Whirlwind Wedding (38 page)

Trying to keep his head above water until Austin and Elizabeth returned from the Continent was going to prove a daunting task.

A knock sounded at the door. Relieved to have something to contemplate other than the correspond-dence, he called "Come in."

Miles entered. "You wished to see me?"

"Yes. There's something I need to discuss with you."

Miles settled himself in the chair opposite him. "I'm listening."

"This concerns Caroline, and I'll not mince words with you. My sister is in love with you." He sat back and regarded Miles through hooded eyes.

"I'd like to know what you plan to do about it."

Miles grew very still. "Caroline told you she, er, cares for me?"

"No, she hasn't directly
said
so, but she was unable to deny it when I asked her point blank. Good God Miles, even a blind man can see she loves you. I think you'd make an admirable husband for my sister, provided of course, that you hold her in some affection."

Miles tapped his chin, clearly mulling over his words. "And if I don't wish to marry at this time?" he finally asked.

"In that case, I'm certain Austin will entertain other offers for her." He waved his hand over the letters covering the desk. "There's a note somewhere in this monstrous pile from Charles Blankenship. In it he strongly hints that he's considering offering for Caroline." Rising, he laid his hand on Miles's shoulder. "Think about it, my friend," he said then left the room.

The instant he was alone, Miles paced the length of the room, plunging shaking fingers through his hair. Caroline was in love with him! The thought brought his agitated pacing to an abrupt halt. He recalled her melting in his arms, her eager lips seeking his, and his pulse took off at a brisk gallop. A thin film of perspiration broke out on his forehead.
Bloody
hell!

He wasn't ready to get married!
Married,
for God's sake. A lifelong commitment.
Hell no. Not me.
Caroline was lovely, but there were many lovely women in the world.
But none that makes me feel like she does.

He tried to shake off the bothersome inner murmurings that threatened his sacred bachelorhood, but the voice simply would not cease.
Caroline
would give me handsome and strong sons, and daughters as beautiful as their
mother.

Sons? Daughters? Hang it, he was going mad.

He almost ran to the decanters. Pouring himself a generous amount of brandy, he swallowed the potent liquor in a single gulp. He immediately felt better.

Caroline wasn't really in love with him, she was merely infatuated. And he was attracted to her only because she was so unlike the other women he knew. Why, the only thing he needed was to leave this blasted house and engage in a good sexual romp. Slamming down his empty glass, he headed toward the door.

Just as he entered the foyer he heard Carters speaking to someone.

"I'm so sorry, Lord Blankenship, but his grace isn't in at the moment,"

Carters intoned in a deep monotone.

Miles skidded to a halt.
Blankenship.
He must be here to offer for Caroline. And Robert had said that Austin would entertain offers . . .

"I say, are you quite certain?" Lord Blankenship asked. "I sent a note around several days ago advising him of my arrival this afternoon. Surely he was expecting me."

"He was called away rather suddenly—"

"I'll handle this, Carters," Miles broke in, walking to the door. "His grace gave me a message to deliver to Lord Blankenship."

Carters bowed and left the two men alone. Miles turned to Lord Blankenship and gave him a frosty smile. "Blankenship."

"Always a pleasure to see you, Eddington."

Ten minutes later, Lord Blankenship no longer thought it was a pleasure to see Miles. With his handkerchief pressed to his bleeding nose, Lord Blankenship stalked angrily from the drawing room. He saw Caroline in the foyer and brushed past her without a word. Not waiting for Carters to open the door, he jerked it open himself and slammed it after him.

"Good heavens!" Caroline exclaimed to Miles, her eyes wide. "What on earth is wrong with Charles?"

"Charles?
You call him
Charles!"

"Yes, of course. Is he all right? It appeared as if his nose were bleeding."

She looked out the window and watched Lord Blankenship's elegant coach pull away.

"His nose
was
bleeding," Miles confirmed with a great deal of satisfaction.

"How did that happen?"

