by Burke, Darcy
The women left the dining room, and port was poured for the gentlemen, who congregated at one end of the table. Beck sat between Felix and the Duke of Kendal, a man in his late thirties with black hair and green eyes and the ominous nickname of the Forbidden Duke. It was generally known that he didn’t mind being called that because it kept people from bothering him. He didn’t participate in many Society events, and when he did, such as this one, it was with people he considered close friends—or so Beck had learned during dinner.
Beck hadn’t sat with the duke before now, after everyone had moved, and he found himself wondering, given the man’s age, if he might have met his sister Helen or, more importantly, if he might know who SW and DC were.
The duke turned to Beck and asked how he knew the Kilves.
“I don’t really,” Beck said honestly. “Her Grace is good friends with Miss Colton, and I believe they wanted to round out the female-to-male ratio, and so they invited some of Mr. Colton’s friends.”
“It’s good of you to come. I never would have accepted such an invitation.” The duke chuckled. “In my youth, I would have. I was more…gregarious then. Like you.”
“Are you trying to politely say you were known for rakish behavior?”
The duke sipped his port. “Drinking, gambling, women, all of it. But then my father died, and I left it all behind. I don’t miss it even a little.”
Beck didn’t really consider himself a drinker or a gambler, but women…he relied on them for inspiration and, of course, he enjoyed sharing pleasure. Since he’d started writing as the Duke of Seduction however, he seemed to need them less. At least as far as inspiration went.
This line of conversation gave Beck the opening he needed. “My half sister was out, likely when you were carousing—Lady Helen Beckett. Did you know her?”
The duke shook his head. “I hope not—for her sake. I was a horrid young man in retrospect. I caused problems for several people with my rather debauched behavior. How is your sister now?”
“She passed away, I’m afraid. That was sixteen years ago, and I was fairly young. I thought it might be nice to talk with someone who knew her.”
The duke nodded sympathetically. “I understand. My wife was out then and might have known her.” He winced. “She didn’t have a very good experience, I’m afraid.”
Beck wanted to ask for more information but didn’t. “I’m sorry to hear that.” He finished his glass of port.
“She fell for the charms of the wrong gentleman, and there was a scandal. She had to leave London. Fortunately for me, she came back nine years later as companion to my stepmother.”
“I vaguely remember that, what, seven or eight years ago?”
“Seven, yes.”
The Duke of Kilve announced they should join the women in the drawing room. The Duke of Kendal finished his port and stood. Beck also rose and told him he’d enjoyed their chat.
When they arrived in the drawing room, their hostess announced that they’d decided to play hide-and-seek. For those who wanted to play, they could hide anywhere on the first two floors. They’d already decided the Duke of Romsey would be seeker.
His Grace was an affable fellow who agreed to the role with glee. “Just be warned,” he said. “If I find my wife first, you all may be waiting awhile.” He winked at the duchess, whose blue eyes gleamed with emotion.
Beck could practically feel the love between them. It made his heart clench and reminded him of the way he’d felt at sixteen when he’d met Priscilla. Three years his senior, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Her laugh moved him to write the most god-awful poetry, which he’d attempted to put to song shortly after taking up the guitar.
“All right then, you’ll count to fifty?” The Duchess of Kilve asked the Duke of Romsey.
“If I must.”
Beck wasn’t certain he wanted to play. His gaze immediately went to Lavinia, who’d already risen. Clearly, she was going to.
Well, if she was…
“One, two,” the duke started counting, and everyone scattered from the room.
Beck didn’t want to obviously follow Lavinia, not when he was fairly certain where she would go. He left the drawing room, noting that her parents and the Coltons had remained, and paid attention to where people went.
Now he just had to find the library. He walked upstairs and turned to the right as one of the ladies came out of the room on the left side, closing the door behind herself. “That’s the library—someone’s already gone in there.”
Beck nodded and pretended to consider where to go. After the lady had disappeared to the other side of the house, he slipped into the library and closed the door behind him.
