“I daresay thats an understatement, Rhys mused aloud.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lydias mouth twitch. He leaned forward slightly, and all the humor fled from her face. She took an almost imperceptible step toward him and closer to the lad. He eased back. She retreated.
Fascinating .
“How is it you dont find riding a horse, looking out over the countryside, as boring as ahellip;what was it? A month of Sundays?
“Youre not doing anything while youre sitting in a carriage. Riding a horsean excitement came into the boys eyes“youre the master.
“Dont you think your father would object to your riding alone about a countryside which is so decidedly foreign to you?
“Nope. I ride to town by myself or go in search of stray cattle on my lonesome.
“Quite so. But in Texas you are familiar with the area. Here you could quite easily get lost.
“I know how to mark a trail and look for landmarks. I could always find my way back. Even at night, Im bettin.
“Could you now? Rhys asked, unable to keep the skepticism out of his voice.
“Yes, he could, Lydia said.
Her voice carried no reservations, dared Rhys to doubt her or to question her brothers claims any further.
“I see. Ill take the matter up with your father. If hes in agreement, then Ill arrange for a horse to be made available for your use while youre here.
Coltons eyes lit up. “Thanks.
“Are you as skilled at telling time as you are at marking a trail? Rhys asked.
“Yes, sir.
“Then explain to me how it is that you were out and about in the hallway during the forbidden time.
“I dont have a watch. Felt like Id been sitting there forever.
Rhys straightened his stance, easing away from his desk slightly, noticing at the same time that Lydia inched closer to her brother. He pitied the man who harmed a hair on the lads head.
Reaching into a pocket on his vest, he removed his watch and unlatched the chain. He rubbed his thumb over the ducal coat of arms etched in the heavy gold cover.
“This watch belonged to my father, he said quietly. “Given to him by his father.
He extended it toward the lad. It pleased him no end to see the boy take it with the reverence it deserved.
“Wow! Its fancy, he said in awe. “Look at it, Lyd.
Easing closer, she murmured her agreement.
“Its yours, Rhys said.
Colton and Lydia looked at him as though hed clearly lost his mind. Perhaps he had. He knew tradition dictated that the watch follow the line of legitimate sons.
“You mean you want me to use it while Im here? Colton asked.
“I mean its yours to treasure forever. It was my fathers intention to pass it down to his firstborn sonhellip;which is your father. He would in turn pass it down to his firstborn son. That happens to be you. I seem to recall the Duke giving your father a watch when he left for Texas. Therefore your father has no need of a watch, and this one rightfully belongs to you.
The lad beamed up at him. “Ill take real good care of it. Thanks, Uncle Rhys.
Rhys felt his heart lurch at the familiarity that had no place in this house. He cleared his throat. “See that you do. Youre dismissed.
Lydia placed a hand on her brothers shoulder. “Go wait for me in the hallway.
She watched the boy until he walked out of the room, then she turned to Rhys. “Thank you, she said softly.
“The gift is of no consequence. I have another watch which I prefer.
Shaking her head, she stepped closer to him. “I wasnt thanking you for the watch. I was thanking you for not correcting him when he called you uncle. I overheard my father explaining the way of things to my mother once. I know under English law, as a bastard, hes considered a nonperson. Certainly not your real relation. That you treat him with dignity is a credit to you.
“Youre making much of nothing.
“I dont think so. Lauren explained to me that even if I do make it to London for part of the Season, I wont receive the welcome she did, wont be sought after like she is. Her stepfather is a peer. Mine is nothing under the law.
Strange how shed managed to impart that nothing was something of great importance to her, held dear and loved.
“I assure you, Lydia, you would be sought after, regardless of Graysons standing within the law. Now if youll leave me
“Your lips bleeding again.
Gingerly he touched his tongue to the corner of his mouth and tasted the rusty flavor of blood. “Its nothing to be concerned over.
Still, he reached into his pocket and withdrew his handkerchief again. As he lifted his hand, hers closed around his, her pale fingers against his tanned ones, delicate against strong.
“Let me, she offered with a sultry voice that should accompany moonlight laced over a bed of satin sheets.
He was fairly certain she had not meant to sound seductive. Although he did not move while she took the linen from him and gently dabbed at the bruised corner of his mouth, his mind played all sorts of havoc with his imagination, imagining her touch not just against his lips, but over every inch of his flesh.
Her delicate brows knitting together, she angled her head slightly and looked more closely at his mouth. When was the last time anyone had shown concern for him? He could have sworn his lips tingled, swelled from wanting to press against hers. Was she remembering the kiss theyd shared?
She wrapped a corner of his handkerchief around her finger and touched it to her tongue before bringing the damp cloth back to his face. “Some of the blood has dried, she explained.
He swallowed hard, trying not to envy a scrap of linen, because it now held the taste of her, the scent of her, and the warmth of her.
“I cant believe she slapped you, she said with a wealth of sympathy.
“It was not on purpose, I assure you. Shes simply overwrought and reacted without thinking.
She ceased giving her tender ministrations to his mouth and lifted her gaze to his. “You spoil her.
