by HELEN HARDT
Lily nodded. “He’s quite well known.”
“I know. Not my proudest moment as a mother, of course. But I do adore my Daniel. He has so much to offer, and now, for the first time, I believe he is trying to open his heart.”
“To me?”
“Yes, my dear, to you.” The duchess smiled. “You see, I know that the two of you have been…seeing each other.”
Lily’s face warmed. She wanted to disappear into the plush rug under her feet.
“I couldn’t be happier with Daniel’s choice,” the duchess said. “I hold both your parents in the highest esteem. I’ve known your mother since she was a babe.”
“Yes, I know. She told me that your sister and my Auntie Iris were best friends as girls.”
“All four of us were close, actually. I’ve tried to get Flora to use my Christian name over the years, but she won’t hear of it, insisting upon calling me ‘Your Grace.’”
“That’s just Mummy,” Lily said.
“Yes, I know. She’s a fine woman. We lost touch over the years. But I had a good life with Charles. It wasn’t easy to watch Daniel engage in so many meaningless dalliances.”
“I understand.”
“When Charles and Morgan passed on, Daniel became the seventh Duke of Lybrook.”
The duchess’s eyes shimmered with tears, and Lily offered her handkerchief.
“Thank you, dear. Imagine, for a moment, what it was like to lose a father and a brother, and then be plagued with new responsibilities for which you were completely unprepared. So what did Daniel do? He ran.”
“To the continent,” Lily said.
“Yes. I didn’t try to stop him. I don’t think I could have anyway. I understood his need for escape. I let him go. Luckily, our solicitors and bankers took care of the estate while he was gone, and our holdings are secure. Then, a few months ago, I received a letter from Daniel, telling me he was returning to resume his responsibilities. He apologized for leaving me when I needed him, and he vowed to do better in the future as a son, as a duke, and as a man. Lucy and I planned this house party to come out of mourning, but I had an ulterior motive. I wanted you and Daniel to meet again.”
“Did you know that we had actually met before?”
“Yes. He told me the day he found you in my little alcove. He mentioned your talent and what a pretty child you were.”
Lily’s heart jumped and her lips curved into a smile.
“I couldn’t think of a better match for my son than one of Flora and Crispin’s daughters. I intended to formally introduce the two of you, but somehow that took care of itself. I was elated when Daniel arranged for you to sit with him at dinner. I don’t know how the two of you managed to get together, but I thank God for it.” The duchess laid her hand on Lily’s forearm, squeezing gently. “You are Daniel’s savior, Lily. Please don’t abandon him.”
“I don’t want to leave him, it’s just…”
“What, dear?”
“I have reason to believe that he’s only marrying me because… This is difficult to say.”
“You’re going to be my daughter, Lily. You can tell me.”
Lily concentrated on a small wrinkle in her skirt. “He believes I might be with child.”
The duchess lifted her eyebrows. “With child? But Daniel ought to know how to prevent that.”
“He does. He told me he would. But he didn’t. I was…quite angry with him.”
“Oh my.”
“I’m sorry, Your Grace. I assure you that I never meant to… That is, if it had been anyone but him, I wouldn’t have… He and I seem to… We’re drawn together, or something.” Lily sighed. “This isn’t coming out right at all.”
“My dear, I don’t think any less of you. But don’t you see what this means?”
“No, I’m sorry.”
“He didn’t try to prevent you from conceiving his child. Lily, Daniel is in love with you.”
A tear slid down Lily’s cheek. “He’s never said that. He’s said other things. I suppose one might be able to construe…” She shook her head. “No, I need to hear the words.”
“I understand, but he’s afraid to love. The only people he ever allowed himself to love were ripped from him as a young boy.” The duchess wiped a tear from her cheek. “You must tell him how you feel first.”
“But that’s not the way…” Lily shrugged. “I’m afraid to.”
The duchess took both of Lily’s hands in hers, smiling into her eyes. “My darling girl, sometimes we women have to be the brave ones. You’ll find out for yourself once you’re married. Go to him. Admit your feelings to him. Show him he can love again.”
