Her uncle stepped forward. “We’re making sure that everything is happening the proper way.”
Mary’s mouth fell open. She knew what this meant. Her uncle wanted his sons-in-law in attendance in case Sin hadn’t behaved himself. “This was not necessary. Lord Sinclair and I—”
“I will be the judge of what’s necessary,” her uncle replied.
Mary’s face heated even as her shoulders snapped back and her chin raised. “You are not to make this more difficult than it needs to be. Am I clear?”
Her uncle’s eyes widened, but Daring chuckled behind them. “Mary, you’re more like Minnie than I first imagined.”
That made Mary deflate. Her personality was rearing its ugly head again. “My apologies, Uncle.”
Her uncle assessed her for a moment. “Do not apologize to me child. I raised you to be this way.”
She swallowed, her shoulders hunching. “Why would you inflict this curse upon us?”
“Curse?” Minnie asked.
“What curse?” Malice asked from the back, having reached the group. “Did a gypsy curse us? Is that why we all keep getting married? Did anyone warn Sin before he took over the club?”
Daring spun back around. “A gypsy has certainly cursed your tongue. It never flaps that much.”
Vice laughed having reached the steps. “Is Malice talking? Marriage does agree with him.”
Sin cleared his throat. “No one needs to warn me of anything. I’ve been searching for a bride for some time. I may as well state my intentions now. When Mary happened upon my door—though I suspect Daring planned it all along and he is our gypsy—I rather quickly decided not to squander the opportunity. I’m here to formally ask for her hand. That is all.”
Her uncle opened his mouth to speak, but Anne interrupted. “Is that the surprise?” Then she let go of Mary’s hand, clapping and jumping in the air. “Miss Chase is to be my new mother.” And she launched herself at Mary, who caught the child in a hug.
Sin patted his daughter’s back. “If anyone questions my reasons, I would like to refer them to my daughter’s excitement.”
A laugh broke out among the group as everyone relaxed, including her uncle. “Well, apologies for bringing everyone here this morning. But since you’ve all come, let’s have lunch, shall we?”
Applause broke out.
Mary buried her nose in Anne’s hair, hiding her face. While Sin had handled the situation well, part of her cringed that Anne was the reason he wanted to marry her. She knew that this was a marriage of convenience but some small part of her wanted him to want more.
Her uncle reached out to shake Sin’s hand. “Let’s discuss the details while the women catch up.”
Mary lifted her head, a frown marking her face. She’d expected to face her aunt, but her cousins? Would they understand the bargain she’d just made?
Sin assessed the ring of men around him trying to process what he’d just learned. In addition to Mary’s uncle, Lord Winthorpe, Daring, Malice, Exile, Bad, and Vice all sat around him. They had collectively come together to provide Mary with the dowry she’d never had from her family.
“So you’ve raised a dowry for her? But she already has a proposal?”
Daring shrugged. “We didn’t know that, of course. We hoped to increase her chances of a proposal by making her wealthier.”
Sin gave his head a slow shake. “So now that’s engaged…”
“The dowry is yours.” Vice winked at him. “Our mission was accomplished. She’s received an offer from a titled lord, no less.”
“Did you think to tempt me with the carrot of wealth?” He leaned forward his elbows braced on his knees.
Malice shrugged. “You were one of the men we were considering.”
At the thought of other men, he shot up straight. “Who else?”
“It doesn’t matter now,” Bad answered, his brows low and heavy over his eyes. “You’ve offered.”
“And even better, it wasn’t for money.” Exile leaned back in his chair one foot propped on the other knee.
“What is the reason?” Vice asked. “Have you fallen in love?”
“No,” he answered rather too quickly than necessary. “She is lovely, which helps.” He didn’t care to admit how much he was looking forward to bedding Mary. “And she is wonderful with my daughter. That is the basis of my decision.”
Vice snorted. A loud, obvious sound that echoed in the room full of men. “Liar.”
