CHAPTER 6
‘So, any further news as to your impending nuptials?’ Drew passed Aaron a glass of ale as they sat on the grass under a shady oak.
‘No marriage date yet. Our respective solicitors are drawing up the formalities, then we will meet and make arrangements.’ Now that his financial future was assured, he was in no hurry. Besides, he needed time to give Lizzy all that she needed. His last hurrah. At least until he was established in his new position as marquess and husband.
He glanced over to where Lizzy and her family sat at a small table under the shade of another tree enjoying their picnic lunch.
‘Is that your protegee?’ Kitty, her hands full dandling their infant son on her lap, pointed her chin in Lizzy’s direction. ‘She is quite lovely. She reminds me a little of myself when I first fell into the clutches of a notorious rake.’ Kitty nudged Drew’s shoulder as he sat on the grass at her feet.
‘And look where that has landed you, my love.’ Drew reached for Lizzy’s hand and kissed it. ‘Aaron, would you not prefer to spend your last single days in the company of someone more…like Lady Caroline. Does she know she will be deprived of your company soon?’
Aaron looked over to where Caro sat in company with her husband and his coterie of business associates at a table under a small marquee. She had been instrumental in the creation of the Rakes Club when Aaron, Drew and Richard had been searching for premises to entertain the disgruntled wives of the ton.
‘I have not as yet, but I will rectify that.’ Caro was delightful company. Uninhibited, amusing and undemanding. All he would have wanted in a wife but without the responsibilities of being a husband.
‘Lizzy is how I imagine a young Caro would have been,’ he admitted to his friends.
‘Before you corrupted her.’ Kitty nudged him with her foot.
‘Before I enlightened her. Like Drew enlightened you,’ he reminded her. Indeed, Kitty had come to Drew as innocent as Lizzy and now they had a wonderful marriage. And soon he would have a marriage too, but it was doubtful that wonderful would be a word to describe it. Convenient. For him and his wife-to-be. They would have practical needs met and his bank manager would have no further reason to threaten him with bankruptcy.
‘Will you pay your respects?’ Drew was obviously not going to let the matter go.
‘I have no wish to draw attention to myself, nor to the fact that Lizzy has more than a nodding acquaintance with me. I will not put her in the predicament of having to explain why I might be giving her the time of day. She is almost engaged.’
As if the afternoon breeze had mystically carried their conversation across the grass, Caro stood and walked towards the group.
‘I just had to come and admire your delightful son, Kitty.’ Caro sat on an empty seat at the table and held out a finger to the child which he grasped and gurgled delightedly.
‘Are you sure you should be seen so openly in our company?’ Aaron asked. While her husband was more than aware of her dalliances, it would do no good to fire speculation among the ton as to who frequented the Rakes Club.
‘There is nothing to hide. Kitty is a respectably married woman, and it would be remiss of me not enquire as to how mother and child are faring.’ Caro held out her arms and Kitty duly handed her son over.
She settled the child on her lap, and Drew reached up to adjust his bonnet and skirts, obviously besotted by his firstborn. Aaron had very little to with children, let alone babes and even though he would very shortly have a title and a country manor, he doubted didn’t concede any obligation to provide an heir.
‘Can I offer you a refreshment?’ Aaron pointed to the array of bottles in the basket on the rug.
‘No. Thank you. Being in your company is exhilarating enough.’ Caro nudged Aaron’s leg with the toe of her shoe. ‘But you can let me know when next I might pay you a visit,’ Caro said, obviously to Aaron but giving her attention to the baby.
It surprised Aaron that for the first time since he’d met Caro, a smile didn’t curve his lips at the thought of a lusty afternoon in her company.
‘I…my available time is somewhat erratic these days. I have commitments outside of the city.’ Not an untruth. He would have those commitments in due course.
Caro pouted, unused to having her desires refused, but part of her appeal had always been that she didn’t make demands on Aaron. There were times they didn’t see each other for months at a time.
‘I shall simply have to find other things to occupy me. Perhaps this delicious young man would like the pleasure of my company.’ Caro planted a kiss on the child’s plump cheek. ‘With his mama’s permission, of course.’
‘We would love to see more of you.’ Kitty smiled, and the two women were soon in deep conversation.
Aaron had spent many an exhausting afternoon making up for Caro’s husband’s lack of attention, but his attention kept wandering to Lizzy. As if sensing his observation, she turned, their eyes meeting briefly. They were some distance away, and Aaron couldn’t be certain, but those plump pink lips curved into a smile.
Those lips had parted to sigh with pleasure when he’d dipped his fingers into her bodice and found the tight tip of her breast. Was she remembering that also? Did that smile mean she wanted to see what other pleasures there were to be discovered?
‘A bird in the hand…’ Drew nudged his friend, nodding toward Caro.
There was a lot to be said for the familiarity of a longstanding arrangement, knowing that Caro looked forward to bedchamber adventures, but the thought of sharing Lizzy’s journey of discovery, guiding her on it, stirred him more.
‘The bird in the bush has its own attractions,’ he admitted to Drew, moving closer so they could have a quieter conversation. ‘After years of having bawdy fun with some very compliant companions, I’m finding Lizzy’s innocence a more than refreshing change.’
Drew nodded. ‘I do understand. I found the same thing.’ He glanced over to his wife. ‘You are under no obligation to Caro. You are free to follow your desires.’
And his desire was for another assignation with Lizzy.