by HELEN HARDT
“A few years younger than I am,” Daniel said. “I think he’s twenty-seven or twenty-eight. His father died when he was barely out of his teens, so he stayed with his mother to run the farm.”
“But what of his music?”
“He has responsibilities, Lily.”
“I suppose you’re right.”
The carriage jolted to a stop.
“Here we are.” He helped her down. “Come with me.”
They walked through the rows of vineyards, inhaling the sweet fragrance of the grape blossoms. In a small clearing, a blanket and picnic lunch awaited them.
“Come on, let’s have our lunch.” Daniel filled Lily’s plate with cold cuts and cheese, bread and fruit, and poured her a goblet of wine.
“Now are you going to tell me what kept you in London all day yesterday?”
He smiled lazily. “Did you miss me, love?”
God, yes, she had. “That’s not what I said.”
“I missed you,” he said, pulling her close to him, “and I know you missed me. You can deny it all you want, but you missed me.” He sprinkled wet kisses over her cheeks and her neck. “Tell me you missed me.”
His lips scorched her skin. A lie teased her lips, but couldn’t emerge. “I missed you.”
“Good girl.” He lifted his head from hers. “Since you missed me, I’ll tell you what you want to know. I went to London for you, Lily.”
“For me?”
“To find this.” He pulled out a small velvet box from his coat pocket and handed it to her.
Inside lay a gold ring adorned with a large striking green gem sparkling in the sun’s rays.
“It’s beautiful,” she said, her eyes shimmering.
“It’s your betrothal ring.” He took the box from her and slipped the ring on the fourth finger of her left hand.
She held her hand out, moving it slightly, the glint of the sun catching in the facets of the stone. It was the most incredible piece of jewelry she had ever seen.
“It took you all day to find me a ring?” she asked, unable to tear her gaze away from the beauty of it.
“I was looking for a particular color.”
“My, it is beautiful. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It’s the most amazing shade of green I’ve—” She looked up at him, her eyes misting. “Daniel, it’s the color of your eyes!”
His lips curled into a smile that illumined his entire face. “You wouldn’t believe the looks I got from the jewelers I visited when I told them what I wanted. There’s probably a rumor in all of London by now that the Duke of Lybrook is a complete narcissist.”
“It’s perfect. Just perfect. I’m so glad you—” She quickly willed back the tears that threatened to fall. “It’s not an emerald is it? The color isn’t quite right.”
“It’s a sapphire.”
“But sapphires are blue.”
“Not this one. They actually come in many colors. Do you like it?”
“I love it, Daniel. I really do. To think I was worried…”
“What is it, love?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
“Tell me.”
“It’s just…when you wouldn’t tell me why you were going to London, and then you wouldn’t let me go with you, I just assumed…”
“What?”
“I thought you were going to see one of your mistresses.” She bent her head, unable to meet his gaze.
Daniel drew her chin up, forcing her to look at him. “Lily,” he said. “I don’t have any mistresses.”
“But Lady Gregory—”
“Was never my mistress. We had an affair. It went on and off for several years. But I never kept her. I never kept any woman. I never even wanted to.”
“But I thought…”
“It’s all right. I know my reputation precedes me. I’m not particularly proud of my exploits, and if I could erase them all for you, I would. But I can’t. I know I’m not worthy of you. But I’ve never wanted anyone like I want you. I’ll do anything to make you happy.” He kissed her lightly on the mouth and cupped her face in his hands, gently caressing her cheeks. “Lily, would it really be so terrible to be my wife?”
Lily attempted a smile as tears slowly trickled down her cheeks. “I never wanted to marry anyone,” she said. “But you… You…”
Daniel wiped her tears away with his thumbs. “Don’t cry, love. I’ll do anything for you. Just tell me what you want. A castle in France? A yacht on the Mediterranean Sea? I’d buy the whole Louvre for you if I could.”
“I’ve no need for more fluff, Daniel,” she said, sniffling. “There are only two things I want from you, and neither will cost you a shilling.”
