doors where movement in the garden
caught his eye.  A moment later, he was striding toward Evelyn and Smithton. 

*                    *                    *

Evelyn sometimes cursed the good manners she’d been
raised with.  Though the assembly room had been too warm after an evening of
dancing and a few minutes on the terrace had sounded like a good idea when
Smithton had suggested it, she was now not only cold but bored senseless with
the viscount’s talk of modern tilling methods.   But more than that, all she
really wanted to do was return to the assembly room to see Joseph.

“Lady Evelyn, there is something I must do,” said
the earnest viscount.

“Pray do not let me keep you, sir.  I should return
to the assembly room, as well.”

But Smithton’s task turned out to be kissing
Evelyn.  With no notice, he brought his lips to hers, while also lightly gripping
her arms.  As kisses went, it might have been a good one, had she any interest
in the viscount and especially if she’d never been kissed by Joseph.  But she
didn’t and she had, so she found the entire experience rather underwhelming.

Underwhelming then shocking, as Smithton suddenly
pulled back from her and then was thrown into a snow bank.  She looked up to
see Joseph as she’d never seen him before.  He was facing Smithton, angry, with
fists clenched, and an expression that dared the viscount to get up again.

“What the devil was that for?” asked Smithton, as he
struggled to rise from the snow, albeit far enough away that he was out of
Joseph’s reach.

“You were taking advantage of Lady Evelyn.”

“I beg your pardon!” said Smithton.

“Inspector, he was doing no such thing,” said
Evelyn, fascinated to see Joseph so upset.  Perhaps he did have feelings for
her.

“The lady was perfectly willing to kiss me, not that
it is any business of yours.  I even asked her permission.”

Now Joseph turned to Evelyn.  There was no trace of
anger directed at her, just a wild sense of disbelief.  “Is this true?”

“In a way.”

“In what way was that, my lady?”

“He said there was something he needed to do, then
he kissed me.”

“Then I think I need to teach the viscount some
manners,” said Joseph, as he moved toward him.

Evelyn put her hand on Joseph’s arm, staying him. 
“It is most unnecessary, sir.  And we are beginning to attract an audience.” 
She looked over to the open French doors, which now had a dozen people looking
out at them.  She addressed her curious neighbors.  “There is nothing to worry
about.  The viscount lost his footing and landed in a snow bank.  But he is not
injured.  Isn’t that right, my lord?”

“No, I am quite unharmed,” said Smithton as he brushed
the snow from his person.  “Let us all return to the festivities.  My lady?”

He held out his arm to Evelyn in defiance of Joseph,
though he was careful to place Evelyn between them.

Evelyn graciously returned to the assembly room on
his arm, mindful of the large, watchful male prowling behind them.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The servants were contentedly tired as they all
returned to the manor.  Evelyn had told them not to worry about completing
their chores for the night and that everyone should begin the day later than
normal on the morrow.

Judging by the members of her household, the
assembly had been a great success.  She was sure the servants would be happily
reminiscing – and gossiping – about the night for weeks to come.  Yet one
person seemed most unhappy about the events of the evening. 

Joseph Stapleton.

They’d stayed at the assembly for an hour after the
incident with Smithton.  She’d been ready to leave earlier, but hadn’t wanted
to cut the night short for her servants who had too few opportunities to dance. 
So she’d stayed, continually aware of the large presence behind her.  The one
she could feel without touching.  The one who made her feel as skittish as a
hen when the fox was about.

The one who made her look forward to kisses that she
hoped would come.

She waited in the foyer while he locked up the house. 
She watched the dance of candlelight on the walls and marveled how the home
she’d known her whole life could seem so different after dark.  It was a world
of black and silver, of banked fires and the sound of the wind blowing against
the shutters.

Finally, Joseph finished his rounds and appeared
before her once again.  He’d spoken little since the incident, though she had a
feeling he had plenty to say.  But still he was silent, as he motioned for her
to precede him up the stairs.

When they reached the hall, he wordlessly guided her
along the darkened corridor until they came to her room.  She remained there
for a moment, not wanting to part from him.  She wished she had the nerve to
kiss him.  She wished he would guess her feelings and initiate the kiss.  She
wished something would happen to slice through the tension between them.

He leaned toward her, then opened the door.  “Good
night, my lady,” he said, before executing a curt bow and walking to his own
bedchamber.

She wanted to cry.  She wanted to throw things.  She
wanted to run after him and throw something at him, then kiss him.  But
instead, she entered her bedchamber and slammed the door behind her.

