How to Pursue a Princess (22 page)

Well, she wasn’t so closed-minded. There was something appealing about his sheer enthusiasm and lack of care for the rules.
He is caring and passionate, as his culture and heart dictate. What’s wrong with that?
It was a relief to realize that what she felt for him was pure sympathy and nothing else.

Lily unlatched the window and pushed it open. Instantly a swirl of damp night air grabbed it. She gripped it tighter and leaned out, shivering.

“Why are you here?” she whispered as loudly as she dared. She glanced to either side and was glad to see that all the other windows were tightly closed and shuttered.

Even from two stories up, she saw him smile. “I would talk to you. Alone. This is the only way I could think to do it.”

It was a highly improper answer, as was her instant reaction, a flush of warmth that made the air seem even colder. “You shouldn’t be here.”

His smile dimmed. “I am here, and that is enough.”

“Come back in the morning and I—” She frowned. “How did you know this was my window?”

He shrugged. “When I wish to know something, I know it.”

“You bribed one of the servants.”

“Perhaps. Or perhaps I have been watching your window and have seen you. Come down and speak to me. There are things we must discuss.”

“No. Come back tomorrow.” She leaned farther out the window and whispered a bit louder, “The duchess has arranged a visit to the folly on the island, but not until noon or later. Call for me in the morning at eight; no one but the servants will be up that early.”

“The duchess’s butler will just say you are not available.” The wind pressed his shirt against his broad chest. “That is what he said this morning when I came to call. He did not even pretend to find out if you wished to see me.”

So he
had
visited her after all.
“No one told me.”

“I came more than once.” His brow lowered. “I left you a card and flowers, too. Did you not get them?”

She turned to look at the vase on her dresser, the wind making her hug herself.
I knew it!
Her irritation with the duchess grew full score.

Yet deep in her heart, Lily wondered if perhaps she was to blame for her grace’s machinations. Lily had asked the duchess to assist her in securing a good marriage; had her grace sensed Lily’s hesitations about Huntley and noted her equally inappropriate attraction to Wulf? Perhaps the duchess thought it necessary to keep Lily and Wulf apart. “I’m so sorry you’ve been banished.”

“Do not fear, Moya.” Wulf grinned. “I’m too resourceful to be so easily thwarted. Even by you.”

Lily had to fight an answering smile. It was tempting to think of slipping downstairs to see him, but the thought of getting caught stopped her. Such a scandal would ruin any chance of ever getting a good marriage. Still, she
wanted
to talk to Wulf, to discuss why the duchess had banished him.

Lily sighed. “Emma told me that you’d been denied an invitation to the duchess’s events, but not that you weren’t allowed to visit at all.”

“Emma must not know, then. She has been a good friend to us. If she knew, she would have said so.”

So Wulf still considered Emma a “good friend”? An odd flicker of irritation traced through Lily. “Come back tomorrow,” she said, suddenly cross. “If you can’t speak to me, at least you can talk to your ‘good friend’ Emma.”

“I came to see you, Moya. Not Emma.”

Her irritation didn’t subside. “You’ve seen me,
and
you’ve broken my window, which I’ll have to explain in some way.”

“I just wanted your attention. I’m sorry about breaking the glass; I tried to call out to you, but you were sleeping very hard.”

She hadn’t been sleeping at all. She’d been thinking about him, blast it all. The wind must have kept his voice from carrying. “Wulf, you must go now. This is madness.”

She’d leaned out as she spoke, lowering her voice
to keep anyone else from hearing her. From where he stood below, Wulf noticed that the damp wind had caused the delicate fabric of her night rail to cling to her rounded bosom in an interesting fashion, her nipples peaked and eager. His cock stiffened at the sight and he had to force his gaze back to her face. “I
must
see you.” If he did not, he would explode in flames.

She hesitated. “I’ll send a note to your cottage. We will arrange a meeting.”

“Moya, I—”

“No. Wait for my note.” With that, she refastened the window and softly closed the shutters.

Wulf stared up at the window, his jaw tightening. After two days of trying to visit her, he’d been beyond happy to see her leaning out the window. But now, staring at the empty spot where she’d just been, he wanted more. Much more, damn it.