Daring gave a light chuckle. “Let the man delude himself if he must.”
Sin’s lips thinned, stretching over his teeth. “My feelings are my own and none of your concern. I know that each of you is newly in love but I was you once. And then my wife died while birthing my son.”
Their mirth died. Vice lost the devilish twinkle, while Daring’s mouth pulled down. Exile straightened, and Lord Winthorpe shifted in his seat. “Loss is difficult to bear. Are you certain you’re ready to marry again?”
Sin looked down at his hands. What Winthorpe actually meant was, are you whole enough for my niece? “Mary and I both understand loss. It makes it easier to marry again knowing that she has suffered as I have. She’s learned to bear the weight of losing her fiancé, her parents, and brother. I can only hope she’ll teach me to be as strong.” The words echoed about his thoughts. Hellfire and damnation. The words rang in his head.
All this time he’d been too worried about Mary being weak. But she was the stronger of the two of them. And she, after one day, had pulled him further out of his emotional hole than anyone else he’d ever met.
“That was very well said.” Bad clapped him on the shoulder. “Whether it’s love or just admiration, I’d say the two of you are well-suited.” Then he cleared his throat. “I grew up on the streets, not even a roof over my head. I thought…” Bad hesitated. “I thought I didn’t deserve love. But when you let the right woman in, she makes you better.”
Sin stared at Bad. “For a man who rarely speaks, you’re very articulate.” He scrubbed his face as Bad’s words sunk in. Did Sin think he didn’t deserve love? He drew in a shuddering breath. The answer was yes.
Chapter Ten
Facing a room of Chase women was a lot like what Mary imagined standing against an army might feel like. Cold sweat covered her palms, and she stood poised ready to run.
Minnie, the oldest of the all the girls, the first to marry, a duke no less, and the most outspoken stepped forward first, her red hair glinting in the sun. “You’re engaged?”
Mary tucked her hands in her skirt, covertly wiping away the sweat. “Yes. It would seem so.” She knew once the details of the arrangement became known, her family would have a great deal to say.
Diana slowly rose from her chair. “It’s impressive that you were able to gain an offer in a single day. Not that I didn’t have faith in you. But still.”
She swallowed. Did she admit he hadn’t asked her? “He was already looking for a wife.”
Cordelia pushed up her glasses. “I find that concerning. Mary deserves more than to be a bride of convenience.”
Mary gripped her skirts. “You’re wrong. I am lucky to have this chance at all.”
Grace brushed an invisible strand of blonde hair back from her lovely face. “What are you talking about? You’re beautiful, kind, and strong. You deserve the very best.”
Mary shook her head. They didn’t understand. “My chance at love died five years ago. I wasted it away…”
“What does that mean?” Minnie asked.
Mary sat in the chair behind her. “I was so angry that Harold wished to go on another military tour. Instead of asking him kindly or with love, I railed at him in anger. I practically pushed him out the door. He died a month later. My Chase temper, it—”
“You don’t really believe that?” Diana pushed out of her chair and crossed the room, crouching before Mary. “If he’d had a choice, he would have returned for you. You can’t blame yourself.”
Mary shook her head
. “I must be to blame. My father, mother, brother, and fiancé are all gone. I try to do good in this world, but I must have done something terribly wrong to—” She couldn’t finish, a sob breaking free from her chest.
Diana wrapped her in a hug, Minnie joining until Cordelia and Grace had wrapped her up too. “You didn’t do anything wrong,” Cordelia said, squeezing the whole group. “Life has been cruel to you. You, however, have done an admirable job of rising above that. And it’s your turn for happiness. Don’t forget that.”
Tears spilled down her cheeks. How did she explain that Sin made her happy? Perhaps it wasn’t what they had. She’d just met him, but the idea of what they could build together filled her with joy. Though in her heart of hearts she wished for love, she was content to be a wife and a mother, and she’d make the most of this situation. “Thank you for saying that. I suppose it’s time that I confess to you he didn’t ask me to marry him.”