"There was a bit of a collision, I'm afraid." Grabbing Caroline's arm, he led her down the corridor, all but dragging her along. She had to run to keep up with him.

"What sort of collision? And where are you taking me?"

Miles didn't answer. He just kept walking with grim determination, not pausing until they reached the privacy of Austin's study.

"My goodness, Miles!" she puffed when they finally stopped. Her eyes spit blue sparks at him and she jerked her arm from his grasp. "What on earth has come over you? You're pulling me around and—"

Her indignant words were cut off when his mouth crushed her lips into silence with a kiss.

Caroline wilted against him, her knees turning to water, her anger instantly forgotten as a flood of heat suffused her. She ran her hands up Miles's broad chest and over his shoulders until her fingers tangled in his hair. She didn't know why he was kissing her, but as long as he
was,
she didn't care about the reason.

"Caroline . . ." he whispered in an aching voice several minutes later.

"Look at me."

Clinging to his shoulders for support, she dragged her eyelids open and stared at him, utterly dazed. "Why did you kiss me?" she asked in a shaky voice.

"Because I wanted to."

Her eyes narrowed with sudden suspicion. "You're acting very strangely.

What happened to Charles? You mentioned a collision?"

"Yes. A most unfortunate collision occurred between his face and my fist." "You
punched
Charles?" He nodded.

"What would possess you to do such a thing?" she asked completely staggered.

"The bastard is lucky that is all he got," he said in a voice that resembled a growl. "I should have called him out."

"Called him out?
What on earth did he do?"

"He lied about kissing you. Flat out denied ever having done it, in essence calling you a liar. As if that weren't bad enough, he then had the gall to interrupt me as I defended your honor and tell me that
it was none of
my business''

Caroline swallowed. "Actually, it
is
none of your business."

Smoke all but sizzled from him. "The hell it's not. Not only did he kiss you, then lie about it, but he had the audacity to come here today to
offer
for you. Yes, I definitely should have called him out. He should know better than to offer for another man's woman."

"Charles wanted to offer for me?" she asked in a weak voice. A frown pinched her brows. "What do you mean Charles should know better than to offer for another man's woman? I'm no one's woman."

"You're
my
woman. I think you always have been . . . I was just too blind to see it." To her astonishment, he lowered himself to one knee and took her hands. "Marry me, Caroline."

She was robbed of speech.
Dear God, he's foxed.

Or . . . he was making a cruel jest at her expense. Jerking away from his hands, she turned her back on him. A choked sob escaped her. "How can you possibly joke about something like this?"

He stood and grabbed her shoulders. Turning her around, he gathered her into a tight embrace, burying his face in her hair. "Caroline, darling, this is no jest." He pushed her chin up with his fingers until her teary gaze met his. "I bloodied Blankenship's nose because he dared to touch you. The thought of you with him, or any man for that matter, is completely impossible. I simply cannot allow it. I want you too much for myself."

His solemn eyes regarded her steadily. "I love you, Caroline. I want you to be my wife. Say you'll marry me."

She stared up into his handsome, serious face. If he hadn't been holding on to her, she would have slithered into a boneless heap at his feet. "I'll marry you," she said softly.

"Thank God." He bent his head to kiss her lips, but she pulled back.

"Ummm, Miles?"

He kissed her neck instead. "Yes?"

"Now that you've asked for my hand and I've accepted you won't change your mind will you?"

"Never," he vowed against her neck. He suddenly stilled then raised his head and looked at her, a frown forming between his brows. "Why do you ask?"

She chewed on her lower lip. "Well. . ."

"Well what?"

She drew a deep breath, then blurted "Charles Blankenship never kissed me."

Miles stared at her for long moment. "He never kissed you?"

She shook her head. "No." "You mean you—"

"Made it up. To make you jealous." She stared up at him, waiting for his reaction.
Please, God, don't make me sorry I told him the truth. I just don't want
a lie between us.

He frowned. "It worked."

