Lily and the Duke (11 page)

Emma approached them and sat down. “How are all of you this evening?”

“We’re just fine, dear,” Lily said. “How was your walk with Thomas?”

“Just lovely. He’s heading back to the bachelor house now. There’s a poker game tonight or something.”

“Gambling? My goodness,” Sophie said.

“It’s probably just a friendly game, Sophie,” Rose said. “Thomas enjoys gaming. Papa does too, actually.”

“Emma,” Lily said, “I’m so sorry about your unfortunate dinner companions this evening. If I had known you would be seated with Lord Ludley, I’d have warned you.”

“Warned me about what?”

“About him. Tell me, did he try anything inappropriate?”

“He did seem to brush my thigh more than necessary, but I assumed it was because of his size. He is rather large.”

“Large doesn’t begin to describe him,” Lily said. “And his thigh caressing was not an accident, I assure you.”

“He also seemed to salivate a lot.”

Lily laughed. “Yes, he’s disgusting. Tell me, did he do anything that made you uncomfortable?”

“She’ll have the duke kick him off the estate for you, you know,” Alexandra said.

“No, no.” Emma said. “I’m absolutely fine. There’s no need… How can you get the duke the kick him off the estate, Lily?”

“Haven’t you heard?” Alexandra held two fingers up side by side. “Lily and His Grace are like this.”

“Ally, you’re making that up,” Lily said.

“I don’t think so,” she began, then, “My goodness, what time is it, anyway?”

“It was nearly ten when Lord Jameson and I parted,” Emma said. “Why do you ask?”

“I have an engagement,” Alexandra said, and then lowered her voice. “Mr. Landon and I are meeting on the back terrace.”

“Ally!” Sophie exclaimed. “Without a chaperone?”

“Of course without a chaperone,” Alexandra said. “What fun would it be otherwise?”

“I suppose I can’t talk you out of this, can I?” Sophie shook her head. “Please use good sense though. Don’t let him take any liberties.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it,” Alexandra said, winking. “I plan to take the liberties myself. I’ll see you all later. Will you be here for a while?”

“I’ll only be here for a bit,” Rose said. “I’m playing the grand piano in the conservatory for Lord Evan at eleven, and Lily is my chaperone. In fact, Lily, we should go. I’d like to warm up a bit. I haven’t actually played the grand yet, and I need to get the feel of it. Would you two care to come along?” She nodded to Sophie and Emma.

“Thank you just the same,” Sophie said. “I think I’ll stay out here. It’s such a nice evening.”

“I’ll stay and chat with Sophie,” Emma said. “But do have a lovely time.”

“We will, dear,” Lily said, linking arms with Rose and Alexandra. “Tomorrow evening there will be another formal ball. Won’t that be fun?”

“Oh yes,” Alexandra said. “I had a wonderful time at the first one. Except for Wentworth and his errant tongue, that is.”

“Alexandra…” Sophie began.

“Sophie, darling, if you had been in my shoes, you would say the same thing. Do enjoy your evening, ladies.” She broke away from Lily and hurried off.

Lily and Rose said goodbye and entered the house, making their way past the library to the conservatory. The chandelier had already been lit, and cast a luminous glow on the black lacquer grand piano in the center of the room. One wall of the large room was devoted entirely to bookshelves which housed written music of all kinds. In a corner stood a gilt-edged harp, and in another corner, several guitars and mandolins. The walls were filled with more paintings, and Lily slowly walked through the room, looking at each one with interest. She made a mental note to have Daniel explain them to her later and took a seat on a lush sofa covered in forest green satiny fabric.

“Start with the Mozart sonata, dear. It’s my favorite,” she said.

Rose sat down on the cushioned piano bench and sighed, lovingly running her fingers over the sleek ivory keys. “This is the most glorious instrument I have ever seen.”

“It looks a lot like the one at our estate,” Lily said.

Rose rolled her eyes. “Lily, this is at least two feet longer than ours, and the finish is far better quality. As for the sound, let’s see.” She played a few measures. “Can’t you hear the difference?”

“Not really,” Lily said.

“You are a goose. The tone is far superior.” Rose began playing the Mozart. “It’s almost as if the piano crescendos on its own. It knows exactly what to do.”

“That’s you, not the piano.”

Rose blushed. “You put too much stock in my talent, Lily. I hope I don’t embarrass myself.”

