Lily and the Duke (8 page)

“How did you manage to get seated next to him?” Alexandra asked.

“I’m not exactly sure.” At least that was the truth.

“He seemed to enjoy your company,” Sophie ventured. “It looked like he was conversing mostly with you, from what I could see.”

“It was either that or try to talk to Lady Bourough, who is deaf as a stone, or Lord Madison, who can’t keep from drooling over his wife.”

“Who cares?” Alexandra said. “You got to sit with him. Is he agreeable?”

“He’s very nice. And charming, as one would expect given his reputation with the ladies.”

“Not to mention, devastatingly handsome,” Alexandra added.

“Yes, there is that,” Lily agreed. “Tell me, Ally, how did you get on with Polk at dinner?”

“He was agreeable, but I actually preferred Mr. Landon, who was on my other side. He’s a cousin of the duke.”

“Really?”

“Second cousin actually. His father and Her Grace are cousins. He owns several businesses here and in America. It sounds like he’s worth a fortune.”

“Ally, don’t go barreling after a heavy purse,” Sophie warned. “There are more important things.”

“We can’t sponge off of Aunt Flora and Uncle Crispin forever, Sophie,” Alexandra said. “And damn it, I don’t want to be poor.”

“No one does, dear,” Sophie said. “But there are more essential matters, like love. Do you really want to end up in a loveless marriage with a tyrant like Father?”

“Of course not, and if any of us are lucky enough to find a love match, I’ll be the first one to hoot and holler in glee. But in the meantime, I’m willing to settle for money, especially if he’s handsome, which Mr. Landon is.”

“Well, as long as you have standards,” Sophie said, her tone sardonic.

They conversed and laughed until a maid approached them. “My lady?” she said to Lily.

“Yes?”

“I was bid to bring you to the library.”

“Whatever for?”

“His Grace wants to see you.”

“Oh.” How would she explain this to the others? “He’s going to show me the estate’s art collection. I nearly forgot. Will you all excuse me?”

They all stared at her wide-eyed.

“Would any of you like to come? Laurel Ridge is supposed to have some of the finest art.”

Alexandra beamed. “No, no, dear. We’ll wait right here for you. Do tell us all about it when you’re done.”

“You will have a chaperone, won’t you, Lily?” Sophie said.

“I’m sure His Grace has it all arranged.” Lily stood. “Do enjoy your evening, then.”

Lily followed the maid back into the house and dismissed her. Walking quietly through the entrance hall, she paused to glance inside the enormous dining room where servants were cleaning up after dinner. She continued down the hallway, looking for the library, but stopped when she came to a looking glass hanging on the wall by a small table. She quickly assessed her appearance, biting her lips, pinching her cheeks, and tucking a few stray hairs behind her ears.

“Good evening, love.”

“Goodness,” she said, nearly jumping. “Do you just appear out of thin air?”

Daniel smiled. “Come with me.”

“Wait a moment,” she said. “Shouldn’t we have a chaperone?”

“Does anyone know you’re with me?”

“My sister and cousins.”

“Ah. And I assume one of them was your nude bathing friend?” Daniel’s eyes sparkled.

“My cousin. Alexandra.”

He winked. “I think our secret is safe with them.”

He led her farther down the hallway to an enormous two story room filled with books and art. The overhead chandelier had been lit, and the soft velvety lighting cast brightness upon shelves and shelves of books. Lily breathed in the alluring scents of leather and parchment. She loved reading nearly as much as art, and this room was a treasure trove.

“This is magnificent.” She hurried toward the rows and rows of beautifully bound volumes. Books of history and books of law, volumes of poetry and Greek mythology, novels, reference volumes, and religious treatises. Lily ran her fingers over rows of books, taking in their texture and warmth. “If I had the time, I’d devour everything in here.”

“I thought you wanted to see art this evening,” Daniel said.

“Oh, I do. I just never imagined seeing so many books at once. This simply dwarfs the library at our estate.”