"It did? You were jealous?"

"I wanted to kill the bastard. Now I suppose I shall let him live— provided he never comes near you again."

"After that bloody nose you gave him, I'm sure he never will." She rested her palms against his chest. "Are you angry?"

He pulled her against him and cupped her face between his hands.

"Angry? Hardly. You've accepted my proposal. Now, if you'd cease chattering long enough for me to kiss you, I'd be a very happy man indeed."

"I won't say another word."

"Excellent. But before you stop talking, you could tell me you love me."

"I love you," she whispered, rising up on tiptoes and pressing herself against him.

A groan rumbled in his throat. "I hope you don't want a long engagement."

Heaving a blissful sigh, Caroline wound her arms around his neck. "Not at all. In case you haven't noticed whirlwind weddings run in the family."

Elizabeth stared at the child. She tried to draw a breath into her lungs, but the room was bereft of air. The girl's dark hair, her gray eyes, her age registered in Elizabeth's mind with an instant click of recognition.

This was the child from her vision.

Realization slammed into her with such force she felt light-headed.

Claudine was the child's mother, which meant William . . .
William
was her father. Not Austin.

The child in danger was
this
child. Josette.
Not my child.
And she'd saved her from the danger.
Austin's words in the vision . . . his desolation, they were
because hed thought he d lost
me.

William and Claudine walked in and smiled at Elizabeth. Tugging lightly on the child's hand, they approached Elizabeth. "We're so happy you are awake," William said. "There is so much to talk about, but most important, we must thank you for saving our daughter Josette's life."

In a daze, Elizabeth held out her hand. Josette shyly placed her small palm on Elizabeth's. Joy instantly suffused Elizabeth. Nothing but joy radiated from this child. No danger. No death. The threat was over. The relief sweeping through her left her faint.

Austin knelt beside the bed. "Elizabeth, are you all right? You look pale."

She tore her gaze from the little girl and stared at him. With an effort, she dragged a ragged breath into her lungs and moistened her dust dry lips.

Reaching out, she grasped his hands. "Austin. Josette . . .
she
is the child I saw in my vision."

For several heartbeats he simply stared at her. In a low voice he asked, "You mean the child you saw dying—"

"Was Josette. But she didn't die. We saved her. And it was
William s
child.

Not ours." Tears pooled in her eyes, spilling over to wet her cheeks. "Not ours."

"Not ours?" he repeated, his eyes dazed. But then he frowned and lowered his voice further. "Do you mean that Josette is in danger?"

"No. The danger is over. Josette is fine."

"She's fine. And there's no danger to
our
child?"

"None."

He briefly squeezed his eyes shut, then brought their joined hands to his lips. "My God, Elizabeth." He swallowed audibly. "Does that mean what I think it means?"

"It means we're free. Free to love and bear our children without that horrible fear hanging over us."

"Elizabeth. . ." Leaning forward, he kissed her with aching tenderness.

She squeezed his hand and images flooded her mind. She tried to push them away, desperate not to see anything bad, anything that might ruin this moment. But the picture that formed in her mind stole the breath from her lungs.

With crystal clarity she saw herself and Austin, standing close together in a field of wildflowers, their eyes filled with loving promise. He held his hand out to her.
I love you, Elizabeth.

The image faded leaving a well of warmth and bemused wonder in its wake.

He leaned back and studied her face. "What did you see?"

"You and me . . . it was a vision of love. And happiness."

"Happiness."

"Yes." A joyous smile rose from her heart. "It is an American word that means 'heavenly bliss.'"

He brought their clasped hands to his lips. "It is also an English word that means 'you and I loving each other for the rest of our lives.'"

She looked into his eyes and immediately knew he was right.

Austin paced the length of the drawing room, raking his fingers through his hair. The doctor had been with Elizabeth for over an hour. How the hell long did it take to remove the dressing on her shoulder and determine if she was fully recovered? They'd been home for a month. Surely that was enough time for her injury to have completely healed.