Chapter 9

CHAPTER9

Seth couldn’t concentrate on the book in his hand. It was about some of the greatest scientific discoveries of the last century, usually the sort of book that would captivate him for hours, but not today. He was frustrated, staring across the room as he looked out onto the garden terrace.

Bridget was walking with Lord Burnington, with other ladies behind them. Lord Burnington was as interested in talking to Bridget as he was any other woman, though, and it must have frustrated Bridget to no end.

“Seth? Are you well?” Jacob’s voice broke through the daze.

“Perfectly.”

“It’s just that you haven’t turned a page of that book in about half an hour.”

Seth turned a page of the book, but he still didn’t look down at it. He looked beyond the window instead, out at the frost-covered garden and Bridget, who was walking behind Lord Burnington, trying to capture his attention.

He is not worthy of her.

“What does she see in him?” he asked so abruptly that Jacob looked up from the newspaper he had been reading.

The two of them were sitting quite alone in the parlor. Emily had been here a few minutes ago with Maya, but in his distraction, Seth hadn’t noticed when the two of them had left.

“Who are we talking about?” Jacob lowered the paper to his lap.

“Your sister-in-law.” Seth jerked his head toward the terrace. “Have you not seen the way she looks at Lord Burnington? You’d think she was besotted.”

Jacob turned in his wingback chair, angling his head enough so he could look out the window. “She seems… happy enough.”

“Happy? You and I have a different understanding of what a smile is, my friend.”

Seth stood, having quite lost interest in sitting here peacefully and reading his book. He couldn’t bear the sight beyond the window, and he had no idea if it was Bridget’s expression that drove him mad, or the jealousy churning in his gut.

It’s not jealousy. It’s just anger, frustration—something else!

Yet, he couldn’t argue with it. He dropped his book onto the mantelpiece and prodded the fire, stirring it to life.

“She’s well enough. She’s also not your responsibility, Seth,” Jacob reminded him coolly. “Bridget’s life is hers to do with as she wishes. It is not yours.”

“I didn’t say it was,” Seth muttered impatiently. “I just credited her with a better judgment of character.” He looked out the window again, seeing that Bridget had fallen quiet as she stood beside Lord Burnington.

The Earl looked to be showing off, to Seth’s mind. He adjusted that overly-lacy cravat at his throat and the cuffs of his jacket, perhaps bragging about his fine clothes once more. Bridget hardly looked happy. In fact, she looked completely miserable.

I have to do something about this.

“Does she truly look happy to you?”

“Again, Seth, it is none of your business. Leave her be.”

Yet, Seth could not. He waited until Jacob had gone back to reading his newspaper, then made a move for the door that led outside.

“Seth!” Jacob hissed, making a move to stop him, but he was too late.

Seth opened the door and stepped out into the cold, wintry air. He hardly cared he hadn’t brought a coat with him and just rubbed his hands together as he walked past the group, trying to catch Bridget’s eye. He achieved his aim within a few seconds, perhaps less.

She looked away from Lord Burnington and, at last, smiled.

See? That is what she should be like all the time.

Seth jerked his head. It was a subtle movement, but one that pleaded with her to follow him as he continued to walk around the house. To his relief, she extricated herself from Lord Burnington and the other ladies that flocked to him like seagulls, all too easily. She followed Seth around the house until they reached the door that led into the library.

Seth flung open the door and bid her to go inside before him.

“What is all this about?” Bridget whispered, stepping inside hurriedly.

“An escape,” he muttered, more to himself than to her.

As he followed her inside, she turned and frowned, loosening the fur pelisse she was wearing on her shoulders.

“I do not see how walking off with you assists me in my aim to… you know.” She waved a hand at the door.

“Will you not even say ‘seduce him’ now?” Seth chuckled and closed the door behind him.

Bridget huffed, taking off her pelisse and dropping it on the back of an armchair. “I am not doing particularly well, am I?”

“It’s a wonder to me why you wish to do well with him. I’d sooner see you with a man who truly cares for you, My Lady, rather than a man who laughs at you.”

“What did you say?” She turned around to face him so fast, she nearly knocked the pelisse off the back of the armchair. He caught it for her and replaced it on the chair.

“If you hang at his heel like a lapdog all the time, he will not be interested. Trust me. Men desire that which is forbidden to them.”

“Is that true?”

“Oh, very true.”

Seth looked at her with more intensity than before. How could he deny it? He desired her, more than he’d ever desired another woman in his life, and she was completely forbidden to him, out of bounds. For what other reason could it be?

“Look at the way I look at you,” he whispered and winked at her.

“Do not toy with me now.” Bridget laughed heartily. “You could have any woman in a heartbeat, we all know that.”

“And yet, I have made no effort to seduce any woman the weeks we have been here, have I?”

“I have wondered why.” She chewed on her bottom lip as she stared at him. “Are you bored of ladies, My Lord?”

“Ladies, perhaps.”

She frowned at him, her expression no longer so at ease and happy.

I have to change the subject.

Yet, his mind only reached for one topic of conversation, and even though he knew it was unwise to continue down this path, he found himself doing it, regardless.

“Why him?”

“I beg your pardon?” She stepped back from him.

“Of all people in this world, why have you chosen him?” Seth asked, his voice calm despite the burning need to know in his gut. “You should pick a man that does not belittle you if you ask my opinion.”

“I do not remember asking your opinion.” Bridget turned away from him and walked around the library, her hands on her hips.

“No? I would say your sisters’ marriages to my friends are proof enough of what marriage should look like.”

“If you are now to extend your lessons by giving me a lecture on what marriage is, pray, do not.” She huffed and sat down in an armchair, flinging her body back. “I hear enough of it from Rachel and Emily without you joining in as well.”

