The Courtesan Duchess (6 page)

Julia was surprised when Aunt Theo also rose from her chair. “I believe I will excuse myself as well,” her aunt said, a secret smile on her cherubic face as she hurried to the door.

Nick approached, and Julia curtsied gracefully. “Your Grace. How wonderful of you to join us this afternoon.”

Nick attempted a smile, though it never reached his eyes. “Mrs. Leighton.” He bowed over her hand, and then turned to the ambassador. “Lanceford.” The duke accepted Theo’s chair and everyone sat.

“Would you care for tea, Your Grace?” He nodded and, once she had served him, an awkward silence fell. Julia wasn’t quite sure what to say. Nick appeared as if he might beat Lanceford bloody at any moment, and Lanceford shifted uncomfortably under the duke’s violent gaze.

“Have you been in Venice long, Lord Lanceford?” she asked, not interested in the answer but desperate to say
something
.

“Three months. I shall only stay another six weeks before I must return to Austria.”

“With so little time left in Venice, then, we wouldn’t want to keep you from all the important duties you surely must attend to.” Nick sipped his tea and stared blithely at Lanceford.

“Yes, well,” Lanceford mumbled, and set his cup on the table. “I should be going.” He stood and bowed. “Mrs. Leighton, my day is indeed brighter for having seen you.”

Julia ignored the snort from Nick’s direction and instead rang for Sergio. “Thank you for the flowers, sir.”

He opened his mouth to say more but caught Nick’s menacing expression and promptly snapped his jaw shut. Sergio arrived to show Lanceford out, the door closing behind them.

It didn’t take long for Nick to begin his tirade. “What madness,” he began while she resumed her seat, “caused you to turn down a king’s ransom in jewels? I gave you choices, by God. I sent the best pieces available in Venice. Pray tell me how I offended your delicate sensibilities with such a generous token of my esteem.”

Julia sighed inwardly. How could she explain it to him? To turn down such a gift would be lunacy for any woman, much less one who traded in pleasure and avarice. “The jewels were exquisite, Colton—”

“Nick,” he corrected.

“Very well, Nick. Your choices did not offend me and neither did the gesture. But we hardly know one another, and such generosity would certainly change the delicate balance of our relationship.”

He blinked. “I heard every word, and yet I cannot make sense of it. In case you are unaware, changing the delicate balance of our relationship is precisely what I am about.” He huffed out a breath and crossed his arms over his chest, like a sullen little boy who had not gotten his way. “I swear, you confound me at every turn. One minute you beckon, the next you rebuff. You’re worse than a fortune-hunting virgin.”

He clearly meant it as a joke, so she forced out a laugh—though his observation stung. It wasn’t
that
far off. “Nick, you’re babbling.” Julia poured herself more tea. “I’m certainly no virgin and I’m not after your fortune. You need not impress me with lavish gifts. My tastes are . . . simple.”

“I’ve yet to meet a woman without expensive tastes.”

Leaning forward to slowly refill his cup, she presented him with a long look at the tops of her breasts, which were near to spilling over of the edge of her gown. When she returned the pot to the tray, she was satisfied to see his eyes had darkened. “Perhaps you have met your match, Your Grace.” Picking up her cup, she settled back against the sofa.

He gave her a sultry half smile that had her breath catching in her throat. “Perhaps I have, Mrs. Leighton.” Nick relaxed as well and stretched his long legs in front of him, booted feet crossed at the ankles. “I was surprised to find you entertaining Lanceford. Is he to be another one of your friends, then?”

She barely suppressed a shudder. “No. Lord Lanceford is a fine man, but not for me.”

“Are you expecting any other visitors this afternoon?”

Her brows lowered in confusion and she replaced her cup in its saucer. “No. Why?”

“Because I am thinking about locking the door, coming over to the sofa, and kissing you senseless. In truth, I’ve thought of little else since I walked in this room.”

She watched, mesmerized, as he carefully set his cup on the table. With an easy grace, he lifted out of his chair and shifted to the sofa, his big, lean body pressing close. He raised a hand to brush his knuckles across her cheek in a whisper-soft caress before wrapping a red curl around his finger.

The simple contact sent a shiver down her spine. Her breathing turned ragged and shallow, and she worried Nick would sense her nervousness. Only the nerves couldn’t be helped. The two of them were alone in a confined space, the heat of his body rolling over her to make her light-headed. And while she portrayed a woman of experience, in truth she was a maiden.

