It was almost six o’clock by the time they sat down in the beautiful upstairs parlor to partake of their tea, which, in fact, had become a light supper.
Mrs. Ward had gone into the pantry off the kitchen and brought out a pork pie, a veal-and-ham pie, a leg of lamb, and a variety of cheeses. She had cut slices of the pies and meat for each of them, placed the cheese on a platter with bread and butter, and then made the tea. James had carried the tray upstairs, and she had followed with the bottle of whisky and a bowl of food for the dog that trotted behind her.
The upstairs parlor was everyone’s favorite. It was a long, spacious room with a big fireplace and four windows overlooking the sea. At one end a piano took pride of place; at the other, there was an antique desk at which Mrs. Ward worked every day. The center of the room was filled with a huge sofa and several armchairs grouped in front of the fire. Although the room was quite large, it still had a sense of coziness and warmth because of the peach and cream colors used. Mrs. Ward usually entertained guests in this rather unique parlor, which was so welcoming.
Now the two of them sat in front of the fire, eating the food and sipping their cups of tea, which James had liberally laced with whisky.
Outside, the storm still raged and the sky was heavy with dark clouds, the sheets of rain slashing hard against the windowpanes. They both knew the weather would not change for a long time and that they were in for the night.
At one moment, James said, somewhat hesitantly, “I don’t want you to think I’m prying, but why have you suddenly decided to sell your shares? You don’t have to answer that, if you prefer not to.”
Mrs. Ward shook her head. “No, no, it’s all right. I can answer because I trust you. I don’t like my brother-in-law. To be honest, he’s sort of … well, he wanted me to have an affair with him. Much to my utter disgust and revulsion. I want to sell out so that I don’t have to deal with him in the future. I must put distance between us.”
“I understand, and I’m appalled he would attempt to start something with you. His brother’s widow! It’s reprehensible.” A look of shock settled on James’s face, and he sat back, staring at her in sympathy.
She said, “I’m going to leave Hull, James. But again, that’s between us. I will put this house on the market once I have sold my shares in the shipping company. I have a small house in London, and anyway, my entire family lives there. I’ve been a little lonely here since my husband’s death, I must admit.”
“It can be difficult for a woman who is widowed.” He half smiled. “Widows and single women don’t get invited too much, do they?”
Georgiana smiled. “Perhaps I do get a few more invitations than others, because I have a number of good women friends. However, I do miss my sisters and the intimacy of being with family. Deanna and Vanessa do visit me, and I also occasionally get to London. Yet I still feel isolated up here in Yorkshire.”
“I shall be going back to London, too,” James volunteered. “But that’s something I’m not discussing with my aunt and uncle at the moment. Promise me you’ll keep my secret.”
“Of course I will. But Marina indicated to me that Clarence had really been impressed with you. He wants you to become a permanent member of the family and take a high position in the shipping company.” A black brow lifted and she eyed him, curiosity reflected in her eyes, the color of pansies.
“It’s a wonderful offer, and I told him I’d think about it,” James answered swiftly. “But I have a plan—” He broke off, realizing he was perhaps telling her too much.
“What kind of plan?” she asked eagerly, obviously interested in him.
“I want to work in a different area, not just shipping, but I’d prefer not to discuss it at the moment. I still have to work it out,” he improvised, holding himself back. He was aware she was infatuated with him, and he was considerably tempted by her.
“You are very clever, James, and highly intelligent. I know whatever you decide to do with your life you will be successful. You have ambition and self-confidence, which are most important if you want to make it in this rather hard world we live in.”
“That’s what my grandmother has always told me. She and my grandfather have encouraged me to work hard and to reach as high as I can.”
Picking up the whisky bottle, he splashed some liquor into her cup and his, and then filled their cups with tea. “This is the best medicine in the world, on a cold, wet night like this.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” Georgiana picked up her cup and took a long swallow. “Oh, that does feel good! It warms the cockles of my heart.”
James laughed, and then glanced across at the windows as bolts of lightning flashed and there was a long roll of thunder. “I’m afraid Mrs. Mulvaney and Sonya won’t be able to make it back tonight, Mrs. Ward. I hope they haven’t tried and been thwarted, and they’ve stayed with Mrs. Mulvaney’s daughter.”
“I’m sure they have. Mrs. Mulvaney is a very practical woman.”
James stood up and strode across to the windows, peering out of one of them. In the distance, he could see many big ships anchored farther down the shoreline, moving hard and bobbing about, but obviously well secured. The sea itself was rough and raging, the waves high.
He shivered slightly and turned around to find Mrs. Ward walking toward him.
“You’re shivering, James,” she said as she came up to stand next to him. “You should come back to the fire.”
“Look out of the window, and you’ll shiver yourself,” he replied. “I’m afraid the storm is more enormous than ever, and God knows what’s happened to your garden.”
She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. Everything can be replanted.” Edging closer to him, she went on, “Can I ask you a personal question, James?”
“Yes.”
“Do you have a lady friend? Some lovely young woman in your life?”
“No, I don’t, Mrs. Ward.” A smile slid onto his face. He knew exactly where this situation was leading, liking the idea, and well prepared for it. “Why do you ask?”
“Just curious. After all, you are a stunning young man and everyone says young girls drop at your feet.” Her tone had been teasing and she began to laugh.
He chuckled with her. “They may drop at my feet, but I haven’t picked any of them up.”
“And why is that, may I ask?” Her eyes were riveted on him.
“I haven’t fancied any of them.”
“Oh, really, and why is that? They must have all been pretty, from what I hear.”
“I prefer older women.”
“What’s older to you?”
“Twenty-seven, twenty-eight, thirty.”
She was silent, stood gazing up at him, her blue eyes blazing with desire …
“You see, I acquired a taste for older women when I was sixteen. My uncle Harry introduced me to a former girlfriend of his. He thought I ought to know about sex. Her name was Fiona. She was twenty-eight, and very, very good to me.”
“You’re seventeen now, aren’t you?”
“Yes, eighteen next month. But much more mature than my age in many ways. My grandfather once told me numbers don’t matter and the only age a man should be interested in is on a bottle of wine.”
“I must remember that.” There was a pause. “I am thirty.”
“I know.”
“Do you fancy me rather than those young girls?”
“See for yourself.”
As he spoke, he took off the dressing gown he was wearing and threw it on the floor, then reached for her, untying the belt of her robe. When she stood before him naked, he pulled her closer, bent his head, and kissed her on the mouth. He then fondled her breast. A moment later he placed his hands on her back and drew her into him, closer to his body. They clung together.
“Oh, James,” she whispered against his chest.
“What is it, Mrs. Ward? Tell me.”
“I want you. Desperately.”
After a moment he pulled away from her and walked across the floor.
Startled, she stared after him. “Where are you going?”
“Mrs. Mulvaney might get back after all.” He turned the key and locked the door. “I don’t want to be interrupted when we’re making love.”
Georgiana Ward stood waiting for him, watching him walk back to her, thinking what a wonderful specimen of manhood he was. She felt a tiny prickle of fear, knowing he would entrance her and that she would become besotted with him.