Snowflakes and Scandals

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Shock.

This couldn’t be happening. Carlisle wasn’t kissing her. Which meant… had he been talking about her? Was she the woman he wanted to court?

The kiss was short, almost chaste, but he’d kissed her on the mouth. And then he was pulling away and watching her.

Her hand moved to her lips, and for possibly the first time in her life, Millie was stunned into silence.

“I think it might be best if I take you back to your parents’ house.”

Her thoughts were still on the kiss and trying to decipher what he’d told her. “In the carriage?”

“No, on horseback. We can ride together. The trip there and back that the groom made will have created a path in the snow. It will be easier for the two of us to travel together.”

“On one horse?”

“Yes, Millie.”

She swallowed her disappointment. “Can we have our walk in the garden before we leave?”

She didn’t realize that she was still rubbing her finger against her bottom lip until Carlisle reached up and covered her hand with his. He brought her hand to his mouth and dropped a kiss in her palm.

“Of course we can.” He shook his head and released her hand. “I should have spoken to you last night at dinner, but you were so distraught about your father. I apologize if my actions have given you any cause for concern. I’ll leave you now, and we can finish this discussion later.” He let out an audible breath and then turned to leave.

She stared after his retreating figure, and it took her several seconds before her scrambled thoughts snapped into place.

Carlisle had kissed her, and right now he was trying to behave honorably. But he’d kissed her, and when she’d remained frozen in place, he’d been sad. Disappointed.

But she’d been so surprised she was finally getting what she wanted—a sign that this man she’d long admired had a romantic interest in her. It wasn’t unexpected that a rather large part of her had been afraid she was imagining things. But she couldn’t have imagined a scene where he was disappointed because he didn’t believe she returned his affection.

She couldn’t allow him to walk away. She raced after him and caught him just before he was about to enter his study.

He moved to one side of the hall, and she realized that he expected her to run past him. No, not anymore. She was done running. She moved past him, yes, but she turned right and opened the door to his study. She waited for him to follow her, and when he did, she closed the door behind them.

“I want you to speak to me right now. No more waiting.”

He nodded, his eyes serious. “Of course. I’ve put this off for too long.”

“I’m not sure what’s happening.” Her voice was soft, uncertain. “I think I know but…” She shrugged.

His mouth twitched into a quick smile. “I’m sure my behavior has been confusing.”

“You’re being so nice to me, my lord. I used to think you hated me.”

“No, Millie.” He took hold of her hands again, like he’d done in the library. “I could never hate you.”

“But you’re usually so distant to me.”

He closed his eyes for a moment and exhaled. “My sister realized I was becoming a little too fond of you.”

She frowned. “Sarah never said anything about you being fond of me. In fact, she told me the opposite was true. That you thought I was a nuisance.”

He shook his head. “I thought you were delightful. Then I made the mistake of asking Sarah whether you might be open to accepting my suit.”

Her heart did an odd little flip. “You asked Sarah and not me?”

“You were her friend. I thought it prudent to speak with her first—you know how she can be when she doesn’t get her way. She wasn’t pleased. I was foolish enough to believe that she just needed a little time to get used to the idea.”

“Instead, she told me you were a rake. And then you began to avoid me.”

“I’m no innocent, but no one would ever call me a rake.”

She tugged on her hands, and after a second, Carlisle released her. She wrapped her arms around her middle. “Sarah knew… I’d told her that I thought you were handsome. She accused me of being infatuated with you, and I…” She let out a soft sigh. “I couldn’t deny it.”

“Millie—”

She gasped and her hands flew to her mouth. “It’s too late. Papa wants me to marry someone else.”

One corner of his mouth tilted in that soft smile she’d always found endearing.

“I was the man who spoke to your father. And I didn’t ask him to just hand you over to me. I asked for permission to court you. Of course I do want to marry you, but the final decision about whether to accept me was always going to be yours.”

She was aware that her mouth had dropped open, and she closed it with an embarrassing snap. “You want to court me? To marry me?”

Overcome with joy, she flew into his arms. He caught her and held her tightly against him.

“Sarah was most displeased with me when I told her I was going to speak to your father.” He dropped a kiss into her hair. “Hence why she convinced Mother that they should spend Christmas elsewhere.”

She smiled up at him. “Sarah will forgive you. Even though she spent the past year trying to convince me that you were an unrepentant libertine, it was always clear she loved you.”

“Right now I’m more concerned about what you’re thinking. Although from the way you’re hugging me, I’m beginning to think my quest to make you my wife might be successful.”

Millie laughed, happiness filling her. “I want a second chance.” She stretched up on her tiptoes to cup the back of his head. She was only successful because he bent down a little. “I was so shocked when you kissed me in the library, I just stood there. And then you walked away, and I realized you thought I’d hated it. But I didn’t. Quite the opposite.”

He lowered his head until his mouth hovered just above hers. “I think I can grant that request.”