Love Me True (6 page)

“Justin, my dear, you shouldn’t be here,” his mother protested.

Justin scowled. “Neither should you. I left instructions that Clarry was not to be disturbed for any reason until she called for the servants. Since she appears as fatigued as when I left, I can only conclude someone disobeyed me.”

“Well,” the duchess huffed indignantly. “I do my best to help and this is the thanks I get.” The duchess gathered her things and stormed out. His aunt’s shoulders drooped in relief and she cast an apologetic glance at Clarry then followed her sister.

Justin locked the door after them and turned to face his future wife. “Did you sleep at all?” he asked softly.

A sigh escaped Clarry. “A little. But it is very hard to ignore the duchess when she is standing over your bed.”

“Forgive me. I had not thought she would seek you out.”

Clarry’s color rose to a bright pink abruptly. Concerned that she might faint from a lack of air, Justin led Clarry back to her bedchamber and toward her bed. He stripped the gown from her body then went to work loosening the corset strings. When he’d half undone the corset, Clarry pulled a gasping breath deep into her lungs.

He stroked his fingers over her exposed skin. “Better?”

“Much better, thank you.”

Since he received no discouragement, Justin continued to touch. “I shall try to prevent her from inflicting such torture on you again. I’ll burn all your corsets if necessary.”

A tired laugh escaped her. “Burning is not necessary. But I’d prefer to draw in a full breath if I could.”

Since Clarry had not yet realized that she stood half naked in his presence, Justin pulled her into his arms. She didn’t resist; she sagged into his embrace with a soft sigh. He set his lips to her throat and pressed soft kisses to her skin. A pleased purr rumbled from her and he glanced at her face anxiously. Clarry stood with her eyes closed, lips parted, face slack. She appeared so sleepy that Justin flushed with chagrin. He should exert a little more effort to care for her if he wished to make this marriage bearable for each of them. Hadn’t he intended not to bother her moments before?

The task might be more difficult than he imagined, but he would do what he could to make this marriage easy for her. Without peeking too much he removed her corset, scooped her up into his arms and tucked her into bed.

Confused, languid eyes blinked up at him. “Do you want to make love again?”

Justin’s skin pricked with heat at her question. He would love nothing more than to please her, but he had never been what she wanted. He brushed a lock of hair away from her eyes gently. She was so very beautiful. Despite the circumstances, Justin didn’t deserve her. “No, I’m going to see to it that you sleep undisturbed.”

Clarry curled into a ball, her eyes fluttered shut. “A pity. I could become used to making love.”

CHAPTER SIX

Clarry leaned against her new bed and stared into the flames leaping in the hearth. What a ghastly day, and what a nightmare dinner had been with the duke and duchess tonight. She’d never felt more uncomfortable in her life. She crawled into bed and opened her book, hoping to block out her situation. Perhaps she could become lost in a different reality for just a bit.

Words of love, devotion and yearning filled every page and her heart soared as she read the well-loved lines of her favorite book of romantic poetry. To be treasured like this was a dream. No man, living or dead could ever feel for her what this anonymous poet had felt for his lady love.

She traced her fingers over the bold letters, penned so carefully and each page embellished with flowers. It was a lucky day for Clarry to have found this treasure, and even luckier that the small tome had been included with her belongings when her father had sent them to Staplehurst Hall.

He had no use for poetry, or music or even words. The long silences at home were unnerving at times but she’d done her best to find excuses to be from home as often as she could. Clarry closed the book and set it beneath the pillow, where she kept it every night. She’d never be loved like that.

The chamber around her was filled with deep shadows, and the Hall beyond her door had settled down for the night. But Clarry was restless after her brush with the duchess. Her Grace quite clearly disapproved of her, and disapproved of Justin’s plan to marry her. Her displeasure had centered on Clarry, not Justin. It seemed she was to marry the duchess’s favorite son.

