by Kimberly Nee
No, he didn’t imagine the spark that seemed to shoot right through him, that forced him to look away. Before she could repeat her question, he slapped his hands against his thighs and rose. “It’s a long walk back to the house. Would you like a ride?”
She nodded and accepted the hand he held out. His engulfed hers, made it look even smaller than usual. She wasn’t a tall woman, or big in any way, so he towered over her at over six feet two.
He waited for her to don her stockings and boots again, and when she finished, she caught him by the hand once more and allowed him to guide her over to the horse, where she frowned. “You expect me to climb up there?”
“Have you never been on horseback?”
She shook her head. “No.”
Loki again chose to live up to his name, pawing and exhaling in heavy puffs. Elena took a step away, came into contact with Bennett, and knocked him back half a step. He instinctively slid his arm about her waist to keep from toppling over.
“You needn’t worry, although he’s capable of every bit of mischief as his name suggests, I promise you, I’ll not let you fall.”
“His name?”
“Loki.” Bennett stepped around her and swung up into the saddle. At her confused look, he added, “The Norse god of mischief. He’s always causing mischief.”
“And you expect me to climb up there and sit astride him?”
His heart skipped a beat at the phrase “astride him.” The accompanying thought was not one of her astride a horse. He swallowed hard and held out his hand again. “Put your foot in the stirrup, Miss Sebastiano. Trust me, Dunning Court is a much farther walk than it looks.”
She did as he instructed and he pulled her up to settle in front of him, between his legs. As her hips slid back, they fit perfectly in the V between his legs and he had to fight down a groan. The ride to the stables was going to be hell. With each movement, she rubbed up against the most sensitive part of his body and tremors rippled through him, each one more powerful than the last. He gritted his teeth, trying hard to think about anything—anything—else. Anything other than her adorable, heart-shaped backside nestled so perfectly against his co—
Stop it! Think hard.
Damn.
Wrong thing to think, you dolt.
“Lord Dunning?”
“Yes?” He answered a little too quickly, judging by the way she peered at him over her shoulder.
“Are you all right?” she asked.
“I’m fine.” He carefully shifted her, trying hard to keep her from noticing he’d done so. “What was it you wanted?”
“You live out here alone, don’t you?”
“Well, if one can live alone amidst a houseful of servants, then yes, I do.”
“Why?”
“Why?”
She nodded, still looking at him over her shoulder. Her hair blew across her face, and she swept it from her eyes. “Don’t you get lonely here?”
He’d never really thought about it. The solitude at Dunning Court was something that just was—like air or rain—and he’d spent so many years with that solitude that being alone was second nature now.
After guiding Loki around a large mud puddle with just a gentle tug on the reins, he pulled back and the horse stopped. He looked down at her and saw a genuine concern in her eyes. She was concerned about him being lonely? It was something no one else ever asked. Something no one ever cared to ask. Everyone in his world was perfectly content to let him go on being somewhat reclusive, although he did make his home in London when Parliament was in session and he made a point to be seen at the necessary parties and functions. But when the Season ended and he returned to Dunning Court, it was as if the rest of the world forgot about him.
Not that he minded. He preferred solitude over the masses of eligible young ladies who eyed him carefully while calculating his worth, or the ones who only cared about being seen on the arm of a sought-after bachelor and had hopes of being compromised into becoming the Countess of Dunning.
But, looking down at Elena, he wondered if perhaps he didn’t feel a bit lonely from time to time. Especially now, as his procrastination meant his choice of brides had gotten very small. Perhaps he should have let one of the eager young misses lure him into a compromising situation. At least then the matter would be settled.
“My lord?”
“At times it can be lonely, I suppose. Although it is difficult to be lonely with so many people around.”
“I beg to differ.” She faced forward again. “One can be lonely even if they are in a room filled with people.”
“Somehow, I rather think you have little time truly alone,” he said, “with so many brothers. How many of you are there?”
“I’ve four brothers altogether and a sister. All older. I’ve never been alone.”
She said it lightly, but there was a sad undercurrent to her words. Tightening his arm about her again, he said, “And that makes you sad?”
“No.” Her smile seemed forced, as it never quite reached her eyes. “It makes me miss them. Especially Serena. She and I are close. But she’s having a baby, so her husband didn’t want her coming this far. That’s how I ended up here instead. Serena and Claudia and I are all great friends.” A hint of color came into her cheeks. “I apologize for rambling on.”
“Don’t. I don’t mind.” He clicked his tongue against his teeth and they began moving again. Concentrating on their conversation did wonders for taking his mind off the feel of her crammed against him. At least for a few minutes. “I’ve often wondered what it would be like, having brothers and sisters. I imagined it to be like always having your dearest friends right on hand.”
“It is, sometimes. Other times, they make you so angry you can’t see straight, or they tease you until you cry, or they call you a pest and tell you to leave them be.” She peered up at him again. “But they also make certain no one else ever mistreats you. Conn once pummeled Claudia’s brother for a remark he made about me. He would never say what was said, but it was a week before Richard was able to get up from his bed. I thought it would be the end of his father and my father’s friendship, but it wasn’t, so whatever he said, it must have been terrible.”
