Did she? When Blake was near, she was aware her own focus became rather singular. The man she had spent afternoons with was warm and funny, anything but boring. Now that she considered the matter, Blake did take an extraordinary interest in her opinions and feelings. During their time alone by the lake, he had proven that he was unlike other gentlemen—he paid attention and truly listened. He had gained her trust. Lucy had even confessed her secret wish for a family, but after James’s death, she hadn’t thought it possible.
She did have Blake’s attention, and Lucy wasn’t about to lose it.
“Lady Mary, Lady Lucy, do you have your riddle ready?” Lady Redburn inquired.
Lost in the myriad of questions Lady Mary had brought to mind, she had not focused on the Jonesy contest. Thankfully, her mind was filled with riddles. “Yes, Lady Redburn.”
Lucy searched the room, and when her gaze landed on Blake, she began. “A king was to grant one knight the honor of marrying his only daughter. She stood in the middle of the room upon a large rug that was wider than a man’s body length. The princess had selected the four knights the night prior, and each stood in one corner of the room. The king declared the knight who kissed the princess’s hand would receive his blessing. However, they must not use anything, nor were they allowed to touch the rug upon which she stood. After long moments, one knight placed his lips upon the princess’s hand. How did he accomplish it?”
Lady Mary whispered, “Do you think he will figure it out?”
“I certainly hope so. If not tonight, soon.”
Waterford, who was seated next to Devonton, called out, “The knight ordered the princess to come to him and present her hand for a kiss.”
Giggling at Lady Mary’s shocked expression, Lucy replied, “Well done, Lord Waterford. You are correct!”
Waterford performed a cursory bow, but there was a hard, unfamiliar glimmer in his eyes as his gaze fell upon Lady Mary. The tension between the two was palpable. Was it hatred she sensed?
The pair ceased scowling at each other as Lady Mary turned to Lucy. “That man has a terrible habit of ensuring I never win.”
“Lady Mary, you must admit it was rather clever of Waterford to figure it out.”
“Lord Archbroke would have solved it faster.”
Lucy conceded Lady Mary was right. Lord Archbroke, pompous genius that he was, would have had the answer before she even finished relating the riddle. No longer a contender in the Jonesy competition, Lucy relaxed and listened as each team shared their entries. It was amusing to see Lady Mary, Waterford, and the others battle to answer first.
When it was Blake and Waterford’s turn, Lucy shifted to the edge of her seat. Would Blake be the one to perform? The pair communicated between themselves without words. Ultimately, it was Waterford who cleared his throat before beginning:
“I was traveling down a path when it split into two.
One path lead to war and death. One path lead to rest and peace.
Two soldiers sat by the paths. One was known to never tell the truth, the other never spoke a lie.
What one question would I ask of them to lead me down the correct path?”
What a peculiar riddle to share. Did Waterford mean it to be a hidden message for someone? No one among the group offered an answer.
Lady Redburn said, “My lords, I believe you have stumped us all. Pray tell, what would the question be?”
Blake replied, “Lady Redburn, I should ask, what would he say was the path to my salvation and peace? And I would travel down the opposite path to which he pointed.”
The confused features of the group were plain for all to see.
Lady Redburn clapped her hands as if to break the spell that had been cast by Blake and Waterford. “I declare Lord Waterford and Lord Devonton the winners of the Jonesy contest. Well done, my lords.”
Once the applause from the group subsided, Blake approached, and Lucy stood to greet him. His eyes were ablaze as he asked, “Would you care for a refreshment?”
Lucy turned to ask Lady Mary to join them only to realize that they were completely alone. When had everyone left?
Placing a hand on his chest, Lucy said, “Congratulations on the win.”
“My thanks. Would you consider granting the winner a kiss?”
“Kiss Waterford? Never!” Lucy loved Blake’s surprised look at her reply. She slid both hands up his chest and stood on her tiptoes to pull him down for a kiss. She had intended to kiss him senseless, but it was she who was left with no rational thoughts.
