He stared at her open-mouthed.
She gave a small nod. "So now, I'm going to go into the ballroom to make one last appearance so people won't ask any questions. Fix your clothes and get your gloves on, and go back into the ballroom in about five minutes. Be your usual self, drink punch, and dance. I'll see you in my room in half an hour. And you'd better not be late."
"B-b-but, Arabella-"
"And if you aren't there, I'll make your life as my guardian a merry hell."
He laughed shakily. "As if you haven't already."
"No, my love. You did that to yourself," she said sharply, turning to head for the door. "For all of the right reasons of course, because you're a noble man, but it's still been hell. Well, I've tasted Heaven twice, Blake, and I'll not be denied a third time. Half an hour. And don't even bother to try to dance with me in the ballroom. If you touch me once more I shall burst into flames."
Then she was gone, leaving Blake sitting on the sofa stunned. As he adjusted his toilette he wondered how he dared. How she dared. His cheeks still stung. Had she left any marks?
He went up to the hearth and peered in the mirror. No, he looked all right, A bit flushed, but fine.
He smoothed his hair, shirt, waistcoat and then checked his cuffs and put on his gloves.
Inside his mind raced. Half an hour… How could he?
How could he not…
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Blake was aquiver with the most acute anticipation as he went back into the ballroom. He could not tear his eyes from Arabella as she made her way around the room, laughing and smiling as though she hadn't a care in the world.
Arabella was trembling so badly she was shocked that her legs could still hold her upright. But she needed to put on a good show for the Jeromes, thank them graciously for all the trouble they had taken over the ball for Blake and she, and to cry fatigue after the long night they had put in at Sarah Davenport's for the birth of her son.
Everyone was kind and understanding, and gave her a warm kiss good night. She was surprised her guilt was not written all over her face at the enormity of what she was about to do.
But as she turned to leave the room and head up the stairs, she decided that they were all her friends. They would want her to be happy. Well, with Blake she would be, she was sure of it.
She entered her room. Leaving only one candle lit by the bedside, she disrobed and put on a filmy white wrapper of fine lawn which was so delicate it was virtually see-through. She stripped off all of her undergarments, and turned down the sheets of the bed invitingly. And waited…
Blake crept down the hallway silently, his heart hammering, on the alert for any sound. But there was nothing, no one. Everyone was downstairs at the ball. He had made his excuses over being exhausted after the night at the Davenports, and had got out of the ballroom without shouting out his love for Arabella for all to hear.
He had gone to his room for a brief moment, and now crept towards his future joy with equal parts of elation and trepidation. He tapped on the door lightly with his finger, and it was opened quickly and shut again equally fast.
He turned to look at Arabella. His breath stopped in his throat. Clad in nothing more than a diaphanous wrapper, her dark hair unbound and flowing down to her waist, she was like a goddess. He hardly dared touch her, until she took his hand gently.
"I'm so glad you're here. Welcome home, my love."
He lifted her into his arms for a torrid kiss, and carried her over to the bed. He tried to be gentle, patient, but her fingers were tearing at his clothes so eagerly his shirt fastenings popped in every direction.
She knelt in front of him on the bed and helped him shrug out of his jacket and waistcoat. Then his chest was gloriously bare, and she stopped at last.
"I seem to recall this was where we left off at the inn. The rest I have to plead complete ignorance to. Though I do seem to recall I had unhooked your trousers as well, and touched our interesting friend there."
"Stop, don't remind me," he groaned. "I've been so cruel to you, so foolish."
She shook her head. "No, it was the best thing for us, really, difficult though it's been. If we had, well, you know, we would always have wondered, maybe regretted it. Had our doubts or done something foolish like marry because we felt we had to.
"Now I have no doubts and fears. I'm here with you because I want to be. Will marry you because I love you. I can't think of anyone in the world I would rather be with than you." She stroked his face tenderly and planted a delicate kiss on his lips.
He stared at her in disbelief. "It can't possibly be true. I'm so much older than you, and so terrified of not making you happy, of you seeking solace with another-"