“Feel free to borrow anything you’d like while you’re here.”

“I intend to. I’m going to finish my painting tomorrow morning, and then I’m going to curl up under a tree with a good book. Doesn’t that sound heavenly?”

He smiled. “It actually does. In the afternoon, though, I’d like you to go riding with me.”

“Of course, I’d love to.” Then, “Oh, Lord Evan asked Rose to go riding, and I think she wants me to go along. I’m sorry. I forgot.”

“That’s not a problem,” Daniel said. “We’ll all go together.”

“I don’t know.” Lily chewed on her lip. “Are you sure we should go with others? They might think you’re courting me.”

“Perhaps I am.” His gaze met hers.

Lily laughed aloud. “You’re too funny, Daniel. If you were courting me honorably, you wouldn’t have taken me to bed. And if I’d wanted to be courted, I wouldn’t have gone.”

Daniel looked away. “I suppose you’re correct about that. I’ve never courted anyone before anyway. I’m not sure I even know how to go about it.”

“I think you would probably do fine. You’re quite charming. Any woman would be thrilled to have you court her.”

“Even you?” He gave her his lazy half smile.

The warmth of a blush crept over Lily’s skin. “Well, I… You certainly are appealing, naturally. And we seem to get on well enough. But I don’t have to remind you that you have a rakish reputation, and of course, you know I’m not looking for courtship of any kind.”

“You’ve made your point, Lily.” He spoke gruffly. “But I see no harm in going riding with your sister tomorrow. I’ll speak to Xavier about it in the morning.”

“That sounds fine. Oh, Daniel!” Lily spied a portrait of two small boys on the far wall of the library. She hurried toward it to examine it more closely. The boys didn’t look to be more than four or five, and they were both beautiful, one with light chestnut hair and brown eyes, the other with blond hair and green eyes. “My God, that’s you, isn’t it?”

“Yes, that’s Morgan and me in 1825. I remember sitting for that damned portrait when all I wanted to do was play.”

Lily reached to explore the texture in her mind. “The technique is wonderful. It’s beautifully done, but the artist didn’t get the color of your eyes quite right, did he? It’s signed MLF. Who is that?”

“Morgana Landon Farnsworth. My mother.”

“Really? She is quite a talent, isn’t she, even if she didn’t do your eyes justice.”

“The eyes look all right to me,” Daniel said.

“How can you say that? Your mother is gifted, to be sure, but she made your eyes green.”

“My eyes
are
green.”

“Well, yes, but your eyes are unique. They’re not just garden-variety green. They’re deep and expressive, with hues of forest and blue and violet. I’ll have to try to recreate the color, if I can ever get my father to allow me to have some blasted oils.” Lily sighed softly. “My, you were a beautiful child. I just want to reach out and pinch those adorable little cheeks!”

“You’re welcome to pinch any part of me, Lily.” He grinned rakishly and put his arms around her.

“Daniel! Anyone could walk in.”

“I’m not sure I care,” he said, nuzzling her hair.

“You are a rogue! Now let go of me and show me some more art.”

“All right.” He led her to a beautiful oak table and pointed to an ornate coppery red vase. “This is from China, the Ming dynasty. It’s dated around 1500.”

“It’s lovely. I’ve heard of Ming vases. They’re quite valuable aren’t they? Are you sure it’s safe to have it sitting out here?”

“This is a reproduction. The actual vase is in the estate’s safe. My father agreed with your assessment, especially when Morgan and I were young. Sometime maybe I’ll show you the real one.”

“I’d love that.”

She followed him to a portrait of an older gentleman.

“Do you know who this is?” he asked.

“Yes, I think so. It’s George Washington, the first president of the colonies.”

“It’s the United States, love. Since last century, remember?”

She gave him a friendly smack on the arm. “Who painted it?”

“An American artist named Gilbert Stuart. My father got it when he went to America shortly after the turn of the century. Many peers faulted him for hanging it here, but he always admired the Americans and their courage and fortitude. He said they offered a great lesson in pride and perseverance. This painting reminded him of that.”

