“Adele ...” Clarinda paused, realizing the fight had gone out of her. She was too tired to argue. Too tired to think straight. “I’ll think about it, of course,” she finally managed, her shoulders dropping.
“How can you not? He looks just like David! I admit I was surprised,” Adele spoke in a tone suggesting she was awestruck, “I cannot tell you how surprised I was that he really does look just like David. No one would know you hadn’t mourned a full year if you marry him tomorrow. People will see him on the street and call him ‘Norwick’ without even knowing,” she claimed. “They won’t even realize his brother has died,” she added quietly.
“Ewww!” Clarinda countered, her look of distress replacing the visage of the volcano that was about to erupt.
“Well, you don’t have to marry him tomorrow,” Adele assured her with a shake of her head. “Next month, or the month after,” she suggested, as if she was being helpful.
“What about tomorrow?” Clarinda insisted, the entire reason she’d come to Adele for help.
Adele’s eyes widened. “Well, tomorrow might be a bit too soon to get married,” she countered, thinking Clarinda was replying to her comment about getting married.
“No!” Clarinda whined. “Tomorrow. In the coach. What do I do tomorrow?”
Adele took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Sleep. Or pretend to. You’re entitled, after all.”
Sleep. Blessed sleep. Maybe David would pay her a visit in her dreams. “I can do that,” Clarinda replied with a nod, her head bouncing up and down. “I can sleep.” She allowed Adele to embrace her, returning the hug with a satisfied sigh. “Thank you for hosting the reception this afternoon. It was a lovely party. David would be quite pleased to know his death was noticed by so many.” She didn’t add that David had been there; she’d seen his ghost wandering amongst the guests, occasionally stopping to eavesdrop on conversations.
“It was my pleasure,” Adele replied with a wan smile. “I do not think I shall ever forgive Lady Wingate for using it as an opportunity to find a husband for her youngest daughter, though.”
Clarinda allowed her own small smile. “I do think Lady Morris was a bit worse. She was trying to find husbands for two daughters,” she countered. “And I do wish Lord Sommers would make a play for Lady Evangeline. I watched him watching her for most of the afternoon. And when he wasn’t watching her, she was watching him. If her future is left to her brother, the poor girl will never be settled.”
Adele’s smile had widened at the mention of the Everly girl. “Grandby is working on that very match, probably at this very moment,” she replied, her arched eyebrow indicating she approved.
Clarinda allowed a brilliant smile. “Then it shall happen. He is the very best godfather a girl could have, you must know,” she added. “Now, I really must take my leave of you. Dinner will be served at eight, and I still have to change into a dinner gown.” She glanced down as she swept her hand across the front of her skirts, dislodging a string of clinging cobwebs with her gloved hands. She allowed a sound of disgust. “I believe a cleaning of the cellar is called for, but I sure wouldn’t want to be the one to direct a servant to do it,” she murmured.
Nodding, Adele led her guest to the vestibule and gave her another hug. “Good luck, Clare,” she whispered. “Do take care of your little ones. And think about what I said,” she added.
“I will,” Clarinda nodded. Probably the entire time I’m pretending to sleep tomorrow.
Clarinda hurried out to her coach, determined to make it home in time to change gowns before eight.
Chapter 18
Daniel Stakes His Claim
When the sounds of the house faded to the occasional creaks and groans of a structure the size of Norwick House, when he was sure no servants were still about, Daniel stared at the ceiling above his newly adopted bed and made a decision. Climbing out of the bed, he stripped himself of his night clothes, wrapped himself in his chenille robe, and made his way to the dressing room. He was almost all the way through the thin room and to the connecting door to Clarinda’s room when he stopped and thought about turning back. This is madness, he thought, wondering what had possessed him to think he could simply walk into the countess’ bedchamber and join her in her bed.
