Chapter 10

Selina stared at Arthur, at first in utter shock, then searchingly. She looked into his eyes for any sign that this was some kind of macabre joke. Or that, in actuality, all the events of the previous evening were nothing more than a vivid, intense fever dream. But it seemed she was awake. And Arthur's expression was earnest. She did not want to pull away from his embrace, in fact, wanted nothing more than to remain in his arms for the rest of the night. It made her feel so warm and protected.

But this was a decision that needed a clear head. Her head was anything but clear when she was near him. Taking a deep breath, she stood, moving to the fireplace with its merrily crackling blaze.

What am I to answer? Have I run from one forced marriage straight into another? Arthur is also older than I am, though he seemed to forget how much by.

"That is quite an offer, Arthur," she said, "more than I could ever have expected."

"It will solve both of our problems. If you are married to me, then your father cannot continue threatening you into marrying Christleton."

"That is true. Do not think that I am not tempted. It is just…a shock, that is all. I think that in my wildest dreams, my best hope was that I would spend some time with you while I worked out my next move."

"You can certainly still do that. I will apply no pressure on you. My friend thinks I should put you away somewhere, out of sight. But…"

Selina turned away from the fire to look at him. He was staring back as though waiting for the reaction. Their eyes met and held. Blue met black and they fell into each other. Selina felt time slow, her awareness of it disappeared entirely. She occupied a world in which there were only the two of them. She drank in his handsome face. His eyes, twin pools of infinite shadow.

So serious, always now so serious. What has happened to the carefree boy that I fell in love with all those years ago?

Arthur rose and walked towards her. He stopped before the fire, looking at her sideways. She tried to control her breathing, which she felt was far too fast. Her heart beat rapidly and her mouth felt dry. She was suddenly aware of every inch of her body, every muscle. A movement of air in the room brought her a waft of his cologne, mixed with the bitter scent of cigar smoke. She had always hated that smell, her father smoked cigars, but entwined with the enigmatic aroma of wood and spice that came from Arthur, it seemed exotic and exciting.

It made her acutely aware of the proximity of his body and her own in relation to it.

"I would not push myself on you. Nor place any inappropriate demands on you," Arthur said, "this would be a marriage of convenience first and foremost. A solution to a problem. A transaction, if you will."

Selina nodded, swallowing. It was hardly a vow of love, but she could not expect that, could not even say that she loved him. Once upon a time she had. As a girl, she had lost her heart to the poetic gentle young man, and together they had lost themselves in a perfect world of their own imaginations. It had been a refuge from the cruel world for both of them, and she had loved him for helping her to reach it as for anything else.

But that was a long time ago and we have diverged, possibly, over the years. This grown man is darker than my Arthur. Older and wounded by the world. His innocence is lost.

"I will not pressure you. I merely think it is the best course of action. Since you are over the age of one-and-twenty, you do not need your father's permission to marry. I can obtain a special marriage license quickly and this matter could be resolved in the space of…a fortnight," Arthur said earnestly.

"A fortnight? Oh my. I…I don't know quite what to say. Somehow, I did not imagine my marriage beginning like this, though I often imagined it with you."

Arthur nodded, gazing into the fire for a moment, stroking his chin, fingers running along the scar. Then a smile crept across his face, and he turned to her. That smile transformed his face. The eyes, so prone to shadowed introspection, seemed to gleam with a new life. His expression softened. Selina found herself smiling in return, unable to stop herself.

"I have denied you the romance of an earnest proposal. That must not stand."

He promptly lowered himself to one knee and reached up to take her hand. Selina gasped as she looked down at him, the gasp quickly becoming delighted laughter to match his boyish grin.

Now, this is the Arthur that I remember.

"Selina, you have stormed into my life as though blown on the east wind. And like that wind, you have picked up all in your path and thrown it into the air to fall as it may. My life is a jumble, but…I find that it does not displease me. I think that perhaps I was in need of being shaken up. Will you do me the honor of accepting my hand that I may protect you from harm, support you, and that we may, together, help each other find…if not love, then contentment and…"

He seemed to run out of words and Selina laughed in delight. "Contentment and adventure?" she suggested.

Arthur beamed at her. "Contentment and adventure. Who could ask for more? Do you wish to consider the matter or…?"

Selina shook her head. She felt reckless, giddy at her own bravery. "I don't need time to consider. Thank you, Arthur! I accept!"

Arthur grinned. "I do not know why I feel so pleased. This is not a true proposal or a true marriage, after all," he said.

"Perhaps it is simply relief. I know that I am awash with it. I was so afraid that my father would track me down here and you would simply hand me over," Selina said.

