by Dayna Quince
“Or maybe to myself,” Chance said offhandedly as he gazed around the study.
Dominic froze. He worked to control his expression and tone before he continued, trying to be nonchalant. “You don’t have to worry about that,” he finally said.
“What do you mean?” Chance watched him curiously.
“I’m going to marry Lilly.” The words came quite easily, much to Dominic’s amazement. “You won’t have to marry your sister.”
“She’s not my sister,” Chance replied with distaste.
“Close enough to make bedding her an awkward affair, though, right? Unless your feelings have changed?” Dominic kept a cool, even tone.
“All right, Dominic, I cede to your point. Enough with it, all right?” Chance said disgustedly then suddenly brightened. “It’s settled then. How do we tell Lilly? It’s not easy telling a woman that her life has been decided for her, as often as it happens in our society.”
“She’s a big girl, she can handle it.” Dominic leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms behind his head. Now that he had claimed Lilly for his own out loud, a weight had lifted.
“Maybe, but everyone deserves to be happy, to make their own choices in life.”
“I can make her happy,” Dominic said defensively.
Chance just smiled, smiled in a way that told Dominic he had revealed something quite amusing to his longtime friend.
“Well well, the deadly spy ha—”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Dominic bit off, although his neck was red with embarrassment. It was one thing to realize one was in love, quite another to have it so obvious to everyone else. “Better me than you, isn’t that what you said not so long ago?”
“I’m jesting, Dom. If I wasn’t around to give you a hard time, you would grow entirely too comfortable in your lavish country seat. It’s what good friends do.” Chance relaxed back in his chair. “I can see you and Lilly getting along quite nicely. I know you’ll treat her right. Just think, in a year or so you could be a father.” Chance got to his feet. He looked away, missing Dominic’s face grow paler. “Time to eat, don’t you think?” He walked to the door and moved to open it when the door opened, nearly knocking him back.
“Well, there you two are.” It was Lilly, bright and beautiful in a robin’s-egg blue morning gown. “I’m starving, what have you two been doing in here?” She looked from Chance to Dominic, focusing on Dominic. Her cheeks turned a little pink as he returned her gaze. “Are you all right? You look a little pale.”
Chance looked back at Dominic and began to laugh heartily.
“I’m fine,” Dominic said gruffly as he stood from the desk and walked to the door. Chance slapped him on the back.
“He just needs a hearty breakfast.” Chance winked at Lilly.
Lilly watched him nervously but said nothing more. Dominic strolled forward.
“Let’s eat, shall we?” He met her eyes again and placed her hand on his sleeve. The touch was polite in manner, but his skin tingled with awareness when he touched her.
Chapter 17
The trio took their seats in the dining room while the footmen set out an assortment of steaming dishes. The scrambled eggs and sausage called to Lilly invitingly as her stomach subtly reminded her that her evening had used up quite a bit of her energy, and she needed fuel to get her through the rest of the day. She had awoken this morning nude and pleasurably sated, amid the twisted sheets of her bed, wishing the previous hours had been more than a fantastic dream. The evidence was apparent on her sheets, however, and after Jenny had brought Lilly her morning cocoa, Lilly despaired at having to accidentally spill it on the incriminating stains of her virtue. It was a quick cover-up, but Jenny assured her she knew just the thing to bring her bed linens back to their pristine state.
Chance was regaling them with some outrageous story about Lady Lock-Lacy and her runaway hat. He played society so well. Chance was a charmer. He paved his way through ballrooms using his tongue to delight mamas and their daughters, leaving them dazzled and unaware of the spell he had cast. It was his shield, his effortless charm and grace. He could talk, gossip, dance, and elude even the most determined matchmaking mamas without breaking a sweat. After all, he was one of the most eligible bachelors of the ton, being the future Duke of Maltravers. When his words didn’t work, he hid behind Lilly’s formidable skirts. Lilly didn’t understand why he bothered to tell Dominic of Lady Lock-Lacy and her banal misfortune. It was clear Dominic had no interest whatsoever in town gossip. She watched Dominic from the corner of her eye but couldn’t read anything from his composed demeanor.