The room wasn’t overly large, and it was—seemingly—empty. It also wasn’t terribly well lit, with a low fire burning in the grate and a pair of sconces flickering on the wall on either side of the fireplace.
She was either beneath the desk or behind the curtain. He couldn’t see the underside of the desk from the door. It wasn’t a pedestal as Lord Evenrude’s had been.
Circling around, he saw no one hiding there. That left the draperies on the window. He moved to the far wall and instantly noted the slight lump behind the blue damask. Moving forward, he reached for the fabric but hesitated before he pushed it aside. What if it wasn’t her?
The fabric moved, and she bared her face. “You found me.” Her dark gaze registered surprise. “Oh, it’s you!”
“It’s me.”
“Are you still looking for a place to hide?”
“I am.”
She reached for his lapel and held the drapery wide, pulling him into the darkness beside her. “He’ll be done counting shortly. If he isn’t already.”
“I should probably hide somewhere else,” he said, though he was loath to move. Ensconced in the dark with Lavinia, he was acutely aware of her heat and the intoxicating scent of lilies and honeysuckle.
“Yes, I suppose you should.” She turned toward him, and they were so close, her breasts brushed against his chest. “Sorry,” she murmured.
God, he wasn’t. He was only sorry he had to leave.
“Before you go, I wanted to thank you again for the fossils.” She whispered, her breath tickling his neck as she spoke. “I can’t stop looking at them. They’re absolutely extraordinary. I hope I have reason to visit Devon one day so I can hunt for my own.”
“I hope you do too. Consider yourself welcome at Waverly Court any time.”
“That’s very kind of you.”
He heard the smile in her voice and resisted the urge to run his fingers over her mouth so he could feel the curve of her lips. He really should go—
But first, he wanted to ask her something. “Do you know the Duchess of Kendal?”
“Yes, but not well. Fanny’s sister is a good friend of hers. Why?”
Why indeed. Beck wanted to enlist Lavinia’s help to see if the Duchess might be able to help him learn who SW and DC might be. However, if the Duchess had been part of a scandal, she might prefer to leave those memories in the past. Furthermore, he wasn’t sure he should include Lavinia in any of this.
And yet, he found he simply couldn’t resist. “Do you know what happened with the Duchess when she was out in Society—maybe sixteen years ago? The Duke mentioned something, and I was curious. Because my sister was out at the same time.” He added the last because he felt he had to share a reason for his inquiry. Still, he hated bringing Helen up since he didn’t want to answer too many questions about her, particularly regarding her fate.
“She was compromised. A gentleman—I can’t remember who—wooed her. They were caught kissing, and he refused to marry her. She was ruined. It was horrible because it wasn’t even her fault. It’s so unfair. Men can kiss whomever they want, and women are blamed for any indiscretion.”
“The key is to not get caught. It sounds as though this gentleman was rather inept.”
“Are you saying it was his fault?” She sounded surprised. �
��Most would argue they were at least both to blame.”
“Certainly she retains some culpability, but a decent gentleman would ensure they could kiss and not get caught.”
“And how would they do that?” Something in her tone changed. Her voice lowered, and it felt as though she’d moved just a hair closer.
If he leaned just a tiny bit forward, he was sure he’d feel her breasts again. God, how he wanted to. “They might hide themselves behind a drapery in the library.”
“During hide-and-seek?”
Beck’s cock lengthened and grew stiff as the air around them heated. “Probably not. In that case, someone is actually looking to find them.”
“And yet here we are.” Her voice had changed again, going nearly breathless.
“Yes, here we are.”
“Are you going to, then?” she asked, her breasts grazing his chest as she edged herself against him. “Kiss me.”
“By God, I think I am.”
“Oh, good.”
He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to his chest. Lowering his head, he swept his mouth over hers, finding her in the darkness as if his body instinctively knew hers.
