“How do you know that?” Mathew questioned Daniel as he scanned the dance floor.
“She is scowling,” Eva said, patting Mathew’s hand. “But then, I would be scowling too, were I dancing with that fool.”
The duchess was looking pretty in burgundy; she was touted as one of the most beautiful women in society, but to Mathew, Patience had no equal.
“I fear he is quite distraught now that you are betrothed,” Eva said. “As he was hopeful she would be the next Mrs. Dundrill.”
“The man is a fool to believe that,” Mathew said.
He had finally located his fiancée. Patience had her back to him. His eyes followed the slender curve of her spine beneath the material of her emerald gown. The fabric seemed to shimmer as she moved, and clung to her lush body. Her black curls were piled high and clasped in an emerald clip. He wanted to place his lips on the smooth skin at the base of her neck and roll the single silken curl that rested on her shoulder between his fingers.
He watched her turn his way, then stumble. She then offered him a smile that would light the darkest day, and he could do little to stop his own in response. The smile slipped as he noted the low neckline of her evening dress and the exposed swell of her creamy breasts. Damn his bloody sister and her meddlesome ways. He would stake his entire fortune that Claire had urged Patience to have that evening dress made to torment his already inflamed passions.
“Did you just growl, Belmont?”
He ignored the laughter from the Duke and Duchess of Stratton and kept his eyes on Patience until the dance ended. She ignored the hand Dundrill held out toward her and walked instead directly toward him.
“Hello, Mathew.”
They drank in the sight of each other, and Mathew knew if he didn’t get her into his arms soon he’d disgrace himself right here in front of everyone. Finally he managed to fill his lungs with much needed air. He was behaving like a besotted fool, and could do nothing to stop himself.
“Will you dance with me?”
She nodded and placed her hand on his arm. Thank God it was a waltz. Ignoring all the rules regarding distance, he pulled her into his arms and buried his nose in her hair, inhaling the scent of honeysuckle. One hand held hers; the other he placed around her waist and pulled her close, once again against the dictates of society. She slipped a hand beneath his jacket to steal up his chest.
“I missed you.” They said it as one, and then neither spoke again. Mathew simply held her as they moved in unison across the room.
As soon as the music stopped he guided her out onto the terrace. Once there, he continued down the steps, her hand now clasped in his, across the lawns and into the shadows beyond. Clear of any prying eyes, he swung her into his arms and kissed her with all the passion that had steadily built within him since he had left her. God, she tasted sweet. Placing one hand in her curls, he angled her head so he could deepen their kiss. He could feel every soft curve of her body as his hand slid down her thigh to lift her skirt and stroke the satin soft skin beneath.
Her moan urged him on. He cupped the rounded flesh of her bottom and pulled her closer. She rocked against the hardness of his erection and he thought he would explode with need. Tearing his mouth away, he traced the tender line of her throat.
“Please, Mathew. I need you so much.” Patience begged him to release her from the tension he knew was building deep inside her.
Looking around, Mathew spied a small gazebo, and he lifted her into his arms, strode up the steps and inside. When he closed the door he was pleased to see it had a lock, which he quickly turned. Lowering Patience down his body, he looked into her eyes. The moon gave him enough light to see the desire burning brightly in their blue depths. He unlaced her gown and let the fabric slide down her body. She stood before him pooled in moonlight, the satin chemise clinging to her breasts and caressing the lengths of her legs. “So beautiful,” he rasped as he lifted a hand to stroke a pebble-hard nipple.
Her groan made him smile, a purely male smile of appreciation. She wanted him. “Soon, sweetheart.”
He continued to stroke her, this time using both his hands. He rubbed the satin against her sensitive breasts and watched her long-lashed eyelids flutter closed. “Open your eyes,” he whispered as his hands swept lower.
“Please,” she said on a sigh.
“Please look at me, Patience. I want to watch your eyes as you come apart in my arms.”
He held her gaze by sheer force of will. He watched the depths of her eyes darken as his hand reached the curls between her thighs. “Patience,” he growled as her eyelids once again grew heavy, and her eyes snapped open. Sliding his fingers between her slick folds, he felt the satin grow damp with her dew. Her breath was coming in small pants as he touched the small nub and slowly rotated the silken fabric.
“Yes, yes, yes,” she chanted.
Finally releasing her gaze he bent to take one of her nipples into his mouth and tugged, then pulled her chemise over her head and dropped to his knees.
“Mathew, what—”
The words fell from her lips as Mathew kissed her there. Parting her thighs, he ran his tongue down the damp folds and inside to tease and torment her.
“Oh my,” she sighed, gripping his hair in both hands.
Mathew didn’t reply; he was too busy tasting and tormenting his woman. He was so hard he felt ready to burst, but he wanted this for her, wanted her to remember what was between them. She fell apart as he added his fingers and combined that sweet torture, pushing her over the edge. Her body shuddered with its release, and only after the last shiver did he regain his feet to take her lips beneath his once more.
