Page 50 of Bluebell’s Fate

The small dimple on his chin was tempting Bell to kiss him beyond what was reasonable. She put her hand on his shoulder and turned him to face her more fully. She wanted to give him a reason to continue smiling, to reveal this ridiculously tempting dimple more often. So, in true pirate fashion, she resorted to stealing. She closed the scant gap between them and kissed his dimpled chin.

Like lightning, his hands snaked around her back, and before she knew what was happening, he’d pulled her to sit on his lap. Her heart was thumping a wild rhythm, causing gooseflesh to skitter down her arms as she put them around his shoulders. Nathaniel was holding her like she was a treasure, a smile on his face. She wanted nothing more than to freeze time. His gaze roamed over her face, taking in every inch of her. When his eyes dropped down to her bare shoulder, she stiffened.

What was she thinking? She was playing right into her husband’s hands, literally. His calloused, strong hands anchored her to him, steadying her heart through the storm of emotions that raged inside. Any minute now, a washtub and water would arrive in her room, and she would be caught sitting on her pirate husband’s lap.

Unease began to war within her. She didn’t want him to feel like she was pushing him away, but she had to do something. Bell would be too embarrassed to look at her godmother again if she caught them in this compromising situation. An idea came to mind, so comical she couldn’t resist: she laced her fingers through his dark brown hair, pulled his head down to hers, and bit his bottom lip.

She’d expected him to push her away or laugh off the intensity of the moment—instead, he claimed her lips like a pirate claimed his loot. He pulled her flush with his chest and kissed her into oblivion. She felt his chest pounding in synchronized rhythm with her own, until he pulled away with a groan.

Someone was knocking on her door. Nathaniel pressed one more kiss to Bell’s forehead before he quickly helped her sit back in her bed and adjusted her covers. “Come in.” He stood and straightened his jacket as he walked to open the door, like nothing had ever happened between them. But Bell’s cheeks would certainly give their ruse away.

Why hadn’t she ever considered pulling Nathaniel into her stories? He belonged there as surely as she did. It was Nathaniel Payne that had been the hero all along. The realization left Bell feeling untethered. Apparently, she needed to become a pirate.

However, pirates took what they wanted and gave nothing in return. Bell could pretend all day, but at some point, she and Nathaniel would need to sift through their differences. As wonderful as it was to find herself lost in her emotions, marriage was more than that. Attraction had never been an issue between them. It was everything else that was a shipwreck. At least that was what she’d believed before. However, they’d made progress the past couple weeks.

Mrs. Carter brought in the wash tub, and Sutton was in and out with hot water. Nathaniel excused himself to help haul the water as soon as Godmother came back inside. Godmother untied the ribbon that held Bell’s hair in a long plait and gently brushed out the tangles. The task was not an easy one. Goodness, she must have looked terrible during their pirate adventure. Her motivation to redeem the way Nathaniel saw her bloomed into a need to scour herself clean and dress the part of a princess as opposed to the shipwreck survivor she’d looked like before. Tonight she would dress to win her husband’s heart.

Sutton did her best to style Bell’s hair in the height of fashion, and Bell wore her blue dress for the evening. The house had been quiet as she prepared herself. The silence pressed upon her nerves. Would Nathaniel even notice the extra care she took with her coiffure? The whole process had Bell feeling more fatigued than she dared admit—even to herself.

Bell walked slowly down the stairs to the purple sitting room. She sat on the settee and pulled the closest book toward her. Although she didn’t want to read, Bell didn’t want to look like she was sitting idle either. Placing the book on her lap, she rested her head in her hands as she leaned over the words, listening for Nathaniel and her godmother to return from their walk.

