Читать книгу Every Night I'm Yours - Christie Kelley - Страница 13

The rest of the week flew by in a rush of activities for Avis. However, there was still one item she had not completed before she left with Selby. She had yet to speak with Sophie about prevention. Avis dreaded this conversation but understood she couldn’t bring a child into this world, especially without a father. Or more importantly, with her as the child’s mother. With her resolve strengthened, she knocked on the door to Sophie’s home.

“Yes, Miss Copley?”

“Is Miss Reynard at home, Taylor?”

The grandfatherly butler smiled at her. “I am certain she is. Come inside and wait in the drawing room.”

While Avis liked stronger, vivid colors in her own home, Sophie loved pastels. The drawing room was a pale green with lovely jonquil curtains. She sat in a moss colored chair while she waited for Sophie.

“Avis? What are you doing here today?”

Sophie entered the room smelling of a floral breeze. Her dress swirled around her legs as she turned to sit on the settee.

“I need to speak with you privately,” Avis said, staring at the open door.

“Taylor, please bring us some tea and close this door.”

“Yes, ma’am.” The door instantly shut, bringing them into a cocoon of privacy.

“Now, what do you need?”

Avis shifted uncomfortably in her seat. It was best to get this over with. “I need you to tell me what you know about prevention.”

Sophie’s black brows rose in question. “I thought Mr. Billingsworth was unavailable?”

“He is.”

“Oh. And I suppose you have no plans to give me any more information than that?”

“Exactly,” Avis said with a little grin.

“All right, I believe I understand,” Sophie replied in a knowing tone.

Avis only hoped Sophie didn’t know what Avis had planned or with whom. Sophie waited while the footman brought in the tea. Once he left and the door was firmly shut behind him again, she began. “My mother told me about two methods of prevention. The first is a small sponge with a string attached to it. The sponge must be soaked in vinegar then inserted into…” Sophie’s face brightened with color. “You do know where?”

“Yes, I believe I do,” Avis replied, feeling her own face flare with heat.

“However, this method will not work until after the first time.”

“Why is that?”

“Oh dear, you do understand what happens between a man and a woman?”

Avis looked away. She knew the rudiments of the act, but nothing further.

“Avis?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Your virginity will be in the way until this man rids you of it.”

“Of course,” Avis replied. She wondered how much that would hurt.

Her face must have given her away as Sophie said, “Don’t worry, you shall be fine. It’s only the first time, or so my mother said. After that, if you have a good man, he will make certain you feel pleasure too.” Sophie spoke with all the confidence of a virgin daughter of an actress.

Would Selby be a good man? Avis certainly hoped so. “What is the second method, Sophie?”

Sophie’s cheeks blotched with color. “The man must withdraw his p—penis before he—he, ahh…explodes.”

Explodes? A man explodes while making love? She really needed to learn more about all this.

“Are you all right, Avis? You look a bit peaked.”

“Do you think it hurts when he…he explodes?” Thinking back to the book she’d read, the men always seemed to find great pleasure in the act.

Sophie frowned. “I doubt it. Why would men always want to do something that hurt?”

“But what about for the woman?”

“Well, based on the noises my mother made, she enjoyed it…or was a better actress than I thought.”

That was certainly something to think about. “Thank you for your time, Sophie. I have a few more errands to run. Do you know where I might find these sponges you talked about?”

“My mother made sure I had plenty. I believe she expected me to follow in her footsteps. I must be a great disappointment to her,” she said with a chuckle. “Wait here and I’ll bring you a few.”

Sophie left to retrieve them from her special cache of prevention secrets. Avis sipped her tea in thought. She had never been one to act out of impulse. Yet it seemed as if she’d lost control of everything since agreeing to Selby’s kiss in her cousin’s study. She should have walked away while she had the chance. Although, she wondered if Selby would have blackmailed her even without his intoxicating kiss, just to get his way.

“Here you are.” Sophie handed her a small, wrapped bundle.

Unable to contain her curiosity, Avis opened the package to find five small sponges with red thread attached. “Five?”

“Wash them out after each use, but make sure they stay inside you for at least eight hours after he…”

“Explodes?” Avis supplied for her, then giggled.

“Yes,” Sophie shook her head and laughed. “I cannot believe I had this conversation with you. I always expected it would be Jennette first.”

Knowing Jennette’s impulsive personality, she nodded. “Me too.”

“Have a care, Avis. Lord Selby is a gentleman and the perfect choice for you, but he might want more out of this affair than you wish to give.”

