Free Lady Harriet's Unusual Reward by Em Taylor

mind. I do not accept your apology, simply because it seems less than heartfelt. You do not even seem to know what you are apologising for.”
    “Well I think Lord Stephen did kiss Lady Harriet last night. Her hair was all mussed at the back when they returned from the garden,” said Mary, giving William a knowing look.
    “Maybe they did more than kiss,” said William.
    “That is enough!” cried Harriet, her voice just short of a screech. She drew in yet another deep breath, regained her composure and looked from her brother to his fiancée. “This is the breakfast table, there is a child present and we are polite company. Could we please refrain from discussing kissing or anything else that would carry on from such an act? It is not appropriate.”
    “Kissing is horrible anyway,” said Phoebe, as Harriet laid the plate of food before her.
    “I quite agree,” said Harriet.
    “You didn’t agree last night,” came a low rumble in her ear. It took a mere two seconds and she could easily have missed the soft caress of a thumb across the exposed flesh of her neck, but she knew she had not when Stephen picked up his knife and fork and began to tuck into ham and eggs.
    Why was every nerve in her body alive? And why was a man who maintained he did not want to marry her intent on vexing her in such a manner? She wanted to climb onto his knee, straddling him and then… what? Well she did not actually know but something told her that it would be pleasurable and that Stephen would know what to do.
    ****
    “Well Miss Paton will make a wonderful addition to our staff, I believe. She seems bright, willing and more than able to keep both Phoebe and Mary in line. Hopefully she will be able to teach Mary appropriate dinner conversation and quickly.”
    He hoped so. He didn’t need another meal that went along the lines of breakfast. He had wanted to kill someone by the end of it.
    “It is hardly Mary’s fault that she says what she sees. My hair was a mess when I returned from the garden last night.”
    “And whose fault is that?”
    “You kissed me, my lord.”
    “You did not object, my lady.” Oh he was a cad putting all this on her, but how was a man supposed to have resisted?
    “Why should I?”
    “To protect your reputation.”
    “What reputation? The spinster sister of an imbecile? Why do you think I am not married, Stephen? People are concerned it runs in the family. They do not want to take the chance that my first-born will be like William. I am no use to a first son. I am not even much use to a spare like yourself.”
    “Do not speak of yourself like that.” Why did she always put herself down? And why did she shine such a harsh light on the ways of the ton ? He was no fan of society, for sure but it had its place and he understood it. It was part of the reason he shunned it. And he was comfortable with his decision.
    “Like what? Oh come now, Stephen. We all know that women are nothing more than brood mares. Your sister-in-law has not produced the heir to your brother’s title yet. Are you not being pressured to marry and produce sons just in case?”
    “No. And as for Elizabeth. Please do not speak of her in that manner. She has had a difficult time.”
    “I apologise. I do not mean to speak out of turn. I mean only to remind you of the realities of the situation, and that you have duties too. But any children we have are unlikely to be like my brother. I doubt even his children will be like him. And that is another reason he needs close family around him. So that his children can have people around them to help them learn to read and show them the ways of society when it is time. That is why we must marry. And that is why I will not allow you to distract me from this course of action.”
    Stephen was sat on the high-backed chair next to the hearth and gestured for her to take the other one. They were in the library of Oldbeck House having just interviewed and agreed employment terms with Miss Paton.