by Wendy Vella
“As long as it is not overly taxing, I shall answer it,” he said, taking her other hand and removing that glove too.
“Dev, someone shall see us!” Lilly gasped as he kissed each of the fingers he had exposed.
Standing, he wrenched the curtains closed and then reseated himself. She had kissed him at Temple Street and that brief taste had stayed with him as he drank tea and politely answered questions. He had watched her nibble on a scone and remembered the feel of those lush lips on him. The visions he had tried to push from his head of their lovemaking had risen, and now he wanted her with a need that overrode everything else. He would have her or go mad.
“What are you doing?”
Ignoring her question, he slid his hands under her skirts, pushing them up her thighs. He then picked her up and lowered her to straddle his lap.
“This is your fault,” he said, taking off her bonnet and flinging it across the carriage. “You kissed me, and behaved in a thoroughly inappropriate manner, and now I can't stop thinking about you naked.”
“Devon!”
She was shocked silent, which gave him time to start on the buttons of her dress. He managed several before the need to touch her overwhelmed him, and he slipped his hand inside her bodice and cupped the soft, full flesh of one breast through her chemise.
“Oh lord, that is wonderful.”
“I'm not stopping,” Dev growled, tugging more buttons free. He then had her breasts exposed. “You have beautiful breasts, Lilly. Your nipples are like raspberries, begging for me to bite into them.”
“Yes, please.” Her head fell back as his mouth closed over her and he began to lave the tight peak with his tongue.
Dev had a reputation for being thorough. He prided himself on missing nothing, so he lavished each and every inch of her breasts with the same attention, until she was whimpering and begging him to take her.
“Had I known these were beneath your evening gowns, I would have made more of an effort two years ago,” he said, his hands now replacing his lips to stroke and caress the silken skin once more. “I would have taken you into the nearest room…,” Dev rasped as she arched toward him.
“Be quiet and kiss me!” Lilly cried, pushing him back on the seat and pressing her lips to his. She was as desperate as he to taste and touch. Her hands were everywhere. Pushing aside his jacket, she opened his buttons and stroked his chest.
Clamping one hand on her neck, Dev wrapped the other around her waist and hauled her close until nothing separated them. Teeth clashed and noses banged as they ravished each other. They were desperate, no longer aware of where they were, only that the fire inside them needed to be extinguished.
Dev cupped her ankles and then traced the contours of her legs as he moved his hands higher. He ran his fingers around the band at the top of her silk stockings before moving higher until he reached her bottom. Tracing the creamy swells, Dev shuddered as Lilly wriggled against him, the friction almost painful.
She forced her hands between them and tried to undo the buttons of his breeches.
“Help me, damn you!”
“Ask me nicely,” Dev whispered against her breasts, his warm breath brushing over the sensitive skin.
“Pleasseee.”
Ripping open the buttons, Dev clamped his hands on her hips and lifted her, lowering her onto his aching length. Both moaned as Lilly took him deep inside her.
“Yes, love,” Dev whispered. “Ride me.”
Lilly braced her hands on his shoulder as she rose and lowered. The friction was exquisite.
“Don't stop; you feel like heaven, Lilly.”
She did it again and again, each slide and thrust driving him to the point of madness. Gripping her hips, he drove up as she came down.
“Dev!”
Swallowing her cries, he kissed her hard and took over, pulling her down harder with each thrust until the only sound in the carriage was ragged breathing. Lowering his head, he took one swollen nipple into his mouth and sucked hard, and Lilly fell apart in his arms. She clenched around him as he drove upward once more. Biting back the hoarse cry that came to his lips, he grunted, pouring himself into her as she slumped forward onto him.
Lilly lay her head on his chest, one hand fisted in his shirt as she struggled to regain her composure. Slowly sounds started to make themselves heard once more. The rumble of carriage wheels, the clip-clop of hooves, and people making their way around the park. She should be horrified; Lilly had never behaved so rashly in her life. To make love with Dev in a carriage with people a few feet away…. She should be shocked and horrified; instead, she was sated and ridiculously happy. One of his hands cupped her head, the gesture protective, while the other swept slow circles over her back.