Lilly herself was the perfect picture of reserved femininity, but on the inside, she was squirming with questions and emotions she couldn’t decipher. Every time Lilly glanced at him, she felt feverish. Her palms grew sweaty, and she could feel her cheeks flushing hotly. She glanced at Dominic from under her lashes only to find him staring at her, and the look in his eyes had nothing to do with being cool and composed like he had been before. His eyes held fire and desire. Lilly shivered reactively.
“You all right, Lil?” Chance asked.
“Yes.” Lilly broke her gaze with Dominic and looked at Chance. She couldn’t help feeling as if her thoughts were written all over her face. “Why do you ask?”
“Well, you shivered and you look sort of flushed. You’re not catching a chill from yesterday’s downpour, are you?” Chance’s brow creased in genuine concern.
Lilly darted a glance at Dominic and could see a hidden smile trying to break free. “Oh, um…” Lilly panicked and dearly wished to kick Dominic’s shin for turning her into a wanton, blushing madwoman. “I feel quite fine, Chance, really, but I thank you for your concern. I was just thinking about where we should go from here.” She raised a brow and turned to Dominic. Lilly was never one to hog the spotlight. “What do you think, Dominic?”
“Well”—Dominic coughed suspiciously—“since we have Lilly’s knowledge of the events, there is no point in staying here except for the isolation and protection the estate provides. But taking care of our main problem, finding Lilly’s stepfather, would be difficult to do by correspondence.”
“So we should go back to London?” Lilly asked.
“Yes. I need to speak with Lord Douglas, but first we need to devise a plan to keep you from suspicion.”
“I still don’t understand why anyone should be suspicious of me,” Lilly argued.
“You’re the easier target, unfortunately, not to mention the bigger scandal in the eyes of the ton. What we need to focus on is clearing your name in society,” Chance explained.
“And how, precisely, do we do that?” Dominic said.
“I gave it a lot of thought last night,” Chance continued. “We create an even bigger scandal, a sensation that brings Lilly front and center in the eyes of the ton, but in a favorable light."
Dominic raised his eyebrows in thought. “Well, Lord Douglas will easily see reason once I give him all the facts, but it’s our circles we need to have on our side. Lilly is fascinating talk, and the gossipmongers will be hard pressed to give her up.” Dominic stopped and rubbed his jaw thoughtfully.
Lilly looked between them, the silence strained and their glares bouncing off each other like deflected punches. Lily frowned, whatever those glares meant, it didn’t bode well.
After nearly a minute, Chance lost patience. “Well?”
Dominic smiled. “I think you’re right, Chance. It’s time we reintroduce Lilly to society.”
“Really?” Lilly smiled excitedly.
Chance, however, sat quietly staring at Dominic. “Reintroduce her as…”
“Lady Lillian, of course,” Dominic said.
“And where are we going to say she’s been for the last few weeks? Shopping in Bath?” Chance said sarcastically.
“Well, that’s—”
“Or we could just introduce her as your wife?” Chance spit out.
Lilly nearly choked on her tea. “What?”
“Chance,” Dominic said.
“Well, it had to come up sometime.” Chance ignored the warning.
“I thought we had been over this,” Lilly said. “No one is going to throw themselves on the sword of marriage for me.” She turned to glare at Dominic. “No one has even proposed to me.”
“You can’t say no, Lilly,” Chance said. “It’s the simplest solution.”
“I can and I just did.” Lilly nodded with finality. She avoided Dominic’s hard stare.
“I have a solution if you will hear it,” Dominic ground out. “I will ask my aunt to come stay with me and act as chaperone while I act as Lilly’s guardian on her behalf.”
“How exactly do we explain her initial disappearance?” Chance asked with skepticism.
“We can say I was with my Great-Aunt Agatha. Duckerton Pass may have been too far for me to actually reach, but no one will know that. She is a recluse and has no contact with London society.”
“And she didn’t come to London with you because…?”
