Lord Love a Duke (37 page)

Jonas glanced at Stafford and took the ring
from his outstretched hand, placing it on the Book. The Reverend
Handley then returned the ring to Jonas. The Duke cleared his
throat and took Juliet's left hand in his, placing the ring, a
stunning sapphire solitaire surround by diamonds, on her third
finger. Holding her newly-adorned hand tightly, his fingers lightly
tracing the ring, he began.

“With this Ring I thee wed,” he recited,
looking deeply into her eyes. “With my Body I thee worship,” he
continued, his gaze dropping to her lips. She nervously moistened
them with her tongue and the color in his eyes blazed as he brought
his gaze back up to hers. “And with all my worldly Goods I thee
endow: in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost. Amen.” He raised her hand to his lips and placed a gentle
buss to her ring before turning her hand over to place a searing
kiss on her palm. Juliet's breath caught audibly as she swayed
slightly on her feet, moving ever closer to the Duke.

The vicar's gentle 'ahem' broke the spell
and he indicated the couple should kneel. After delivering the
wedding prayer he addressed the couple directly. “Those whom God
hath joined together let no man put asunder.” The older man smiled
warmly at the couple he had known for the majority of their lives
then turned to charge the gathered guests. “Forasmuch as Jonas and
Juliet have consented together in holy Wedlock, and have witnessed
the same before God and this company, and thereto have given and
pledged their troth each to the other, and have declared the same
by giving and receiving of a Ring, and by joining of hands; I
pronounce that they be Man and Wife together, In the Name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.”

The Reverend Handley continued on with his
formal blessing and the reading of Psalm 67, then turned to the
kneeling couple for their responsive reading. “Lord, have mercy on
us,” he intoned.

“Christ, have mercy on us,” they
replied.

The reading progressed to the declaration of
the Duties of Man and Wife but again Juliet's mind wandered, though
the subject of her thoughts was aligned with the minister's words.
She was married – a wife – and she trembled slightly at the joy
that sliced through her as she dreamed of spending her days and
nights with this man by her side: making decisions, raising
children, running a household, and caring for their staff and
tenants. Just as her knees began to complain of their bent position
the vicar moved in front of her to bestow her first communion after
marriage. The beauty and privilege of the sacred act was very
moving and she felt tears gather in her eyes.

Upon the completion of the holy ordinance
the couple rose from their kneeling position and accompanied the
vicar and parish clerk to the vestry to sign the Register. The
couple averted their gaze from the Chancel in the time honored
tradition of the area as it was commonly known that the room was
often used to store smuggled goods.

“Well, Your Grace, this will be the final
time you shall sign your name as such,” murmured Jonas, his warm
breath fanning the tendrils of hair that brushed her ear as she
wrote 'Lady Juliet Quinn' with less than her usually precise
hand.

“
True,” she mused, turning
to focus on the group of well-wishers crowding the vestibule,
doors, and courtyard. A wistful look flitted across her face but
she continued speaking before Jonas could question its cause.
“Today is the last day I shall do many things as once I did. 'Tis
strange how little sadness that thought brings. I supposed I am
much too focused on all the new things I shall be trying today
instead,” she finished with a meaningful glance to her husband, her
lips lifting wickedly. Jonas straightened immediately, grasping her
arm at the elbow and ushering her through the effusive crowd. They
acknowledged each congratulation with a gracious nod or a quick
word, but did not pause for conversation. A secret smile adorned
Juliet's face while a look of adoration for his bride covered the
Duke's. Many observers remarked that marriage already seemed to be
most becoming to His and Her Grace.

Upon reaching the carriage, which had been
decorated with flowers and ribbons to mark the occasion, the
Leightons turned back to address the crowd.

“Please join us at Edgecliff for the wedding
breakfast,” shouted the Duke to the assembled throng. “We shall
make you our greetings on your arrival,” he announced before
turning to hand Juliet into the coach. Soon the door shut and they
began to move.

“Whyever did you choose a closed carriage?
The weather is very accommodating this day; an open ride would have
been lovely,” she remarked.