She often felt lonely when returning from the
Christmas assembly.  She had a routine of donning her warm flannel nightrail
and climbing into bed by herself.  Before they’d departed, her maid had laid
out the nightrail and set aside the ribbon that would secure her sensible braid. 
Evelyn thought of a certain Bow Street Inspector who’d once speculated that she
didn’t brush her own hair.

Confound the man for making assumptions.  And confound
him for not kissing her on this night that meant so much to her.

She looked in the mirror.  She looked the same as
last year, though she had taken extra care in preparing tonight.  Because of
him.  She looked the same, but something had changed.  She’d dared to think of
a future with him, despite his dangerous job.  And she certainly wasn’t going
to go to bed like a good little girl, without making her feelings known.

She went to her wardrobe and pulled out her favorite
silk nightrail.  It had been scandalously expensive when she’d bought it in
Paris a few years earlier.  At the time, she’d justified the expense, saying
she would put it aside for her wedding trousseau.  But, even then, she knew it
was more for her than a husband who might not ever appear.  She wore it on
spring nights when the smell of flowers filled her room.  And she even wore it on
cold winter nights like this one when she was feeling a bit lonely.

Tonight, she would wear it like silken armor.  Even
if it wasn’t the most practical choice in sleepwear in the dead of winter. 

She put it on and pulled it into place, the silk fitting
her like a second skin.  She felt elegant and alive.  And she was going to need
all of her courage to complete her mission.

*                    *                    *

Joseph lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling,
thinking of the many reasons why he should not venture up the hallway to
Evelyn’s bedchamber.  He’d been beside himself with jealousy when he’d seen the
bloody viscount kissing her.  And, even worse, her kissing him back.  It had
been bad enough watching her dance with all those other men.  But to see her
with a man who was of her class and who, was – as mentioned – kissing her, had
been torture.   Smithton was lucky he’d only been thrown into a snow bank. 
He’d wanted to knock the man into the next county.

Evelyn had given very little indication of what she
thought of Smithton’s kiss, other than she’d allowed it.  She might not know about
Smithton’s need for blunt or his expertise as a woodsman.  She might only see
him as a passably attractive peer whom she might marry.

The thought of it made him want to punch something. 
Something named Viscount Smithton.

Why did he have to feel this way about an earl’s
daughter?  Why could he barely restrain himself from throwing open the door to
her bedchamber and kissing her senseless – and more?  A woman of his class
might be receptive to his advances in hopes of some other relationship
developing.  But that was simply impossible with Lady Evelyn.

Still, he could not help thinking of making love to
her.  And, even worse, seeing her in his house.  Not just warming his bed –
though that would be a particularly rewarding pastime – but talking to him over
dinner.  Reading with him in the library.  Nursing their babe.

It was hopeless and he was a fool to think of it.  He
did not belong in this world, just as she did not belong in his. 

He wondered what Evelyn was doing, what she wore to
bed.  It was a cold night.  He imagined she would probably be dressed in a white
cotton nightrail.  Possibly flannel.  She probably braided her hair because how
else would she tame those lovely long curls?  He imagined her putting on a
nightcap, but just as soon dismissed the thought because he could not bear to
see her red curls covered.  She was likely lying in her big comfortable bed,
sunk low in the featherbed, under a comforter of finest down. 

If he were her husband, he would enter her
bedchamber, pull back the counterpane and slide in next to her.  Actually, it
wouldn’t be her bedchamber.  No separate bedchambers for them.  It would be
theirs.  It would then be his obligation as her husband to keep her warm. 
Though he would not be above divesting her of her nightrail.  If he came to bed
without clothes, as he was right now, it would only be fair if his wife were
equally undressed.  Then they could lie together skin on skin.

If she were still cold, he would feel it was his
responsibility to climb on top of her, then kiss his way down her body, warming
her with his lips.  He was warming up right now just thinking of it.

He took his cock in hand and began stroking,
imagining it was her hand on him.  Her lips on him.

He began to stroke harder.  He could imagine her
climbing on top of him, lowering herself down and….

There was a knock at his door.  He was surprised he
even heard it, with his attention elsewhere.  Part of him wanted to ignore it
and continue on with his fantasy, but what if Thompson needed him.  What if an
intruder was in the house?

Without further thought to his previous activities,
he jumped out of bed and grabbed his dressing gown.  He opened the door only to
find the source of his fantasies standing in the hall, wearing a silk wrapper
and with her long beautiful hair flowing to her hips.

Good God, it would have been safer had it been an
intruder.

“My lady,” he said, quietly.  He could not call her
Evelyn.  Not with her looking like that.

