Page 59 of Tempting Harriet

“I’m sorry,” she said, trying to move away from him. “I told you at the start that I lacked experience. I had known only an elderly and sickly husband, who gave me love in plenty but none of your e-expertise.”

“You see?” he said, his voice so low that it was more like a caress than spoken words. “It was not what I wanted,Harriet. I wanted to give you love in plenty. Instead I gaveyou sexual expertise. And we both know where and withwhom I learned that.”

“Do-on’t.” Her voice was a wail as she buried her face again. “Don’t, Archie. You do not know how vulnerable Iam. My heart is already breaking. Don’t destroy me.”

“Why is it breaking?” he asked. “Tell me. Put it into words.”

“You know very well,” she said, pounding the sides of her fists twice against his chest. “Don’t torment me. Youknow very well.”

“I hope so,” he said. “Will you let me make amends for two abortive attempts, Harriet? Will you marry me, mylove?”

The endearment more than the offer turned her weak at the knees. “The duchess—” she said.

“—sent me here with her blessing,” he said. “I was coming anyway, Harriet, but I was glad when she approved. She will love you dearly for the rest of her life, you know,if you will but present me with a boy within the year.”

“Oh, Archie.” Her breath was going as well as her knees.

“I will love you for the rest of my life even if you never do,” he said. “Or if you present me with ten daughters instead. Will you marry me?”

“Susan—”

“—is in a fair way to capturing my heart,” he said. “She has all her mother’s wiles. I don’t stand a chance. And I dobelieve that if I can learn to howl like a wolf instead ofgrowling like a hound, I may be able to capture her hearttoo. Will you let me try? Will you let me be a father to her,Harriet? Will you marry me?”

“Archie,” she said.

“Yes, love?”

But she could only repeat his name.

“You have become dreadfully inarticulate,” he said. “Shall I kiss you while you think of something to say?”

“Archie,” she said.

“I usually babble when I am nervous,” he said. “Though I do not remember being nervous with anyone but you,Harriet. It is not at all manly, and definitely not ducal. I’mgoing to kiss you.”

She lifted her face to his and closed her eyes as his mouth came down on hers, open. Her knees had gone andher breath. Her wits followed suit, and she clung to him,her arms about his neck, her mouth opening to the push ofhis tongue. Finally all her defenses went, completely, without a trace, beyond recall.

And then the silver eyes were looking down into hers. “It is very flattering for a man to see such vacancy in the eyesof the woman he has just kissed,” he said. “Shall I be quiteunscrupulous and press the advantage? Will you marryme?”

“Yes,” she said.

“Yes, I should press the advantage?” He raised his eyebrows.

She smiled at him. “Archie,” she said, “you are foolish sometimes.”

He gazed into her eyes, and she could see that at some time during that kiss all his defenses had come down too.She could see vulnerability, yearning, and something elsein them.

“I love you,” she said. “I have always loved you.”

“Ah,” he said, “confession time at last. I lust after you, Harriet. I always have. I did not realize until I had satisfiedthat lust that I craved far more. You have created a hungerin me that only you will be able to satisfy until my dyingday. It is a hunger for love. To receive it. And to give it.”

“Archie,” she said.

“Next week,” he said. “Special license. We have to start working on that boy without further delay, Harriet. Or onthose ten girls. Or on all eleven if you wish. Ah, my love,you will never know quite what that blush does to myheartbeat.”

“Perhaps,” she said, “we should go back to the house and tell Susan. And Clara and Freddie.”

“And back to London to tell my grandmother and AuntSophie,”he said. “We had better prepare to have all the breath squeezed from our bodies by Aunt Sophie and probably every bone ground to powder too. The mind cringesfrom the prospect. But none of it can be done in the immediate future, Harriet. My boots and my coat will be damaged beyond redemption if they are taken out into this rainagain. It looks as if it might stop—in about an hour’s time,would you say? About teatime? What can we do to whileaway a tedious hour, do you suppose?”

She laughed and rested her forehead against him again. “I cannot imagine,” she said. “But I am sure you will thinkof something, Archie.”

“I have a mind to find out what it is like to, ah, unite uswhen it is more than just a physical thing,” he said. “Whenit is done for love as well as for pleasure. Would you careto oblige me? It is something that cannot be done alone,after all.”

“Archie,” she said.

He tutted. “Inarticulate again?” he said. “May I take that one word as assent? I am going to take it as assent. Liftyour face to me again, love, and let us get started. An hourdoes not seem so long a time, does it?”

She lifted her face.

“Ah, my sweet little blusher,” he said, looking closely and fondly into her face before covering her mouth with hisonce more.