by Dawn Brower
“No clues?” he asked.
“You didn’t want rules, remember?” She couldn’t help teasing him. “No clues are the consequences. You do recognize that some things have ramifications that are inescapable, don’t you?”
He chuckled softly, and it did odd things to her belly. A flutter filled her and sent sensations throughout her entire body. This man affected her in ways she could never have imagined. “I like you,” he told her. “And some activities are worth the risk.”
“And some consequences are more than a man wishes to face.” She didn’t know how far she was willing to take this interlude. Did she want to be with him in every way possible, or was it enough to have a kiss, a touch, maybe a little more than that? What would it be like to be completely filled by him? Would the marital act, without the benefits of matrimony, be enough to make her feel as if she’d had everything or would it make her feel even emptier inside? These were things she should have asked herself sooner, not now when she might get far more than she had bargained for. “How far do you expect this game to go?”
“As far as we both wish it to, no more,” he answered smoothly. Darling sighed. “But, for now, we’re discussing flowers, and to be more specific, your favorite.”
Amelia swallowed hard. It was time to regain some semblance of control. He was here, and that had to be enough. “What’s your guess?” This interlude might end far sooner than she wanted it to, but she would enjoy it for as long as she could.
“Since you already stated roses are not your favorite, and that would be my first guess...” He tapped his chin with his forefinger. “I am going to guess you prefer something most ladies would consider simple, maybe even inferior.”
He was fishing, and Amelia would not aid him in his expedition. “All flowers are lovely in their own way. I don’t believe in singling any out and making them less than they are.” This was fun. Amelia rarely found such enjoyment at balls. Perhaps it was the masquerade or having all of Darling’s attention. Either way, it was a nice ending to a decade long failure at finding a husband.
“How diplomatic of you.” There was humor in his tone as he spoke. He played with a strand of her hair that had fallen loose. “You’re right, of course. Much like women, all flowers have their own appeal and beauty. I would say you are a rose. Elegant, lovely, and perfectly presented to the world.” He twisted the strand in his fingers. “But that’s not who you really are deep inside, is it?” Darling tucked the strand behind her ear. “You’re a daisy. Wholesome and hardy, with a deep sense of beauty no one could tarnish. That’s your favorite, isn’t it? My sweet, sweet daisy.”
She gasped, shocked by his insight. How could he have plucked that so easily out of nowhere? He didn’t truly know her. There was no way he should have guessed her favorite flower. “I never claimed to be sweet.” Amelia wasn’t ready to admit that he was right. She wanted this tête-à-tête to last as long as possible. After she moved to her seaside cottage, she’d likely never see him again.
“There’s a way to discover exactly how sweet you are,” he teased. “But first, tell me if I’m correct.”
Amelia considered carefully how to answer him. Once she admitted he had guessed accurately, their game would end. Would he lose interest or find some way to extend their time together? She had to take a chance, and she prayed she chose wisely. “I’m more interested in how you expect to ascertain my sweetness.”
Darling met her gaze and lifted his lips into a bold smile. “I’m going to assume I guessed right then.” He pulled her into his arms without hesitation. “And you owe me a waltz.”
Her heart thundered in her chest. “I admit nothing.”
“You don’t need to,” he told her, then leaned down. “Some things do not need to be said to be true.” He pressed his lips to hers, and Amelia forgot anything else she wished to say.
Grant had not expected to find a treasure on the balcony. This woman’s identity was a mystery, but he knew one thing with certainty. He wanted her. She tantalized him and made him feel things he thought long dead inside. He had given up finding a woman that he thought was worth his time. They all threw themselves at him and hoped he’d drop to his knees and beg them to be his duchess. The sheer audacity of the ladies in society had soured his outlook toward matrimony years ago.
None of them would do...
This woman was made for him. He didn’t know how he hadn’t found her before this moment, but he didn’t question his good luck. She engaged his wits and stirred his desire. The kiss had set him afire, and he’d done nothing more than graze her lips with his. Grant had yet to truly taste her. She moaned, and he took advantage of her need for more. He pushed his tongue inside her mouth and savored her. She was sweet and so much more than that. Grant pulled her flush against him. He hardened as she slid over him. It would be so easy to lift her skirts and slide inside her heat. There was nothing he wanted more, but he held back. She was not a woman to be used.
She was meant to be his duchess...
He pulled back as that thought became firm inside his mind. His mother wanted him to marry, and why not this woman? She was everything he’d been searching for, and his mother would finally leave him alone. Once he married the delectable woman before him, he could have her as often as he liked, and he suspected it would be several times a day.
Grant could have her...
Did she know who he was? A part of him was afraid to ask. It would ruin how he saw her if she had known all along. His title had many benefits, and most ladies wanted him for that alone. He wanted something more than a woman who saw him as only a way to rise above their station. Grant hoped the woman he eventually married wanted him more than his title.
He stared down at the woman before him. Her lips were plump from their kisses. She slid her tongue across her lips, and he nearly groaned. Desire shot through him like hot spikes. “Don’t,” he said in a husky tone.
“Don’t what?” she asked, innocence in her voice.
