Duchess Beware (Secrets & Scandals Book 2)

by Tiffany Green

  He marched forward, halting directly before Silver. “Surely, madam, you didn’t order the gown to be so revealing?” He glanced at the peachy swells of flesh subtly rising from the emerald silk.

  The smile spreading over her lips when she saw him enter the room fled. Anger ignited in her eyes as a red flush crept up her neck to cover her cheeks. “Of course not.” She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. “You did.” Then she turned her back to him and began a conversation with Torie concerning Voltaire’s quotation that men use thought only to justify their wrongdoings, and speech only to conceal their thoughts.

  Daniel heaved a sigh, feeling like an ass. He didn’t have the slightest inkling how to go about undoing his horrid behavior.

  Two hours crawled by and his wife still ignored him. God’s truth, he detested being ignored. Especially by Silver. All throughout dinner, she hadn’t said one ruddy word to him. Not one. Instead, he suffered through Isabella’s long-winded speech about her new Adelaide boots and matching muff, then Sabrina’s mewling about the proper reticule to carry all her necessities, as well as Charity’s obtuse comments in between. Enough to drive a person mad. Completely, utterly mad.

  With another sigh, he glanced down the yards of table and watched Silver. Dash it all, she had her attention fixed on his brother, engrossed in a conversation. Another reason for his dark mood. Andrew was painfully shy around women. So where the deuce had that shyness gone now?

  Once dinner ended, Daniel leaped to his feet, nearly upsetting his chair. Everyone turned to him in surprise. He cleared his throat. “Pray, Andrew, I must pass on the after-dinner port.” He walked to Silver’s side. “May I have a word with you?”

  After a moment’s hesitation, she stood and followed him from the room.

  As soon as they were out of the dining room, she spun around with her hands on her hips, her eyes shooting sparks. “What is wrong with you, Daniel?”

  His answer stunned him. He’d been jealous. Jealous of his own brother. But he’d not admit that to Silver. Instead, something else popped into his mind and he smiled, damned glad he’d thought of it.

  Taking her hand, he brought it to his lips and tenderly grazed her knuckles. “Pray, forgive my rudeness earlier, sweet.” He straightened. “I have a surprise for you.”

  Her eyes widened, the anger draining from her features. “Another surprise?” she whispered, patting the sleeve of her new dress. “For me?”

  Daniel nodded. Her reaction attested to the fact she hadn’t been given much in the way of gifts in recent years. “Come,” he stated gruffly, for that thought bothered him, and led her down the hall. Once again, he cursed her cruel guardians.

  Knowing the room would be dark, Daniel took a lamp and entered the library. After setting the lamp on the nearby table, he walked to the ladder, slid it along the bookshelf, then climbed several steps until he found the right book. After removing the thick leather tome, he took the filigree key from his pocket and placed it into the lock hidden behind the book. A secret door to his left slid open. He stepped off the ladder and entered the chamber filled with Huntington’s most precious and valuable artifacts.

  When he turned and found that Silver hadn’t followed him, he stepped back into the library. She stood exactly where he’d left her in the dim room, mouth hanging open, glancing this way and that. He grinned and placed the long, silver box he’d retrieved from the vault in her hands, anxious to witness her reaction. “Here, darling, open this. It’s just one of a thousand such trinkets in there. And they’re all yours now.”

  She blinked several times. Daniel held his breath. Slowly, she opened the box, peeked inside, then closed it again and glanced back at the shelves. He frowned, expecting a different response. The emerald and diamond necklace had been one of his mother’s favorites. “Well? What do you think of the necklace?” he asked.

  “What? Oh, it’s nice.” She handed the box back to him then moved closer to the books. Squinting at some of the titles, she stroked the leather spines as though they were the greatest treasures on earth. And he became aware of what had happened. Good Lord, the ruddy books held more value to her than the famous Huntington jewels.

  Straightening his shoulders, he moved up behind her. The sweet smell of roses filled him. He closed his eyes and enfolded her within his embrace, his body hardening as her warmness pressed against him. He groaned softly and pressed a kiss to the side of her neck.

