“Do you want her back?” she asked insistently.
“Yes. I want her back,” he admitted. “But I highly doubt she wants me.”
He held her arms to stop her from moving any farther down. His desire was almost out of control. And he did not want this woman. He wanted Elizabeth. His Elizabeth. The woman who made love with him on the sofa and on the desk. The one who was so damned good to him and his siblings. His resolve strengthened.
“I am leaving now.” He moved away from her and picked up his cravat.
“Where are you going?” she whispered.
“To find Elizabeth. My Elizabeth.” He moved toward the door, but she was blocking it with her body. Of course, he had forgotten to pay her. He reached into his pocket and pulled out more than enough for her spending time talking to him.
“What are you going to do when you find her?” the woman asked.
“Apologize and beg her forgiveness for my dreadful behavior. Make her understand that what she did has nothing to do with her mother. And ask her to be my wife.”
Elizabeth had heard more than enough. She did not need groveling, especially when she was the one at fault, not him. Lifting her hands, she trailed her fingers up his arm.
He caught her right arm and stared at the small mole just above her elbow. “Elizabeth?”
He could not have realized it was her based on a mole. Elizabeth was the name he’d wanted to call her. “That is my name for tonight.”
His eyes stared at her as if he was seeing her for the first time. “I have decided to stay.”
“What?”
“I want you to seduce me.” His head moved toward her ear and he whispered what he wanted her to do.
Why was he staying? Somerton had told her that once Will figured out that he truly wanted to be with her, he would leave. Not stay and make love to her. Or rather, she make love to him.
If she backed out of this now, he would know it was her.
“What are you waiting for?” He pulled off his jacket and threw it towards the chair.
“I thought you wanted to go beg for her forgiveness.”
His eyes narrowed on her. “I decided I would rather stay here for awhile longer.”
It suddenly occurred to her that he knew. He must have noticed the mole on her arm was heart-shaped before today. He was playing with her. And she wanted to play along.
“As you wish,” she said. She reached for his linen shirt and pulled it out of his trousers.
“Allow me,” he said, whisking the garment over his head.
She moved her hands to the buttons on his trousers. Quickly they fell to his knees, stuck there by his boots. He carefully walked backwards until he found the bed. He sat on the edge and waited.
“The boots are next,” he said.
She moved to his feet, yanked on the boots, and then tossed them aside. Full naked, he stood back up. His erection rose proudly from the patch of curling hair.
“What are you waiting for?” he asked.
Remembering what he had requested she do, Elizabeth knelt down and skimmed her fingernails up the length of his shaft. She brought the tip of him to her mouth and let her tongue glide across him. Hearing his moan, she brought him into her mouth. Sliding down the length of him, she heard him hiss.
She brought her fingernails down the hard muscles of his buttocks and then moved to his thighs. The sound of his groans increased as she moved along his length. Moisture pooled between her folds as desire raced along her veins. She wanted him now.
As if he sensed her yearning, he pushed her away and led her to the bed. Still wearing her gown, she laid back against the pillows. He covered her body with his own and he brought her hands over her head. Quickly, he bound her hands with a cloth attached to the bed. The silky fabric rubbed against her wrists.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Don’t tell me you haven’t been tied to the bed before.”
“No,” she whispered.
His mouth moved to the base of her neck. “How is that possible?” he asked between kisses.
“I haven’t been here long,” she panted as his lips trailed down her chest.
“I never would have guessed,” he said.
Her breasts rubbed against him as she arched her back to be closer to him. With excruciating slowness, he slid the V of her neckline apart until it would go no more. He smiled down at her and ripped the fabric, exposing her nipples to his gaze.
“You are so beautiful,” he whispered before circling his tongue around one hard nipple. He drew it into his mouth, suckling her.
Her hips bucked under him as he moved to her other breast. He chuckled softly. He lifted off her and then tore at the rest of the gown, stripping it from her. Completely naked and bound, she never felt so exposed before.
He spread her legs apart and moved in between them. His tongue lashed against her nub.
“Oh, God,” she moaned.
He continued to tease her, bring her to the brink of desire…only to stop. As he started to brush his tongue against her again, desire sped through her. He inserted one finger deep inside her. She closed her eyes, certain this time he would let her reach the apex.
“Please don’t stop,” she begged him.
But just as quickly, he halted again.
She groaned in frustrated desire. As her body started to calm down, his mouth was on her again. Her heart pounded as hot passion flowed through her body.
“Will, please don’t stop this time,” she begged again.
“Do you love me?” he whispered, pausing only a second before resuming with his mouth on her.
“Yes,” she cried out. “Please don’t stop again.”
Slowly, he circled her clitoris with his tongue. Tension curled her toes as the pressure grew within her.
“Did you love me the first time we did this?” he demanded and then moved his tongue over her again.
“I don’t know.” She felt as if she could barely breathe with the pleasure building so quickly. “I wanted you so desperately that day. I wanted your comfort, your love. I wanted you to be there for me. I wanted you and only you.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Love me…forever.”
