But to accept that Caroline was in love with Dominic Vaughn, the fierce-looking Earl of Blackstone, and that he was in love with her, that the two of them wished to marry, could not be attributed to either mischief or stubbornness. And yet Diana had seen the love shining in Caroline’s eyes every time her sister so much as glanced at Dominic, as it was in his when he returned those glances. Indeed, Diana would have to be blind not to see the way the two constantly touched and looked at each other. Or how Caroline, usually so independent, had instantly turned to him for comfort the moment she realised Elizabeth was missing…
Could Diana possibly be jealous of that closeness? Oh, not of the love that so obviously glowed between the couple—having suffered what had proved to be the shallowness of Malcolm Castle’s love, Diana had no intention of trusting in a man’s declaration of love ever again, hence the expediency of her betrothal to Gabriel.
But could her misgivings now be because she resented the fact that Dominic Vaughn had now taken her place as the stalwart in Caroline’s life? Could that possibly be the reason for her doubts about the match? If that was the case, then they were selfish doubts and did not deserve to so much as be acknowledged, let alone voiced!
Besides which, there was that air of intimacy between her sister and the earl that implied her concerns might already be too late…
She drew herself up determinedly. ‘I will offer them both my warmest congratulations when we all meet downstairs for dinner.’
Gabriel looked admiringly at her. Whatever doubts and misgivings she still had concerning the suddenness of her younger sister’s betrothal, she now had them firmly under control. No doubt the same firmness of control that had governed Diana’s decision to accept his own offer of marriage. ‘Perhaps, once they learn of our own betrothal, they will offer those same warm congratulations to us?’ he teased.
‘Of course.’ It was obvious from the way Diana’s cheeks had paled slightly that she had momentarily overlooked her own hasty engagement in her concerns for her sister.
‘Then we are agreed that your sister and Blackstone will marry soon?’ he asked.
‘I did not think you required my agreement to the match,’ she replied.
‘I do not,’ he acknowledged. ‘But I am sure that your sister does.’ Gabriel straightened and turned to leave.
‘My lord, what do you intend to do concerning our earlier conversation?’
Gabriel’s eyes narrowed. ‘Which earlier conversation would that be, Diana?’
She moistened those pouting and sensuously full lips before speaking. ‘I—in regards to the letter you received from Miss Britton about your mother, of course.’
Of course. He should have known, been prepared for the fact that the conscientious Diana could not simply let the subject be. ‘Nothing, Diana. I intend doing absolutely nothing in regard to that letter.’
‘Perhaps you might travel to Eastbourne first and talk to Miss Britton in person—?’
‘I have already written back to Alice Britton informing her that I am far too occupied in town at the moment to spare the time to travel into Cambridgeshire.’ He gave an impatient snort as Diana looked less than satisfied with this reply. ‘I wish I had never shown you the damned letter!’ Indeed, he wished he had never placed the announcement of their betrothal in the newspapers at all, if by doing so he had provided Alice Britton with an address where she might write to him.
Blue eyes widened. ‘Miss Britton’s letter was so filled with warmth and affection for your mother…’
‘Yes, she was with my mother for many years.’
‘She also seems most concerned that your mother is now living alone at Faulkner Manor apart from the servants and a Mr and Mrs Prescott,’ she pressed.
With good reason—given a choice Gabriel would not have trusted one of his horses to the care of said Mr and Mrs Prescott! ‘My mother’s younger brother Charles and his wife,’ he told her tersely.
Diana eyed Gabriel curiously, aware of the harshness of his expression and the increase in tension in that tautly muscled body; his wide shoulders were stiffly set back, his arms rigid and his hands clenched at his sides. ‘Do you have a large family?’ In truth, Gabriel was a man who, by his very nature, gave the impression of complete self-containment; so much so that it had never occurred to her that he might have family other than his mother and deceased father.
‘I have no family.’ Those midnight-blue eyes were utterly implacable.