Clarry had thought Lord Ramsbury, heir to the great estate around her, would have been the one the duchess favored. But she seemed inordinately fond of her youngest son, and had thrown daggers with her eyes at Clarry whenever Lord Justin had been otherwise engaged in conversation. Only the occasional brush of his hand across her leg beneath the table had bolstered her flagging spirits.

She reminded herself constantly that he was the one she had to learn to live with.

She leaned back and closed her eyes. She’d been such a stupid fool to risk her reputation, to place her faith in the words of a servant about who slept where within this house. Poor Lord Justin, he must be furious with her entrapment. Yet there had been few occasions where she’d sensed true anger. After his initial reaction in his bedchamber, he’d seemed more disappointed with the turn of his life than angry.

Well, that would have to change. Although she’d made a less than admirable start with him, Clarry would be his wife and she should make an attempt to please him. Her mother had never managed it for her father, he’d remained critical of everything while her mother was around, but Clarry was made of stronger mettle than her mother. She didn’t want that kind of life for herself so she’d try to be exactly what Lord Justin wanted for a wife.

But what did she know of Lord Justin?

He was tall, smiled foolishly a lot, and was something of a writer, according to his mother and aunt. He was rather attractive with his wavy brown hair and wide hazel eyes, and he did dress rather splendidly, given he was only a spare. Lord Justin and his brother, Lord Ramsbury, were very different creatures, though, which was why she’d fallen in love with Lord Ramsbury in the first place. When Ramsbury spoke, people listened. Ramsbury generously included those around him, no matter their rank.

Lord Justin? Well, he was quieter and had visited Devizes infrequently in the past year so she was a little uncertain about his character. What she knew of him came mostly from gossip. In fact, they had hardly spoken in the last year. Clarry snuggled further into the bed as she remembered the afternoon, Lord Justin’s arms wrapped tightly about her body. A tremor ran through her. Perhaps if she encouraged his more amorous inclinations they might make a better go of this marriage. He did make her feel wonderful when they made love.

A floorboard creaked and Clarry started, finding Lord Justin inches from the bed.

She pressed her hand over her heart. “Oh, my lord, you scared me.”

Lord Justin stood straighter. “Forgive me. I thought you had fallen asleep and neglected to snuff the candle. I was merely intending to put it out.”

Clarry sat up, tucking the covers tightly around her to ward off the chill. “No, not sleeping. I was thinking about today.”

“Do you mean dinner with my mother and aunt?” He scowled. “We’ve had words already.”

Aghast to be the source of further discord, Clarry leaned forward to capture Lord Justin’s arm. “The duchess has every right to be angry with me. I should never have behaved so foolishly. I am very sorry for the situation we now find ourselves in.”

As her hand slid down his arm, he captured her fingers in a loose grip. “So you regret attempting to seduce a married man?”

“Well, yes, of course I do. I don’t know what I was thinking. I am sorry to have dragged you into this mess.”

“Not a total mess.” A sudden grin crossed his face then disappeared. “There are some parts of this arrangement that are pleasant.”

Clarry’s face heated. He was talking about making love. Well, at least she managed to do something right with him. Lord Justin’s eyes dropped low, skimming over the skin of her chest revealed by her loose night gown. The garment was light and comfortable to wear, but also revealed a little more skin than she’d remembered. Lord Justin didn’t appear offended by her state. He leaned forward, brushed her hair over her shoulder, and pressed his lips to the base of her throat.

Clarry closed her eyes to savor the sensations. He used his mouth very well, and not just for talking. A small moan left her mouth as he propelled her backwards until she lay flat on the bed again. When she opened her eyes, Lord Justin hovered above, both hands pressed to the mattress on either side of her shoulders. His face creased into a roguish smile then he swooped low to kiss her properly. Oh yes, he made her feel wonderful. She set her hands to his waist and pulled him closer.

“Clarry,” he whispered against her parted lips. “Send me out of the room.”