A fact Nick must not suspect.

She needed to remain in control, to maintain her ruse . . . and flirt with him a bit more. She moistened her bottom lip, sliding the tip of her tongue from one end to the other. “I must warn you. I’m awfully hard to win.”

His gaze stayed trained on her mouth for a long moment. “I prefer a challenge. And since you’re financially secure, I plan to entice you in . . . other ways.”

He dragged a fingertip slowly down her bare arm, her skin prickling along his finger’s path. When he reached her hand, he lifted and turned it, then bent to press warm lips to her palm. He continued by fluttering soft kisses over the heel of her hand, in no hurry whatsoever. Julia’s heart pounded in her chest, her insides turning liquid.

Was this how he planned to entice her? If so, he was definitely succeeding. She swallowed and tried to remain focused. “Planning to give me a few lessons in depravity, are you?”

“I must prove myself worthy of my nickname,” he murmured, his eyes locking with hers as his lips glided over the sensitive skin of her inner wrist.

He pulled away but kept hold of her hand, locking their fingers together. “I find myself curious about you, Juliet. I’ve never seen Winchester so bewitched by a woman, at least not before I left London. And the stories circulating about you are wildly fantastic, almost as if they’re fabricated. Then I meet you, and there’s an air of innocence about you that is incredibly alluring.”

Julia’s eyes widened, but before she could respond, he continued. “I feel a . . . pull toward you that I’ve never experienced before with a woman. I’m intrigued.”

Heavens, her husband could be charming. She fought to keep the mood light, despite the fact that her tongue felt thick with desire. “Intrigued? And here I had hoped for interested. Or better yet, infatuated.”

“Oh, I am all of those things as well.” He brushed his knuckles against her cheek in a tender gesture. “Our friendship won’t cause you any unpleasantness with Winchester, will it?”

“No one owns me. I have the luxury of being able to control my own destiny. Lord Winchester and I do not begrudge each other from having many . . . friends.”

“He’s more understanding than I, then.” Nick bent forward, his mouth perilously close to hers. “Because I find I want you all to myself.”

He shifted to place his lips on hers, softly, sweetly, as if testing her. When she relaxed and began kissing him back, he smiled against her mouth. His hands slid into her hair, holding her in place as he deepened the kiss. Though her insides were quivering—gads, her first real kiss!—she needed to be bold in order to convince Nick she was an experienced courtesan. If she were hesitant or shy, her plan would fail.

She brought her hands up to his shoulders and pressed closer, her breasts crushed against him. She parted her lips slightly and he took immediate advantage, wrapping his arms about her and sliding his tongue sinuously into her mouth.

It was glorious. Wild yet skillfully controlled, the kiss was more than she ever imagined. Her breasts swelled, the nipples now hardened points inside her clothing, tingling as they brushed the hard wall of his chest. Their breath mingled while tongues continued to duel, and the taste of him, tea and spice, threatened to overwhelm her. It was all so much, but somehow not enough. Before she could prevent it, Julia moaned into his mouth.

“My God. You taste better than I even imagined,” he murmured and his mouth descended once more, lips claiming hers in a show of brutal possessiveness and raw need. His tongue swept inside, rubbing and stroking, teasing her. Their breath came fast and harsh in the quiet of the room as the kiss went on and on.

Pearl had explained what happened between a man and a woman in explicit detail. There was a vast difference between knowledge and experience, however. Julia hadn’t realized how her pulse would pound with blinding intensity. How the area between her legs would throb and ache with a desperation unlike anything she’d ever felt. Her body moved against him restlessly, searching for more, hoping to ease the exquisite craving.

Nick palmed her swollen breast, cupping and plumping, pushing up to expose even more flesh from her low neckline. Her nipples painfully taut, she offered up no protest when he tugged her clothing down. Then his mouth was there, tongue rasping the hard bud before drawing on it with his lips. The sharp sensation traveled the length of her body, and she gasped. This caused him to suckle harder, and her nails dug into his shoulders as she clung to him.

He released her breast, raised his gaze. “If we do not stop, I’ll take you right here, on this blasted couch.”

Chest heaving and eyes blazing with desire, Nick looked as wild as she felt. And while she wanted him wild, this was neither the time nor the place. “An occurrence guaranteed to shock whoever chances to walk through the door.” She forced herself to pull away and, with trembling hands, righted her clothing.

