She rubbed her hands over his forearms. “Just do it quickly, then.”
With one thrust, he broke through the barrier. A shaft of pain ran through her, and after a moment of stillness she wiggled to try to accommodate him. He held still and gave her time to adjust. After a moment, he began to move again, reigniting the fire within her and pushing the pain to the periphery. He moved faster, gliding back and forth within her. She dug her fingernails into his back, pressing him closer, reaching for her release. It came in waves, washing over her, making her hold him tight, afraid to lose the sensation.
He sighed laid his head next to hers. She never wanted to move again, but they did have to return to the ball.
“I’m not sure I have the strength to move,” Duncan said.
“Well you’ll have to, because you are quite heavy.”
He laughed and shifted his weight onto his elbows, then kissed her nose. “You are an amazing woman, my little wren.”
She sat up and shot him a smile while reaching for her stays, surprised by how comfortable she already was around him. “You aren’t all that bad yourself.”
He moved behind her to lace up her stays and tie her gown, then quickly dressed himself. Then he pulled her roughly to him and kissed her thoroughly. “Go now before I ravish you again.” He turned her to the door and gave her a push. “I’ll follow along in a few minutes.”
She looked over her shoulder at him, needing one more glance before she left to confirm that this hadn’t been a dream. No matter what happened, her life would never be the same after this night.
Chapter Nine
Duncan grinned as he locked the door behind Madalene. He had known there was a bold side to her, but he’d never expected anything like that experience. She had been so responsive, and they fit so well together in every way, as if she had been created just for him. Though he ought to be ashamed of himself for taking advantage of her, he had no regrets. Never in his life had he been left that satisfied with anything. She was his and he was going to marry her, so there wasn’t much to be sorry for. He was certain she would win over the girls as she had him, and he found himself hoping the evening’s activities might result in a child of their own, a thought which would have horrified him just a few weeks ago.
Though he hadn’t noticed his surroundings earlier as he had only had eyes for Madalene, the flowered, pink wallpaper and frilly decoration of Lady Seabrook’s sitting room was suffocating, so he decided he had waited long enough to go back to the ballroom.
After a quick trip down the corridor, he immediately spotted Madalene standing with her mother and Lady Anne to the side of the ballroom. The two younger ladies were engaged in an animated conversation, but Madalene colored when she saw him and bit her lip as he approached. Something stirred inside him. He wanted her all over again. Searching for something to divert his thoughts, he remembered that he hadn’t yet danced with Lady Anne. It was bad form for him not to dance with her at her own ball.
He squeezed Madalene’s hand, then turned to her friend. “Lady Anne, I fear I am remiss in claiming my dance with you this evening.”
“And here I thought you only had eyes for Madalene.”
“Yes, well, that is true, but I can still enjoy a dance with a pretty lady.” He held out his arm and she took it. When they reached the center of the room, they waited for two more couples to join their quartet for the quadrille.
“Whatever have you done to Madalene, my lord? I’ve never seen her so happy and glowing.”
Duncan’s words caught in his throat and he coughed to cover his choking sounds. Though he knew she spoke in jest, Anne had no idea how close to the truth she was. “I’m sure I have no idea to what you refer, Lady Anne.”
She winked at him, and thankfully let the subject drop. As they danced the quadrille, he found his mind wandering back to Madalene. It was a relief when the set ended so he could stop his inane chatter about the weather and other asinine topics. Unfortunately, once he had delivered Anne to her mother, he discovered that Gilmanton had joined his wife and daughter. The feral gleam in his eyes did not bode well.
“Lady Anne, it was a pleasure.” He took his leave and strode over to where Madalene stood, ready to defend her if needed. Gilmanton had no way of knowing what had transpired between them.
“You seem to have bewitched my daughter, Alstead. She has asked for us to set a wedding date.”
Duncan shot Madalene a smile, but her focus was aimed toward the floor. Gilmanton rocked back and forth on his feet, clearly excited about something.
“However, before we can proceed with the wedding plans, there is a matter we must attend to. I insist that you sign over to me the land that your grandfather stole from Gilmanton Place.”
Lady Gilmanton colored. “My lord,” she whispered loudly, “this is not the place for this discussion.”
He turned and glared at his wife. “This is not a matter that requires your input, Lady Gilmanton.”
The man was too much, issuing a public set down to his own wife over some made up land issue. “My lord, I am afraid I have no knowledge of the matter of which you speak. I believe you are mistaken, but out of respect for you, I will contact my solicitor to confirm.”
His face filled with color. “How dare you question my word, you upstart? I will not allow you to marry my daughter unless you return the land that rightfully belongs to Gilmanton.”
Lady Gilmanton grasped his arm. “My lord, please.”
He turned his ire on Madalene. “How can you be so stupid? He only wants to marry you so he can secure the land.” He ran his fingers through his hair and looked her up and down. “You didn’t think he actually wanted you, did you?”
Madalene was stricken. If anyone but her father had spoken those words, Duncan would have called the man out. He clasped her hand and pulled her with him onto the balcony.