This was the duchess’s fault. She was actively curtailing his access to Lily, and because of the old woman’s devious nature, she was succeeding. It was obvious from Lily’s expression that she hadn’t received either his notes or the flowers, so the duchess’s servants were in on the scheme as well, which was daunting. He could fight an old woman, but not an old woman and an army of eyes and ears, all willing to do her bidding.

His hands curled into fists. He’d wager his last ruble that Huntley’s missives had been delivered, and that he’d been encouraged to spend time with her,
damn the man. Things were at an even worse impasse than Wulf had realized.

He eyed Lily’s window with renewed determination. He could not wait for tomorrow to make his case; she’d be off spending more time with Huntley. He had to see her now. He scanned the front of the castle and noted a trellis two windows over. He could climb that and then use the ledge beneath the windows to reach her room. Lily had closed the shutters almost immediately, so he didn’t think she’d taken the time to latch the window.
Good. That will help.

He glanced about. The silent courtyard was empty; no lights shone in any rooms. This would be risky, yes, but necessary, too.

Now, if only the vines were strong enough to hold his weight. There was only one way to find out. He undid his cloak and tossed it into the shrubs and then rolled up his sleeves. . . .

From the Diary of the Duchess of Roxburghe
Love is like a flower. It needs a certain amount of sunlight, the right mixture of soil, and a gentle but firm hand with the watering can. Too much or little of any, and the flower will wither and die on the vine.

Such is the care I give my guests who show the bud of a promise of love. . . .

Lily climbed back into her bed, tucking her toes under the warm spot made by the pug. Meenie snorted in her sleep, but didn’t awaken, thank goodness.

The nerve of that man, to throw stones at her window. Did he think she was a misty-eyed chit who’d swoon at every romantic gesture? She was far too sensible.

Still . . . he’d made the effort to visit her, even though the duchess had banned him. That was nice. And it wasn’t the milquetoast niceness that Huntley exuded, but a different, warmer, far more seductive
nice. Wulf had taken chances trying to see her. And chances were the one thing she couldn’t see Huntley taking.

A faint smile tickled her lips and she turned toward the window and wondered if she’d perhaps been a little abrupt? He’d just wished to see her. What was wrong with that? It was rather charming, in fact. And she’d been anything but kind about it. She’d even been a wee bit rude.

She sighed. What was it about Wulf that made her emotions swirl between irritation and fascination?

Perhaps her irritation came from the way he made her feel . . . naked, somehow. Exposed. As if he could see far more of her than she wished him to.

She listened to the silence, expecting to hear his horse riding away, but no sound came.
He must have ridden over the lawn. Such would be the way of an up-to-mischief prince.

She smiled a little. If she were honest, it was flattering to be shown such attention. But a little uncomfortable, too, which was perfectly understandable considering—

The shutters flew open, a blast of wind swirling the curtains.
Blast it, I didn’t latch the window.

Meenie jumped to her feet, barked once, then ran to the far side of the bed.

“It’s just the window.” Lily threw back the covers.

The dog growled and hopped in place, her gaze locked on the window.

“Oh, hush. There’s nothing to be scared of.” Lily
scooted off the bed, shivering as her feet hit the cold floor. She’d taken several steps toward the open window when a man’s boot appeared, followed by a large, muscular leg encased in military-style breeches.

Lily froze in place.
He wouldn’t dare.

Meenie growled and ran forward to the front of the bed, then back to the farthest edge.

How
could
he?
Her heart surged against her chest.

Wulf’s arm and then his shoulder and face appeared as he straddled the windowsill.

He smiled, his gaze flickering over her, making her intensely aware of her lack of a robe. “Good evening, Moya. I’m sorry to importune you, but I was not finished speaking.”

She crossed her arms over her chest, more to cover herself than anything else. “Leave.”

Meenie hopped in place, growling louder.

“Oh ho,” Wulf said. “You have company.”

“She’s one of her grace’s pugs.”

