Free Love's Patient Fury (The Deverell Series Book 3) by Susan Ward

Stop worrying.”
    Kate shook her head, clearly confused and clearly dismayed. “It makes no sense. Why would you stay at Bramble Hill? You are married, my dear. You have a husband in yonder house. What will you do if His Grace becomes smitten with you, decides he wants to settle in marriage, ready for a wife and ready for an heir. No doubt, he needs to hurry up the matter. He is handsome, but old. How old is he, anyway?”
    A low voice. “I am positively ancient, Kate Merrick. I am thirty-nine.”
    Merry shot up into a sitting position to find Varian standing above her, black eyes glowing. The sudden motion made the kitten scramble from her hand. Adding to the embarrassment of being caught gossiping about him was the ridiculous picture she surely made.
    Varian’s gaze fixed on Merry. “I am already hopelessly smitten with your cousin. What do you propose I do with her, Kate?”
    To say Kate was distraught would be to understate the case grossly. Poor Kate. It would have been better to stay meek. It took all of thrice for Varian to realize Kate wasn’t going to find her voice any time soon, and to pick up his own question.
    The outer curve of his finger lifted to Merry’s cheek. “Don’t look so dismayed, Little One, I daresay the two of us will manage something without Kate’s advice. We always manage something.”
    Somehow she managed calm as she met Varian stare for stare, following him with her eyes as he moved around the low stone wall and settled in a lazy dissent of long limbs too close to her on the quilt. The sight of him sprawled on the deep bed of grass, surrounded by kittens and blackberry tarts, fallen flower petals, Kate and Philip, was preposterous. It seemed to underscore the absurdity of their marriage.
    “How dare you spy on me. Wouldn’t there be more amusement off with Camden instead of prowling the grounds so you can intrude on my private conversations? Or has the Earl already run off to London and left you so in search of amusement that you are reduced to settling for the meager entertainment of embarrassing my cousin with your eavesdropping?”
    Varian’s answering smile was soft and amused. “I would never consider you a meager entertainment, Merry.”
    His lips were very close to hers, the slightest move, and he might have kissed her. Merry hoped against hope that his proximity was only an accident. It had been an imprudent hope.  She noted his easy move, the feel of his breath on her chin as his kiss missed her lips and settled on the flesh beneath it. She felt his quiet laugh. “Blackberry,” he breathed against her skin. “I have wanted to do that since I spied you from across the road. Scented of roses and tasting of blackberry. Even dusted with kitten fur, you are irresistibly beautiful today.  It is a good thing you are capably guarded by Kate and Philip. Imagine the danger if I had found you alone. How the devil did you get blackberry on your chin?”
    His question had been spoken in a silly tone, and his manner carried a tolerant affection. What was he about now, Merry wondered. She should leave him as his mood warned, but she feared he would follow her and trap her alone and knew this argument would be more vicious than the prior night’s and harder to protect herself in.
    Arching a brow coolly, she said, “It’s a tart. If I give you one will you go away?”
    “I am not in the mood for a tart. I am in the mood for my wife. What are the odds of you offering me that today?”
    Her cheeks were undisciplined enough to burn, but her eyes narrowed. “You are despicable.”
    He shook his head in dramatic sympathy. “If I promise to behave do you think you could suffer a moment or two alone with me? Come walk with me, Merry. Show me your Cornwall. I am in the mood to experience the beauty of nature today.”
    “Experience nature by yourself. It’s bad enough I have been forced to suffer you intruding upon my private amusements.”
    Varian causally reclined on his side.