  “Silver,” he whispered into her ear, “the books are yours. All of them.”

  She turned to face him, her eyes shimmering with delight. “Truly?” When he nodded, she threw her arms around his neck. “Oh, Daniel, thank you.” She kissed his cheek. “Thank you so much!” She kissed him again and again and again until he gathered her close and settled his lips over hers.

  Several minutes later, a sharp knock sounded. Daniel swore and removed his hand from the front of Silver’s dress. He gave her a few seconds to make the necessary adjustments before giving the command to enter.

  Larkin opened the door and bowed. “Forgive the intrusion, Your Grace, but the dowager duchess wishes you to recall that Lady Charity is to begin her choral performance in a few minutes.”

  Daniel sighed deeply. “We are on our way.”

  When Larkin bowed out of the room, Daniel turned back to her. “We shall finish this soon.”

  Silver stared absently into the mirror two hours later. Babbling like a brook, Molly brushed out her hair, but she hadn’t been listening to her maid. Her husband consumed her thoughts.

  The half-smile on her lips bloomed full as she recalled how she and Daniel had acted in the library. Their behavior had been shamefully wanton, truly outside of decent decorum. She couldn’t wait to do it again.

  Suddenly aware of the room’s silence, Silver glanced up in the mirror. Molly stared at something to her left.

  The muscles in her belly clenched. Daniel stood lounging in the adjourning doorway that led to his bedroom. He wore a deep blue dressing robe and excitement coursed through her middle, then she lifted her gaze. His green eyes had grown dark and were focused intently on her, holding a promise he would continue what they started in the library.

  Every nerve in Silver’s body tingled.

  “Leave us,” he told Molly, his hungry gaze remaining on her.

  Exhilaration raced down her back and pooled in the pit of her stomach.

  The maid curtsied as the brush slipped from her hands. It clattered onto the white marble top of the dressing table, scattering the collection of scented oil vials. Molly froze, her eyes wide and terrified. The poor girl attempted to straighten the vials, but only made a bigger mess.

  Silver placed her hand on Molly’s arm. “Do not be concerned with this now. You can finish tomorrow.”

  The abashed maid squeaked out a response, then spun around and ran from the room. She shook her head and turned back to her husband.

  He pushed away from the door and approached her. Taking her hands in his, he brought her to her feet, then his lips settled over hers.

  Silver melted against him, wrapped her arms around his neck and returned his ardent kiss. The evidence of his need pressed hard against her stomach and his sparring tongue made her tremble. A throbbing heat pulsated between her legs, and she knew she would burst into flames.

  As his hands worked the buttons on her night rail, tearing the last few in his rush to remove it from her, Silver pushed the robe from his shoulders. Her hands eagerly explored his warm flesh, his sculptured muscles leaping at her touch. Then he lifted her in his arms and carried her through the adjoining doorway, kicking the door shut.

  Daniel carried her as though she weighed no more than a doll. He placed her on the bed and moved over her. As he dipped his head and brushed his lips lightly over hers, she forgot everything.

  His fingertips grazed the side of her breast—his touch as soft as a butterfly’s wing. Silver moaned, needing more. And just when she wanted to scream in frustration, Daniel deepened his kiss
and cupped her breast within his hand. But that still wasn’t enough. An unsettling throb beat within the damp area between her legs, demanding fulfillment.

  She squirmed, growing frantic with the ravenous hunger building, becoming unbearable.

  When her desire had equaled his, Daniel clenched his jaw and slowly moved his hips forward. The tip of his stony member parted her then slid in full hilt. He shuddered from the exquisite feel of her gloving his shaft as though she had been made especially for him. His pleasure magnified when he moved, keeping his actions slow to savor the sensations.

  But when she lifted her arms and threaded her long, tapered fingers through his hair, he nearly growled with delight. His mouth feasted on hers as he slid his hips back, then forward. She followed his lead while he plundered her lips, their tongues dueling madly, and he increased his pace. Tiny tingling bubbles of bliss worked up and down his spine. As he swallowed her moans of pleasure, he couldn’t keep his hips from rocking faster. The tingling expanded until he felt the first tremors of the eruption about to consume him. His completion drew very near. Then her body stiffened, she cried out, and he could withhold no longer.