She clutched his back and held him tightly as his lips moved against hers. He cautioned himself to go slow despite the passion raging through him. He’d been celibate forever, it seemed, and yet not all that long. No, just since he’d met her, he realized in just that moment. Had his inner self been waiting for this?
He ended the kiss, inviting frustration. But it had to be done.
“That’s it?” Her question tossed him off guard. “I know there’s more to it than that.”
Hell, she’d never been properly kissed. “We don’t have much time.”
“Then you’d better be quick about it.” There was an edge of challenge to her tone, but mostly it was sultry demand. And he was powerless to refuse her.
He moved one hand up to the back of her neck and curled his fingers around her nape. His lips found hers again, and this time, he angled his head and licked along the crease of her mouth.
She opened on a soft gasp, inviting him into her lush, velvety softness. His tongue slid along hers, coaxing her in long, delicious strokes to kiss him in return. She responded with seductive immediacy, her fingertips dancing along his neck.
The heat inside him blazed into a bonfire of need and desire. She pressed herself against him, bringing them more than chest to chest—her pelvis was tucked into his. It was sweet temptation, and he fought to hold himself in check.
They really didn’t have time.
Her tongue thrust into his mouth, and he groaned softly, clasping her more tightly. He couldn’t get enough of her. And damn, nothing was more true than that. He had to let her go.
Now.
He ended the kiss and took a step back while also pushing her back slightly. He needed to put distance between them. If he didn’t, he wasn’t sure he trusted himself to walk away.
“I’m going to hide beneath the desk now.” He was a wreck of himself. His voice was dark and hoarse, and his cock raged with near painful need.
“All right.” She sounded a bit dazed. “If you must.”
“I must.” He forced himself to reach for the drapery, pulling it open to step through it.
Light spilled in and revealed the flush of her cheek and the red rose of her kiss-swollen lips. He stifled another groan. She was beyond stunning, and he wasn’t sure he’d ever wanted a woman more.
“If you ever have reason to do that again, I invite you to do so,” she said, her gaze a mix of seductive innocence and wholesome desire that nearly sent him to his knees.
He didn’t answer, because he heard a sound from outside. Letting go of the curtain, he dashed back to the desk and threw himself beneath it just a moment before the door swung open.
Well, that had been a near thing. What the hell was he doing, kissing an unmarried young lady whom he was trying to help find a husband?
More importantly, why was he trying to find a reason, as she’d said, to do so again?
Chapter 9
Angels take flight to see her face,
Delicate beauty, heaven’s lace.
She is a song, she fascinates.
A stirring ballad she creates.
-From The Virtue of Miss Anne Berwick
by The Duke of Seduction
After two more rounds of hide-and-seek, everyone returned to the drawing room. Conversation sprang up around the room, and Lavinia maneuvered herself to the corner where Beck was standing by himself.
“I was hoping someone might suggest music, and you could play guitar,” she said.
He glanced over at her, but his expression was unreadable. “I didn’t bring a guitar.”
“That’s a shame. I’d love to hear you play. Mr. Jeffries told me you are quite good.”
Beck’s dark blond brows arched briefly before he cast her another quick look. “What else did Horace say?”
She detected a sardonic edge to his tone. Overall, he seemed a bit tense. She moved closer to his side—but not too close. “He mentioned you fell in love.”
Beck scowled but didn’t look toward her. “Horace talks too much.”
“Are you angry with me?”
He exhaled. “No. I’m angry with me.” He still didn’t look at her.
“Because of what happened in the library?” She nodded. “I’m a bit angry too, actually. Well, not angry. Frustrated.”
Now he turned his head and looked at her. “You are?”
“Yes. I wish we’d had more time.”
“Lavinia.” The single word came out low and thick, what she imagined lava might sound like.
She took a tiny step closer and blinked up at him. “Yes?”
He frowned. “You’re flirting. And you’re not good at it.”
