Well, at least she had established he wasn’t against being a lover, or at least that is what she garnered from their short bit of conversation.

  “If you like books so well, why didn’t you become a professor?”

  “Because I didn’t want to be limited to one area of study.”

  “Such as literature, history, sciences?”

  “Yes. I enjoy them all equally, as well as languages, music, and art.”

  “Maybe you should be a governess instead of me.” Katrina laughed. “I need to teach all of those subjects and more.”

  He let the ribbons go again and looked up at her. “I tried being a tutor to boys once and hated it.”

  “Why?” She loved teaching children. Their minds were always open to possibilities. What if he didn’t like children? Not that it mattered since they were not committed to each other for life.

  “I was tasked with preparing two sons of a duke for Eton. They were the most obnoxious and ill-behaved lads I have ever encountered.”

  “Oh, dear.”

  “They were beasts. Spoiled and thought they could treat anyone the way they wished because their father was a duke. I remember thinking that I hoped some young man bloodied their noses once they were away at school.”

  “Oh, dear.”

  “I know it is wrong of me, but had I acted half as bad with my governess, my mother or father, or both would have seen to it that I wasn’t able to sit down for a week.”

  Katrina swallowed. “They would have beaten you?” The question was asked softly. Her father never once raised his voice to her, let alone his hand. No wonder he didn’t think problems should be solved with violence unless one was a spoiled son of a duke apparently.

  Timothy laughed. A full, rich laugh, and Katrina realized she had not heard him do this before. She liked the sound of it. In all their other encounters he had been completely businesslike and serious. His sense of humor made him even more attractive.

  “No, they would not have. I exaggerated.” He ran his fingers through his hair and stretched his shoulders. “At least I don’t think they would have, though that was often an underlying threat. None of us ever tested them to see if they’d follow through.” He chuckled again. “They were very specific on how they expected us to behave, and we did as we were told. It never occurred to me to do any differently.”

  Katrina turned in her seat to look at him better. Drat. Her wrist moved, pulling against his, and Timothy was reminded of how they were joined, and he went back to working at the knots.

  Chapter 13

  How could Katrina possibly be comfortable? She had fallen asleep against his shoulder an hour ago. Though she faced forward in the seat, her neck was at an odd angle, and he knew she would be stiff and in pain once she woke if she remained like this much longer. Besides, he needed to move. He had sat still for too long and needed to stretch.

  So far, he had only been able to untie half of the knotted ribbons, and his fingers cramped from the intricate work. Timothy had never encountered anything like it in his life and had given up. When they stopped, he would enquire about finding a knife and just cut the remaining ones loose.

  Timothy arched his back and stretched his legs out in front of him. There wasn’t much room and he ended up resting his booted feet on the bench opposite of where they sat.

  A nap did seem like a good idea. He stifled a yawn behind his free hand. This was not comfortable for either of them. Slowly and gently, he lifted his arm, careful not to jostle Katrina too much until her head rested on his chest. His tied hand rested on hers. Then he turned slightly so that his back was against the side. Yes, this was much better. As he was partially reclined, so was Katrina and she continued to slumber on his chest.

  Though this was improper, or would be in most cases, they were handfasted so they both might as well be comfortable for the duration of the trip.

  He brought his free arm around and held her close so that she wasn’t tossed to the floor if they hit a bump.

  He hadn’t ever had a woman sleep on him before and found it to be quite pleasant. In fact, he hadn’t ever slept with a woman. There were plenty of intimate encounters, but he always dressed and returned to his own set of rooms after any shared intimacies.

  Katrina burrowed further against his side and moved her hand so that it rested on his abdomen. Perhaps this wasn’t such a good idea. She may be relaxed at rest but a part of him was becoming more alert. He just needed to ignore that her small palm and delicate fingers rested just above the edge of his trousers.

  No, the more he thought about it the harder he became. If she were to wake now and given the angle of her head, she would see his arousal straining against the packet before anything else. Would she even notice? If she did, would she know what it meant?

  It was better not to have that discussion. He would leave it to some matron once Katrina was facing her wedding night, not her handfasted night.

  Was there such a thing?

  He supposed so. A trial marriage meant husband and wife and he couldn’t believe any man would enter into such a union without the full benefits of marriage. Except for him, of course. This wasn’t a trial marriage, only a convenience.

  Katrina sighed, adjusting her position in her sleep. Her hand slid further down his person. Timothy grabbed it before it could go any further. He brought it back up to the safety of his chest and kept his tied hand on top of hers to keep it from traveling to places it really shouldn’t.

  Timothy closed his eyes and tried to think of other things. Would there be a building for lease or purchase in Middleton or would he need to build one? He hated to be delayed because of construction but he would at least be able to design it himself. But what would he do in the meantime? It wasn’t as if he needed the income, but he wanted to open his shop at the earliest convenience, so he had something to keep him busy.