Grant didn’t doubt she’d never been touched. Her kiss had been tentative, but accepting. He found it refreshing. “Don’t tempt me.” God help him, he was going to take a step back. She had become far too important to him.
“I didn’t realize I had been.” She sounded confused. “Why did you stop?”
Because he had been mere seconds away from ravishing her, and she deserved more than that. Instead of answering her, he pulled her into his arms. “I think it is time for our waltz.” Grant could hold her and not take advantage of her. He hoped...
“Without music?” she asked.
“There is music,” he insisted. “Close your eyes and listen.” Grant moved them around the balcony, the steps of the waltz as easy as breathing. “Do you hear the birds chirping, the wind whistling, and the beat of our hearts?” His mouth was near her ear as he spoke. “That’s all the melody we need.”
She sighed and laid her head on his shoulder. Grant was momentarily taken aback. She seemed at ease with him, as if she trusted him entirely. He couldn’t fathom why. Grant wasn’t known for abstaining in any pleasurable pursuit. He may not understand her faith in him, but he liked it.
“This is nice,” she said in a pleasant tone. “And not at all what I expected tonight.”
“What did you anticipate for the masquerade?” His tone was neutral, but his heart skipped a beat. Had she planned to meet him? Grant shook that thought away. How could she have? He hadn’t known he would escape to the private balcony. She couldn’t have schemed her way out there to corner him.
She stepped back and shrugged. “I had hoped it would be a lovely evening. This is much more than that.” She tilted her head to the side, and it occurred to him he should inquire what her name was. “Don’t you think it’s been more, or am I feeling something you are not?”
Her uncertainty bothered him. Grant hated that he made her question anything that had occurred between them. “You’re not wrong,” he said simply. He wasn’t ready to examine his feelings too closely yet
. When he was alone, he’d decipher what he wished to do. He wanted to know more of her, court her properly, and then at the end of all that...marry her. But it was too soon to bring up that topic. Especially since they had yet to be introduced. “What is your name?”
She froze, then slowly met his gaze. “You don’t know who I am?” She sighed. “I suppose it might be better this way.”
He frowned. Grant didn’t like that she believed that. “I don’t follow your logic. How are we to find each other with nothing to guide us?”
She chuckled. “I wouldn’t say we had nothing.” Her lips tilted upward. “You do know my favorite flower.”
“That’s not enough.” He wanted far more than that, and damn it, he would have it. “You don’t know who I am, do you?”
He had to be sure. Grant didn’t believe she did, or she wouldn’t be so fast to dismiss their connection. He liked that she wasn’t throwing herself at him because he was a duke, but he found her dismissal also frustrating. He had never considered the flip side of his particular dilemma.
“Should I?” she countered.
“Yes,” he said. “I want to see you again”
She glanced away from him and toward the door leading to the ball. Was she planning on leaving him? He couldn’t allow that. “I think it is best we end on good terms. You might not like me in the light of day.” She turned toward him and met his gaze. “No one notices me. Why would you make an effort now?”
A bell rung. It was midnight and the time for unmasking. Good. He could finally be done with mystery and see her entire face. That would help with her identity. Instead of taking off her mask, she slid through the balcony doors. He rushed after her, but she disappeared into the crowd. Grant cursed. Who the blazes was she, and how had he never noticed her before? He would find her and make her realize he was different. She didn’t have as much faith in him as he’d believed earlier, but she would. They were destined to be together. He would convince her of that.
Chapter 4
Grant considered leaving the masquerade to search for his mystery lady, but decided against it. What if she was still there? Even if she had departed the ball, he wouldn’t be able to locate her by leaving. He knew next to nothing about her. How was he supposed to locate her with the information he had obtained from her? There were a lot of ladies that liked daisies and were not related to the Neverhartts or the Duke of Graystone.
He would stay, at least long enough to ascertain if she had indeed left or not. Grant wandered around the ballroom, trying to find her. Everyone had removed their masks, so that should have made it easier. It didn’t. The music stopped, and the murmur of voices echoed around him. There was a commotion near the musicians. The guests turned toward the stage.
“Attention, attention,” a woman called out.
That voice sounded familiar. Grant froze and turned slowly toward the stage. His mother was there with the musicians. What the hell was she doing? An uneasy feeling settled over him. Whatever his mother had planned, it couldn’t be good.
“Wonderful,” his mother said. “I’m so glad that you all are listening so intently. I promise your patience will not be for nothing. I have an announcement to make, and many of you will find it quite intriguing.”
She had a satisfied smile on her face. Dread plummeted through Grant. He moved toward the nearest exit. As much as he would like to know what game his mother was playing, it would be far better for him to disappear.
“Where is my son?” Her voice ricocheted through the room. Grant closed his eyes and silently prayed for something to save him from his mother’s scheming. “The Duke of Darling for those of you foolishly unaware of who I’m speaking about.”
“He’s near the door,” a man yelled. “I think he’s leaving.”