Avis’s mouth gaped open. “How did you know it was Selby?”

Sophie smiled as her eyes glazed over, as Avis had seen many times when Sophie experienced one of her visions. Avis wished she could see what her friend saw.

Sophie blinked. “The man I have seen for you has dark hair and is very strong, in other words, the exact opposite of Mr. Billingsworth. Plus, I arrived at your home first last week. I noticed Selby’s carriage driving away and made the assumption that you had changed your mind. For the better, I might add.”

“You mustn’t—”

Sophie hugged her tight. “I would never tell Jennette or anyone else about this. Just have a care.”

“I shall at that.” Avis pulled away from Sophie. “Can you tell me what else you see for my future?”

Sophie closed her gray eyes and smiled fully. “You shall be very happy.”

“Any more specific information?”

“No. If I tell you more you shall do everything in your power to thwart your future.”

Avis frowned. “Why would I do that?”

“Because it may not be what you think will bring you happiness.”

With those mysterious words, Avis left, pondering her future and what would bring her such happiness.

Where was she?

Banning glanced around the grounds of the Wayside Inn once more. He had arrived nearly two hours ago and night would be falling soon. She should have joined him by now. His thoughts ran to the obvious—she had changed her mind.

He kicked a small pebble toward the road. He should have called on her before leaving town. It might have been best if he’d skipped the rest of Parliament, allowing them to leave earlier in the week before she had the chance to change her mind. But he could not neglect his responsibilities. He blew out a breath and kicked another stone.

What if she had decided to go away with Billingsworth? The man was a complete cad and scoundrel. The man would take whatever Avis offered and leave her alone and pregnant or worse, alone and battered. He looked up at the sound of gravel crunching under the wheels of a plain black carriage.

“Lord Selby, what a surprise to see you here,” Avis said, stepping down from her carriage. “Is your sister with you?”

He turned at the soft sound of her lilting voice. “No, Jennette is still in town, Miss Copley.”

Her coachman frowned. “Ma’am, I know it is not my place, but I would never forgive myself if some harm came to you—”

“We have been over this many times, Smith. Lady Elizabeth may even be here already.”

“Still, we should wait to make certain.”

Avis glanced over at Banning. “Lord Selby is here. Lady Jennette’s brother would never let any harm come to me.”

Banning took his cue. “Of course not, Miss Copley. Actually, I do believe Lady Elizabeth arrived a short while ago and now rests in her room.”

“Thank you, my lord,” she replied with a slight nod. “There, it is settled. You may take my valise up to my room and then depart. I shall be home in a fortnight.”

“As you wish, ma’am.” The coachman gave Banning a look that said he knew exactly what had just transpired. He took the large valise down and carried it inside.

Banning released a long held breath. He looked around but noticed no one familiar to him. “You’re late,” he whispered harshly.

“Your darling sister paid me a visit this morning. Perhaps if you had prevented the call, I would have been on time.”

“Where are the rest of your things?” he said, now irritated with both himself for getting angry, and Jennette for delaying her.

“Smith took my bag inside already.”

“That’s all you need for two weeks?” He’d expected a trunk, or two. His sister rarely traveled without two trunks, sometimes even three.

“I didn’t believe I would need that much. Unless you have a ball or soiree planned that I wasn’t aware of?”

He smiled at her cheeky tone. “No. Ever practical, Avis, bringing only what you need. We shall stay the night and continue on in the morning.”

“Very well.” She started to walk to the inn. “Goodnight, then.”

So much for starting their liaison tonight. Then again, Chelmsford was a much larger town than where they would stop tomorrow night. There was far more chance of being seen here. He would have to wait until they reached Stowmarket.

“We could have supper together?” he asked, surprising himself.

She stopped and turned toward him with a frown. “I hardly think that would be wise, my lord.”

Perhaps not. “Still, you do need to eat.”

“I will have a tray sent up.”

Damn. “Tomorrow we shall dine together.”

“We shall see about that,” she replied with a smile and then opened the door to the inn.

Banning blew out a frustrated breath as she slipped inside the inn. He had hoped to have some time alone with her even if it was just a quiet conversation over dinner. Anything to get to know his future wife better.

Banning awoke before dawn and ordered a large basket of breakfast items to be packed. By leaving early and eating on the road, they could get to Stowmarket before nightfall. And he had great plans for tonight. He glanced around the hallway before knocking on her door.

Nothing.

“Avis,” he whispered. He heard a groan from in the room. “Wake up. We need to leave. I shall wait for you downstairs.”