His head dropped back against the sofa. “Let me entertain you this evening. I need to see you.”

The door flew open, and Simon appeared. “Colton! I’d heard you were here.” Smiling congenially, Simon came over to kiss Julia’s hand. “My dear,” he said with a tender look before dropping down into an empty chair. If he knew what he’d nearly interrupted, he gave no sign.

Nick gave a terse nod. “Winchester.”

Simon studied her, his face creased with concern. “Have you had a busy afternoon of callers, my dear? You look tired. I wouldn’t want you too fatigued for our dinner party tonight.”

“Dinner party?” Nick asked.

“Yes. Here, tonight. Did Juliet not invite you?”

Julia struggled to contain her shock. No dinner party had been planned for that evening, a fact Simon was well aware of. What was he up to?

Everyone looked at her expectantly. “Yes, Your Grace,” she managed. “We would be so honored if you would join us as well.”

“Dinner party, Simon?” Julia asked as soon as the two of them were alone. “What mad scheme are you spinning?”

“Your aunt told me about your afternoon. After I recovered from the shock of your turning down jewelry, I thought we should stage our falling-out and put Colton out of his misery.” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Though I must say, I do like to see Colt miserable.”

“How am I to plan a dinner party in”—she glanced at the clock—“three hours?”

He waved his hand. “The work’s done, Jules. I invited a few guests and Theo’s talked with the staff. All you need to do is continue your part as the beautiful and charming Mrs. Leighton.”

“I could kill you sometimes,” she grumbled. “Springing it on me like that in front of Colton.”

“Keep the anger. You may yell at me later tonight in front of all our guests.” He smiled and stood, turning to go.

“Wait, Simon. I need to ask you something. Where would Nick secure the funds to offer Mrs. Leighton the expensive jewels I saw today? I wouldn’t have thought he’d stay in contact with the bankers for the Colton estate.”

“He hasn’t. Colt wants nothing from his family. Hasn’t taken money from the estate since he left England. Didn’t you notice his pile of winnings the other night at the card party? Colton supports himself at the tables. Does quite well, too.”

“That makes sense, based on what I know of the estate finances,” she said, shifting to stare out the window. A gambler as well as a reprobate. Indeed, her good fortune abounded when it came to her husband.

Simon cocked his head. “Wait, what did that mean? What is wrong with the Colton finances?”

“I’m not sure. All I know is what Templeton tells me, how my stipend has whittled down to almost nothing.”

Simon’s blue eyes sparked with an unholy light. “That estate is worth almost sixty thousand pounds a year. And he’s whittling down
your
stipend?” His hands curled at his sides. “By God, I’ll kill him.”

Sixty thousand pounds? She had no idea.... Still, the money meant nothing if she couldn’t get her hands on any of it. “Simon, what can you do? I went to see the dowager duchess, who looked at me as if I were something she’d stepped in while walking behind a horse. I suspect Templeton is paying off the ducal estate manager, but I have no proof. The only person who can do something is Nick, who has repeatedly made it clear he doesn’t care what happens to me or the estate.”

“I’ll kill him,” Simon muttered again.

“You cannot kill Templeton. Much as he deserves it.”

“Not Templeton, though he will be dealt with. I meant Colton, that selfish bastard.”

“Please don’t. I’m handling this, Simon.”

He dragged a hand down his face. “Why did you not come to me for help? You know I would have given you money.”

“I cannot take your money. You know if it were merely a short loan, I would have approached you. But you cannot support Theo and me for the rest of our lives. How would it look?”

“How long has this been going on?”

She shrugged, feigning a nonchalance she didn’t feel. “A little more than three years.”

Simon stumbled to a chair. “I’ve just figured it out. This ruse, this scheme of yours. You told me it was about finding Colton, satisfying your curiosity about your husband. But it has nothing to do with that. It’s about money. Forcing Templeton’s hand. But how?” His brow furrowed. “If you’d hoped to get enough trinkets from Nick to sell, why turn down the jewels?”

“It’s not about trinkets.” She hadn’t wanted to tell him like this but figured it was best to be honest. “I plan to get with child. Nick’s child. The only way to gain any power for myself is to produce the Colton heir.”

Simon paled and slumped into the chair. “Good God.”

