Arabella raised a cool eyebrow. “And what reason do I have to trust your word after this?”
The girl looked despairing. “I know I have been exceedingly foolish, Miss Loring, but I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.” There was a note of sincerity in her voice that rang true. “
Arabella waited a long moment before she shrugged as if coming to a decision. “Very well, we will keep it between ourselves-if that is even possible at this juncture.”
The coach slowed just then in order to change directions, and a short while later they were heading back toward London.
“Will you take me back to school?” Sybil asked, her tone still subdued.
“Not immediately. You will stay with Lady Freemantle for a day or two. We’ll say that you became ill and that I took you to London to see her ladyship’s physician. You will recuperate at her house for a time. If Lady Freemantle publicly vouches for you, that should be enough to scotch the worst gossip and prevent any permanent damage to your reputation.”
“Oh,
Arabella sent the girl an arch smile. “You may not be so thankful once you spend time living with her ladyship. She won’t be as forgiving of someone who thoughtlessly jeopardized our academy. I doubt you will find the experience pleasant.”
Arabella caught the amused gleam in Marcus’s eye and quickly looked away. On the one hand, she was enormously relieved to have found Sybil. Her most immediate problem was solved-or it would be if they could conceal the truth of the elopement. And the vexing chit would likely think twice before causing any more serious trouble.
On the other hand, there was still the much larger problem of Marcus to be dealt with.
Arabella bit her lower lip as she gazed out at the passing countryside. At least Sybil’s company saved her from the temptation of any further intimacy with Marcus.
She still felt the urge to throttle the girl, but even so, she was very glad for her presence until she could make it home to her sisters.
Chapter Sixteen
– Arabella to Fanny
It was late afternoon by the time they were able to settle Sybil with Lady Freemantle and return to Danvers Hall in her ladyship’s coach. Alone with Marcus on the drive home, Arabella was very aware of him sitting beside her. The nerves twisting her stomach tightened further when the carriage rumbled to a halt before the manor, for she felt his penetrating blue gaze appraising her.
“Thank you for helping me rescue Sybil,” she said to break the tension.
“Don’t regard it. I was glad to oblige.”
Pushing open the door, Marcus descended and then handed Arabella down. At his mere touch, she felt herself shiver with desire. Thank heavens their wager was nearly over. She had only one more evening to get through.
“Forgive me if I leave you so abruptly,” Arabella murmured. “I need to find my sisters and set their minds at ease about Sybil.”
“Of course,” Marcus said mildly as she preceded him across the gravel drive to the front steps. “But I would like to speak with you privately before dinner. Why don’t you join me in my study in an hour?”
“Very well,” Arabella replied before hurrying into the house.
As she expected, her sisters were on the lookout for her arrival, for they met her in the entrance hall.
“So, were you successful?” Roslyn murmured, obviously anxious to hear the news but not wanting to broadcast the purpose of the journey to all the servants.
“Thankfully, yes,” Arabella replied. “I will tell you about it if you accompany me upstairs.”
Lily eyed Marcus with a measuring frown before turning to follow Arabella up to her bedchamber, where she recounted the events of the past day, leaving out the fact that she had spent the night in Marcus’s arms.
But once reassured of Sybil’s safety, her sisters turned their concern on her.
“Are you all right, Arabella?” Lily asked, clearly troubled. “I regret we weren’t with you to protect you from the earl. If we had known he meant to set out after you, we would at least have tried to accompany him.”
“I am perfectly fine,” Arabella assured her.
“I do hope you were able to resist him.”
She tried to quell the flush that rose to her cheeks. “I managed well enough,” she equivocated. “And thankfully, I won’t have to worry about the earl after tomorrow. He has asked to speak to me before dinner this evening. I expect he wishes to discuss the resolution of our wager.”
“And what do you mean to tell him?” Roslyn asked.
Arabella summoned a smile. “Why, that I have won, of course.”
Roslyn regarded her thoughtfully, but Lily looked relieved. “Good,” Lily said emphatically. “He needs to understand there is no chance you will marry him.”
“No, there is no chance.”
Comforted, her sisters rang for her maid and left Arabella alone to bathe and dress.
Arabella spent the time carefully preparing her speech to Marcus, but an army of butterflies were marching in her stomach when she finally went downstairs in search of him.
She found him in the study, seated at his desk. He was busy writing a letter, but he set his quill pen down as soon as she entered.
His expression softening with a smile, Marcus rose and came around the desk to greet her. At his advance, Arabella stopped abruptly.
Marcus halted to eye her with curiosity. “Why are you so nervous, sweeting? I won’t pounce on you.”
“I am not nervous, precisely.”
“Then why are you standing near the open door as if you’re prepared to flee?”
“I don’t trust myself alone with you, if you must know.”
He smiled again and lowered his voice. “I don’t intend to make love to you just now, Arabella. Not when we need to have a serious discussion. Now shut the door so we won’t be overheard.”
Obeying with reluctance, she risked moving farther into the room. “I presume you mean to discuss your plans for tomorrow, Marcus. Will you be returning to London?”
He cocked his head. “Why would I return to London?”
“Because our wager will be over then. You wagered that you could persuade me to accept your marriage proposal if I allowed you to court me for two weeks. Well, the two weeks end tomorrow afternoon, and I will have fulfilled the terms we agreed on.”
A pregnant pause followed her observation. Taking a step backward then, Marcus leaned his hips against the desk. “Come here, Arabella.”
“Why?”
“Because I asked you to.”
Warily she crossed to stand before him.
Holding her gaze intently, Marcus reached down to take her hand and draw her closer.
Arabella’s breath caught in her throat as a frisson of heat raced through her body. Summoning all her resistance, though, she pressed her palms against his chest. “What do you think you are you doing, Marcus?”
“I am renewing my addresses to you.”
Arabella swallowed. “You needn’t make me another proposal. There is no point.”
“I beg to differ. Our circumstances have changed a great deal since I made my first offer of marriage to you.”
“Not enough to matter.”
Marcus raised an eyebrow. “No?”
She managed to gain her release without struggling, which surprised her a little. “No,” Arabella repeated as