“You play beautifully and you know it. When Daniel and Lord Evan get here, you should start with the Mozart. Then play your Bach. Then Handel’s Water Music; that’s lovely. And don’t forget that cute little sonata by Scarlatti. I suppose you should play an English composer as well. How about Purcell? The music from the Fairy Queen is sweet.”

“Goodness, Lily, this is just an informal little gathering. I’m not playing a full concert.”

Lily ignored her. “Do you need me to go upstairs to the chamber and fetch your sheet music?”

“No, I can do it from memory. If only the Beethoven were ready.”

“Try it now. I’ll tell you if it’s ready or not.”

“I suppose I could, since the gentlemen aren’t here yet.” Rose began to play, her fingers dancing over the keys as the music soared from the piano.

“That’s the Beethoven that isn’t ready yet,” Lily said to Daniel and Evan, who had entered while Rose was playing. “I thought it was tantalizing, Rose.”

“Don’t be absurd, Lily,” Rose said, flushing. “I didn’t even get through half of the concerto.”

“You play beautifully,” Evan said. “Which concerto is it?”

“Beethoven’s
Fifth Piano Concerto in E Flat Minor
,” Rose said. “He completed it in 1811. I’ve only been working on it a short time. I didn’t mean for anyone but Lily to hear it.”

“Nonsense, it was lovely,” Evan said.

“Play the Mozart now, Rose.” Lily turned to Daniel and Evan. “Mozart is my very favorite composer, ever since Papa took Rose and me to the opera to see
The Marriage of Figaro.
How old were we, Rose, about ten and eleven?”

“I was but nine, so you would have been ten,” Rose said. “It was a wonderful performance.” She laughed. “Thomas was seventeen. He escorted me and Papa escorted Lily. We had such fun playing grownup.” Rose’s face glowed. “All right, Lily, I’ll play the Mozart for you.” Her hands began dancing over the keys again, lightly bringing forth the delicate sonata.

Evan eventually went to sit beside her on the piano bench, watching her attentively. Daniel took Lily’s hand in his and kiss her upturned palm. Lily smiled at him, enjoying the music and his attentions. Rose played for over an hour, ending with Scarlatti’s sonata.

“You do play beautifully, my lady,” Daniel said. “I don’t know when I’ve enjoyed a concert more.”

“You flatter me, Your Grace,” Rose said. “But thank you for the compliment, and thank you also for allowing me to use the conservatory. It was a pleasure to play such a magnificent instrument.”

“It’s been a long time since anyone has played it so compellingly. Please feel free to use the conservatory anytime you wish during your stay at Laurel Ridge.”

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

“I must agree with His Grace, Rose,” Evan said. “Your playing is compelling—more than just talent and technique. There is an emotional component to your music that is nearly indescribable. I’m not sure the composers themselves could have played their own pieces any better, or with more feeling.”

“My lord, I do believe that is the nicest compliment I have ever received,” Rose said, lowering her head. “I do thank you.”

“It’s quite late. May I see you to your chamber?” he asked her, standing and helping her to her feet.

“Yes, that would be fine. Lily can accompany us.”

“Actually,” Lily said. “I would like for Daniel to explain some of these lovely paintings to me. Would you care to wait a bit?”

“I’m frightfully tired,” Rose said. “I-I suppose it’s all right for us to go alone. It’s just a walk to our chamber, after all. Shall we, my lord?” Rose took Evan’s arm and he led her out of the conservatory.

“Alone at last,” Daniel said to Lily, kissing her lightly on the lips. “Your sister is a splendid talent.”

“I told you so,” Lily said. “She has always considered herself a merely adequate musician. She’s so blasted modest, it’s annoying. But I think she’s incredible.”

“I agree, but you’re even more incredible, in my humble opinion.” He gathered her in his arms and kissed her, opening her lips with his tongue.

“Daniel, the paintings…”

“Can we talk about them tomorrow?” he asked softly, teasing her neck with warm, moist kisses.

“I suppose so. But Daniel, I can’t go to your chamber again… I can’t… Oh, bother.”

Daniel led her out of the conservatory, down the hall and up the servants’ staircase to his chamber.

A
melia stood
in the dark outside the bachelor house. Jameson had come back from taking a walk with the skinny blond wench and then had gone inside and hadn’t come out again. It was still early. What on earth was going on in there? Was she losing her touch? Jameson hadn’t responded to any of her subtle advances when he escorted her to her chamber during dinner. She had ruined a perfectly good gown for nothing. She had never failed to attract any man of her choosing in the past, but just days ago the duke had rebuffed her. She would simply have to be more persuasive with Lord Jameson.