“Anything. I swear it.” His green eyes penetrated her. “Just tell me.”
Her entire body trembled. Such feelings! They overwhelmed her, and she feared he wouldn’t be able to offer her the two things she desired most—his love, and his fidelity. She couldn’t bring herself to admit what she needed from him. “Just kiss me. Please.”
He complied, pushing aside the remains of their lunch and lowering her onto the blanket. He kissed her mouth tenderly, licking and stroking, whispering her name. She pulled him close, seeking the answers to all her questions. When he held her like this, kissed her, whispered her name as if in prayer, she imagined that he loved her.
And it came to her, as if she had known it all along, that she loved him. Somehow, she knew that she would never have gone to bed with anyone but him. She loved his passion for art and horses, his sense of humor that threw her into fits of giggles. She loved the way he made her body and her heart sing. She wanted to be wherever he was, beside him, helping him. She wanted to bear his children, grow old with him, share everything that she was with him. She wanted him at her side when she strolled through the Louvre, dined in Paris, climbed a mountain in Switzerland.
Somewhere along the way she had given him her heart, and everything had changed.
She loved him more than she had ever loved anyone, yet her heart ached. Could he return her love? And if he wasn’t satisfied with her alone, could she live with that?
He had lavished her with generous gifts, gifts he had known would touch her heart. He had treated her kindly, taking her virginity with great care and affection. Whether they were riding, looking at art, talking, laughing, or making love, a closeness existed between them. Did he feel it too?
“Please let me love you, Lily,” Daniel whispered. “I need you so much.”
“We can’t.” Lily breathed sharply. “Out here. Someone will see.” She sought his mouth with her own.
“It will be all right. No one will come out this way. I promise you.”
“How can you make such a promise?”
His eyes twinkled at her. “Because I have servants on the perimeters of the vineyards, standing guard.”
“I see. So it was your intent to bring me out here and seduce me,” she said coyly. “And now I suppose you expect to get what you want.”
“I don’t expect anything, my love,” he said, kissing her neck and fumbling with her bodice. “I only wish. I want nothing more than to make love to you right now.”
How she wanted him! If she couldn’t have his love, she would take whatever he could offer. Soon she would be his wife, and she would not be able to deny him then.
“Yes, Daniel. Make love to me. I want to feel your body against mine. I want to feel your arms around me. I want to feel you inside me. Please make love to me.”
“God, Lily. I’ve missed you so much.” He opened her bodice and freed her breasts, lavishing them with kisses and caresses. “You’re so beautiful.”
He tugged at one nipple and then the other, her body shuddering. She grasped his cravat, untied it quickly, and began to unbutton his shirt. When she could get no farther, she clutched his jacket at his shoulders, trying to remove it.
“I want you naked, Daniel. Naked on me, while I’m still clothed. Like this morning.”
He smil
ed naughtily. “You liked that, did you?”
“Yes, I liked that a lot. You said you’d do anything for me.”
“I did, at that.” He pulled away from her, removed his shoes, his trousers, his jacket and shirt, and came back to her. “Is this what you wanted?”
“Oh yes.” She sighed, running her fingers across his rippling back, down along the smooth contours of his buttocks. He gasped. “Your body is a work of art,” she said. “I love to touch you.” She reached under him, found his hard arousal, and grasped it.
Daniel sucked in his breath.
“Did I hurt you?”
“God, no,” he said. “But I’m aching so badly for you that I’m liable to spend myself like a lad if you keep doing that.” He pulled her hand upward and kissed it. “I don’t know how long I can hold out, Lily. I need you to be naked under me. I want to feel every part of you. I want nothing between us. Nothing ever.”
He gently undressed her and threw her clothes into a heap next to his.
“Open your legs for me, love.” He kissed down to her opening. “So sweet, so wet.” He slid his fingers into her, stroking and teasing. “You feel amazing.”
He licked and probed until the familiar jolts rippled through her body, crashing her into euphoria. She wept his name, arching into him, and kissed him when he came back up to her.
