by Emma Brady
The duke shrugged. He knew there was nothing he could change. Lucas agreed that society had always worked in such away, but now it offended him. The idea that Sinclair had spent her youth surrounded by such liars irritated him.
“I am certainly not going to allow my sister to fall into such a trap,” Lucas said, “Charlotte deserves better.”
“It is hard to control a woman when she sets her heart on something.”
“Charlotte is not as strong willed as my wife.”
“I think she might surprise you.”
An unsettling feeling sank into his stomach. He barely had the strength to handle Sinclair. Another such woman in his house might just cause him to go mad.
“I would not know what to do if my sister began to act like my wife,” he told Davonport.
“My advice is to keep your sense of humor.”
Chapter 23
Sinclair had spent the day going over her situation with Lucas. Wanting to make things easier, Sinclair decided to surprise him with a romantic dinner in their room. Charlotte agreed to spend the evening out of sight, while Frederick was forced to carry up a table and chairs. Every detail was adjusted at least a dozen times until she was certain it would please her husband the best. Hopefully he wold forget her bad behavior.
To further her chances of gaining his approval, Sinclair wore a nightgown that was certain to gain his attention. It was made of red satin and lace that hung off her shoulders, falling in layers to the floor. The thin fabric clung to her curves in a way that made her uncomfortable, but was sure to catch his eye.
As the evening darkened, Sinclair grew nervous. It was one thing to seduce a man who was almost asleep, but tonight he would be wide awake. Awake and angry. Now she wasn’t so sure a little pot roast and lace would be enough. Before she was able to talk herself into hiding, she heard Lucas enter the house. Frederick directed him upstairs and every footstep echoed in her ears.
“Sinclair, is something the matter?” He asked through the closed door. “Frederick told me you wanted to see me.”
“I need a moment,” she called, beginning to panic.
“If you do not open it, then I am going to come through the door.”
“Come in then, but do not say anything.”
She sat there, perched on the edge of her seat as the door slid open. Her breath caught as she saw him standing in the doorway, looking more handsome than ever before. His hair was rumpled and falling across his forehead in dark locks. His shirt was wrinkled and his coat was slung over one shoulder. The man looked exhausted and utterly delicious.
“Aren’t you going to say anything?” she asked, growing uncomfortable in the silence.
“You told me not to.”
“I’ve changed my mind.”
“Is this for me?” he asked, motioning to the dinner spread out on the table, but not taking his eyes away from her.
“I thought this might be a nice way to end the day.”
“If this is how you apologize, then I might be tempted to argue every day.”
Sinclair stood and smiled when she recognized the hungry look in his emerald eyes. That look had nothing to do with the food and made her skin flush. Moving so that the layers of cloth floated around her body, Sinclair went to wrap her arms around his neck. He shuddered when she pressed her firm breasts against his hard chest.
“I don’t want to fight with you anymore,” she whispered in a husky voice, “I think being friendly is more fun.”
“How friendly do you want to be?”
His hands reached around to slide down her back and cup her buttocks. The feel of him pressing her against him sent blood rushing through her veins until she felt her nipples stretching against the fabric.
“I want to be as friendly as you will let me.” said Sinclair.
“Then I don’t think dinner will be necessary.”
As he leaned down, Sinclair stretched up for his lips only to feel the warmth of his breath out of her reach. With eyes closed she waited as he teased her by running his tongue along her mouth without fully satisfying her. Just as a whimper of yearning escaped her, he captured her mouth with his own.
Wanting to feel his skin beneath her fingers, Sinclair began removing his shirt. The hard muscles of his chest glowed in the firelight. Giving him a coy smile she leaned over to flick her tongue playfully across his nipple.
“Where did you learn that?” he gasped.
“I’m only following your lead.”
“You continue to surprise me.”
Without taking his eyes away from hers, Lucas began leading her backwards to the bed. As they moved he worked at the lacings holding up her gown, releasing it to fall under their feet. It felt wonderful to watch his eyes roam her body with such appreciation.
Holding his face in her hands, she slid back onto the bed. He followed her, his trousers still clinging to his hips. She released him long enough to remove the annoying piece of clothing. When he returned to her his mouth ravished hers until her mind was spinning.
“I needed to talk to you,” gasped Lucas, “I had something important to ask you.”
“It can wait.”
“No, I need to ask you tonight.”
Her body ached for him to touch her, to stroke her until her body burned. He held himself above her, not touching her as she wanted. Wriggling beneath him she began to grow frustrated.
“Then ask already.” With her chest heaving, Sinclair stared into his eyes. They sparkled and danced in the firelight, warming her from the inside. Sweat dripped off his forehead, which was creased with concentration.
“Do you believe I married you for the money your parents left to you?”
At first Sinclair couldn’t believe what he had asked. It seemed absolutely absurd to her that he could even wonder about that. Only the serious set of his jaw convinced her that it was something that truly worried him.
