Always the Courtesan by Emily Murdoch

Author:Emily Murdoch
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2020-05-27T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

“HANNAH. IT IS time.”

Josiah’s voice was swallowed by the growing dark, echoing strangely around Oak Avenue Lodge.

A voice called back from the open front door, which spilled golden light onto the cobbles.

“No, thank you.”

Night had fallen more quickly than they had realized, and before they knew it, the small clock above the mantelpiece in the drawing room chimed six o’clock.

“I promised,” he called back, holding back his pain. “I gave my word.”

And by God, would he like to break it. Standing by the carriage with the door open, he looked at the figure standing in the doorway, hair billowing out around her shoulders, caught by the light breeze.

He did not want to take her back. He did not want to leave. But he had promised Madam he would have Hannah back by nightfall on the third day, and as he could barely make out a few yards before him, that was now.

The Earl of Chester could not, would not be called into a court of law to explain why he had stolen away a courtesan.

He must ignore the stabs of icy pain shooting into his heart. How could he leave the place where they had been so happy together?

Memories from the last three days rushed through his mind, making love together for the first time and seeing that look of shock on her face as she experienced pleasure, true pleasure for the first time. The picnic in the garden, getting caught today in the rain and stripping off their wet clothes, not bothering to get dressed again, just staying inside the warm house, enjoying each other’s bodies.

But the rain had stopped, and it was time to leave.

He walked into the darkness until Hannah’s face was clearer. She looked anguished, as though she was physically wounded.

Taking her hands in his, he murmured, “Come on, love?”

Her eyes filled with tears. “Josiah, this…this place is the happiest I have ever been in my life. Why would I want to leave it?”

Resisting the urge to march her straight back into the lodge and barricade it against Madam, Andrews, this magistrate, and all the others, he tried to ignore his breaking heart and leaned down to kiss her tenderly.

“You must remember,” he said quietly, trying to keep his voice level, “happiness is not here in the Oak Avenue Lodge but wherever we are. Whenever we are together, we will experience the same bliss as this, the same togetherness. And I will be back to visit you, perhaps even more often than twice a week, if I can manage it. We will still have each other.”

She was gripping his hands as though they were an anchor, keeping her steady in a rolling sea.

Josiah swallowed. He was not just some self-respecting man. He was the Earl of Chester, with all the duties and responsibilities of nobility, and one of those was to marry well—and to sire sons. He could no more dishonor his agreement with Madam than rescind his title.

Hannah could not know that, of course.

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