The Desires of a Countess (27 page)

Tabitha frowned at her as she
crossed the room to take a seat beside Sarah. Now the two mothers
faced off as a common, formidable front. “That won’t solve this and
you know it. Although you’re a widow and might be granted more
leeway in this kind of situation, this was a very public tryst.
And
very
soon
after Henry’s death.”

Ginny waved away the words with one hand. “I don’t
care.”

Her eyes trailed over to Simon. Why wasn’t he
arguing their side with her? Instead he was very quiet and had a
look of contemplation on his handsome face. And there was something
in his eyes, even the black one, that reminded her of Westdale
before they’d left for London.

“Our mothers are correct,” he said quietly as he
finally met her stare.

She tilted her head with a sigh. “Simon, don’t you
start.”

A shake of his head was his response. Rising from
the couch, he stepped toward her. “I made a promise to protect you
and to protect Jack’s future. What we’ve done has put both those
things at risk.”

“This has nothing to do with Jack.” Her tone was
louder and sharper than she intended it to be and echoed in the
quiet room.

Simon slammed his palm down on the side table. “This
has everything to do with Jack!”

The world around them faded as he stalked even
closer. For a moment she forgot the other two people in the room
and focused only on him.

“Damn it,” he continued. “Look at my history and
you’ll know that is true. One parent’s fall can harm a child’s
chances in your world. You know that! Stop pretending you don’t or
that this can be swept away like it was nothing.”

“I know very well that what is happening between us
is very far from nothing,” she said, purposefully dropping her
voice though the heat still remained. “But what would you have me
do to repair this so-called damage I’ve done, Simon?”

Tabitha stood up before Simon could
answer. “Marry him. The two of you obviously have passion enough to
make it work. And it would take care of most of the rumors. It
might even make you popular amongst the
ton
. They do like a romance under the
right circumstances.”

Heat rushed to Ginny’s cheeks and she found herself
staring, gape-mouthed at her mother. “You must be jesting.”

“No, actually, I’m not.” Tabitha shrugged. She
turned to Sarah. “Mrs. Webber, I think our children are correct.
They are all grown up and don’t need their mothers’ help to solve
their problems.”

Sarah laughed. “You mean they’re too bull-headed to
take our advice anyway?”

“Exactly.” Tabitha arched an eyebrow at her
daughter. “I interfered in your life once, my dear. I won’t make
that mistake again. But I do recommend you think of a better
response than running from London. For Jack’s sake.”

With that, the two women linked arms and strolled
from the room. Ginny let out a gasp of exasperation as the door
shut behind them and she and Simon were alone.

“Can you believe them? Suggesting
you and I
marry
?
Isn’t that the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever heard?”

She spun around to find Simon staring at her with
aqua eyes so intense that they stopped her in her tracks.

“No, Ginny. Actually, it’s not a bad idea.”

Chapter Twenty

“When my brother hit you, did he knock all the sense
from your head?”

Simon smiled at Ginny’s sarcastic question, though
her absolute disbelief that he would mention marriage stung in a
way he didn’t like to admit. Of course, it was nothing compared to
his own shock that he would concur with his mother’s solution.

“My head is fine,” he said.

She gave him a pointed stare. “Then why would you
ever agree with such a ridiculous idea?”

The little sting grew to a sharp stab.

“Is it so ridiculous?” He reached out to her, but
she turned away to look out the window. As he withdrew his hand, he
asked, “Why won’t you even consider it as a possibility?”

She was silent.

“Is it because I’m not of your class?”

With a snort of disagreement she turned back. “You
know me better than that, Simon. Your birthright means nothing to
me. And even if it did, your mother was a member of Society before
her marriage.”

“Then why?”

She let out a long, tired sigh that somehow touched
him to his soul. Everything that had happened to her since his
arrival had exhausted her. Now she only wanted escape, something he
couldn’t give her.