“Well, you’re here and I’m here. It’s not as if we haven’t done this before.”

Justin groaned against her throat. “You can refuse me. You
do
know that, don’t you?”

She caught a glimpse of the troubled expression on his face and set her hand to his cheek. “I probably shall one day, but not tonight. I want to please you.”

Justin’s cheek settled beside hers. The harsh rush of his breath delighting her senses, the light stubble of his jaw scraped across her skin. “It is a hollow coupling when only one gains pleasure from the encounter, Clarry. You should be satisfied as well.”

Clarry swallowed hard. Had what they’d shared not been enough for him? “Do you mean there is more to making love?”

“Making love is like poetry. The experience is better when shared.”

“And I’ve displeased you in bed?” How utterly humiliating. Clarry scrambled out from under Lord Justin and hugged her arms about her chest.

Lord Justin, however, caught her ankle and dragged her back until she laid trapped half beneath him. “I’d hardly say I’m displeased. I was more concerned for you. You should not feel like you must allow me further liberties before we marry. I would not have you resent me for…”

When he didn’t finish, Clarry finished for him. “For taking my innocence, even if I threw myself into your bed.”

Lord Justin evaded her gaze. “Something like that.”

“From where I’m sitting, you’ve been very good to me. Making love is not at all what I had heard of the experience. I could stand to make love to you again if you wanted that.”

Lord Justin’s features altered until a foolish grin broke across his face. When he smiled like that he was quite adorable so she leaned forward to capture his lips. The first brush was softened by Justin lifting his head. He stared into her eyes as they kissed, his fingers slid along her arm and her skin prickled with gooseflesh. Her breath caught as he eased onto the bed at her side. His toes touched hers, rubbing gently over her colder ones.

He shifted again until they were eye to eye, her knees pressed against his thighs. When he was standing, he was so tall she feared she would strain her neck. But in this position, they were equals, and each breathing as hard as the other. Clarry lifted her hand to his cheek and brushed her fingertips across his skin, stopping when she reached his jaw, and then sliding her thumb across the rough surface to his ear.

His hand covered her breast and Clarry bit her lip to hold back a moan. How had he turned her into such a desirous lady in so short a length of time? His thumb stroked her nipple as she brushed the edge of his ear. She rolled nearer to him, eager to feel his warmth against her body.

They kissed, softly at first but as Clarry snuggled against the hardness of his chest, their tongues danced with more passion.

Justin pulled away first. “Too many clothes between us,” he muttered.

He stripped himself, then caught up the bottom of her night gown and tugged it over her head. Clarry blushed. They were both very naked. No one had warned her about this aspect of male and female relations.

If Clarry hadn’t been lying down, she may have swooned. Justin was a fine specimen of male anatomy, and he was coming closer. He slid into bed beside her and rested his head on his hand. With him leaning over her the way he was, it was as if nothing else existed in the world but them.

Again, his fingertips drifted over her skin, raising gooseflesh on every part. His lips curled up in a soft smile as Clarry strove to remain still. He tickled her ever so slightly at her waist and she flinched. Her hip brushed his manhood and a moan erupted from Justin’s mouth. Astonished by his reaction, Clarry rolled to her side and studied him.

His wide muscled chest rose and fell rapidly. She set her hand to it, sliding her fingers gently over his skin the way he had her. He seemed to like the caress because his eyes drifted shut. He was warm under her hand and she drew that warmth, and the scent of him, deep into her. She touched his waist, then his hips, and lowered her eyes to look at what else there was of him.

His manhood was full, rigid between them. Clarry hesitated a bare moment before sliding her hand until her fingertips rested on the length. The soft touch caused Justin to gasp. His manhood jumped and returned to rest against her fingers. Clarry smiled. He was as sensitive as she perhaps. His light caress had been utter torture.

She did not want to torture him. She wanted to make him happy, so she curled her fingers around his length and held him.