“Yes, but our open curricle would not have
accommodated the lewd acts of the Duke toward his Duchess,” he
growled lasciviously as he crossed the carriage to share her seat.
He reached to pull her into his arms but Juliet prevented his
progress with a hand to his chest.

“
You mean to shock me, I'm
sure, but you may not wrinkle my gown,” she teased before a look of
satisfaction transfixed her face. “You said '
our
curricle.' All things are truly 'ours' now, are
they not? I had no idea my heart would leap with pleasure to hear
such a simple word.”

Jonas was once again stopped short as he
beheld the beauty of the woman who was now his alone. He reached
out to stroke a finger across her cheek. “Yes, my lady wife, all is
ours. Neither of us shall refer to things in a singularly
possessive way again, save one.” He pulled her close without
resistance and ran his hands down her arms and thighs then back up
to grasp her waist tightly. “Mine,” he emphasized with a squeeze.
“You. Are. Mine.”

“
And you are
mine
, Your Grace,” she returned before
further words were smothered under the melding of his hot mouth to
hers.

Juliet slowly awakened and stretched
contentedly under the warm covers. Based on the low level of light
peeking between the curtains she judged the hour to still be early.
She snuggled back into the hulking warmth at her back and was
rewarded with the tightening of her husband's arms around her.

My husband
, she
thought with a small sigh. She smiled and turned gently in the
cocoon of his embrace and studied his features as he slept, taking
a silent inventory and debating whether she should wake him. She
had a request to make of him yet dreaded to bring up the subject of
his sister and marriage. His hair was tousled and his impossibly
long lashes rested against his cheeks. She pulled her hand up to
lightly trace his strong profile. “Jonas,” she whispered softly,
her finger moving to gently tap his stubble-darkened
jaw.

His arm tightened but he gave no further
indication of awakening. “Jo – nas,” she intoned a little more
loudly. She moved her finger to play with his bottom lip. “Wake up,
Jonas.”

The Duke's lips twitched slightly but he
took a slow, even breath to give the impression he still slept. In
reality, he had known the moment she had roused. When she drawled
his name, her voice still thick and husky with sleep, coupled with
her light touch, he had nearly given in to opening his lids. He
loved the sound of his name when she spoke it, the lilt of her
voice always making it sound like a verbal caress. He moved his
hand slightly on her hip but kept his eyes shut, waiting for her
next move.

Hmm. Juliet considered nestling back in his
arms and letting sleep reclaim her but she knew she needed to
broach the subject of Miranda sooner rather than later. Having
arrived back at their London townhouse only the previous day, it
had not taken long for reality to intrude on the past weeks that
were their honeymoon. And while married just a month, Juliet was
already aware her husband was quite amenable to her suggestions
when made in the morning. Hopefully this amenability would extend
to a discussion of his sister. She raised up, propping the side of
her head on the palm of her hand while resuming her trace of his
jaw with the other.

“Jonas, I need – oh!” she began before he
suddenly came alive, flipping her onto her back and covering her
torso with his own. He dropped his head to hers and kissed her
leisurely but thoroughly.

“Good morning, wife,” he growled before
settling his lips back on hers. Juliet felt herself losing focus
and mentally shook herself before breaking their kiss.

“Good morning, husband,” she returned,
giving him one more small peck of a kiss. “How did you sleep?”

“Extremely well until I was prematurely
awakened by a bewitching temptress. Now that I am awake, however .
. .” his words faded away as he dropped his head to trail teasing
kisses across her jawline. She angled her head to grant him easier
access and again struggled to keep her mind focused.

“Jonas, I need to make a request of you.”
She paused to get his attention but he remained stubbornly
committed to kissing a path now down her neck. “Jonas. It is a
serious request. Are you paying attention?”

“Oh, I am definitely paying attention,” he
murmured against her neck. “But make your request quickly, if you
must, and then I have a few of my own,” he replied, raising his
head only long enough to voice his comment. He moved to kiss that
most sensitive spot just behind the lobe of her ear.

“Oh, that feels – Jonas! Cease for one
moment so I may make my thoughts coherent,” she exclaimed, pushing
on his chest to stop his progress.