  Of course, he hadn’t visited the estate in some time, and it may be in need of work. Even though it had remained vacant all this time, there was a small staff that looked after the estate, but could the place have gone into disrepair since his uncle’s death? While he hoped that wasn’t the case, at least it would be something additional to keep his mind and body occupied if he had to bring the place back.

  Timothy shifted in his seat. He was so tired of being restless. London bored him and not one lady had ever remotely interested him long enough for a stroll in the park, let alone anything else. Further, Oxford was a disappointment. Those were the very reasons he had traveled north a month before the official Season was to begin. He wanted to be far away, and he hoped the library and estate would cure what ailed him – boredom.

  Except, Katrina wasn’t boring. Far from boring. A combination of intelligent and physically desirable. A very dangerous combination for a gentleman who was not in a position to wed.

  Timothy came awake at the sudden jolt of the carriage stopping. Katrina sat up as did he. They were in Edinburgh already and at the inn where he had arranged for a room. He would need to ask if a second room was available because he would not be sharing one with his bride.

  Mr. McTavish, the proprietor, and his wife came out the door to meet them. They were a pleasant, older couple, who had doted on him the three nights he had stayed here before traveling to Blackrig.

  The coachman opened the door and Timothy took a step outside. His arm was jerked back. Damn, he had forgotten about those blasted ribbons. He needed to retreat inside the carriage before Mr. and Mrs. McTavish saw them.

  He was too late. Katrina appeared in the door with her beribboned wrist visible for everyone to see.

  Mrs. McTavish’s face brightened. “Did you get yourself handfasted, Lord Timothy?”

  “I didn’t think anyone did that any longer,” Mr. McTavish added.

  Timothy looked at Mr. McTavish. “Neither did I.” He turned to Mrs. McTavish. “Yes, I did, but it isn’t what you think.”

  The woman threw up her hands, delight lit her face. “That is so wonderful.” She turned on her heel and began back toward the door to the inn. “I’ll make sure the two of you have our special room for the night, and . . .”

  “Mrs. McTavish, I need to explain.” But she wasn’t listening to him and was already inside.

  Timothy turned to the older man. “We only got handfasted so that we could travel together. Miss Carrick needs to be in Willanton for an interview and I agreed to take and drop her there before continuing onto Middleton. It is to save her reputation, only.”

  The older man braced his feet apart and crossed his arms over his large, barreled chest. “Were you not handfasted today?”

  “Yes, we were,” Katrina answered.

  “Who performed the ceremony?”

  “Reverend Lawson.” Katrina took a step out of the carriage and joined Timothy on the cobbled drive.

  “Who tied the ribbons?” He nodded toward their joined wrists.

  “The reverend tied one, but some of the ladies in town tied the rest.”

  “So, there were witnesses?” Mr. McTavish arched a brow with his question and looked directly at him.

  Timothy had the urge to pull at the tightening cravat before he suffocated. “Yes, Mr. McTavish.”

  A broad smile broke out on his face. “Then you are truly handfasted and my wife will want to celebrate.”

  “But. . .”

  Mr. McTavish shook his head, silencing any other argument Timothy would have made. “I say enjoy it, son. You now have a wife.”

  The man winked at Timothy before he turned to walk toward the back of the carriage to help the coachman retrieve their luggage for the night.

  “I suppose asking for separate rooms is out of the question?” Timothy called back to him.

  The man only laughed.

  This was going to be a very long night.

  Katrina stood next to Timothy as Mrs. McTavish worked at the ribbons. “You should just cut them,” her husband suggested.

  The woman’s head jerked up. “I will do no such thing.”

  Katrina sighed and squirmed. As much as she wished to have Timothy stuck to her side, there were more pressing needs, and she was not about to let him join her in the necessary. The woman had provided a lovely dinner and now Katrina was ready to burst, in more ways than one.

  “There.” The last ribbon came loose and fell away from her arm.

  “Thank you, Mrs. McTavish.” Katrina bolted from the common room as quickly as possible. She could hear Timothy laughing behind her. Why wasn’t he in the same predicament?

  Then she realized that this was the second time she’d heard him laugh. It was deep and rich and would have been quite enjoyable if she wasn’t irritated with him.

  When she returned a few moments later, relieved, and able to concentrate on the night ahead, she found Timothy gone.

  “Has my husband gone up to our room?”

  The woman frowned. “No, he went out. Said he had a few friends to see and that he would return later.”

  Drat that man.

  “He wanted me to make sure you were made comfortable.” The woman turned toward the stairs and Katrina followed her up to the room on the top floor. The chamber was large, as was the bed in the center of the room.

  “I have water heating in the kitchen.”

  Katrina turned back to Mrs. McTavish.

  “I thought you’d like to wash after your travels. A maid will bring a bucket, cloth, and soap.”

  She would love to wash the dust away. “Thank you. I would like that very much.”

  “Don’t worry, lamb. He will be back soon. This is his wedding night, and I don’t know of any man who wishes to spend that away from his bride.”

  Katrina offered a weak smile. Timothy wasn’t like most grooms. She half expected him not to return at all just to avoid being alone with her, especially in that bed. She wouldn’t be surprised if he slept in the carriage tonight. Or, somewhere else.