She may have lost the first battle, but she had every intention of winning the war.

I
n Daniel’s chamber
, a small feast awaited them again at the table in the sitting window. “What is that glorious smell?” Lily asked, inhaling.

“I’ll show you in a minute. First…”

He turned her toward the wall facing the bed. In place of St. Praxedis hung Lily’s two watercolors, framed in dark cherry.

“Oh!”

“Thank you for the paintings, Lily.” He kissed the top of her head. “I hope you meant for me to keep them, because I’m going to anyway.”

“Yes, of course, I want you to have them,” Lily said. “But where is the Vermeer, Daniel?”

“I took it down.”

“You can’t possibly replace Vermeer with my work.”

“It’s my bedchamber. I’ll do as I please. Now I’ll think of you whenever I look up.”

Lily turned around and kissed his cheek. “You are sweet. How on earth did you get them framed so quickly?”

“We keep a carpenter on the estate. When I returned from our ride and found the watercolors, I summoned him and asked if he could frame them by this evening, and he assured me he could. And there they are.”

“But the Vermeer…”

“Don’t worry about the Vermeer, Lily. It will be well enjoyed.”

“Where are you going to put it?”

“I haven’t quite decided yet.” His eyes sparkled. “But you’ll be the first to know, I promise.” He touched her cheek and smoothed his thumb over her bottom lip. “I wanted to thank you for the paintings when I saw you at dinner, but you went into a tirade about the seating, and then it slipped my mind. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about that. You’ve thanked me more than enough by displaying them in such a touching way. But now that you mention it, what was going on with the seating?”

“I don’t know. As I said, I told Aunt Lucy to keep the seating the same as it was last night.”

“It’s that Amelia Gregory.” Lily seethed, her pulse jumping. “She wanted to sit next to Thomas so she changed her place card with Emma’s. But when did she do it?”

“I don’t know. Could we drop the subject now, Lily? I promise you it won’t happen again, and I really don’t want to talk about Lady Gregory and her—”

“I spoke to Emma,” Lily interrupted. “She said Ludley did brush her thigh more often than she thought necessary.”

“I’ll see that he leaves on the morrow.”

“No, you needn’t. She said she was fine, and she didn’t want him forced to leave. He is a lech, though.

“So you’ve told me.” Daniel placed his hands on her shoulders. “Lily, if he so much as comes within ten feet of you, I want you to tell me.”

“Don’t worry about me. I can handle Ludley. I’m rather good at it, as I’ve had lots of practice.”

“I’m serious. I want to know.”

“Of course. My, do I have another protector now? As if my father and Thomas aren’t enough.”

“Your father and Thomas haven’t been doing their job, if Ludley touched you when you were a child of fourteen.”

“Good Lord, Daniel, I never told them, and neither did Rose. It’s not something one talks about.”

“You told me.”

“Well, yes.” Lily fidgeting with her skirt. Why had she told him? “I-I wanted you to understand the position Emma was in. She’s an innocent girl.”

“So were you, especially at fourteen. I really would like to strangle that man.”

Lily smiled up at him, lacing her fingers through his gorgeous locks. “I can’t say I wouldn’t like to see him strangled myself. But I’m fine, really. He never got anywhere, I promise. No one ever touched me beneath my clothes…until you, that is. Besides, I don’t want to see one little bruise on your beautiful body.”

“I assure you, he would be the one bloodied and bruised.”

“I don’t doubt it.” She pushed his velvet topcoat over his shoulders until it fell to the ground and slid her hands over his muscled arms. “I wouldn’t want to be on your bad side.”

“You never could be, love. But he is. He’ll never get another invitation to Laurel Ridge as long as I’m the duke.”

“Hush, now.” Lily untied his cravat and unbuttoned the first few buttons of his shirt. She leaned up to kiss his throat. “Forget about Ludley. Everything is fine. Now, are you going to tell me what that magnificent aroma on the table is?”

Daniel led her to the table, sat down, and pulled her onto his lap. Two small pots on the table were heated by candles underneath them. A platter of cubed bread and a platter of fresh fruit accompanied them, along with two glasses of red wine.

“This is fondue. Have you ever had it?”

“No, actually, though I’ve heard of it. It’s Swiss.”