Arthur took both of her hands in his and pulled her to her feet. He swept her an elaborate bow and then kissed both of her hands gravely. As their hands came down, still entwined at the fingers, the distance between them lessened. Selina saw him bite his lower lip again and she tightened her fingers around his. The feeling of touching him was just like she remembered. A mixture of sensual excitement and a deep sense of being safe.

Suddenly, she wanted nothing more than to kiss him. She resisted the impulse but silently prayed that he would kiss her. One kiss, in private, could do no harm to either of them. His eyes had not left her face and she reveled in the feeling of being enjoyed, that her appearance, her face, and her body, were bringing him pleasure simply by looking at her.

"I will make all the arrangements. And in the meantime, you will have your run of the Castle and its grounds. You may come and go as you please."

Selina nodded, though she could not imagine wanting to go anywhere unless he was at her side.

I must quell these romantic thoughts. As he said, this is a transaction. A solution to a problem.

"Well, it has been a long night. I will leave you to get some sleep."

"I will, thank you, Your Grace," Selina said formally.

Arthur smiled. "My name is…"

He hesitated; his mouth opened as though forgetting his own name. His cheeks colored and he shook his head.

"Call me Arthur. As you have been. It will not be long before that would be expected anyway."

There was something in his voice, in his expression, something that was almost regret. Selina wondered at that. He had seemed so happy at the prospect of their marriage of convenience.

Perhaps happy is a strong word. Contented anyway. Maybe the reality is now hitting home. That he is surrendering his freedom for my sake.

She fervently hoped that he would not come to resent her. On impulse, she stood on tiptoes to brush a kiss against his cheek. Up close, she found it harder than she thought to pull away again. Her lips lingered for a moment longer than a platonic kiss would have warranted. She felt the line of his scar pressing against her cheek. Before she knew what she was doing, she was breathing in deeply. It was an impulse to drink him in, consuming everything about him, the touch of his hands, the feel of his skin against hers, and the scent of him.

Arthur's hand disengaged from hers and gently looped her waist, coming to rest on the small of her back. She stiffened but in a pleasurable way, almost arching her back under his tantalizing touch. His face turned to hers and she found her lips an inch from his, her nose against his. Their foreheads touched.

"Do you remember the phantom orchestra?" Selina asked with the ghost of a smile.

Arthur did not look away from her but did not answer immediately either. Selina decided to see if she could remind him. It was a game they had played as children, when alone in the barn behind her grandmother's house or in their secret dell in the midst of the Downs.

She took his hand and raised it, reaching back to position the other at the small of her back. Finally, she rested her hand upon his shoulder, stepping back from him to complete the formal pose. Selina looked up at Arthur with a smile and began to hum a waltzing tune. Realization dawned then, followed by a smile of his own.

"I do remember, now that you mention it," Arthur said.

He picked up the rhythm from her humming and led her across the floor. She laughed as they began to glide and flow around the room. Arthur had never been so skillful. He had always been hesitant and awkward, but she had been the one who loved to dance, and he, the one who would do anything to please her.

So Arthur had endured the embarrassment and had applied himself. Now, he led with confidence and skill. There was no hesitancy and he picked up her tune, harmonizing with her to give them their musical accompaniment. Except when their laughter disrupted the music. That was when eye contact and smiles led to ripples of mirth, one or both of them suddenly seeing themselves, a grown adult, dancing around the room to a phantom orchestra.

Finally, Arthur lowered his hold and lifted Selina off her feet. He whirled her, grinning as her dress flared around her and she squealed in delight. Faster he spun until he lost his footing on the edge of a rug. He staggered, caught the backs of his legs on a chair and sat down heavily. Selina sat down atop him, landing in his lap, arms still about his neck.

For a moment, both just looked at each other, startled. Then, Selina kissed him. It was the overflowing of a desire that she had been holding inside since the last time Arthur had touched her intimately. Touched her and then came to his senses and ran away. Since then, she had yearned for another touch that never came. Another kiss that never came. She put her hands to either side of his face and pressed her lips against his. Arthur's lips were warm and firm. They parted and she felt herself tasted by his tongue.

She parted her own lips, savoring the taste of him on her tongue, feeling the sparks of excitement igniting within her. She swept her fingers down his face, feeling the hard contours of his cheeks, then the firm softness of his neck, pushing the collar of his shirt down and then lowering her mouth to kiss at the exposed skin.

Marcus put back his head and his breathing grew raspy. Selina felt like a vampire, a seductive she-devil. The idea made her intensely excited and she leaned down to place a tender kiss on his throat, but then, impulsively, nipped at his skin.