“Your father sounds like a wise man.”

“He was. About some things. I’m hoping some of it rubbed off on me along the way. Here, this one I think you’ll like.” They stopped in front of a full-length portrait of his parents, the Duke and Duchess of Lybrook. “This was commissioned shortly after they were married. My mother was actually pregnant with Morgan at the time, but the artist depicted her otherwise.”

Daniel’s father, Charles Farnsworth, the sixth Duke of Lybrook, was built like his son, tall and strong with broad shoulders and lean hips. His hair was a light chestnut, and his eyes the color of cinnamon. His face had the same fine lines and strong jaw that Daniel possessed. Morgana, the Duchess of Lybrook, was as Aunt Iris had described her, exotically beautiful, with hair that rivaled Daniel’s and eyes the color of clear green emeralds.

“I can see where you get your good looks, Daniel,” Lily said. “Your parents are both spectacular.”

“Yes, I can’t say they never gave me anything, can I?”

The facetious comment confused Lily, but she said nothing as Daniel led her to a glass-knobbed door between the rows of shelving on the wall opposite the door they had come in. He took a key out of his pocket and turned it in the lock. “Now, if you’ll follow me.”

Lily’s heart nearly stopped. It was another library, but this one was a gallery dedicated solely to art. The giant chandelier illuminated a room filled with treasures. Paintings hung on the walls, sculptures stood on the floor, and vases and smaller statues graced several cherry tables. “Oh Daniel!” She grasped his arm. “I can’t believe this!”

“Don’t get overly excited. About half of these paintings are my mother’s work, and she was never a big name in the art world.”

“You silly, art isn’t about names. It’s about beauty and emotion.” She whirled around, trying to take it all in.

Daniel patiently led her through the room, showing her each individual piece and explaining the history behind it and how it had come into his family. Lily gushed over paintings by Van Dyck and Rembrandt, and was particularly taken with a copy of Leonardo Da Vinci’s
Mona Lisa
that the duchess had painted.

“This was the only time she ever copied someone else’s work. She was so taken with the portrait that she spent a month in Paris so she could go to the Louvre and look at it every day. She would spend about an hour each morning studying it and then go back to her chamber and paint. I’ve seen the real one, and my mother’s is remarkably accurate.”

“It’s amazing,” Lily said. “I must see the Louvre someday. I can’t even imagine what a thrill it will be.”

“Let’s go tomorrow, then,” Daniel said with a smile.

“All right. I’ll pack my valise.” She gave him a quick hug. “This has been a fantastic evening. Thank you so much for showing me everything.”

“I have several more pieces I’d like for you to see, but they’re scattered around the estate. Would you like to save them for another time?”

Lily lifted her hand and caressed the curve of Daniel’s jaw, his night beard rough against her palm. “You know, I never thought I’d say this, but I don’t want to look at another piece of art tonight.”

“What do you want to do, love?” he asked, taking her other hand in his.

More than anything in the world, she knew what she wanted. And damn the consequences.

“I want to go to bed,” she said. “With you.”

L
ily sighed
as she entered Daniel’s bedchamber. A fire had been started in the grate, casting a delicate glow about the room and illuminating St. Praxedis’s lovely face in an incandescent beauty. The table in the window was set with a small platter of fruit and chocolate, and an uncorked bottle of wine and two glasses stood next to it. Two tapers lit the small banquet.

“Oh my,” Lily said. “That’s lovely.” Then, turning to Daniel, “One might think you assumed I’d come with you.”

“I just believe in being prepared, love.”

“And I suppose, had I refused, you’d have found a willing substitute?”

He moved toward her and cupped her face in his hands. “I don’t want anyone but you tonight, Lily. Had you refused, I’d have blown out the candles and gone to bed.” He led her to the table. “Come, sit with me. I want to feed you.”