When he’d considered it earlier that day, it made perfect sense. He intended to take solace in the arms of the woman he loved. Or provide comforting arms for the woman who mourned her late husband. Once Daniel had climbed into bed, though, he started having second thoughts. But then the image of her sleeping alone came to him. Something had woken him, something had urged him to seek her company, to lie next to her and provide a warm body against which she could sleep and feel protected. Before he realized he had even turned the knob on the door, he was in her room, his bare feet padding softly on the Aubusson carpet.
In the dim moonlight that filtered through the closed drapes, he stood next to her bed and simply watched her for a very long time. Half on her side, half on her back, Clarinda lay sleeping soundly, her chest rising and falling with each breath. Her dark hair lay spread out to one side of the pillow. The gleam from wetness on one cheek was a testament to her earlier weeping; Daniel had overheard her crying shortly after her maid had left her chambers. That was about the time David had appeared in his bedchamber.
“You need to be with her,” he’d said, his voice a bit harsher than Daniel expected. But before Daniel could offer his agreement – he’d spent most of the day thinking he would go to her, to spend the night holding her, offering her what comfort he could, despite the fact that Clarinda was in mourning, and it was scandalous to simply show up in her bedchamber and crawl into her bed – David added, “To hell with propriety. If you don’t get in there tonight, I’ll haunt you for the rest of your life.” And after a short pause, he added. “Don’t forget to lock the door.”
Normally Daniel Fitzwilliam would ignore David’s threats. His older brother had made plenty of them over the years, able to do so simply because he was older, even if he was only a few minutes older. But tonight, Daniel decided to heed his brother’s threat. The last thing he wanted was to be haunted by his dead brother for the rest of his life. He’d had quite enough of him when he was alive.
Remembering David’s comment about locking the door, he moved with stealth to do so, driving home the bolt until it made the small snick that told him it was engaged. He stepped on something that poked his toe, causing him to wince and almost sound a curse. Reaching down, he plucked a hairpin from between his toes, shaking his head as he did so. David probably planned for him to step on the pin, he realized. Annoyed, he slipped it into one of the large pockets of his robe and continued to make his way back to the four-poster that held Clarinda.
So, here he was, standing by the side of the bed of the only woman he had ever loved, watching her as she slept. The top edge of her night rail appeared ghostly white against the dark velvet of the counterpane. At least she is wearing a nightgown, he thought, for he was quite sure if he found she was naked beneath the covers, his intentions toward her would change instantly. He had no intention of bedding her this night; he simply wanted to sleep next to her soft, lush body.
Daniel removed his robe, the cool air of the room rushing around him so that his heated body shivered slightly. Lifting the edge of the bed covers closest to him, he paused one more time before sliding onto the bed. He wasn’t even settled into the soft mattress and bed linens before Clarinda rolled over. Her head, followed by all her glorious brunette hair, settled into the small of his shoulder at the same time her arm snaked over his chest and one of her legs slid over one of his. Stunned, he’d wrapped one arm around her shoulders in response, wondering if she was awake. But her even breathing continued, her heart beat thumped softly against his ribs, and soon he was sound asleep.
“I wondered when you might pay a visit.”
Daniel allowed a half-smile at the sound of Clarinda’s voice, but he dared not give up the wonderful dream he was having. Clarinda in his arms, her soft breaths warming his chest, the weight of her body pressed against his side a source of comfort, the scent of her filling his nostrils. Apple blossoms, he thought. He kept his eyes closed, but when her fingers started stroking his ribs and moved up to barely skim over a nipple, sending a jolt of pleasure through his upper body, Daniel gasped and woke up completely.
Given the level of darkness – the moon had obviously set – he thought it was well past midnight. “I could not stay away,” he whispered, wrapping his other arm around her waist and giving her a kiss on the top of her head. If she dared touch him again like she just had, he wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep. His body was becoming very aware of the woman he held, and he’d been living the life of a monk for too long to ignore the desire he felt.
