When a Marquis Chooses a Bride (31 page)

Desire lurked in her eyes as she gazed up at him. “Yes.”

That one word almost sent him over the edge. His member was harder than it had ever been. If he didn't make love to her soon, he'd go out of his mind. Why the hell hadn't he thought to reserve a chamber? Still, there must be somewhere they could go.

The set ended, and no sooner had they reached the side of the ballroom, Louisa, Charlotte, Miss Featherington, and another young lady descended upon them.

“Dotty.” Charlotte took her arm. “You must come with us for a moment.”

She cast him a chagrined look. “I won't be long.”

His cousin and Miss Featherington giggled as they spirited her away from him. They must have planned it. He leaned against a pillar. If this was how the evening was to go, he may as well not even be here. A glass of champagne was pressed into his hand.

“Hide behind the plant.” Matt took a sip of wine. “If you're caught not doing the pretty, one of the ladies will put you to work.”

Dom gulped half his drink. “What about you?”

His cousin gave a sly smile. “I'm married and a chaperone.”

“I'm betrothed. That ought to count for something.”

“Only if you keep your lady next to you.”

From the corner of his eye, he caught the sight of Lady Bellamny coming like a galleon in full sail toward him. “Damn. Which way did Thea go?”

“Across the room where the tall redhead is. I'll try to detain Lady Bellamny until you're away.”

Nodding, Dom slipped behind the large potted palm. He circumnavigated the room until he stood behind Thea. He didn't know how she knew he was there, but she glanced over her shoulder and her face lit up.

“My lord, you are just in time to take a promenade with me.”

He bowed. “My pleasure, Miss Stern.” The other ladies giggled as they strolled off. “That is the last time I am letting you out of my sight this evening.”

Her eyes widened. “Why? What happened?”

He steered them slowly but purposefully toward the terrace doors. “I made my escape as Lady Bellamny was bearing down upon me.”

“Oh that”—her voice trembled suspiciously, as if she was trying not to laugh—“must have been dreadful.”

Dom slid a glance at her. “Well, it was. Matt practically shoved me behind a plant. As it was, I had to cling to the edge of the room to get to you.”

She drew her lush bottom lip between her teeth for a moment. “You are safe now.”

The open doors beckoned not only him. Other guests stood taking a breath of the cooler air. “The ballroom is warm.”

Thea leaned into him a bit. “It is rather cooler out here.”

Dom looked around for some nook or place in the shadows where he could have her to himself, but at least half of the guests were out here. Damn. He escorted Thea to the end of the terrace, and still had no luck. Lanterns lit the gardens, which were also full of people.

He tested the latch on one of the parlor doors leading out to the terrace. Finally. Yet when he pushed it open, he heard a muffled scream and closed it again. Everyone was conspiring against him.

Next to him Thea's shoulders shook with laughter. “I do not think we are meant to be alone at present.” She stood on the tips of her toes, cupping his ear. “Do not forget, we have all night.”

Clasping his arm around her waist, he held her against him and willed himself to relax. “You're right. I don't know why I'm so agitated.”

“I do. You got to play knight in shining armor today and didn't even receive a proper kiss for your trouble.” She placed her hand on his face, turning it toward her.

As he bent his head, the sounds of light giggles and a lower voice chuckling reached him. Damnation, more people.

Thea turned in Dom's arms. “Harry?”

A tall young man with black hair approached. Louisa on one arm and Charlotte on the other. “In the flesh.” He grinned. “The ladies thought I'd find you out here somewhere.”

“As well as most of the other guests,” Thea replied tartly. “Dom, this is my scapegrace brother, Harry.”

Dom held out his hand, which Harry grasped in a strong grip. “Pleasure to meet you. I thought you weren't due in until tomorrow sometime.”

“After a couple of hours in the coach with the children”—he gave them a rueful look—“I hired a horse and decided to press on.”

Thea stilled. “You didn't leave them, did you?”

“Good God, no. Mama would have had my head. I just couldn't stand the racket anymore. Not to mention Stephen insisting he be allowed to sit up with the coachman.”