As they parted, Blake growled, “You are a minx. I shall escort you to your room.”
Nodding in a daze, she allowed him to guide her. Lady Redburn was pacing in the foyer. As soon as they were close enough, her hostess scolded, “What were you two about in there? No, don’t answer me. Lucy, come along with me. We shall retire for the evening.” But before leading Lucy away, Lady Redburn pointed down the opposite hallway and said to Blake, “Off with you.”
The reference to Blake’s riddle had Lucy grinning. Had Lady Redburn instructed him to go down the right path? Heaven? Or hell?
Chapter Eighteen
Staring at her list of Lord Ds, Lucy dipped her quit into the ink pot. She had received missives late in the evening resulting in her eliminating two more potential targets. She drew a bold line through Lord Draven’s name. Theo had sent word that Lord Draven was of a similar age to Edward and had only recently inherited the title. Lord Dunhill’s name was also scratched through as her informant from the north had confirmed he remained ensconced in Scotland with no indication he had traveled to the Continent or attended the House of Lords in years.
Blake’s name was one of two remaining. Lucy weighed the facts: the number of years and the timing of his stay on the Continent. Her suspicions of the true nature of his purpose had not waned and had, with each passing day, increased. It was plausible that Blake had made enemies as he sketched his way through each country.
Shoulders sagging, head bowed, she fought back tears as she concluded that it was more than likely Blake was indeed the intended target. She desperately wanted to confront him today. Fear of the answer had her wishing to postpone the confrontation. She was about to head to the dining room to break her fast when a footman in the hall approached her with a silver platter.
“Lady Lucy.” She peeked up at the footman and recognized him to be the messenger from the Home Office, Mr. Smyth. Why was Mr. Smyth disguised as a footman?
She took the missive from the platter and placed it in her pocket. As if Mr. Smyth had appeared out of thin air, he vanished in the same fashion.
Lucy retreated to her room and opened the missive. Instead of it being a message hidden within a passage, it was written in numerals and symbols. This meant it must be of an urgent nature. She sat at the bay window of her room and began to puzzle out the code.
Absorbed in the task before her, she started and felt her heart jump out of her chest when Blake’s raspy voice called through the door, “Lady Lucy.”
She hurriedly tucked the missive under some pillows before replying, “Come in.”
Blake opened the door but remained at the threshold. “Lucy, I waited by the lake. When you did not arrive, I was concerned.”
She rushed to reassure him. “Oh, Blake! I’m sorry. I lost track of time. I apologize for worrying you, but I’m well, just a little distracted.”
Blake quietly slipped into the room. He closed and locked the door behind him. There was a glimmer in his eyes; it was a look that was becoming more apparent as they spent more time in each other’s company. She sensed it to be more than longing and lust, but she wasn’t entirely sure.
Lucy rose and walked toward him. She didn’t stop until she was mere inches away and reached up to put her arms around his neck. She leaned into him so he would feel every inch of her body as she raised up on her tiptoes and pulled his head down for a kiss.
Blake did not return her embrace. Was he angry at her? Had he worried sh
e no longer wanted to meet? Had her riddle not given him a clue as to her feelings for him? He had shared with her his fear of letting people come close. He had lost everyone he had loved. She suspected he had erected solid walls around his heart, and it was those walls that enabled him to live in solitude for so many years.
Relief washed through her as Blake’s arms began to wrap around her. But when he stopped and gently pulled back, it filled her with worry.
Blake caught her attention by looking directly into her eyes. He asked, “Distracted?”
Could he see the depths of her desire?
He gave her a wicked grin and said, “Perhaps I could provide a better distraction.” Blake bent his head and placed soft kisses, starting at the middle of her forehead, down her nose, and finally he fulfilled her wish to have his lips on hers.