Patience felt her body stir as he kissed her, as the buttons of his waistcoat pressed against her naked body. He, however, was fully clothed. We’ll see about that, she thought with a secret smile. She pushed his jacket off his shoulders and the buttons clattered when it hit the flagstone floor. Removing his waistcoat was just as easy; then she set to work on his necktie. After she had untwisted the fabric, she slowly worked the buttons of his shirt free. His body clenched tighter as with each button she released, she touched the smooth, exposed flesh, stroking it gently. With two tugs she had his shirt free of his waistband and pushed it from his shoulders. Moonlight glanced off the muscles and planes of his broad chest as she laid her hands on his warm skin and continued to stroke him. She touched every inch and reveled in his hiss of indrawn breath as she brushed his nipples, and soon her lips continued following the path. She placed soft, sensual kisses on his ribs and nibbled the tight buds on his chest.
Then she opened the front of his trousers and his erection sprang free. When she wrapped her hands around his length, he threw back his head, and she saw the muscles in his jaw clench as she stroked him.
“I woke dreaming of doing this to you again,” she whispered against his chest.
“So did I.” He sounded tortured. “I’m sorry, love, but I cannot take much more of that.” He lifted her into his arms, sat down on a small nearby bench and pulled her down onto his lap, her legs astride his thighs. She understood what he wanted and lowered herself onto his erection.
They both moaned at the delicious pressure. Wrapping his arms around her waist, Mathew hauled her closer. Patience cupped his face and kissed him, pouring everything she had not said into it as she rode him slowly. It was exquisite.
“You feel so good, sweetheart,” Mathew groaned, rising to meet her.
“Yes,” Patience whispered as the delicious flames of her release grew higher.
Seconds later her body clenched hard around him and together they rose to the heights of passion and floated down the other side.
As their breathing slowly eased, she felt him reach behind his head and take her hands in his. He then kissed her fingers with a gentle smile.
“I missed you, my sweet Miss Allender, much more than I expected.”
“I love you, Mathew. Promise you will take me with you next time.”
“And
I love you.” He kissed her lips again. “I had already decided that I will never again leave you for so long.”
“It’s so very different from last time,” she sighed. “All-consuming. I feel as if I am not myself anymore.”
“Last time?” His eyes held hers steady.
“I really don’t want to tell you this, but I’ve loved you forever.”
He touched her lips, tracing a finger over them, mapping their shape. “I like the idea of you loving me forever. The indomitable Miss Allender had a weakness, and I was it.”
“I called it a character flaw,” she said. “I don’t like the word ‘weakness’.”
When he’d stopped laughing, he said, “Why didn’t you want to tell me?”
“Because when you stomped on my heart years ago, I vowed to never let you know how I felt, and in fact, I believed that my love had turned to hate. But, alas,” she sighed, “that was not the case.”
“I would never willingly have hurt you, sweetheart. You have to believe that.”
“I do, and I know that a lot of who you were was because of Anthony.”
“Yes, but thanks to you I now have light where I once had dark inside me. You have changed me, Patience.”
She kissed him gently.
“Can you reach my jacket?” Mathew asked her.
She slipped off his legs, retrieved it and handed it to him. He smiled his thanks before pulling away and reaching into the pocket of the jacket. Then he took out a small box and handed it to her. “This was my mother’s, and she wishes for you to have it now.”
Her fingers trembled as she lifted the lid and looked at the ring inside.
“It is the most beautiful ring I have ever seen.” She traced a finger over the oval emerald, encircled with rubies and set in a delicate gold band. “It is so beautiful, Mathew. Surely your mother cannot want to give it away?”
He plucked the ring from its case and lifted her left hand. “She has been holding this for me, waiting until I found the right woman to give it to.” He slipped it onto her finger, then lifted her hand and kissed the ring. “Holding it for you, my sweet.”
“Oh, Mathew.”
“So it takes jewelry to bring you to your knees. I must remember that in future.”
“I have never been given anything so beautiful before, and I fear it has made me weepy, but I assure you it will pass.”
“Of that I have no doubt. Now heed me, woman. This ring will never leave your finger. Only when our son weds will you remove it.”
Patience nodded. “I will heed you in this.”
Mathew laughed. Clearly he understood that she would not heed him in many other ways.
“And now I need to tell you something, which I’m afraid is not pleasant.”
His body stiffened, as did the hands at her waist. “What has happened?”
She told him quickly about Mr. Whitty’s revelations, leaving nothing out. “I have yet to tell Charlie and Lucy, but have told the Toots family to be on their guard.”
“You’ll move back in with me tomorrow.”
“No, Mathew, we will not do that until we know if the threat is genuine. I am not unsettling my family again if it is not.”
“But you believe it is. Don’t lie to me, because I will know.”
“I don’t know…maybe.” She wrapped her arms around his neck again, needing his strength as she leaned in to him. “I only know I want it to go away. For a brief moment the lump of dread inside me eased, and my siblings have been truly happy for the first time in so long.”
He held her close, stroking her hair. “We will get to the bottom of it, love, I promise. But now we must return before we are missed.”
They dressed slowly, he doing up her buttons and she straightening his necktie, taking pleasure in the simple gestures, savoring their time alone together.