“She can’t and won’t travel. That is widely known knowledge to the few ladies of my acquaintance who used to know my aunt years ago.”
“You really think that will work? The ton will buy it?”
“It’s the only opportunity we have to draw her step-father out of hiding and catch him in his lies, giving Lilly back her life.” Dominic replied.
“Well, now that it is settled, when should we leave?” Lilly asked with growing optimism.
“The sooner we begin this mess, the sooner it’s over. I don’t see why we can’t leave tomorrow morning,” Dominic said.
“Will we be traveling together?” Chance asked.
“Most of the way. We can split outside of London and go in our separate carriages through town.”
“What’s our plan when we get there?” Chance continued to needle Dominic.
“We can work it out on the way. For now, I need to tell the staff of our plans to travel and finish up any loose ends I have here at the estate. With your help, Chance, it will go much faster.”
“Of course, but first I must write to my father. May I use your private study?”
“Certainly. I’ll meet you there in an hour, we’ll say?”
Lilly stood, gaining the attention of the gentlemen. “If you will excuse me, I shall retire for the rest of the morning. I don’t feel I got the rest I needed.” Lilly nodded and left the room quietly. She could feel Dominic’s gaze on her back.
Chapter 18
Upstairs in her chamber, Lilly lay on her bed and stared at the flowered canopy above her. The fresh morning light cheerfully illuminated her room, mocking her sullen mood. She should feel regret, and yet she didn’t. Out of all the things that had happened up until now, last night was a memory she would forever cherish. It had been naïve and wholly unintelligent, of that Lilly knew, but if she had to relive the night again, she wouldn’t change a thing. Being with Dominic had been a decision of the heart. Suddenly Lilly felt like she knew herself, knew her own soul and mind. Nothing had ever felt so perfect and right. And yet, these were the worst circumstances in which to fall in love.
Lilly’s mind froze mid-thought. Was she in love? Could that single moment of total giving, clarify all the emotions that Lilly had been feeling the past weeks? There were still so many questions to ask, and no one for Lilly to turn to. Her mother was gone. Not that Lilly would have asked her about love, based on what she’d seen of her mother’s marriages, but Lilly knew love existed. Where would it take them, where would they go from here? Still more questions, and yet no answers. Would they find the answers in each other, or would Lilly have to continue on this road of uncertainty without them? It was all so frustrating. No wonder poets wrote endless ballads to love and all its emotions and trials.
There was a soft knock on her door, but Lilly stubbornly refused to answer. She rolled onto her side, putting her back to the door and pretending to sleep. The door opened noiselessly and padded footsteps entered the room.
“We need to talk, Lilly.” Dominic’s voice floated over her.
“What is there to talk about?” she said mulishly.
“We need to talk about what happened between us last night and about this morning.” He slowly walked to the bed.
“If you apologize to me, I will throw my slipper at you, and I never miss.” Lilly rolled onto her forearms to glare at him.
“Warning noted.” Dominic smiled. He came and sat gingerly on the bed then thought better of it and pulled a chair over. “Are you feeling all right? Are you sore or anything?”
“I’m fine.” Lilly blushed furiously as she hid her face. Despite a few twinges and aches in the morning, Lilly could still feel the sated satisfaction of the night in her bones.
“I never want to hurt you, Lilly, and I know after our night together I am honor-bound to get on my knees and beg you to marry me, but”—he held up a hand to halt her when she looked ready to interrupt him—“I have learned a lot about you these last few days. You are strong, beautiful, and intelligent. Any man, including myself, would be honored to have you as his wife, duty or not, scandal or not, but I don’t want to take that choice from you.” Dominic stopped and swallowed hard. He worked to control the emotion in his voice for, coward that he was at this moment, he was still terrified of the strength of what he felt for her. He didn’t want to take away her right to choose her own husband, her partner in life. She was alone and vulnerable; he was there when she had needed his comfort but that didn’t mean she was in love with him.
If he even deserved her love.
“What choice could I have after the scandal of my stepfather?” Lilly’s voice trembled.