The hug loosened as her cousins stepped back forming a ring about her chair. “What does that mean?” Minnie asked.
But Diana let out a peal of laughter. “You asked him.”
Mary nodded. “My Chase sensibilities took over.” She twisted her hands in her lap. “I find him to be…”
“Gorgeous,” Grace suggested.
“Stunning,” Diana corrected.
Minnie tapped her chin. “Handsome as Sin.”
They all laughed. “And he hurts too. He needs someone to—”
“Oh dear lord,” Cordelia gasped. “Not only are you trying to save Anne but you’re going to help him recover from his grief.” She reached for Mary’s hand. “How can you not see how good you are?”
Diana pressed a hand to her shoulder. “And be careful. A man like that… It would be so easy for you to end up hurt.”
Mary winced, her mouth twisting into a frown. Diana was right. Her feelings were already involved. “He is attracted to me, I know that.”
Grace nodded. “That attraction could turn to love.”
No one spoke for a moment. “How though?” Diana asked the room in general. “What forces a man to develop such feelings.”
Cordelia tapped her chin. “Well, for us, there was an element of danger involved. They were saving us. Mary doesn’t have the threat of real violence hanging over her head but…”
Grace spread her hands in front of her. “What if we fabricated it?”
“What?” Mary asked, her stomach twisting. She didn’t like where this was going. “I don’t think…”
“She could fall into the Thames,” Grace raised a finger. “Or be in danger of a runaway carriage.”
Diana gasped and Mary was certain her cousin would put a stop to this madness. “Or we could have one of our husbands attempt to kidnap her so Sin would have to save her.”
“You’ve lost your senses,” she said. “We’re not tricking him in any way. It’s a terrible idea. After what he’s been through—”
“I think it has merit,” Diana sniffed, her dark hair glinting in the sun.
“That’s enough,” Minnie said from just behind Mary. “We’ll trust Mary to find her own way.” She leaned down and kissed Mary’s cheek. “But ask us for help, would you? You’ve done so much for us, don’t be afraid to ask us to return the favor.”
Mary nibbled her lip. In this, there wasn’t much they could do to help. Mary had gone and fallen in love with a man who didn’t love her back. Was there anything she could do for herself?
Sin sat at his desk watching the sun sink below the buildings in the distance. He’d spent the afternoon mired in reports from his land and the business, which had been a welcome distraction from his thoughts of the blonde-haired beauty flitting about his home.
He’d caught scraps of sound from Anne and Mary as they moved about the house. A laugh here, a crash there. Each one pulled at his legs, making his feet itch to find the two most important women in his life. He loved Anne with all his heart but he was beginning to think that Mary might claim it as well.
Which stole his breath. He pushed back from the desk, banging the chair into the wall behind. What was happening to him?
“Sin?” a feminine voice called from the other side of the door.
Mary. He skirted around the desk, crossing the room in a couple large strides. He yanked open the door to find her standing on the other side with her fist raised to knock.
He reached for her hand and pulled her into the room, closing the door behind her. After the path his thoughts had travelled, somehow holding her in his arms seemed the perfect solution to his fear over his feelings. “Don’t call me that.” And then he gathered her into his arms crushing her against his chest.
“What should I call you then?” She placed her hands on his shoulders.
He raised a brow as her body fit against his. He drew in a deep breath, breathing in her scent. She smelled of vanilla and wildflowers. Without thinking, he dropped his nose into her neck, surrounding himself with her. “Call me Cole,” he said. “It seems far more fitting for my wife than Sin.”
Her lips grazed his shoulder, soft and tender. “Cole,” she repeated. Then again. “Cole.” The second one came out as almost a sigh.
He loved the sound more than he could express with words. It shivered down his spine, settling in his groin and tightening both his chest and his cock. “The way you say my name. It makes me want you so much. I—”
Her lips travelled to his neck. “Cole,” she murmured against his skin, so the vibration of her voice echoed down into his soul.