“Did Claire put you up to having that dress made? When I saw it and the amount of bosom you were displaying, I nearly took off my jacket and covered you with it. Especially as that idiot Dundrill was tripping over himself ogling you.”
“Of course she did. And I have to say I quite like it, especially considering your reaction.” Patience batted her lashes at him, which merely made him sigh.
“You are beautiful no matter what you wear…or don’t wear, which is my personal favorite. However, in that dress you would inflame the most staid gentleman’s passions.”
Patience refrained from further comment, but was quite happy with his response to her clothing. Soon they were once again the elegantly attired Marquis of Belmont and his betrothed. Mathew unlocked the door, then held out his arm to her, and together they strolled back across the lawn to the steps that would return them to the ballroom.
“Promise me you will show caution now, Patience.”
“I have shown caution for years, Mathew. I am not likely to change that now.”
“I need you to stay safe.”
“I will. And I must tell you that I accepted Mr. Stanhope when he called to ask for Lucy’s hand. Do you think I did the right thing?”
He lowered her fingers from his arm and slipped them through his, swinging their hands as they walked. It was such a sweet, intimate gesture that it warmed her.
“I have heard nothing bad about the man. He has a good reputation and is fair, and I believe he will make Lucy an excellent husband. I have engaged him in conversation several times recently and liked what I heard. So yes, I believe you did the right thing.”
She thought about that for a moment as around them the cool night air ruffled leaves and swayed flowers. “I wanted to have Mr. Whitty investigate him, but if Lucy had found out, it would not have been pleasant.”
“Now, why does that not surprise me?”
“You may laugh, but I am sure you were no different with Claire.”
He was silent for a moment, then said, “I made many mistakes with her, and would not have you repeat them with Lucy.”
“I’m sorry for reminding you.”
“Don’t be.” He swung her hand. “It was a lesson I needed to learn, and now we are the best of friends.”
Patience let him lead her back up the steps and into the ballroom, then into his arms for the next dance. As they twirled around the floor, she realized that he was now part of her, because she had willingly told him what Mr. Whitty had uncovered, and had then asked his advice regarding Mr. Stanhope.
It seemed she was no longer the person she had once been, and she had the smiling devil holding her to thank for that.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Mathew took her driving through the park the day following the ball. It was warm, and the rains had long since dispersed into blue, cloudless skies and golden sunshine. Lifting her face, Patience let the sun warm her cheeks.
“Mr. Whitty sent me word this morning that he has nothing to report, but will keep searching.”
“Relax today, love. Your family are safe, so enjoy a drive in the sunshine with the man you have loved forever.” He released the reins briefly to pat her hand.
“I wish I hadn’t told you that.” She glared at him. Dressed in a deep green jacket, white necktie and shirt, he was every inch the handsome nobleman.
“Yet you did, and I thank you for it.”
The look in his eyes made her catch her breath.
“Besides,” she said as she brushed a nonexistent speck from the skirts of her dress, “I have explained it is a flaw.”
“You can’t take it back, Patience, so stop trying.”
She huffed a bit but said nothing further.
“I want us to marry at Cloverlea.”
She had loved his estate, and held many dear memories of it in her heart. “I would like that very much, and I’m sure our families will also.”
“Excellent. How about the end of next week? Shall we say Saturday?”
“So soon?” Patience lifted a hand to acknowledge Lord and Lady Sutton as they entered the park.
“How long did you want to wait?” His voice
was polite as he nodded to passing carriages.
“It’s not that I want to wait, Mathew. I just am not good with things that happen suddenly.”
“You’ve loved me forever, so surely it is not sudden. And didn’t you tell me you never wanted us to be apart again?”
She snapped her teeth together and then ground them, which made him laugh.
“I got it wrong. I no longer love you, and in fact it’s fair to say I now dislike you intensely.”
“Lying Lilly was known to all for her long-winded tales that bore no truth,” Mathew drawled.
“However, Silly Billy was the real problem as he taunted and teased, which made Lilly feel unease, forcing her to stretch the truth.”
“Are we getting better, do you think? I’m sure some of that actually rhymed.”
“I am getting better. You, however, are still terrible.”
“Would it be wrong if I drove my curricle under those trees, then slowly unbuttoned your dress and ravished you?”
“Mathew!” Patience looked about to see if anyone was within hearing distance. Beside her Mathew looked composed and calm, but inside she was filled with desire.
“I especially like that little sound you make when I run my tongue down the slope of your breast.”
“Stop it at once!” Patience placed her hand on his arm and pinched him hard.
“Ouch,” he said dutifully, then he pulled the carriage to one side. “Come. We shall walk. You obviously need the exercise to lighten your mood.”
She let him lift her down, then took his arm, and they were soon strolling.
“We will leave London in five days for Cloverlea. Mother is there already. She chose to stay and visit friends and make plans for the wedding.”
“I so look forward to seeing it again, as I am sure Charlie and Lucy will.”
“And being my wife?”
“Well, yes, there is that, but with you comes Cloverlea and I have to say that is a great incentive,” Patience said, keeping her face expressionless. She loved verbally sparring with him. Loved that he gave her as good as she gave him. He showed no sign of treating her gently, and she wanted nothing less.
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