Charlotte laughed. “When my brothers and sisters were traveling to Town, Daisy, our Great Dane you know, tried to make friends with a pair of horses. Their tutor decided they would not spend the night on the road.”

Harry laughed with her, then glanced at Thea. “I say, Dotty, is it really the thing for Dom to have his arm around you like that?”

“No,” Thea said grudgingly, “I suppose not.”

Recalled to the proprieties, Dom placed her hand on his arm instead.

Louisa gave Thea a sympathetic look. “We've come to fetch you. Your mothers are ready to leave.”

Dom stifled his sigh of relief. That was the best news he'd had all night.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Dotty sat on a chair as Polly unpinned her hair, before combing it. A prickling sensation ran across her shoulders.
Dom.
Lately she always knew when he was near. “Thank you. You may go to bed. It's late.”

Her maid yawned. “I'll bid you good night then.”

“Pleasant dreams.”

The moment the door closed behind Polly, Dotty was in Dom's arms.

“Thea.” His tongue traced her outer ear. “I've been waiting all day for this.”

She slid her arms around his shoulders. “As have I.”

“I need to tell you something.” Dom's lips covered hers, kissing her as if he couldn't get enough. “I will never hide or run from you again. Ask me anything you wish. I love you with all my heart.”

This was everything she had wanted with him and had been afraid she might not have. “I love you, too.”

“I must tell you what I discovered today. . . .”

At the end of his tale about what his uncle had done, Dotty could have screamed with rage and sorrow for him. How much Dom had missed, not being allowed to be a child, or to have any of the adventures other young men had.

She couldn't give that back to him, but she would ensure he knew how much she loved him. “Let us go to bed.”

He scooped her up into his arms. When they reached the corridor, he had to turn sideways. “I can walk.”

“No, I've wanted to do this since this afternoon.” He kicked open the door to his chamber. “There. Not so difficult.”

Dotty winced at the noise it made bouncing against the wall. “Someone is bound to have heard that.”

Dom set her down next to the bed, then shrugged. “What if they do? It's my room.” He grinned wickedly. “Soon to be ours.”

He untied her wrapper, pushing it over her shoulders. It fell silently to the floor.

“Somehow I do not think that reasoning will persuade our parents.” She slid her hands under his banyan, spreading the halves apart. The heavy, embroidered silk made a whooshing sound as it joined her wrapper on the thick Turkey rug.

She caught her breath as Dom's lips covered hers. When he probed with his tongue, she opened to him, tasting him as he tasted her. Heat roiled within her as he fluttered kisses down to her breasts. Taking one tight bud into his mouth as he played with the other. Streaks of pleasure shot through her, coalescing in the apex of the thighs. She spread her legs, encouraging him, wanting him.

“I love you.” His voice was deeper and huskier than ever before as he kissed his way down her body.

When he licked the pearl nestled in her mons, Dotty almost came off the bed. “Oh, Dom, I love you, too.”

He entered her slowly, and though she willed herself not to tense, she was unable to stop.

“It won't hurt this time, sweetheart. I promise.”

He took her in a searing kiss and the only thing she was aware of was their joining. No pain; only him moving slowly, stoking her to even higher levels of bliss. Her nipples rubbed against his chest, increasing her desire and need with each stroke. She wrapped her legs around him, urging him on. Then the pressure spiraled, like spun glass, and she gasped for air. “Dom, please, please.”

His breath rasped as he chuckled. “Soon, my love.”

“Ah, there.” Her legs trembled as she flew apart into a thousand pieces, and he plunged so deeply into her, she could feel his release.

Dom rolled off her, pulling her with him, stroking her hair, raining soft kisses on her head and neck. Her heart pounded against her chest. This was how it would always be with them.

A cool night breeze blew over Dotty, chilling her.

Dom dug his way under the bedcover, pulling it back, and somehow maneuvering her underneath it.

Once he had tucked the sheets around her, he rose. “I had wine and food prepared for us this evening.”

She raised a brow. “You were quite sure of yourself.”