Lily’s heart raced. Daniel had the most remarkable way of using words to make her feel absolutely giddy with desires. Years of practice, no doubt. She pushed the conjecture from her mind. She wanted to enjoy the moment. She started to sit down on the settee where she had taken lunch, but he pulled her away.

“I said sit with me.” He sat down and pulled her into his lap. He took the bottle of wine and poured two glasses. “This is Château Beychevelle, 1831. I think you’ll find it to your liking.”

“I’m afraid know very little about wine.”

“Then I shall teach you.” He held up the glass. “Smell this.”

“What?”

“Stick your cute little nose into the glass and smell it.”

She complied.

“Now, what did it smell like?”

“I’m not sure I understand.”

“Was it smoky, or floral, or fruity? Those are just some examples. Here, try again.”

“Daniel, I feel like an utter fool,” she said, but she tried again anyway. “I don’t know. It’s fragrant.”

Daniel chuckled. “Of course it’s fragrant, Lily. What does the fragrance remind you of?”

She smelled the wine once more. “It reminds me of berries.”

“Swirl it in the glass,” Daniel said, showing her. “That releases the aromas a little more. Now smell it again.”

“Berries still. A little…wood, perhaps? Maybe some cinnamon?” She swirled and smelled again. “This can’t be.”

“What?”

“I’m getting…” She stuck her nose far into the glass, touching it to the wine. “Coffee, Daniel. It has a slight coffee smell.”

Daniel kissed the drip of wine off of her nose. “I knew you’d have a good nose, Lily. As an artist and writer, you have heightened senses of sight, hearing, and touch. It’s not surprising that your sense of smell is enhanced also.” He swirled the wine in the glass, closed his eyes, and took a long sniff. “I do believe you’re right. It does remind me a bit of coffee. But I’m smelling the cinnamon and berries much more on the surface. You did amazingly well for your first time.”

“What now? Do we just smell it, or are we going to drink it?”

“We’re not going to drink it yet,” he said. “We’re going to taste it.”

“What’s the difference?”

He held the glass to her, smiling. “Take a sip, but don’t swallow. Let it rest on your tongue for a moment.”

She obeyed.

“Now swish it around a little. Let it coat every part of your mouth. Good. Now swallow slowly if you can. Each part of your mouth will register a different part of the wine’s complexity. There, what did you think?”

“It was… I don’t know. Warm, a little spicy in the back of my mouth. But on my tongue it was fruity, like layers of dark grapes. And blackberries. And currants.”

“Very good.”

“Aren’t you going to taste it?” Lily held the glass to him.

“Of course.”

He took the glass from her, set it on the table, and kissed her gently, prying her lips open with his tongue. He glided smoothly over every inch of her mouth. She was breathing heavily by the time he lifted his head.

“Definitely blackberries and cinnamon. But mostly my favorite flavor of all. You.”

“You are a wizard with words, Daniel,” she said dreamily, her pulse racing. “It’s no wonder women have been falling all over you for so long. You’re a master of lines.”

“That wasn’t a line.”

“Oh, that’s an even better one.” She closed her eyes and let out a soft breath.

D
aniel gazed
at her beautiful face. Her lashes were so long that they touched her cheeks when her eyes were closed. So very beautiful. How could he convince her he was telling the truth? That he wasn’t simply feeding her lines that were tried and true? Her complexity and intelligence captivated him. She had awakened feelings in him that he didn’t know he was capable of having. He touched her cheek gently.

“Open your eyes, love. I want you to taste something else.” He reached onto the table for a chocolate. “Have you tasted chocolate bonbons before?”

“Papa brought some from Prince Albert’s exposition in London a few years ago. They were wonderful.”

“Then I know you’ll like these. This is a dark chocolate truffle from Belgium.” He held it to her mouth. “Take a small bite.”

“Mmm, delicious. I’ve never tasted anything like it.”

“Now a sip of wine,” he said, holding the glass to her lips.

She moaned softly. “My, that’s absolutely sublime.”

Daniel kissed her again, swirling his tongue around hers and capturing the lingering richness of the chocolate and the crisp, dry fruitiness of the wine. “Oh yes. Sublime.”

