by Lisa Doughty
“You are to be my Marchioness, so you should be adorned as one.”
“I wasn’t at the time you bought it, Rhys. What were you thinking?”
He pulled back and looked at her.
“I was hopeful,” he said sweetly. “Besides, you are mine and I was never going to let you go. I guess I wanted you to know that.”
“Oh Rhys…,” she whispered, overwhelmed, wishing he would say the words she really wanted to hear. She desperately want to say them back, but it was too new. She would wait for him to say it first. She pressed her lips on his instead and kissed him with all the emotion that poured from her heart. When he pulled away, they stared at each other. His expression turned serious.
“Lift your dress,” he commanded.
“Rhys, the servants could come through any moment…”
“Lift your dress, now,” he said, quietly but sternly.
She did his bidding, lifting her skirt and gathering it in front of her bodice as gently as she could, so as not to wrinkle the material. Rhys knelt in front of her. She felt the ribbon on her underpants loosen and drop to her ankles. He lifted one foot, then the other, as he removed them. Then, he paused. Cordelia could not see what he was doing down there because of her skirt as she waited. She was exposed to the world, to him, with only her stockings covering her legs. She opened her mouth to remind him that a servant could come through any moment, when she felt his hand on the back of her knee. Slowly, he pushed it up and she felt the cool air on her intimate skin. The heat of his breath next made her gasp as his tongue slipped into her folds.
Cordelia dropped her dress and braced herself against the wall as his tongue traveled back and forth, rough but firm on the sensitive skin. She bit her lip so she wouldn’t cry out. Oh god, it felt incredible. She moved her hips forward and back, relishing the feel of him. He put her leg over his shoulder, then lifted her and put her other leg on his other shoulder. With both hands on her derriere, he pulled her sex to him and sucked her nub into his mouth.
“Oh god…,” she hissed, and put her hands on his head, on top of her dress.
Back and forth, her nub rubbed against the buds on his tongue. Cordelia’s mouth fell open, but only guttural sounds came out as he relentlessly sucked on her, harder and harder. White hot heat shot through her sex and she felt light headed as her orgasm built so quickly that she thought she was going to explode any second. Then, he abruptly stopped. She felt him kiss her throbbing nub and swirl his tongue around it once, before shrugging one of her legs off his shoulder, then the other. What? He was stopping now? He kissed her again at her apex, as he rubbed up and down her thighs, cupping her derriere for a brief second.
“Rhys?” Cordelia gathered her skirt, trying to see him. “What is wrong?” she asked, desperate for him to continue. He sat back on his calves with his hands on his knees, as she pulled her dress over his head. When he looked up at her, his lips were shiny with her juices.
“Nothing, I assure you, other than my desperate need to be inside you.”
“We could go back to my room. My maid is gone and…”
“No. I want to leave you throbbing for me. I want every step you take to remind you of how much I want you, need you. Then tonight…,” he gave her a rakish smile, stood, and looked down at her, his green eyes piercing her soul. “We will finish what we started.”
Cordelia gasped at the desire and mischief sparkling in his eyes. Good lord, he was good at seduction. He raked his fingers through his hair to fix it before he took her hand and kissed it.
“Shall we go?”
Cordelia was at a loss for words until they reached the top of the stairway. He was right. Every step was a reminder of how aroused he made her. He had not even given her back her underpants so she could cover herself. Every step was erotic. He licked his lips every time she looked at him. The arrogant tease! She smiled back, seductively.
“You are a lecher after all, my lord. You wish to watch me suffer all night, waiting, wanting your touch again.” She paused and leaned in closer. “And I do, want your touch…desperately,” she whispered. Rhys put his hand under her elbow to escort her down the stairs. “Now I cannot wait until I can wrap my lips around you and rub my tongue up and down until you are about to burst just as I am now.” Rhys stumbled, then cleared his throat to cover for his misstep. Cordelia suppressed a smile, satisfied that she rattled him a little.
“Vixen!” he hissed, teasingly.
“You have no idea…my lord.”
There! Let him think on that, as she walked around in an erotic haze, her sex throbbing. He licked his lips again when he did not think she was looking. Cordelia smiled. Life with this man was surely going to be an adventure.
