Serena

“My affection for her had been too damaged, and it was never my style to trespass on another man’s wife.”

“That is … quite commendable,” Serena said admiringly. “However, the horrible woman made you a cynic. That is too bad.”

“Perhaps she did. I am not quite certain, however, that I am as jaded about your gender as you suspect.” He sighed and then gave her a quick look. “It is my hope that Freddy won’t go through a similar experience. He is far more innocent than I was at his age and less equipped to handle it.”

“You underestimate your nephew,” Serena said simply.

He frowned at her, and she wondered at it. What had she said to make him look so suddenly grim?

“You, Miss Moorely, are a contradiction of yourself.”

She laughed. “You may call me Serena, and am I? Whatever do you mean? I am myself at all times.”

“Are you? Tell me, for I am curious. Freddy, you must have noticed, is vying for your affection with Warren and the reverend and I suppose countless others. What must he think is his chance against these more mature and experienced gentlemen?”

She laughed. “He thinks they are too old for me.”

His lordship grinned. “He is still such a boy. Look how he rode off in a pet because you decided to ride in the curricle with me, instead of on horseback beside him.”

She sighed. “At nineteen, for that is what he is although he is forever telling me he is nearly twenty, one still takes a pet when one is overly displeased and can do nothing about it. It is natural.”

He looked at her as though studying her intently but was halted from any other comments as Sir Jasper rode up to the open carriage and pointed out, “Look, a small herd of deer.”

The deer jumped and pranced through the thick of the woods, catching everyone’s attention as they crossed the far field.

Serena clapped her hands together. “Oh lovely!” She couldn’t help but feel that this had been a delightful morning—nearly the best she had had in weeks. Her uncle was on the mend, the weather was exceptional, and she was sitting with a man whom she had begun to love with every fiber of her being. Yes, he was a bit of a mystery, but one that she wanted dearly to unravel.

“You know you are ravishing … you must know that,” he said suddenly as his eyes devoured her.

“Must I know that?” She arched a look at him and wished they were alone. Would he have kissed her if they were alone?

He answered her as though reading her mind. “If I could send the outriders to perdition, I would, for a chance to kiss those luscious lips of yours.”

“And what should I say to such boldness?” she attempted to tease, but her voice was breathless and, she knew, inviting.

“Yes, you would say yes …”

~ Nine ~

YES, YOU WOULD say yes kept reverberating in her mind. It was true. If he had tried to kiss her, she would have unabashedly reciprocated. She hadn’t felt this way since she was years younger and infatuated with Warren. No, wait. She hadn’t felt this way, even then.

Infatuated with Warren, giggling and joking with her friends as they confided in one another, she had dreamed of kissing Warren. When he had finally kissed her, she remembered it had not quite met her expectations. They had kissed any number of times after that, and she had announced to one of her friends, Cecilia, that kissing didn’t really excite her. Cecilia had just gotten married a few months before and was her ‘confidante’ on such matters.

Cecilia had laughed to say, “Well then, either he is a very poor kisser … or you don’t really want him.”

“Did you want your husband, er … in a sensual way before you were married?” she had asked, for she was nineteen at the time and worried that something might be wrong with her.

“Oh yes, Serena—don’t you remember what I told you when I first saw him?” She giggled.

“Yes,” she had answered on a laugh. “You said you were ready to throw off your clothes and have at him.”

“Precisely. That is something you have to feel. I think it is very important.” She smiled. “And, Serena, we did quite a bit more than kiss before our wedding day.”

“Cecilia!” Serena had exclaimed, both curious and surprised. “And here I was thinking you were the responsible and staid one between us.”

“Love drives … er … lust, and those things don’t mesh with prim and proper, Serena. Besides, prim and proper never did for me, and you? Oh my Serena, they would never do for you.”

Those words tickled her brain now. Love—and everything that went with it were things that had all charged into her brain and made a mess of her logic when she looked at Daniel Pendleton.