Suddenly he moved over her and thrust deeply inside her moist depths. In seconds, she clung to the ties that bound her wrists and cried out in passion. Just as quickly, he followed her over the edge of the abyss.
He rested his body on top of hers as they returned to the reality of what they had done. He had forced her to confess, made her grovel, and she had done so willingly. She didn’t want to be without him. The idea of losing him made her heart go cold.
Slowly, he moved his hands to hers and untied them. He reached for her mask and slid it up off her face. After kissing her gently, he whispered, “I am sorry.”
“For what?”
“Getting angry with you for lying when all you did was attempt to protect me from Abigail.”
“I’m sorry, too, Will.” She brought her hands up to his face and kissed him with all the love she had in her heart.
“As much as I love that, we do need to talk.”
Elizabeth nodded.
Will moved off her to lie next to her. “Elizabeth, do you honestly believe that everything you did was only to manipulate me?”
“Not everything,” she answered. “Oh, Will, I read the majority of my mother’s diary. It was dreadful. If she wanted something done, she would offer to do disgusting things for the duke.”
“And have you ever done that?”
She looked at him. “Of course not.”
“What about a few minutes ago when I asked you to do that to me? Did you do it willingly or because you thought it would get me to marry you?”
Thinking about having him in her mouth made her smile. “I did it because you asked me to and I wanted to. I wanted to give you pleasure. No other reason than that.”
“Then why would you think you are manipulating me?” Wi
ll asked. “I felt as if I had taken advantage of your pain when we made love the first time.”
“You most certainly did not,” she said.
“Then why do you think…” He paused, and then said, “You were ashamed.”
“Oh, Will, I made love to you and honestly, at that point, I did not love you.” Elizabeth curled closer to him and skimmed her fingers through the dark hairs on his chest. “I could not understand why after twenty-six years, I would do something like that with a man I did not love.”
His lips lifted upwards. “So you assumed you must have had an ulterior motive.”
She nodded against his chest. “I had never experienced desire like I do with you. Sophie told me a few times to seduce you, but I could not go through with it until that day.”
“Sophie told you to seduce me?”
“Yes. She is a bit of a matchmaker. I don’t think she had any reason other than wanting to see me happy.”
“And are you?” he whispered.
Elizabeth moved over him and smiled as she felt the rough hairs on his chest. “Very happy. At least, I think I am. Are you angry about tonight?”
“How exactly did you plan this? I had no intention of coming here tonight. My carriage took a detour and I decided to come in for a drink.”
“A drink? I thought this was a brothel.”
“True. So how did you get here?” he asked, caressing her cheek with the palm of his hand.
She explained Somerton’s sudden appearance at Sophie’s house.
“But how did…never mind, I think I know,” Will muttered.
“How?”
“He seems rather close with Lady Whitely. I presume she sent him a note stating I was here.”
“Why would she care?” Elizabeth asked.
Will shrugged. “I do not understand half of what Somerton does.”
“He told me I was to come here to keep you from making a big mistake. What mistake was he talking about?” Elizabeth asked, caressing his jaw.
“I believe he thought I was going to use one of Lady Whitely’s girls.”
“Were you?” she whispered.
Will closed his eyes. “I don’t know. I planned on leaving and tried a few times. But I never seemed to make it out the door. And when I saw this,” he said, kissing her heart-shaped mole, “I knew it was you all along.”
“Were you mad?”
“Only for a moment. I realized you must love me quite a bit if you were willing to sacrifice your reputation to come here for me.”
“I do, Will.”
“I love you, too, Elizabeth.”
“What about my father?” she mumbled. “I really am no one. Just the daughter of a footman.”
He pulled her up and kissed her softly. “It doesn’t matter to me who you are. The ton considers you the daughter of the Duke of Kendal. No one but us needs to know the truth.”
Elizabeth stared at him, knowing in her heart that everything would be all right.
Chapter 28
“Elizabeth!” Sarah raced into her arms and clung to her.
Elizabeth walked into the salon with Sarah wrapped around her. “I missed you, Sarah.”
“I missed you so much. Please don’t ever leave again.”
Elizabeth looked over at Will and said, “I do not plan to.”
“Sarah, run upstairs and have your sisters and the boys come down here,” Will said, removing Sarah from Elizabeth’s arms.
Sarah raced off with a look of glee.
Elizabeth sat on the sofa with her heart pounding. They had decided to tell the children of their plans before announcing it to the world. She heard the boys running down the stairs and smiled. She still had some work to do to turn them into young gentlemen.
“Elizabeth,” Michael said with a look of surprise on his face. “I thought you left.”
“I have decided to return,” she answered.
“Elizabeth!” Ellie and Lucy said in unison.
“Sit down, everyone,” Will said loudly as the volume in the room continued to grow.
“Oh, my!” Ellie whispered and stared at Elizabeth.
“Elizabeth and I have decided to marry.”
Elizabeth braced herself for a mix of emotions. She knew the girls would be happy but wondered about the boys, especially Michael. A loud shout erupted from the room and suddenly everyone, except Michael, enveloped Elizabeth in a hug.
