With a supreme effort born from the determination to cause her as little discomfort as possible, Daniel stilled and waited for Rebecca to recover. He took the time to savor the wonderful feeling of being inside her as he bit back the instinct to thrust again. But when she finally moved beneath him, he pulled out a little, then pushed himself carefully back inside while his thumb remained devoted to bringing her pleasure. “How do you feel?” he asked, concerned that the pain she must have felt when he’d taken her innocence might have lingered.
She gazed up at him from beneath the sweep of her lashes and smiled a seductive smile that any temptress should have envied the ability to deliver. “Wonderful,” she sighed as she pulled him down for a long kiss. “And completely . . . oh God, Daniel!”
“That’s it, my sweet, just relax.” He licked the lobe of her ear and added a bit more pressure to his thumb, his own rhythm steady as he moved in and out of her. “Come for me, Becky, let yourself go.”
On a near scream of ecstasy, Rebecca’s muscles contracted around him, pulling him along with her on the wave of euphoria that claimed them both, until a climax more forceful than any Daniel had ever experienced before overcame him. He gasped, as if coming up for air after an underwater swim, then kissed Rebecca thoroughly to assure her of his gratitude before rolling off her and pulling her up against his side, her head cradled against his arm. A satisfied smile spread its way across his face as he delighted in what their coupling had just confirmed—that just as he’d thought, they would get on very well together indeed.
Chapter 14
They returned to London three days later and headed straight to Bedford Square. The three-story town house had remained uninhabited since his father’s death, but now that Daniel was married, it would be his. The brown brick façade had been unaltered in all the years that had come and gone since he’d last set foot inside, linking him to a past that invariably led to unhappy memories of abandonment. Pulling up in front, Daniel gazed up at the third-floor window furthest to the right. Beyond it lay the room that had once been his nursery, a room in which his mother had read stories and his father had battled toy soldiers with him. It was also the room in which he’d eventually found his mother’s note: Forgive me—two words that had brought his young life crashing down around him.
Burying the pain that threatened to surface, Daniel leapt down from his perch on the phaeton and reached up for Rebecca. What good would it do to revisit the past? He was better off pushing such memories and wishful thoughts of what could have been aside. But when Rebecca took the arm he offered her and they started up the front steps, Daniel couldn’t help but feel the sad eyes of his younger self gazing down at him from the nursery window.
With a deliberate effort, he focused his mind on the present, relishing the feel of Rebecca’s arm linked with his own as he led her up the front steps. Hopefully the sparse staff his uncle had kept on at the house had received the message he’d sent them informing them of his and Rebecca’s imminent arrival.
“Hawkins,” Daniel said when a young man his own age opened the door after the second knock. He was breathing a little harder than usual. “Where’s Mr. Tenant? I would have expected him to be the first to greet us.”
Hawkins looked perplexed. Avoiding an explanation, he gave his attention to Rebecca and offered her a bow. “Lady Rebecca Neville, what a pleasure it is to make your acquaintance. Welcome to Avern House.”
Daniel frowned but decided not to question his valet any further. He turned to his wife instead and made the necessary introduction. “Perhaps you’d be good enough to see to it that the phaeton is brought around to the mews,” he then said to Hawkins. “And if refreshments are available, we’d both be most appreciative.”
“Not a problem, sir,” Hawkins said. “I’ll see to it right away.”
“Shall I give you the grand tour?” Daniel asked Rebecca once Hawkins left their presence.
“I can think of nothing better,” she said, beaming up at him with her beautiful smile.
Daniel could think of lots of better things for them to do, but he chose to keep those thoughts to himself. Instead, he guided Rebecca toward the parlor and through to the music room, then onward to the study, where he was once again assaulted by the past, a vision of his father sitting at the cherrywood desk flooding him with an overwhelming sense of loss. He would have to refurnish to escape such memories, and as he hurried Rebecca along to the library and, finally, the dining room, he made a mental note to do so.
“This is perfect,” Rebecca said, trailing her fingers along the edge of the dining room table as she walked across to a bay window.
Daniel followed her and looked out. The garden that met his gaze was modest but well kept, with a flagstone terrace and a patch of grass surrounded by flowerbeds brimming with daffodils and hyacinths.
The touch of Rebecca’s hand curling around his own made him turn his head toward her. “I believe we’re going to be very happy here,” she said, the sparkle in her eyes enhanced by the rosy blush in her cheeks.
“I’m sure we will,” he said, hoping she was right. The absence of staff troubled him. He would have to ask Hawkins later, but he didn’t want to ruin the moment for Rebecca. After everything she’d been through, he was pleased with how happy she seemed to finally have a place of her own, free from the overbearing clutches of her aunt and uncle. He gave her hand a little tug. “Come along. I’ll show you the upstairs.”
Arriving at the top of the stairs, they stepped off the landing and into a neat salon with windows facing the street on one side and doors leading off to two different rooms on the other. There was a plush sofa facing two armchairs with a table between them; it was a cozy spot where Daniel’s mother had sometimes entertained her closest friends and family and where both his parents had taken their Sunday breakfast. Daniel opened the first door on his left, revealing a moderately sized bedroom with a bed draped in creamy silks, the coverlet embroidered in gold thread.