“It can’t be true. It can’t,” she murmured.
He kept walking until they reached a secluded area of the balcony behind a large, flowering tree.
“Madalene, darling, I have no idea of what he speaks.” He held both of her hands in his and met her eyes. “I didn’t even know your father’s estate was near Alstead until he told me when I called to ask for permission to marry you. As I told your father, I have no notion of a dispute over land between Gilmanton and Alstead, but I will contact my solicitor immediately.”
She simply stood there, staring at a point over his shoulder.
He lifted her chin and forced her to meet his eyes. “Do you believe me?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Are you sure?”
She nodded. “It’s just that everyone in the ballroom heard him challenging you. I should have known he would do something to sabotage my happiness.”
“Darling, there is nothing he can do to prevent me from marrying you. If there is any truth to his argument, I will gladly surrender the land to him. You are the only thing that matters to me.”
“Thank you. I’m sorry to cause you so much trouble.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for.” Her hands trembled within his. For one wild moment, he considered taking her to Gretna Green. However, he did not wish to completely alienate her from her family, even given her father’s antics. He needed to send a missive to his solicitor immediately to determine if there was any merit to Gilmanton’s claims. He would sort this out and give Madalene the proper wedding she deserved.
Chapter Ten
Once again, Madalene had been summoned to her father’s study. It had been five days since she had last seen Duncan. Papa had forbidden him from coming to the house until he had the necessary information from his solicitor and was willing to cede the disputed land back to Gilmanton. Though she knew he needed time to study the issue and decide on a course of action, the lack of communication from him was worrisome. Perhaps he had decided her family was too
much trouble and he would be better off finding another lady to wed.
She knocked and entered the study without waiting for Papa to give her permission to enter, then halted abruptly at the sight of Lord Thornbrook and Lord Bakersfield. Ice surged through her veins.
Her father stood. “Come in, my dear.”
She stayed where she was in the doorway.
He raised his brows. “Suit yourself. As they are your most promising prospects, I have invited Lord Thornbrook and Lord Bakersfield to participate in a…well let’s call a spade a spade. A competition for your hand in marriage. Whoever can convince you to marry him wins you.”
“Papa, this is preposterous. I am engaged to Lord Alstead.”
“Ah, but that is where you are wrong. I have rescinded my permission for you to marry him.”
Though her eyes filled with tears, she would not give him the satisfaction of seeing them fall. “Even if that is true, I will never marry either of these men.”
She turned and fled to her bedchamber, where she penned a note to Duncan asking him to call on her immediately. She prayed he was at home. Moving as quickly as possible, she gave the note to a footman and asked him to deliver it immediately. Once she left instructions with Portman that she was to be notified as soon as Duncan arrived, she returned to her chamber to wait. It was the one place neither her father nor her other suitors would dare to seek her out.
As soon as he received Madalene’s missive, Duncan rushed to Gilmanton House. Though he could have used more time to prepare himself for his confrontation with Lord Gilmanton, he had enough information to go forward. He had no intention of losing the disputed land, or more importantly, Madalene.
When he arrived, Duncan was immediately shown to Lord Gilmanton’s study. Oddly enough, Thornbrook and Bakersfield were there as well.
“Lord Gilmanton, I respectfully request a private meeting with you.” After observing his treatment of Madalene, he had long since lost all respect for the man, but this was beyond the pale, expecting him to discuss the details of his betrothal to Madalene in front of these men.
He smiled and gestured at the other men. “Nonsense, I expect it’s best for us to have witnesses.”
The man must be deranged. Nevertheless, he wanted the matter settled so he could marry Madalene immediately and remove her from this house. If Gilmanton wanted witnesses to his scheming, so be it.
“Aren’t you interested in why Lords Thornbrook and Bakersfield are here with us?” Gilmanton asked.
Duncan shrugged. “Not particularly. They have nothing to do with Madalene or your perceived land dispute.”
After leaning against his desk and folding his arms across his chest, he said, “Ah, but that’s where you are wrong. They are both interested in marrying Lady Madalene, should you fail to sign over the land your predecessor’s stole from me.”
Duncan opened his valise and removed the documents his solicitor had given him to prove the disputed land did indeed belong to him. “These are copies of the official deed for Alstead Manor. As you can plainly see, the river and the land surrounding it for more than two acres in each direction belong to Alstead.” There was no dispute except that which was in Gilmanton’s mind. He had been harassing Duncan’s cousin for years over the matter to no avail simply because he wanted access to the river.
Gilmanton took a step forward. “I have similar documents declaring the land and river to be mine.”
Duncan stepped toward him and narrowed his eyes. “If you do, they are a forgery.”
Gilmanton took a menacing step toward him. “How dare you. I should call you out.”
At this point, Duncan almost wanted him to. “We are descending into farce. You know as well as I do that you have no claim to the land.”
“Regardless of your supposed deed to the land in question, if you wish to marry my daughter, you will sign the land over to me.” He strode back behind his desk. “The question is, which is more important to you, the land, or my daughter?”
