He hummed along as the music began and Madalene turned to him, her eyes wide like her smile. He shrugged. He liked to hum and he didn’t think anyone else could hear him. As he watched the attendants of the Queen of the Night, he thought back to the first time he had seen The Magic Flute and had marveled over the possibility of having three ladies fight over him. Now, he found himself content to have one lady who wanted him, even if only for a limited time.
Chapter Eight
Each time he saw her, Madalene attempted to foist her list of eligible ladies on him. He had narrowly escaped the clutches of his last dance partner, and he was done with the silly list. Surely her father would wonder why he danced with so many other ladies when they were betrothed, and others might as well. As he had learned, there were subtleties within the ton. A man who danced with a wallflower might be hailed as a hero, but one who danced too often with other ladies in lieu of his betrothed might be labeled a villain. It was a delicate balance and he was not an accomplished funambulist.
He scanned the ballroom, but there was no sign of Madalene. The ball was hosted by Lady Anne’s family, and the two of them kept sneaking off to unknown destinations. He hadn’t anticipated the need to keep her under surveillance. He would seek out Lady Gilmanton. Surely she would know where Madalene was.
Clearly luck was not in his favor, because Lord Gilmanton returned to his wife’s side just as Duncan reached her.
“My lady, do you know the whereabouts of your daughter? I wish to dance with her, but she keeps disappearing.”
Gilmanton’s eyes narrowed. “Perhaps that is because you appear to prefer to dance with every other unmarried lady in the room instead of her.”
As usual, the man took every chance he had to denigrate him. One would think he would be grateful that his daughter had made a good match, but instead he seemed to go out of his way to fling thinly veiled insults at him. Still, there was no point in further incensing him. “I assure you that is not the case, my lord. I am simply having difficulty locating her.”
“Ah, there she is now,” said Lady Gilmanton. “She must have wandered off somewhere with Anne. Where one goes, the other follows.”
Duncan stepped forward to intercept Madalene. “Darling, where have you been hiding? I have long been waiting on your attention. I believe you owe me at least two more dances this evening.”
The three ladies smiled and Madalene blushed charmingly, but her father continued to scowl at him. He was at a loss as to why the man so disliked him. Why wouldn’t he want to see his daughter happily married?
“I am at your service, my lord.”
He took her arm and led her away from her parents. She leaned closer and whispered, “You mustn’t exaggerate so. Papa will suspect something is not right if you continue to deliver undeserved compliments.”
“On the contrary. He is wrong if he thinks you do not deserve all of my compliments and more.” He lifted her hand and kissed it, lingering for just a moment so she could feel the heat of his breath through her glove. He suspected that her father’s censure had caused her to question her worth because she had no idea how beautiful and desirable she was.
They danced their part in the quadrille, and when it was their turn to rest, Madalene asked, “Who on my list have you not danced with? We must make an effort to secure introductions for you to the remaining ladies tonight.”
Duncan refrained from sighing. “Or, I could just dance with you for the rest of the evening. We are betrothed, after all, so it is permissible, is it not?”
“Well, I don’t think anyone would object, but that doesn’t further our purpose of finding you a proper wife.”
He grinned. “Are you suggesting that you are an improper lady?” It was their turn to dance again, so she wasn’t able to respond. But he needn’t have worried. The dancing gave her plenty of time to formulate an answer.
She pulled him to a somewhat secluded area at the edge of the ballroom. When she opened her mouth to speak, he cut her off. “Is there someplace private where we can talk? Perhaps one of the locations you keep disappearing to with Lady Anne?”
“Certainly. I have just the place.” She strode away toward a darkened corridor leading away from the ballroom, and with a quick glance around to make sure no one was watching, he followed.
Concern tightened her lips and she made a conscious effort to relax. The last thing she needed was wrinkles. But why did Duncan want to speak with her in private? Was he planning to break off their engagement so soon?
When they reached the edge of the ballroom, she stopped and whispered to him, “Stay here for a few minutes. I will wait for you down the corridor. Come once you’re certain no one will associate your departure from the room with mine.”
Madalene had hoped to spend more time with Duncan before their inevitable split. Perhaps he had found someone he wished to marry. The timing wasn’t the best for her as it afforded Papa the opportunity to foist someone else upon her, but perhaps she could come up with a plan to foil him. Anne might be able to arrange an invitation for Madalene to spend the summer with her.
Footsteps sounded and she backed into the open chamber behind her, waiting to confirm they came from Duncan before she acted. Once she was certain it was him, she grasped his arm and pulled him into Lady Seabrook’s sitting room, then shut and locked the door behind him. The banked fire allowed just enough light for them to see one another, much like the full moon had on the night they met. If he was here to break their engagement, she needed to put that enchanted evening out of her mind for good. It would serve no purpose for her to pine over a man she could not have.
