Candlelit Christmas Kisses: Captain Moorcroft's Christmas Bride / Governess Under the Mistletoe

As her dance ended and her partner thanked her, Selina realised that she’d hardly noticed him, lost in a dream. Her eyes had been searching the room for the young captain. Turning away, with the intent of seeking her mama while she waited for her next partner, she felt a touch on her arm and found herself gazing up at Robert Moorcroft once more.

‘I have settled it with Hendricks that this dance is mine,’ he said, and drew her into his arms as the next waltz began.

Selina was too shaken by her storm of feelings to deny him. Waltzing in his arms was a dream, like floating in a blue sky on a summer’s day. She felt herself drifting away on a cloud of pleasure as he whirled her round and round, and she wanted the dance to last for the rest of her life. To feel like this was something that even in her most romantic dreams she had not imagined. She longed for the moment to go on and on endlessly.

When their dance ended, he kept hold of her hand and strode towards the open doors that led onto the terraces, taking her with him.

‘I have made you hot,’ he told her, with a smile that sent her heart fluttering. ‘We shall take a little stroll in the garden until you feel able to dance again.’

Selina knew that she ought to refuse, but she could not find the words. Besides, it was what she wanted above anything. She had never felt like this in her life, and something told her that she must seize the moment or it might not come again.

Outside, he led her away from the lights of the ballroom to a secluded spot by some rose bushes, the deep, intoxicating smell of which she knew would remain with her for the rest of her life.

‘You are so beautiful that you make me want to weep,’ he whispered softly against her ear. ‘I have never seen a woman as lovely as you, my angel—my Selina. I adore you. You have captured my heart.’

‘Oh …’ Selina was lost. This was flirting, and her mama had told her she must not flirt with gentlemen—but he was the one flirting. She had done nothing but give herself up to the delight of dancing with him. ‘You … you should not …’

Before she could say more, he lowered his head, one hand about her waist as he pulled her in close. She could feel the pressure of his hand in the small of her back and the hardness of his strong body. His mouth was cool and soft on hers, the pressure light at first but increasing as her own lips opened in response. His tongue entered, touching hers lightly in a way that sent little spirals of pleasure skittering down her spine.

‘What should I not?’ he whispered as his kiss ended, and he pressed his lips against her throat.

Selina trembled. Such sensation coursed through her entire being. The response of her body to his was sweeping away all thought, all sense of what was right or wrong. How could this feeling be wrong when it was so glorious?

It was the best thing that had ever happened to her—and the worst. For she sensed that if she were not careful. her reputation might be lost, and yet she was caught by the moonlight and the moment, incapable of repulsing him.

‘Should I not kiss you, or …?’ His hand was at her breast, fondling her through the thin silk, and then he had pushed down the neck of her gown. His lips closed over her breast, sucking delicately at her nipple.

It was so shocking that she was stunned, and yet a ripple of desire shot through her and she moaned. For a moment she was delirious with pleasure, but then she remembered her mother’s warning and broke away, tugging her gown into place. What had she done? To allow such a liberty was to forget that she was a lady—but in his arms she could happily forget the world.

‘You forget yourself, sir. I am but sixteen and … and we should not be here.’ As she turned away, he caught her wrist, turning her back to face him. ‘Please, let me go,’ she begged. ‘You will ruin me, sir.’ All of a sudden she was shivering and afraid of what she’d done.

‘I shall return for you,’ he vowed, and for a moment his eyes burned with a silver light in the darkness. ‘Never forget me, Selina Searles. I have put my brand on you. I adore you and one day I shall claim you. You will be mine. Wait for me …’

‘You must not say such things, for you do not mean them!’ she cried and, tearing herself from his grasp, fled back to the lights of the ballroom, not stopping until she was in the ladies’ restroom, where she splashed her cheeks with cold water and tidied her gown.

He had not meant the things he’d said to her. Of course he had not—because she’d tasted the brandy on his tongue. He was undoubtedly drunk, and in the morning he would have forgotten the things he’d said and done—but she would not forget.

Selina knew that in one respect he had spoken the truth. Captain Robert Moorcroft had put his mark on her, and she would never, ever be the same again.

CHAPTER ONE

Late autumn 1817, Bedfordshire

‘WHAT are we going to do, Selina?’ Amy Searles looked at her elder sister fearfully. ‘How shall we manage now that Mama …’ She choked back her tears as her sister shook her head. ‘It was hard enough when we had Mama’s jointure, but now …’

‘Please do not remind me,’ Selina begged. Her face was tight with grief. Their mama’s rapid decline and sudden death had happened no more than six months after their father had shot himself, having gambled away his fortune at the tables. ‘Something needed to be done even if Mama …’ She swallowed hard because the tears were so very close.

