For Sparkling Regency Romance...

 

 

The excitement was dancing in FelicityÂ’s stomach as she slipped down from the saddle and left the mare with the groom.

Ben was already waiting by the benches at the far end of the park. The early morning sunlight burnished a mahogany lustre to the darkness of his hair and he looked so tall and handsome and dashing that she could not help but remember again the feel of his lips upon hers last night and the overwhelming sensation of it that had knocked every last sensible thought from her head.

Her heart was thudding as she walked towards him.

            ‘Miss Morville.’

She looked into those dark mesmerising eyes with all of their tenderness and forbidden promises and could not, despite her guilt, regret being here with him, rather than in the Inns of Court gardens with her mysterious admirer.

            ‘Lieutenant Ranworth...Ben.’ She tried to appear as if she had not spent the previous night sleepless with anticipation.           

He smiled at her, and the thrill rippled through her as he tucked her hand into the crook of his arm.

‘It’s a beautiful morning.’

‘All the more beautiful for your arrival.’

She blushed. ‘You’re flirting with me.’

‘What gentleman would not?’

Her pulse leapt as she saw that he was leading her behind the line of trees, where they would be hidden from sight.

‘I worried that you would not come.’

 ‘You were most persuasive of the importance of this meeting.’ Her cheeks heated at the memory of just how very persuasive he had been.

He stopped walking and turned to her. ‘Of critical importance, I assure you,’ and his voice was low and seductive.

There was only the sound of birdsong and the whispering of the breeze through the leafed canopy above. Felicity did not notice the cloudless blue of the sky or the way the sunlight lit the dew upon the grass. She did not notice anything except Benedict Ranworth and the smouldering intensity of his eyes. She stared and could not look away.

His face lowered towards hers.

She reached her mouth to meet his.

And when their lips finally touched it was everything and more than she remembered.

His kiss was gentle at first, his lips teasing lightly while he enveloped her in his arms. The clean scent of soap and cologne filled her nose. The taste of him tantalised her tongue. He kissed her, and she could think of nothing else. There was only this moment, only this man. Beneath her palm she could feel the fast, hard beat of his heart.

 ‘Felicity,’ he murmured and his hand wove a magical caress against her back before sweeping down over the curve of her hip. He held her to him, so close that their bodies seemed to merge. The kiss intensified, so that he was kissing her harder, intimately, urgently. When his thumb brushed against her breast she gasped at the sensations that shivered through her.

Ben stilled, suddenly aware that he was seducing Miss Morville with all the thoroughness of a rake. He looked at her and standing there in the pale morning sunlight, all flushed and breathless with passion, she appeared to Ben a most glorious vision. 

He did not need to hear that his breathing was heavy to know how close he had come to losing control.  He was all too aware of that fact. ‘Forgive me,’ he murmured, feeling ashamed of himself. ‘I should not have, but you are like no other woman.’

She glanced down, suddenly shy and embarrassed, and he remembered how young and innocent she was, and the danger the stranger posed. Protectiveness surged through him. He should be quizzing her on the man but he could not bring himself to spoil the moment.

‘I will meet you tonight at Mrs Leeming’s rout.’ He stared down into her eyes and she stared back with equal intensity.

The gallop of hooves sounded in the distance; a group of horsemen racing their mounts across the turf towards them.

‘I should go,’ she whispered.

He stood where he was and watched her walk to her horse.

One final lingering look and she rode away.

 

Several hours later Ben was sitting with Hal in the CarlowÂ’s library.

‘How goes our campaign with Miss Morville? Managed to romance the girl enough to stop her sneaking off to meet with that bounder yet?’

Ben watched Hal decant the brandy and gauged how best to answer without revealing the extent of his feelings for Felicity. ‘It is progressing,’ he said cautiously.

Hal’s eyes brightened. ‘That’s a blessed relief.’ He passed a glass to Ben. ‘Means you can ease up on feigning an interest.’

Ben forced himself to amend the words that would have betrayed him. ‘The job is far from done; I have not yet discovered anything of the man from her.’

Hal sipped at his brandy. ‘Then by all means engage in a bit more flirtation and a few waltzes but no more meetings alone. After all, you don’t want to find yourself forced to take a trip down the aisle with the girl.’

Ben thought of FelicityÂ’s hair glowing red in the sunshine and the sweetness of her lips. He thought, too, of her vivacious energy and her courage, and he could not help but smile.

‘Ranworth?’

Ben glanced up to find Hal peering at him. He tried to frown. ‘The important thing is that we keep Miss Morville safe.’

‘Quite.’ Hal nodded. ‘A gentleman’s duty and all that. Now drink up. Thought we’d nip to the club for a few hours.’

Neither man noticed the slight creaking that sounded outside the partly opened door.

Ben thought again of Felicity. HalÂ’s advice might be sound, but Ben had no intention of following it.

 

Felicity was trying to decide which dress to wear that evening. She was humming as she ran her fingers over the silks, and feeling joyful enough to burst when Honoria whirled into the bedchamber and plumped herself down on the bed. ‘They are such beasts!’

Felicity hurried to her side. ‘Who are beasts?’

‘Men!’ Honoria’s eyes flashed. ‘Or more specifically, my brother and Lieutenant Ranworth.’

A whisper of foreboding rippled down FelicityÂ’s spine.

‘I happened to overhear their conversation and it’s all of it a ploy to steer you away from your secret admirer.’

Felicity felt the blood drain from her face. ‘A ploy?’ she uttered weakly.

‘They decided that Lieutenant Ranworth would feign a romantic interest in you in order to protect you!’

FelicityÂ’s stomach plummeted. She sat down on the bed beside her friend.

Honoria looked round at her, and her gaze seemed to see too much. The fury had gone and in its place was concern. ‘I’m sorry, Felicity. I didn’t realize that you liked him.’

And even though Felicity was hurt and outraged and humiliated, she drew herself up. ‘I’m not such a ninny to be taken in by Lieutenant Ranworth’s games. I knew very well what he was about. And if he thinks for one minute that he’ll prevent me meeting with a certain gentlemen then he’s much mistaken.’ She forced herself to smile. ‘I don’t think that I’ll go to the rout after all. I’ll need a good night’s sleep if I’m to be up early to fetch some more herbs.’

Honoria grinned. ‘That’s the spirit.’

Felicity smiled again, but inside her heart was breaking, and she did not let herself think, not once, of Ben Ranworth.