Chapter 40
“Lady Cromwell! My my! Don’t you look a vision! You have outdone yourself, I dare say. The courtyard is a dream! It’s utterly romantic! There will surely be many matches tonight!” a robust lady, dressed in miles of cretonne, called up the stairs.
Once at the bottom of the stairs, Rhys let her go. He bowed, gave her a knowing look, and left. She belonged to him, good god, he truly owned her heart and soul. He did not walk far before he was stopped by another gentleman. Cordelia took comfort that he was close, and curtsied before she spoke.
“Lady Verness, thank you, your daughter being among them, I hope. She has been very popular and has two very serious suitors as a result,” she informed the lady politely.
“Two? Two! My, my, it’s about time. Two seasons she’s had. Her older sisters were both snatched up on their first.”
“I believe she has very discriminating taste, my lady. Either of her choices would make a wonderful match. Both are fine gentlemen from distinguished families.”
“Tell me, tell me all!” Lady Verness replied, with enthusiasm.
Cordelia and Lady Verness slowly made their way through the crush. Cordelia was waylaid several times to greet guests, or parents eager to hear news of their son’s or daughter’s progress. Cordelia was relieved when Emelia joined her to help field the questions.
They slowly made their way to the entrance of the courtyard. Rhys was instantly by her side to escort her inside. He laced her arm in his before they descended the small staircase into the courtyard. When she looked at him, he was smiling down at her with pride. Her stomach jumped at the raw emotion on his face. Had it always been there, but she had never noticed?
“You’ve outdone yourself, my lady. This is incredible,” Rhys complimented.
“It took me two years to replant the courtyard. I repurposed all the plants from the pond.”
“It is stunning, just like you,” he said quietly. Cordelia felt her cheeks turning pink. “I can see that I’m not going to be able to spend much time with you this evening,” he stated, indicating the large group of people politely waiting to talk with her. “Will you save the first waltz for me?”
“I would be honored, Lord Roth,” she said, as she curtsied.
Rhys bowed over her hand, then walked toward the Duke and Esme. Cordelia sighed. This was usually the best night of these week-long mixers. Normally, she looked forward to the announcements and the frequent trips to her study to settle accounts. But tonight, she wanted it over with quickly so she could escape with Rhys and finish what they had started. Damn the man for turning her life upside down! She watched him walk away. Every man paled in comparison to his dark masculinity. She never thought she would moon over a man, yet here she was, doing just that.
“Another successful event I see,” a tall thin gentleman stated sarcastically as he walked up to her with a stern looking woman on his arm. They did not look happy to see her. “For some anyway.” He added dripping mirth.
“Lord and Lady Tilman,” Cordelia curtsied. “What an honor. I did not know you were attending this evening, I am truly flattered.”
“I’m not one to beat around the bush, Lady Cromwell. We are here because of a letter from our son. He urged us to come and meet his future wife.”
&nbs
p; “Ah, yes. He must mean the beautiful Lady Verness. They have spent much time together over the past week.”
“Then why is she on the arm of another gentleman?” Lady Tilman demanded angrily. “Although my son hides it well, he is a Tilman after all, but I can see he is heartbroken. A mother can tell these things.”
“I…I…,” she stuttered. Lady Verness was her pick for Tilman. She had witnessed their embrace in the trees. That was a kiss of two people who wanted each other. What had happened? Cordelia looked around for Emelia or Roddy hoping for answers, embarrassed she did not know them herself.
“What kind of establishment are you running here, Lady Cromwell? You dare to toy with my son’s affections?”
“No, of course not…”
Suddenly, Rhys was at her side and put a protective hand on Cordelia’s back before he spoke. “I’m afraid your son played coy with the young lady for far too long, Tilman, which allowed Lord Wright to beat him in asking the young lady to the ball. He should not have dragged his feet if he had an interest in her. It was your son’s hesitation that caused her to be on Lord Wright’s arm tonight, not Lady Cromwell’s actions.” He looked the angry lord in the eye. “And, if he does not fight for the lady, she may remain on Lord Wright’s arm for the rest of her life. Lady Verness is a coveted catch,” Rhys stated, flatly.