Duncan could not believe the lengths he was willing to go to get what he wanted. “I hold the deed to the land, and you have already given your consent to the marriage. I will have them both.”
Gilmanton waved him off. “That is no matter. I will rescind my permission for Madalene to marry you unless you give me that land.”
“I will not give you land that rightfully belongs to me. I do not countenance extortion.”
“Then you will not marry my daughter.”
He ran a hand through his hair. “This is ridiculous.” Perhaps he could make arrangements to allow Gilmanton access to the river. He turned away from Gilmanton to think for a moment, and noticed immediately that the door had not been closed behind him. Madalene sat on the staircase, tears streaming down her face. He rushed to her.
She stood and pointed at him with a shaking hand. “Don’t come near me. Last night you said I was the only thing that matters. But you lied. Y—you chose the land instead of me.”
Hell and damnation. “Madalene, don’t be unreasonable. I’m not going to hand my land over to him just because he wants it. I have a duty to my estate. To my heirs.”
“Then you are just as bad as he is. You’ve made your choice. The land is more important to you than I am. I never want to see you again.” With that, she whirled and disappeared up the staircase.
He stood as still as a statue, wondering how everything had gone bad so quickly. Madalene had to understand that he couldn’t just give her father his property, no matter how much he wanted to marry her. The skirmish had been short and devastating. If she had been more reasonable, had waited to speak with him in private, they could have devised a plan to best her father. Instead, at the first test of their relationship, she hadn’t trusted him. Had abandoned him without a second thought.
He turned all of his anger and frustration on Gilmanton. “I do hope you’re satisfied with the results of your machinations. You’ve ruined your daughter’s chance at happiness and I will never give that land to you.” He grabbed his satchel and documents and stormed from the house. Thankfully, his body shielded him from pain as it had during the war and immersed him in welcome numbness.
Duncan downed his fifth glass of whisky. The pattern on the fabric of the chair across from him blurred, but somehow, the ache in the area of his heart had not dulled at all. As soon as he was able to meet with his solicitor, he would leave London for good. He had no use for London society, and it wasn’t like he would be the first viscount to shirk his duties in parliament. Surely he could find a respectable woman to marry in Hampshire. Except, of course, she wouldn’t be Madalene.
He rubbed his forehead. His mind blurred along with his vision. Madalene said she never wanted to see him again. She didn’t trust him, and he would be a fool to marry a woman who didn’t trust him. At least that’s what he kept telling himself.
“Who doesn’t trust you?”
Had he said that out loud? He glanced around and finally focused on the man in the doorway. “Colebrook. What’re you doing here?”
“Your valet sent for me. He was concerned you might drink yourself to death.”
“I haven’t wul-ruled out the idea.”
The blasted man took his bottle and poured the rest of Duncan’s whisky into a glass for himself. “May I ask why you think drinking yourself to death is necessary?”
“Madalene doesn’t love me anymore.”
Colebrook tilted his head to the side and Duncan closed his eyes to stop the room from tilting along with him.
“And why do you think that?”
“Because she told me she never wants to see me again.”
“What did you do?”
He started to shake his head, then stopped abruptly when bells clanged. “Oh no, this isn’t my fault. I we-refused to give Gilmanton the river that borders his property.”
Colebrook held up
his hand. “Wait. Back up a bit. What does that have to do with Madalene?”
“He said I had to choose between Madalene and the…the…what’s the word?”
“River?”
“Yes. I could either have Madalene or the river. And she was outside. Heard everything.”
“Are you sure she heard everything? Is it possible she only heard part of your conversation and misunderstood what was happening?”
The room was tilting again. Duncan rested his head on the table, grateful for its cool surface against his heated skin. “I don’t know.”
“How about if you stop drinking now and go sleep it off. We’ll make a plan in the morning.”
Chapter Eleven
Who in bloody hell was hammering on his door? Wait. That was wrong. The hammering was inside his head. Though he only opened his eyes to slits, the light pouring into his chamber singed them. Why were the damnable curtains open?
“It’s time to wake up, my lord.”
Duncan pulled the covers over his head. “Get out, Colebrook.”
The blanket suddenly flew from his bed. “Get up, Alstead. If you’re going to attempt to win Lady Madalene back you need to get moving. Time is not in your favor.”
The events of the previous day came crashing down upon him. Madalene thought he had chosen the land over her, but to him, it wasn’t an either or situation. He would have them both. It was Gilmanton’s fault she had doubted him in the first place. He had eroded her confidence to the point that she couldn’t believe anyone would want her. But that was about to change. Swinging his feet over the side of the bed, he sat up, then flopped back down. “My head,” he croaked out.
Colebrook obliged him by bringing him a glass of water. Which he threw on him.
“What the hell?”
“I keep telling you, you have to get up now. It’s nearly mid-day.”
Duncan steeled himself to the inevitable and stood. It seemed that bells were clanging inside his head, but he was steadier on his feet than he’d expected.
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