“You must have been small when it happened. Little boys can be terribly cruel.”
“It was only last winter.”
“Oh.” He honestly couldn’t imagine anyone having an unkind word to say about Elena Sebastiano. She was too kind, too warm, too—
He shifted again. Thankfully, the stables were in sight now, just over the next hill. A few more minutes, and his torture would come to an end.
“Well, if I were you, I would pay no heed to any nasty remarks. They couldn’t possibly be true.”
“I asked Conn and all he would say was that they were words no lady should hear.”
Bennett forgot about his own discomfort as his gut twisted sharply with the sudden urge to hunt down Richard Santa Cruz and pummel him himself.
They reached the stables and Crawford came out with a puzzled look on his face as he took Loki’s reins. “My lord?”
“Help Miss Sebastiano down, please.” Bennett eased his arm from around her waist. Regret that the ride was over flashed through him as Crawford brought over the mounting block.
“Right this way, Miss Sebastiano.”
She slid from the horse, taking care not to flash any more skin than she already had at the dock. As she stepped from the block to the earth, she turned to Bennett and smiled. “I thank you for the ride, my lord.”
It was fortunate he was still sitting, for he had no doubt her smile would have knocked him onto his arse, it was so blindingly white and beautiful. It was also fortunate that he had a cool enough head to reply, “You’re most welcome. Perhaps next time, we can go on two horses.”
“I don’t know,” she replied pertly, making off down the drive to the house. Her smile grew impish as she peered over her shoulder at him. “I rather liked sitting with you.”
To make
matters worse, she laughed—a beautiful, silvery laugh that teased his ears as her flirtatiously honest comment teased the rest of him.
Yes, she was most unlike any other woman he’d ever met. And it troubled him as much as it amused him.
Chapter Six
“Where did you get to this morning?” Claudia asked as Elena lay sprawled across her bed, staring up at the canopy. She hadn’t even heard her friend enter the room. She was too lost in her daydreams. “Lena!”
She lifted her head from the mattress to stare blankly at Claudia “What was that?”
“You were gone for ages. Where did you go?”
“Just for a walk. You were busy and I needed to get away from the others.”
Claudia’s smile was sympathetic. “Having trouble finding one to suit the earl, are you?”
Elena nodded. Only Conn and Claudia knew about her task, and both were sworn to secrecy. Even Galen was to remain in the dark. But Claudia was her dearest friend next to Serena and she needed to share this with her. “A bit. They all seem so silly. And Christina Chandler is cruel. She mocks Cordelia endlessly and thinks I’m little more than a savage.”
Claudia clicked her tongue against her teeth. “She would stand out like a sore thumb on St. Phillippe, she’s so pale. She’s only jealous.”
“Perhaps, but you don’t know how fortunate you are to have inherited Gabby’s fair coloring instead of Diego’s Spanishness. I’ve never been so painfully aware of how different I look compared to everyone here. How different I am compared to everyone here. It’s strange to feel uncomfortable in a skin you’ve always been perfectly comfortable in, if that makes any sense.”
“It makes sense to me, although it might not to someone who didn’t know you as well as I do. But, Lena”—Claudia’s brow furrowed—“Spanishness?”
“You know what I mean.” Elena sat up and crossed her legs, her hands coming to rest in her lap. “They think me odd. But you fit in with everyone here. You are one of them and I’m most definitely not.”
“They are jealous. You’re the center of everyone’s attention, Lena. Especially the men. They find you exotic and lovely, I’m sure. Especially”—Claudia nudged her gently in the ribs—“Lord Shelton.”
Elena rolled her eyes even as she smiled. “He really is not for me. Even I know that.”
“Why? You are as much a lady as any of the ones at dinner last eve.”
“No, I’m not. Although, you are sweet to say so.” She smiled, but only for a moment. “Claude, may I ask you something?”
Claudia’s smile faded. “Of course. What?”
Elena plucked at the fabric as she said, “How did you know when you felt something for Galen?”
“I don’t know. I—I think it was always there and it took us being forced together in that cottage overnight for it to come out.”
Elena smiled. The sudden thunderstorm had been a great surprise, especially when Claudia and Galen went missing after a hunt. She remembered her fury when she learned that while she was pacing the floors all night, sick with worry for both her brother and her friend, Claudia and Galen had been enjoying a passionate evening discovering one another for the first time. “Forced, were you?”
Even now, Claudia’s cheeks turned red. “Well, no…but… Well, it wasn’t exactly the most comfortable thing at first, I’ll have you know.”
“Oh, it had to be comfortable enough, considering you did it twice more before the sun came up.” Elena couldn’t resist teasing her. “And how did you even end up doing…that…to begin with?”
“We were arguing about something silly—whose fault it was we were lost—and then he was kissing me. From there, things just…happened.” Claudia shrugged, her cheeks still flushed, but her eyes sparkled. “And once it stopped hurting, it wasn’t so bad. And then it got even better. It doesn’t hurt every time. Only that first time and briefly.”
Elena twisted more fabric between her thumb and forefinger. It was so odd, thinking of her brother and her best friend making love. Odd and uncomfortable, if she was completely honest with herself. Still, that didn’t stop her from having questions, nor did it stop her from asking, “Was the pain bad?”
