A Christmas Seduction (16 page)

Hugh wasn’t speaking much and nor was she.

His chivalrous act, his concern for her wellbeing, his love for his brother and, of course, his kisses were forces too strong for her to fight.

She might as well embrace the fact that she loved him.

Then, when he rejected her as he had three years ago, she could go away and lick her wounds in peace.

But wouldn’t it be nice to just let herself enjoy his company?

“Let’s get inside and get warm,” Hugh interrupted her thoughts.

She looked guiltily at him.

“Oh, Hugh, you must be freezing,” she said, starting to remove his coat. Here, take—” her words trailed off as she looked at him, really looked at him, since he’d given her his coat.

Now that he wasn’t wearing his jacket, she could see more of him and what she saw was enough to make her mouth drier than the Sahara.

She could see the muscles of his arms through the thin material of his lawn shirt, they looked so defined, so big.

And his jacket had very obviously not been padded like that of some of the dandies of the ton, given the size of his shoulders and the breadth of his chest.

“Louisa?”

Her eyes snapped up to his, and she was horrified to see the light of amusement in them. He knew, the cad. He knew the effect his body was having on her.

“You were saying?” he continued with a smug grin.

“I thought you might be cold. I was g-giving you back your coat,” she murmured dropping her eyes and refusing to meet his gaze again.

“Keep it,” he said, chuckling softly. “I do believe your heated glances are enough to keep my blood warm.”

Louisa gasped in outrage. How dare he embarrass her so?

“I beg your pardon,” she exclaimed. “I am not giving you heated glances. The very idea.”

He laughed again then bent to give her a swift kiss.

“You are one in a million, Louisa Bright. Come on.”

He moved ahead of her, and Louisa scrambled to keep up.

“Take the coat back,” she demanded.

“No,” he answered mutinously.

“Hugh,” she said exasperatedly.

“Louisa.” He imitated her tone like a big, overgrown child.

“Will you take the bloody coat?” she screeched.

“I’ll tell you what,” he said, his tone placating. “Meet me later tonight, and you can return it to me.”

She eyed him suspiciously, her eyes narrowed.

“Can’t you just take it now?” she asked.

“I could. But I don’t want to. If you return it later, that means I get to see you later.”

Louisa couldn’t help but laugh at his charming smile.

And hadn’t she decided to just enjoy her time?

Still, it seemed that she was playing with a fire that she wasn’t equipped to deal with.

“Sweetheart, can’t you just ease up and have a little fun?” he cajoled.

“Why are you doing this?” she asked rather than acquiesce.

He sighed and shook his head.

“So mistrustful,” he whispered reaching out and stroking her cheeks softly.”Isn’t it obvious that I’m doing this because I want, quite desperately I might add, to spend time alone with you? That I want to explore this thing that’s growing between us?”

His words were so coaxing, his touch intoxicating.

“You did it for Meredith, allowed yourself to let go and give Lucas his chance to woo her.”

“Well, that was different. I mean, well it wasn’t…” she trailed off in confusion.

“It’s not different,” he said. “Believe me.”

Louisa froze as his words crashed through her mind, dragging up a memory from years ago.

After their kiss, Louisa had dashed off into the house, desperate to seek her sisters’ council, though Sara had been far too young to discuss such things.

Being unable to find them in their bedchambers, she had searched the house and had finally moved toward the voices she heard coming from the library.

It was only as she reached the partially opened doors that she realized they were male voices, specifically those of Hugh and his brothers.

She shouldn’t have really, but she settled in to eavesdrop. After all, they had just shared a wonderful, romantic kiss. Hugh was bound to be telling his brothers about it, perhaps even seeking Lucas’s advice on how to proceed with a courtship.

What she heard, however, was decidedly
not
what she had wanted.

“Ugh, you kissed one of the vipers?” Jackson asked, his tone filled with horror.

“Shut up, Jack,” Hugh responded and Louisa had felt a surge of affection. He would defend her honor.

“But, why?” The younger man had sounded horrified.

The silence stretched so long that Louisa thought perhaps he meant to ignore the question altogether.

Finally, he answered, “Because I could.”

“Do you care for her?” That was Lucas’s deeper voice.

“Of course not. It was a joke. We’re always playing them, aren’t we?”

Louisa’s face burned with humiliation.

“We’ll have to cancel all of our plans. Get the frogs back and everything,” Jackson sulked.”Everything’s different now.”

“It’s not different. Believe me. Just another way to humiliate one of the little witches.”

“Louisa?”

She came back to the present with a terrible thud.

What was the point in all of this? She had barely gotten over her humiliation then. Now, with her heart involved, she refused to take the risk.

H
UGH WATCHED
L
OUISA’S FACE
as a myriad of emotions flitted across it. She’d never been able to hide her feelings, even when they were children.

It was one of the things he loved about her.

As though a bolt of lightning had just lit the sky, the thought burst brightly through Hugh’s mind.

My God. He did. He loved her, the annoying, sneaky, beautiful, charming little minx.

He couldn’t stop his sudden grin.

It seemed so obvious to him now.

He loved her.

They would marry and fill a nursery and she would live with him on his own vast estate, separate to that of his family, whom he loved but who would most definitely be in the way with what he planned.

It would be bucolic bliss.

Hugh was about to tell her all of this when he noticed her expression change once more.

“I want to, but I do not believe it,” she said now, sounding colder than he’d heard in days.