Julia hadn’t expected this extreme of a reaction. Didn’t Simon see it was the only way? “Simon—”

He held up a hand for her to quiet, so she bit off what she’d been about to say. He closed his eyes and rubbed his brow for a long minute. “I won’t say anything to sabotage your plans. That’s the reason you didn’t tell me, correct?”

When Julia didn’t answer, he shot to his feet and snarled, “Colton will be lucky if I do not punch him in the jaw before the night is over. And you can be damn sure I’ll look into whatever Templeton is doing when we return to England.” He sighed and scrubbed his face with both hands. Simon did not anger easily, but he tended to carry a grudge when provoked. Julia had no idea how this information would affect his friendship with Colton.

“Simon, this will work. I know it.”

He appeared unconvinced. “I’m sorry you didn’t trust me enough to come to me with this, Jules.”

Her stomach tightened. Simon had been a good friend to her, and she never wished to hurt him. “I do trust you. But it’s more than what you and I can handle alone. Nick has made much of this mess, so he should be forced to clean it up—even unwillingly.”

 

 

It was the dinner party forged in hell as far as Nick was concerned.

From the moment he arrived, nothing was as it should be. Winchester was obviously angry with him, his friend’s eyes as hard as glass every time they fell on Nick. Yet Nick had no idea why. Moreover, Winchester had snarled at him all night long and, quite honestly, Nick was a bit tired of such hatred being thrown his way for no apparent reason.

The vivacious and charming Mrs. Leighton from the opera had yet to make an appearance. Instead, Juliet was restrained, her jocularity forced, as if sensing the discord between himself and Winchester. She watched them both warily, struggling to keep the conversation light during dinner. More than once, he watched her admonish Winchester with a withering glance after something his friend said.

Veronica was seated at Winchester’s side, and the two flirted shamelessly throughout the evening. Nick briefly wondered if the other woman’s presence had caused Juliet’s strange mood. But he recalled her saying that her relationship with Winchester didn’t preclude either of them from having additional partners. So what was going on?

While the other guests were familiar, none would be called friends. The prominent banker, the owner of a large shipping fleet, and the wealthy lawyer in attendance all came from a more respectable class of Venetian society than the degenerates Nick usually associated with. At least the ladies present were more to his liking: a courtesan, an actress, a ballerina, and a widow. Ah, God love the women of shameless pleasure.

Juliet’s fork clattered on her plate, surprising the group. “Simon, did you hear me? Really, I am getting a little tired of repeating myself this evening.”

Nick watched Winchester drag his eyes up from Veronica’s décolletage to give Mrs. Leighton a bored look. “I apologize, my dear. You were saying?”

“Never mind.” Juliet turned to Nick, seated on her right. “Your Grace, have you explored much of the area around Venice in your time here?”

“A bit,” he murmured, fascinated by the candlelight dancing on the pink hue of her lips. He remembered kissing her this afternoon, and it was all he could do to not reach for her in the middle of dinner.

“I’ve heard the island of Torcello is quite wonderful,” she said, sliding her bottom lip between her teeth and biting gently, as if she knew the direction of his thoughts.

His shaft began to swell, and Nick forced himself to look away from her mouth lest he embarrass himself at the table. “It is. The cathedral contains some stunning mosaics. I would be honored if you would allow me to escort you there at your earliest convenience. Perhaps tomorrow?”

“Perhaps,” she answered evasively.

“My dear,” Winchester spoke up from down the table. “I promised to take you shopping, if you’ll recall.”

“That won’t be necessary, Simon.” Juliet placed her knife and fork on her plate, signaling she was finished.

A little while later, the men rejoined the ladies in the sitting room. From his position on the couch, Nick enjoyed a glass of grappa and watched as Winchester pulled Juliet off to the side, near the window, for a private conversation.

Veronica slid next to him on the couch. “I believe there is trouble in
paradiso,
” she murmured, gesturing to the couple, now engaged in a rather heated, but quiet, exchange.

Winchester appeared to be pleading with Juliet, who only shook her head. Nick saw her lips form the words,
“It’s over, Simon,”
and he held his breath. Could it be?

Juliet turned to leave, and Winchester put a hand on her arm to restrain her. Juliet shot him a withering glare harsh enough to shrivel a man’s cock. It was a haughty, self-confident glower worthy of a duchess. Nick was impressed and damned glad he wasn’t on the receiving end of such a stare. Winchester immediately released her, and Juliet gracefully crossed to the far side of the room, where she struck up a conversation with some other guests.