“Have you missed me, Lily?”
“Yes,” she said breathlessly.
“My God,” he said, “you’re so much to me. Not just a fuck. Tell me you know that. Tell me.”
“Yes, Daniel. Yes.”
He rolled over so she was on top of him. He positioned her over his cock.
“What are you doing?”
He lifted her gently over his shaft, nudging her open, and slid her down, impaling her.
“Oh!”
“Ride me.” He gently moved her body up and down over him, until she caught the rhythm and took over. “Yes, love. You’re so beautiful, so tight.” He took her hand and led it to her clitoris, showing her how to stimulate herself. “Touch yourself there. Yes, that’s it.”
Lily warmed with embarrassment, but she wanted to please him, so she touched herself, finding the spot that made her convulse. “Oh my. That’s so…oh my!” Another orgasm struck her.
Daniel reached behind her and rubbed a finger over her most private place. She widened her eyes, but allowed it, as she had previously. His touch made her sizzle, and the sensitivity of her anus still surprised her.
“Did you know, love, that I can take you there?” Daniel said, massaging her lightly as she continued to ride his cock.
“I never…”
“For another time, of course.”
He removed his finger and grasped her breasts, squeezing her nipples. Her pussy pulsed, on the edge of another orgasm, when suddenly he released her breasts and grabbed her hips. He thundered into her, pulling her down onto him until she could swear he nudged the edge of her womb.
“I’m going to come, Lily. I’m coming for you. Only you.” He plunged upwards, his eyes squeezed shut, his abdominal muscles tense and taut.
Lily collapsed on top of him, kissing his face, his neck, his lips. Inside her head she shouted, I love you! I love you!
But she didn’t say it aloud. She was afraid.
* * *
Lily found Rose, Sophie, and Alexandra on the terrace with some of the other women when she returned, and she couldn’t resist showing them her amazing engagement ring.
“You look very happy.” Rose smiled. “Have you resigned yourself to this marriage yet?”
“Almost,” Lily said. If only she could be sure Daniel loved her and would be faithful to her. “I’m done fighting it, at least.”
“I would trade places with you in an instant,” Ally said. “If only a man would look at me the way the duke looks at you.”
“Someone will,” Sophie consoled her sister. “Someone will for all of us, someday.”
They chatted until Crawford interrupted them. “My lady,” he said to Lily. “Please pardon my intrusion. Her Grace would like to see you in her private sitting room.”
“Her Grace? Whatever for?”
“I don’t know, my lady. But please come at once.”
“All right. I’ll see you all later.”
She followed Crawford into the house. He led her up the double staircase to the third floor, to the duchess’s suite of rooms in the west wing.
“My dear Lily, do come in,” the duchess said.
Lily curtsied politely. “I do hope you’re feeling better, Your Grace.”
“Quite a bit, thank you, dear.” The duchess motioned for Lily to be seated. “What do you take in your tea?”
“Nothing, thank you.”
“Like my Daniel.” She smiled. “Here you are.”
“Thank you.”
“I’d like you to accept my gratitude for accompanying Lucy on our errands yesterday. It was a great help to me.”
“It was my pleasure. I enjoyed it.”
“I’m very glad.” The duchess set her teacup down on the tray, a serious expression on her graceful face. “Now, tell me, why don’t you want to marry my Daniel?”
“Pardon?”
“My dear, I know a girl who’s being forced into marriage when I see one. I was that girl myself once. Don’t you care for Daniel?’
“Yes, I care for him, but… Well, he didn’t ask me what I wanted. He arranged everything with my father.”
“Yes, I’m aware of that. I thought he would know better than to mimic his own father in that regard.” She sighed. “But you should know, Lily, that the duke and I had a happy and successful marriage. We grew to love each other very much. I can’t imagine having married any other.”
“But it doesn’t always work out that way.”
“No, it doesn’t. But Daniel cares for you, and you care for him. I can tell by the way you interact with each other. Lucy and I both agree we’ve never seen Daniel happier. You have that advantage over my marriage.”