Lily leaned into him and whispered in his ear. “Are you actually going to eat or drink anything, or are you just going to taste it all on me?”

“I had planned to partake with you, but I like your idea better.” He kissed her again, deliberately and sensually, his cock hardening beneath her. Slowly he unfastened the back of her gown.

She giggled, but her body tensed against him. “Not so fast. Now that you’ve introduced me to this divine confection, do you really think I’m going to be satisfied with just one little bite?” She reached for another truffle.

“My love, you’ll find that the more you experience of the finer things in life, the more you’ll want.” He eased her gown over her shoulders. He took a truffle, rubbed it between her breasts, which were bulging out of her corset, and licked the chocolate from her warm body. Her skin was like silk under his tongue.

Lily held a glass of wine to his mouth, smiling down at him. He sipped slowly, his gaze never straying from hers.

“Lily, you are the most amazing woman I know.”

“Thank you.” She put the wine down. “And you, Daniel, are…” She took a truffle, rubbed a thick coating of chocolate on his lips, and kissed it off. “The
only
man I know.” She burst into a fit of giggles. “In the biblical sense that is. You make me do such wicked things.”

“I don’t think you’re completely under my influence.” He unpinned her hair and let the dark waves cascade down her back. “I don’t recall having anything to do with you swimming naked in the hot pool this afternoon.” He fondled her bare shoulders—Lord, such soft skin. “Whose idea was that, pray tell?”

“Actually, it was Ally’s. Although I didn’t exactly resist. I told you we would find some fun, didn’t I?”

He erupted in laughter. “And I told you I didn’t doubt that you would. Although it didn’t occur to me that your fun would entail you frolicking about naked. If it had, I never would have let you out of my sight. I should have known you would find the pool.”

“Rose thought it might be an offshoot from the waters in Bath.” Lily reached for her wine to take another sip.

“It is. It’s very relaxing and pleasant, as I’m sure you found out.”

“We weren’t relaxing. We were playing. Then we were hiding from you. The girls were mortified when you showed up. I knew you wouldn’t divulge our secret, but I had no way of letting them know that.”

“If you had been alone, I would have stripped and been in there with you in about three seconds.” His cock surged under her. God, he wanted to bed her. Now. He took another sip of wine when she held the glass for him.

Lily rolled her head back and giggled. “That would have been wicked.”

“But fun, yes?”

“I suppose so.”

She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his cheek. A simple, innocent kiss that plummeted straight to his groin.

“I’m almost sorry I wasn’t alone, although Ally and I had a marvelous time.” She reached for another chocolate and took a small bite. “I dare say we won’t be able to visit the pool again unless there’s another day like today, when most of the guests are otherwise occupied.”

“You can visit the pool anytime you want,” he said, “with one condition.”

“And that would be?” She gave him another sip of wine.

“You have to take me with you.” He grinned and squeezed her breast.

“Well, all right.” She grabbed a cluster of grapes from the platter and fed one to him. “Mmm. You know, the last time I was at Laurel Ridge it was September, I believe. I took a walk through the vineyards and couldn’t resist the lovely bunches of grapes. They were so tiny. So I picked one and ate it, but it was completely full of seeds. These are wonderful, though.” She popped another into her mouth.

“The grapes in our vineyards are for making wine, Lily. They’re not meant to be eaten.”

“How interesting. How do you get all the seeds out?”

“I don’t actually know. I’m sure it requires sophisticated equipment.”

“You don’t make wine here?”

“No. We sell our grapes to other vineyards.”

“You seem to have a keen interest in wine, and you have your own vineyards. Why haven’t you tried to make some?”

“I wouldn’t know the first thing about it.”

“You have a brain, Daniel. You could learn.” She fed him another grape.

He grabbed the cluster of grapes from her. “I thought I was supposed to feed you.” He pushed one between her lips and lifted lifting the glass for her to take a drink.

“You’re changing the subject.”

