Her Secret Fantasy

by Gaelen Foley

“I have never been more serious in my life. It’s time for you to wake up and face reality.”

  “But…”

  “But, but. Of course! The Balfour family pride. Au revoir, my dear. Just remember, when you make your bed, you’re the one who’ll have to lie in it.” With a nonchalant wave of her fan, Mrs. Clearwell drifted off to mingle with the other guests, leaving Lily alone.

  She scowled, watching her chaperone fall in with a knot of lady friends.

  Everyone had deserted her!

  Sweeping her glance across the green, she spotted Edward still ensconced with Bess Kingsley and her rotund factory-owner father.

  She’d have gone over to the tent to fetch a fresh goblet of punch, but poor Gabriel was over there with those two dreadful women.

  Reluctantly, she looked toward the cricket field.

  Derek had the cricket bat resting on his shoulder and was tossing the ball restlessly in one hand and catching it again, waiting for the game to begin. His teammates crowded around him seeking his counsel on the batting order, which she supposed made him their chosen captain—naturally.

  Before long, the match was under way.

  Lily shaded her eyes from the sun, watching the bowler take his hop and skip of a step as he made his throw; the ball flew down the pitch, then bounced once up to the striker, who stood with his bat at the ready. The wicketkeeper stood frozen, safely padded, in position behind him, and the umpire crouched nearby, watching all with an eagle-eyed stare.

  Snick!

  The hard brown ball glanced off the edge of the cricket bat and veered to where the fielders were least expecting it. With the growing crowd of spectators cheering them on, the two batsmen ran, tearing down the pitch, exchanging places, the striker still gripping his bat.

  Derek’s “select eleven” quickly began running up the score.

  Lily did not want to admit her pleasure in watching him at play, but the easy movement of his tall, elegantly athletic frame radiated certainty and confidence. A lock of his sable hair worked its way loose from the queue and trailed down charmingly to frame his handsome face as he squinted against the sun. He brushed it behind his ear impatiently, but before long, it had slipped free again in the breeze.

  He wore light tan-colored trousers and a loose white shirt, the sleeves of which he had rolled up to his elbows for the game. He had removed his jacket, but not the red neckerchief loosely knotted around the base of his tanned throat.

  When Derek stepped up to the batting crease, he eyed up the delivery with a fierce look, and then promptly slammed the ball into an unguarded region of the outfield.

  The fielding team scrambled to chase it. Before they got hold of it, the soaring ball had bounced and flown again, rolling past the chalked edge of the boundary, and thereby winning Derek’s side four automatic runs.

  Riveted, Lily watched him racing toward the bowling end. With the cricket bat in his grasp, it was suddenly easy to imagine him running at an enemy with a sword in his hand, charging into battle.

  The sight left her breathless, but it also brought back to mind his determination to return to India and fight in the war, and, honestly, what if he died? She didn’t think she could bear it. But he wouldn’t listen to her.

  Instead, he preferred growling at her. Sell Balfour Manor? She folded her arms indignantly across her chest. Three hundred years of noble family history auctioned off to the highest bidder?

  I think not, Major.

  He ought to understand about family pride.

  As his fluttering admirers called out congratulations to him, he waved to his crowd of lady fans, and Lily decided it was time to amuse herself elsewhere.

  Coxcomb!

  She did not want to count herself among the crowd of infatuated females watching his every move.

  With that, Lily stalked off to the archery field to distract herself and vent her frustration with the genteel bow and arrow.

  A footman handed her a sleek ladies’ bow from the table where the equipment was laid, and then presented her with an arrow and gestured politely toward the targets.

  Other ladies were enjoying the sport down the row to Lily’s right and left. She turned her attention to her target, refusing to look back at the cricket field where Derek’s harem kept up their enthusiasms.

  She lifted the slender bow and drew her elbow back, taking keen aim. The arrow flew, striking quite near the center as she watched it, shading her eyes from the sun with her hand. Ah! There was something so satisfying about the sound it made as it pierced the target and stood, shuddering, in the second circle out from the bull’s-eye.

