A Ring of Midnight Orchids: Flowers of the Aristocracy (Untamed Regency Book 3)

by Jackie Williams

  But Lucas wasn’t her father.

  She glanced back out of the window even as she heard running footsteps coming up the stairs. Harold stood embracing their mother, his expression serene, a smile playing about his lips. She straightened her shoulders. There was no way that Harold would allow any harm to come to her. If he had allowed Lucas to come into the house unaccompanied, then she had nothing to fear.

  Except a broken heart.

  Perhaps he had already petitioned for an annulment. Had merely come to make some settlement. Well, settlements she didn’t need. She was quite able to make her own investments, to live her life alone. But did she want to?

  His footsteps drew nearer, long strides along the hall. She stood with her back to the wall. Would he burst in and demand that she allowed him his freedom? It would break her heart to do it, but she knew that he did not love her. His friend’s wife stood between them.

  She jumped at the short tap on the door, but her mouth would not open. She couldn’t bear to hear the words he would say, and she suddenly knew that she would do anything to keep him. Anything. Even if it meant throwing herself to the floor and begging him to let her stay with him.

  Would her pride let her do it? She had to take a chance. There was no other option. Her life would not be complete without him.

  The door opened slowly.

  Her beauty hit him anew. He wanted to tear into the room and ravish those succulent lips, but Lucas knew that he had to take things slowly, couldn’t afford to rush. He couldn’t have her running from him ever again. He needed to earn her trust. Knowing she was scared had his stomach in knots. What did she think he would do to her? All he wanted was to hold her, to take her in his arms and tell her that he loved her, but the look of terror on her face had him holding back.

  Her gorgeous blue eyes searched his. What was she looking for? Reassurance? That he could give.

  “Angel?” He kept his voice deliberately soft.

  She moved away from the wall.

  “Lucas.” Was that her own voice? So scared, so nervous, she barely recognized the sound.

  “Why did you run from me? Did I hurt you? Did I do something wrong?” He took a step inside the room. She hesitated, then straightened her shoulders fractionally and lifted her chin in move that he had come to love.

  She wasn’t sure that she could find her voice.

  “I was scared.”

  Her bravado was clearly for show. He could see her trembling as she took a step back. A frown marred his noble brow.

  “Scared? Of me?” He hated that she was nervous of him. Please no! He couldn’t bear it. He chanced another step. It wasn’t as if she could go anywhere now.

  She shook her head, soft curls bouncing about her ears.

  “Not of you. Of myself, of my feelings.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

  Another stride closed the gap between them, dark eyes searching hers.

  “Tell me about your feelings.” Was that his own voice? It sounded as though he had turned into a frog. He lifted his hand slowly and placed it on the wall beside her shoulder.

  Her heart leapt in her body. He spoke with such husky tones, need coursed through her. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Only a gasping, desperate breath.

  Her silence had him hoping as he had never hoped before. He spoke for her.

  “Do you feel a tremble when I touch you like this?” He brought his fingers up to her face and curled his knuckle, brushing it against her cheek.

  She could barely nod.

  “Yes.” No more than a breath.

  The sound rang in his ears. Thank God!

  “Do you feel warm when I kiss your ear.” He bent his head brushing his lips over her lobe. So soft, so delicious! He was so close. He longed to drag her into his arms, to kiss her senseless, but he knew that he had to be patient. He waited for her response.

  “Yes.” She sucked in his masculine scent. All man, all Lucas!

  He had never felt relief like it. He sucked in the scent of midnight orchids, his own lips trembling as he came even closer.

  “What about when I take your lips with mine?” The side of his crooked nose touched hers, his lips so near that if she spoke they would join. Please speak! Say something! Anything! He begged silently.

  She didn’t disappoint.

  “Yes.” Her flesh touched his.