“Your Grace, if you don’t mind my asking, how long did it take you to grow to love the duke?” Perhaps it wouldn’t take Daniel long to grow to love her.
“Not long. He was kind to me, and he was interested in my opinions. I became pregnant soon after we married, and he insisted on naming our first son after me. He was named after both of us, Morgan Charles. Lord, how I miss them.”
“I’m so very sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you, dear. I appreciate that. It’s been harder on Daniel than on me, I’m afraid.”
Lily nodded. “He told me he wasn’t close to either of them.” Then, “Your Grace, may I speak frankly?”
“Of course.”
“I don’t believe that Daniel has ever allowed himself to grieve for his father and brother. I believe he keeps his emotions locked inside himself. I…worry about him.”
“You are very perceptive, Lily. And you are correct. I don’t believe he has grieved. And it isn’t true that he wasn’t close to them. He no doubt told you that to convince himself, so he could hide his hurt at their passing. But it isn’t easy to be a second son.”
“How so?”
“Morgan and Daniel were not quite a whole year apart. They were the very best of friends. I think they knew each other better than they knew themselves.”
Lily nodded. “I understand what you mean. Rose and I are less than a year apart also. We are close in that same way.”
“Then imagine, dear, if Rose had been snatched away from you when you were not but seven years old. That is what happened to Daniel.”
Lily raised her eyebrows. “What?”
“Morgan was Charles’s heir, Lily. When the boys were small, Charles was devoted to both of them. He played ball with them, took them fishing and hunting, taught them how to ride. But when Morgan turned eight, Charles decided it was time to start grooming him into the next Duke of Lybrook. He was no longer allowed to play with Daniel. Charles monopolized him, taking him to bus
iness meetings, estate affairs, the like.”
“But what of Daniel?” Lily’s heart ached for the sad little boy. “Surely it would have benefited him to learn about the affairs of the estate, especially considering how things turned out.”
“Yes, hindsight is always clear, isn’t it? With Charles, everything was either black or white. Morgan was the heir, and Daniel was not, so Daniel was left to flounder. He lost not only his father’s time and devotion, but also his best friend in the world. Charles and I decided to send Daniel away to school, while Morgan stayed on the estate and studied with private tutors. We hoped being with other boys his own age would ease his loneliness for Morgan.”
Lily gasped. “You sent a seven-year-old boy away?”
“Don’t judge us too harshly, dear. Had I the chance to do it over again, I would not allow it. When you have your own child, you’ll know a love like no other. It tore my heart out to lose Daniel. But Charles insisted, and I’m afraid I wasn’t strong enough to fight for my son. I live with that to this day. Not only did Daniel lose his father and brother to the dukedom, he lost Lucy and me as well when we sent him away.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound judgmental.”
“It’s all right. And Daniel did enjoy school. He made some lifelong friends, and he excelled in his studies. He especially loved the arts, and he was also quite gifted in the sciences. He’s very bright, my Daniel.”
“Yes, I know. I think he’ll be a fine duke.”
“I know he will, especially with you by his side. He is learning, and he is trying. But he has been thrust into this position with no preparation whatsoever. Charles put everything into Morgan.”
The duchess paused, stirring more honey into her tea. “Daniel eventually made peace with Charles, although they were never as close as they once were, but I believe he loved his father, and I know he loved Morgan. And I believe he loves me and Lucy. But he never allowed himself to love anyone else. After he finished his schooling, he had nothing to do. He could have been a huge help to Charles and Morgan, running the estate. I tried to talk to Charles about it, but his response was that Morgan was the heir, and it was his responsibility.” The duchess cleared her throat. “My Charles was a great man and a loving husband, but as I said, everything was either black or white with him. Consequently, Daniel, with nothing to occupy his appreciable intelligence, and a great fear of loving, embarked on a decade of indiscriminate affairs, of which I’m sure you’ve heard.”
