Authors: Lavinia Kent
Bliss refrained from snapping that Angela’s words did nothing to help the situation. “I am trying not to think of that. Perhaps she thinks I do not need her help. She is Duldon’s aunt. Perhaps he has broken his promise to not discuss the possibility of marriage between us until the end of the season. If she knew he wished to marry me she might not wish to assist me in finding another husband.”
“That must be it.”
“Only last night he promised he would help me find a husband, so perhaps now she will issue me an invite. I know it is rare for her to give out later invitations, but it has happened. I know that when she found out the Robbinet girl was already engaged she asked someone else.”
Angela nodded. “That would make sense. Should we go ask her? I believe that we passed her a few minutes ago. She was with her maid. I think she was throwing crumbs to the ducks. And we have bread.” Angela held up the bag.
Bliss was tempted to say yes, just because she could not imagine Lady Perse feeding the ducks and it would be worth the effort to see such a sight. However, she said, “I am not sure that would be wise. She may not have spoken to Duldon yet and I would hate to cause her any embarrassment.” And Bliss certainly didn’t want to face such embarrassment herself.
“Oh, you may be right. Now tell me, when did you see Duldon last night? I thought you were home with a headache. Did he call on you? If I’d known you were well enough for callers I might have persuaded Mother to let me visit you instead of attending the Penssils’ musicale evening. I can tell you that I certainly had a headache by the end of it.”
“Oh, did Sarah Swilp play the harp?” Please let the question distract Angela. Bliss had no desire to discuss just when she had seen Duldon. It had been a slip of the tongue to have mentioned him at all.
“Oh yes. Two pieces. I believe that several men were crying by the end—and not with joy. I don’t know why she is always asked to play.”
“I am just as glad to have missed it then. I do hate having to think of a compliment for her at the end. I believe last time I told her that I had never heard such an interpretation of the piece.”
“And the time before that you told her that her harp had one of the most unusual tones you had ever heard.”
“Yes, that is right. And she always takes it as the greatest compliment.”
“You are lucky to have missed it. Now, how did you recover so quickly? My mother made it sound as if you were about to drop dead from the pain in your head.”
Perhaps she had oversold her illness a little. “I am sure she heard that from my father. You know he does tend to exaggerate everything.”
“When he bothers to pay attention to you at all. Do you remember the time you broke your arm and he told you to lie down until it felt better?”
Bliss shuddered at the thought. “I believe he was waiting for several litters of rabbits to be born. He wanted to see if he had succeeded in breeding ones with even longer ears. Luckily the housekeeper sent for the surgeon anyway.”
“Who would want longer-eared rabbits? I do believe their ears are quite long enough.”
Bliss smiled and nodded. At least Angela had been distracted from her questions about Duldon. It was almost worth reliving the broken arm to escape that conversation. What would she have said? Oh, after he rubbed his fingers back and forth between my legs, pinched my nipples until I almost screamed, and left me shuddering with ecstasy, he agreed to help me find a husband? No, she didn’t think that would have gone over well. And despite her mistruth on the subject of her headache she didn’t like to lie to her friends. And she hadn’t even strictly told a lie about the headache. She’d merely told her father that she was worried she might be getting one. She’d never actually said that she had one.
Not that any of it mattered. She’d never been one for cutting hairs. “I must agree with you. A floppy-eared bunny is cute, but I don’t think longer ears make them any better. Are you going to tell me more about the musicale?”
That had been a mistake. Angela’s eyes narrowed. “You’re doing it again. Trying to distract me. Where exactly did you see Duldon last night?” she asked.
“He took me out to try and prove that he was not quite so dull. I set him on an adventure, rather like a quest. I wanted him to prove that I could trust him.” Unless she was willing to lie outright to her friend there was no way to avoid telling at least part of the truth.
“An adventure? I love adventures. Did he race his curricle? I’ve always loved fast horses, and despite being a dull man Duldon does have the most beautiful matched bays.”
