She waited while Arabella rang for refreshments and returned to her chair, then said lightly, “Whether or not you decide to marry Marcus, I hope we may be friends.”
Arabella smiled with true pleasure. “I would like that very much…although I doubt Lady Beldon will approve.”
“Don’t worry about Aunt Beatrix,” Eleanor assured her. “I will deal with her. Please say you will visit me in London.”
“I would be pleased to. I rarely have the chance to come to town except to chaperone our pupils-an occasional outing to let them practice being in society.”
“Then perhaps you can bring them to my aunt’s house for tea.”
“They would be in raptures over such an invitation,” Arabella said honestly.
“And I do hope you will give careful consideration to my brother’s marriage proposal-” When Arabella gave her a warning look, Eleanor held up her hands. “But I shall say no more on the subject for now. So tell me about your academy. I find it fascinating that you would take so bold a step.”
For the next hour, Arabella explained the workings of the school and answered Eleanor’s numerous questions, and then gladly accepted when she offered to help with the academy in any way possible. For the remainder of her visit, Eleanor steered clear of any further mention of her brother, and when she took her leave, merely reminded Arabella of her promise to visit.
Arabella was relieved not to have to defend her position any further. Last night her distress at seeing Marcus’s beautiful mistress had cured her of any idiocy in thinking she might be prepared to risk her heart again. But it was not a subject she felt comfortable discussing with a relative stranger like Marcus’s sister, no matter how charming and delightful she found Eleanor.
She couldn’t even discuss the matter with her own sisters, for then she might have to confess how she had willingly succumbed to Marcus’s seduction. Perhaps her surrender had been inevitable, Arabella reflected, given his potent powers of persuasion. And admittedly she was glad that he had awakened her to passion. But her wanton behavior was the worst sort of example for her virginal sisters.
Moreover, she would have to justify to them why she was recklessly courting the danger of scandal by sharing their guardian’s bed.
She would also find it hard to explain to them the yearning Marcus stirred in her. Not just the physical desire, which alone was beguiling, but the longing to unlock the mysteries of womanhood. By remaining a spinster for the rest of her life, she would miss the vital experiences most other women enjoyed-husbands, lovers, children. Her last few days with Marcus was her one chance to explore a wondrous world she normally would only be able to dream of.
Tess might understand her conflicting feelings, but Arabella wasn’t inclined to burden her friend with such private confidences when Tess was only just now getting over her sorrow at losing her betrothed to war.
No, Arabella decided, it would be much better to keep her affair with Marcus secret.
Avoiding her siblings, however, proved impossible. When Arabella attended the academy that afternoon, Roslyn and Lily caught her daydreaming about her magical night with Marcus. As soon as the class ended, they drew her into a private parlor to question her.
“What is wrong, Arabella?” Roslyn asked in obvious concern. “You were distracted all during your lesson on deportment, and there are circles beneath your eyes.”
“Are there?” she asked, feigning nonchalance. “I suppose I got too little sleep last night, since we returned from London rather late.” When Lily eyed her with a frown, Arabella added cheerfully, “I am perfectly well.”
“You don’t look it,” Lily replied bluntly. “And you have been extremely secretive of late. You told us you were to attend the theater with Lord Danvers, but you said nothing about meeting his sister and aunt or his noble friends. We had to rely on Winifred to learn of it.”
&n
bsp; Roslyn’s tone was more gentle. “Winifred also said there was a contretemps between you and the earl last night.”
“So what happened?” Lily asked.
“Nothing of any consequence.” Except that I wound up in Marcus’s bed and relished every moment of it.
“Then why are your cheeks so flushed?”
With effort, Arabella refrained from raising her hand to her warm cheeks; the true cause of her distraction was not a proper subject for her sisters’ tender ears.
“Lord Danvers and I had a disagreement about our future,” she prevaricated. “He still believes he can persuade me to accept his marriage proposal, and I was simply setting him straight on the matter.”
Both her sisters frowned as they scrutinized her intently. “Should we be worried for you, Arabella?” Roslyn asked.
“Whatever for?”
Roslyn searched her face. “We are concerned that you are becoming too susceptible to the earl. That you may be growing overly fond of him.”
“Yes,” Lily explained. “We fear you will let yourself fall in love with him, and he will break your heart just like that blackguard Underwood did.”
Arabella felt her cheeks flush further. “You needn’t worry. I have no intention of falling in love with the earl.”