“When can we marry?”
She felt his smile in her hair.
“If you are agreeable, we shall leave at the completion of the season and marry on Raven Mountain in James's church.”
“Yes, I like that idea. I do not want lots of people, just our families.”
Dev rubbed one of her curls between his fingers.
“It sounds perfect to me.”
Giving the curl a tug, he kissed her hard as she looked up at him.
“I like you naked and at my mercy.” Lilly shivered as Devon traced the curve of her breast. Pushing herself off him, she took the handkerchief he handed her and moved to the opposite seat. Her large fiancé remained relaxed; his body sprawled across from her.
“When we are wed, I may tie you to my bed and keep you naked from dawn till dusk, wench.”
“You could try,” Lilly said, reaching for her chemise.
“You'd probably just chew through the ropes,” he said, rousing himself to right his own clothing and then help her do up her buttons.
Between them, they got her clothed and then he opened the curtains. Lifting the hatch above his head, he told the driver to take them back to James's house. Sitting beside her, he took her hand, entwining their fingers, and Lilly felt that little shiver of heat that touching him always produced inside her.
“How will we find who is behind all this, Devon?”
“After reading that note, I am going to hire a Runner and a private detective. If we continue probing it will make whoever is responsible all the more eager to stop us, so we must act secretly.”
“I like that idea, and reiterate my promise that I shall not take any unnecessary risks.”
Seeing something fierce flit across his face, Lilly lifted a hand and touched his cheek. “I love you so much, Devonshire Sinclair, and promise to do nothing to separate us ever.”
“And I you, my love, and I will be ensuring that happens.”
They drove in silence for a while, content to be alone together as the city of London moved around them.
“I know you have acquired this new property for your children down at the docks, Lilly, and I was hoping you would ask Nicholas to look after the changes you want made there.”
“Do you think he would?” Lilly asked. It would do no good to insist she see to the changes; Devon had not pushed for them to leave London, and for that she was grateful. However, she had no wish to antagonize him now she had what she wanted.
“I don't see why not. He is a changed man, Lilly, and eager to show you the difference in him. Now he knows about your children, he may wish to have some involvement.”
Lilly thought about that. It was hard to think of her brother in the terms Devon spoke, even though she had acknowledged those changes herself today.
“I understand that you are struggling to accept that he is different, love. I too struggle with it, yet Cambridge saw two of the men he once gambled with cut Nicholas last night at the Hadleigh musical. He then heard insults and murmurs about him, spoken just loud enough for your brother to hear.”
“Cambridge stayed with him?” Lilly said, feeling ill at what Nicholas had gone through, but relieved he had not done so alone.
“My brother may be many things, but he is honorable and stayed with
Nicholas until he left.”
“Considering what he did to Cam, it was very generous indeed. I am pleased he had someone to look over him.”
“As do you, love. A fact that I'm sure, given time, will make you want to run screaming from the house; however, never forget they mean well,” Dev said, squeezing her hand.
“I think once I get used to it, having a large family will be a wonderful thing.”
“It has its moments.” He smiled at her. “The Selkirk ball is in two nights, love.”
Lilly looked out the window as a carriage passed close by. She had not entered society since the night of her abduction and was not sure she was ready to yet.
“If it affected just you and me, Lilly, then I would be more than happy to snub society,” Devon said, understanding her thoughts even though she had not voiced them. “Yet James and I have siblings who will make their debuts one day, plus Essie, Cam, and your brother still walk among society. We need to make an appearance to halt the wagging tongues.”
Lilly's sigh was long and loud. “I suppose we must, when you put it that way.”
“Cheer up, love, you will be surrounded by family,” Dev said, lifting her hand once more to his lips. “I have only one thing to ask of you, my sweet.”
