by HELEN HARDT
Hmm. Ashford himself was still an attractive man, and a wealthy one. Of course he was hopelessly devoted to his adoring wife. On the other hand, happily married men took mistresses all the time. He couldn’t offer her a name, but he was likely to be an animal in bed. And wouldn’t that just bunch Lily’s bustle, to find out that Amelia was fucking her father!
Alas, it likely wouldn’t work. Amelia would only make a fool of herself, as she had with his son. She would refocus her efforts on Daniel. She would find him, seduce him, and show him exactly what he would miss by marrying his precious Lily.
* * *
Lily and Rose never made it to the hot pool that afternoon. Miss Lucinda Landon approached them after Thomas had gone back to the bachelor house.
“My lady,” she said to Lily, “the duchess is feeling poorly this afternoon, and today is our scheduled time to see to the tenants’ needs. I was hoping you might accompany me.”
“Of course, I would be happy to help,” Lily said. “But aren’t there some maids who would be better suited?”
“No, my dear. You’re the future duchess, and this will be your responsibility before long. It’s a good chance for you to see what will be required of you.”
The future duchess. Responsibilities. Duties. Lord, help her. “Of course, Miss Landon.” She turned to her sister, “I’m sorry, Rose. I won’t be able to spend the afternoon with you.”
“Nonsense,” Rose said. “I’ll come along with you. I’m sure an extra hand would be helpful.”
Lily and Rose rode with Miss Landon in the duchess’s private carriage, followed by several wagons full of food, clothing, and other necessities for the Lybrook tenants.
“Twice a month, the servants pack up leftover food, old clothing, medication, whatever else we have in abundance that the tenants might need,” Miss Landon explained. “Maggie and I bring it out to them, visit with them, and then return and let the duke know how they are getting on and if they have need of anything from us. Most of them are quite nice folk, as you shall see.”
“This will all be my responsibility after I’m married?” Lily asked nervously.
“Yes, my dear, but Maggie and I will still be here to help you.” Miss Landon took Lily’s hand. “I’m sure you and your sister have helped your own dear mother see to the Ashford tenants.”
“Yes, of course.”
“This won’t be completely new to you. I’ve no doubt that Flora has prepared you well for the responsibilities you will face as the duke’s wife. You will be a splendid duchess, my lady. My nephew adores you. It’s plain to see. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him as happy as he has been since you arrived at Laurel Ridge.”
Lily’s neck warmed. The thought that Daniel adored her filled her with elation soaked in despair. After all, at this moment he was no doubt warming another’s bed.
The tenants welcomed them and accepted the offerings with gratitude. Miss Landon had an affectionate and humble way of giving, making it seem like the tenants were doing the Lybrooks a favor by taking the extra food and supplies. She knew them all by name and asked after those she didn’t see. The women and children were thrilled to meet Lily and Rose when Miss Landon introduced them and explained that Lily would be marrying the duke.
“You’re both so pretty!” one adorable little girl with dark brown hair exclaimed. She carried a basket and was accompanied by an older girl of about fourteen or fifteen.
Lily picked the small child up and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “What is your name, little one?”
“Katrina, my lady.”
“And how old are you, Katrina?” Rose asked.
“Six, my lady. How old are you?”
“You shouldn’t ask that question, Katrina,” Lily said. “You’ll understand when you’re older. My, but you are precious.”
“Will you come back to see us again?”
“Of course, we both will,” Lily said.
“This is my sister, Patricia,” the little girl said, introducing her companion. “Would you like to come home with me to meet my mum and brother?”
“No, Kat,” the older girl said. “I’m sure the ladies don’t have the time.”
“We’d be delighted,” Lily said. “Is it all right with you, Miss Landon?”
“Of course, dear. I’ll come along. I haven’t had the chance to chat with the widow Price the last couple of visits. It will be nice to see her.”