His horses were quite something. There was no denying that. Again the temptation to lie came upon her and she shoved it down. “No, no races. He took me to a men’s club. I snuck in.” Bliss could only hope that Angela would make the same mistake she had and would not ask further questions about the nature of the club.
“Duldon snuck you into a men’s club? That does not seem at all like him.”
“I would admit that it does not sound much like the man that I thought I knew, pretended I knew, but I am starting to reconsider. He is not at all as bad as I expected.” That was at least honest—or mostly so. It was clear that even in her mind she could no longer pretend that Duldon was boring.
“That sounds like you are warming toward him. Are you considering marriage then? It would make everything so much simpler if you simply wed him. Then you would not have to go against your brother and it would not matter that Lady Perse did not like you.”
“Let us not talk of Lady Perse. She is Duldon’s aunt by marriage and as his mother died when he was quite young I believe they are close. If she has taken a dislike of me it will only bring trouble—although I am hopeful she will change her mind once Duldon talks to her. But, to get to the more important point, no, I am not actually reconsidering Duldon’s proposal. I still do not believe he is the husband for me. I want somebody more controllable and he has not yet persuaded me that is the case. No, he is not for me.”
“You do not sound as convinced. Did he try to kiss you?”
“No, he did not kiss me last night.” That was true, even if it left out the previous kiss in the library and did not even begin to explain all those things he had done that would be far beyond Angela’s imagination.
“I suppose that would have been too much even for this new Duldon that you speak of. He always has been such a stickler for high morals.”
Bliss could still feel his fingers thrusting between her legs, feel the ache coiling within her. “I’ve never quite thought of him that way. It was more that I didn’t think he was interested in things like kissing”—memories of all the things they’d used the term “kissing” to cover filled her—“than that I thought he disapproved.”
“If you say so.” Angela did not sound convinced. “And did you say that he was going to help you find a husband? Why would he do that?”
“I have no idea. Although I do believe he still hopes to persuade me that he is the best man for the position.” Lifting her head, Bliss found that she was being stared at. Lord Temple stood a bit down the path, his gaze firmly fastened upon her. His eyes ran from her ankles, barely visible beneath the hem of her skirts, up to her bosom and then on to her face. He seemed quite lost in contemplation as he raised his long fingers to his lips.
She turned back to Angela, pretending not to notice. He was probably lost in thought and not thinking about her at all.
Before she could say anything Angela spoke up. “Oh, there’s Lord Temple. Do you suppose we should greet him? He did seem quite taken with you the other night at the Evanstons’ ball. Perhaps he should be on your list of possible mates.”
Bliss opened her mouth to answer, but Angela had already turned and was hurrying up the path toward Lord Temple. Giving an inward sigh, Bliss had no choice but to follow. She could only hope that Angela was wrong about his interest. He’d never impressed her as a man she would want to marry. Still, perhaps she needed a more open mind. Perhaps Lord Temple was different than she’d always thought him to be.
Pasting a determined smile upon her face, she strode up the path.
“It is good to see you, Miss Timms and Lady Bliss. I do hope you are recovered from last night.” Lord Temple took a step toward them.
Had he heard of her headache? Bliss had always known that he had some interest in her, but to inquire after her health…“Yes, I am quite myself this morning.”
“Good, I do like it when you are yourself. It is so—so interesting.” He gave her the strangest smile.
She must keep an open mind. “I am so glad. I do like to be myself.” Could this conversation become more inane? And would the man ever stop staring at her breasts? Perhaps she was just too aware of them today. The nipples were quite tender and at moments she feared they would…Stop thinking about that.
It was time to discuss the weather, the coming night’s soirée, the new bonnet she wished to buy. It was better to discuss anything than think about last night and its effect on her body.
She glanced up and caught Temple staring at her breasts, his lips open, his breathing deep.
Had she somehow let on what she was thinking? It was not the first time that he’d stared at her chest, but he’d never before been so indiscreet. Did he not care if she saw the direction of his gaze?
