by S Cinders
Lilly was heartbroken, “I am sorry, Jules. I do wish that you could come along. I promise that we won’t stay long.”
Jules shook her head, “The last thing you need is a sister tagging along, and besides, Samantha needs me on the case. Don’t you, Sam?”
Samantha knew that Jules was struggling. “Jules and I have got this covered. You go along and do that married thing, Lilly. We are proud of you!”
Jules nodded with her sad eyes, “So proud of you, Lilly!”
Lilly tried to swallow, but it was harder than usual. “Why must we grow up?”
“I am glad that mother insisted on a two-week engagement. I suppose that we must grow up some time, but let’s not do it today.”
Jules took Lilly’s hand, “I know that I am the older sister, but you have often acted like the wiser sister. I just want you to know that I am excited for you. Mr. Stanford is a good man, and I know you will be happy with him.”
Samantha wiped her eye, “Enough with this sad talk, we have spies to catch.”
The girls laughed and resumed their conversation.
Later that day they had a Bluebells meeting, and Jules and Lilly were in attendance.
That was fun to be a part of a sisterhood that was far greater than oneself.
And some of those Bluebells had the most interesting ideas on how to entertain one’s lover in the bedroom.
Lilly had heard at one point or another about an infamous little brown book that even had pictures or drawings, if you can believe such nonsense, but Lillian was much too smart for that.
Sophie’s eyes twinkled with delight, “I do wish you all could have been there when Eden said ‘cock’ in front of the Dowager Marchioness. She looked as if she wanted to swoon!”
Eden grinned unrepentantly, “I could easily have not invited Phillip and Lillian’s mother. However, she has been just as high-handed with Lilly as Phillip. And this type of behavior coming from the same woman who dallies with our butler! Why I caught him coming from her bedchamber just the other morning!”
Lilly flushed, but couldn’t deny the truth of it. “Joseph doesn’t even try and provide excuses anymore. He just looks everywhere but at the person he encounters. I had no idea I could be so invisible!”
Eden laughed, “Nor I, and when I broach the subject with Phillip he promptly leaves the room. His mother could not possibly be participating in pleasures of the flesh!”
Juliana wrinkled her nose, “I have to agree with Phillip. I choose to think they are playing cards, or perhaps having tea.”
A slow smile crept across Lilly’s face, “Someday I hope that you enjoy some perfectly lovely tea Jules, or a long game of cards.”
Eden choked on the bite of cake she had just consumed.
Samantha raised a brow, and turned to Hetty, “That was naughty, wasn’t it?”
Her sister in law giggled, “Delightfully so, dearest. And apparently, Mr. Stanford is long and loaded where it counts.”
Lilly giggled, “It wasn’t at all what I expected! It looked rather angry, truth be told!”
Juliana and Samantha leaned closer to Lilly, not wanting to miss a second of her diatribe. This information was critical.
Sophie was pounding on Eden’s back, who hadn’t yet figured out the art of eating and breathing with the correct airways.
“Did you touch it?” Samantha asked.
“Of course, I did!” Lilly said resolutely. And then she frowned, “Well, it was with other parts of my body. So, I haven’t touched it with my hands as of yet, but I want to!”
“Good Lord!” Sophie said a little prayer for everyone’s soul.
“I want to touch one!” Samantha looked determined.
Bea grinned, “You remind me a lot of your sister in law.”
Hetty patted Samantha’s hand, “Let’s keep that goal between us girls. I cannot see that your brother Benjamin will react any better than Randall has with Lilly. And I must admit that an unhappy Benjamin is never a pleasant thing.”
Samantha burst into laughter, “My brother has never been unhappy with you!”
Hetty’s eyes were alight with mischief, “And I see no reason to start now!”
CHAPTER 22
Phillip stood at the back of the Duke of Bilkshore’s grand drawing room. Their friends and family had been gathered as well as all of the brutes posing as gentleman standing up for the bastard that intended on stealing his baby sister.
Phillip’s hands were clenched into tight fists. He could not help the rage that was flowing through his body no matter how hard he tried. Logic flew out the window anytime he considered Stanford putting his hands anywhere near Lilly.
It was a fine day for a wedding.
Eden had made him repeat that saying at least a thousand times until he could say it without grimacing.
When they left the house, she told him it would be best if he didn’t speak—to anyone.
The thought was ridiculous. He was utterly charming in most circumstances. His heart fell, just not today.
“You need to pull your head out of your ass.”
In surprise, Phillip glanced up to see a vibrant auburn-haired woman grinning at him. “Cece, I did not see you arrive. Was Charles able to travel to London with you?”
“I believe he was up with the Cock’s Crow,” Cece smiled benignly.