  “Good.” He couldn’t hold back a second longer. He would declare his love for her in a moment. For now all he needed was her mouth on his. His lips pressed into hers, gentle at first, then more demanding. One brief kiss that would never be enough. He pulled back. “Don’t be scared of your feelings. Tell me what they are.” He cupped her cheek with his palm and brushed the pad of his thumb across the moist fullness of her bottom lip.

  Relief swept through him as she pressed her cheek into his hand. Her eyes closed slowly and she breathed in deeply but then, to his horror, she took a deep breath and slid sideways, escaping along the wall.

  Angelique’s heart split as she left his embrace, the loss of his heat almost overwhelming.

  “No. I cannot do this. You love someone else. I will only ever be second best. You will compare me to her every day and I will always be lacking. I have been a burden to my father and my brother. I will not be one to you.” She took a step towards the door.

  Fear hit him harder than any punch to the jaw. So many words that weren’t true, but she didn’t know that. He couldn’t let her go, just couldn’t. Pride be damned! He fell to his knees.

  “Angelique, don’t. Please!” Still she moved away from him. He tried again. “Angel, don’t leave me. I cannot bear another day without you.” He caught his breath and stared up at her, his heart breaking as she took another step further. It was now or never. She had to believe him. “Angel, listen to me.” She had reached the door. “I LOVE YOU!” He hadn’t meant to shout, but relief swept over him as she halted her steps. The green silk of her dress, the same one she had worn on their wedding day, rustled as she turned.

  “You love me?”

  Something had become stuck in his throat. He nodded like a fool.

  “Yes,” he croaked. His eyes closed and his head drooped to his chest. He couldn’t look to see if she believed him. If she turned away from him now, now, when he was literally on his knees begging her to stay with him, he thought he might die.

  But her footsteps came closer. He chanced opening an eye.

  She knelt in front of him, searching his handsome face for sign of a falsehood. Nothing but the truth shone from his glistening eyes. Glistening eyes? Were those tears that gathered on his lashes? She blinked in surprise.

  “You love me?” She asked again, almost laughing at his even more enthusiastic nod. Instead, she shuffled closer and reached out to take his hands in her own. His fingers wrapped hers tightly.

  Lucas didn’t know that he had stopped breathing until he heard her voice. Was she still there? Was he dreaming? No, she was there. That was her warmth within his palms, her scent enveloping him once more. He squeezed her hands, reassuring himself that this was real. It was real. And he wasn’t going to let there be any misunderstandings anymore.

  “Do I love you? Yes, Angel. More than life itself. The last few days have been pure torture. I thought I would go mad when I discovered you were not at your brother’s house. Fortunately, he suggested that you might have come here. I don’t know what I would have done if you had not.” He tugged her hands and pulled her into his lap. “You are wrong, you know. I don’t love anyone else. Sophia was never the one for me. I might have thought it at the time, but she only ever had eyes for Brendon. I knew that.” He wrapped his arms around her, making sure that she couldn’t take flight. “True, she is a beautiful woman, but she is nothing compared to you, and what I felt was no more than a passing infatuation. You stirred something in me from the day I first met you. It is you who has captured my heart. I feel as though I will die without you.”

  The tension left her body.

/>   “Lucas...” She pressed her forehead to his. “I love you too.”

  A groan left him as his lips came down on hers, gentle, then fired with something new. He held her against him as he stood and she felt the passion rising.

  “Lock the door,” he whispered.

  He had removed his jacket and cravat by the time she returned to him, his shirt drifting open at the throat. She moved into his arms and his hands immediately went to the buttons running down her back. It was the work of moments, but her need was as great as his. She shrugged out of the apple green confection and sighed in relief as it slid to the ground.

  Lucas placed his hands in the dip of her tiny waist. He leaned forwards, pressing his face into the crook of her neck.

  “Midnight orchids. They will forever make me think of you.” His lips found the downy skin below her ear as his fingers found the ties of her chemise. He didn’t delay in removing it from her.

  A sheen of perspiration covered her skin.

  “You make me burn for you.” Her lips touched his throat while her fingers pulled his shirt from his trousers..