Arthur"s eyes widened, and something seemed to awaken within him. A primal, untamed hunger stirred as he grabbed her waist, pulling her closer. His eyes matched hers for a moment with something she couldn't recognize, and then he began to kiss her fiercely, his lips clashing against hers with an urgency Selina had never experienced from him before. The intensity of his passion sent shivers down her spine, igniting a fire deep within her core.

Arthur"s lips traced a searing path down her neck to her collarbone, and Selina whimpered softly, wanting more. His hands moved to the hem of her delicate nightdress, tugging at the fabric insistently. She could feel her heart hammering in her chest, her body thrumming with anticipation.

"Arthur, I—" Selina gasped, her voice heavy with desire. She didn"t recognize this side of him, yet she couldn"t deny how much it aroused her. Her fingers tangled in his hair, her nails digging into his scalp as he continued to tug at her nightdress. Suddenly, one of her breasts spilled free, exposed to the air and to Arthur"s heated gaze.

"Oh!" Selina instinctively pulled away and reached up to cover herself, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. But Arthur"s eyes were locked onto her, filled with a potent mix of animalistic desire and desperation that made her squirm nervously on his lap.

"Selina," he murmured, his voice low and husky. His hand slid over her throat, gently coaxing her to lower her arms, but she hesitated, torn between modesty and the growing need within her to feel him against her skin again. Soon, she found herself unable to resist that feeling. Selina lowered her arms, allowing Arthur to fully take in the sight of her exposed breast.

Without a moment"s rest, his lips descended upon her breast, his tongue teasing and tasting her hardened nipple. Selina arched into him, a moan escaping her lips as she surrendered to the desire coursing through her veins. Her hands gripped his shoulders, fingers burrowing into the fabric of his shirt as he continued to lavish attention on her sensitive flesh.

"Arthur…" she pleaded, her voice breathless. She could feel her body trembling, poised on the edge of something both thrilling and terrifying.

Her eyes fluttered shut as Arthur"s lips continued to trail fiery kisses over her sensitive skin, his hands expertly teasing and caressing her hips and waist. One hand squeezed her rear, kneading the soft flesh with a wildness that left her breathless, while the other firmly cupped her breast, thumb grazing over her hardened nipple in a sensual dance.

Her nightdress fell dangerously lower, slipping further and further down her shoulders, as she arched her back deeper in response to Arthur"s fervent attentions. The world around them seemed to vanish, leaving only the two of them and the electric spark that flashed between their bodies.

Arthur"s movements grew more frantic, fueled by an insatiable hunger that seemed to erupt within him with every moan that escaped her breathless lips. His powerful fingers encircled her hips, drawing her closer to him as he began to grind her against the evident hardness straining beneath his breeches.

Selina gasped, the friction sending jolts of pleasure through her core as she felt herself growing increasingly wet beneath her thin nightdress. Her cheeks flushed with equal parts desire and embarrassment at the intensity of her arousal, but she couldn"t deny the allure of this newly unleashed side of Arthur.

"Arthur," she whispered, her voice barely audible as her hips moved in sync with his, their bodies now a symphony of desire. "You"ve... changed."

In that instant, the fervor that had consumed Arthur seemed to dissipate, replaced by a dawning realization of what they were doing. He stilled, his grip on her hips loosening as his gaze met hers, filled with a mix of surprise and regret.

"Selina, I—I'm sorry. I do not know what came over me," he stammered, but she could see the conflict in his eyes, the struggle between his newfound passion and the gentleman she'd known him to be.

She swallowed hard, her heart aching as she realized that their moment of abandon had come to an end. Despite the incredible pleasure they had shared, she knew it was for the best that they stopped; they were not yet married, and she didn"t wish to bring further scandal upon them both.

With trembling hands, Selina lifted her nightdress, covering her nakedness as a wave of embarrassment washed over her. The room seemed suddenly cold, the warmth of Arthur"s touch now a distant memory.

She yearned to hold him, to tell him to keep going, to show her more of what she had not yet felt. But Arthur, it seemed, had enough common sense for both of them. He stood, holding her in his arms for a long moment before gently dropping her onto her feet.

"I think it wise that I go to my bed and you to yours," Arthur spoke more formally all of a sudden. "My servants are loyal, but they are only human."

Selina wanted nothing more than for her now scarlet body to be pressed firmly against his, while she slept comfortably in his embrace. But she knew the good sense he was speaking.

"Good night," she whispered, "husb—" but before she could finish her sentence, Arthur had left.