Before she could finish he stepped to her and swept her into his arms. “I think it’s past time I told you how thoroughly wonderful I think you are. We might not have made it here without you.”
“I’m confident you would have arrived safely.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled up at him. Time enough later to discuss his finances. Right now she was more than willing to allow him to distract her. “Oh, certainly the two of you might have killed one another on the way.”
“Fortunately you were there to make certain we behaved like proper”—he grinned—“ladies.”
She laughed, then pulled him closer and brushed her lips across his. “Isn’t the time for proper behavior past?”
“Um-hmmm.” His lips trailed to the side of her neck and he nuzzled the point just below her ear. Delicious anticipation washed through her. “Alexei is to leave London tomorrow for Avalonia. Which means he and the conspiracies whirling about him will be none of our concern and out of our lives forever.”
She could scarcely concentrate on his words and didn’t particularly care. Her eyes drifted closed and she reveled in the sensation produced by his whispers against her skin.
“And we can begin our lives together.”
“Indeed we can, dearest husband,” she said softly.
“Dearest wife.” His lips met hers in a gentle kiss. For an endless moment his mouth plundered hers, sweet with words he hadn’t yet said but were there between them nonetheless. Lovely warmth spread from her toes upward.
He drew his head away from hers and smiled ruefully. “I have to go.”
“I know,” she said with a sigh.
“I won’t be gone long.” His dark eyes simmered with desire.
She smiled. “I know.”
He didn’t move. “I don’t want to go at all.”
“I know that too.”
He was as obviously reluctant to release her as she was to let him. Still, she pulled away. “Go now, before I change my mind and insist you stay.”
“I could help you change your mind.” A wicked smile quirked his lips. “About my staying and any number of other things.”
“No doubt you could.” She laughed. “And I shall quite look forward to your attempts.”
He turned to leave, then without warning turned back, pulled her swiftly into his arms, kissed her hard, and released her. He nodded and grinned. “Until I return, then.”
“Until you return,” she said in an altogether too breathless voice. And knew she would count each and every minute until then.
———
Jocelyn had never been in, nor had she ever seen, a bathing tub this big.
She sank down until the water came up to her chin and stretched her legs their full length and still there was room left. Steam rose in tiny little wisps and the heat flowed into her very bones. It was nothing short of heavenly. She could close her eyes and stay there forever.
The maids had explained that the huge, metal tub had been constructed to His Lordship’s specifications and permanently installed in a room off Rand’s bedchamber. They’d pointed with pride to the drain connected to a pipe that disappeared through a tight-fitting hole in the floor. They’d told her that while filling the tub was a bit of hard work, tidying up afterward was almost a delight. And both girls mentioned how pleased they were to work in such an up-to-date house.
Their comments gave Jocelyn a great deal to think about. As did the number of servants she’d seen thus far, the size of the house itself, the quality of the furnishings, and everything else. It was obvious Rand was somewhat better off than she’d assumed.
How much better off was the question. Was the cottage in the country truly a cottage or did he have another castle lurking about? Certainly his uncle’s home was badly in need of repairs and had obviously not had much invested in its upkeep. Still, did that mean anything at all when it came to Rand’s own property? Or rather properties. His townhouse was certainly impressive.
She sank a bit lower and blew a long breath, idly watching the water ripple away from her. Rand’s financial status was an interesting puzzle even if it really didn’t matter. She’d meant everything she’d said to her brother. She didn’t care a whit about how much money Rand did or did not have even if she’d prefer that he not be completely impoverished. She’d already experienced a certain amount of impoverishment and that was quite enough, thank you. Still, it was nice to know Rand had some money, although admittedly with this particular man even impoverishment would be bearable. He meant far more to her than any possible fortune.
“I see you appreciate my tub.” Rand stood leaning in the doorway leading to his, their, bedchamber, arms folded over his chest.
“It must have been dreadfully expensive,” she said mildly.
He paused for a moment, then shrugged. “Dreadfully. Do you think I was overcharged?”
“Absolutely not.” She sighed with delight. The hot water had done its work well. She was both relaxed and refreshed. “It’s wonderful. I daresay I shall spend as much time as possible right here in the future.”
“Oh you will, will you?” He straightened and stepped toward her. She resisted the urge to cover various parts of her body with the tiny cloth she’d used to wash with.
“Indeed I shall.” She rested her head on the back of the tub and watched him through half-open eyes. “It’s not merely pleasant, it’s rather decadent.”
“I’ve always been fond of decadence.” He stepped closer. His gaze slid over the surface of the water, and her nipples hardened with the look in his eye. “I’ve always been rather impatient with meager tubs as well. This one is suitable for soothing overtaxed muscles or easing overworked minds.”
“It has definitely worked its magic on me,” she murmured.
He slipped out of his jacket and tossed it aside. “I will admit, however, that this isn’t quite as self-indulgent as it appears. It was originally designed for a more practical purpose. After my return home, the pain in my shoulder was at times unbearable. I found soaking in hot water helped soothe the ache.”
“What are you doing?” she asked idly, knowing full well what he was doing.