Lily gulped, apprehension flooding her. But the duchess was right. Poor Daniel had lost everyone.
“May I ask a favor, Your Grace?”
“Yes.”
“Would you keep this conversation in confidence?”
“Of course.”
“Thank you. I’ve enjoyed talking with you. It’s been enlightening.” She gathered her courage and rose. “I shall go to Daniel.”
Chapter 16
Daniel rose from his giant tub and toweled himself dry, smiling as he remembered his afternoon with Lily. He swathed himself in a velvet dressing robe, ready to ring for Putney to assist him, when a knock came on his outer chamber door. No one but Lily would come to see him at this time during the day. His heart leaped in anticipation of seeing her face, hearing her voice. He walked through his bedchamber to the sitting room.
“Come in, love,” he said, loudly enough to penetrate the closed door. “You’re not going to start knocking now, are you?” He went back into the bedchamber, grabbed a towel, and began to wring the moisture from his hair.
“How very kind you are, to say that I don’t need to knock.”
Daniel turned. Amelia Gregory stood in the door of his bedchamber.
“I thought you were someone else.”
“Your lovely Lily, no doubt?”
“I’m busy, as you can see. Please leave at once.”
“No. I want to talk to you.”
“We have nothing to say to each other.”
“I disagree, Daniel. I have much to say.” She walked toward him. “I have missed you so very much. I can’t sleep at night for want of you.”
“I’m sorry. As I’ve told you before, it’s over between us.”
“No, it can’t be.”
“It is.”
“But why? We shared so much together.”
“We shared a bed, Amelia, that’s all. I’m going to be married, and I have every intention of—”
“Don’t tell me that you have feelings for that little whore.”
Rage boiled in Daniel’s gut. “Do not ever refer to her like that again, do you understand? Leave her out of this. Your quarrel is with me.”
“Does she make you feel like I do? Do you remember our fun? Our escapades?”
Daniel remembered, though he wished he didn’t. “You need to leave now, Amelia.”
“You’re mine, Daniel. She can’t have you!”
“She already has me. I’m hers.”
“What does she have that I don’t?”
A smile teased his lips. “She has my heart. She’s had it from the beginning. I love her.” The words lifted a great burden from his shoulders. “I love her,” he said again, more to himself than to Amelia.
“You don’t know the meaning of the word.” Amelia lunged forward and tackled him to the ground. She straddled him, clamping her mouth down upon his, seeking entrance with her tongue. She wrenched the dressing robe from his chest. “Here’s what you’ll be missing with her, Daniel. Look what I can give you.”
God, Polk had been right about Amelia. She was bad news. He tossed her aside him and closed his robe. “I have reconsidered allowing you to stay here, Amelia. I want you gone by the morrow.”
“You won’t get rid of me that easily, Your Grace.” Amelia smoothed her rumpled dress and stood. “I was invited here. What wou
ld the duchess think of you throwing me out?”
“I don’t righteously care what the duchess thinks.”
“Perhaps Her Grace and I should have a little chat. She might like to know what her baby boy has been up to in my bedchamber.”
“You leave my mother alone, damn it.” Daniel closed his robe and rose. “She’s been through hell, losing her husband and son, and I won’t tolerate your interference with her. Have your bags packed. You’ll leave after dinner.”
Amelia turned and flounced toward the door. “You know,” she said, looking back at him, “your intended isn’t interested in you. She told me so.”
Daniel winced. “When did you speak to her?”
“We’ve had several chats, the future duchess and I. The first night of the house party, I found her in the ladies’ sitting room after you molested her outside. I enlightened her as to why you grabbed her. You had mistaken her for me, of course. She told me she wasn’t the least bit interested in you. Then the other night, after you announced your betrothal, she told me she didn’t wish to marry you.”
Daniel’s stomach churned, and he swallowed. “You stay the hell away from her. I mean it. I want you off this estate.”