Phillip shook his head, “Charming as always.”
Cece twinkled in delight, “We all have our gifts, mischief seems to be mine. However, I am choosing to meddle at present.”
Phillip frowned, “Please refrain.”
“Where is the fun in that? Goodness, Randall, do you know me at all?” Cece took his arm. “Now, as I was saying before being so rudely interrupted. You need to pull your head out of your ass. There is a beautiful young woman upstairs crying because she is worried that if she marries the man she loves, she will lose her brother forever.”
Phillip turned to Cece, “That is preposterous! Why would Lilly think that?”
“Perhaps because you haven’t been acting like the brother she knows. I can tell you are brooding. Lilly is young, but she wasn’t so young that she doesn’t remember when your father left your family for his mistresses.”
“I would never do that!” Phillip felt anguished inside, “I must speak with her immediately. Do forgive me, but I must leave you at the moment, I have another pressing matter.”
Cece smiled, “What a splendid notion, I wish I had thought of it.”
A rather tall man with dark blonde hair approached the willowy lady, appreciation and lust fought for dominance in his eyes. “You aren’t up to your regular tricks are you, Peanut?”
Cece cast laughing eyes up into her husband’s face, “Charles you wound me! As if I would intrude into an affair that was clearly none of my business. Darling, I would never!”
He glanced around and then, quick as a flash, he had her up against a marble pillar.
She felt his length through her skirts, and she wasn’t shy about pushing her hips into him.
“You are trouble,” his laugh was hot against her neck.
Cece’s grin quickly turned to moans of pleasure as he nipped and sucked in all the right places.
“Oh, Charles, right there,” she moaned breathily.
“Oh, for the love of—Cece get a hold of yourself! We are at a wedding!”
Her twin brother Elias’ voice was not amused.
“Hello, dearest! So happy that you and Charles could bring the twins to town this time. We are enjoying having a house full of children.” Sophie’s cheery voice came next, and Charles quickly maneuvered his wife so that she was placed in front of him.
Elias shook his head, “You have been married for what seems like eons, can the two of you stop acting like newlyweds?”
Charles shrugged, “I suppose we could.”
Cece looked at him aghast.
Charles gave his wife a wicked smile, “Not to worry love. We would never consider such a horrid idea. Just because
someone can do something, it doesn’t mean they ought to. Sophie, if Eli isn’t treating you right I can knock some sense into him.”
Elias flushed, “I treat my wife like a queen!”
Sophie blushed, she knew that Charles was teasing her husband. However, if she played her cards right, she might be in for a rather pleasurable afternoon. “That did look rather romantic just now. Do you remember when you used to hold me close?”
Elias sputtered, and Cece and Charles escaped.
***
“Phillip, you aren’t supposed to be here, this is only for the women!” the Dowager tried to send her son away, but he wouldn’t be deterred.
Once he saw Lillian, he knew that he had made the right choice. She hadn’t even changed into her wedding finery. Cuddled up in her sister's arms, she sat. Still clothed in her dressing gown, eyes red, she clung to a large handkerchief, the most telling sign of all, were his initials on the hem.
“Oh, Lilly Bug, what happened?” he hadn’t even realized that he had called her the childhood nickname until she lifted her gaze to meet his.
“I won’t marry him if you don’t want me to, Phillip.”
Her voice warbled, Lilly sounded broken.
He hated himself for breaking her.
Phillip had to swallow twice before answering her, “Lil, there is nothing wrong with the Stanford sap.”
She started sobbing softly again, and Juliana gave him a death stare.
He knew that he was five seconds away from getting stabbed with the closet sharpest object from his middle sister and the sad part was that he justly deserved it.
“Not sap,” Phillip hastily amended, “Fine day for a wedding!”
Juliana sneezed, but it sounded an awful lot like ‘idiot.'
“I mean he is a fine man to be wedding,” Phillip was sweating. What more could they bloody well want from him? He wasn’t going to donate the virginal bed for hell’s sake.
Lilly looked up hopefully, “Then you approve?”
Phillip tried to smile but stopped when he caught his mother’s horrified expression. Perhaps Eden had been correct after all, selective mutism had its benefits.
And then he threw it all out the window. He decided that since he had already screwed it all up, he was going to do what he should have done in the first place.
He took a deep breath and spoke from the heart. “I want you to be happy. If Stanford makes you happy, Lilly, I will tell the minister that he can have you when the time comes, but I damn well don’t want to. I don’t like the idea of you growing up. I don’t like the idea of him coming anywhere close to you, but that is only because I love you and I worry about you. I am sorry if I have done a terrible job of showing you that. I will do better. I promise you that.”
Lilly launched herself at her older brother. “I thought you hated me.”
