Free How to Impress a Gentleman by Allie Borne Page A

desperately needed. He groaned when he felt her pull away. Charles didn’t realize that they weren’t alone until he noticed her gaze lay behind him on the path. Turning, he stifled an oath. There stood Lindsay’s grandmother, father, and sister, with, as luck might have it, Lady Reynolds.
     
     

Chapter Four- Escape
     
    “Wife and servant are the same,
    But only differ in the name:
    For when that fatal knot is tied,
    Which nothing, nothing can divide:
    When she the word obey has said,
    And man by law supreme has made”
     
    ~Lady Mary Chudleigh, 17th Century Wife and Feminist
     
     
    “What is the meaning of this?!” barked Sir Richard, scowling and marching forward, amid overly dramatized sighs and gasps from Lady Reynolds.
    “Father!” squeaked Lindsay, “I can explain, I was distraught and-”
    “No,” stated Charles flatly, cutting her off as he slashed his hand down unequivocally. Stepping in front of Lindsay protectively and, Lindsay noted, territorially, he lifted his chin. “I was carried away with excitement, Sir, as your daughter had just agreed to become my wife.” Turning to Lady Beaumont, he bowed respectfully. “I apologize for taking liberties.”
    Sir Richard tensed at the explanation and kept his gaze locked with Charles. “Are you saying you would like an appointment to meet with me, Sir Charles?”
    “I am.”
    “But, this is quite unnecessary,” Lindsay tried to interrupt.
    “Don’t be ridiculous, Lindsay,” Charles drawled. Not removing his eyes from Sir Richard, Charles belied his casual tone by squeezing her hand tightly in warning. “I would hate for your father to misinterpret my intentions. Furthermore, I refuse to short shrift convention or tradition on this, of all matters.”
    Sir Richard visually bristled, then responded. “I quite agree. Now, let us return to the picnic together. Lindsay, you and Charles may walk ahead of Leah and me. Lindsay’s chest felt tight with panic and dismay. Her head began to throb as it spun with a cyclone of hope, guilt, and despair. How could this be happening? Her worst nightmare seemed to have just sprung to life.
    Betrayed by her own body, she had wantonly offered herself to the very man she knew could destroy her. How could she possibly survive an unhappy marriage with the only man she had ever loved? It was much safer to wed one for whom she did not feel strong emotions. In that way, no great risk was run. In that way, she would not risk losing it all.
    Her lips still thrummed from his kiss, beating to the rhythm of her heart. Both her body and her soul seemed to call out for him and she knew with a sinking sensation that she could not survive a marriage with Charles in which he did not return her regard. She could not bear needing him and being abandoned by him ever again.
    “Father,” Lindsay began again, turning to him, “I really see no need-”
    “Not one word, Lindsay,” barked her father. “Now let’s have no more talk of this business here. We are approaching the clearing.”
    Nonchalantly returning to their blanket, Charles resumed his farming discussion with Aiden. As upset as Lindsay was, she didn’t wish to bruise her budding friendship with Charlotte and thus forced herself to smile and speak on benign topics, such as tonight’s dinner menu and Saturday’s ball. Charlotte, it seems, planned to wear a daring neck line in hopes of riling her mother and fiance’ simultaneously.
    Lindsay couldn’t keep herself from laughing at her new friend’s antics.
    “It was hideous, I tell you, Lindsay. Although it was a lovely soft, shimmery silver, my mother made me choose a high collared style, with ruffles and buttons! Ruffles on this beautiful satin! I am a thin person, Lindsay, I do not do well with ruffles and frills. So, I took it with me when I visited my cousin last month. I had saved all of my pin money since February and was able to bribe the young seamstress who was working on Caroline’s trousseau to make