She pressed a smile up her cheeks. “Tell me, Lord Temple, did I hear that you’ve purchased a new racer?”
He met her gaze leaning slightly over her. “Yes, but I fear he is not yet well trained. He has not yet come to understand the whip.”
Chapter Eleven
“What do you mean that you wish to try kissing other men?” Duldon could not hide the anger in his voice. If they had been anywhere but the Duke of Mirth’s garden he would probably have resorted to a loud yell.
“I don’t know why you are taking on in such a manner,” Bliss said blandly. “You are the one that thought I should find a criterion for choosing a husband. I am only trying to do as you suggested.”
“That’s not what I meant. I was thinking more of seeing if you found their dinner table conversation agreeable.”
“I don’t see how that would help. And how would I go about it?”
“That is simple enough. You talk to them.” He could not help speaking as if she were somewhat lacking in brain cells.
“No, it is not that simple. Anyone can be entertaining for the length of a meal, but how will I know if they can only converse on one subject or if they are only polite in public? I have heard that many men behave differently in company than they do at home. I may find a man quite agreeable when out in society and then once we are wed discover that he screams at the footmen or doesn’t wish me to speak during meals.”
Duldon had to admit there was truth to that. “The same can be said of women. There are some who are sweet as sugar when out, but can cuss like fishwives in private.”
Bliss pursed her lips and glared at him. “And how would you know that? You have never been wed.”
“As we demonstrated last night, it is possible to be alone together without being married.”
Bliss’s mouth grew tighter. His answer evidently displeased her. “Well, then you must help me to spend time alone with other gentlemen.”
“No.”
“No? I thought you wished to help me find a husband.” Now she was the one speaking as if he was the idiot, but he would not be so easily persuaded.
“I am quite sure that you are thinking about more than conversation. I believe you are speaking of kissing again, and kissing such as we referenced last night.”
Bliss stood and stomped away from him, staring up at the walls that separated the garden from the street. “I admit I am curious. How am I to learn of men if I do not experiment?”
Duldon followed her. “If you experiment the men in question will no longer be thinking of marriage.” He stated it with far more calm than he felt.
“I experimented with you and you still wish to marry me. Perhaps my charms are so great that it will only make a man wish to marry me more. I am not thinking of doing anything that would risk a child. I wish to learn, not to be ruined.”
“It does not take actual deflowerment to be ruined. It only takes the belief that one is no longer a virgin, and given the chance men talk and brag.”
“I think you overstate the risk. You certainly did not feel the need to rush out and tell your friends what happened between us, to tell them of the liberties I allowed you.” And then suddenly she paled. “At least I hope you did not.”
How dare she think such a thing of him? “Given that my best friend is your brother I think you can safely assume that I did not rush off to tell him that I’d made you come while encouraging you to watch two men fuck. And besides, if I had told anyone they would have been too busy questioning why I took no pleasure myself to believe the whole thing.”
“You took no pleasure yourself? I thought you enjoyed what we did.” Now she sounded as if he’d injured her deeply.
How to explain this all to her? And why did he have an increasing desire to toss her over his knee and paddle her ass until she started to see sense? Well, the answer to that was easy and perhaps it would not be a bad idea. A few strokes of his palm might go a long way to settling the matter between them. “Yes, I enjoyed it.” He almost spit out the words. “I liked touching you and giving you pleasure. I only meant that I did not reach completion as you did, that I did not come, not orgasm.” Although he certainly had later that night in his own chamber as he fantasized about all that he’d done to her and all that he wished to do, all that he might never do.
“Coming is the same as orgasm—yes? Well, then why did you not come?” she asked, her tongue moving over her still-swollen lower lip.
God, she was going to kill him. “It would not have been seemly.”
A giggle, a clear, honest giggle. “I watched a man spurt all about another’s face and the joy they took in it and you are worried about being seemly. I am afraid I will never understand the finer nuances of these things.”
She did have a point, but somehow it would have been different, would have forced things further than either of them was yet ready to go. “Once I have you naked then we can talk of my coming.”