“You are aware of what happened to me before,
Simon,” she whispered. Her fingers trailed to a loose string on the
chaise and she picked at it absently while she refused to meet his
gaze.

He frowned. “If you were my wife, do you really
think I’d behave as my cousin did?”

“No, of course not.” Her eyes came up to his and he
was pleased to see no fear in their depths. “I never would have let
you touch me if I’d thought you were like him in the slightest
way.”

His relief washed over him in a surprising, powerful
wave.

She sighed. “But for four long years I cursed my
marriage. In fact, the only good thing to come out of it was Jack.
When Henry died, I looked forward to controlling my own destiny. To
being able to raise my son my own way and lead my life without
having to ask anyone’s permission.” She dropped her chin. “And now,
less than six months after I’m granted a reprieve, the prison doors
are swinging shut again.”

His eyes narrowed and he snapped out, “Well, at
least it isn’t personal.”

Her lips parted as she stepped
closer to touch his arm. Despite his anger and the surprising pain
that accompanied her words, with a simple touch she soothed him.
“It isn’t.” She shivered. “God knows it isn’t. I don’t want to
marry
anyone
.”

He pulled away. Why was he so out of control? He
didn’t want this anymore than she did, but her rejection hurt and
kept hurting. And it was becoming more than just a sting to his
pride.

“I don’t think we have much choice, Ginny.”

She was silent for a long time. Long enough that
Simon turned to look at her. Her face was twisted in thought and
her eyes narrow. Finally, she glanced up at him. “Do you really
think this is the only way?”

He nodded. “If I could think of another, I
would.”

The fight went out of her expression, replaced by an
unhappy resignation that did nothing to make him feel better. “Then
you’ll have to agree to some rules.”

Simon let out a bitter burst of laughter. Rules for
a marriage. This would be interesting.

With a frown, she said, “I want to live my life. So
you must agree that you won’t go searching through my secrets.”

Simon wrinkled his brow. What secrets? He already
knew about her troubles with Henry and the truth behind her
estrangement from her family. What more was there? What made her
eyes darken with such fear as they were that very moment?

Before he could ask, she continued, “I will also
require that you don’t interfere with the way I raise Jack. In
fact, it might be best if we both go on living our lives the way we
were before we met.”

His questions on the earlier subject faded away,
replaced by shock and anger. “Are you telling me to live a life
away from you? That you wouldn’t want our marriage to be real?”

She winced at his hard words, then dropped her stare
with a slow nod.

“And what of our children? Would you expect me to
stay away from them, as well?”

Her eyes flew to his and her face was a mask of
utter surprise. “You wish to have children with me?”

He drew back. Until he’d said the words out loud,
he’d never considered having children of his own. But he did want
them.

“I have a business to carry on, along with my name.
After all I’ve done to give the Webber name weight and clear it
from my father’s tarnish, I’d like to pass it to a son.”

“Yes, you’ve earned that,” she muttered as she sank
her teeth into her lip in consideration.

“But I wouldn’t allow you to keep me from my sons
and daughters.” He took a step forward to cup her chin and raise
her face to his. In her eyes, strong emotions collided. Fear,
anguish and something else. Something heated that she quickly
covered. “You won’t make me my father’s son in every sense of the
word.”

Her eyes softened and for a brief moment she looked
like the woman he’d nearly made love to a few hours before, not the
harder one denying him now.

“I would
never
do that, Simon. I’d never keep
you from your children should we be lucky enough to have them.” She
covered the hand that cupped her chin with her own. “We would make
arrangements when that time came. But…”

She pulled away slowly and a curious emptiness
filled him. “But?”

“The rest of my terms still stand.” She turned her
back to him but he was sure he heard her mutter, “They must for me
to even consider this solution.”

Taking a few steps toward her, he touched her
shoulders. “Why this change? Earlier tonight you wanted me, why not
now?”

She flinched away. “A marriage has nothing to do
with desire.”

“It could,” he said and found himself believing it
with all his heart. Obviously she didn’t as she walked to the door.
“Ours could.”