After glancing around the room, Duncan took her hands in his and led her to a chaise longue near the fireplace. He pulled her down next to him and turned to face her. This was it, he was going to end their association. Tears formed in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.
He lifted her chin. “Madalene, are you afraid of me?”
She shook her head. “No, of course not.” Unable to maintain eye contact with him, she looked away. “I am afraid of how you make me feel. It will be difficult for me to let you go, but I understand that you need to move forward with your plans.”
He straightened. “You think I wanted to meet here to break our engagement?”
She nodded, unable to speak or look at him. A single tear slid down her cheek.
“And here I was planning to suggest that we marry.”
She snapped her head up. “You what?”
“I can’t remember why we didn’t just decide to marry one another in the first place.” He used his thumb to wipe a tear from her cheek. “Can you?”
“Because you don’t want to marry me. No one does. I offered to help you select a suitable bride and in exchange you were to—”
He placed a finger over her lips to stop her. “I’m not senile, you know. I do remember our original arrangement, just not the reason for it. Why don’t you want to marry me?”
She shook her head, dislodging his finger from her lips. “I never didn’t want to marry you. You don’t want to marry me.”
He sat back. “I don’t? Perhaps I am senile, because I have no memory of ever saying that. Why wouldn’t I want to marry you?”
“Because I’m the unattractive spinster daughter of an unpleasant earl who revels in making life unpleasant for everyone else.”
“I admit your father is a bit much, but the rest of your assessment is just plain wrong.”
He leaned toward her and she angled herself against the back of the chaise to create more space between them. His proximity made it difficult for her to formulate coherent thoughts, and she still wasn’t sure what he was trying to say.
“It is?”
“Yes. You are beautiful, and vivacious, and I am thankful every day that everyone else was so cowed by your father that they failed to notice you.”
M
adalene could find no words to respond.
“And you are courageous. There are soldiers who could learn from you.” He ran his thumb down the line of her pulse and across the lace adorning the bodice of her gown, sending thousands of tiny jolts spinning through her. “I don’t think there are many ladies, spinster or not, who are brave enough to proposition a man they’ve only just met. And yet you did.”
He looked into her eyes. “Do you find me hideous?”
“No. Of course I don’t.” She finally found words to speak though it was difficult to concentrate on speaking when he was causing such strange sensations to run through her.
“Then what are your objections to marrying me?”
“I don’t have any. But you must—”
“Please do allow me to speak on my own behalf.” He knelt on the floor in front of her and took both of her hands in his.
“Madalene, I never didn’t want to marry you either. The moment you started trying to get me interested in all of these other women, I realized that you were the only one I wanted. Your father’s reputation has scared off all but the most desperate suitors and his unkind behavior toward you has made you think you’re undesirable. But you’re both wrong about that. Because I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life.”
She sucked in a deep, shuddering breath, hardly believing that he might actually want her as much as she wanted him.
He kissed away a tear from the corner of her lips and pulled back to meet her eyes. “Will you marry me?”
Finally able to find words, she said, “Of course I will.”
Cradling her face between his hands, he pressed his lips to hers. He provoked exhilarating new feelings within her, and she hoped to have the same effect on him. She pushed her lips firmly against his, and was rewarded with a groan from him. He pressed tiny kisses across her lips on his journey to the corner of her mouth, where he softly touched the tip of his tongue before moving back to kiss her thoroughly. Every part of her reacted to his nearness.
Gently pushing her back onto the chaise, he slid on top of her. Their bodies touched from top to bottom, though he propped himself up on his arms to hold most of his weight from her. He kissed her again, his lips gently caressing hers before his tongue slipped in to explore the contours of her mouth. This kiss was nothing like their previous chaste kiss. This kiss was to prove that he desired her. She explored his mouth as well, eager to show her desire for him.
A soft squeak of discontent escaped her as he moved away from her mouth, but she changed her mind when his lips sought the tender skin of her neck. He kissed and nibbled his way down to the bodice of her gown, where he stopped and whispered, “You are beautiful.”
When he reverently slid his finger over her already taut nipple visible through the thin fabric of her silk gown, she had to bite her tongue not to cry out at the exquisite sensation that flowed down to the apex of her legs. He must be a magician to evoke the feelings he had inside her.
Meeting her eyes, he said, “We should go back to the ballroom before we are missed.”
“What? No. I want you to continue what you were doing.”
He smiled widely. “You mean this?”
This time he rubbed his finger back and forth over her nipple, making her wild with need. She wanted more from him. “Yes,” she gasped.
“My darling, I cannot dishonor you in this way. You must wait for our wedding night.”
She shook her head vehemently. “If this is what being dishonored feels like, I’m sorry you didn’t resort to it sooner. I want you to keep making me feel the way I feel right now.”
“Are you certain?”
She placed her hands on either side of his face and looked into his eyes. “I have never been more certain of anything in my life.”