Grant turned around and met the man’s gaze. It was the Viscount Carrolton. Bloody bastard. The viscount had an intense dislike for Grant ever since he’d dared to dance with Carrolton’s wife-to-be at the time. Lady Carrolton was one on the Neverhartt clan, and Grant had found her appealing. But that had been a decade ago. She had chosen the viscount, and Grant had been all right with her decision. At the time he hadn’t really been looking for his duchess anyway, but the viscount should let the animosity go already. While Grant had seduced a widow, or the occasional married woman, he never stood a chance with Lady Carrolton. She adored her husband and didn’t spare any other man a second glance. Grant would never waste his time trying to lure her to his bed.
He glared at Carrolton and kept moving toward the door.
“Don’t you leave,” his mother ordered.
Grant glanced at her. That smile...it terrified him. She looked so damn satisfied with herself... He should go and ruin whatever enjoyment his mother gained from her little show. Grant was so close to the door now. All he had to do was take a couple more steps and he would be free. He still might, but he would stay for a moment longer. It might help to hear what his mother had to say.
His mother lifted her chin proudly. “It is time my son married, and as he has yet to present a potential bride to me or society, I believe it is time that I help him choose one.”
Good God...he should have left.
“To aid him in his search, I give all the eligible ladies a task,” she began, then met Grant’s gaze and held it as she said her next words. “Trap him, and I will ensure he meets you at the altar.”
Grant cursed. She had ensured that Grant could never attend any social gathering in polite society as long as he remained an unmarried man. There would be no unattached lady not vying for the position as his duchess. What the hell had she been thinking? Grant had no choice...he had to run.
There would be no finding his mystery lady. At least not any time soon. His season had effectively ended, and he couldn’t be certain when he could return to London again. He slipped out of the ballroom, then ran out of the house. Luckily his carriage was nearby, and not blocked by anything. “Go,” he ordered the coachman. “Take me home, but do not take the carriage to the stable…remain near the front entrance. I won’t be long, and then we’re leaving London.”
When they reached his townhouse, he hopped out of the carriage and bolted inside. He rushed up to his bedchamber and quickly packed. There was no time to ask his valet to pack for him, or even tell his valet that he was leaving. The man was in bed for the evening. Grant never had him assist him when he returned late. After he had everything packed, he carried his trunk out to the carriage himself. He swore under his breath. This all should not have been necessary.
The coachman stepped down and helped Grant tie the trunk to the carriage. “I can finish, Your Grace.”
Grant nodded. “We’re heading to my friend’s manor in Rochford.” Perhaps some time in the county of Essex would be enough distance to help him escape his mother’s plans. It would take him a few days to reach his destination. Grant had to keep moving, though. His fear was that his mother’s announcement might follow him. He had to keep to himself as much as possible. Even several days’ ride from London... He did not wish to marry a woman he would grow to hate. If one of them tried to trap him, he would not be able to stomach such a lady as his wife. If only he knew his mystery lady’s identity. He would go to her and beg her to marry him. He prayed that she wouldn’t be so difficult to find. Grant wanted her to be his duchess, and only she would do.
Amelia hadn’t stayed at the ball. She had wanted more time with the Duke of Darling, but after the bell rang to remove their masks, she realized she couldn’t stay. Once she removed her mask and he recognized her, it would ruin everything. It would be worse if he didn’t realize who she was, though. She feared that he would either be disgusted with who she was, or that she’d be disappointed he didn’t know her at all. She was such a mess...
Now, the next morning, she doubted her decision to flee. Why had she been so afraid? What did she have to lose? If he hadn’t liked her after the mask was removed, her position wouldn’t have changed. She would still be alone, as sh
e was now. She placed her head in her hands and groaned. There was no going back now. Her decision had been made, and she had to live with it. Regrets wouldn’t help her, and she couldn’t let them control her.
She stood and walked over to the window. There was no sunshine today to lighten her mood. She couldn’t go out and walk in the garden and enjoy the flowers. Rain and gloom greeted her instead. In two days, she would travel to her seaside cottage, and then she would be able to walk on the beach and enjoy the water. Amelia had to content herself with that. It was all she had now. Her interlude with the duke had been pleasant. It hadn’t gone exactly as she had planned, but it was still wonderful, and she’d carry the memory always. It would have to be enough. Even if she craved far more than that.
“You don’t look happy,” Teddy said as she walked into the sitting room.
“I don’t like the rain.” Her voice was devoid of emotion. She couldn’t help the sadness that permeated inside of her. The rain only served to make it inherently worse.
“I don’t believe I know of a single person who actually likes it,” Teddy replied dryly. “Did you have plans that the rain is preventing you from enjoying?”
She shook her head and sighed. “No, nothing in particular. I had hoped for a walk.”
Teddy smiled. “A walk would be nice.” She sat down on the settee and patted the seat beside her. “But I have something I know you will love to hear.”
Amelia took a deep breath and walked over to the settee. She doubted whatever gossip Teddy had to share would brighten her mood; however, she was willing to humor her sister-in-law. She sat down and faced her. “Do tell. What wondrous news do you have to share?”
Teddy’s face lit up with excitement. “Do you recall the Duke of Darling?”
The duke... Amelia froze. Did they know about her time with him on the balcony? How could they have possibly discovered them? She had not seen anyone when she had fled from him. What if someone had been there, and she hadn’t noticed them? Dread filled her. “I do,” she intoned.