Rescued By A Viscount(35)
Simon wasn’t quite so sure that Mathew Belmont’s actions were unreasonable, in fact, he thought the man was reacting to what he believed was a threat to his family, by protecting his sister from harm, and ensuring his mother’s heart was not broken again. Simon could not say his reactions would have been any different, were he in the man’s shoes.
“I’m sure given time, Mathew-”
“There is no time, Lord Kelkirk. As I have explained, we must arrive at the port of Liverpool three days hence at the latest.” Her hands fluttered and then settled on her lap as she spoke. “If you have no wish to help me now you know, then drop me where the stage passes through, and I shall secure a ticket.”
He looked at her for several seconds. “I will ignore that ridiculous statement and instead tell you to calm down, Claire, as we are simply talking through this situation, and you are distressed enough already.”
Normally, she would have told him exactly what she thought of his words, demanded he retract those ridiculous statements, yet she did not. Instead, she lowered her eyes on a tired sigh. “I must go, Simon, or I shall live my life wondering if I have abandoned my brother’s child.”
“We will go to Liverpool, Claire, but right at this moment, you look as if you need some sleep. Close your eyes. We have many hours of travel ahead of us, and you will need your strength for what is about to come, I’m sure.”
“If only I could.”
“If only you could what? Sleep?” Simon frowned at her words.
“We are to spend nights on the road, my lord. How will we explain my lack of companion?” She ignored his question in favor of asking her own.
“Now you are worried about propriety?”
“If I was on my own, I would simply say I was a companion traveling to my next position. I am not without wits, after all, and am sure I could have fooled anyone I met.”
His eyes ran over her briefly. “You look like no governess I have ever met.”
“And of course you are acquainted with a vast amount, seeing as you have children, my lord.”
Simon smiled at her tart return. “As to your question, tonight we will spend at a small cottage a friend of mine owns. I know where the key is and there will be supplies on hand. We will worry about the next stop when it is before us.”
All fight left her as he spoke. “I am putting you to a great deal of trouble, Lord Kelkirk, when in truth, I do not deserve to do so. I also know that my reputation will be in tatters, should anyone find out about this journey, yet that will not stop me from undertaking it, nor are you in any way responsible, should I be found out.”
“A very pretty speech, Miss Belmont, and thank you for caring about my pristine reputation. However I’m a grown man, and the choices I make are mine alone.”
“Please, Lord Kelkirk, I would not–”
“I think we can dispense with the Lord Kelkirk, and you can call me Simon now, Claire, don’t you?” He was gratified at her small smile. “And why do you not deserve me to go to any trouble on your behalf?”
Even troubled, she did not hide behind lies. “Because I have not always treated you as well as I should have, Simon.”
He moved to take the seat next to her and took one of her hands in his. “To be fair, I have provoked that reaction from you.”
He could see that she was close to tears. Exhaustion and worry were sitting heavy on her shoulders now. She looked up at him, and Simon felt her pain deep in his chest. “Not always and not to start with.”
He searched her face. “Why did you feel the need to constantly provoke me?”
She didn’t prevaricate or sweeten the words. “I wish I knew.”
She looked so small suddenly–small and sad–and he couldn’t stand to see her hurting. “Will you let me help you, Claire? Just for a while, let me keep you safe?” Simon closed the distance between them and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. “Just this once, there is no need to show the world how strong you are, as I am the only one here to see.”
“I can’t, Simon, because I fear if I let go, then I will fall apart.”
He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into his side. “Did you know Lord Henkle fell face first in the punch last night? It was quite a sight, especially when the punch splashed out of the bowl and covered Miss Dorothy Plummer’s new satin slippers.” She didn’t answer him, so he continued to tell her tales of the ton until he felt her body soften against him. Resting his feet on the opposite seat, he shifted, turning slightly so she lay against his chest.
“Be still, Claire,” he said as she protested. Surprisingly, she did as he asked, and then, with a tired sigh, she placed a hand on his heart and relaxed. He found a long strawberry blonde curl trailing down her back, picked it up, and rolled it around his fingers. He had known Claire Belmont was a woman who had the ability to unsettle him, yet holding her like this, he realized he had underestimated his feelings for her. She smelt sweet and felt soft in his arms, but there was so much more to his attraction for her now. The feelings she stirred inside him should have had him dropping her at the nearest posting house and fleeing back to London. He wanted to protect her and make her smile again, and the feel of her pressed against him was a sweet form of torture.