That was all the encouragement he needed. Gently pulling her upright, he undid her gown and stays in record time before easing her back against the chaise. She shut her eyes tightly as he pulled the top of her gown down to her waist and removed her stays, afraid of his reaction to seeing her.
“Open your eyes,” he urged. The soft pad of his finger slid gently down her breast bone and across her prominent ribs below. “You are delicate but strong, like a wren.” Keeping his warm hand against her ribs, he drew closer, his warm breath fanning her nipple and causing it to contract further. His tongue circled the peak of her breast, and she cried out when his lips closed over her nipple and he gently laved it with his hot, wet tongue. She slid her hands into his hair and held him in place, wanting him to stay there forever. She was restless, needing something that she couldn’t define.
With this other hand, he reached for the hem of her gown and slowly slid his hand up her calf, stopping to tickle the back of her knee before drifting over the delicate skin of her inner thigh. A soft sigh escaped her. Then he pressed his palm against the sensitive place between her legs and something inside her blazed to life. She wantonly rubbed herself against his palm and he groaned.
“Did I do something wrong?” she whispered.
He laughed. “No, my darling. You are doing everything right, and driving me mad in the process.” He began to slide away from her and she grabbed for his shoulders.
“I’m not going anywhere, my little wren.” Grasping her hips, he pulled her down to the edge of the chaise and knelt between her legs. She tensed and clasped her legs tightly together.
“There’s no need to be nervous. Let me worship you properly.” Taking advantage of her slightly relaxed state, he gently parted her knees and his warm, wet tongue slid over her most sensitive place. No longer able to function properly, she allowed her head to drop back off the chaise and surrendered herself to sensation. His tongue flicked over her, once, twice, then he thrust it firmly against her and drove her wild. Pressure built within her, and she pushed against him, reaching for something. His warm fingers touched her nipple, squeezing it firmly, and she exploded in sensation. When the last quakes of her release stopped, he slid back up her body and kissed her firmly.
“I knew there was a fire inside you, waiting to burn.”
Too spent to move, she reveled in the lingering sensations brought on by his mouth on her breast once again. It wasn’t until he began to reorder her clothing that she found the strength to move.
“What are you doing?”
“We need to return to the ball now, before we are missed.”
“No.” She shook her head for emphasis. “I know there is more that happens between a man and a woman.”
“You do?”
Embarrassed by her boldness, she glanced away from him. “Not from my own experience.”
“Well, I certainly hope not.”
She hazarded a glance toward him and quickly looked away. “But there are many animals at Gilmanton. In the spring, the sheep are quite…amorous.”
When she glanced again, he looked as if he was trying not to laugh. “I do hope I can outperform the sheep.”
“I expect besting the sheep won’t be a problem.”
He raised a brow. “Thank you for that vote of confidence.”
Her face burned with heat, but she continued. “But what about the stallion?”
“You little minx.” Moving at lightning speed, he shoved her back against the chaise and covered her with his body. “I confess I want nothing more than to spend the rest of the evening here with you, but I have already gone too far.” He slid the back of his hand up her neck and she shivered in response. “We will be missed in the ballroom. You’ll have to wait until our wedding night to discover if I am as skilled as a stallion.”
“I can assure you that no one is looking for me. No one ever does. And even on the very slim chance that someone might notice my absence, they will assume we are taking a turn on the terrace. No one would ever jump to the conclusion that someone had carried me off to ravish me.”
Sh
e forced him to look at her. “Please.”
“Ah…we should not, and yet, I cannot resist you. I’m going to show you just how desirable you are.” With blazing speed, he removed his waistcoat and stock and pulled his shirt off over his head, his breeches quickly following. Since she had witnessed horses breeding, she recognized the evidence of his desire for her, and it emboldened her. Tightening her limp muscles, she sat and ran her hand over the hard planes of his chest, following the path of dark hair down to his manhood. Hoping to share some of her exultation with him, she slid her finger over the tip, startling a bit when it bounced in response.
His hand shot out to hold her fingers. “Not now, my wren. Your touch will send me over the edge.”
Not quite understanding, she reached for him again, but he moved so quickly she found herself flat on her back on the chaise with him on top of her. With his thumb, he stimulated her at that most sensitive place and slid two of his fingers inside her.
“You are impossibly tight and I want nothing more than to lose myself inside you, but I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I trust you not to hurt me.”
“There is no avoiding it. It will hurt when I break through your barrier.”
“But it won’t hurt anymore once you’ve done that?”
“I don’t believe so.”
“Well then, get on with it.”
He laughed, and she found herself smiling along with him. She wanted to feel what it was to be his, and she would not let a little pain stand in her way. He positioned himself above her and gently rubbed himself against her opening. That certainly didn’t hurt. He eased his way in, slowly pushing and stretching until he was inside her.
“This is where it’s going to hurt.”
Her eyes popped open. “There’s more of you?”
He flung his head back as if he was in pain.
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