“Why do you wish to marry someone who doesn’t want you? She’ll never be able to satisfy you. I know your sexual appetites. You can have me, Daniel. I want you. I need you. Let me be your duchess. I’ll make you proud.”
“For the last time, Amelia, leave this chamber at once, or I will physically remove you!”
Amelia smiled seductively. “I’d like to see you try. Once you put your hands on me, you’ll be mine. You won’t be able to resist.”
“I assure you, I will. Now go.”
“Fine, I’ll go, but I’m afraid I’m not leaving the estate.”
“Yes, you are, damn it.”
“Daniel, I will stay and enjoy the rest of the house party. I was invited. If you force me to leave, I swear I will make sure all of England knows of our exploits. And the first two people who hear about them will be your sweet Lily and your dear devoted mother.”
“Both Lily and my mother are aware of our affair.”
“Perhaps. But do they know all the juicy details? Like the time my young housemaid joined us in bed? Two pairs of lips on your hard cock? But that was nothing compared to the cockstand you had when she and I sucked each other. And what about that handsome gardener?” Amelia lifted her skirts and slid a hand into her drawers. “One cock in my cunny and one in my arse… Heavens, I still burn from time to time thinking about it.”
Daniel grimaced. How had he ever been so young and foolish? He couldn’t risk Amelia poisoning Lily against him. “Do as you please,” he said through clenched teeth, “but stay away from my mother, stay away from Lily, and stay the hell out of my sight!”
He pushed her out the door and slammed it.
* * *
Amelia blazed with temper as she walked down the hallway to the back stairwell. She wasn’t finished yet, not by a long shot. “Oh, no,” she groaned aloud as she spied the very bane of her life, Lady Lily Jameson, coming up the back stairwell.
“Lila, dear,” Amelia said, approaching. “How lovely to see you.”
“Good afternoon.”
“Going to see your intended, I presume?”
“It’s none of your business where I’m going. If you’ll excuse me.”
“I was just in his chamber. I’m afraid he’s a bit…indisposed at the moment.”
“What were you doing in his chamber?” Lily demanded.
“I’m sure you can guess.” Amelia straightened her wrinkled gown and smoothed her hair.
“I don’t believe you.”
But Lily wrung her hands nervously, fumbling with a handkerchief. No, she wasn’t nearly as confident as she wanted Amelia to believe.
“You don’t? Surely you’re not such an innocent that you thought Daniel would stop his affairs just because he’s getting married.”
“What?”
“I must thank you,” Amelia said. “You’ve obviously been a marvelous influence on him. Daniel has never been quite so, shall we say, prurient, in his lovemaking.”
“Daniel would never…”
“He told me that it’s only a matter of time before he gets his heir on you, and then he’ll ship you off to Scotland and make me his live-in mistress.” She spied the green engagement ring on Lily’s hand. “You may as well give that to me now. Daniel said I could have it.”
Tears glistened in Lily’s eyes. “No, he wouldn’t do that.”
“Are you going to cry, my dear? How dreadful.” Amelia grabbed Lily’s hand. “Now, give me that ring!”
“Daniel chose it for me. He went to London, he… You can’t have it!” Lily backed toward the stairwell.
“It’s mine!” Amelia screamed, yanking the ring from Lily’s finger.
Lily toppled a bit, losing her balance.
“And Daniel’s mine! He’ll never be yours! Never!”
Amelia shoved Lily hard, closing her ears to the screaming sobs as Lily rolled down the stairs and fell with a thud on the landing below. Quickly Amelia looked around. No servants appeared to have witnessed the exchange. Breathing a sigh of relief, she strode to the front stairwell, descended smoothly, and made her way to her chamber.
* * *
Daniel understood only about every third word the flustered servant said. All that mattered was that something had happened to Lily. Buttoning his trousers, he ran to the stairwell. Dear Lord, she was on the landing, Crawford and a few others attending her. He leaped down the stairs taking them three at a time.