“Disrobing.” He loosened his cravat and pulled it free. “I tend to do that before I get in the water.”
“Oh? Do you feel the need to soothe an ache then?”
He raised a brow but she knew exactly what she had said and exactly how it had sounded. He unbuttoned his waistcoat. “Indeed I do.”
“Aren’t you afraid your valet will come in?”
“Actually, I don’t have a valet. Chesney serves in that capacity when necessary although I have never had a great deal of trouble dressing myself. Or undressing myself.” He removed the waistcoat and it joined the rest of his clothing. “And I have taken the precaution of locking the doors.”
“You are prepared.”
“I have also sent a footman to Effington House to fetch an appropriate gown for you for tonight’s festivities.”
“How efficient of you.” She hadn’t considered the question of what she would wear to the gala. The only dresses she had with her were still in her bag and wouldn’t do at all for an event like this evening’s. His thoughtful gesture warmed her heart almost as much as his touch.
“I do try.” He drew his shirt off over his head, then pulled up a chair and perched on the edge to remove his boots.
“Just to make certain I understand your intentions, I gather you are planning on joining me?”
“Indeed I am.” A wicked smile curved his lips. “Do you mind?” He stood and pulled off his breeches.
She ignored the question and studied him provocatively. “Have you ever had more than one person in this tub at a time?”
“Let me think.” He furrowed his brow thoughtfully and stepped to the side of the tub. He was obviously more than ready to join her and just as obviously bathing was not what he had in mind. “Was she ... ? No. Or the one with the ...” He grinned down at her and shook his head. “No
. Never.”
“Are you certain?” Would she ever tire of staring at him naked? He was certainly well worth looking at. His scar was pink and puckered and she hoped there would come a time when he would tell her just how he got it. If not—desire shivered through her—well, she could live with not knowing all his secrets.
“I’m certain I would remember. I am certainly planning on remembering this.”
She pulled her knees up to her chest to allow him room. He stepped over the side of the tub and lowered himself into the water. They sat facing each other, his smile a reflection of her own, then without words he reached for her and drew her to him until her knees straddled his legs and his hard erection nudged against her. Her arms slipped around his neck and her lips found his. His kiss was long and languorous as if they had all the time in the world, and indeed they did. Her tongue met his in a slow erotic dance heightened by the feel of water lapping against them. His hands slid down her back, and he cupped her buttocks and pulled her closer. She angled her hips slightly and he slipped into her. She sighed with the delightful sense of fullness. For long moments they did nothing but savor the feeling of connection.
Slowly he moved within her and she responded with a restraint to match his own. She closed her eyes and pulled her head back, arching her neck to allow him to kiss the line of her jaw and her throat. Her breasts pressed against his wet chest and she reveled in the feel of the smattering of hair rough against her sensitive flesh. The water encompassed them, enveloped them, embraced them.
Need coiled within her and he knew and responded. His thrusts grew deeper and she moved with him. Water smacked against the sides of the metal tub, in odd accord with their ever-increasing rhythm. They moved together faster and harder, and ecstasy filled her, surrounded her as liquid, as all-consuming as the water around them. She clutched at his shoulders, and his grip tightened on her derriere. The sound of water splashing over the rim accompanied their labored breathing and the thudding of her heart in her ears. And when she thought she would die with the sheer joy of it, glorious release exploded within her and she gasped with delight. And he thrust once more and his own release shuddered through them both.
She sagged onto his chest and listened to the rapid beat of his heart echoing her own and the calmer slap of the water against the tub. They lay together for long sated moments, wrapped in each other’s arms. Peace flowed over her and through her as fluid as the water and she knew without any doubt that no matter what forces of fate had driven her into his arms, this was exactly where she was meant to be.
At last he chuckled beneath her. She raised her head and smiled into his eyes. His dark, endless eyes.
“And what, my lord husband, do you find so amusing?”
“My dear wife, that was not amusement. That was the sound of a man well satisfied with his lot in life.” He brushed his lips across hers. “And his wife.”
She grinned with a happiness that threatened to overwhelm her. “I daresay the maids will not be nearly as satisfied with theirs when they see this mess we’ve left for them to mop up. Half the water in the tub is now on the floor.”
“They’ll have to get used to it.” His smile was lazy and more than a bit smug and didn’t bother her in the least. “I’m not certain I shall ever bathe alone again.”
A wicked light gleamed in his eye. “I find company is an excellent way to soothe any and all aches.”
Chapter 17
Jocelyn glanced around the large ballroom at the home of Lord Westerfield, the gracious host for the Avalonian ceremony. She wasn’t wearing her spectacles, yet she could sense the curious stares directed toward Rand and her.
Jocelyn hadn’t for a moment considered the possibility of scandal the appearance of Lord and Lady Beaumont might trigger. So much had occurred in her life so quickly, the question of public reaction when she and Rand returned to London society hadn’t even crossed her mind. Yet it should have. The last time she was at an occasion like this she was also the object of speculation. But then it had centered on the attention paid to her by a prince.