Her words were muffled against his coat.
“Lilly Bug, I could never hate you! I was angry at myself for not protecting you better. Stanford is a good man. I have had him thoroughly checked out. I would not trust you to just anyone. You do know that, don’t you?”
The Dowager Marchioness smiled kindly, “It is time my dear, are you ready?”
Lilly looked at her family. Her mother, older sister, and brother, who had been there for her ever since she could remember. After today all of this would change, they would still be there, but she would be forever tied to Ryan.
“I am more than ready,” Lilly’s face brightened, “It’s a fine day for a wedding!”
CHAPTER 23
Ryan could not have told you what flowers decorated the drawing room that day. Nor what jokes his brothers pulled on one another, and decidedly there were more than a few.
He knew that the crème de la crème of society had attended their wedding, but aside from getting a sharp knock on the ankle from Lady Genevieve, he couldn’t have named a soul on the guest list.
It was interesting that Lady Gen had played fast and loose with her cane at that particular moment, but perhaps she had wanted to impart some advice to the young groom.
Ryan was feeling more than a bit anxious. He had been informed that his bride was present and in the process of preparing for the ceremony. However, some things were taking a bit longer than anticipated.
Lady Gen chose that moment to make her strike.
Ryan, being a man of size and strength, knew that crying out would be considered unmanly, but damn if he didn’t want to.
“Oh, pardon me, dear, did I catch you there?” Lady Gen’s clear blue eyes peered up into his.
Ryan could have sworn she was laughing at him. Surely a woman of her age and station wouldn’t run around striking people for fun?
“Not to worry,” he did his best to keep the pain out of his tone. What Ryan wanted to do, was howl like a baby.
A smile cracked her weathered cheeks, “I am very fond of Lady Lillian, Mr. Stanford.”
Ryan couldn’t believe this, wasn’t someone supposed to watch the elderly? Were they allowed to wander freely about during weddings?
“I am overly fond of her as well, Lady Genevieve,” he replied.
Her smile widened, “Yes, I would suppose that you are, that is why you are marrying the child. I just want to wish you well, Mr. Stanford, please care for her, be patient and loving, and let her be your greatest asset.”
Ryan blinked, he hadn’t expected such a speech from the old woman. “I will, Lady Genevieve, I swear it.”
“Then all will be well,” she reached over and patted his coat sleeve.
And then a hush fell over the crowd, and Ryan knew that Lilly was there. The priest said some words, but Ryan hadn’t the foggiest notion of what because he couldn’t stop staring at her.
She was beautiful.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Lilly breathed.
“I might have to hit him after all,” Phillip clenched his teeth.
“Hush!” Lilly admonished, batting at her brother, “You already gave me away!”
“I can take you back!” Phillip argued. He hated the swooning puppy dog look that Ryan couldn’t shake. His brothers looked to be in wide grins.
“I’ve never seen a more beautiful woman in my life. I can’t take my eyes off you,” Ryan breathed softly.
The priest rolled his eyes.
Lilly sighed in delight.
“Ohhh,” half the female audience melted.
Phillip thought he might vomit.
Somehow, they managed to make it through the ceremony without losing anyone. Some said it was the most romantic wedding they had ever attended.
Others went on and on about the flowers and the decorations which were the best that money could buy.
The French spirits had to be a fortune, and rumors of the Duke’s largesse started to circulate once again. A single handsome Duke was always a good topic of conversation. But a single handsome Duke with eligible brothers, well, that was like Christmas and May Day all rolled up into one.
It was most certainly a love match, which could not be refuted, and that topic was discussed in every household.
What lingered in mind, however, was an indelicate topic that one really shouldn’t discuss, but it had made a rather firm imprint.
When the priest had given Ryan permission to kiss his bride, he did not go for a gentle butterfly brush. Nor did he lean down and politely plant a kiss on her firmly pursed lips.
Our hero cupped Lilly’s face, tilting her head back until her jaw dropped. He then placed his mouth over hers, sinking into the kiss. It was hot and carnal, something that Cece wholeheartedly approved of.
Phillip had to be escorted out by his wife. It was that or ruin his sister’s wedding.
The Dowager Marchioness slid sideways in a mock faint, that is until Juliana said out of the side of her mouth, “I have seen you do far worse with Joseph in the conservatory.”
Her mother’s recovery was astounding. She bounced back with surprising speed.
All the while
Ryan continued his assault on Lilly’s mouth. And then when the Priest had cleared his throat for what must have been the twentieth time. Ryan scooped her up into his arms.
“Where are we going?” Lilly gasped.
“Away from here,” he grinned at her.
“But the party?” she looked around.
“Do you wish to stay?” Ryan asked her.