Leaning over, he gave her a swift kiss. “No. I was sure of us. It wasn't until today that I realized the depth of feeling I had for you and you had for me.” He lifted a domed cover from a large tray that had been placed on his writing desk. “I'll have to give my new valet a raise.”

He handed her one of the glasses of wine that had already been prepared.

“I agree.” Warm now, she sat up against the pillows. “What else did he bring us?”

“A little of everything.” Dom placed the tray on the bed before climbing carefully in on his side.

There were regular-sized sandwiches as well as smaller pieces of bread, some topped with ham, or beef, or cheese. “This is wonderful. You should indeed keep him.” She took a bite of one of the small squares covered with beef, horseradish, and some sort of green. “This is delicious. What is his name?”

He devoured a ham sandwich. “Wigman. Paken found him.”

“I like your butler as well.”

Dom's hand stopped as he raised his glass. “We are going to be happy.”

His voice wavered a bit, as if he needed reassurance, and she smiled, touching her glass to his. “We are going to be exceedingly happy.”

* * *

Hours later, the early morning light filtered through a slit in the curtains, waking Dom. Thea's inky, black curls splayed over the pillows and down her body and his. He carefully moved her heavy locks aside to run his tongue over the edges of her ear. He was rewarded by a soft moan. They had made love deep into the night, but he was hard again. He'd never known a woman like his Thea. He hovered between waking her and allowing her to sleep a bit longer. Too soon, though, he would have to take her back to her room.

He lightly stroked her breasts before moving slowly down to the apex of the thighs.

“Yes.” She sighed softly.

Thea arched up as he stroked her core. He understood now why his grandfather had refused to spend a night away from his grandmother. To think that he had almost resigned himself to a life without love.

“Now, Dom. I want you now.”

A life without her. He plunged into her soft, wet heat.

Moments later, she cried out, and her convulsions gripped him. One last thrust and he joined her in paradise.

Dom knew he should take Thea back now, but he couldn't bring himself to release her. She was so snug and warm in his arms. Just a few more minutes and he would carry her to her chamber.

A light thump disrupted his thoughts, and a moment later Cyrille patted Dom's shoulder. If there was anything the cat was good at, it was finding him. “How did you get in here?” He glanced to the hidden door. “I must not have closed it all the way.”

“Closed what?” Thea turned in his arms and smiled, her brilliant emerald green eyes still glazed with sleep. “Good morning.”

Cyrille climbed over Dom, settling between him and Thea.

She stroked the cat from his head to the tip of his tail. How pitiful that Dom wished it was him she was petting.

“Good morning to you as well. I don't remember him being in here last night.”

“He wasn't. I must have left the door open.”

Thea's eyes widened. “Which means the other door is open as well.” She sat up and rubbed her face. “I must go back to my chamber. If anyone sees . . .”

“Sorry, Cyrille.” He dislodged the cat. “Let me get my dressing gown and your wrapper.”

“Where do you think this leads?” a high girlish voice asked.

“Probably to a hidden room,” a second voice answered. “To think Dotty gets to live in a house with secret passages.”

“Henny is going to be green with envy that we found it.”

“I wonder if anyone else knows it's here.”

“As dirty as it is, I doubt it.”

Dom could almost see a small nose wrinkle in disgust. He quickly donned his banyan, and leaned over to whisper to Thea, “Your brother and sister, I take it?”

“Naturally, who else? It's a good thing they cannot see me here.”

“I'll take them out to the corridor and promise to show them the secret stairs in the library. That will give you time to go back to your room.” He tossed Thea's wrapper to her and closed the bed hangings. “I'll see you at breakfast.”

He turned toward the door just as it swung open and two dark-haired children emerged. He put his hands on his hips. A little stern intimidation should set them right. “Good morning. Do you always make a point of searching the houses you're visiting?”

The girl glanced up at him and beamed. “You must be Lord Merton.”

Whatever response he had been expecting, it wasn't that. “I am.”

“I like your house.”

The boy smiled and stuck out his hand. “I'm Stephen, this is Martha, and I do, too. Like your house I mean. Do you have any other hidden passages?”

That hadn't gone as planned. He heard a sound that reminded him of someone laughing.

Stephen's eyes grew round. “What was that?”