Lucy had enjoyed the kisses they had shared the past few days, but she longed to feel the hot sensations he had brought about while they were in the library. As if he read her mind, he ran his hands down the row of buttons at her back, then rested them on her plump bottom. He squeezed her cheeks and brought her closer to him. His physical response to her was immediately evident. She wanted to remove all the barriers between them and began to feel a warm wetness between her legs. She moved to get even closer to Blake, and in doing so, he slipped a leg between hers and slightly lifted her. Her tiptoes barely touched the floor.
The pressure between her legs felt delightful, and Lucy let out a moan. In her daze, she could only focus on Blake’s touches—speech was impossible—his hands seemed to be everywhere on her body. He let out a growl in her ear when she began riding his thigh. The groan encouraged her to continue taking bolder moves, and she pushed his face down to bury it in her décolletage.
Blake expertly kissed the tops of her breasts. His finger circled her hardened nipple. Lucy cursed the material that prevented him from touching her. She arched her back, pressing farther into his caress. When he pinched her pebbled nipple, she couldn’t prevent a moan from escaping. The sensations she experienced overwhelmed her, as he continued to stroke her, soft sighs and primal sounds she had never uttered escaped her lips.
Lucy was endowed with large breasts and plump hips and thighs, and as Blake’s hands roamed every inch of her body, his touch set off flutters of delight that mixed with twinges of anxiety about her figure. Would he consider her desirable? But as the moments passed his caresses became more urgent until she couldn’t think of anything but the exhilarating sensations he was provoking within her.
He grabbed her skirts and pulled them roughly up to her waist, telling her gruffly, “Hold these here.”
She removed one of her arms from around his neck and did as she was told, holding the material up out of his way.
His hands caressed her inner thighs and moved upward as if seeking out her core. Ashamed of the wetness he would find, Lucy buried her head in his neck, and she began to kiss her way up, eager for his lips again.
He picked her up by the waist, and she instinctively wrapped her legs around him. Blake walked backward to the bed, kissing her the entire time. The sound of his calves hitting the frame only registered when he fell back with her on top of him. Rather than try to get off him, she positioned herself so that her soft, rounded bottom sat upon his stomach as she straddled him. She pinned him with a gaze that brooked no arguments and clearly indicated he was to stay where he was.
Lucy reached for his cravat first and removed the material from around his neck, only to dangle it in front of him. While she had no idea what to do with a man beneath her, she followed her natural instincts. Blake loved it when she teased him during their talks, so she decided to do the same now. He reached for his cravat and grabbed it from her to put it under the small of his back.
He then tried to grab her hands to still them as she was working the buttons on his shirt and pulling it out from his breeches. “Lucy, do you have any idea what you are doing to me?”
She rocked a little and replied, “I have a fair idea.”
Her dress and corset fell to her waist. She hadn’t even realized Blake’s nimble fingers had undone her buttons and laces. In one swift move, he rolled and had her pinned under him.
“Lucy, I want to make you mine, but…”
She moved under him and changed their positions, which placed him right between her legs. In this position, she could see his face clearly. Desire burned in his eyes, but then he shook his head. She tensed. Did he think she was trying to trap him? No, it was like he was deciding what to do next. He had told her he wasn’t a virgin. He must know what to do.
He took her head between his hands and stared directly into her eyes, asking, “Do you trust me?”
She tried to nod, but Blake wouldn’t let her. “I need to hear you say the words. Do you trust me?”
“Yes, Blake, I trust you,” she breathlessly answered.
“Good, now do as I say.”
Why was he ordering her about? Was this how he had interpreted her riddle?
Her body ached for his touch. With a frown, she answered, “Very well, I’ll do as you say.”
Blake found his cravat and gently raised Lucy’s arms above her head and bound her wrists. “Now, leave your hands above your head, no matter what.”
She was sure her confusion was written all over her face. Blake’s features were contorted, as if he was at war with himself. Did he need control or her trust?
At his hesitation, Lucy said, “I trust you. I want you to kiss me again.”
All remaining doubts fled from his features as soon as she uttered the words.