Pulling back, he turned his head to capture those lips with his own. It was a simple kiss, the joining of two pairs of lips, but somehow, it was so much more. The touch spoke of feelings no words could. His passion for her, his growing conviction that he loved her, but also, under that, his fear. What if something happened to her? “Mary. We’re not married yet. I…” He didn’t know how to say that since Clara’s death, he hadn’t been with another woman. The intimacy had been more than he could bear.
She skimmed her hands across his shoulders in a light touch. “I’ve never been with a man.” She kissed him then. “We don’t have to do any of that today.”
He straightened, looking down into the exquisite palette of her face, the ache inside him intensifying. Inwardly, however, he berated himself. She’d loved and lost too, and she needed something from him now. The way she touched him, the way she’d sighed out his name. This wasn’t just about him. “What is it you would like to do?”
Her lip trembled as it parted. “I just came to check on you. I know my family can be rough. And then…” She drew in a breath searching his eyes.
“Then?” he asked.
She gripped his shoulders tighter. “I’ve never experienced any passion at all really. I just…”
Sin understood. And he knew just what to do.
Chapter Eleven
Mary thought she might be going to hell for her wanton behavior. Never mind her thoughts. Those were naughty.
But Cole had tucked her against him, the hard feel of his body making her insides turn to jelly. Even more exciting was the stiff man parts pressing into her much softer belly. She ached with desire to know more, to experience the passion he effortlessly brought out in her.
He brushed his thumb across her lips and then he dropped his mouth to hers again. This kiss ignited the fire inside her as he slanted her lips open and brushed his tongue against hers. She held tight to his shoulders, her knees threatening to buckle.
But, apparently, he wasn’t done with her. A thick carpet lay under their feet. With his hands tight about her waist, he guided her back until they were both on the floor, her on the carpet and him perched above her, his mouth still locked with hers.
Then his hands began skimming down her body. He cupped her breasts, tweaking her nipples before he moved lower across the flat of her stomach, around her hip and down her leg. She wore a light muslin gown, with the weather so warm, and very little underneath so that when his fingers grasped her he
m, he was able to easily lift her skirts. Her pantaloons were rather sheer and his fingers skimming along the fabric were almost like he was touching her skin and goosebumps broke out all along her flesh.
He slid his lips across her jaw and down her chin. “I can’t wait to see you in my bed,” he whispered close to her ear. “I’m going to strip off every stitch of clothing and kiss every inch of your skin.”
Heat, warmth, and wetness was flooding between her thighs and, as if he sensed that, his hand sought out the area. Finding the slit in her pantaloons, he trailed his fingers through her curls and then gently along the slit of her womanhood, causing her to let out a gasping moan. He smiled against her neck. “Do you like that?”
“Yes,” she didn’t hesitate in her answer. “Oh yes.” She still gripped his shoulders and she started kneading the skin in her restless want of more.
He brushed the flesh again and again, her head beginning to toss from side to side until he finally parted her soft folds and slid his middle finger through them again. Her hips bucked and she said his name again. “Cole.” It was a plea, a cry for more, the neediness coming through in the high pitch of her voice.
“Yes?” he chuckled, caressing his hand up and down again until he found her opening and suddenly, slid a finger inside her channel.
She gasped in a breath, feeling both needier and more complete all in the same breath. As the heel of his hand pressed against her sensitive nub, she rocked against him. “Oh,” she moaned. “Cole.”
“Say my name again,” he spoke against her neck. “Say it over and over and I’ll give you everything you want.”
She blinked her eyes open. “Everything?” Hope filled her chest, making her lighter. Would he give her his heart?
“Everything, love,” he answered, pulling out and pushing back into her.
She closed her eyes again. In this moment, she would pretend. Pretend that it meant something he’d used the word love. Make believe that he’d meant his heart as well as physical pleasure. “Yes,” she hissed. “I want everything.”
Earl of Sin: Lords of Scandal Book 6 Page 6