  With one last thrust to the hilt, Daniel groaned and released his seed. Then he rested his head next to hers on the pillow and drew in deep gulps of air.

  “I love you, Daniel,” she whispered.

  Daniel wrenched his eyes open. Had he just imagined her confession of love? A long-buried memory rushed to the surface of his mind. The pain of it shocked him, even now, all these years later. And he could not forget the promise he had made. The promise that would keep him from destroying himself and his family as his father had done.

  Slowly, he lifted his head and looked at Silver.

  Her fiery hair fanned over the white sheets, her swollen red lips still glistened from his kisses, and her eyes glowed with love. He swallowed, realizing how tight his throat felt. And then she drew his head down and kissed him.

  An hour later, with the scent of roses still clinging to him, Daniel sighed raggedly. Careful not to disturb Silver, who slumbered like a well-fed babe beside him, he slid out of bed.

  Tying the dark blue dressing robe around his waist, he padded soundlessly from the room. Since most of the lamps in the house had been extinguished, he remembered to light a candle just before exiting his sitting room.

  Daniel ignored the chill in the air and made his way downstairs to his study. His mind in tumult, he needed to think. After lighting a lamp, he headed directly for the liquor cabinet and poured himself two fingers of Scotch whiskey.

  “Hell,” he muttered, downing the burning liquid in a single gulp. After pouring another, he grabbed the decanter and settled into the comfortable old leather chair he would never replace. He closed his eyes. The chair had belonged to three dukes before him and summoned forth memories of his father. Memories full of anguish and unrequited love. And the horrific memory of finding his father in the chair, slumped over the desk, with blood and brain matter dripping down the front of the wood. The pistol still clutched tightly in his right hand.

  Perhaps that had been the reason for his reaction to Silver’s admission. Love weakened a man, his father had often told him after waiting days on end for his mother to come home. His father, once a strong, powerful duke had been slowly reduced to a weak, love-sick milksop. And for what? All because he had given his heart and soul to another.

  In the end, love had killed both of his parents.

  Daniel opened his eyes and poured more whiskey into his glass. He’d witnessed love’s destruction first-hand. On more than one occasion. He lifted the drink to his lips. Garrett had suffered after Marie’s death, refusing to eat or drink, refusing to live again for a very long time. For months after the burial, Daniel had been worried about his friend, afraid grief would take its toll and he’d have to bury Garrett alongside Marie. Love damn near destroyed his best friend.

  That’s what love did to a man. It destroyed him.

  Daniel had vowed to never let himself be in such a position. Never would he lose control, break down, and nearly go insane with grief because of love. No. Never.

  Damn, why did Silver have to speak of love? Things had been perfect before that.

  He groaned and drained the glass. The last thing he wanted to hear was any admission of love, dammit. It made him feel funny inside, a small tickle he couldn’t identify in the center of his chest. It also made him feel something he did recognize. Pleasure. And he did not want to feel pleased by her speaking words of love. But he did. God help him, he did. And soon she would want to hear the same words from him. But she would be disappointed when he didn’t speak the words. Eventually, her disappointment would turn into anger. Then, perhaps, hate.

  He hung his head and moved his hand over the desk’s surface, remembering the sound of the pistol and running into the room. He squeezed his eyes shut, unable to get the picture out of his mind.

  Taking a deep breath, he exhaled slowly, and opened his eyes. Silver hadn’t been exposed to Society, Daniel reminded himself. She didn’t know the rules. He mopped a hand down his face, the liquor’s numbing effects taking hold. She would just have to learn, he decided, reaching for the blurry decanter.

  She had to learn love couldn’t exist between married couples of the ton. His parents were proof of that.

  And the sooner she learned that, the better.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Watching from the library window, Silver smiled as the black carriages raced down the drive, dust billowing from the wheels. Good riddance. The vehicles grew smaller and smaller. The peahens were going home! No more nasty looks or acrid comments from Isabella and Sabrina. And no more blank stares and dull-witted annotations from Charity.