“Louisa—”

“No, Hugh,” she shook her head, moving out of his grasp. “I was foolish enough to believe that you had changed three years ago. I will not allow my sister to make the same mistake now.”

He frowned in confusion.

What the hell was she talking about?

“I heard you, you see,” she continued and he could see the blush staining her cheeks, even in the moonlight. “All those years ago after we’d — well, after.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said carefully, not really knowing what her mood was or where this conversation was headed.

“No, I expect you wouldn’t. The whole thing was rather boring and insignificant for you, I’d warrant. But it bothered me, I’ll admit. And I haven’t forgotten it.”

Without saying another word, she turned and marched toward the maze, following the crowd.

Hugh felt his temper flare.

And just like that, she was ruining all his hastily made plans. She couldn’t just stomp off without explaining why.

“Would you care to expand, Miss Bright?” he called, rushing after her. “For I am at rather a loss as to what you are going on about.”

“After you kissed me all those years ago, you couldn’t wait to run to your brother’s and fill them in on your inspired idea to humiliate one of the little witches. Wasn’t that how you referred to it?”

Damn.

“Louisa, we were young. We were enemies. You cannot think that this is the same?”

“I can and I do. I can’t trust a Mayford any more than Meredith can.”

Hugh couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

Was she really going to hold the sins of his past against him? He hadn’t even meant what he’d said. He’d just had no idea how to deal with the visceral reaction he’d felt when touching her.

“Louisa, I didn’t mean it. I was trying to save face. You have to understand.”

“Oh, I do understand Hugh.”

He watched helplessly as she removed his jacket and thrust it back at him.

“Can we please talk about this?” he asked desperately.

She sighed and looked suddenly exhausted.

“I’m tired and I’m cold. We can forget all of this ever happened. My sisters and I will leave after Christmas Day and you can all get back to your bachelor ways.”

He watched as she walked away.

She couldn’t leave it like this.

He wouldn’t let her.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Sweetheart,

I refuse to allow a stupid mistake from three years ago come between us now. Meet me in the conservatory when everyone has gone to bed, around one o’clock.

Please.

If you happen to forget about it, I shall come and fetch you from your bedroom. And don’t think I won’t!

Hugh

The bloody man was a nuisance.

But he was a determined nuisance, and Louisa knew he meant what he threatened. He would cause a huge scandal rather than allow her to ignore his summons. He really was that stubborn.

And, truth be told, Louisa was worried that she was being rather ridiculous.

If her sisters had accused her of conceding their war three years ago; she probably would have denied everything, too.

Besides, it was different now.

She certainly felt different. Couldn’t she trust that he did too?

After they’d gotten back to the house, the rest of the party in fine spirits, Louisa had sat in a corner and brooded.

Brooded and watched.

She was pleased to see that Hugh seemed to be brooding himself. She would likely have thrown something at him had he appeared to be enjoying the festivities.

Mostly, she watched Meredith and Lucas. And the longer she watched them, the more she was convinced; they were two people completely in love with each other.

Louisa sighed and paced her bedchamber as she had been doing for hours now.

She knew she could probably convince Meredith that Lucas wasn’t to be trusted, and she could manipulate her sister into leaving this place.

But Meredith was happy, truly happy… with Lucas.

Her confusing thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on the door.

Horrified, her eyes flew to the carriage clock on the mantle.

It was almost time to meet him, but not quite.

He couldn’t be here already, could he?

“Yes?” she called trying not to sound panicked.

“May I come in?” The door cracked open slightly, revealing Meredith.

“Meredith? Why in heaven’s name are you in your nightclothes! Someone could see you!” she exclaimed as Meredith came farther into the room.

“Why are you not ready for bed? It must be near one in the morning!” Meredith responded, looking a little too closely at Louisa.

“I wasn’t tired,” she said as casually as she could manage but she couldn’t help glancing toward the hall lest Hugh should suddenly appear.

“Liar.”

“Snoop.”

“Are you meeting Hugh?” Meredith demanded. Usually Louisa would have been happy to sit and have a coze with her sister. But this was most inconvenient.

There was no point in denying it either. Meredith was like a bloodhound when it came to finding things out.

“That’s none of your concern,” she said with a sniff rather than deny it.

“Do you realize this is Hugh?” Meredith demanded, crossing her arms, ever the bossy big sister.

“You do realize you’re being quite the hypocrite. Lucas is just as attentive as Hugh. More even.” Louisa shot back, hating feeling so defensive.

“Yes but…”

“No excuses. I’ll let you have your secrets. But let me have my own as well.” Louisa softened her tone, and her expression. It wasn’t Meredith’s fault that Hugh Mayford had her tied in knots.

Louisa was more than capable of handling this thing herself, in any case.

“Very well, though I’ll expect a full report in the morning, mind you.” Meredith finally relented and Louisa could breathe a little easier.

“Yes, Mother,” she answered cheekily.

“I’ll leave you to your secrets then. Does Sara have any such secrets or will I find her in her room?” Meredith asked as she walked towards the door.

Funnily enough, Louisa hadn’t seen Sara on their return from the maze. Or Jackson, for that matter.

“I’m not sure,” she answered truthfully.”You’ll have seek those answers yourself.”

She knew she was practically shooing her sister out the door but if Meredith were still here when Hugh arrived it would be a catastrophe.

Sending Meredith off with a wink, Louisa waited until her footsteps padded down the hallway then swept quickly from the room.