The Cinderella Debutante (19 page)
Read The Cinderella Debutante Online
Authors: Elizabeth Hanbury
“Delighted,” he murmured.
Mr Pottingham left and Lucy found herself alone with Lord Devlyn who was looking intently at her. Suddenly acutely shy, she felt tongue-tied and afraid of making a fool of herself. She forced herself to return his look, saying quickly,
“Thank you for what you have done. I had no idea you were having Lord Sneyd watched.”
“There is no need for thanks, Lucy,” he said, his gaze never leaving her face. “But I have something to say and hope that this time there will be no interruptions.”
“I know,” she blurted out. “You are going to marry Belinda.”
“
What?
”
He practically shouted the word, making Lucy blink. “Y-you are going to marry Belinda,” she ventured again.
“Where on earth did you get that idea?”
Lucy went hot, then cold. She heard herself stammering, “Because y-you came to Hampshire to see her, and she’s beautiful a-and rich, and—“
He threw aside his whip and took a step closer. “And?”
Lucy swallowed. “At the Barchester’s ball, I overheard you tell Lord Ashe you were going to declare your feelings. You called her ‘a darling’.”
He was quiet for a long moment. He had begun to breathe heavily.
“So you
were
there.” A teasing note crept into his voice. “You shouldn’t eavesdrop, you know.”
“I couldn’t help it,” she replied, blushing fiercely.
“And how do you feel about me marrying your sister?”
She stared at him in a daze. God help her, she couldn’t pretend any longer. She’d probably regret it for the rest of her life but she was tired, so tired of pretending. “It hurts,” she confessed. “I fell in love with you and knew I could never have you. How could you prefer me to Belinda?” She looked away on a wretched sob before forcing herself to go on. “I can’t say she was the perfect match for you. You deserve better but you have endured so much pain and if you were happy with her, if she was the one you wanted—“
He took her upper arms in a hard grip that allowed no chance of escape. His voice was low and vibrant. “What I want is to say only two words to you.”
Lucy looked into his face and saw the light in his eyes that had been there at Richmond. Her heart jolted in her chest. “Oh? What are they?”
“Marry me.”
His arms closed around her, one hand coming up to grip the back of her neck. Then she realized that he was kissing her, a strong, savage yet tender kiss. It seemed like a dream but her senses screamed it was real. His scent, his warmth, the hard muscles of his chest engulfed her. For a fleeting moment, she struggled to think until she gave up trying to be rational, to make sense of any of this. She lost herself in the intense pleasure of his kiss and being in his arms. Heart racing and shaken to her soul, she emerged breathless some moments later and gazed up in wonder.
Those silver eyes looked into hers, soft and bright as moonlight on snow. “It’s you, Lucy. It was always you,” he whispered. “You were the one I came into Hampshire to meet. I admit I was sceptical at the time but I should have had more faith in my godmother’s judgment – she always thought you were right for me. I fell in love soon after we met. Since then you have been constantly in my thoughts and in my heart.
You
were the lady I was talking to Toby about at the ball. I returned to the library afterwards and found this on the floor.” He slipped one hand into the pocket of his cloak and drew out a battered posy of forget-me-nots. “I knew then you had been there during the evening but didn’t know if you had heard what I said or not. You obviously did but misunderstood.”
Lucy stared at the flowers – her flowers. “I can hardly dare to believe it,” she said, looking up, her dazed voice seeming to come from far away.
He groaned softly and covered her mouth with his again. “Believe,” he murmured hoarsely.
Lucy’s senses were dazzled. She shivered, feeling feverish with delight. Sensation after sensation rushed through her. This intimacy with him was new yet so familiar. Her body welcomed his; she never wanted to be out of his arms again. It was as though she had come home. She closed her eyes and turned her face into his shoulder. “I’ve been so unhappy, Alex,” she said in a muffled voice, “I hoped you might care for me a little after Richmond—”
He pulled her against him harder and kissed her over and over again, endless kisses that were deep and impatient and turned her blood to fire. “Care for you?” he whispered, trailing his lips across her skin. “That does not begin to describe it. I’ve never been an eloquent man. I can’t easily put into words how much I love you, but you make my heart soar and fill the emptiness in my soul. You don’t know it but you’ve changed my life, my emotions, my perspective on the world. For a man who has spent so long feeling nothing at all, the sheer joy of loving you is overwhelming. Your torment could not have been greater than mine; I have been desperate to tell you how I felt for weeks yet had no idea of
your
feelings. It nearly drove me mad. When I thought Sneyd could have harmed you, I traveled here with murder in mind. He was fortunate only to feel my whip – I would have gladly choked the life out of him if he had hurt you. I have no intention of letting you out of my sight again for a while.”