“I know.” She curled her lips into an eager smile. “Maybe you can teach me that too.”
He opened his mouth, then snapped it closed. His gray-green eyes were a storm of emotion she couldn’t read. “No.” His gaze moved past her. “Here comes Felix.”
She pouted. “Bother.”
He lowered his voice to a bare whisper, his gaze moving from her to the approaching Felix—or so she assumed since she didn’t turn around. “Lavinia, you mustn’t flirt, and we mustn’t repeat what happened in the library. I am deeply sorry I took advantage.”
“You didn’t,” she said softly. She narrowed her eyes. “And you’re also not in charge of me.”
Any further conversation was prohibited by the arrival of the Earl of Ware. He clapped Beck on the shoulder and said he was going to leave.
“I’ll join you.” Beck bowed to Lavinia. “Have a pleasant evening.” He was particularly accomplished at behaving as if they were barely acquainted.
Fine. She could do that too. “I’m sure I will.” She gave him a wide, brief smile and dipped into a not very deep curtsey. Then she turned and found Sarah, rescuing her from Lady Colton and Lavinia’s mother.
They circuited the drawing room until they found Fanny, and the three of them moved to a corner where they deposited themselves onto a small settee with Lavinia in the center.
“While this has been a diverting evening, it hasn’t furthered my marital prospects,” Sarah said.
“Because there’s no one with potential here,” Fanny observed. “The only bachelors were your brother, Ware, and Northam. Taking your brother out of things, that leaves Ware and Northam, and neither are decent marital prospects.”
Sarah nodded in agreement. “No, and that’s such a shame. Hide-and-seek certainly lends itself to clandestine meetings. If only there’d been someone worth meeting. I should like a stolen kiss.”
Lavinia stared straight ahead into the room even as her heart picked up speed. The imprint of Beck’s lips on hers, the touch of his hand on her neck, the sound of his whispered words weighted with urgency and desire heated her until she wished she’d brought a fan.
“Have you n
ever kissed anyone?” Fanny asked.
Sarah shook her head. “We played some kissing games last fall at a house party, and while Lavinia was fortunate enough to be kissed on the cheek, I received nothing.” She peered around Lavinia at Fanny. “Have you kissed anyone?”
Fanny nodded, and Lavinia turned her head toward her. Both she and Sarah said in unison, “You have?”
“Yes.”
“But you’re younger than us.” Sarah sounded woefully disappointed.
Fanny blushed. “It was just a kiss, though a very nice one.”
“How did you manage that?” Lavinia asked. “I don’t recall you going off with anyone.” Which didn’t mean she hadn’t—neither she nor Sarah knew Lavinia had been alone with Beck.
“I met him at Stour’s Edge—my brother-in-law’s country house—at Christmas. I was out for a walk, and I got a bit lost. He was visiting the neighborhood.”
“Who is he?” Sarah asked.
Fanny’s cheeks colored pink again. “I only know his given name—David. We thought it best to leave our…encounter shrouded in a bit of mystery.” She laughed. “I haven’t seen him since and don’t expect to.”
Sarah’s gaze softened. “Was it lovely?”
Fanny nodded, her eyes shining. “It was magnificent. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of it. Of him. He may have ruined me for future suitors. That is probably why I haven’t been overly interested in anyone so far this Season.”
“Fanny has a secret admirer. Like the Duke of Seduction but not.” Sarah laughed.
“I have a secret,” Lavinia blurted, her voice nearly a whisper. She didn’t want to keep this from her friends, and frankly, she had to tell someone. Beck’s behavior was confusing and irritating and she didn’t know what to do.
Sarah blinked at her in surprise. “You do?”
Lavinia nodded. She gave Sarah an apologetic look. “I should have told you sooner. At least the first part—when he kissed my neck.”
Sarah’s eyes widened. “Who kissed your neck?”
“Northam.”
“Aha!” Sarah’s expression gleamed with triumph. “I knew there was something between you.”