Katrina and Patricia hopped into the coach and led them to a small brick house surrounded by several gardens and plowed fields. A young man sat on the large front porch, playing a guitar. Even from a distance he was striking, with hair the color of coal in unfashionably long wavy layers, clear silver-grey eyes, and a strong jaw covered in the beginning of night beard.
“Cam!” Katrina shouted. “I brought some ladies to meet you. This is Lady Lily.” Katrina gestured. “She’s marrying the duke. And this is her sister, Lady Rose. My brother, Cameron.”
“It’s a pleasure.” Cameron bowed slightly, his gaze focused on Rose.
“Mr. Price,” Miss Landon said. “It’s very nice to see you. Is your mother at home?”
“Yes. Go on inside. She’ll be happy to see you.”
“Thank you.” Miss Landon entered the humble dwelling, leaving Lily and Rose on the porch with Cameron and the girls.
“So, Kat,” Cameron said to his sister, “how did you talk these nice young ladies into following you home?”
“How do you know it wasn’t Tricia?”
Cameron winked at his little sister. “Because I know you, Kitty-Kat.” He turned to Lily and Rose. “I’m sorry if she caused you any trouble, my ladies.”
“Oh, not at all. She’s adorable,” Lily said.
“Yes,” Rose agreed. “I think we would have followed her anywhere.”
“She has that effect on people.” Cameron began to strum his guitar again, bringing forth a haunting melody.
“That’s lovely,” Rose said “I can’t quite place the tune. What is it?”
“I wrote it myself.”
“Cam has sold two songs in London!” Katrina beamed.
“Really?” Rose said. “Which songs?”
“I’m sure you’ve never heard of them, my lady,” Cameron said. “Neither had a very large distribution. They were only popular among us common folk.”
Rose reddened, and Lily seethed. How dare this man speak to her sister so rudely? But his silver gaze, as he looked upon Rose, was not rude. It was very nearly…intimate.
Lily gritted her teeth and said, “Rose is quite the musician also. She plays the pianoforte beautifully.”
“I’m no composer,” Rose said shyly. “I’ve always admired those who could string notes together into melody and harmony. I’ve never quite had the aptitude for it.”
“I’m afraid my work would probably disappoint a highbred lady such as yourself.” Cameron laid down his guitar. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ve loafed long enough on the porch. I need to get back to the fields. Kat, take them in to meet Mum, will you?”
“Yes, Cam.”
Miss Landon sat on a davenport next to a striking woman with silvery streaked black hair.
“There they are now,” Miss Landon said. “Come, my ladies. I want you to meet Mrs. Clementine Price. Mrs. Price, this is Lady Lily Jameson, the duke’s betrothed, and her sister, Lady Rose.”
“Congratulations on your betrothal, my lady,” Mrs. Price said.
“Thank you, Mrs. Price.”
“I think Cam likes the other one,” Katrina said, an impish grin on her adorable face. “He couldn’t take his eyes off her!”
Rose blushed and fidgeted with her handkerchief.
“Kat, do be quiet,” Mrs. Price said.
“It was wonderful to see you,” Miss Landon said, rising. “I so enjoyed our chat. However, the girls and I have many more families to visit this afternoon, so we must be going.”
“Yes, of course,” Mrs. Price said. “We do thank you for the provisions.”
“It’s our pleasure. Good day to you all.”
As they walked back toward their carriage and wagons, Lily nudged Rose and whispered, “That young man was rude and impudent, but a wonderful musician. And he fancies you.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Rose said, flushing. “Lord Evan wants to court me, and Mr. Price is a commoner.”
“Yes, I know,” Lily said. “But for a commoner, he strikes me as quite…uncommon.”
Rose didn’t reply. They both knew it didn’t matter whether he fancied her, or she him. Uncommon or not, Mr. Price was not for her.
