Bound by Bliss (Bound and Determined #2)(101)

“I don’t know what you are talking about. But if I did know, I would probably tell you that it did not concern you anyway. I do have my own life.” Another sip of tea.



He slid into the chair across from her and slouched down. His aunt looked him up and down, but did not comment. “Is she still trying to run from me?” he asked after a moment.

“I do not know who you are talking about. It cannot be Lady Bliss. You would not have been with her at such an hour, not out alone. And if it was Lady Bliss, why would she run from you?”

Now that was a tricky question. He clearly could not describe the events of the night to her. “She might finally have agreed to marry me. I am not sure that she is comfortable with the idea.”

His aunt scoffed. “Does she think you will forget if she simply avoids you?”

“I think she is hoping that I will not push the matter.”

“That I can believe. The girl does have some curious ideas. So what will you do?”

“I will hold her to her promise. I do not believe she will cry off. I think marriage is what she wants. She is merely afraid.”

His aunt put down her tea and gazed at him intently. “Is she truly what you want, my boy? I have always wanted the best for you. I was quite certain that Lady Bliss was not the best, but perhaps I was missing something crucial. Does she make you happy, fill the empty hollows of your soul?”

She’d not called him a boy in almost a decade—and they’d certainly never talked about souls. He’d not believed his aunt had a romantic bone in her body, despite her talent for love matches. “Yes.” He had no question about that.



“I thought you wanted only the land that came with her.”

“Land?” Ahh, he didn’t know how that excuse had gotten out. “No, I’d take her with nothing but her skin.”

“Yes, you do seem to like all that white skin,” his aunt mumbled.

She could not mean what she hinted. “It does go well with her blond hair.”

Had Lady Perse actually snorted? “I do hope you know what you are doing, but it begins to seem that you actually might.”

For the first time all day he smiled. “Now if only I can convince Miss Danser of that fact.”

—

Bliss sat in the parlor in her prettiest day dress. It was still quite early for a call, but she knew Stephan would not let propriety delay him. Her hair lay smooth and polished; only a single perfect curl decorated one cheek. The soft blue of the dress matched her eyes and highlighted the pink of her cheeks. The dress had a slightly higher neckline than she might have chosen, but it did cover all of the marks of the night before. It was probably best that Stephan not see the long scratch that Temple had left upon her. His anger at her torn bodice had convinced her it was best that some things remain hidden.

She hadn’t slept at all going over and over the events of the night in her head. She’d remembered the glory—and the fear. No matter how she tried to push it away, the memory of those moments of terror threatened to swallow her. Her hands still shook when she remembered the look on Lord Temple’s face before he’d left the room, but then her hands turned to fists. She had defeated him, and done it on her own. She might have longed for Stephan to rescue her, but there was great satisfaction of having taken care of the cretin by herself.



She granted herself a brief fantasy of calling him out at dawn. She was quite a good shot and she knew just where she’d aim.

The clock in the hall chimed.

She glanced down at her slippered feet, her toes tapping impatiently on the floor.

Where was the man? Where was Stephan?

It was no use pretending that she was not sitting here waiting for him. She might still be uncertain of her own feelings, but she realized she had no doubt of his. He would come. He would not have been pleased that she had fled their bed and he would be coming to collect what he believed was his due.

She swallowed.

She had made a promise and while it would certainly be possible to pretend that duress had been involved, she knew deep in her heart she had made that promise with all sincerity. She had promised herself to him. And she lived up to her promises.

This time she gulped.

Was she really ready to take that risk? Was she ready to commit to a man, to Stephan?

No, she was not, but she had jumped anyway.

And having given her word she would keep it.

The door swung open and he stalked in, not waiting for the porter to announce him.

Her first thought was relief, her second fear. Oh dear, he was angry, very angry. She had rather been afraid that he might be.



“Good morning, Stephan,” she said, attempting a bright smile.

He stopped, her use of his name evidently throwing him off balance.

“Bliss,” he replied, and then stopped.

She smiled on bravely.

“I did not think you would be here,” he said after a moment.

“I was not sure I would be either. I did think of returning to Risusgate. I am not sure what to say to you this morning.”

“I would have followed you.” He took a step toward her.

“I know. It’s why I did not flee. I might enjoy a good chase, but we do have things that must be said between us.”

“Yes,” he replied.

“Yes,” she answered.