“I know that you married me because we got caught in an unfortunate situation, nothing more.” Sinclair wished that wasn’t the truth. “I know you didn’t put us in it alone. We just got caught up in things and it got out of hand.”
“Then do you believe I regret getting caught?” His eyes reflected the light from the fire and she saw how seriously he meant what he was asking.
“You certainly didn’t seem happy.”
“I do not regret it.”
Sinclair didn’t realize how much she needed to hear that until the words were said. The smile she gave him held the warmth and emotion she was feeling. He didn’t realize how close that sounded to a declaration of his feelings. She saw in his eyes the truth of what he said and it made her eyes begin to water.
“I don’t regret it either, Lucas.”
It was as if a weight had been visibly lifted off his shoulders and he was now able to breathe. The weight of his body pressed down on her, as his lips crushed her mouth. Wrapping her legs around his powerful hips, Sinclair gasped into his mouth as she felt him thrust into her.
His strong arms lifted him about her so the each thrust brought him deeper to the core of her. Each stroke brought her closer to the edge of insanity and she welcomed it. Meeting his passion equally with her own, she urged him to move faster and harder inside her. Just as she felt her body begin to shake with release, she heard the sound of Lucas groaning in pleasure. It was the most beautiful sound she’d ever heard.
LUCAS WOKE IN THE MIDDLE of the night to find he was in bed with his wife warm and snuggled beside him. She was sleeping peacefully and he could hear the even sound of her breathing. She was curled up against his side, with her head tucked under his chin and one arm draped across his chest. He found he felt comfortable and relaxed for the first time in a long time.
“Lucas, are you awake?” Sinclair asked in a sleepy voice.
“If I say yes, will you believe me?”
She giggled against his chest and wiggled closer to him. The feel of her full body pressed against him woke up every inch of him. He felt eager to pull h
er on top and repeat the lovemaking again but he hesitated because he wasn’t sure if she would be too tired.
“Why are you awake?” she asked.
“I could ask you the same.”
“I’m not sure. I wasn’t having a bad dream and that much is a relief.”
“Do you have bad dreams often?” Lucas hadn’t been sharing her bed long enough to know.
“Not all the time, but occasionally. Especially when I’m feeling anxious about things.”
Thinking back on the last few days that should have been enough to make her uneasy. Sinclair had been though many life changes and she had faced them all head on. She had even approached him as a challenge and showed no fear. Her bravery was admirable and he found that he was beginning to believe her strong spirit was also a benefit, when it was needed.
“Tell me about you nightmares.”
“You wouldn’t want to hear about that. They aren’t very entertaining.” There was a tension in her body now as she remembered them.
“You don’t have to give me all the details, but I would like to know what frightens you.”
He felt as she took in a depth breathe and exhaled warm air against his chest.
“I dream about the fire. About the night that I lost my home and my family in one night.”
Lucas had read about the fire in the papers. It sounded like a horror to live through and Sinclair had been right in the middle of it. It would have given anyone nightmares. He wrapped his arms tightly around her.
“Frederick was able to rescue me from my room, but the house burned down and my parents...” she choked on the tears.
“You don’t have to tell me.”
“I just haven’t spoken about this with many people. My parents died in the house looking for me.”
Now he could feel the warm wetness of tears on her cheek and he wished he knew the right words to make her pain stop.
“I’m so sorry that you went through such an ordeal.” He leaned in to press his lips against her hair.
“I will never forget the horrors of that night, but I can now see that there was a reason for it. I was able to reconcile with my grandparents and come to London.”
“Has the city started to grow on you?”
Lucas chuckled softly.
“London is where I met you.”
He was still for a moment, feeling his own heart pounding in his chest. The words held such emotion and he wasn’t prepared to decide if he felt the same. Instead he did the one thing he knew he could manage. He tilted her head up and kissed her with as much passion and he could.
Chapter 24
Sinclair slept better that night than she ever had before. Her body was completely spent after a night making love with Lucas. It had been glorious, their bodies mating time after time until they collapsed onto the pillows. Now she rolled over to stretch lazily along her husband’s sleepy form.
“Lucas, I think you should wake up now,” she purred against his neck.
“I am still asleep.”
She giggled into his ear and scooted closer to his warm, naked body. “You’ll be missed at work if you don’t leave soon.”
“They can manage without me.”
“Very well, but I don’t plan on wasting my day in here.”
Barely slipping past his groping hands, Sinclair managed to leave the bed. She heard Lucas mumbling his protests from the bed. Ignoring him, she went to her room to change.
Once she was dressed she returned to the room to find that he had used the time to dress himself in a fresh gray suit. Smiling at her handsome husband, Sinclair waited for him to notice her leaning against the doorframe.
“I was hoping you might invite your grandparents to dinner tonight,” he said, winking at her in the mirror, “I think it is time for them to see how happy their granddaughter is.”
“Will you be able to arrive on time?”
“I would not dream of being late, madam.”