He raised his head to smile wickedly at her,
his dimples appearing with mischievousness. “So, I muddle your
thoughts, do I, madam? I quite like the sound of that.” He once
again dropped his head but Juliet squirmed to avoid his sensuous
assault.

“I like it too, but I must have your
attention for just a moment, if you please,” she requested.

Jonas tightened his arms around her and
quickly reversed their positions, falling onto his back and
dragging her form to drape across his chest. “You may proceed, but
be gentle,” he admonished with a gleam in his eyes. His hands moved
to her back and she felt him began to undo her long braid.

Juliet laughed at his teasing before sliding
her body up the length of his until their faces were nose to nose.
“I am always gentle, or at least I am when you want me to be so,”
she returned saucily. “But I am in earnest. I must ask a favor of
you concerning Miranda.”

His pupils narrowed with suspicion but her
position on his body kept him still and currently content. “Very
well. I know I am going to regret this, but ask away.”

Juliet brought her hand up to lazily draw
circular patterns on his chest as she raised up to look him in the
eye more clearly. “I want to plead Miranda's case for the allowance
of this final Season without compelling her to make a match. Before
you can say anything,” she continued, placing a finger over his
lips, “let me offer up the conditions.” She paused as the Duke
began to nibble on her quelling finger. “Oh! Um, the conditions.
Yes . . . Miranda wants to enjoy this season without pressure, just
to dance and flirt and have a good time. While she does not want to
actively search for a suitor, she has promised to not flee from the
possibility, either. Oh, you must stop that!” Juliet rescued her
finger before the ministrations of his mouth made her dissolve into
a mindless puddle.

Jonas drew in a deep breath and looked at
the ceiling as he processed her words, his hands now fanning out
the hair he had released from its plait. “She needs a keeper,
Jules, and I no longer want the job. Never wanted the job,
actually. But now I find my focus is shifting toward other
pursuits.” His hands began a slow journey up her body, pausing
strategically each time he heard her gasping responses.

Juliet attempted to bat his hands away.
“Here is the beauty of this arrangement: I told her she must
surreptitiously weed through the sea of gentlemen this Season with
the object of using the Little Season to narrow her options and
make a choice. She agreed, reluctantly but assuredly, and vows she
will marry by Christmas. And your mother and mine, plus Aunt
Catherine, have consented to chaperone her social events. There
will be a few gatherings that you and I will need to attend, so you
can observe Miranda's behavior and progress. I think this is a fine
accommodation of everyone's desires.” Juliet finished her speech
slightly winded, partly from the quantity and rapidity of her
speech, and partly from the resumption of the Duke's wandering
hands.

Jonas took in another deep breath before
releasing a long sigh. “I hear nothing of a promise from Miranda to
behave. If she is serious about looking this summer, with the goal
of selecting a gentleman by year's end, I can agree to the terms.
But I want her unequivocal promise to refrain from pranks and
shenanigans the likes of which you two pulled in the past.” He
paused to grasp her face in his large hands. “I wonder if Miranda
knows how fortunate she is that her staunchest defender is also my
greatest treasure? And my Achilles heel should she ever decide to
try to abuse her power,” he added wryly, moving his hands to once
again blaze a path of fire, this time down her back and through her
tresses. He was so fascinated by her hair.

Juliet raised her eyebrows. “Miranda knows I
will defend only what is defensible. Should she test me on this she
will quickly find that my allegiance has shifted to another member
of the illustrious Leighton family. I should remind you as well,
however, that our pranks succeeded in securing a husband for me.
Perhaps further scheming will yield one for Miranda,” she teased.
He moved to reply but she placed her finger against his lips again
and was rewarded with sparks of interest flaring in his eyes. “I am
only jesting. She will agree, at least in principle, so our mothers
will need to be sufficiently warned. Miranda is convinced she will
miss out on something in her life once she marries. As an old,
married woman now myself, I cannot for the life of me imagine what
she thinks that to be. I confess I missed out on much, much more
prior to marriage than since.” Juliet punctuated this last
statement with kisses to her husband's chest and found herself once
again flipped onto her back, his weight pressing her down into the
mattress.