  Not half bad.

  Lily lowered the bow and accepted another arrow from the attendant, determined to put all males, Knight and otherwise, out of her mind, at least for a little while.

  After loosing more than a dozen arrows, she was drawn into a polite conversation with some ladies who knew her mother. About half an hour had passed when she noticed from the corner of her eye that the cricketers had either quit or were taking a break. Stealing an oh-so-casual glance toward the oak tree, she spied Derek marching toward the house. She looked around for his brother and spotted Gabriel standing with Edward over by the stables.

  Oh, of course, she thought. Edward was ever so proud of his pedigreed bloodstock. He wouldn’t be able to resist the chance to show off his horses to the highborn cavalry men.

  But then Edward paused with a gesture to Gabriel as if telling him to wait a moment.

  Lily perked up when her brawny suitor lifted his arm and beckoned her over. Hm. “I think Mr. Lundy may require my assistance,” she told the ladies as she pardoned herself.

  “He certainly does,” one of them commented under her breath.

  Lily pretended not to hear and went hurrying toward Edward. He was walking toward her, leaving Gabriel up by the stable.

  Derek had disappeared inside the house.

  “Yes, Edward?” she clipped out as she strode toward her big, bluff beau. “Is there something you require?”

  As Lily joined him, Edward took her elbow and leaned closer with a distracted nod. He smelled of too much beer.

  “Would you do me a favor?”

  She gave him an aloof nod. “What is your will?”

  “Go into the house and keep an eye on Derek Knight for me.”

  She sucked in a low gasp at the request, because her first thought was that Edward suspected something…

  “I can’t leave m’guests,” he mumbled, slurring his words with drink, “so you must do this for me. Watch that blackguard. Make certain he is not getting into anything he—shouldn’t.”

  Guilt, she hoped, was not written all over her ashen face. A chill ran down her spine as she wondered if this was some sort of trick.

  Had someone seen them together? Reported it to him?

  But that was impossible. Edward would not be standing here staring into her eyes, waiting impatiently for an answer, if he knew how desperately she wanted Derek Knight.

  “The staff won’t question you,” he said. “They know you have my trust. You remember what I spoke to you about the other day.”

  “Yes, but Edward, I’m sure Major Knight is not after your gold—”

  “Lily, can I count on you or not?” he interrupted. “Will you do this for me? Now?”

  Gazing at him, she realized he was asking her in no uncertain terms to prove her loyalty by doing as he asked.

  She swallowed hard and set her panicked confusion aside. “Consider it done.”

  Edward gave a pleased nod at her speedy compliance.

  Lily nodded back and walked away without another word, her heart pounding. Oh, blast, I really don’t want to do this. What if Derek sees me following him? What on earth will he think I’m after?

  But what choice did she have? This was her chance to remind the straying Edward of how valuable she could be to him. Besides, the sooner she could assuage her suitor’s paranoia, the sooner she might have some peace.

  Then an awfu
l thought dawned on her.

  Oh, God, she didn’t want to have to find him in the arms of his latest amour! What if he had slipped away for another rendezvous with his beautiful companion, just like he had at the masked ball the night they met?

  But maybe it was for the best. Seeing him in a torrid embrace with Mrs. Coates would certainly make it a great deal easier to eject Derek Knight from her heart for once and for all. Who could say? Maybe Edward had noticed her fascination with the major, and in his own crude way, was forcing her to face reality.

  The reality that Derek had lots of women and probably always would.

  But even as she thought these things, her heart refused to believe it. She had seen him with little Matthew. She had seen his kindness to that horse…

  When she strode into the Lundys’ giant castle-house, she found that on this fine day, only a few guests and servants tarried inside. A cluster of elders in the neo-Gothic great hall had had enough of the sun and were busy bemoaning the foibles of the younger generation. They paid no mind as Lily hurried past them, glancing into the various rooms for any sign of the major.