Smiling now, she met his smouldering gaze directly. “But what about poor Mr Pottingham? He wishes to propose to me for the third time tomorrow. He wants us to study newts together.”
An answering grin curled his lips. “Out of the question, my darling love, but he can offer his congratulations on our forthcoming marriage,” he said, before sinking his fingers into her hair and guiding her mouth to his once more.
***
Lucy awoke to see her new husband beside her in bed, watching her in a way that made her feel as if she was dissolving into a pool of honey. Lucy answered his smile with one of her own, reaching up to caress his scarred cheek. He caught her hand and turned it over to place a kiss in her palm.
“Good morning,” he murmured. “Did you enjoy your first night as the new Viscountess Devlyn?”
“How can you even need to ask?” Lucy sighed and arched into the warmth of his body. Compulsively her hands wandered over the masculine textures of him, the smooth muscles, the crisp hair covering the solid planes of his chest, the scars from his military life that she already knew well.
Their wedding night had been filled with enchantment and passion. After dining on a delectable cold supper, they had drunk champagne in bed and undressed each other slowly. Alex had whispered words of love and desire, telling her all the ways he wanted to pleasure her. They had laughed, loved and slept the night through and this morning a new and unique contentment accompanied the intensely sensual feelings coursing through Lucy.
He gave a husky chuckle. “There will be many more to enjoy, I promise you. We do have less pleasant matters to attend to though; Lady Gainsford is calling before we leave for Devlyn Court, and we must also endure an audience with my sister.”
“I know she dislikes me,” said Lucy, grimacing. “How did you convince her I would make you a suitable wife?”
He shook his head and planted a swift kiss on her lips. “Don’t worry about Lavinia. Let’s just say she intends to welcome you into the family. Your stepmother and sister have become quickly resigned to our marriage too, no doubt helped by the benefits of having a Viscountess as a close relative. Mr Pottingham’s disappointment is profound but I can’t be sorry since it resulted in my immeasurable gain.”
Lucy laughed. “I think he was more disappointed to be losing the paragon of morality he thought I was. I feel sorry for him but I would have made him miserable.”
“Now there you are being charitable; more likely that
he
would have made
you
miserable. I will always be grateful to him, but he never appreciated the aspects of you which I fell so desperately in love with,” he said, smiling down into her eyes.
He kissed her again, each kiss delivering a sweet shock to her nerves, spreading fire inside her and making it difficult to think clearly. His hands smoothed over her lightly, seductively, as he whispered, “I was more worried that you might fall for Gil, who adores you. I’m ashamed to admit I was envious of every smile and glance that you bestowed on him, as well as every other man in London.”
She reached for him, her breath catching in her throat. “I am fond of Gil, but you captured my heart five years ago.”
“Five years!” he murmured. “But how is this?”
Lucy explained how she had glimpsed him in the park. “You didn’t see me, but I was deeply attracted to you yet unable to admit it. It seemed impossibly foolish. And then, when you visited us in Hampshire, there seemed no chance you could want me over Belinda, so I told myself I must accept your marriage to my step-sister while hating the idea of it.”
“Once I had met you I could never want anyone else,” he said, trailing kisses down her neck. “I am not sorry for Belinda’s disappointment. She didn’t care for me, she just craved my title and my money. Not that it interests you, my love, but you have become a wealthy woman.”
A thought occurred suddenly to Lucy and she sat up, her hair tumbling around her bare shoulders. “Alex, what time is Lady Gainsford expected? I must allow time to dress.”
Gently he pulled her back down beside him. “One of my godmother’s traits is that she is late for every appointment. This morning, nothing could appeal to me more,” he said, giving a rakish grin before his mouth caressed hers again with tender, urgent warmth.
The End
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©Elizabeth Hanbury 2012 - - The Cinderella Debutante
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