Lucy did as she was told and left her hands above her head. Blake bent to give her a teasing kiss, a kiss that left her wanting more. She needed to feel his tongue in her mouth, and when he began kissing her again, she didn’t hold back. She sought out his tongue and then sucked hard on it; it seemed to break all of Blake’s restraint.
He kissed her with such intensity her core temperature soared to feverish heights. With his teeth he nipped at her skin, traveling down her neck, then following the line of her collarbone, and when he reached her breast, he rolled her nipple between his lips and caressed it with his tongue. Lucy arched her back and let out sigh after sigh. Blake’s hands skimmed the skin along her arms, on the inside of her elbows, and with a featherlight touch down her side all the way to the middle of her thigh. His mouth moved down her body, licking, kissing, and biting his way to her pelvic bone.
He slowly removed her drawers. Gently he spread her legs to accommodate his wide shoulders comfortably between her thighs.
Goosebumps danced along her skin as his tongue grazed along lips that had never been touched by another. She instinctively tried to clamp her legs shut, but his hands gently guided her knees to relax and for her to open up to him. He placed his palms and fingers under her bottom, while his thumbs were massaging her core. Blake continued to lick and tease her until her body bowed with tension. Every movement magnified the sensitivity of her core. She nearly came apart as he slid a finger inside her and began to slowly pump it in and out, going deeper with each stroke all the while his tongue flicked her sensitive bud. When he added another finger, her muscles tightened around them, and her eyes closed so tightly stars appeared as an explosion of sensations shuddered throughout her body.
She floated back to reality, as Blake caressed and kissed the inside of her wrists as he unbound her. His touch made her skin come alive and sent pleasing sparks all over her body. She couldn’t speak; her mind was blank, and all she wanted was for Blake to hold her.
He moved to lie beside her. She loved the fact he was in tune with her wants and needs. Together, they lay facing the window, not speaking, just catching their breath. She enjoyed being in Blake’s arms. Content, it didn’t worry her that she was totally naked in bed with a man she wasn’t married to.
After a while, Lucy broke the silence. “Blake, that was… was exceptional. Having grown up in the country, I believe there is more to the expe
rience.”
“Your virtue is intact; however, your innocence is… well… I’d say you are more enlightened.”
She turned to face him. “I have…” She wanted to tell him a multitude of things, but her mind was preoccupied with her concern for his safety, and she was starting to fall in love with him, but those thoughts were weighty and she dared not bring them up.
Blake placed a finger on her lips to prevent her from talking. “Shhh. Let’s rest before I have to leave. I’m sure your maid will be here to assist you in getting ready for supper.”
Lucy snuggled into his embrace and placed the curve of her bottom into his groin.
Blake let out a groan. “Lucy. Stay. Still.”
Lucy instantly quit moving, and before long she’d fallen fast asleep.
Blake waited until Lucy’s breathing had evened before untangling himself from her lush form. He pulled the sheets higher, ensuring she was fully covered. “Sleep well, my sweet.” He tiptoed out into the hall.
He left her room intending to seek out his own chambers to sort out the turmoil of thoughts and emotions rolling about in his mind. He needed to decide what he was going to do about Lucy. He wanted to trust his instincts and go and seek her hand, but fear her heart remained with James prevented him from acting. She physically desired his touch and wanted to know him in the biblical sense, but was that enough for a lifetime of marriage?
Blake’s parents had married for love. The affection and companionship they shared was something he craved. Could one assess if another was compatible based on a few weeks of acquaintance? The intangible lure and a feeling of rightness remained every time he was with Lucy. When she wasn’t near, a sense of emptiness and a longing to see or be with her overwhelmed him. Blake was so lost in his thoughts, he nearly walked past Harrington.
Harrington’s features were drawn taut, and the relaxed, amicable gentleman was nowhere to be seen. “Devonton, why are you near the family wing? Were you in Lucy’s chambers? Alone?”
Secrets of Lady Lucy Page 12