  The dining room, red salon, library, and music room all were clear. The ballroom, too, was empty. She even went to glance in the great glass conservatory just to be certain. There was no sign of him until she passed the private lounge for the gentlemen and heard splashing water.

  Aha, she thought, realizing he must have come inside to freshen up and tidy himself a bit after the rigors of the cricket match. When the splashing stopped, Lily realized he would emerge at any moment and rushed to hide.

  Ducking into the salon across the hall, she whirled behind the white painted door and peered through the sliver-thin gap between its brass hinges. A brief melodic whistle heralded his approach a second before the door to the gentlemen’s lounge swung open.

  Derek strode out with a jaunty step, smoothing his jacket, which he had donned again, and straightening his cuffs. His long black hair was neatly bound once more in its queue, and so far, he was alone.

  Holding her breath, Lily peered through the seam of the door and watched him pass.

  He headed down the center hallway with a blithe air of unconcern. She waited until he was a safe distance ahead before slipping out of her hiding place and silently gliding after him.

  Having made himself presentable once more, he marched toward the dining room—and it was then that the first glimmer of his true nefarious intentions surfaced.

  Hiding behind a column, Lily furrowed her brow as Derek took a furtive look around, glancing over his shoulder to make sure he was unseen. Then he stole silently into the dining room, crossing it in the blink of an eye, and slipped out the other side.

  Standing there, Lily couldn’t believe her eyes. Where is he going? Could Edward have been right?

  It certainly looked like Derek was up to no good.

  Lily went after him without a sound, as instructed by her suitor.

  At the far end of the dining hall, she peeked around the corner and spotted him doubling back deeper into the house. She narrowed her eyes and followed him surreptitiously. She hadn’t the foggiest notion what the rogue thought he was doing, but his incursion into the private regions of the house was extraordinarily rude—and suspect.

  When a footman appeared strolling down the corridor, the major took evasive action, disappearing into one of the side rooms ahead. Lily had no chance to escape detection and instead pretended to be engrossed in studying the nearest painting on the wall.

  As the footman neared, he recognized her as the future lady of the house and offered a respectful nod. She smiled absently at him, but since she made no claim on his attendance, he moved on, going about his duties.

  The moment his back was turned, she rushed out of sight before Derek chanced to see her. Whatever the major was doing, now more than ever, she did not want him to know that she was spying on him. Heart pounding, she pressed her back against the wall of the hallway’s little alcove, waiting for him to go on about his sneaky business.

  She had to admit, though, she was dashed relieved that so far there was no sign of any woman coming to meet him.

  Some yards ahead, Derek glided out of his hiding place, emerging from the nearby library. He glanced around, then moved on.

  I didn’t know he could move like that. He swept through the house like a phantom, a ghost.

  Lily trailed him down the hallway at a wary distance, watching, mystified, as he disappeared around another corner ahead.

  She crept up to the corner, cocking her head to listen closely, trying to detect any sound that would betray his current whereabouts. Hearing nothing, she stepped around the corner.

  At that precise moment, Derek whirled around the corner and ambushed her, pinning her against the wall, stifling her small shriek of fright with one hand clapped across her mouth; in a flash he used his other hand to manacle both of her wrists above her head.

  It happened too fast for her to fight back, though feeling his iron strength, she doubted it would have done her any good.

  She lifted her gaze to his in pure shock, but when Derek lowered his head, his eyes gleamed, fierce and pale.

  “Something I can do for you, Miss Balfour?”

  CHAPTER

  THIRTEEN

  She was the most damned inconvenient woman.

  He was sure Lundy’s office was right around here somewhere, but leave it to Lily to jeopardize his one chance to get at the information he required.

  Just get rid of her and get on with the task.

  He hadn’t seen any other servants wandering by, but just in case, he tugged her out of sight into a nearby curtained alcove off the hallway.