Deuce take it, Thea was going to give herself away. “The cat.”

As if he'd been shoved from behind, Cyrille suddenly appeared from the bed hangings. Dom caught Martha as she stepped forward. “He can go into the corridor with you.” He picked up Cyrille before opening the main door to his chamber. “What are you two doing up and around?”

“We were looking for Dotty,” Stephen replied.

Martha nodded. “She's always up early, but her maid said she'd see us at breakfast.”

Casting a glance back to the bed, Dom stepped out of his room and closed the door. “Go find your nursemaids.” He escorted the pair to the stairs leading to the schoolroom floor. “If you wish to break your fast in the breakfast room with your sister, you must be properly dressed.”

The children scampered up the stairs, and he turned back to his dressing room. Fortunately, Wigman was ready for him.

Less than a half hour later, he walked into the breakfast room to find Thea with the children. She was cutting a piece of ham into pieces for her sister.

Pausing at the door, he took in the scene, and decided he liked it. Although in his vision Thea was helping their child.

She glanced at him and grinned. “Good morning. Did you sleep well?”

Minx.
Two could play this game. “I did. Very well, indeed. There is something about having company that causes me to get more rest.”

Her eyes danced wickedly. “Ah, I take it Cyrille spent the night with you?”

Martha looked up. “He's a pretty cat, but he makes strange noises.”

Thea widened her eyes at her sister. “Does he indeed? What sort of noises?”

“This morning he laughed.”

Struggling to keep a straight face, Dom glanced at Thea. “If you think that is odd, you should have heard him moan—”

“If that is the case,” she said primly, “you might wish to call the doctor.”

“Hmm.” He filled his plate. “I think you may be right. If things keep on the way they are, a doctor will most definitely be required for a consultation.” He took the seat on the other side of her. “I do not believe I have ever been so hungry.”

“That is what Dotty said before you came in.” Martha helped herself to a piece of ham. “I think you are both being silly.”

He and Thea exchanged a glance. “There is nothing wrong with being silly.”

Or happy, or in love.

* * *

Not long after the rest of Dotty's family joined them for breakfast, Paken entered the room. “My lord, miss. There is a gentleman here to see you.”

Dom raised a brow.

“About Master Tom.”

She started to scoot her chair back when a footman sprang to assist her. “Show him into the study, Paken. His lordship and I will be there directly.”

Dom rose and joined her. “Who do you think it could be?”

“I don't know.” She shook her head. Who indeed? “It was very strange of Paken not to have mentioned his name.”

Another footman hurried up to them holding a calling card. “Mr. Paken said you'd want this, my lord.”

Dom took it, holding it so she could see as well. “Major Robert Cavanaugh. Tom's father. I thought he wasn't due back for months.”

“Bring tea and toast, please,” she said to the footman. “I don't know if he's broken his fast yet.” Once the footman had gone, she turned to Dom. “He must be worried sick.”

They arrived to find a tall man dressed in the distinctive green uniform of the 95th Rifles pacing the room. When he saw them he bowed. “Lord Merton?”

Dom held out his hand. “Yes, this is Miss Stern, soon to be Lady Merton. You must be Major Cavanaugh. Let me assure you that Tom is fine. He is at my cousin's house on Berkeley Square for the moment.”

“Thank God.” Major Cavanaugh ran his hands over his face. “Thank God he's safe. I had a message that my wife was murdered, but that you'd found my son. But how?”

“Major”—Dotty sank onto the small sofa near the fireplace—“please have a seat. Tea will be here in just a moment.”

He perched on the edge of the sofa opposite her. Dom stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders.

“We are extremely happy to see you,” Dom said. “Apparently, your wife made Tom memorize your family details. I've attempted, without luck, to contact your family.”

“Yes.” His voice broke, and he stopped for a moment. “With all the traveling we did, she was convinced he might someday . . . That is the reason I was called back from my mission. My older brother died, and my father is not in good health. He wasn't well before I left, and the death has taken its toll. I must post to Lincolnshire as soon as may be, but first”—he sucked in a breath—“can you tell me what happened to my wife?”