Winchester hurried to the couch. Ignoring Nick altogether, he held his hand out to Veronica. “Miss DiSano, would you care to come with me? It seems I am no longer needed as host tonight.”

Without another word, the two of them left. Baffled, Nick wondered over both Winchester’s rudeness and the fact that Juliet was no longer attached to his longtime friend. Despite his assurances to the contrary, perhaps Winchester had resented Nick’s wooing of Mrs. Leighton. Had his advances driven Winchester and Juliet apart? Nick would find Winchester tomorrow and straighten it out.

But for now . . . for now he wanted to spend time with the one woman he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about for days. A hot, prickly feeling broke out on the back of his neck, and he raised his head to see Juliet striding toward him, her hips gently swaying and a secret smile on her beautiful face. The low cut of her sapphire-colored dress revealed the tops of her ample breasts, the soft flesh bouncing along with her steps. Lust raced through his belly straight to his shaft. Bloody hell, she was captivating, and he couldn’t wait to have her.

He stood. “It appears you have lost your host this evening.”

She sighed, looking none too distraught over the idea. “Poor Simon. It is hard for some men to accept the inevitable, wouldn’t you say, Your Grace?”

Nick leaned down near her ear. She smelled delicious, like gardenias and sunshine. “I could say the same about some women, Mrs. Leighton.”

He heard the catch in her breath and immense satisfaction roared through him. It wouldn’t be long until her legs would be wrapped around his hips as he drove inside her sweet warmth. He led her farther away from the group where they couldn’t be overheard. Near the window, he shielded her from the rest of the guests. “Shall we end the game between us tonight? See what pleasure can be found together? What can I offer to entice you? Not jewels, obviously. Is it money, then? Or perhaps a fucking the likes of which you’ve never experienced?”

A flush crept up her neck, her delicate skin turning a pretty pink.

“Ah, could that be it? How I love to see you blush, Juliet. I wonder if your nipples are the same shade. How will they taste when I pull them in my mouth and roll them on my tongue?” The pulse at the base of her neck beat hard and fast, clear evidence of her desire. He couldn’t stop tormenting them both. “Would you like to feel how hard I am, merely from standing so close to you? Hear how my cock aches at the idea of sinking into your slick, tight passage?”

Her eyes glazed over and a breathy moan escaped her lips, and Nick smiled. “Come with me, back to my palazzo,
tesorina
. Let us burn together.”

She gave a short nod and then cleared her throat. “As soon as the guests leave.” Before he could say anything else, she stepped around him and rejoined her party.

Unbelievably, his cock grew even stiffer. He would need to stay here, facing the window, until he could safely turn around again.

 

 

As her gondola approached the duke’s palazzo, Julia found herself a bit rattled. This evening, she would seduce her husband while posing as someone else. What if he discovered her lie? If so, her plan would fail, her future would become perilous at best, and Nick would likely toss her headfirst into the nearest canal. An image of Templeton came to mind, and she took a deep breath. Julia would never, ever become that man’s mistress. She’d rather starve.

There was little choice but to carry out her scheme.

A scheme more than five months in the making, during which she’d researched, planned, and listened. She’d thought of an answer for nearly every concern Aunt Theo had lodged at her.

Theo’s first concern had been conception, because Nick might bring the subject up. Since Pearl said many courtesans could not bear children, the result of terminating too many unwanted pregnancies, Julia planned to tell Nick as much and hoped he wouldn’t question it. However, in case he didn’t believe her, or worried about disease, Julia’s reticule contained a few prepared French letters, each sheath carefully pricked at the end to create a small hole for his seed to pass through.

Theo then brought up the issue of her maidenhead. How would Julia explain away the blood? Pearl believed there was a good chance, due to Julia’s age, that her maidenhead had already torn—but Julia couldn’t know for sure. Pearl suggested Julia use a wooden phallus on herself beforehand to ensure of its removal, but Julia hadn’t the nerve.

As her boat pulled up to the dock of Nick’s palazzo, she sent up a silent prayer that, if she did bleed, Nick wouldn’t notice it. Too bad they couldn’t make love in the canal, where the blood would wash away.

At least desire would not be an issue. There was little doubt Julia wanted him. The way he kissed her . . . the smell of him . . . even the way he walked across a room made her forget all the reasons she should hate him. Her husband was alluring, and he made her yearn for things she knew she’d never have.