Chapter Nineteen

“A nd the matter that concerns you?”

Flora attempted to pull her hand away, but Lennox wouldn’t surrender his grip. “Lady Baxter.”

Flora didn’t feel the need to elaborate. The lady’s name was sufficient for Lennox to realize Flora knew about his mistress. The way he reacted would determine if Flora gave him a second chance. Already, his reaction showed his discomfort by how he tugged at his cravat with his other hand and turned a slight shade of pink. However, not once did his gaze alter the firm determination of his honesty.

Lennox rubbed his thumb in a soothing motion along Flora’s wrist. “A mistake of my past that I dismissed the day after we wed.”

Flora scoffed. “Before or after you shared in her delights?”

Lennox dropped his hold and stared at Flora with disappointment that she held such a low opinion of him. Of course, he had set the course by seducing her into marriage because of their parents' demands and then kept secrets from her. But never had he cheated on their marital vows or even desired to. For her to believe otherwise led Lennox to wonder if they even stood a chance.

“To say I am offended would be an understatement,” Lennox replied.

Flora curled her hand to her side, already missing Lennox’s warmth. However, she lifted her chin in defiance. If they had any hope of having a prosperous marriage, then Flora must remain confident and not cower. “How so?”

“If you believe so lowly of my character, then it only shows you hold no trust in whatever I might tell you.”

“I believe you have good intentions, and your actions show proof of how you speak from the heart. However, I saw you pull your mistress into your bedchamber the following morning after our wedding. The very room you made me your wife.” Flora’s voice rose in distress with every word.

Lennox jerked back as if someone had punched him. “Is that why you fled?” he whispered.

Flora’s lips quivered as she fought back her tears. “Yes. I couldn’t bear the thought that I wasn’t enough for you. Your deceit crushed my heart, but your betrayal with that spiteful woman destroyed my soul.”

Lennox gathered Flora in his arms. His fearful pride at her rejection was swept away with the wind bustling around them. His only consideration was to soothe away Flora’s heartache and make her understand she was the only one he had ever given his heart to. She was his soulmate. He swept his hand along her back, soothing her as she poured out her despair. Her tears floated along her cheeks like the current of a gentle stream, settling on his coat.

He pressed a kiss on top of her bonnet. “My love, I wish you would have stormed the bedchamber in a snit of fury instead of leaving heartbroken. For then you would have seen me expressing my displeasure with Lady Baxter for filling your head with misconceptions. The lady did not hold a single notion about the depth of my feelings for you. Also, you would have heard how I ended the relationship and ordered her from my parents' home. I have not seen her since.”

Flora raised her head and hiccupped. “Why did you pull her into your bedchamber?”

“Because I was a fool. I thought it would afford us a modicum of privacy to keep any rumors at bay.”

“Why the deceit?”

Flora didn’t need to specify what deceit she wanted him to explain. She wanted an explanation about his role from the very start of the ruse-filled courtship. He hoped once he confessed the truth, Flora would find it in her heart to forgive him and no doubts would linger between them.

“At first, I agreed to follow along with my parents' demand because it was a simple solution.”

Flora’s eyebrows puckered together. “How so?”

“My parents had been pressuring me to find a bride. However, I didn’t want to make the effort of choosing one for myself. I found the tedious repetition of charming silly debutantes a bore, especially when I much preferred the lifestyle I had become accustomed to. When they presented their offer, I agreed because I wouldn’t have to attend countless mind-numbing balls or entertainments to secure myself a pampered bride who was pleasing to my parents.”

“I was a great disappointment to your mother.”

Lennox shook with laughter. “Aye, you were at that.”

Flora tried to push herself out of Lennox’s arms, stung by his effortless agreement. “Unhand me.”

“Nay. Never again.”

Flora softly growled her displeasure.

“Ah, lass. I never once found you a disappointment. Even now, with your fierce growl, you hold my attention. As for my mother, her opinion holds naught for what I hold in my heart for you.”

While she pretended to be slighted at his laughter, her insides melted at his heartfelt declaration. “Continue with your explanation, you Scottish barbarian.”

Lennox chuckled and drew Flora closer as he leaned them back against the bench. “At our introduction, I balked at the idea of them saddling me with a wild urchin for a bride. I made many attempts to convince my parents to change their minds, but they would have none of it. Since your brother ruined my sister, they wanted their revenge against your family and refused to relent. You see, my parents had learned how devoted your parents were to secure you a wealthy groom and how they would agree to whatever they deemed. They would sacrifice their only son to gain you for a daughter.”

“I still do not understand my worth in this agreement.”

“With our marriage, our lands would merge and provide our clans with more power to protect us against any enemy that surrounds us.”

“But wouldn’t my brother and your sister’s marriage already guarantee that? Why the need for us to wed?” Flora asked.

“Because our union further clinched the agreement. If either of us wed someone from another clan, then it would involve more parties. Also, our parents agreed to marry your other brothers to members of my family. Their greed will be our downfall,” Lennox explained.