‘But—’
‘At least, none that I care to acknowledge,’ he added. ‘Nor any who have cared to acknowledge me for the past eight years, either.’ There was no missing the dangerous edge of warning in his tone now.
Even so, she found herself curious to know more about the family he dismissed so easily. ‘Is Mr Charles Prescott your mother’s only brother or—?’
‘I have said I do not wish to discuss this with you any further, Diana.’ He looked down at her with fierce eyes.
The past few hours had been fraught with emotion, to say the least, and as such she did not feel inclined to humour his usual arrogance. ‘Does your desire not to discuss a certain subject usually meet with success?’ she came back tartly.
‘Invariably, yes.’ Gabriel raised amused brows as he saw the light of battle deepen in those sky-blue eyes; whether she realised it or not, Diana was every bit as headstrong and strong-willed as she claimed Caroline was!
‘What a pity, then, that it has failed in this instance.’ Her chin jutted out stubbornly.
He grinned. ‘I trust, Diana, that you are not about to disobey me before our marriage vows have even been made?’ He could not resist teasing her.
Those blue eyes sparkled rebelliously. ‘Indeed, at this moment it crossed my mind to request that part of the marriage service be omitted altogether, my lord!’
Gabriel gave an appreciative chuckle. ‘Personally, I have always preferred the part of the vows that say “with my body I thee worship”,’ he drawled and instantly had the satisfaction of seeing two wings of colour heat her cheeks. In embarrassment? Or at the memory of the times Gabriel had already taken her in his arms and kissed her?
Something, against his previous better judgement to the contrary, he felt more than inclined to repeat now. Perhaps he might allow himself a little—just a little enjoyment of her graceful, desirable body?
Diana’s eyes widened in alarm as he moved stealthily towards her. ‘I—what are you doing?’ Her voice came out as a breathless squeak as he now stood so close to her she could feel the heat of his body through the thin material of her gown.
He quirked dark brows. ‘I thought, following the tensions of the past hour or so, that perhaps a little demonstration of how I intend to worship you with my body once we are married might be beneficial to us both.’
She swallowed hard, at the same time aware that her heart had begun to pound so loudly she was sure that he must hear it too. ‘We are alone in my bedchamber, my lord…’
Those sculptured lips curved into a smile that added warmth to the intensity of those compelling midnight-blue eyes. ‘The perfect time and place, I would have thought, for such a private demonstration—wouldn’t you agree?’
Diana was more than alarmed now—she was light headed, both from his proximity, and the delicious intent reflected in those dark blue eyes fixed so purposefully upon her parted lips. ‘That will not be necessary, my lord.’
‘I do not recall saying it was necessary, Diana,’ he murmured. ‘Just something we might both enjoy.’
Diana would only be deceiving herself if she did not admit to having enjoyed the times Gabriel had already taken her in his arms, as she had noticed their absence this past two days. And perhaps the intimacy that so obviously existed between Caroline and Dominic Vaughn was having an effect on her own sensibilities—because she wished for nothing more at that moment than for Gabriel to repeat those earlier kisses.
She moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue. ‘I am not sure my guardian woul
d approve.’
Gabriel’s grin could only be described as wolfish. ‘On the contrary, your guardian is in complete agreement with your participating in the exercise.’
‘Then how can I refuse?’ She smiled up at him shyly.
As before, Diana felt light and very feminine as Gabriel took her in his arms, with that smell of lemons and flowers, her lips against his soft and yielding, the womanly curves of her body moulded against his much harder ones. Gabriel couldn’t help deepening the kiss, becoming more demanding as he parted her lips with a slow sweep of his tongue before dipping into the moist cavern of her mouth to become even more aroused by her heat.
Dear God! He should not have played this dangerous game, should have heeded his earlier warnings and avoided taking her in his arms again at all until they were safely wed. At the very least, he should find the strength to put her away from him now.