Even though the season was nearly at an end, she should have realized her absence would be noted and remarked upon. Of course the rest of her family had left town at the same time and they’d all assumed the ton would believe she had accompanied them. Now, however, she was back. And married to someone entirely different than expected.
She and Rand had arrived just in time for the official ceremony with Alexei and the Prince Regent, which was little more than a few enthusiastic, and mercifully short, speeches, and exchange of gifts between England’s heir to the throne and Avalonia’s crown prince. This was accompanied by a round of toasts to continued goodwill between the two countries. After that the music and dancing had begun and the ball was under way in earnest. It was only then she realized she and Rand were as much a target of attention as were the royal figures in attendance.
“Rand,” she said in a low voice. “Am I mistaken, or are we the subject of a great deal of curiosity?”
“Indeed we are.” He chuckled. “Does it bother you?”
“No,” she said slowly. “I simply did not expect it.”
“I suggest we take advantage of it.”
“Oh? And how would we do that?”
“By showing each and every one of the gossips here that ours was not a marriage forced by any set of circumstances but rather a love match.”
A love match?
“And we shall begin right now. Take off your gloves and give me your hand.”
“My hand?” She laughed but removed her gloves. “Why?”
“It strikes me that I have been remarkably remiss as a husband thus far.” He took her left hand with his right and pulled something from his waistcoat with his free hand. “But I intend to rectify that right now.”
She held her breath.
He slipped a ring on her finger, a large, oval sapphire encircled by diamonds. Jocelyn stared in disbelief. She’d never seen anything as lovely, or as blue, in her life. And never had she been given anything that meant so much. “Oh my.”
“This was my errand today. I wanted something to match your eyes but I had to settle for this. The jeweler said sapphires were once believed to have protected the wearer from harm. It seemed somewhat appropriate given how we began.” He paused. “If you don’t like it, I can certainly return—”
“Never!” She sniffed back an unexpected tear. “It’s beautiful.”
“Good,” he said with a sigh of relief and lifted her hand to his lips. “But it pales in comparison to its wearer.”
“I shall never take it off.”
“Not even when you play billiards? Or bathe?” he teased.
“Especially not when I bathe,” she said staunchly, pulling her hand from his and holding the ring up to the light. “Never.” She glanced from the deep blue gem to the darker hue of her husband’s eyes. “You are not even a bit poor, are you?”
“Is that my curious wife asking or her more mercenary nature?”
“Curious,” she said primly.
“I’m probably somewhat more financially sound than you thought,” he admitted. “And I am willing to confess the details of my finances whenever you wish. At the moment, however”—he bowed dramatically— “my dear lady wife, we have never danced before, and I should like nothing better than this dance. A waltz, I believe.” He held out his hand.
She put her hand in his, still somewhat dazed by both the ring and his declaration. A love match. Dazed and overwhelmed and amazingly happy. She smiled at him with all the love in her heart, not caring who noticed or what they thought.
They danced one waltz, then another and another still, disregarding any sense of what might or might not be proper. Delighting in the enjoyment of being in each other’s arms, moving to the strains of the music. At last Rand led her off the dance floor, his hand holding hers even when they stopped. Quite improper. Quite wonderful.
“My dear Lady Beaumont.”
Jocelyn a
nd Rand turned. The Duchess of Roxborough, Richard’s mother-in-law as well as Marianne’s new mother-in-law, beamed at them. Jocelyn had met her a few times since her brother’s marriage but was always surprised at the overtly warm reception.
“Your Grace.” Jocelyn bobbed a curtsy.
“Now, now, none of that.” The older woman took her hands and kissed her firmly on both cheeks. “We are family, my dear, what with your brother married to my daughter, my darling granddaughter your niece, and one of your sisters wed to my son. Why, I almost think of you as something of a daughter, and I did always hope for more than one. I am delighted to see you looking so...” The duchess stepped back and studied her for a moment. “Happy. Yes, that’s the word. I am most pleased. And pleased by your choice of husband as well.”
The duchess turned to Rand and extended her hand. He took it and bowed low. “Your Grace.”
“I know your mother quite well, my lord. Lovely woman. I have not seen her for a while, what with her flitting about the continent and my extended trip to America, yet I have always considered her a friend.”
Rand straightened. “Thank you, ma’am.”
“I know as well you are a good friend of Thomas’s.” The duchess’s gaze met Jocelyn’s. “He and Marianne have planned a wedding trip to Italy but will return to London first. Within the next few days, I imagine, and look forward to seeing you. The rest of the family is still in the country but the duke and I...” She cast a glance around the room with a huff of annoyance. “He is here somewhere. He’s always been somewhat difficult to keep track of at an event like this, not his favorite sort of thing at all, you know, although that’s neither here nor there. At any rate, we decided it would be best to make an appearance here tonight.”
She leaned toward them in a confidential manner. “We thought if we publicly acknowledged your union and made it clear to all concerned how delightful we think it is, and how fitting a match and how much we approve, well, there simply wouldn’t be any nasty gossip to deal with. And any question as to the haste of your marriage would be put to rest.” She smiled smugly. “I have already made it a point to mention with relentless frequency how yours is very likely the match of the season.”
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