“There’s a small dressing room over there,” he said, watching as Rebecca walked over to take a closer look.
“I love it,” she said, her voice filled with delight. “It’s so beautiful and elegant.”
Daniel nodded. He considered joining her in the room and locking the door behind him so they could become better acquainted with the bed, but he decided to wait. There were other pressing matters to attend to, like calling on his aunt and uncle. With no way of knowing how they would greet him and his wife, Daniel had decided that it would be best if he handled the first visit alone. He would do so as soon as he’d spoken to Hawkins and satisfied his aching stomach. Lord help him he was hungry!
Moving on, he showed Rebecca another bedroom, which was quite a bit larger than the first. “For guests,” he lied.
Standing at his side, Rebecca said nothing, saving Daniel from having to explain that he’d rather walk barefooted through hell than spend one night in the room that had once belonged to his parents. Unlike so many other members of the ton, they had not kept separate bedchambers, and Daniel had always imagined that he and his wife would share a similar intimacy. From what he knew of Rebecca so far, he suspected that she would be amenable to the idea.
“How very practical that is,” Rebecca said, confirming his thoughts. “Honestly, I’ve never understood why a husband and wife should have separate rooms. I’m relieved to know that we’ll be spending more time together.”
Closing the door again, he quietly wondered if she’d become aware of the demons that haunted him with every step he took. “I’ll show you the third floor later,” he said when Hawkins arrived to inform him that the phaeton had been safely parked and that Cook was preparing a small meal that a maid would bring up shortly.
A cook and a maid? Daniel couldn’t help but be relieved. He’d begun to imagine that poor Hawkins might have taken on the duties of all the servants Avern House required, for he’d seen no one else sin
ce his arrival.
“And what is your name?” Rebecca asked when a sprightly young girl arrived carrying a tray that to Daniel’s eye looked rather inviting. Was that freshly baked bread?
“My name’s Molly, my lady,” she said, her voice warm and her smile completely unabashed—not at all the sort of maid that Daniel was used to his aunt and uncle employing. They were a far more somber lot, trained to avoid meeting the gaze of their superiors. Molly, however, just stood there beaming, as if they’d all been jolly good friends.
Daniel felt himself smile in response and decided that he liked the girl. Rebecca must have too, judging from the way she offered to help Molly lay out the plates, teacups and saucers while Hawkins watched with quiet surprise. Daniel had known his valet for years, and though Hawkins wasn’t exactly conservative (he and Daniel would never have gotten along if he had been), he did look as if he was feeling a bit uncomfortable with his new mistress leaping to the aid of a maid, when most ladies would have sat silently and watched until the maid was done. Thankfully Rebecca was not so prim, Daniel mused, unable to stop himself from smiling as she and Molly chatted about this and that.
“She’ll get on famously with Laura once we bring her over,” Rebecca said a short while later when both Molly and Hawkins had departed, allowing Rebecca and Daniel to enjoy the ham, cheese and bread that Cook had sent up.
“I’ll send a messenger over to Grover House as soon as we’ve finished eating. I imagine she’ll be either there or with the Griftons.”
Rebecca nodded. “I expect my aunt and uncle will call on us as soon as they are made aware of our return,” she said with a touch of dread. “Now that’s a visit that I’m not particularly looking forward to.”
“You mustn’t worry. You’re married to me now, Becky. They no longer have the power to bend you to their will, so really, why does it matter what they say?”
“You’re right,” she said with a thoughtful nod. “It doesn’t.” Taking a sip of her tea, she looked at Daniel. “What else shall we do for the rest of the day? I’d love to see the park if it’s not too far. I haven’t been there since I was a child, but I remember it being quite impressive.”
“While such an outing does sound tempting, we will have to delay until tomorrow. Right now I have to have a word with Hawkins—see if there are any pressing matters that need my immediate attention—and then I will pay a call on my aunt and uncle.”
“Oh, I’d love to join you,” Rebecca said, looking terribly excited. “May I?”
Hating to disappoint, Daniel didn’t enjoy telling her that it would be best if he went to see them on his own. “You mustn’t forget that our wedding was quite hasty and unexpected. Considering we eloped and left a duke standing at his own engagement ball without his fiancée, it may take a while for them to adjust. When they’re ready, they will invite us both over for tea so they can make your acquaintance.”
Rebecca frowned. “That sounds awfully formal, Daniel.”
“Yes, well, my aunt and uncle are the formal sort, you know.” An issue he’d had enough difficulty dealing with over the years, since it meant he’d always been at odds with them.
Leaving Rebecca to explore the upstairs, Daniel went in search of Hawkins. He eventually found him in the courtyard next to the kitchen, pumping water for Cook. The valet paused at his task when he spotted Daniel.
“Have we no footmen to handle such things?” Daniel asked, knowing that the answer would likely be no.
“As you may have noticed, sir, the household staff is somewhat depleted. There are only the three of us.”
Daniel stepped closer and crossed his arms. “I don’t suppose that’s because my aunt and uncle were unaware that I would be returning with a bride and in need of a fully functional home?”