  “As I do for you.” He tugged his shirt over his head before taking her hand and leading her to the bed. She glanced at the open curtains but he shook his head. “I want to see you. All of you.” He ripped the covers back and placed her on the sheets before standing back, toeing off his shoes, and removing the remainder of his clothing.

  Angelique ran her hands down her own body as she watched him undress. It was an alluring sight. Her fingers caught the ribbon at her waist, but he stilled her hand as he came naked to the bed.

  “Let me.” He leaned down and kissed the heavy sapphire ring that to his delight remained on her finger. Then, with a swirl of his tongue in her navel, he stripped her pantaloons and stockings.

  Her body arched against him.

  “Lucas, please. I want you.” Her voice was a breathy gasp as he lifted her knee around his hip.

  His cock parted her already damp curls and entered her in a long, slow thrust.

  “Mine!” She lifted her hips to meet his intrusion. He withdrew and thrust again. “Forever mine! I love you, my Angel”

  She looked deep into his eyes, threading her fingers through his hair.

  “I love you too.” She answered as his lips found hers, their tongues met, and everything suddenly became right again.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Epilogue

  A Lover’s Hope

  “So all is well betwixt you?” Harold cut several slices from the roasted haunch of pork with a skill that had Lucas feeling a twinge in his knees. However much Lancer had denied that he would have cut off Pierce’s legs, the man was clearly an expert butcher. He passed round the plate of meat.

  His sister declined his offer, handing the platter to Lucas while she spoke.

  “Yes. We will set out for Perrydale tomorrow.” She smiled widely at her husband, the glow of their lovemaking still obvious on her cheeks.

  Harold cut another slice of meat for his own plate as he glanced over at Lucas.

  “You could stay until mother’s wedding. It will only be a month. We could open up Carnsworth. It could do with a breath of fresh air.” Harold had met the Colonel and his daughter that afternoon and given his approval.

  Lucas shook his head.

  “We will come back for the celebrations, but we will see you before then anyway. Angelique and I have decided to renew our vows. Much to my embarrassment and whatever those papers say, it wasn’t the type of wedding my wife deserves. We’ll be married again in town with everyone there to witness it. I’ll ask Pierce to be my best man.”

  Lady Landsdowne tilted her head.

  “Will your family be able to attend? I would have thought this a difficult time for them.”

  Lucas glanced between his mother and brother in law.

  “Difficult time? I should have thought that the only difficulty my mother is having is stopping the grin on her face when she discovers that her best friend’s son won’t be marrying a Russian princess after all.” He winced as his wife kicked his shin beneath the table.

  Lady Landsdowne took a sip of her wine.

  “I don’t know anything about Russian princesses, but I think you cannot have heard the news. Did you not see the papers?”

  His dinner suddenly seemed superfluous to his requirements.

  “I have missed everything over the past week. To what do you refer?” The seriousness of the woman’s face could only mean bad news.

  Harold put down his knife and fork.

  “Good heavens, but I thought you knew. Portland fell from his horse.”

  Lucas frowned.

  “Daisy’s Portland? My sister’s husband fell from his horse. Is he injured?”

  Harold shook his head.

  “Damn! I swear that I thought you knew. Hadn’t thought about you being otherwise engaged. The man took part in the Duke of Devonshire’s annual race. He was thrown from his mount. Broke his leg. Badly. The bone was through the man’s skin. Devonshire’s own doctor set it and everything might have all been fine, but they think it was due to landing in muck. An infection set in. He died three days later. Happened last week. Half of London has been in mourning since.”

  Lucas felt the blood drain from his face.

  “Oh my God! Daisy!” But that wasn’t his only thought. He stared at his wife. “Hell on earth! The letter Pierce received the day we were married. The one that caused him to leave so suddenly. It was urgent from town, but had been diverted to Perrydale. It was from a woman with a delicate hand and a subtle perfume.” Sweat broke out on his brow. “I think my sister wrote to Pierce. Damn! No wonder Henry recognized the scent, but couldn’t place it. My sister has worn the same scent for years, but I doubt she has been to Perrydale since she was sixteen.” He grabbed Angelique’s hand. “You heard what he said in the chapel. Pierce has been in love with Daisy all his life.”