“Hmm.” His gaze returned to Lily and flickered over her night rail. “That is lovely. I thought you might wear something less—” He gestured. “How do you say . . . laced?”

“Lacy.” Her robe was hanging over the end of the bed and she snatched it up and drew it on, her cheeks afire. She’d made this night rail herself and was well aware of the thinness of the fabric. She managed to say in what she hoped was a cool tone, “Did you expect to find me dressed in wool?”

He chuckled. “You are fire and ice, Moya, so with
you, one never knows. I breathlessly await to see which I hold in my arms.”

She ached to believe him, but . . . no. They were alone, for heaven’s sake, and she was in her night rail and robe, and he was—
delicious
.

The thought sprung unbidden to her mind and she pressed her hands to her cheeks. “There will be no holding, Wulf. This is highly inappropriate, and if someone discovers you here— I can’t allow that. You must go.”

“I have not yet arrived.” He swung his other leg into the room. “But you are right that I should not be seen. I should close the window so no one knows.”

“That’s not what I mean—”

But he was already closing and latching the window. He sent her a humorous glance over his shoulder. “You shouldn’t leave your windows unlatched, Moya. It’s not safe.”

“How did you manage that climb? The walls are too smooth.”

“I have many talents.”

She had no doubt about that.

Wulf started to walk toward her.

Meenie bounded across the bed in two huge hops. She stood at the edge and growled, teeth gleaming.

Wulf chuckled and walked past Lily to the dog. He picked her up with one hand and held her even with his face. “Enough, little one. I mean you no harm.”

The pug started to growl, but Wulf scratched her
ear and her growls stopped. “Ah, you cannot resist a soft touch.”

The pug’s tail began to twirl. A few more scratches and Meenie, her tail wagging so fast that Lily could no longer see it, tried to lick Wulf’s nose. He laughed and placed the dog on the floor. Tail still wagging, the pug sniffed Wulf’s leg and then happily trotted off to curl into a ball on the settee.

Traitor,
Lily thought.

“Now I see why you did not latch the window. You have a guard dog.”

“She’s more of a foot warmer.” Lily was tautly aware of him, of the fluid movement of his walk as he approached her, of the power he wore without thinking.

She tugged her robe a bit closer. “Well, Wulf? What do you want? Because if you’ve come for—for kisses, then I shall have to disappoint you.”

“That would be lovely, but, no, Moya.” He held out his hands, splayed wide. “I merely came to speak with you.”

She felt a flicker of disappointment.
Good God, I am more lost than I thought.
“Say what you wish then, and leave. And make it quick.”

His brow darkened. “The duchess has made it very clear that she intends you for Huntley.”

“Which is what I want, too.” Or what she should want. Lily’s chest tightened as if a weight pressed upon it. She’d never been one to blindly conform to
anything. Perhaps her lack of reaction to Huntley was simply her refusal to do as everyone expected.

If that was so, then the best way to move forward was to embrace her path. And who better to declare herself to than the one person who tempted her less-disciplined self from that path? “Wulf, you know my circumstances.”

His expression grew somber. “It is your circumstances that I wish to speak to you about. Moya, you have set upon marriage as your only answer, but you cannot sell yourself in such a way. There must be other avenues you have not yet explored.”

“I’ve looked for other answers and there are none.”

“If you wished to, you would find another path.”

“Do you think I would throw myself upon the marriage altar just to amuse myself? There’s nothing else I can do.”

“Can you not speak to the holder of this debt? Tell him your situation?”

“There is only one thing that the man who holds our debt would accept in exchange for it, and that is marriage to my sister.”

Wulf’s expression darkened. “Who is this man?”

“An older neighbor who wants a young wife to give him children.”

“If he just wished for a young wife, then he could have asked for you.” Wulf rubbed his chin. “So it is not just a wife he wishes for, but your sister. He cares for her.”

“He couldn’t care for her, or he wouldn’t have
demanded the repayment of the loan. She stands to lose her home and will be devastated. Besides, he’s so much older than Dahlia and he’s grumpy and sarcastic. He’s never said a nice thing to anyone, and he’s just wretched. He would make
her
wretched. I couldn’t allow it.”