Chapter Twenty
Lord Kendrick, Duke of Alton
“Lord Kendrick, Duke of Alton, and Lady Lillian Tapper.” The butler announced our arrival at a soiree thrown by my cousin Victoria in honor of my engagement.
The ballroom was a crush with the crème de la crème of society present.
I patted Lillian’s gloved hand and steeled myself for the upcoming night.
This was our first foray as a betrothed couple. All eyes were on us.
A slight quaking of her limbs gave away her nervousness. I squeezed her fingers, wishing to give her confidence. ”You needn’t be afraid. I’ll be here for you.”
“They are all staring. Are you sure this dress isn’t too revealing?
” She brought her fingers to the emerald pendant resting on her chest and fidgeted with the weight.
Although her silver silk dress sleeves were adorned with ruffles, the fitted bodice enhanced her pale skin and showcased her small but well-rounded breasts.
“No, it reveals the perfect amount. You look lovely tonight.” I nodded to a known acquaintance and his wife but steered Lillian in the opposite direction. Rank had its privileges, and although many tried to toady up to me, others respected my boundaries.
“You are very kind. Now, if you could halt everyone from staring, I would appreciate it,” she said in a small whisper.
“They stare because they’re resentful. Every man here envies me my choice of bride.
” They would line up to court her in droves if they knew her true nature.
Alas, the ignorant and shallow men around her failed to look past her unconventional exterior.
The woman on my arm shone in the silver dress, and I was proud to claim her as my fiancée.
“More like every woman attending would push me off a cliff for the opportunity to become your duchess.” She released an unladylike snort, followed by a self-deprecating smile. The simple gesture erased the doomed air she’d carried since I picked her up for the event.
“I would love to say what you claim is outlandish, but alas, it isn’t.
To date, I have had three ladies swear I was the father of their children.
One horrible woman even stole a child from a scullery maid.
It was very disturbing.” I shuddered, thinking about the poor exploited child. My title was a blessing and a curse.
“Oh, dear. It is a wonder you don’t spurn me for my brib—um, destructive behavior.” She pressed her lips together, genuine regret in her stare.
“You never tried to trick me into marriage. You simply asked me to help you.” Her request had begun an odd turn of events. The ghost of the night in the library haunted me, both asleep and awake. We all three had meshed well together.
The aftereffects were mixed.
There was a tenseness I hadn’t previously experienced with Colt whenever we were together. Part of it was my fault. I avoided him because I was torn between my desire for him and our friendship.
“Either way, it was ill-advised. Do you think I could have a glass of champagne? I’m parched.
” She offered me a weak smile and dropped the pendant.
My engagement gift to Lillian, the emerald-studded necklace brought out the green of her eyes.
I wanted to place a peck on her lips, anything to bring the joy back.
“Of course.” I grabbed two glasses off a waiter’s tray and handed one to her.
She accepted the proffered glass and drank deeply. Her hair was fashioned in an elaborate upswept style that enhanced the length of her neck. Lady Lillian would never be a great beauty. She would always be unique. “You have been gone from the house lately.”
An older man ogled her, and I lifted my chin to stare him down. What lay beneath the fabric of her gown was mine alone to see. Well, maybe not just mine. Colt had stripped her out of her bodice and explored the softness beneath. “I have had estate business to attend to. Surely Colt told you.”
“Yes, he did. He’d allowed me to use his typewriter, and my new scenes have shaped up to be some of the best writing I think I have ever done.” She rolled the stem of the glass in her gloved fingers. A stubborn curl escaped from her upswept hair and rested on her creamy shoulder.
If we were alone, I would replace it with my lips and explore the soft flesh. We were not alone. “Did you get all the material you needed?” I could hardly wait to seduce her as my wife.
The ballroom layout was familiar to me, and I found a secluded spot to have an intimate conversation without prying ears overhearing. The long engagement was taking a toll on my patience. It was at my mother’s insistence we have a large, drawn-out affair.