Her finger stroked his nipple again, harder this time, and his entire body jerked in response. “You minx,” he murmured, giving up on his idea of simply sleeping next to Clarinda. A giggle sounded from somewhere below and her hand very lightly skimmed over his skin from his chest to the top of his thigh, sending shivers through his entire body. His cock hardened instantly. Daniel sucked in a breath between clenched teeth. Is this how Clarinda was with David? Was her touch always so erotic, so arousing, so ...wanton?
“If you keep this up, my lady, I shall be forced to do something similar to you,” he whispered, thinking she would still her fingers at the sound of his threat. Those fingers were stroking up the back of his manhood, setting the vein there pulsing and creating a tent pole for the bed covers out of his hardening cock.
“Mmm,” she purred in response.
Not exactly the reaction he was expecting, Daniel sucked in another breath. “You have been warned, my lady,” he whispered. The arm that was wrapped around her waist moved lower so his hand could grasp the hem of her night rail and lift it slightly. His hand settled on the side of her bent knee, one finger drawing circles on the warm skin. He heard her slight gasp, the sound urging him to continue. Barely touching her, he slid his hand up her long leg, his palm skimming her silken skin while the fabric of her night rail bunched up against his wrist. When his hand reached her hip, he shifted her so she lay atop him, his other hand continuing to pull on the fabric until it would come up no further. He tried to ignore the feel of his erection pressed into her soft belly, but Clarinda was wriggling a bit, making his already warm skin hot with desire. Moving quickly, he flipped them both over. Once he was on his hands and knees, he used his teeth to made quick work of the bow that held the top edges of the night rail closed and then used his stubbled chin to part the fabric from in front of her breasts.
Clarinda’s back arched in response, her breasts rising from the bed to meet his mouth while she seemed to have trouble catching her breath. His lips barely touched the top swells as they traveled over the delicate skin. Once they reached the rosy skin of her nipples, his lips took purchase and gently nibbled. Spurred on by her quiet moans and occasional cries, Daniel continued suckling one ruched nipple until it was peaked before moving to the other. His beard scratched Clarinda’s skin as he did so, eliciting more breathy sounds from her. He was suddenly aware of her fingers in his hair, parting the waves and raking his scalp with fingernails that sent pleasure skittering through his head.
He slid his tongue up through the valley between her breasts to the hollow of her throat. Clarinda’s head angled back in response. Daniel took the opportunity to lift her from the bed, to grasp the night rail and pull it slowly from her arms and over her head. When it was free of her thick hair, he lowered her to the bed and followed her down, his lips and tongue leaving moist trails on her heated skin as he moved down the front of her body. He dipped his tongue into her navel and then down and over the swell of her belly, leaving urgent kisses as he went.
When his chin abraded the soft skin of her thighs, he heard her hiss. He allowed himself a smile before using first one knee and then the other to separate her legs. Reveling in hearing her soft whimpers as he slid his hands beneath the globes of her bottom, he lifted them slightly. Clarinda’s legs spread wide, as if she had no strength or simply no desire to keep them closed. Daniel reached out with his tongue to part the moist folds hiding her womanhood. At the slight touch, her body flinched. He heard her squeak of surprise, but held her hips firmly in place as he flicked his tongue across her most private place.
He felt her fingers rake into his hair. If she meant to push him away, he would have none of it. His tongue circled between the folds, finding its prey and licking it gently as Clarinda’s soft moans filled the quiet room. When he was sure the bud of her womanhood was as swollen and as sensitive as it could be, his lips took purchase and gently suckled it.
Clarinda’s sudden cry was stifled as one of her hands suddenly left his head to cover her mouth. Her hips jerked in response to the wave of pleasure he’d set in motion, the hand on his head clenching onto a fistful of hair. He kissed the swollen bud again, ready this time to hold her down with his splayed hands covering her belly. When the wave of pleasure crested in her, he pulled his head away so he could watch her chest lift from the bed, watch her swollen breasts rise, watch her chin lift up before her head turned on the pillow and her whimpers turned to stifled cries.