“I don’t know, to be honest, but I will do everything that is in my power to give you back your life, Lilly.”
“What will I do, Dominic? Where will I go?”
“You can stay with me. I will always protect you.”
“I can’t stay with you forever. No one will believe you’re just my guardian, you’re too…you.” She met his gaze.
“Pardon?” he asked.
“You’re…you know.”
“I’m afraid I don’t, sweetheart. Am I being insulted?”
“No.” Lilly sat up exasperatedly. “You’re a born and bred rake, and you know it.”
“I don’t see how that has anything to do with—”
“It has everything to do with it!” Lilly cried. “Any woman under the age of sixty can look at you and instantly think of the bedroom.”
Dominic barked in laughter. It was a welcome relief from the tension in the room. What made it so much more hilarious was the fact that Lilly was completely serious and growing angrier by the second.
“Stop laughing this instant, Dominic Coel. Once the matrons of society set eyes on you, they will never believe I have an ounce of virginity left.”
“Lilly, stop.” Dominic gasped and laughed even harder. There was a thunk as her slipper hit him in the head. His laughter died instantly. “Did you just throw a shoe at me?”
“Yes,” Lilly said proudly.
Dominic slowly stood from his chair.
“You stay where you are,” Lilly said defensively. She removed her other slipper and prepared to throw it. “You can’t seriously be angry. You’re being abominably rude, and I did warn you. I am not a woman to be trifled with.” Her voice squeaked as he slowly put a knee on the bed.
“Lilly, I recommend you drop that slipper,” he said with a wicked glint in his eye.
“No.” She taunted him with a coy smile.
He put his other knee on the bed, and she raised her arm, preparing to throw. He was on all fours, like a great beast prowling toward her. It was thrilling to tease him, to see him react with playful desire for her. Her body tingled in welcome anticipation. She playfully lifted her arm higher, and Dominic tensed. Her lips curled into a liquid smile as she let the slipper sail over his head.
Dominic lunged the moment the small shoe left her hand
. He wrapped his arms around Lilly and turned his body so that she was on top when they hit the floor. She laughed exuberantly.
“I warned you, minx,” he growled playfully against her neck, rolling her beneath him, pinning her with his body.
She wreathed against him in mock struggle as she met his heated gaze. “I missed on purpose to spare your life.”
"I am forever in your debt.” Dominic leaned down and stole a scorching kiss.
Lilly opened to him immediately, meeting him tongue to tongue, fire to fire. They dueled until they had to break for air. Lilly panted into his neck, her fingers embedded in his hair.
“I can’t control myself with you, Lilly. Tell me to stop.” Dominic’s voice was deep and liquid with desire.
Lilly shivered in his arms. “I don’t want to stop.” Her body hummed with need. She ached between her thighs for the slightest touch.
“We can’t go on like this without consequences,” he said, but even as he spoke, he rubbed his throbbing manhood against her mons.
“Dominic, please,” she begged, digging her nails into his skin.
“Lilly, I want you but this isn’t right.” He tried to get up but she held him tight.
“Dominic, don’t leave me.” She looked into his eyes. “I want you, I want to be with you no matter what happens.”
“Lilly, you don’t know what you’re saying.”
“Yes, I do. I love you, Dominic. This scandal has brought me nothing but pain, but now I’ve found you and I don’t care what happens as long as I can be with you."
“Lilly.” Dominic buried his face in her hair. He looked into her eyes again and kissed each one closed before he was able to speak. “I want you to be mine. I love you and I’m going to give you back your life, Lilly—I swear it to you. After this nightmare is over, I want you to be my wife. No scandal over our heads, no cover-up or honor-bound vows. I want you to be my wife simply because you love me, even though I don’t deserve it.”
“Yes, Dominic,” Lilly said, smiling. Tears of bliss escaped, but Dominic licked them away and took her mouth again. She moaned as he pulled up her skirts, and in the space of a heartbeat, he was poised to enter her. Lilly grasped his hips with her knees and nearly screamed as he slid deep.