“She is a duchess. Being spoiled is a privilege of her rank.
“A good tongue-lashing is what she needs.
Tongue-lashing? An image flashed through his mind of the sort of tongue-lashing hed like to bestow on Lydia, certainly not in the manner to which she was referring. No, his tongue would deliver lashes that would more closely resemble velvet against silk in the most intimate of places, until she was writhing against him and crying out his name.
He shoved away the thoughts, before he did something hed regret, like take her in his arms and begin his seduction. She wasnt a bored lady whod sought what he could offer in the ways of pleasure. She was an innocent, his guest, his bastard brothers stepdaughter. What he had in mind for her would be entirely inappropriate. It was best to turn to the matter at hand if he had any hope of restoring his sanity.
“I trust as our guest, you will refrain from giving the Duchess what youve deduced she needs.
Those damnable, kissable lips of hers shifted into a soft smile. “Ive managed so far, havent I?
“Just barely. I suspect had she bothered to take a breath, into the silence, you would have stormed like a knight on a crusade.
Her smile withered. “That would have been unladylike.
“Indeed. Reaching out, he cradled her cheek and trailed his thumb across her sumptuous lips. “Although in truth, I cannot envision you being anything except a lady.
And not a very wise one at that. For she did not move, but simply watched him. Waiting. Waiting for what he saw in her eyes she knew he wished to bestow. Waiting for what he knew in his heart he should not.
“Your cousin is absolutely incorrect in her assessment of your situation, he murmured. “You will have besotted men flocking to your side should you make it to London before the Season is over.
“Youre much too kind. She sounded breathless, as though she found it as difficult to draw in air as he did.
“I as
sure you, Im anything but kind. And Im going to give you your second lesson. Something your books undoubtedly failed to teach you. Something you failed to learn last night. Never allow yourself to be alone with a man.
He lowered his head. Her eyes widened a fraction before they slid closed and her lips parted. His gut clenched with her acquiescence, and the blood roared through his head, as he touched his lips to hers.
The fire was instantaneous. Not a spark needing to take hold and grow, but a deafening blaze. She melted against him, her breasts flattened against his chest, her arms going around his waist, her hands stroking his back.
He was acutely aware of every inch of her entwining around him like a vine seeking purchase against the mighty oak. Her innocence filled him, swamped him, and took him under. He wanted to possess her, own her.
As his tongue swept through her mouth, he cupped her buttocks and ground her hips against his aching body. His guttural groan sounded like that of a wounded animal, an animal that recognizes the prey has become the hunter.
Hed thought to intimidate, and instead, hed discovered her arsenal was far superior to his. Innocence unleashed was devastatingly powerful.
“Lyd! Colton yelled from the outer hall. “Pas back.
Lydia sprang away at the precise moment that Rhys abruptly straightened. They were both short of breath, trembling with needs unfulfilled.
With her blush creeping over her face and along her throat, she extended his handkerchief toward him with a shaking hand. He saw no help for it but to take it.
As she darted from the room, he closed his fingers around her warmth which still lingered within the cloth. But it wasnt enough, failed to restore his sanity.
Chapter 8
L ydia couldnt explain what drew her into the shadowy hallway long past midnight. She couldnt sleep. Her mind swirled with too many questions and too few answers.
Rhys had been the perfect gentleman that evening. Too perfect. She found herself irritated with him for reasons she couldnt explain and more fascinated with him than she cared to admit.
Hed kept his promise to help her learn what her books couldnt teach her. Hed escorted her into dinner, murmuring near her ear that it was considered ill-bred to wait until everyone was served as she had the night before. Rather she was expected to begin eating as soon as food was placed before her. Shed somehow missed that little caveat.
Her family always waited until everyone was served. Maybe because they put their own food on their plates and passed the pots and bowls around the table.
Although Rhys had conversed openly with her stepfather more than he had anyone else, Rhys and she had engaged in a silent conversation during the entire meal. The challenge had been to discreetly convey her messages only to him, in a way that no one else would notice. A dropping of her gaze to her plate, the arching of her brow in question. His nods were indiscernible to everyone except her. Shed never found herself so attuned to someone elses thoughts or moods.
Especially when they kissed. She answered every stroke of his tongue, each movement of his lips. He guided her without words. Yet she never doubted the direction in which he wished to travel, was never bored with the journey.
He represented everything shed ever dreamed of acquiring.
Handsome. So handsome that shed be content to look at him for the remainder of her life.
Kind. Hadnt he demonstrated that by inviting her stepfather there against the Duchesss wishes?
Generous. Hed given Colton the Dukes watch, a family heirloom, something he no doubt could have passed on to his own son.
A gentleman. His manners were impeccable. Even when they were alone, she didnt consider his kisses as taking advantage. By the bridge, hed warned her off. She simply hadnt wanted to heed the warning.
Respectable. Unlike her stepfather, he hadnt been sent away because of scandal.
He was lord of the manor. How easily she thought he could become lord of her heart.
Yet he seemed as quick to retreat as he was to advance. One moment willing to teach her, the next obviously wishing he hadnt agreed to any such thing.