“A parent’s ambition is a child’s hindrance,” Flora muttered.

“Aye.”

Silence settled between them while Flora considered the basis of their marriage. However, it didn’t explain his amorous pursuit after their initial exasperating meeting. Flora had never met a more pompous gentleman before Lennox. She remembered his pretentious snobbery and snide comments about her attire. Also, his standoffish manner when she tried to engage with him because her mother forced her to. It left her wondering why the sudden change in his behavior.

“You were an atrocious bore,” Flora declared.

Lennox bent his head and nipped Flora’s lips. “And you were a vexing minx hell-bent on destruction with your untamed behavior.”

“You were so cruel with your slanderous nature.”

“Because you caught me so unaware I was unsure of myself and the feelings that rushed at me whenever you were near. Once I stopped fighting the confusion and opened myself to the inevitable of embracing the madness of how one Flora Grant captured my heart, I set about to charm you into submission.”

Flora harrumphed. She refused to give him the satisfaction that she had succumbed to said charm. She saw no need to stroke his ego when everyone else already did so.

Hoping he was on the path of redemption in her eyes, Lennox took Flora’s silence as a sign to continue. “I will admit you spun me on my heels with your rejection, and you soon became a challenge. A welcoming one that changed my stance on our parents’ arrangement. I no longer wanted to accept their terms and relentlessly tried to convince them to free us from their selfishness.”

“Oh.” His explanation reinforced her doubts once again. “So, in the end, they forced you to marry me?”

Lennox tucked his knuckle under Flora’s chin and tilted her head to meet his gaze. “No, you misunderstand. I wanted us to begin our marriage with the love in our hearts, not under their terms of greed. I should have professed my love to you before we spoke our vows. Perhaps if I had, you would never have doubted my intentions. But I was a coward who feared you did not share the same sentiments. I allowed our families to control our destiny, and for that, I sincerely regret my dishonesty.”

Flora’s eyes widened. “You love me?”

Lennox slid his palms across Flora’s cheeks. “Aye, my love. Head over heels. My soul has missed my other half these past two years.”

He dipped his head to kiss Flora with a gentleness that brought tears to her eyes. Each press of his lips against hers told her of his heartache but also of his happiness to be reunited with her. Flora covered her hands over his, so he would never loosen his hold on her again. Their lips slowly pulled apart, and Lennox rested his forehead against hers, staring deeply into her eyes.

If Flora had held any doubt before, it vanished with the emotions swirling in the depth of his eyes. His feelings filtered the hazel orbs into a soft green with golden flecks dancing with the fire of his gaze. He drew her under his spell the longer she lost herself in the magic of their love swirling around them. She hadn’t confessed her love yet because she needed to come to terms with the regret she held for staying away so long. The years they had lost because of her wounded pride would forever haunt her. She only hoped Lennox would forgive her for abandoning him. She had been blind to the love he felt for her.

However, one could not go backward but only move forward and not repeat the mistakes of their past. Flora had learned a valuable lesson that had almost cost her the future she had dreamed of. Instead of running from a problem, she would confront the situation and resolve the issue. Only then would she find her answers.

“Lennox ...” Flora started.

She never got to explain herself before the sky roared above them, pelting them with rain. Lennox pulled Flora to her feet and whipped his coat off to cover her before grabbing her hand to run. Since they only lived a few blocks away, they never bothered with a carriage. They laughed as they fought not to slide on the slick path.

Once again, Flora’s memories transported her back to the amusing encounters when Lennox had charmed her into a courtship. They rushed inside from the servants' entrance, only to stop short at the cook’s frown at their entrance into her domain. However, she wasn’t the only one susceptible to Lennox’s dashing smile.

“We apologize for the mess, Mrs. Gow.” His infectious grin had Flora practically swooning on her feet.

“’Tis not necessary, Lord Hepburn. As long as you and the missus are well,” Mrs. Gow answered.

Lennox winked at Flora. “Are you well, Lady Hepburn?”

Flora blushed before rushing toward the servants’ staircase. The bounder had deliberately tried to fluster her in front of the servant. “Aye,” she called over her shoulder.

“It seems the missus is fine and in a hurry to get dry. A small favor, though. I hope I can trust you to keep our return a secret.”

“Aye, my lord. Me lips are sealed,” Mrs. Gow promised.

Flora groaned at Lennox’s deliberate attempt to reveal their intentions to retire to his bedchamber for the afternoon. A most scandalous revelation to declare to the servants. The man was most exasperating. Yet she desired him beyond reason.

She wasted no time sneaking into his bedchamber and peeling her drenched coat off. It landed in a pile at her feet, as well as her bonnet and gloves. Flora tugged at the pins in her hair and dropped them on the carpet too. Her behavior for the mid-afternoon was shameless, but the passion simmering between them since Lennox had confessed his love guided Flora’s actions. She had missed many afternoons where they could’ve spent them in each other’s arms, and she refused to miss any more.

Flora had forgiven Lennox with her whole heart.