He waited for an answer but only received another groan in reply. His coachman had readied the carriage by the time he walked back downstairs. After another fifteen minutes, Avis strolled out of the doorway, yawning, and then clamored into his carriage. Leaving before the sun rose afforded them the most privacy.

“I had them pack us a breakfast.”

She nodded but did not look terribly happy with the prospect of eating in the carriage. Or perhaps it was the idea of eating with him.

“Are you ready?”

Her brown eyes looked away from him and clouded with apprehension. “I believe I am.”

They departed in silence. Avis looked out the window as they headed east toward Southwold. He could only see the profile of her heart-shaped face, but he didn’t need to look at her. He knew her face like his own.

She’d dressed in her usual conservative fashion. The neckline of her high-waisted, sage gown was cut so high that barely the hollow of her slender neck showed. He closed his eyes and imagined her in the emerald dress she’d worn the night of her cousin’s party. He would never forget how beautiful she looked that evening.

“Selby?” she whispered.

He blinked and smiled at the confusion on her face. “Yes?”

“I didn’t mean to wake you—”

“You didn’t. In truth, I was remembering you the night of your cousin’s party.”

“Why?”

“Because you looked more beautiful than I had ever seen you, Avis.”

She swallowed visibly.

He loved watching her face as she realized just how much he wanted her. Her brown eyes widened and a pale rosy color tinted her cheeks.

“Selby—”

“I think you should call me Banning.”

“Right. Banning, we need to come to some agreements about this…this affair.”

What was she up to now? “Agreements?”

“Yes. I cannot get—get pregnant. I brought some personal items that should prevent that from happening, but I was told I can’t use them the first time.”

“What exactly do you want me to do, Avis?”

Her cheeks flushed bright red with embarrassment. “I—I need you to…”

“Yes?” he prompted, hiding the smile that threatened to give him away.

“To withdraw your p—pe—”

“Ahh, I think I understand,” he interrupted to stop her stammering.

“Good. Then you will do the appropriate thing the first time?”

“I shall do whatever you wish me to.” He stared at her until she understood his sensual meaning. Crooking his finger, he said, “Come here.”

She shook her head. “I don’t believe that is a good idea.”

“You want to learn about passion, don’t you?”

“Yes,” she squeaked. “But not in a carriage where the coachman might hear and people passing might see and—”

“I have no plans to make love with you in a moving carriage,” he murmured. “I just want to kiss you.”

She bit her lower lip as she appeared to think this over.

“Avis, what exactly are you afraid of?” Certain she would never admit her fear he expected no answer.

She raised her gaze to meet his. “You,” she finally whispered.

“Me? Why?”

“I am not quite certain. I can’t seem to figure out who you really are. Jennette always told me you were such a gentleman and overly nice to women. But you’ve never been that way with me. You kissed me to win a wager. You blackmailed me when I tried to get out of an arrangement you coerced me into.” She threw her hands up in exasperation. “And every time we’re in the same room we end up making rude comments to each other.”

All right, he definitely had to make some changes in his manner with her. “You don’t make it easy.”

“What do you mean? I am a very easy person to know and like! You are the only one I cannot seem to get along with.”

“Perhaps that is because we both have always known what might happen if we did get along.”

“Oh? And that would be what?” she answered in a sarcastic tone.

“This,” he said, sliding to the seat next to her. Slowly, he brought his mouth down to hers.

Avis knew she should push away from him and deny his accusation. But his mouth caressed hers in such a sweet manner she had to respond. Slowly, he parted her lips and they tasted each other. The action drew a moan from deep in her throat. She let her hands move up to his hair and touch the silky, dark strands.

She wanted him to be wrong about their attraction to each other, but at least from her perspective, he was right.

She had been attracted to him since that first kiss over eight years ago. She had thrust away from him that night, terrified by the sensations he invoked. This time, she wouldn’t have to push him away.

He pulled back, smiling down at her. Her cheeks blistered with heat and disappointment.

“I think we had better stop before I go back on my word and make love to you in this carriage,” he said in a husky voice.

Expecting him to move back to his seat, she didn’t know what to say when Banning dragged her up on his lap, holding her against his chest. She thought about scrambling off, but the clean, spicy scent of him and the motion of the carriage were lulling her to sleep. And sleep would keep her from the motion sickness that always plagued her when she rode in carriages. She’d deliberately stayed awake most of the night just so she might be able to sleep during their trip. As she drifted off, she realized just how nice a man Banning could be, for a blackmailer.