Page 45 of It's a British Christmas

He would always think of her? Nonsense, the man was excellent at pretense, but did not fool her. Once he was gone, she doubted he would ever give her a second thought. On the other hand, she knew this interlude in her life would never be forgotten. When she was old and gray, she would remember these few days. Not because he was a lord, but because he was him. Adam.

She shook her head, more to clear it than disagree. “I am not sure Papa would approve.”

He squeezed her hand. “Then let this be our secret.”

Good heavens, his voice was deep and mesmerizing. Keep a secret from Papa? She’d never done anything in her whole life that she needed to keep secret. It made her feel wicked and excited at the same time. She would most assuredly need to spend more time with her prayers tonight. If their guest remained too long, her knees would have blisters.

“All right.” She almost giggled, feeling wanton just saying that.

“Excellent.” He rubbed his hands together. “Now let’s play chess.”

With shaky hands, she placed the board on the small table next to his bed. She set the pieces up, and dragged a chair from the kitchen to the bedroom. Once they were settled and facing each other over the board, all her unease vanished and she concentrated on the game.

It was apparent after only the first few moves that Adam—it was still hard for her to think of him by his Christian name—was truly an excellent chess player. Now her heart pounded, not with awareness of him, but with the excitement of the game. Even though Papa was an excellent player, she knew his moves, and what he would do in any given situation. Adam was an unknown.

In more ways than one she told her heart.

CHAPTER 3

Adam watched Eve as she studied the chess board, chewing her lip. He had expected to trounce her in the game, and had even decided to hold back a bit so as not to win quickly and embarrass her.

He was the one embarrassed. He’d almost lost the game at the very beginning because of his blunder in underestimating her skill. She was a powerful chess player, and he had to stay on his toes to keep from her destroying him. All thoughts of a friendly game, where he could tease and flirt with her while they moved their pieces around, vanished as he concentrated on winning. Something he hadn’t had to do in a very long time.

Her moves were calculated and well-thought-out. Would the woman ever stop surprising him? He laughed to himself as he visualized initiating a conversation about Mrs. Griffith’s writings or chess strategy with Lady Ann. He imagined her fluttering fan and confused expression on her young, blank face.

A very uncomfortable vision that he pushed quickly from his mind.

Yet, he was to spend the rest of his life with her. Why hadn’t any of that troubled him before he approached Lord Fenster? Lady Ann had been one of Mother’s choices since she was well-bred, perfect in her manners, and a superb hostess. She would also be petulant, self-absorbed, and painstakingly proper. Based on her upbringing, she would permit his husbandly attentions with suffered silence, and breathe a sigh of relief when he left her bed to allow her a full night’s rest without his company.

Of course, if not exactly expected, it was at least assumed he would keep a mistress, discreetly, of course, to deal with his baser nature. He’d always known that was what his marriage would be like, so why did he now begin to have second thoughts? Was it merely wedding nerves? Perhaps his rejection of all the simpering debutantes had been his way of rejecting the entire system.

It’s too late now.

“Check.” Two bright hazel eyes, laced with humor and satisfaction, regarded him.

Bloody hell. Here he’d been ruminating on his bleak future, and Eve had moved her piece so she checked him. Better concentrate, old boy, or you will look like a fool.

It took some finagling, but he managed to save his king, and the game continued. Several moves later, it was determined by them both that it was a draw.

Eve sat back, a wide smile on her beautiful face. “That was an excellent game, my lord.”

He held up a finger. “Adam.”

“Oh, yes. I apologize.” She started to put the pieces into the small box she’d carried in earlier. “I would love another game, but Mama is expecting me to help her with the baking. We have a church supper most weeks after Papa’s service. It helps the families who need that extra meal to fill their children’s bellies.”

Here were people who, compared to him, had so little, yet they shared what they had amongst themselves. How different village life was to his world. A difference that, right now, made him uncomfortable. Despite rumblings in the House of Commons, he felt strongly that the system they lived under was best. But hearing some people had trouble feeding their children, when children in his world had so much, disturbed him in a surprising way.

“May I attend church with you on Sunday?” Now where had that come from? He hadn’t been to a formal church service in quite some time. In fact, he only seemed to find himself in church at Christmas or a wedding.

“It is less than a week away. Do you feel as though you will be well enough?” Eve viewed him with raised brows. “You are only just recovering from a gunshot wound. You would not want to rip out the stitches Mama so painstakingly put in a few days ago.”

“I shall be fine. As Mrs. Allen pointed out, it is quite unusual for someone with an injury such as mine not to suffer from an infection. I think that makes me well enough to dress and attend church.”

“If that is what you want, then I’m sure Papa would be delighted to have you join us.”

“Only Papa?” He couldn’t resist teasing her. Truth be told, his reason for wanting to attend church was to spend more time with Eve. She fascinated him, and every time they were together, he discovered another facet of her personality. No woman had ever captivated him so.

A lovely red flush rose from the top of Eve’s demure dress to her hairline. Lord, she was endearing!