  Mrs. McTavish exited the room and Katrina began to pace. What if Timothy did spend the night somewhere else? Did he go see another lady? Was there someone else he would rather be in bed with?

  She spun on her heel. No, he would have mentioned that, wouldn’t he? She knew he wasn’t betrothed or married, well, except to her, but what if he had a ladylove or the type of woman men enjoyed intimacies with but never married.

  Katrina shook the thoughts from her mind. He was a scholar and serious, and very proper. She couldn’t imagine him seeking out a woman for that specific purpose.

  A knock at the door distracted Katrina from her thought process. When she opened it, A maid entered with the hot water, which was exactly what she needed. After she washed, Katrina prepared for bed, then awaited her husband’s return.

  Chapter 14

  Timothy put off returning to the room for as long as possible but was running out of excuses to remain with his friend. The moment Katrina left his side, Timothy left the inn and made his way to the home of a man he had gone to school with. After a few games of billiards, glasses of brandy, and discussions on a wide range of topics that held little interest for him, Timothy decided it was time to take his leave. He could only hope Katrina was sound asleep and he could slip into bed, pretend like she wasn’t there and get some much-needed rest.

  A lamp burned low on the table beside the bed and Katrina was asleep on top of the covers with an open book beside her. He dearly wished she would have gotten beneath the coverlet, so he did not have to witness the thin nightrail that hid very little. Even in the darkness, he could see her nipples beneath the pale linen, and the gown was also pushed up to the middle of her thighs. Any higher and her womanhood would be exposed to him.

  Timothy grew hard at the vision of her and knowing how little effort it would take to push the gown up a few more inches.

  He turned abruptly. Katrina was an innocent young woman and had no idea, even if she were awake, what the sight of her did to him. He splashed cold water on his face and wished he could submerge his entire body in an icy lake. Sleep would be impossible tonight, but he needed to at least try. He pulled his cravat loose and tossed it onto a table before he sat and pulled his boots off. He removed everything but his shirt and trousers, which would stay on until Katrina was far away from him. It was a good thing they were comfortable because they would not be leaving his body until Middleton.

  Timothy returned to the bed and contemplated whether he should tuck Katrina under the blankets or let her remain on top and he would sleep under the covers. It was probably best if they both weren’t under the covers. Except, she’d likely grow cold, and he was wearing more clothing. Also, with her covered, he didn’t have to worry about seeing something that he shouldn’t.

  Timothy bent to pick up the book and glanced at the pages out of curiosity. He gasped at the sketch on the page. This was one of her father’s books. He bent to bring it closer to the lamp and his toe struck one of her bags. It was open and inside were more books. He stooped to look through them. They were all the books that had once been hidden in her father’s store.

  Katrina had known about them all along, but why was she reading them now? He glanced at her innocent face, hair splayed out on the pillow, thick lashes brushing her cheek and her plump lips parted. Did his wife want a real wedding night?

  His cock jumped at the idea.

  No. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t and for all the reasons he had listed to himself over and over. He just wished he could remember what they all were now.

  The page the book had been left open on was a picture of a man and woman. He feasted on her breast while his fingers brought her pleasure.

  Timothy flipped a few more pages. Each were various ways of enjoying each other’s body without actually joining. Could he and Katrina engage in intimacy and still leave her a virgin? He knew it was possible and had been satisfied before without entering a woman.

  He closed the book and put it in the bag. He needed to give the matter some thought, and they did have a few more days of travel in which to explore if that is what they decided to do.

  She shifted in her sleep and pulled at the covers.

  Timothy pulled the blankets from beneath her body to cover her before he crawled into bed. The mattress dipped beneath them, and he settled onto his back. Katrina rolled toward him, finally settling with a hand on his chest.

  It was going to be a very long night.

  Katrina woke and stretched as her eyes took in the strange room. For a moment she forgot where she was and who she was with. She slowly glanced over to Timothy, who slept on his back with one arm curved above his head and the other across his chest. The blankets were shoved down to his waist and she snuck a peek beneath the covers only to be disappointed because he was clothed. Her eyes returned to his chest. Though relaxed in sleep she could still make out the muscles in his chest and abdomen through his linen shirt. There was nothing soft about Timothy and it was a shame he had to hide such a desirable physique beneath clothing.

  She reached out a hand to touch the flat of his stomach but stopped herself. The time for intimacy had passed. Daylight whispered through the draperies, and she would have to wait until tonight. This time, Katrina would not let him out of her sight.

  It was a shame people didn’t engage in such activity during the day because they had another day of riding in the carriage together. She overheard her aunt once exclaim that such things should only take place under the cover of darkness. Katrina would have asked why, but then her aunt would have known she had eavesdropped on a private conversation. Maybe someone would explain it to her one day.

  Katrina sat and flung her legs over the side of the bed, her toe connecting with the bag of books. She bit her lip to keep from crying out and waking Timothy. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure he still slept but his piercing green eyes studied her.