“Anything,” she said, because she would do it if it were in her power. She'd reach up and grab the moon for him if she could.
“Will you dress as you have today, and let society really see the woman you are? Will you leave off your glasses and wear something that does not upset my stomach, and leave the wild animals and small woodland creatures from your hair?”
Chapter Twenty-Five
“Mr. Spriggot and Mr. Brown have arrived, my lord.”
“Thank you, Pennyroll,” Dev said, ushering Lilly to the stairs. “Are they in my uncle's study?”
“Yes, my lord. The Duke and Mr. Sinclair are at present with him.”
“Of course they are,” Dev muttered, taking the stairs two at a time and dragging Lilly behind him.
Devon had taken Lilly driving in the park. She suspected this was to keep her busy, so she did not go off on her own, but she did protest. Three days after she had received that letter, she was still looking over her shoulder wherever she went.
“They could not simply have waited until I arrived.”
Lilly had noticed that only his siblings could make Devonshire Sinclair surly. For the most he was a pleasant, affable man—to those who did not know him well. To the rest, his family and her, he was demanding, officious, and she loved every inch of him, because his behavior stemmed from the need to keep his people safe. She had no doubt if he could get away with it, he would take them all to an island somewhere and set the boat adrift.
They heard the rumble of voices as they reached the room. Dev flung the door open and towed Lilly inside. James and Cam were seated beside each other, and two other men sat opposite.
“Good afternoon, Lord Sinclair.”
“Mr. Spriggot,” Dev said, pushing Lilly into a chair. “This is my fiancée, Miss Braithwaite.”
“Miss Braithwaite,” the detective said, gaining his feet and bowing, which caused a few strands of hair on his head to slip their moorings and dangle down the side of his face momentarily, until he swept them back into place with a gesture Lilly was sure he had made many times.
“Mr. Spriggot.” Lilly nodded to the innocuous-looking man. Small and thin, he was dwarfed by the men around him.
“And this is Mr. Brown,” Dev said, shaking hands with the other man.
“Mr. Brown,” Lilly said, nodding to him. He had hands bigger than ham hocks and a large bald head and blunt features. “Hello, James and Cam,” she added. Dev acknowledged them with a curt nod and then prowled to the fireplace.
“Did you enjoy your drive, Lilly?”
“Yes, thank you, Cam.”
“Perhaps you could begin at the beginning, Miss Braithwaite. His Grace and Mr. Sinclair have told me some of what has transpired, but perhaps you could fill in the gaps, as it is you who are the intended target.”
Lilly watched Dev's shoulders stiffen. His eyes had narrowed and were focused intently on the man. He had not liked being reminded of her abduction. Gone was her amiable fiancé, and in his place was the ruthless lord she knew he could be.
“It began when I was told the children were being taken.” Lilly told the two men everything she knew, and then answered each and every question they politely asked of her.
“Tea, Lord Sinclair.”
“Thank you, Pennyroll, and please bring the brandy also,” Cam said. It seemed he had also noted the tension in his brother.
“You have been very clear with your details, Miss Braithwaite, and Mr. Brown and I thank you for that,” Mr. Spriggot said, waving away the brandy Cam tried to hand him and instead nodding to the teapot. Lilly picked it up and poured him a cup.
“I shall start on my enquiries at once, and I believe Mr. Brown has an associate that he will station at Temple Street. Is that not so, Mr. Brown?”
“Indeed it is. He's a good man and I shall take him there immediately after I leave here, if that is all right with you, Lord Sinclair?”
Devon looked to Lilly. “Will that suit you?”
“Yes, that will be excellent, thank you,” she said, giving Dev a small smile to acknowledge he had asked her advice instead of just confirming Mr. Brown's words.
“If I may add to what we have already discussed,” Devon said, “this note was waiting for Lilly when she reached Temple Street three days ago, when she went to see the fire.”
Silence settled heavily in the room as each man read the words.