Only two days had passed since they’d buried their beloved mother, and the girls had been left to care for their younger sister, Millicent, who was just twelve years of age. ‘We have her jewels. We could sell those, I suppose, or some of the silver—but that will not solve the problem of where we shall live. Cousin Joshua owns the house now. It only remained Mama’s home while she lived.’

‘We both have a little money that Grandmama Robinson left us,’ Amy said. ‘Is it enough to purchase a house, do you think?’

‘One hundred pounds might buy us a small cottage, but if we spent that we should have nothing left to live on.’ Selina bit her lower lip. ‘We might be able to rent a cottage somewhere.’

‘What about your season? You were to find a rich husband so that we did not need to worry about money.’

‘Had Mama not been taken ill, we should have all gone to London next spring, and you would have been sure to find a husband, but …’ Selina sighed. ‘You know what happened. There is no point in weeping over it, Amy. All thought of a season must be forgotten now. We shall just have to look for somewhere else to live. One of us must care for Millie, and the other … should look for work as a companion or something of the sort.’

‘Oh, Selina … no,’ Amy protested. ‘Look at us. Who would employ either of us as a governess?’

‘I said as a companion. There must be plenty of ladies who need a pretty, intelligent girl as a companion—I would employ you had I the money, dearest.’

‘You mean some crotchety old dear who wants me to run after her all day?’ Amy looked mutinous. ‘I couldn’t bear it, Selina. No, you must marry a rich man and rescue our fortunes. You are so beautiful it must be easy for you.’

‘Do you feel it fair to marry someone entirely for the sake of money? Should one not at least feel some sort of affection for one’s husband?’

‘Well, yes, if one could choose,’ Amy said practically. ‘But what else can we do—short of selling ourselves off as slaves?’ She hesitated, then, ‘You wouldn’t consider marrying Cousin Joshua, I suppose?’

Selina shuddered. ‘I would rather hire myself out as a scullery maid,’ she said. ‘I would marry if I could find someone I could live with—but Cousin Joshua? Would you wish to live with him, Amy?’

‘No!’ Amy made a wry face. ‘He might let us stop here for a while if you were nice to him, Selina. He likes you.’

‘He is angry with me at the moment because I refused his offer of marriage. It is unfortunate that he is our only relative on Father’s side. The elder of Papa’s brothers, Sebastian, and his son, Simon, were drowned ten years ago. I believe they might have allowed us to stay here, for Uncle Sebastian was always kind to us, but Cousin Joshua is different. Mama had only her aunt Mabel, who died two years ago, as you know. She left Mama what she had but it was very little—just that pearl necklace and a thousand pounds, which is what has paid for our clothes this past two years—yours, mine, Mama’s, Millie’s and the servants’. I daresay there isn’t above two hundred pounds left in Mama’s account.’

‘Well, we shall soon know.’ Amy glanced at the beautiful mantel clock. ‘Mr Breck will be here in an hour, and he will tell us how much we have to live on now that Mama …’

Once again Amy almost dissolved into tears.

‘If we have to sell some things, that mantel clock should be worth several guineas—enough to keep us for six months, I daresay,’ Selina said thoughtfully.

‘You cannot sell that, Selina.’ Amy was shocked. ‘It was one of Mama’s favourite things. Her father gave it to her for her last birthday before he died.’

‘I know that.’ Selina sighed. ‘I want to keep all Mama’s things when we move, but if we do not have enough to live on …’ Her words died away as she heard the sounds of a carriage drawing up outside.

Amy went to the window of their small parlour, then turned to look at her. ‘It’s Cousin Joshua.’

‘Oh, no, why did he have to come today? Surely he cannot be so impatient to move in? He has a perfectly good house of his own.’

‘Which is why he may sell this one.’

‘Yes, I know. He did speak of it.’ Selina drew her shoulders back as the parlour door opened and the housekeeper announced the arrival of their visitor. ‘Good morning, cousin. How pleasant to see you. Will you not come to the fire? I am sure it is cold out.’

‘Thank you, Selina.’ Her cousin nodded and moved to the fire to warm his hands. ‘I knew you were expecting your father’s lawyer this morning. I have some news for you myself, but I shall wait until the lawyer has had his say.’ He paused to clear his throat. ‘You must not expect good news, cousin. Sir Richard had little left but this house and a few fields, which I understand bear a mortgage. Since the house and what remains of the estate are entailed, I fear they come to me, which means I must provide for you in some way.’

‘You are very kind, cousin,’ Selina said stiffly. ‘But Mama had a little money of her own, and I hope it will not be necessary for us to become a burden on your purse.’

He had the grace to look awkward as he said, ‘I know you girls are of an independent mind, but I’m not short of a bob or two—neither am I insensitive to your grief. I should certainly not ask you to move out of this house for at least a month—and even then you know you may all have a home with me.’

‘But that means we must leave before Christmas!’ Selina exclaimed, and then turned away before she could lose her temper.