She stopped with a sigh. “Not for me. Now I’m tired
and I want to go home and see my little boy. If you’ll excuse
me.”

“Ginny,” he called out. She turned back slowly and
he struggled for something to say. But the emotions roiling in him
were too powerful to share with her at that moment. He let out his
breath. “Is it decided then?”

She nodded. “If this is the only way to protect
Jack’s future, I’ll marry you.”

Then she turned away again and walked out the door.
Simon stared at where she’d stood for a long moment. Emptiness
consumed him. An emptiness he hadn’t felt since the moment he’d met
Virginia Blanchard. An emptiness he finally understood.

He’d just let the woman he loved walk away from
him.

***

“Where were you?” Ginny asked as she wiped away the
tears she’d been crying for over an hour.

Harriet looked up at her with wide green eyes as she
passed by the parlor door. “What in heavens name-?”

“I looked all over for you at the
ball,” Ginny sniffled as she fought to regain her composure. “And I
thought sure when
it
happened you’d come find me, but you never did. What am I
supposed to do now?”

Harriet shed her wrap and came into the parlor where
Ginny sat by the fire having a drink. “Calm down. Just take a few
deep breaths.”

As Ginny did as she’d been told, Harriet sank down
beside her and took her hand. “Now tell me what happened?”

“What happened? You want me to tell you what
happened? Surely you heard all about it!” she cried in
disbelief.

Harriet flushed and withdrew her hands. “No, I
didn’t hear anything. I-I-”

Ginny’s eyes widened. Harriet didn’t know? Perhaps
the gossip hadn’t been so very terrible. Or perhaps… she looked her
friend up and down. She looked disheveled, and not as a person did
after a night of dancing.

Suspicion crept through her. “Weren’t you at the
ball?”

“Of course I was at the ball. Where
would I have been if not at the ball?” Her friend rose to her feet
and crossed to the window. “I heard some rumblings but I was, uh,
chatting with a friend most of the night. An old friend from
childhood. So what was the
ton
talking about?”

Ginny narrowed her eyes. She had doubts about her
friend’s story, but she needed advice more than she needed the
truth. There would be plenty of time for that later.

“Simon and I went to a room in Lady Hornsbey’s
home.” She blushed as the memories overtook her, hot and insistent.
“And we began to… to make love.”

“Virginia Blanchard!” Harriet said, but there was
laughter in her voice along with disbelief. “In a public
place?”

“Yes. A bit too public.” She took in a shuddering
breath. “Cordelia walked in on us and made enough noise to bring in
the entirety of Society to take a peek.” She covered her hot cheeks
with icy hands. “Including Noah, who decided that the entire matter
should be decided by fisticuffs.”

“Well,” Harriet shrugged one shoulder though her
voice was anything but calm. “That’s better than pistols, I
suppose.”

“Not for Simon’s eye.”

“Oh, dear.” Harriet folded her hands in her lap.
“Not the same one, I hope.”

Ginny nodded. “And now the mothers are going on
about our having to marry to save my reputation and preserve Jack’s
chance at a future. And if that isn’t bad enough, Simon agrees. So
I’m going to-”

Her friend’s eyes went impossibly
wide. “Wait! Simon
agrees
?”

Ginny flopped herself into a chair. “Unfortunately,
yes. He thinks we should marry. And I was too stunned to formulate
an alternate plan.”

“So you said yes?” Impossibly wide grew painfully
wide.

“Close your mouth, I said I’d get married, not that
I’d agree to lead the His Majesties Army.”

“One is almost as shocking as the other.” Harriet
shook her head. “I think I need a drink.”

“Make another one for me, too,” Ginny said. She
rubbed her eyes as her friend went to do just that. “I didn’t know
what to do. So I told him I’d marry him only if he stayed away. And
then he started talking about having children together and
everything seemed so blurry and-and-” Her bravado broke down and
the sting of renewed tears pricked her eyes.