An Earls Guide to Insulting a Lady – By Cecilia Rene #4
Her body sang with desire as she felt the hard length of him press up against her abdomen.
Eliza had never been intimate with a man before.
She had always believed that her life would be filled with polite affection, but this fire, this passion, was something that only Perry could incite within her.
Her hands traveled down his firm chest to the buttons of his waistcoat, where she desperately tried to free him of its confines.
His hand traveled to her buttocks, squeezing and kneading the pliant flesh. Her head fell back against the bookcase as his lips traveled down to the swell of her breast.
Dear God, she could feel him everywhere and she wanted more.
“What do you think you’re doing?” A deep voice broke through the lust-filled haze of Eliza’s mind.
Peregrine froze before he took a step away from her, taking her by the hand.
Hastily, she straightened her clothing, running her fingers through the tight bun at the nape of her neck
“Eliza, what is going on?” her Aunt Elizabeth asked.
Swallowing, she tried to find her words, but the shock on her aunt’s and uncle’s faces were too much for her to bear. They looked as if Peregrine had forced himself on her, and that was the furthest thing from the truth.
“Darcy, I-I can explain,” Perry said, stepping in front of Eliza, trying to protect her reputation.
That no longer mattered. She was well and truly ruined, and she quite enjoyed it. What did matter was that she was to be his bride.
His countess.
“You can explain?” Her uncle’s voice was calm, but deadly. “You force yourself on my innocent niece in my home and you think that I care to hear your explanation?”
Her aunt placed a hand on her uncle’s arm. “Darcy, try to stay calm?—”
“No, Elizabeth, I trusted him in our home around innocent young ladies, and this is how he betrays my trust.” He waved a hand at Eliza and Peregrine.
Eliza had heard enough. “Uncle Darcy, that is not true. He didn’t force me to do anything. Lord Wentmore asked me to marry him, and I said yes.” She stood tall, waiting for her aunt and uncle’s reaction.
They both stared from her to Peregrine, wide eyed and in shock. It wasn’t the response she expected from the rest of her family, but words of congratulations would have been nice.
“Married? You’re getting married to Lord Wentmore?” her aunt asked.
“It is rather shocking, but despite my inability to converse freely, Miss Lockhart has agreed to be my wife.” Peregrine placed his arm around her waist.
Her Uncle Darcy cleared his throat loudly, his eyes shifting to Peregrine’s hand around Eliza’s waist.
“That is wonderful that you are engaged. However, that does not excuse your behavior, Wentmore,” Darcy said, folding his arms in front of his chest.
Eliza fought the urge to roll her eyes at her always serious uncle. In all her life she was not sure if she’d ever seen the man smile, but Jane insisted her father did smile occasionally, only around his immediate family.
“You are right, Cousin.” Peregrine nodded, looking very much like a chastised boy. “I lost myself in the excitement of the moment.”
Her aunt let out a girlish sigh, as Eliza herself molded into Peregrine’s side. Perhaps it wouldn’t take much at all to teach him how to properly give a compliment.
Her aunt smiled, looking much younger than her husband. “Of course, we understand. We were young once, were we not, husband?” Her aunt asked, a challenging tone in her voice as she pierced her husband with a single gaze.
“I never behaved in such a manner, nor would I have with your parents in the same vicinity.” He shook his head, dark hair streaked in grey, falling in his eyes. “For God’s sake man, anyone could have walked in on you.”
Peregrine’s arm tightened around Eliza’s waist. She could not help but to wish that they were still alone and his lips were pressed against hers. “You are correct. Now that she has agreed to be my wife, I shall vow to behave better,” he said, looking down at her with heated eyes.
Eliza licked her dry lips as they tingled in remembrance of him.
Please never behave again.
Hiding the smile that threatened to consume her at her wicked thoughts, Eliza turned away from him, catching the knowing gaze of her aunt.
“Well, I suppose congratulations are in order!” Her aunt clapped her hands together before she rushed forward, taking Eliza from Peregrine’s side. “I wish you’ll be as happy as I’ve been these past twenty years,” she whispered in Eliza’s ear, squeezing her.
Tears threatened to fall at her aunt’s warm reception. Eliza was not sure that her own parents would be as happy as her aunt. Along with her grandmother, Eliza’s mother had pushed for the match with Philip Collins.
Resigned, Eliza had wanted to please her family, but she knew in her heart that Philip Collins could never make her happy.
