"My father let me learn with both when I was young. even though the monks would beat me for writing with my left hand. The left is sinister. Evil."
"Latin as well. I don't suppose you would care to introduce yourself and tell me your real name so I can stop calling you Alexander," she said boldly.
His formerly cheerful expression grew somber. "I'm Alexander Deveril," he said in a firm tone. "I don't want to be anyone else."
"But you are," she reminded him softly.
"I'm the man who loves you, Sarah Deveril. The name makes no difference," he insisted.
"All right then, Alexander Deveril. En garde."
She did not have his strength, but she had speed, and agility on her feet. And her eyesight, of course. He conceded defeat after a short time, but had her practice all of the different defensive positions with him.
"Very good," she praised.
"You too. Especially for a vicar's sister."
She giggled. "I told you, Jonathan wasn't always a vicar. He was a rather boisterous and jolly young man, actually, though not rakish or wicked in any way. Just full of youthful high spirits and zest. Very talented, very popular with both men and women, which is a rare thing in my experience."
"Like you, you mean."
"Oh, no, not at all. He was much more glamorous, the difference between the male peacock and his drab peahen. Which was fine. I hated fancy feathers anyway. I was a terrible hoyden, always wanting to follow he and his Rakehell friends around. To do all the same things they did.
"I can assure you, many's the time they had to stop me from cutting my hair, putting on a uniform and going after him to Portugal and Spain."
He laughed indulgently, for he couldn't imagine anyone less boyish than his ladylove. "I can well believe it, with your gritty determination. But his friends. I mean, you and they never..."
"Never. Not so much as a bit of handholding. I promise. No one, until you."
He bent to kiss her. "Lucky me."
"And me."
"Supper and bed?" he proposed in a sultry undertone.
She stroked his chest boldly. "Bath first?"
"Yes, please. And speaking of, I've decided. I want to go to Bath."
"Really?" she gasped in delight.
"Yes."
"What made you change your mind?" she asked softly, hoping he wasn't simply doing it to mollify her.
He gave a lift of his chin. "Because we can't hide from the world forever. It would only make you unhappy."
"Sometimes I'm sick of the world," she sighed.
"But there's so much out there to see and do."
She hugged him. "Everything I need or want is right here."
He stroked her cheek tenderly. "You say that now, love, but you may change your mind in a few months."
"No, I won't. You're my life now, Alexander. The truth is I was feeling awfully sorry for myself until you arrived. With so many of the Rakehells finding their own happiness, I was waiting and hoping for love to come into my life too. I didn't really believe it would ever happen.
"Then you arrived on my doorstep. I opened the door and looked at you, and it was like glimpsing my whole future in a split second. Opening the portal to a whole new life. In an instant I knew. We belong together, Alexander, for all time. You don't have to go to Bath just to prove something to me."
"Maybe I have to prove it to myself, Sarah. I really do want to get better."
She kissed him on the lips tenderly. "So long as you're doing it for yourself, not me."
"I want to do it for both of us," he said, wrapping his arms around her as though he would never let her go.
"Very well, I will write and tell the Duke's servants to expect us at the townhouse a week from Friday. Now let's go get that food and bath."
"And bed?"
She laughed lightly. "Especially bed. Even if it's only to cuddle and rest."
"It sounds sublime," he purred, drawing closer.
"It will be, for both of us, I promise."
"I know it will be. So long as it is for you as well."
"More than you can ever guess," Sarah said with a happy sigh.
"Then tell me, my love."
"Can you tell me?" she countered.
His fierce kiss contained a thousand words, a paean of love and longing, and a promise to fulfill every desire and need. He took her hand gently, and led her back to the house.
Chapter Twenty-one
The ensuing ten days seemed to just fly by for Sarah and Alexander. She performed her parish duties with a new enthusiasm and understanding. She was in love and blissfully happy, and her life seemed as if it couldn't be more perfect.