“No,” he said with great reluctance.
“Are you able to explain why there are no more servants then? Mr. Tenant, the butler, remained at this address even after my parents were gone. I’m surprised he’s not here.”
Hawkins took a deep breath. “I received a missive from Lord Wolvington’s secretary two days ago requesting that I leave the gentleman lodgings where you have been residing and come here instead. Cook was already busy in the kitchen when I arrived. I believe your mother initially hired her, whereas Molly . . . well, from what I gather, she didn’t suit the Wolvington household.” Hawkins met Daniel’s gaze seriously. “You needn’t concern yourself though—we may be few, but we’ve all decided to make this work as best we can. We won’t be leaving you.”
“Thank you,” Daniel said, touched by the man’s loyalty. “And since you’re prepared to do so much for me, the least I can do is help you with that water. Here . . . I’ll carry it down to Cook while you fill the next bucket.”
As soon as they were done, Daniel and Hawkins climbed back upstairs, where Hawkins abandoned his role as footman in favor of his much-preferred position as valet, offering Daniel a clean set of clothes that he’d brought with him from the apartment. With his cravat tied to perfection and his entire person so immaculate that neither his aunt nor his uncle would possibly find fault with his appearance, Daniel said good-bye to Rebecca and stepped out into the street, where a hackney awaited, yet another service for which he had Hawkins to thank.
Settling back against the squabs, Daniel waited for the horses to take off at a trot, then set his mind to preparing for the interview ahead. Whatever game his uncle was playing at, Daniel would not allow him to drag Rebecca into it, and he had every intention of telling him so.
“I’ve a good mind to throttle you,” Lord Wolvington said when Daniel was shown into his study and the butler had exited, closing the door behind him.
Daniel grimaced. “And here I was thinking that you would congratulate me.”
“Congratulate you?” His uncle looked as if he was having a bout of indigestion. “Whatever for?”
Daniel frowned. Had his uncle grown forgetful in his old age? “I did what you asked of me,” he said. “I got married—and to a lovely woman, I might add.”
“What I asked for . . .” his uncle sputtered. “Are you mad, boy? I did not ask you to steal a duke’s fiancée or to elope with an earl’s ward!” He slammed his fist onto his desk. The action made his quill bounce, while ink flew from the inkwell and spattered across the polished surface. “Have you any idea of the scandal you’ve caused? The Duke of Grover has been made a laughingstock of London. He’s absolutely furious, and rightfully so.”
Daniel blinked. He’d known there would likely be hell to pay, but he’d put off worrying about it in favor of just enjoying Rebecca’s company. “Will he be wanting a duel?” he asked.
“He did, but I managed to talk him out of that notion. The last thing we need right now is for you to kill the man.” Daniel’s uncle shook his head. “Honestly, Daniel, what were you thinking?”
“Well, for one thing I wanted to please you,” Daniel confessed, “and since Rebecca was the only woman I met who was willing to even speak to me, she seemed like the obvious choice.”
“Didn’t she tell you that she was engaged?”
“She wasn’t when we met.” Daniel then told his uncle everything—how Rebecca had feigned madness for two years to escape marriage, the way the Griftons had encouraged Grover and Topperly to bid for her, and how Daniel had offered her a means of escape. “They’re despicable people,” Daniel said at the end of it all.
“And I suppose you think yourself the hero in all of this?” his uncle said. He didn’t wait for an answer, saying instead, “I never cared for any of these people, you know, but that doesn’t excuse what you did. What I wanted for you, Daniel, was for you to find a way to clear your name of scandal, not tarnish it even further. I’m sorry, but I don’t see how I can help you with this situation without affecting your aunt or your sister’s family. The gossips are already having a splendid time with this. They’re ready
to rip you to shreds.”
“And here I thought I was doing not only the right thing but the noble and just thing as well,” Daniel muttered. He slumped down on one of the seats across from his uncle. “Instead I just gave them the scoundrel they expected, but then again, it’s a part I’ve played for so long it would probably be difficult for me to be anything else. I was a fool to think otherwise.”
“Devil take it, Daniel, you’re a perfectly good man at heart, but you have to stop acting like this.” Wolvington leaned back in his chair and stared at his nephew. “I know it’s been tough on you since your mother left and your father died—I miss him too, you know—but you can’t keep using their actions to excuse your own.”
“That’s not what this is about,” Daniel ground out. He’d no desire to talk about his parents right now.
“Is that so?”
Daniel stared back at his relative as he thought about the lifestyle he’d grown so accustomed to, the company he’d kept and his taste for adventure—how he hated being alone with his own thoughts. An overwhelming sense of clarity descended upon him, and he suddenly saw his life for what it was. Good God, he’d behaved like an ungrateful scamp, heedless of those around him. Swallowing hard, he tried not to think of what a burden he must have been for his aunt and uncle. They had been stricken by grief as well, yet they had set it aside in order to offer him comfort. In return, they’d gotten a rebellious youth who’d acted out in the most selfish way possible, bringing scandal upon their name. It was a miracle they hadn’t offered him an ultimatum before now.
The Scandal in Kissing an Heir Page 15