“You speak as if you are tired of the idea of love.”

“Not tired of it. Tired of searching for it, perhaps.” She didn’t look at him as she answered.

She has not found it with Lord Burnington, then.

Seth couldn’t quite explain the hope that erupted in his gut at this news. If she wasn’t in love with the Earl, then it was something. It gave him some hope that he wouldn’t have to stand at their wedding yet, celebrating a match he thought was ill, indeed.

“Why did you bring me here?” Bridget asked distractedly. “Another lesson?”

“Yes,” Seth lied, hoping she didn’t see the truth, that he had just wanted to get her away from Lord Burnington. “I think you should make the Earl want you more by not being at his heel all the time. That is your lesson for today.”

“Very well.” Her voice was rather sharp now as she waved at him. “I shall bow down to your greater knowledge. Is there anything else I should do, My Lord?”

“You are irritated at me.”

“Not exactly.”

“That wasn’t a no.”

“My Lord! Even you must admit this is frustrating.” Bridget slid to the edge of her seat. “All these games, all these endeavors, why is it so mad to just tell another that you are interested in them? That you have the potential to care for them and would like to see what more could happen? Instead, we never do that, do we? There are all these games of seduction and courtship.”

She waved a hand at a stack of shelves nearby. “There is a myriad of books on such things in this library alone, and I am tired of it all already.”

“It is the way the world works.” Seth smiled rather sadly. “You could try that, though, telling the Earl how you feel.”

Bridget blushed a deep red at the idea and shook her head. Seth imagined a world where he told Bridget such a thing, where he dropped down to his knee in front of her and confessed that she interested him more than any other woman had interested him for many years now.

Yet, he could not. There were objections and obstacles, not to mention her sisters and his friends. They’d probably all curse his name and chase him away if he dared to declare any such feeling to her.

“These things get easier,” he assured her, his voice softening.

“Does it? Everything feels impossible at present.” Bridget shook her head. “You must have seen that Lord Burnington takes no more interest in conversing with me than he does any other lady.”

Seth grimaced in answer, and she waved a hand toward him in acknowledgment of that expression.

“Despite all of your good lessons, I am not doing well at all,” she huffed and leaned back against her chair.

“You’re good at the game,” Seth assured her, walking toward her and leaning on the back of another chair. “I have seen that well enough.”

He looked at her, hoping she would think of all the close moments they’d had together. When she blushed that same rich shade of crimson, he hoped it was working.

“Well, let us not waste the time. Is there anything you wish to know? Anything more I could teach you now?”

Her blush deepened even more. He had never seen Bridget’s face this red, and it was quite delectable. He rounded the armchair and sat down, perching on the edge and leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.

“Well?” he prompted her.

“There is something I wish to know,” she whispered, refusing to look him in the eye as she fidgeted with the hem of her gown. “Yet, I fear if I speak of it, you will laugh at me.”

“Laugh at you?” he scoffed. “Surely our walk to town the other day showed you that I am not the man in this house who would laugh at you. You’re safest with me.”

He meant those words.

She looked up, seeming incapable of sitting still now. “I was thinking last night…” she began slowly. “How am I even supposed to seduce any man, let alone a man like Lord Burnington, if I do not even know how to kiss a man?”

“You have never been kissed?” Seth’s voice deepened.

He thought of all the moments the two of them had come close—very close, indeed—with the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end as his lips had practically hovered over her neck.

He could have kissed her. He could have kissed her in the library or the long gallery when they had crept up there together one night, but he hadn’t. He’d remembered his promise to Jacob and Daniel—to keep back from her.

“Oh, how can I talk of this?” Bridget sighed deeply and looked down again. “I am inexperienced, and it is a great embarrassment.”

“Why is that?” Seth laughed and leaned forward a little more. “Bridget, a kiss is no wild thing to learn. There are different kisses, all of which can be taught.”

“You offering to teach me to kiss in one of your lessons?” She giggled at the idea, shaking her head once more.

“No. I am offering to teach you to kiss in this lesson,” he clarified.

She sat forward so suddenly that she appeared in danger of falling off her chair. He lifted his eyebrows, watching her face for further reaction. Her lips parted and closed as if she was searching for something to say.

“Would you like to learn?” he asked.

“I… I mean… We cannot just…”

She clearly couldn’t think of anything to say. Fidgeting and fumbling, she tucked the loose tendrils from her updo behind her ear.

Quite captivated by her nervous answer, Seth moved off the chair. He shifted to the stool in front of her instead and slid it closer to her so he was sitting directly in front of her.

“What are you doing?” she murmured in alarm, though she didn’t move back from him.

He was wrapped up in her scent now that she was so near. She smelled like vanilla and cocoa today. The whole effect was intoxicating.

“Giving you the option,” he whispered, his voice deep. “Would you like to learn to kiss, My Lady?”

He used her formal title, something that felt strange in the intimacy of this room. He leaned toward her, hovering his head in such a way that he was angled.

Their lips were just inches apart now, and to his relief, she didn’t pull back. Instead, her eyes fluttered shut.

“I am here, your waiting teacher, if you wish me to be.” His voice had deepened further.

He wouldn’t be the first to kiss her, he couldn’t. He had to be certain that it would be what she wanted first.

“My Lord…” Her voice softened too. She leaned forward, just an inch, coming even closer.

Seth was beginning to think she would pull back, despite coming so near. She didn’t quite kiss him. Perhaps she was afraid of him, afraid of the idea of a kiss, or perhaps she merely thought of kissing Lord Burnington and didn’t like the idea of kissing him.

Seth leaned back with a sigh, believing their lesson came to an end, when abruptly, Bridget closed the distance between them and kissed him.