Claudia shook her head. “No. Not really. It feels…well…” She pursed her lips and her forehead wrinkled. “It’s more uncomfortable than painful, really. It’s as if something inside you pops. But then…oh, it’s an amazing thing, Lena. Utterly amazing.”
“It must be. Every man I’ve ever known would practically sell his soul for it.”
“It isn’t just men, Lena. Not one bit. But you must hope whoever it is wishes to share the pleasure. Galen told me not every man cares if the woman feels anything at all.”
“Really?” She couldn’t keep the surprise from her voice. “That seems terribly selfish to me.”
“Well, seeing how kind the marquess seems to be”—Claudia held up a hand as Elena opened her mouth to protest—“and if you decide he’s the one for you, I’m certain he’ll be just as generous as—”
“It’s all right, Claude. I really don’t wish to hear about my brother’s…generosity.” Elena smiled, although she inwardly fought off a shudder. After a pause, she added, “But it isn’t the marquess I am interested in.”
“Well, who are you interested in? One of my brothers? It would make everyone mad with joy if you were, you know. And I’d be over the moon about it.”
Considering Richard had said something horrid enough for Conn to pound him into pieces, Noah was a bit too conceited for her liking, and Chris was too married to her sister, Elena shook her head. “No, I’m afraid not.”
“Then who?”
She took a deep breath, hesitated only a moment or so, then blurted, “Lord Dunning.”
“What?” Claudia’s eyes practically bulged from their sockets. “Cousin Bennett? Truly?”
Elena nodded. “He happened upon me when I was sitting by the lake—”
“There’s a lake here?”
“Yes, about two miles that way.” Elena gestured in the general direction of the rear of the house. “We started talking and he is a wonderful listener, Claude. I mean, he really listens.”
“We all really listen to you, Lena.”
“Not this way, you don’t. Well, you do, and Serena does, but no men ever do. I think he must be terribly lonely, in this huge house and all by himself. And then he offered to give me a ride back on his horse.”
“You rode a horse? With Cousin Bennett?”
Elena nodded. “Yes. He sat me right in front of him and put his arm about my waist, and Claude, I thought I might melt. There was something so…so—I don’t even know how to describe it—wonderful about being so close to him. He’s solid and warm and”—she dropped her voice to a conspiratorial whisper—“I think he was enjoying it as well.”
“How do you mean?”
Elena’s cheeks grew warm just thinking about what pressed against her when she was nestled between the earl’s muscled legs. When she’d first felt it, her impulse had been to jump down and run away. But then it meant he was attracted to her as well. And her urge to run away vanished in a beat. “You know, Claude. You must. You’ve been with a man.”
“You mean”—Claudia’s eyes were as wide as dinner plates now—“he got har—”
“Yes!” Elena shivered at the memory, but she couldn’t help her smile or the giggle accompanying it. “I asked him something and his answer sounded almost as if he were strangling.”
“Oh, that poor fellow. I’m sure he was hoping like mad you didn’t notice.” A chuckle accompanied her words even if her cheeks took on a pinkish hue. “We’re fortunate in how we don’t have to worry about such things betraying us.”
“I only hope he didn’t realize I knew. I’d feel terrible.” Terrible for his embarrassment, but not for the reason behind it. Something about his reaction made her feel warm on the inside and she liked it.
“So why don’t you suggest to Cousin Bennett that you would be the perfect
match for him? That solves his problem, doesn’t it? He doesn’t know you’re interested in him, so what is there for him to object to?”
“It does solve the problem, but he’d never agree to it. He made himself perfectly clear that the woman I suggest should not care about him. And you know me, I’d never be able to hide that. I’d fuss and fuss over him until he thought I was going mad. Besides, he is an earl. I don’t think earls marry women like me.”
“Oh, he’s only being silly with that. You simply have to find some way to make him change his mind about that and soon. Why is he so adamant that this wife of his not care about him? Is it because of that curse Cordelia Chandler was going on about? Because if it is, it’s the silliest thing I ever heard. And honestly, you are perfectly acceptable, even if you aren’t one of them.”
“I haven’t asked him about the curse yet, but I think so. And I was relieved at first, when I realized he wasn’t going to ask me to marry him. I thought he might at one point, when he called me into his study to discuss the matter.”
“So that’s when he asked you. I was wondering about that.”
“That’s when he asked me. He wanted to make certain there were no prying eyes or ears about. I don’t think he really wishes it to be known, because how many ladies want to openly acknowledge that their husband doesn’t really care all that much about them. Even if it’s a marriage of convenience, I’d imagine they’d want the illusion of love.”
“I don’t know, Lena,” Claudia broke in, shaking her head. “It’s different here than it is at home. Here families marry for all sorts of practical reasons and I don’t think any one of them would think twice about admitting love didn’t come into play. Seems to me, love is more an afterthought than a reason.”
“Well, it’s silly. I would never marry a man I didn’t love.”
“Which is the only reason why you’re still unmarried.”
Elena threw herself onto her back once more. “And I’ll always be alone, because I want what I want and refuse to settle.”