She had little doubt he had a great deal on his mind because of his fathers failing health. The responsibilities regarding the management of the estates fell to Rhys. A part of her felt selfish for asking him to devote any time to her at all, but she so enjoyed his company when he wasnt being irascible.
Earlier, just as he had last night, hed left her in the library to read to the younger servants, while hed gone to visit with his father. This time, her stepfather hadnt joined him. She didnt know whether Rhys was still there.
Shed been listening for the opening of a door, the tread of dignified footsteps. But shed heard nothing except the steady pounding of her heart.
He might have left this wing before shed ever retired upstairs. Or he might still be in this portion of the house.
Taking a deep breath, she knocked softly on the Dukes bedchamber door. She heard the hushed sounds of someone trying to walk without disturbing anyone, and wondered briefly what shed do if the Duchess were inside.
Rhys opened the door slightly. Behind him, pale light flickered and the shadows danced. He stared at her as though he couldnt quite comprehend what she was doing there.
She wasnt certain she could have answered that question had he asked. She only knew he appeared weary. At some point, hed untied his cravat, but it still hung around his neck. Hed removed his jacket. Three buttons on his shirt were undone, providing her with the barest glimpse of his chest. She supposed a true English lady would have been shocked. But shed worked in the fields beside men who often took off their shirts when the sun beat down unmercifully.
She licked her lips, and he immediately dropped his gaze to her mouth. She would have smiled if the occasion werent so somber.
“Are you alone in there? she whispered.
His dark eyebrows drew together until they resembled the wings of a raven. “My father is inside.
“Of course, I knew that. I meant anyone else? In particular, the Duchess?
A corner of his mouth quirked upward. “No. It has been some years since my mother has been in the habit of visiting my fathers bedchamber during the evenings.
Embarrassment caused her to blush, as she realized exactly what he was revealing. It seemed intimate, in a way a violation of the privacy one would expect in marriage.
“Is he awake? she asked.
“No.
“Would you like some company?
His eyebrows shot upward, almost becoming lost in the heavy, dark strands of hair that had fallen over his forehead. “This is hardly teatime, Lydia.
“I know. But whenever we were sick and Mama would sit beside the bed taking care of us, Papa was always there as well. More to offer support to Mama than anything else. I thought since you dont have a wife to share your sorrow, perhaps youd settle for my company.
“You fancy yourself an angel of mercy then?
“I fancy myself a friend.
Regret washed over his face. “I apologize. I am indeed going quite mad listening to nothing but the ticking of the clock and the crackling of the fire. By all means, join me.
Stepping back, he opened the door wider and swept his hand to the side in invitation. She eased inside, acutely aware of the clicking of the door as he closed it. He moved past her, and she watched in fascination, as he hefted a chair and placed it beside another one that was situated near the head of the bed. She took pleasure in the rippling of his shirt as his muscles bunched and relaxed with his efforts.
With a slight tipping of his head, he indicated the chair hed just placed beside his. As quietly as she could, she glided farther into the room and sat. He dropped down beside her.
A fire burned low within the fireplace, providing the only light in the room. Darkness hovered in the corners, threatened the large canopied bed. Its thick velvet curtains were drawn back, tied in place with golden corded tassels. The posts on the bed were massive, intricately carved, and she won
dered briefly if Rhys had been conceived there. If her own stepfather had been.
“Who watches him when youre not here? she whispered.
“A nurse is sleeping in the adjoining room. Shell move in to sit at his bedside when Im of a mind to retire. With his frail health, we dare not leave him unattended.
His low voice didnt carry the rasping of a whisper. It didnt hint at the sharing of secrets. Yet it managed to weave a cocoon of intimacy around them, caused her to lean toward him.
“You left him alone last night, she reminded him.
“Yes, well, I think we can both attest to the fact that I was not behaving as I should.
She knew he was referring to his misbehavior going far beyond simply leaving his father with no one to watch over him, but she thought it wise to divert the conversation back on to safer ground.
“Your father was asleep when Papa brought us in to introduce us. Does he ever wake up?
He held her gaze. “Seldom. He sleeps more deeply now.
“Its very generous of you to allow everyone else to visit during the day and to save your visits for night.
He gave her a wry grin. “You flatter me with false assumptions. I have many responsibilities in regard to Harrington and Blackhurst. They are best handled during the daylight hours.
She felt like a little girl chastised for sticking her hand in the cookie jar before dinner. She didnt know why he tossed all her compliments back into her face. It was as though he had no desire for anyone to recognize the goodness in him. Perhaps he wasnt aware of it himself.
She shifted her gaze to the man lying on the bed. The shallow rising and falling of his chest were the only indications that he remained with them. His hairfine, snowy-white strands brushed back off his browlooked as though it had recently been washed. Responsibilities she could not imagine had carved deep lines within his face. She wondered if they would do the same to Rhys.
Yet she sensed peacefulness had come to the Duke. She would have liked to have known him, this man whod had such a profound influence on her life. He had sired Grayson Rhodes, raised him, and then sent him away. And in the sending, hed provided her with a father to replace her own.
Love With a Scandalous Lord Page 9