“Thank you, Aunt Lizzy. I know we will be.” Eliza looked to Peregrine, her heart so full of love and happiness that it threatened to burst inside of her chest.
She never imagined that a fortnight at her aunt and uncle’s would lead to love.
“I think this is cause for celebration,” her uncle said, walking to stand next to his wife.
“Indeed! Shall we go and inform the rest of the family?” her aunt asked with perfectly raised eyebrows.
“Now? You want us to tell them now?” Eliza asked, suddenly afraid of what her parents would say.
They weren’t overly affectionate, both reserved in their own way. Informing them that their only daughter was to be married to an earl in front of a room full of people would not be pleasing to them.
“The sooner you get this over with, the sooner you can start your life together.” Her aunt squeezed her hand before turning to her husband and walked out of the library.
“Are you ready?” Peregrine asked her, a finger teasing down her cheek.
She shook her head and whispered her fears as he led her out of the room behind her aunt and uncle. “No. What if it’s a disaster?”
Although she wasn’t engaged to Philip Collins, Eliza didn’t feel entirely comfortable announcing her engagement to another man in front of him. Surely she should speak to him in private. And what about Beth?
From the moment that Eliza had arrived, all her cousin could speak of was Perry. How handsome he was, how she hoped he liked her, but really, Eliza wasn’t sure if that was Beth's or her grandmother’s opinion.
“It won’t be,” he whispered, bending as they turned down the hallway leading to where the guests were still gathered.
She tried to calm her frantic nerves, but there was no comfort to be had as the distance between them and the conservatory became shorter and shorter. “How can you be certain?”
His eyes sparkled as they slowed before reaching where their friends and family were all assembled. “Because you said yes, and nothing else matters.”
She looked up at him, wondering where her brooding earl had gone. “Have you been pretending not to know how to speak to a lady this entire time?” She couldn’t help but wonder, as he hadn’t insulted her once since his proposal.
“No, I have not been pretending.” He shrugged his shoulder. “It’s easier now.”
She peered back, amazed at how much more comfortable he seemed with her, as opposed to earlier that day. “Really? Why is that?”
His fingers teased the exposed skin right above her gloves, causing her body to heat in ways she never imagined. “Because I know you’re mine.”
They stopped in front of the doors to the conservatory as her aunt and uncle stood in front of them. Eliza squeezed Peregrine’s arm, wanting to run away with him that instant.
“Eliza! I’ve been looking for you,” her cousin Jane said, looking at Eliza and Perry’s joined arms. “What’s going on?” she asked with a knowing smile.
“May I have your attention, please?” Her uncle’s voice carried around the small room, and all eyes turned toward them. “My cousin, Lord Wentmore, has an announcement.” Her uncle moved aside and suddenly every gaze in the conservatory was on them.
Beside her Peregrine froze, before clearing his throat several times.
Eliza’s mother and father stopped their conversation with Philip Collins, their gaze shifting from Eliza to each other in confusion.
Jane bounced on her heels, smiling at Eliza as every breath in the room was held waiting on Peregrine.
“Thank you, Darcy.” He cleared his throat again, releasing Eliza’s arm to take her by the hand. Audible gasps were heard around the room. “I’ve asked Miss Eliza Lockhart to be my wife, and she has graciously accepted.”
Her eyes went to Perry. She didn’t care what anyone else thought as she stared into the green gaze of her future. There would be time to speak to her parents, Mr. Collins and Beth later.
“What! I thought she didn’t like him!” her grandmother’s shrill voice rose over the quiet in the room.
Perry ignored the commotion that her grandmother was causing, bending closer to her, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he pressed his lips to hers.
She could feel all eyes on her, but none of it mattered.
The only person she cared about was him.
The Earl of Wentmore.
ONE MONTH LATER
Eliza gazed around the lavish décor of the countess’s chambers at Grove Manor.
It was still difficult to believe that only mere months ago she was living with her parents in Plymouth, hoping to avoid all talks of marriage.
Now she was a countess, married to the man she had sworn she loathed more than anyone in the world.
She smiled to herself, thinking of her husband. She and Perry had married a sennight earlier at Pemberley, surrounded by their family and friends. After a tumultuous engagement, Eliza was happy to finally be in her new home.
It wasn’t that her family was against her and Perry’s engagement. Well, not outwardly. Her grandmother did mention how devastated Beth was from the news, but once another school friend of Perry’s arrived for the wedding—a marquess—Beth was suddenly joyous again.
“Will you require anything else, my lady?” her lady’s maid, Nellie, asked.