“Is that so?” Lord Tilman replied, shocked that the Marquess knew of his son’s predicament.
“Quite. Lady Verness is a kind and honorable young lady. She is keeping her word to Lord Wright, even though her heart belongs to your son. She insisted on honoring her word, even though your son asked her to break it. The young lady refused to humiliate Lord Wright by doing so. Admirable, is it not? A rare quality, I dare say. If your son does not stop trying to make her jealous, he may very well lose the young lady’s heart permanently,” Rhys continued to explain.
“Make her jealous? That ninny!” Lady Tilman exclaimed, appalled. “He gets this from you, Henry!” she said, exasperated.
“I…I have never told him to do any such thing!” He exclaimed defensively, affronted.
“Then, you bloody well better have a talk with him now!” Lady Tilman said angrily and pulled his arm to get him moving. “Right this instant, before more damage is done. I swear…” She continued her tirade until they were out of earshot.
“Thank you. How did you know?”
“Lady Verness confided in me at dinner last night.”
“Ah, so that was what all that canoodling and doe eyes was about,” Cordelia teased.
“I was a perfect gentleman. But somehow it still earned me a kick under the table,” he quipped.
“As I recall, that was not all you earned under the table.” Cordelia looked at him sideways and slowly licked her lips. “I believe I am going to enjoy myself immensely once this night is over and I get you to myself.” His eyes widened.
“Tease,” he whispered.
“Me? This is your fault, for leaving me in such a state. Now my thoughts are out of control.”
Rhys smiled triumphantly, slid his hand further around her waist, and gave her an affectionate squeeze. Cordelia badly wanted to reach up and fix the errant hair that had fallen attractively over his forehead. She squeezed her fists to quell the urge.
“Ahem! Excuse me,” Emelia said quietly. Cordelia’s head whipped around to face her surprised she hadn’t heard her approach. How long had she been standing there?
“Sorry to interrupt, Cordelia, but Lord Stanley is waiting in your office.”
So, it begins, thought Cordelia. Oh, how she wished she could quit this business! Her heart was not in the game any longer. Now, all she wanted was to be with Rhys.
“If you will excuse me, Lord Roth.” She curtsied, and Rhys nodded. Threading her arm through Emelia’s she started dragging her along. “You are coming with me.”
“Me?”
“Yes. It’s time you learned how it is done.”
“Alright.” Emelia said surprised.
They walked in silence for a moment. Emelia took several sideways glances at Cordelia.
“What?”
“Lord Roth?” Emelia asked, knowingly. “You have fallen completely for him then?”
It was more a statement than a question. Oh well, Cordelia thought. She was going to find out soon enough anyway.
With a smile, she said, “More than you can fathom, Emelia, more than I can fathom myself.”
Emelia smiled and squeezed her arm. They approached her office and the footmen opened the doors.
“Here we go. Are you ready?” They smoothed their skirts and straightened before entering the office.
Four meetings and forty-five minutes later, they returned to the courtyard to find Rhys. The music had started, and couples were dancing merrily. Had the crowd grown in their absence?
“Why does it feel as though the party has grown well beyond the original guest list?” Emelia asked, as if reading her mind.
“I was just wondering the same. What could be the draw?” Cordelia asked, perplexed.
“I’m sure I do not know.” Then, Emelia sucked in her breath. “It has to be because of the Duke! Word must have been leaked that he is here looking for a match!”
“That would do it! We had better find him and the Draysons right away. They may want to escape,” Cordelia said, scanning the room for Rhys. She spotted the Duke instantly. Like Rhys, he was almost a head taller than everyone else. “You find Roddy, I’ll speak to the Duke.”
Emelia nodded and they left in different directions. While crossing the room she looked for Rhys. As she made her way to the Duke, Cordelia was stopped twice. While being introduced to a young lord by his parents, she spotted Rhys’ back, barely visible behind a large bush that made up one of the alcoves. He abruptly backed up a step. Although she could only see his profile, she recognized the angry scowl on his face. A gloved hand reached out, grabbed his arm, and tried to pull him back. He stepped forward, out of view for just a second, then turned and quickly walked away. A moment later, an attractive woman with sandy brown hair and green eyes stepped out of the space, fixing the bodice of her green gown. Cordelia’s heart plummeted. Had Rhys been kissing her?