  Turning to her once more, he barely knew how to begin.

  He was still furious over the house, that in fact she had the means to provide for herself without marrying Lundy if she chose. For whatever devious reason, she had never volunteered that information.

  There was so much he wanted to say to her—and it appeared the feeling was mutual. Wrathful sparks flew from her blue eyes while muffled protests sought to escape from under his hand. Derek could feel her plump, silky lips moving angrily beneath his palm, but as he held her pinned against the alcove wall, every inch of her luscious body pressed against his, all the angry words in his brain fell away until all that remained was desire.

  Raw, hot, burning need.

  God, he wanted her. Well, he’d be damned if he let her know that. Think, you idiot, he ordered himself.

  It was hard to focus when his pretty captive inspired in him such lust, but he refused to do anything that might let her guess his true intentions here.

  He did not want her involved in his investigation in any way, and besides, after their falling-out last week, he had no certainty that if she realized what he was really up to, she would not turn around and tell her precious Edward that he had been snooping. His course was plain. Any progress on his mission would have to wait until he got rid of the vexing female.

  Only, he so craved this rare chance to be alone with her at last.

  He did not want to chase her away after she had obsessed his mind all week. Her mere presence was delicious. “I thought we weren’t going to do this anymore,” he murmured in a husky tone.

  When two furious syllables sounded from under his hand in response, a rueful smile twisted his lips. He believed she had just called his parentage into question, but her buzzing, gnatlike fury amused him, wickedly, as she fought against his gentle but unyielding hold.

  “Do not bite me,” he warned when he felt the edge of her teeth start to nip at the flesh of his finger.

  She stopped, probably realizing that ladies did not bite people. At least not in anger.

  “That’s better,” he whispered. Relishing this fleeting departure into the joys of bondage probably more than he ought, he adjusted his grip on her wrists and held her in place. “Now, are we going to chat like civilized persons or would you rather wrestle about on the floor? I vote
the latter.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him like a woman plotting murder. Death by her hands, he mused. It would be a good way to go. Gazing at her in deepening hunger, he was immensely annoyed that once again, he could not seem to tamp down his libido with this girl, even after she had hurt him. If anything, her rejection had only made him want her more. Hmm, what to do. He had Lily Balfour at his mercy, and he began to throb as he considered the prospect of covering her lips with his mouth instead of his palm. Of course, if he tried it, the little hellcat was likely to bite his tongue. And then he would have to spank her…

  He quivered, but she still looked fighting mad over the way he had restrained her.

  Carefully, Derek relented—gentleman that he was.

  “Indecent creature!” she sputtered, plucking his hand off her mouth. “Don’t flatter yourself! Whatever you’re thinking—that is not what I came for!”

  “Oh, really? Then why are you following me?”

  “Why are you sneaking around Edward’s house?” she retorted in a hurried whisper.

  “I don’t know,” he said with an idle shrug, well versed in the art of talking his way out of scrapes with the fair sex. “Just thought I’d have a look ’round at your future cage, I suppose. Lily Lundy—it has rather an ill-sounding ring, don’t you think? But I guess that’s the least of your worries. Hard to imagine you living here in conjugal bliss with dear old Edward. You’re really going to be the lady of this monstrosity, eh?”

  She eyed him uneasily, but rose to the bait and seemed to accept his excuse. “It’s not so bad.”

  “I for one think you’d be better off at home with the bats.”

  “Well, nobody asked your opinion.”

  Her impertinence drew him up short. Derek shook his head. “You know, you’re really something else.”

  “What?”

  “You’re just too vexing! You and your house.”

  “Balfour Manor?”

  “Oh, excuse me—a manor, not a mere house. How convenient that you never mentioned it to me. I wonder why!”

  “What is the matter with you?”

  “You own a Tudor mansion that’s so large it has whole separate wings and half an acre of roofing, and yet you claim your family’s in such dire straits that you ‘have to’ marry Lundy.”