Slowly, she broke away from the crowd and walked over to Will’s stepbrother. Sitting next to him, she asked, “Are you all right with this?”
Michael shrugged. “This means we are never going home, doesn’t it?”
“I do not know, Michael. Will and I have not discussed where we shall live.”
“Would you come to America?”
Elizabeth nodded with a smile. “If that is where Will wants to live, then yes.”
“And what if Will wants to live here?” Will asked in a gruff tone. There was a look of delight on his face like she had never seen before.
“I will live wherever my husband chooses to live.” Elizabeth patted Michael’s hand. “But how do you feel about it?”
“Honestly?” he asked.
Elizabeth nodded and then Will sat down next to her.
“I don’t mind too much. I’ve met a couple of friends while Mr. Smith takes us on walks in the park.”
“And you will make plenty more in the next year,” Elizabeth said.
Michael put his arms around Elizabeth and whispered in her ear, “Thank you for marrying Will. Abigail was an awful person. And we all love you.”
Elizabeth’s heart swelled with love. She had gone from feeling completely alone to having a large family around her.
“Excuse me, Lady Elizabeth,” Kenneth said from the doorway. “Lady Selby and Lady Blackburn are here to see you. Shall I tell them you are at home?”
“Yes, place them in the receiving salon. I will be there presently.” Elizabeth squeezed Michael once more and then detangled herself from his grip.
“Did you tell them already?” Will asked.
“No. I have no idea why they are here. They are both due in a matter of weeks. They should be home in bed.” Elizabeth took Will’s hand. “Why don’t you come with me? We can tell them together.”
“I would enjoy that,” Will said.
They entered the room hand in hand, and both Avis and Jennette gasped.
“What is the matter?” Elizabeth asked.
“It’s true.” Avis’s face grew pale.
“What is true?” Elizabeth demanded.
Jennette cleared her throat. Never one to mince words, she blurted out, “Last night at the Dorchester ball, a rumor made its way through the crowd. The rumor said that you and the duke are actually siblings, and have been having an incestuous affair.”
“Oh, my Lord,” Elizabeth whispered, feeling faint. She dropped to the chair and attempted to swallow. “It is not true, Jennette.”
“The rumor also said you are with child from the relationship,” Avis added quietly.
“Caroline,” Will spat. “I think we need to have a talk with my cousin and his wife.”
“Wait, Will.” Elizabeth caught her breath. “I am not Will’s sister. We have proof that Will’s father was in Russia during the month of my conception.” Elizabeth blew out a long breath. “And my father was a footman for the Langfords.”
Avis and Jennette both sat back in the chairs, looking relieved. “Oh, thank God,” Avis whispered.
“But are you with child?” Jennette asked with a smile.
Elizabeth shook her head. “No.”
“But perhaps rather quickly after the wedding,” Will added with a wink.
Will stormed up the steps of his cousin’s home and flung the door open without waiting for the butler. “Richard! Caroline!”
“Will, do try to have a little patience,” Elizabeth said, placing her hand on his arm.
Richard walked down the hall with a look of confusion on his weathered face. “
Your Grace, what are you doing here?”
“Who is making that noise? There is a sick young woman up—” Caroline stopped when she noticed them in the hallway. Slowly, she walked down the steps. “To what do we owe this honor?”
“As if you did not know,” Will muttered.
“Your Grace, what is this about?” Richard asked.
“A rumor regarding my relationship with Elizabeth,” Will said. “A very untrue rumor, I might add.”
Caroline scoffed. “I highly doubt that. You two cannot seem to keep your eyes off each other.”
“I was speaking of the rumor regarding her father,” Will said.
“No one knows who her father is. It could just as easily have been your father,” Caroline replied, walking into the parlor.
“Except my father was in Russia for six months at the time, making the possibility nonexistent.” Will led Elizabeth into the room with Caroline as Richard followed silently behind.
“So you say,” Caroline rebuffed.
“No, so this official document says.” Will pulled out the document that Somerton had given him.
Caroline pressed her lips together. “This only proves that he was not here. She might have been with him.”
“She was at the Langford country party. And my father happened to be one of the Langfords’ footmen,” Elizabeth said proudly.
Will squeezed her hand. He’d told her she should not feel compelled to tell anyone about her father as long as they had the document from Somerton.
She looked at Will and said, “I am sick of the lies. If you do not care who my father is, then why should I?”
Will smiled as love filled his heart almost to bursting.
“Call for the surgeon!” A voice shouted from the top of the stairs. “Hurry! She’s bleeding again. She might not make it.”
Will knew that voice. Why would Mr. Mason be here? “What the hell is going on?”
“Nothing that concerns you.” Caroline tried to get up but her bulging belly hindered her progress.
Will took Elizabeth’s hand and they raced out of the parlor. He looked up to see Mr. Mason’s face paler than a piece of linen.
“What is wrong?” Will asked.
“Abigail is bleeding. It’s everywhere.”
Will turned to the footman. “Get the surgeon now.”
Something Scandalous Page 26
