Merry Christmas, My Love

“Can I come in and speak with you for a minute?” She was obviously very upset, and the only thing he could think of was last night. He needed to hold her, assure her all was well, and he—God help him—had fallen in love with her.

“No. I need to sleep. As you can see, I am fine. I do not need a doctor. Good night.” She closed the door, turned the lock, and he soon heard the sound of a heavy piece of furniture being dragged in front of the door.

Stunned into silence, he headed to his room.

Gasping from the effort of shoving the heavy table in front of the door, Merry slid down the wall and hugged herself, the sound of Penrose’s receding footsteps a wound to her heart. Why had he come? A man about to offer a betrothal to one woman, should not seek to enter the room of another.

Unless he expected to continue what they’d done last night? She sat up, her jaw slack. Did he intend to marry Miss Jennings, and have Merry for a mistress? Of course. Thus his comment about having plans for her and seeing her settled elsewhere.

All the agony of the past hour segued into anger. How dare the man! He intended to set her up in another house where he could visit her whenever he chose. He was by far the most vile, arrogant, miserable excuse for a human being she’d ever met. He would marry one woman, then break his marriage vows with another. Well, he would certainly get a piece of her mind the next time she saw him.

She embraced the anger that kept her misery at bay. When the man made his indecent proposal to her, she would box his ears back and walk away with her head held high and her pride intact.

Unlike my innocence, which is long gone.

Chapter 10

The next morning, Penrose entered the breakfast room and scowled. “Where is Miss Chambers?”

His mother looked up from her place at the table, nibbling a piece of toast. “Here and gone.”

“What do you mean?”

“She was finishing up her breakfast when I arrived. I had several things for her to do in town this morning, so she set out early.”

He took in a large breath and pulled out a chair. “How long will she be gone?”

“My, you’re full of questions this morning.” She shot him a curious look.

Penrose shrugged. No point in making his mother suspicious. “No matter. I only wondered how she felt this morning, considering her illness last evening.”

His mother frowned. “Actually, she was rather quiet and pale, but she said her head felt better.”

A sense of relief filled him, but given Merry’s strange behavior when he went to her room last night, he wouldn’t feel completely relaxed until he saw her. Still confused by her actions and her obvious distraught state, all he wanted to do was gather her close and take away all her fear. For it must certainly had been fear that plagued her. As an innocent, she must surely have conflicting feelings about their lovemaking.

Hopefully she wouldn’t take it into her mind that he would make love to her and not propose marriage. Perhaps she was under the impression he would ask for her hand only because he’d taken her innocence. His gut tightened in frustration. He needed to talk to her. Now.

“Good morning, Your Grace.” Miss Jennings swept into the room, her head held high as if she were the duchess. She nodded in his mother’s direction. “Good morning to you as well, Your Grace.”

Penrose stood, then held out a chair for her. She blushed and settled herself. “I’m so looking forward to tonight’s festivities.” She batted her eyelashes at him.

Good Lord. His brother had been correct. It appeared Miss Jennings was smitten with him. More likely his money and title. He recalled the meeting with her yesterday afternoon to assess his wards’ progress in their studies. At the time, his thoughts were so consumed with Merry, he never paid attention to the governess’s actions.

Considering the disdain she held for his future duchess, things would definitely run smoother if he helped her secure another position. As soon as Merry accepted his offer, he would begin searching among his acquaintances for a suitable place for Miss Jennings.

But now his attention totally focused on his soon-to-be betrothed. The passion in her, just waiting to be unleashed, brought the blood racing to his groin. A small taste of her the other night had left him craving more. Their engagement would have to be very short, lest the future Duke of Penrose make an appearance too soon after their wedding vows. He chuckled.

Never had he envisioned a woman would so possess him that he would change his mind not only about marrying, but throwing the business arrangement part of it out the window.

“Your Grace?” Miss Jennings questioned him.

Pulling himsel

f back to his surroundings, he glanced at her. “Yes?”

“I said, do you imagine this will be the first of many balls at Penrose Hall?”

He stared at her, running her words through his brain, still trying to figure out what she asked him. And where the devil was Merry? Why wasn’t she the one sitting here next to him, smiling, and asking about future balls? He shook his head, years of training taking over. “I’m sure my mother will enjoy planning many more festivities in the future.”