“What the hell happened?” He knelt beside Lily, her body crumpled, her face streaked from tears, her eyes locked in unconsciousness. His heart pounded and anguish enveloped him. “Lily, my God, Lily. Don’t leave me. Please don’t leave me.” He gathered her in his arms.
“You shouldn’t move her, Your Grace,” Crawford said. “She could be bleeding inside, and she probably has broken bones. I’ve sent for your physician.”
“I can’t leave her here, damn it! She’s everything to me.” He lifted her gently.
“Please, Your Grace, it’s best—”
“Send the physician to my chamber, Crawford. Oh dear God. Just send him to my chamber.”
Daniel carried Lily up the stairwell, as gently as if she were a babe, took her into his chamber, and laid her on his bed. He kissed her forehead, her cheeks, her lips, as tears streamed from his eyes.
“Lily, Lily, please wake up. It’s Daniel, Lily. I love you. I love you. Oh, why didn’t I tell you?”
He knelt down beside her, begging God to bring her back, and then sat down next to her and gently touched her face. Her eyes fluttered for an instant.
“Daniel?” Her voice was hoarse and raspy.
“Lily, yes, I’m here, my love. Tell me what happened.”
“It was…Amelia.” Her eyes closed into unawareness again.
Amelia? Had she pushed Lily down the stairs? He would send that bitch to hell! He got up to ring for a servant when Lord and Lady Ashford burst in.
“Your Grace, what happened?” The countess turned to see Lily on the bed. She crossed herself. “Crispin, she’s—”
“What happened, Lybrook?” the earl asked calmly, taking his wife’s hand.
“I-I don’t know,” Daniel stammered. “Crawford found her at the bottom of the back stairwell. She—” He swallowed. “I believe she was pushed.”
“By whom?” the countess asked. “Why would anyone want to harm her?”
“She…she said it was…”
Daniel turned toward the sound of a clearing throat. Dr. Michael Blake stood in the doorway.
“Blake, thank God. She fell down the stairs. You’ve got to help her. Please.”
“Stand back. Let me to her.” The doctor sat down on the bed next to her and began palpating her arms and legs.
Thomas strode into the room. “What happened? I heard that Lily was hurt.�
�
“She’s unconscious, Thomas,” Lord Ashford said. “The doctor is looking at her now.”
“I don’t think any bones are broken,” Blake said. “That’s good news, and surprising, considering her fall.” He opened his bag, pulled out an instrument, and slit Lily’s gown down the front. He eased her arms out of the sleeves, loosened her corset, and listened to her heart with a stethoscope. “Her heartbeat is strong, and she seems to be breathing normally. She most likely has a concussion.” He moved his hands down her body, gently kneading her stomach and abdomen, and then lifted her petticoat and gasped.
“What is it, doctor?” the countess asked.
“I’m sorry to say this,” Blake said. “She appears to be bleeding from her womb.”
“No,” Daniel said. “No, no.”
“I’ll have to stop the bleeding.”
“Of course, do what you must,” the earl said.
“Crispin.” The countess turned her head into her husband’s shoulder, choking back sobs.
“I’m sorry,” Dr. Blake said, “but I have to ask. Is there any chance she might be breeding?”
“Of course not,” Lord Ashford said.
Daniel looked down at his feet and raked his fingers through his thick hair. “Yes,” he said, barely audibly, “there is.”
Thomas started forward. “Lybrook, I’ll throttle you!”
“Not before I do,” the earl said, holding his son back with his arm.
“Stop it, the both of you,” Lady Ashford said, motioning to Daniel. “Can’t you see this is killing him?”
“Flora, he took our daughter into his bed!” The earl said, his hands clenched into fists.
“Stop being such a barbarian,” the countess said quietly, but harshly. “You know as well as I do that Lily never would have done anything that she didn’t want to do. And have you forgotten our own courtship? We weren’t saints, as you should well recall, and by the time I was her age I was married and had a child.” She turned to her son. “As for you, I know more about your dalliances than I wish to, so just keep your mouth shut from here on. None of this helping Lily.”