Instead he found himself groaning low in his throat as desire surged through him with the speed of a lit taper igniting paper, engorging his shaft until it throbbed with the same rapid heat as his heart pulsed. The kiss became even more passionate as his lips now devoured hers, crushing the full roundness of her breasts against his chest.
Diana’s breath caught and her neck arched as Gabriel wrenched his mouth from hers to travel the length of her throat, his tongue a rasping caress as he tasted her, a trembling beginning in her knees and climbing to between her thighs as one of his hands moved restlessly across her back and hips before moving up to cup the softness of her breast.
‘Perfection,’ he groaned huskily, his hand tightening, fingers seeking, squeezing, plucking at the sensitised tip through the thin material of her gown even as his lips and tongue continued their sensual exploration of her throat.
Diana’s fingers moved from the broad width of Gabriel’s shoulders to become entangled in the heavy thickness of the hair at his nape, feeling on fire, her skin hot, sensitive to his every touch, every caress. His lips were moist and warm against her heated flesh as he kissed his way down to the bare swell of her breasts above her gown, causing those already aroused nubbins at their tips to pucker and harden and ache even more. For what exactly, Diana was still unsure.
Gabriel tugged down the soft material of her gown to bare one of her breasts, satisfying that ache as he drew the tight tip into the heat of his mouth hungrily, his tongue sweeping across it, making it tingle and burn at the same time.
Diana had never known such pleasure as this existed, a hot and pulsing pleasure that caused a flood of moisture between her thighs so that she now ached there too. An ache that increased as Gabriel’s fingers curled about her hips to pull her into the hardness between his thighs, moving rhythmically against her. Each stroke of that hardness sent a fierce pulse of desire deep inside her as he continued to pay attention to her breast, causing that pleasure to build higher and higher until she suddenly felt as if she were about to explode.
‘Gabriel?’ She was unsure if that gasp was a plea for him to stop or to continue, her fingers curled tightly into his hair as she held him to her at the same time as she wanted to put an end to the torment of emotions that surged throughout her body.
Hearing the uncertainty in her voice was enough to bring Gabriel to his senses and realise exactly what he was doing, and with whom. This was no woman of experience, no woman he could take to his bed, to freely explore and pleasure, then forget all about her. Diana was to become his wife. His countess. The mother of his children. Children he fully intended would be born securely inside the parameters of their marriage so that no breath of scandal could be attached to them. Until Elizabeth was found, Diana wouldn’t marry him, and he had no idea how long it would take to find his last runaway ward. He dared not risk bedding her until the knot was securely tied.
He drew in a hissing breath as he pulled away from her and held her at arm’s length. Just the sight of her plump and bared breast, slightly reddened from the ministrations of his lips and tongue, was enough to make his thighs throb uncomfortably. ‘I believe that is enough enjoyment for one evening,’ he said unevenly as a red-faced Diana hastily straightened her gown and looked up at him with bewildered blue eyes.
Gabriel was starting to feel just as bewildered and unsure of himself whenever he was alone in Diana’s company, and he didn’t like it one little bit!
‘I believe it is time that you changed for dinner,’ he said, attempting to regain control of the situation.
‘But—’
‘Now, please, Diana.’
If she carried on standing there, tempting him, looking at him with her beautiful wide blue eyes, he might just have to take her in his arms again and that would be a disaster. Good sense and experience told him not to allow this woman beneath the guard he had so carefully erected about his emotions this past eight years. But just holding her in his arms was enough to force all those good intentions completely from his mind. What on earth was happening to him?
Chapter Six
‘You have seemed somewhat preoccupied, all evening, Gabe.’
Gabriel looked down the length of the dining table to where Dominic was sitting, his expression uncharacteristically inquisitive as he sipped his after-dinner brandy now that the two men were alone in the dining-room.