When he saw she was nearly replete, he lowered his head once more and lathed his tongue across her womanhood. She might have screamed from the sensation that was so powerful, it was almost painful, but if she did, Daniel did not hear it. Her legs had folded up to close about his head, enveloping him in the soft flesh of her thighs, the scent of her sex intoxicating him.
He considered he should have shaved; his stubble would leave her bare thighs red from where they rubbed against his cheeks. Clarinda didn’t seem to mind, though, as she kept him trapped there for several seconds, her hips lifting and lowering slightly while her ankles rested on his back.
“Take me.” The plea came out as a whisper, the words as much an invitation as a betrayal of her desperation.
Daniel froze, wondering for only a second what to do. He hadn’t intended to do this with Clarinda, at least, not yet. But his body wanted it, nay, demanded it, he realized as he noticed his hardened manhood dripping in anticipation. His erection actually hurt, a sensation he hadn’t experienced for a very long time.
Lifting himself onto his arms, he slid up the front of Clarinda’s body, barely aware of her legs remaining wrapped around his body as he did so. When his face hovered over hers, he lowered his lips onto her lips, barely touching them in a kiss that was almost a caress. His turgid manhood slid into her wet folds, finding the opening to her tight, moist sheath. Very slowly, he pushed himself in, ignoring his body’s desire to simply thrust himself hard and allow the release his body had begged for since the first time he’d stared at the damned painting over his bed.
Clarinda’s lips captured his, her arms wrapping around his neck to pull him down closer. When he pulled out just a bit, he felt her clench on him, forcing him to inhale and push back into her. Her hips lifted to meet his thrust, and then relaxed back into the mattress, allowing him to nearly slide all of the way out of her cocoon. But before he could, her hips rose up to meet his thrust, forcing his manhood all the way into her slick, hot depths. From there, they rocked against one another as if they had made love like this every night of their lives.
Stunned by her body’s grasp on him, Daniel found he couldn’t hold himself back much longer. “Clare!” he managed to get out, the word almost a prayer. He wanted to see to her ecstasy, though, before he allowed his own release. Lowering his head to one of her breasts, he pulled the nipple into his mouth with his tongue and nipped it. Clarinda’s entire body seemed to clench as she arced up and cried out. He quickly moved his mouth to cover hers, absorbing the moan of her orgasm with his own before his body spasmed with un
told pleasure. A growl unlike any sound he’d ever made was forced from his throat, his lips lifting from hers as his own back stiffened and the sensations took hold of his body.
It was a very long time before he was aware of Clarinda’s gentle fingers caressing his back, of her soft lips kissing his shoulders. He had collapsed onto her body, squishing her into the mattress, his head tucked into the space between her neck and head.
Oh, God, what have I done? Daniel wondered, feeling so replete he could barely move. With Clarinda’s soft caresses in his hair, he knew she was still conscious. And there was the sound of a purr and the sensation of a kiss on his head.
Gathering the necessary strength, Daniel rolled off of Clarinda and onto his back. He wondered if he would ever be able to walk again. After a moment thinking about it, he decided he never wanted to walk again. He only wanted to stay right there in the four poster bed with Clarinda nestled up next to him. Daniel sighed as he allowed a small smile to form on his lips.
A sound of disappointment came from Clarinda’s throat. “You were welcome to stay there for as long as you wished,” she murmured sleepily.
Daniel dared a sideways glance. “And I was thinking of staying there for the rest of my life, but you were quite thoroughly squished into the mattress,” he replied in a hoarse whisper. He turned onto his side facing her. “If my lady would allow it, I should like to sleep here for the rest of the night,” he whispered, knowing there was no way he was getting out of the bed anytime soon.
Clarinda’s lips curled up. “My lady?” she repeated, her eyebrows arching in a teasing sort of manner.
Daniel stiffened. He was supposed to call her ‘Clare.’ How many times during their lovemaking had he called her ‘My lady’? He regarded her for a very long time before leaning forward to kiss her on the nose. “I love you, Clare,” he said quietly. “I will love you always.”
The Widowed Countess Page 18