Chapter Thirty-two

Nathaniel was a man with a plan. After that kiss, he was willing to go to great pains in order to claim Bell’s time for himself this evening. All afternoon, he had attempted to appease his parents. He’d gone with his father to his study and helped him with his books. Since Nathaniel had been solely working with the tenants for the past five years, his father was struggling to understand the needs of the people under his care. After that, Nathaniel had humored his mother by singing a duet with Ian, his grandmother at the pianoforte. Not once did he land Ian a facer for all his remarks about getting to know Bell. Nathaniel had been a dutiful son, dancing the dance they expected of him.

And now all of it was for naught.

Nathaniel had hoped that if he played his part well, his parents would excuse him and Bell from attending dinner that night, but they wouldn’t hear of it. So, he was on the short walk to the cottage to invite Bell to join them. His parents didn’t understand that Nathaniel wasn’t nearly as good-hearted as he’d seemed. His only desire was to have an excuse to selfishly claim all of Bell’s time this evening. He wanted to become Pirate Nathaniel again, and they could pick up where they’d left off. Heat rushed in his veins at the memory of his wife playfully biting his lip and the ensuing result.

What was more, after he’d left Bell with his grandmother, Bell had asked for him. It may very well have been the first time he’d felt wanted. Bell hadn’t needed anything from him. She simply wanted him to be with her—even when she had her godmother, she’d wanted him.

He hoped to show her how much he needed her in return, but tonight was not playing out as he’d hoped. If only Ian hadn’t been so insistent on meeting Bell, his parents would have likely been thrilled to have an excuse to be rid of him. Nathaniel could feel that Ian wanted to create trouble, but he didn’t know how to avoid it.

With his thoughts in a jumble, Nathaniel entered the cottage through the kitchen door as it was the easiest path from Cairnsby Hall. Also, because it irked his parents that he deigned to use the servant’s entrance—so it was with great pleasure he chose to do just that. Mrs. Carter and Sutton were sitting at the small worktable bent over a piece of paper, talking in whispers.

“How is Bell?” Nathaniel asked.

Sutton dipped her head before answering. “She’s all ready for dinner, Mr. Payne.”

That was disappointing. He’d hoped Bell wouldn’t be feeling up to attending tonight. “Thank you.” It had been a conscious decision for Nathaniel not to force her to endure Cairnsby Hall and his parents. Only heartache resided in that home.

He walked quietly up the stairs and rapped his knuckles on the door to Bell’s bedchamber. There was no answer. Not wanting to wake her if she was sleeping, he pushed the door open and stuck his head in. Her bed was made, Sutton had cleared away the wash basin, and the window was open to air out the bouquet-filled room. But Bell wasn’t there. He checked his own empty room, though he didn’t know why—perhaps he was being hopeful that she would one day feel comfortable there. Neither was she in the blue room.

Maybe she’d gone for a walk. That sounded like something she would do.

On his way out the front door, he paused in the entryway. Bell was asleep in the parlor with a book in her lap. Nathaniel crept closer to her. It was the book he’d ordered about conservatories. She must have fallen asleep reading it. He didn’t blame her; it was quite dry. The recollection of her lack of faith in his planning resurfaced once again. How could he convince her that he was capable of taking care of things? That he was capable of taking care of her? He cleared his throat, and she jerked awake.

“Oh, Nathaniel!” She shook her head and blinked rapidly. “I was wondering when you’d be back. Well, actually, I knew you’d be home before six. You never do miss your dinner appointment.” She smiled up at him, closed the book, and rubbed her hands down her face as she covered a yawn.

Nathaniel took her hands in his to pull her to her feet. “My parents have invited us to dine with them this evening.”

“Oh,” Bell nodded absently. “Why have they invited us now?”

“What?”

“I’m sorry. It’s only that, I haven’t been invited to Cairnsby Hall before. I suppose it is in honor of your grandmother.”

Nathaniel had also noticed their lack of invitation, but he’d been grateful for the blessing. Of course, his own lack of desire to be there may have clouded his perception. Apparently, Bell had seen the situation in a different light. She hadn’t done anything to deserve his parents’ poor treatment of her, and not for the first time, Nathaniel was embarrassed by his parents’ lack of tact.