“Lady Cromwell?” The young lord whose name escaped her asked her a question, but she had no idea what he had said as she pondered what she just saw.
“My apologies,” she stated. “You caught me on my way to an important errand. I believe I will be preoccupied until I complete it. Can we set up an appointment next week to discuss the matter?”
“Of course, my lady.” The young man bowed enthusiastically. He was much too zealous for her peace of mind. What had she just agreed to?
“Until then…” she said, to end the conversation, and hurried away. This time, she only nodded to those who wished an audience, not stopping for anyone as she made her way to the Duke.
“Lady Cromwell!” Esme exclaimed. “I am so happy to see you. Rhys said you might be occupied most of the night and not to be surprised if you had no time for us.” Esme curtsied, and the Duke bowed. “We are honored that you came to say hello. Is that not right, Rodger?”
“Certainly,” he replied, sincerely.
“I came out of concern for you, your grace. I believe your presence has caused quite a stir. We believe word has leaked that you are here to find a wife. The crowd has grown exponentially because of it. I was concerned you may be uncomfortable,” she rushed to explain. The Duke laughed and looked at Esme.
“Then let’s prove them right. With Lord Roth’s permission, I will introduce Lady Esme as my fiancée. That should shut them down, I dare say,” he stated, with a big smile.
“Is this true?” Cordelia asked Esme whose beaming face answered the question. “Does your brother know?”
“According to Rodger, Rhys knew it was coming. But he left us abruptly to talk with someone and has not been back since. Rodger was waiting to speak with him before we make an announcement,” Esme informed her.
&nb
sp; “Rodrigo is going to be beside himself. We must let him make the announcement. He will take all the credit anyway. You wait and see,” she said, genuinely happy for the couple. “I will find Rhys for you. I just saw him a moment ago. Will you be fine waiting here, or would you rather be settled in one of the private parlors?”
“We will be fine here, my lady, not to worry. I am used to being pursued by husband hunting mothers and daughters. It will not bother me a bit, now that my search is over.” He looked at Esme. There was no mistaking the joy in his eyes. “Besides, I wish to dance with my fiancée.”
“As you wish, your grace.” Esme curtsied.
Cordelia could not be happier for the Duke. The look on his face made her stomach ache. Earlier, Rhys had looked at her the same way. Then, why would he be in an alcove with another woman? Before fear and paranoia could take over, she shook herself. No! She would not assume anything. That had made her misjudge him before, and she would not make the same mistake again. Rhys had said those days were over and she must trust him. More than ever, she needed to find him.
Chapter 41
“Lady Cromwell?” came the panicked voice of Lady Verness came from behind her. “Please, may I have a moment?”
Cordelia turned and saw the distress on the pretty girl’s face. She took her hands to comfort her.
“What is wrong? Come. Sit. tell me.” She led the young woman to the nearest alcove and sat her on the bench. She asked the couple snuggling in the corner for a moment’s privacy, and they reluctantly left. “Tell me what ails you?”
“I do not know what to do, my lady. Lord Wright is speaking with his parents about making an offer for my hand, but Lord Tilman wants me to refuse and marry him,” she babbled.
“I’m not sure I understand. I thought you and Lord Tilman had an attraction. Do you have equal feelings for Lord Wright?” Cordelia asked.
“Oh no! My heart belongs to Lord Tilman. It’s just that he never showed interest until after Lord Wright asked to escort me. Lord Tilman was still talking with the other ladies, you see, and I did not think his intentions were serious. So, I accepted Lord Wright’s invitation. Tilman was furious with me! He kissed me, and told me I owned his heart. From that moment on I knew he was the one. But I could not humiliate Lord Wright, now could I? Tilman left me when I refused to break my word to Lord Wright and went back to flirting with other girls, just like that!” She snapped her fingers. “Just now, he cornered me and begged my forgiveness. He said he was just trying to make me jealous. He wants my hand and my heart forever. But how can I ever trust him again?”