He planted a gentle kiss on her forehead as he passed her in the doorway. The scent of him continued to linger in the air even after he was gone, reminding her that he had been there. She stood against the door frame, sniffing the air until nothing was left to smell, then she went in search of Charlotte.
She found her friend sitting in the garden, perched on a bench with a book in her hand. The warm sunny day was perfect for such a setting. “I wonder why it was so important to Lucas that my grandparents come to dinner tonight?”
“They should have been invited sooner,” she continued, “I was so caught up with things that it slipped my mind.”
“They most likely want to assure themselves that you are happy.”
“Why would they think I was otherwise?”
Charlotte slid her friend a sly glance and a shy smile.
“As I recall you were not pleased when you last left them.”
“Things have change quite a bit since then.”
“Do they know that?”
“I suppose not,” she said with a shrug, “I’m surprised they haven’t stopped by without an invitation.”
“Most people would see that as being discourteous,” Sinclair chuckled.
Frederick entered the garden at that moment, carrying a tray with two glasses of lemonade on it. For a moment it seemed as if he was surprised to see her standing there. His thin, dark eyebrows raised slightly as she took one of the glasses offered.
“I hadn’t noticed you were awake, Ma’am.” Frederick watched her sip the tart lemonade.
“I just slipped out here a moment ago to speak with Charlotte,” she replied, “We have a lot to prepare before dinner this evening.”
“Is there something special planned for this evening, Ma’am.”
“My grandparents will be here, so everything must be in order.”
“Of course, Ma’am.”
He looked at Charlotte for a moment then smiled in his usual manner. Sinclair couldn’t recall seeing such a look on her friend before. It made him appear younger than his nine and twenty years.
“Frederick, I have asked you repeatedly not to be so formal with me,” Sinclair said, “I wish you would just speak to me like a friend.”
“That would be highly inappropriate, Ma’am.”
“Most of what I do is seen as inappropriate.”
The butler and her friend looked at each other before bursting out into laughter. Sinclair tried to keep her face looking serious but the humor was contagious and soon she was doubled over as well.
“Frederick, I fear it is best to just give in to her,” Charlotte said between gulps of laughter, “She will not let you rest until she has won.”
“Very well, I will try to call you by your given name, but only when no one can hear.”
“Fine,” she said with a sigh, “At least that is something.”
Frederick chuckled still when he left the garden. Sinclair was glad to see him in such high spirits. It seemed everyone was in a more cheerful mood these days.
“Charlotte, can we talk as friends?”
“I certainly hope so, since I regard you as my closest friend.”
“Married life has been more of a challenge than I expected.”
“You certainly seem to be enjoying it,” said Charlotte, a slight smile on her face, “You have a lovely color in your cheeks.”
“That’s just my skin reacting to the sun.”
The smile Charlotte gave her showed that she didn’t believe a word. Sinclair felt relieved to have someone she could talk to about her ever changing relationship with Lucas. It made her head spin thinking about it on her own.
“I am glad to see that you are happy with my brother,” said Charlotte, “I do enjoy having you as a sister.”
“I think that I was wrong in my reluctance to marry.”
“You are admitting you were wrong?”
“Only to you,” she said, “I would never admit such a thing to Lucas.”
Charlotte laughed, but Sinclair could only manage a thin smile.
“Charlotte, I need some advice.”
“Of course.”
“I didn’t have much confidence in the success of this marriage in the beginning,” she continued, “But things have changed and now I’m not sure what to do.”
“A situation you cannot find your way out of?”
Sinclair knew Charlotte mocked her, but with affection. Looking back, she knew she had been a bit over confident when she appeared in London society. She had always been so sure of her own abilities. That was probably why it was so difficult for her now to admit she was lost.
“I just don’t know how to tell him of my feelings without frightening him.”
“My brother does not trust emotions,” said Charlotte, her voice barely a whisper, “I imagine it was yet another lesson he learned from our parents.”
“What were your parents like?”
The question slipped out before Sinclair could stop it. Charlotte’s eyes wandered around the garden. Her smile was gone, her lips now pressed tightly together. She talked without looking back at Sinclair, instead gazing in the other direction.
“Our mother had been best friends with your mother before she left for America.”
“I saw them in a picture.”
“They were inseparable,” her friend smiled, “My mother thought she was wonderful.”
Charlotte paused here to take a fractured breath. Sinclair saw the warm red color brighten in her cheeks, but her eyes were unreadable.
“Even after she left, my mother would receive letters from America, asking her to leave London.”
“Did she want to leave?”
“From what I have heard, my mother hated London.”
“Why didn’t she join my mother?”
“At the end of the season she had booked passage to America, but before her ship sailed she met the earl,” Charlotte voice was barely loud enough to hear, “Her and my father fell in love quickly and married.”
“Were they really in love?”
“Yes, though you would not know it to look at them.”
“How so?”
“They were rumored to be passionate, but reckless in their treatment of each other.”