“Joseph.  May I come in?”

Only if she wanted to be pounced upon.

“Of course.”

He opened the door, hoping his dressing gown concealed
his erect cock.  He stood in the doorway as she made her way around his room,
as if seeing it for the first time.

“I just wanted to see if you needed anything,” she
said.

“No, I have everything I need.”  Especially since
she was there now.

“Good.”  She continued her tour of his room, testing
his control with every step.  “It is a clear night.  You can see the stars if
you pull back the curtains.”  She pulled them back and Joseph marveled at her
beauty in the moonlight.  “I came because I did not know if you’d seen the
constellations.  The room is particularly good for stargazing and I should hate
for you to leave without taking advantage of it.”

He did not know what to do.  So he did his best
imitation of being a halfwit by saying, “I do not know much about stars.”

Because nothing impresses a smart woman more than
abject ignorance.

She smiled as she looked up to the heavens.  “I like
to think of how constant they are.  They were there before Earth’s beginning
and shall be there long after we mortals depart.  I missed the stars when I was
in London.  There is generally too much light to have an unobstructed view like
we have right now.  There is the Big Dipper.”

He was standing close enough to her that she was
able to take his arm and point out the major lines of the stars.  “It is part
of the constellation Ursa Major.  And if you follow the line down, you come to
the Guardians.  They were my favorites as a child.  My father looked after me,
protected me.  Kept me safe from harm.  Whenever he pointed out the Guardians,
I thought he had sent those stars to the heavens to look after me.  The silly thoughts
of a child.  But when he died, I would lie on the balcony at night thinking he
was in the sky looking out for me.  Guarding me.  Loving me still, though he
was no longer here to do so.” 

He could barely breathe with having her so close. 
With her touching his arm.  His heart had ached long enough.  “Let me guard
you, Evelyn.  Let me keep you safe, if only just for the night.”

They were standing inches apart, yet their hearts
were much closer.  He leaned down and touched his lips to hers.  Her response
was everything he could have hoped for.  She closed the gap between them,
pressing down his front.  He lifted her against his hard cock. 

He knew this was wrong.  Yet he could not stop. 
She’d left an imprint on him when they waltzed.  And now he could not stop
touching her.  Running his hands down her arms, across her back, against her
bottom.

He was prepared – yet not prepared – to have her
tell him to stop.  But by some miracle, she didn’t.  She was with him on each
heated step.  Finally, he picked her up and carried her to the bed.

*                    *                    *

This was what she’d longed for
,
thought Evelyn, as she sank into Joseph’s bed and he lay on top of her.

She couldn’t believe she’d come to his room.  The
delay before he’d answered had been agony.  Then she’d seen him in his dressing
gown and known she could not leave.  Could not be a coward.

She could feel his hardness pressed against her. 
She’d never felt anything like it.  None of the men she’d ever had an interest
in would have done something this passionate.  She hadn’t wanted them to.  But
this was overwhelming in its intensity.  In its heat. 

She moved against him on instinct and her moan came
at the same time as his.  He broke the kiss, then ran his lips down her neck. 
Her nipples were hard and felt abraded even by the soft silk of her gown.  He
cupped her breast and she gasped.

Perhaps misinterpreting the sound, he pulled back. 
He had to tug just a bit to break her hold on his back.  “Did I scare you?” he
asked.

“No, I…” she could not find the words for what she
wanted to say.

“Forgive me…”

“No!”

“No?”  Now he looked truly worried.  “I am so sorry,
my lady.”

“My name is Evelyn.  I am only sorry you stopped,
Joseph.  I was just…surprised when you put your hand on my…”  She was thankful
the dim light hid her vivid blush.

“I should not have done so,” he said, backing away.

“But I am so very glad you did.”  Where had this
bold hussy come from?

That stopped him.  But she’d never seen anyone look
so haunted.

“Evelyn, this is wrong.  You are a lady and I have
been sent here to protect you.”

“I have never felt safer.”

“Yet, I pose a threat to you.  I wanted to… I still
want to…”

“Then let us do so.”

She raised her lips to his as she pulled him closer
to her.  She’d never had six feet of muscled man on top of her before and she
liked the way it felt.  But just with him.  Only with him.

He kissed her and the warmth from his lips washed
through her.  It took a moment to realize her legs were feeling a cool breeze,
caused by his pulling her nightrail up. 

“So beautiful,” murmured Joseph, studying what he’d
uncovered.  “I knew you would be.”  He ran his hands up and down her thighs and
she tried to return the favor by touching his chest, though not knowing how to
go about it.