* * *
Lily chose to take dinner alone in her chamber that evening, unable to bear sitting next to Daniel’s empty space at his table. When she had finished her meal, she took Brandy on a walk about the estate. After strolling for over an hour, she dropped Brandy back at the kennels to be cared for overnight and went to her chamber. Rose came in later and asked her to come down to the terrace and visit with her and Sophie and Alexandra, but Lily declined. She would be terrible company anyway.
Visions of Daniel plagued her, as she imagined him embracing another woman, kissing her, touching her, loving her the way he had loved Lily. As hard as she tried to shoo the images from her mind, she could not escape them. Touching her belly, she again wondered if Daniel had given her his babe—and whether he had sired any bastards during his last decade of exploits.
“Oh, Daniel,” she whispered aloud. “Why do you torment me so?”
Chapter 15
Because Lily had gone to bed so early, she awoke at dawn the next day and could not fall back to sleep. Finally giving up, she quietly summoned a maid to ready a bath for her, trying not to disturb Rose. When she had dressed in a morning outfit, she descended to the first floor, lugging her oil paints and a large canvas. She took a light breakfast in the ladies’ sitting room and then summoned a servant to help carry her supplies to the library.
“Could you unlock the art gallery for me please?”
“I’m sorry, milady,” the servant said. “That room can only be opened at the request of the duke or the duchess.”
“I’ll be the duchess in little over a week,” Lily said. “I only want to look at the art for inspiration.”
“I’m sorry, milady,” the servant said again.
“Where is the duke?”
“In his chamber. He returned very late last night.”
“Well, go get him.”
“I cannot. He asked not to be bothered.”
Lily’s heart lurched as a wave of nausea enveloped her. “He’s…alone, is he not?” she asked timidly.
“I’m afraid I wouldn’t know, my lady.”
“Well then, what about the duchess? She’ll let me in the gallery.”
“I’m sorry. She was feeling poorly yesterday and asked not to be disturbed this morning.”
“Fine. Set my supplies up in the library then, please. Make sure you drop an oilcloth about…four by four feet at least, I’d say. I’ll be back in a moment.”
“Right away, milady.”
Lily hurried though the kitchen and up the back stairwell to Daniel’s suite. If he was with another woman, she would damn well catch him in the act. How dare he bring one of his strumpets to her home! Granted, it wasn’t her home yet, but no doxy chasing would occur at Laurel Ridge once she was its mistress. On that she would not compromise. She opened the door without knocking and walked briskly through the sitting area and into the bedchamber itself.
“Daniel!”
He was in bed, naked, at least as far as she could see, as he was covered from the waist down. She gasped slightly at the sight of his muscular chest and beautiful face softened in sleep. He appeared to be alone. Thank God.
“Daniel!” she said again.
He stirred, rubbed his eyes, and looked up at her. “Lily?”
“Yes, it’s me. I want to go to the art gallery, and no one will let me in.”
“What the devil time is it?”
“Half past seven. Now, about the art room—”
“What are you doing up at this hour?” He sat up in bed, a lock of wavy gold falling over his brow.
“I want to paint, and I want to see the paintings in the gallery for inspiration.”
“Dear God. You are a handful, you know that?”
He got out of bed, and as Lily had surmised, he was wearing nothing. Not a stitch. She sighed at the sight of his well formed legs and buttocks as he put on a dressing robe.
“I wouldn’t do this for anyone but you.”
Her heart nearly leaped through her mouth as he smiled at her and rang for a servant.
“Lady Lily would like to use the art gallery. Please see that it’s opened for her, and let all the staff know that she is allowed to use it whenever she chooses. In fact, give her full run of the estate. I’m going back to bed.”
“Yes, Your Grace.” The servant bowed.
“There you are. Satisfied?”
“You didn’t have to give me full run of the estate.”
“You’ll have it in little more than a week anyway.” He flung the dressing robe on a chair and climbing back into bed.
Lily looked at the floor, suddenly sorry for her actions. “I apologize. You must think I’m nothing but a spoiled brat.”