“Yes.” He gestured to the pot nearer to them. “This one is made with Gruyère cheese and dry white wine, with just a touch of cherry brandy. You take a piece of bread, put it on the fondue fork, dip it in the cheese to coat it, and eat it off the fork. Go ahead.”

Lily dipped the bread in the cheese mixture and swirled it around a bit, but when she pulled out the fork, the bread was gone. “I lost my bread.”

“Poor angel,” he said. “Now you have to pay the price. Anyone who loses his bread in the fondue pot has to kiss someone else at the table.”

“But you’re the only other person at the table,” Lily said, giggling.

“I guess you’ll have to kiss me then.” His eyes gleamed at her. “I don’t know how I shall tolerate it.”

“I think you’ll live.” Lily bent her head to kiss his mouth lightly.

“That was no punishment.” Daniel caught her lips with his, coaxing them open and devouring her mouth. “There,” he said. “I hope you’ve learned your lesson. Now try again.”

Lily placed another piece of bread on her fondue fork and swirled it in the cheese carefully.

“It’s hot, so blow on it a bit first,” Daniel said.

She obliged and then put it in her mouth. The tart creaminess of the cheese and the dry fruitiness of the wine exploded on her tongue. “My, that’s wonderful.” She put another cube of bread on her fork and dipped it in the cheese. “This one’s for you.” She blew on it and fed it to Daniel. “Good?”

“Excellent.” He reached for a glass of wine. “Now take a sip of this. It’s the same wine we drank last night.”

Lily took a drink, letting the berry flavors of the wine join the lingering tanginess of the cheese. “Oh, that’s good.”

Daniel took a sip. “I agree. Most culinary experts claim that one should drink a white wine with a cheese dish such as this, but I prefer red with just about everything.”

“How dare you defy the conventions like that?” Lily said, smiling as she speared another chunk of bread and immersed it in the creamy mixture. “I’m going to be two stone heavier by the time I leave Laurel Ridge.”

T
he thought
of Lily leaving Laurel Ridge jarred Daniel. He took her fork from her before she could eat, grabbed her cheeks, and drew her to his mouth, feasting. She tasted of the cheese and the wine, but mostly of the earthy, sensual flavor that he had come to know as her own. Intoxicating. They were both gasping when he ended the kiss.

“Don’t you want any more to eat?” Lily rasped.

“No, I don’t believe I do.” He stood up with her in his arms and devoured her lips again. “I want to take you to bed. Now.”

“But we haven’t tried the fruit yet. Or the other pot—”

He silenced her with another ravening kiss, as he worked the fasteners on the back of her gown, his heart thundering so hard he thought it must be audible.

“Yet you make a very strong argument…” Lily sighed softly as he kissed her cheeks, her ears, her neck.

“I’m going to love you until dawn, Lily,” he said huskily. “You’re not going to get a wink of sleep tonight.”

“Who needs sleep?” she replied in a low voice. “Take me to bed, Daniel.”

He set her on the bed and removed his own clothing quickly. His arousal sprang from his trousers. Lily’s gazed burned into him.

“See something you like?” he asked.

She flushed, the redness meandering across her creamy skin. God, she was beautiful.

“Take me quickly, Daniel. I want you inside me.”

“Anything you wish.” He lay down beside her on the bed. He gently lowered his hand to stroke her. “You’re already wet. My God, I can’t get enough of you.”

He entered her gently, finding a rhythm as she arched her hips to take in more of him. Sweet heaven, she fit him perfectly.

“Harder, Daniel. Faster!”

Daniel pulled himself up on his knees, lifting her bottom to meet him, and plunged into her. “You like it when I pound you, don’t you, Lily? You like my cock deep inside your pussy.” With one thumb, he massaged her peak in a counter rhythm to his thrusts.

“Daniel!” She shuddered in orgasm.

Her pleasure saturated every cell of his body, every recess of his soul, as if it were his own. He exploded with one last rush. “Lily!” A flood of emotion overtook him and his entire body shook with his release.

Gasping, he fell atop her, careful not to let his full weight crush her. “Lily, Lily,” he whispered.

She rubbed his back in soothing patterns. When his breathing returned to normal, he moved to the side, his limp sex sliding out of her.

“Daniel, that was amazing,” Lily said. “But I’m not done with you yet. You promised me a full night of love.”

“You shall have it. I just need a few minutes.” He sighed and laid one arm across his forehead.