  Lord, she wanted to celebrate.

  Silver had also grown more confident. Partly because of her new dresses. Wearing the exquisite clothes Madame Devereux and her assistants had so miraculously created was like her armor. They protected her against self-consciousness while reminding her she was a duchess—a title of power that demanded respect.

  But most of her confidence stemmed from her marriage to a wonderful man. Silver trembled when she recalled the vow of love she’d made to Daniel last night. She still couldn’t believe the words had spilled from her lips, but she spoke the truth, nonetheless. She did love him, had loved him from the first moment she accidentally tumbled into his arms on the ship.

  But she had no idea how he felt about her admission. A small frown pulled at her lips. She hadn’t seen him since falling asleep in his arms last night. He must have been called away on some business early this morning.

  She glanced around the library, a smile creeping back into place. She gazed at all the marvelous books neatly lined on the shelves surrounding her. She reached out and patted some of the old leather spines. Epitome de Vitis Romanorum Pontificum, a book by the French theologian Abbo of Fleury, The English Traveller, by T. Heywood, and Cicero’s De Natura Deorum were some of the titles she read. There were thousands. What a generous man, her husband. She really did love him.

  After giving the books one last glance, Silver decided to search for Daniel and thank him again for such a wonderful gift. Thirty minutes later, however, she couldn’t locate him. And no one knew where he had gone. After an unfruitful exploration on the first and second floors, she decided he had probably gone to the stables. She walked down the stairs and had been about to turn toward the rear of the house when Larkin opened the front door.

  She halted beside the carved wooden newel post, curious to see who had come to call. Please, don’t be the peahens returning! But a lady stepped into the vestibule, and Silver gasped, recognizing her instantly.

  Lady Megan’s portrait did not reveal one-tenth of the lady’s true beauty. The goddess stood there outfitted in a glorious violet traveling gown, her skin glowing in good health, her shimmering dark hair arranged in an elegant twist-and-ringlet coiffure, and those eyes sparkled like the amethyst jewels hanging around her neck.<
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  Silver bit her lip as her confidence waned, chipped away at the sight of true beauty. And the thought that Daniel had once been engaged to Lady Megan, brought a sick, unsettling ache to her heart.

  Torie rushed from the drawing room as soon as she spied Megan. The two hugged, and Silver realized how very dear they were to each other. She glanced around, wanting to escape, but was afraid her movements would be noticed.

  Megan laughed and pulled away from Torie. “I have a surprise for you,” she said and turned to the door, waving for someone to come forward.

  Another young lady stepped in, her movements more hesitant and unsure than Megan’s. This one didn’t possess such stunning beauty as Megan or Torie but had a quiet loveliness.

  “Evie!” Torie gave her the same tight hug she had Megan.

  “Now, we are even, Torie,” Megan said.

  The three chuckled and began talking at once. Silver marveled that they were able to understand what each other said, but had a sudden, overwhelming urge to flee. Watching the close friends was a painful reminder she had always been outcast. She took a small step back, trying not to make a sound on the polished marble.

  But Torie glanced her way. “Oh, Silver, I did not see you there.”

  When all eyes turned in her direction, she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Attempting a smile, she prayed it didn’t resemble a grimace. “Think nothing of it.” She neared the trio, knowing it would be incredibly rude to just turn and leave.

  “Silver, I would like to present my dearest friends. Please meet Lady Evelyn Thornton, the Earl of Ashtonshire’s sister, and—”

  “Megan, what an unexpected surprise.”

  His voice sent pinpricks of delight down her spine. Silver turned to her husband and smiled, although it quickly melted away when he walked directly to the ravishing beauty and kissed her hand, curse his rotten soul. Then he greeted Lady Evelyn. “What brings you here?” he asked Megan.

  An ache developed in her temples, and Silver realized she gritted her teeth. Surely Daniel wasn’t ignoring her? As the four chatted on, she watched her husband smile down at what Megan was telling him, and something painful exploded in the very center of her chest. She suddenly had to get away and edged back a half step.