In actual fact, Gabriel had found his friend’s whole demeanour to be out of character this evening, as the four of them had eaten dinner together before the two ladies had retired to leave the men to enjoy their brandy and cigars. Mrs Humphries had once again sent her apologies; apparently she had been rendered prostrate at the sudden reappearance of her niece Caroline in the company of the twelfth Earl of Blackstone!
Dominic was certainly a changed man. For one thing Gabriel had never seen his friend smile as much as he had this evening, let alone indulge in the lovingly teasing banter that seemed to be such a part of his relationship with Caroline Copeland.
It was a sharp contrast to the stilted politeness that now existed between Diana and Gabriel!
To make matters worse, the announcement of the betrothal between the two of them had not been met with warm congratulations at all, but with astonishment from Caroline and concerned silence from Dominic—the same concern with which he still looked at Gabriel now.
‘You and Caroline did not seem particularly pleased earlier at the announcement of my betrothal to Diana,’ Gabriel commented, sipping his brandy.
The other man grimaced. ‘Obviously I have not had chance as yet for private conversation with Caro, but I fear she may believe that her sister has only agreed to the marriage because she and Elizabeth made clear their own reluctance to do so.’
Gabriel raised dark brows. ‘And what is your own opinion on the subject?’
Dominic breathed in deeply before answering. ‘Recalling your own comments in Venice a little over a week ago, I cannot help but think that may indeed be the case. You said yourself you only offered marriage to one of the Copeland sisters because you felt it was the correct thing to do as they had been left so badly off by their father—as well, of course, as providing you with the necessary heirs.’
Both, Gabriel considered, very sound reasons for his offer of marriage to the Copeland sisters. Except he had not known Diana when he made that offer. Had not held her in his arms. Kissed her passionately. Caressed her bountiful curves…
He sat back in his seat abruptly. ‘And if it is purely a marriage of convenience?’
His friend sighed heavily. ‘I completely sympathise with your reasons for wanting to avoid emotional involvement, Gabriel. I should; I felt exactly the same way until I met and fell in love with Caro,’ he added ruefully.
‘Yes, I would be very interested to hear exactly how that came about…’ Gabriel eyed the other man speculatively.
‘No doubt you would,’ Dominic drawled drily, ‘but, as you are well aware, a gentleman does not kiss and tell.’
Gabriel raised dark brows. ‘Not even when the lady in question happens to be my own ward?’
‘Most e
specially then!’ Dominic grinned. ‘I would hate to have to put you in the position of having to call me out. Especially as I should win.’
Gabriel laughed. As, no doubt, he was expected to do; both men knew that of the two them Gabriel was the superior swordsman, as Dominic was the superior shot. Just as both men knew that there were no circumstances under which Gabriel would ever lay such a challenge before one of his two closest friends…
He smiled. ‘On the contrary, I wish you and Caroline every happiness together.’
Dominic gave an acknowledging inclination of his head. ‘And will you and Diana be as happy together, do you think?’
He glanced away. ‘We can only hope.’
‘Gabriel—’
‘Dominic, no matter what you may or may not think to the contrary, I did not in any way coerce Diana into our betrothal.’ He scowled darkly. ‘In truth, I was as surprised as you when she decided to accept my offer.’
‘Caro led me to believe that Diana was to marry a son of the local Hampshire gentry. What happened to that?’
Caroline was probably also the person who had revealed that fact to William Johnston. ‘I believe you will find that it was the gentleman’s change of heart that has prompted her to accept my own offer,’ Gabriel admitted curtly.
Dominic looked regretful. ‘So this really is to be a marriage of convenience for both of you?’
‘What else?’ he said flippantly.
‘Gabe—’
‘We have been friends a long time, Dominic, and it is a friendship that I value highly, but in this particular circumstance I will thank you to keep your opinion to yourself,’ Gabriel cut in, eyeing his friend warningly.
Dominic returned that gaze for several long seconds before allowing the tension to slowly ease from his wide shoulders. ‘You do realise that at this moment Caro is probably engaged in a similar conversation with Diana?’
The Lady Forfeits Page 8