“Very well.” Lily sat up, left the bed, and came back with the platter of fruit. She pushed a grape between his lips. “You require sustenance. You’ll need lots of energy for what I have in mind.”

“God help me,” Daniel said, swallowing the grape. “You drive me mad, do you know that?”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“It’s the highest compliment I’ve ever given.” He smiled, and then sat up next to her and fed her a strawberry.

Lily left the bed again and came back with a glass of wine. She was so beautiful. He should have had flowers brought in for her. Lilies, of course.

“Where did your name come from?” he asked

“Oh,” Lily groaned. “Don’t get me started. My mother’s name is Flora, which is a Latin form of flower, and her sister’s name is Iris. Mummy decided all of her daughters would have flower names also, hence Lily and Rose. Thank God Auntie Iris decided to forego the horrid tradition.”

“So I suppose you won’t be naming any daughters Begonia? Or Creeping Charlie?”

“Creeping Charlie isn’t a flower, you silly.” She laughed. “But no. I prefer more classic names.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. Caroline. Or Hilary. Or your mother’s name, Morgana. It’s a derivative of Morgaine, who was King Arthur’s half sister, the sorceress. Her exotic beauty reminds me of a sorceress. It fits her.”

“I think your name fits you.”

“How so?”

“Well, calla lilies symbolize beauty, and yellow lilies symbolize gaiety, both of which you possess in abundance.” He smiled, winking. “Of course, there are also white lilies.”

“What do they symbolize?”

He pulled her to him and cupped her full breasts in his hands. “Virginity,” he whispered in her ear, and then plunged his tongue into its depth.

Lily gave him a punch in the arm. “You are such a rogue! I’m afraid I’m not living up to my name.” She pushed him back until he was lying on the bed and fell on top of him, straddling him. “Then again, what fun would that be?” She wiggled her hips, teased his cock with her wetness, and then moved aside.

“You’re leaving now?”

“I’ll be right back,” she said, and she was, carrying a small plate on which she had placed several spoonfuls of the contents of the other fondue pot. “This looks amazingly like chocolate.”

“It is. I had the cook melt some of the Belgian truffles with a little fresh cream. It’s decadent.”

“Is it now?” She swirled her finger into the creamy mass and licked it seductively.

God
. His cock ached.

“Oh yes. Decadent. You must try it, Daniel.”

He sat up, ready to dip his own finger into the chocolate, but she pushed him away.

“I think you’ll try it another way.” She circled her fingers in the dark mixture again. Slowly she spread the warm chocolate onto her erect nipples.

Daniel’s arousal throbbed. “Dear Lord.” He lowered his lips to her breasts and licked the sweet confection from her hard nubs, gently sucking.

She threaded her fingers through his hair. “Oh my. The warmth of the chocolate, and then your tongue. Sucking. Yes, suck my nipple. Just like that. More. More.”

Daniel’s cock was ready to explode. He spread more chocolate onto her nipples and ravished them again, biting and nipping, twirling his tongue in intricate patterns around her rosy circles. The creaminess of the melted chocolate and the silky texture of her areolas combined in a sweet, fiery frenzy.

“Oh, Daniel. I feel that all the way down in my…”

He looked up and met her blazing cognac gaze. “In your pussy, love?”

“Yes, but I can’t say that word.” She blushed a rosy pink.

“What do you prefer, then? Cunny? Quim?
Boite aux lettres?
”

“None of—” She jerked her head. “
Boite aux lettres?
”

Daniel smiled. “It’s French, for letterbox.”

“I know what it means. Goodness, I’ve studied French. It’s just— Why in the world would anyone call it a letterbox?”

“I haven’t the slightest idea. I prefer pussy. Your pussy.” He stroked her folds. “The tastiest, reddest, most beautiful pussy ever created.”

“Perhaps I can make it even tastier.” She swirled her fingers in the chocolate again and then liberally covered her cunt with chocolate.

“Oh my God.” She was something, his Lily. So saucy and irreverent, yet so caring and lovely at the same time. Daniel lowered his head between her legs. “I’m going to eat you up, love. I swear I could live on your nectar alone.” He savored the taste of her, the smell of her, growing harder by the second as he probed her moist pussy with his tongue.

She moaned and shuddered against his lips and cheeks. Before he could being again, she pulled him forward and kissed him.

“I never imagined feeling the way I do with you,” she said.

“I know. I feel it too,” Daniel said hoarsely.

He kissed her again. Their tongues tangled deeply and intimately as they slowly made love with their mouths.