“I know who you are, Lily Jameson. You’re not spoiled and you’re not a brat. But you are impulsive.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “There is not another person on this estate, including my mother, who would dare to barge into my chamber without knocking.”
“I just wanted—” She stopped. “There’s no excuse. You’re absolutely right. I do act on impulse. I’m sorry.”
“Apology accepted. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m exhausted and I’m going back to bed.” He winked seductively, eyeing her from head to toe. “Feel free to join me if you’d like.”
“I couldn’t…”
“At least come give me a kiss.” He held out his arms to her. “I missed you yesterday.”
He beckoned to her like a magnet. She went to him, and he pulled her down beside him, positioning her head in the crook of his arm, and kissed her tenderly. Moving on top of her, straddling her and using his knees for support, he held her arms over her head and kissed her again, exploring her slowly but hungrily.
Lily welcomed the honeyed spiciness of his mouth. The velvety caress of his tongue. The sweet pressure of his lips on hers. The kiss catapulted her into a frenzy, and the hardness of his naked body over her while she was fully clothed was almost too much to bear. Arousal tickled between her legs. She was dangerously close to surrendering to him.
She broke the kiss and gulped for air. “I have to go.”
“Stay. Please.”
“I…can’t.
“Tell me you don’t want me,” Daniel said, his voice a gruff rumble. He forced her gaze to his. “Look into my eyes and tell me you don’t want me to make love to you.”
“I don’t…” She looked away, burying her face in his satin pillow.
He cupped her cheeks and compelled her to look into his eyes again. “You can’t say it,” he said. “I can feel how much you want me. You want my kisses, my cock. Why are you punishing both of us?”
“I’m sorry.” She pushed him off of her. “Please don’t be angry with me.”
He sighed. “I’m not angry. A little dog drawn, but not angry.”
“Dog drawn?”
“I’ve a terrible cockstand, Lily. Lord, you’re beautiful when you blush like that.” He covered his eyes with one hand. “Go on and work on your painting. I’ll fetch you in a few hours. I want you to take you on a carriage ride.”
“We’ll need a chaperone.”
“I’ll take care of everything.” He breathed rapidly, his eyes still covered. “Don’t have lunch. We’ll eat while we’re out.”
* * *
“Where’s our chaperone?” Lily asked as Daniel helped her into his carriage. “You said you’d take care of everything.”
“I did,” he said. “I decided we didn’t need a chaperone.”
“You decided?”
“Yes, we’re betrothed. It’s an open carriage. Everything is fine.”
Lily couldn’t be too angry. The thought of being alone with him filled her with joy. And sorrow, remembering where he had been the previous day. “If you think best. Where are we going?”
He took her hand and entwined their fingers together. “I’m taking you to the outer vineyards. It’s beautiful, and the vines are beginning to bloom.”
“That sounds lovely,” Lily said. His hand felt perfect in hers. “What did you do in London?”
“Nothing that would interest you.”
“Damn it, Daniel, I am interested.”
“All right, Lily, calm down. I’ll tell you all about it after we eat lunch. In the meantime, what did you do yesterday?”
Lily told him about accompanying Miss Landon to see the tenants. He asked a lot of questions, clearly concerned about the tenants and their needs. Lily smiled as she chatted, glad that her involvement with the tenants pleased him.
“I’m sure you charmed them all to pieces,” he said.
“All but one, I’m afraid. There was a Mr. Cameron Price who seemed to think Rose and I were a couple of uppity snobs.”
“Yes, I know of him. A talented musician actually. You can’t blame him. It’s the luck of the draw, who’s born where and to whom. The poor fellow will have to work his whole life to make ends meet, while you and I live like kings.”
Lily nodded. “Not that I’m complaining, but it doesn’t seem fair.” She continued, “I think he was a bit taken with Rose.”
“I’m not surprised. But he’ll get over it and find a girl of his own station.”
“How old is he, do you suppose?”