James growled, Cam hissed. Mr. Spriggot and Mr. Brown regained their feet.
“Well then, this note would suggest we must move with some expediency. We shall say good day to you all,” Mr. Spriggot said, bowing.
Pennyroll appeared to escort the two men out.
“It's a smoky business, this abducting children and then you, Lilly,” Cam said, busy placing two small triangle sandwiches on top of each other before jamming the lot in his mouth.
“Must you continually cram food into that great cavernous hole, Cambridge?” Dev growled.
Rehashing the entire incident had unsettled him, Lilly thought, watching Dev glare at his brother.
“I'm a growing lad,” Cam said around the food, then, swallowing, he offered his brother a smile. “And as it is our uncle's food, it need not concern you how much of it I eat.”
Lilly smiled into her teacup as James joined the Sinclair brothers in their arguing. It seemed they all needed to release some tension. She wondered if her cousin realized that it was now second nature to him to get involved, when before he would have watched in bemused wonder as she did.
“Oh lord, look at the time.”
“What's the problem, Raven? It is only two in the afternoon. Did you miss your nap perhaps?” Devon taunted him.
James gave him a foul look before speaking. “No, I forgot that we,” he said, sweeping his hand around the room, “are meant to be taking the children to Mr. Rolland's Circus of Strange and Ridiculous Curiosities in precisely forty minutes.”
“I say, are we?” Cam said, leaping to his feet. “I saw the advertisement for that in the paper. It looks exciting.”
“You're twenty-eight years old, man. How can you possibly be excited about a show that features a bearded lady and a mermaid?” James looked disgusted.
“I live life to the full and embrace every new opportunity, James, so I can remain unjaded, unlike you and my brother here.”
James merely raised an eyebrow and then looked at Dev. “I would rather be classed as jaded, wouldn't you, Sinclair, than imbecilic.”
“Amen to that,” Dev vowed.
“That's very harsh criticism of Cam,” Lilly said, climbing to her feet and slipping her arm through her soon-to-be brother-in-law's. “I think your enthusiasm is wonderful.”
“Wonderful? Well, in that case, you can a
ccompany us and be enthusiastic when the children run their sticky fingers all over you,” Dev said, pushing off the mantle to come toward her. “They will be taking some homemade sweets with them that my aunt's cook has made especially for the occasion.”
“I don't think—”
“Escape is impossible, I'm afraid,” Dev said, planting a kiss on her lips as he passed.
“But I need—”
“To gather your things, as we leave in precisely in twenty minutes,” James said, patting her head as he also headed for the door.
“Wrap up warm, Lilly, there is definitely a nip in the air,” Cam said, giving her arm a squeezed before he too left the room. She stood there for several seconds just enjoying the feeling of being wanted and loved, of having family, and then with a silly giggle she hurried from the room to find Essex. As she had nothing to wrap up warm in she would need to borrow something from her soon-to-be sister-in-law. She also would need to send her Aunt Vi and Nicholas word of where she was going.
How had she lived for so long without these people to fill her life?
Chapter Twenty-Six
“We have sweets, Lilly.”
Dev smiled down into the eager face of his sister as she talked to the woman at his side.
“Yes, your brother told me about them, and I'm hoping you will see your way to letting me sample one as I have not eaten a lot of sweets before.”
They were standing outside the small wooden building that housed the revolving cinema, along with the rest of the people wanting to get inside out of the cold. It was a new experience for Lilly, coming here with the entire Raven/Sinclair family, but she appeared to be handling the situation well.
Wrapped up in a long emerald coat of Essie's, she looked young and beautiful, and she was his.
“They are so sweet they make your tongue curl, Mrs. Maricold says.”
“Marigold, darling,” Eden said, pulling Warwick's woolen hat down to cover his ears.
“And she says that Pennyroll has the record of eating more than ten pieces in one night.”
“Pennyroll is obviously a man of hidden talents,” Lilly said.