  Angelique gripped her husband’s fingers.

  “But to write to Lord Trenchard rather than to you? I don’t understand. Why would she do that?”

  Lucas pushed his plate away as the thoughts churned through his head.

  “Because when Daisy was sixteen and had her comeout, she became rather tipsy on her first ever glasses of champagne. I had to carry her to bed. In her drunken stupor she told me some things. I dismissed them as an excited debutante’s besotted ramblings. Told her to forget what she was thinking for it would never happen. I told her that she didn’t know what she was saying, that it was all a ridiculous dream.”

  Angelique tilted her head curiously.

  “What would never happen? What was a ridiculous dream?”

  Lucas placed his head in his hands.

  “I told her that Pierce wasn’t in love with her. He would never reciprocate her feelings.”

  Lady Landsdowne interrupted.

  “Reciprocate her feelings? What feelings? What did she say to you?”

  Lucas raised his head and sighed.

  “She told me that she loved Pierce. Loved him with all her heart. She said that he was the only man she ever wanted to marry and that she would love him until the day she died.”

  Lady Landsdowne dabbed her lips with a serviette.

  “And yet she was the Duke of Portland’s wife. I don’t understand. Lord Trenchard loved her from the day he first saw her. And she loved him with all her heart. How did she end up married to another man?”

  Lucas felt sick to his stomach.

  “Because I didn’t know about Pierce’s feelings. He kept them well hidden, probably thinking that I would run him through if he even so much as thought about marrying my sister. And when she confessed her love for him to me, I thought it was the champagne talking, dismissed it all completely, and introduced her to Portland a couple of years later.”

  “And Pierce has gone to do what now? To claim her when her husband is not yet cold in the ground? My god! The man will be lynched. Has he not thought of your sister’s reputa
tion? If he turns up on her doorstep proclaiming his love for her only days after the Duke’s death, questions are going to be asked.” Lancer pushed his own plate away from him and indicated for the servant to clear the table.

  Lucas stared at his brother in law. He knew it was going to be bad, but why would questions be asked.

  “Questions? What questions? Pierce wouldn’t have had anything to do with the accident.”

  Harold frowned.

  “Wouldn’t is one word. Couldn’t is quite another. And your friend certainly could have. You know of his love of riding to hounds?” He didn’t wait for a response. “Well, this year he couldn’t resist a chase of another sort. Devonshire increased the size of his race’s winning pot. Ten thousand pounds. And your friend entered. And won. Portland had been in front of him the whole race, until the last fence. They were neck and neck as they went over. Trenchard’s horse was a yard in front as they landed. He didn’t see the Duke’s mount’s girth suddenly break, or the man fall to the ground. No, your friend raced on and was crowned the winner. But after discovering what had happened to the Portland, he apparently felt so bad that he didn’t bother collecting his prize. He left the place immediately after. I assumed to come on to you.”

  Lucas wiped the sweat that formed on his brow.

  “Pierce didn’t mention a thing about any race, but I know that he loves nothing more than a challenge, and I also wondered where he had been. He was over three days late in coming to Perrydale. And he was already in a state before he saw Angelique riding a horse. No wonder he was so upset. If he had just come from seeing someone so badly injured.” He paused a moment as his stomach rolled. “Hang on, how did Portland’s horse break its girth. That must be nearly impossible. It wasn’t as if a man like him would use anything second best.”

  Lancer ran his hand over his bald head.

  “No, exactly. But it didn’t break of its own accord. Devonshire says that the girth was cut. Not enough to be noticed or to break immediately, but it was definitely weakened. And if your friend goes to the woman he loves right now, someone is going to wonder why. Especially as he suddenly has ten thousand pounds waiting for him.”