“And I’m doing a smashing job of it.” He grabbed a strawberry and held it up for her to take a bite. “Don’t swallow yet.” He held up a truffle. “How is that?”

“Mmm. Wonderful. You try.”

“If you insist.” He moved toward her mouth.

“That’s not what I meant—”

He kissed her delicately, extracting the strawberry and chocolate flavors from her mouth with slick strokes of his tongue. “Delectable. Now try a sip of wine.” He held it to her lips.

“I could get used to this,” Lily said breathlessly, touching his hair. “Sitting on your lap, being fed chocolate and fruit and wine. I feel like Cleopatra. I’m not sure life can get any more pleasurable.”

“Oh, it can,” Daniel said, sliding his lips along the side of her neck.

“Nice,” she said dreamily. “But we’ve already done that. And it couldn’t possibly be any more pleasurable than it was the first time.”

“My sweet, naive angel,” Daniel said, his entire body pulsating with need, “it will get better and better, I promise.”

Lily looked down at him with fire in her eyes. “Show me.”

He stood up with her in his arms. He kissed her passionately as he removed her clothes, plucked the remaining pins from her hair, and laid her on the bed. He disrobed and joined her, taking her into his arms and kissing her, slowly at first, and then more intensely.

“I’m going to taste every inch of you tonight, Lily.” He ran his tongue along the outer edge of her ear and gently nipped her lobe.

“Oh, that’s nice,” she said.

He moved to her eyelids, covering them with light touches of his lips. Her eyes fluttered under the attack and she moaned his name softly.

Then to her nose, her cheeks, her other ear, her neck—he explored each separate place with his lips, ravishing her as if she were his first taste of a woman, while his cock throbbed. He caressed and kissed her arms and hand, swirled his tongue on the inside of her elbow and breathed on the wetness, delighting in her shudder.

“My love, you are so breathtakingly beautiful. The finest artists in the world could not have created such perfection.” He kissed each of her fingers, sucking them into his mouth and caressing them with his tongue.

When he moved to her breasts, she groaned as he kneaded them gently and then brushed them with his lips, teasingly avoiding her nipples.

“Daniel, please.”

He sucked on the skin underneath one nipple. “Yes?”

“I…I…”

“Is this what you want?” He tugged on one nipple lightly

“Yes, oh yes. Please, Daniel.”

God, how he loved to hear her say his name. He sucked gently, and then harder. Her fingers threaded through his hair, pushing him into her breast. His erection pulsated, but he calmed it. He wanted to concentrate on her. He let the nipple go with a soft pop.

“Do you like that, Lily? When I take your nipple between my lips? Does that feel good to you?”

She sighed. “Yes. Oh yes. It’s wonderful.”

He lavished attention on the other nipple, teasing and tickling it to a hard knob, and then replaced his tongue with his fingers as he moved lower on her torso. He lightly pinched both nipples while he swirled his tongue in small circles on her belly, around her navel. He paused when he reached the patch of dark curls.

“Oh, Daniel,” she moaned. “Please.”

“Patience, love.” He gave her wetness a quick nip, the tang of her juices like nectar on his tongue. He was tempted to eat her, but he wanted to explore her, taste every part of her. He licked the sensual plumpness of her hips and thighs, to her calves, to the instep of her foot. He kissed each of her toes and then gently turned her over on her stomach and started working his way back up. He paused in the inside of her knees, moving his tongue in lazy, wet circles, making her wriggle beneath him. Then he blew softly on the wetness, and she arched off the bed. Her hands became fists and she grabbed the silk comforter and moaned his name. His cock nearly burst.

He moved upward, gently biting the backs of her thighs, the round cheeks of her bottom. He paused and licked her pussy one languid, sensual stroke.

“Now, Daniel. Please.”

“Not yet.” He slid his tongue over the curve of her back, until he was at her neck, sucking and nuzzling gently. His swollen cock pushed against her thigh. “What do you want, love?” he asked softly, his voice hoarse.