“For the first of three scenes, yes. Colt has read what I have, and he is confident the new scenes fit well with the original plot, but he has encouraged me to rewrite most of it.” She finished the wine in her glass and inhaled.
The motion pushed her breasts high. A soft flush from the wine or the conversation moved up her chest, and my attention stayed in places it ought not to linger in such a public venue.
“I’m curious if his memory and your memory match my memory of that night.
” My voice sounded raw to my ears. The need for a repeat with the two of them whispered to me.
I had to be careful and not let my lust get the upper hand like it had with Gavin.
Even thinking about him and his threat of blackmail inflamed my temper.
“I tried to capture every detail, and I think it is paying off in my writing. Some pieces are missing, well, mostly absent because Lady X was distracted by what the dark knight was doing with her—”The flush deepened, and she stared down at her feet.
She might be fighting her shyness, but her words were bold and hit their mark with precision.
“—um ... I believe I’ll need to revisit that encounter. ”
I wasn’t sure if it was wise to give in to my passion for her. We were not married yet, and I promised I wouldn’t take her virginity until she was my wife. I wasn’t a cad and took my vow as a gentleman to heart. “We will have plenty of time for that once we wed.”
“Our wedding date is nine months from now. I was hoping to have my second scene written and sent off long before our wedding.” She looked at me, a frown furrowing her brow before she brightened.
It was like someone opened the drapes on a lovely spring day.
“Lady X’s scene is irrelevant at this juncture.
It is the dark knight and Lord Golden who matter. ”
“Lord Golden might have an opinion.” My head said to forget about including Colt again, but my body craved more of his cock.
He had said he’d desired me for ages. I didn’t have an inkling until the day we stood outside Lord Tapper’s residence, and I spied the lust in Colt’s eyes.
I had dismissed it as a figment of my overactive imagination, but I hadn’t been wrong.
“In my book, Lord Golden kidnaps Lady X and takes her to Gretna Green. The dark knight swoops in and rescues her. They elope to the anvil in Scotland after he defeats Lord Golden.” She offered me a pointed stare, no trace of artifice in her expression.
“While other women dreamed of all of society attending their wedding, I always thought eloping would be romantic.”
“Is that a hint or an observation?” I asked.
“It is more like a plea. What say you? Shall we skip the pomp and circumstance and run away together? You have an estate in Scotland. Colt mentioned you were scheduled to tour it next month. It would be the perfect opportunity to wed.”
Her argument had merit, and the more I thought about it, the more appealing it became.
I motioned for a waiter with a fresh tray of drinks.
It would not come without complications, most especially my mother’s wrath.
“You are correct about Scotland. Your family would disown you, however. My mother wouldn’t be pleased, to be sure. ”
“My father would be relieved.” She handed her glass to the waiter and accepted a fresh one. The conversation agreed with her because she lost her earlier stiffness and seemed to be enjoying herself. “My four older sisters all had large weddings, and I know it was a burden on him.”
My mind spinning, I shook my head. “It would be very irresponsible of us.”
“It would be very practical.” She removed her hand from my arms and laced her fingers with mine. Entreating eyes held mine, and I found it difficult to look away.
I brought our hands to my mouth for a kiss and cursed the gloves preventing me from touching her silky skin.
Every second spent in her company enhanced my growing need to lose myself in her kiss.
It was a bonus to our betrothal that I liked her as well as desired her.
With Lillian, I didn’t have to watch what I said.
“I think we should ask Colt for his thoughts. He has never steered me wrong before. What say you?”
“I would welcome his opinion on the matter. He and I have become friends; kindred spirits, if you will. He is kind, and I like his kisses. Does that make me a wanton?” She licked her lips, the liquid sheen of desire darkening her pupils until her irises were slivers of green.
Where it anyone else but Colt, her desire for another man might offend me. Our night had been unforgettable and surpassed anything I had experienced to date. I wasn’t sure if it was the novelty of two lovers or the nature of our relationship.
Either way, I wouldn’t turn down a repeat.