The Duchess (11 page)

Like the gown she was wearing tonight, he thought as they danced the final minuet of the evening. Her high-waisted dress was a cream damask silk with an overskirt of shimmering sheer gold silk. Her little gold slippers peeped from beneath the gown, and gold ribbons were entwined amid her dark curls. Her slender neck was encircled with a strand of pearls, and she wore pearl ear-bobs in her ears. The effect was both elegant, rich, and yet simple. Looking really closely at her tonight he realized for the first time how absolutely beautiful Allegra was. Oh, yes, he had seen she was a beauty prior, and God only knows everyone said it. Rich
and
beautiful was all he heard this evening as he was congratulated. But he had not until now truly looked at Allegra.

Her heart-shaped face was perfectly formed. Her nose was straight, and just tilted ever so tightly up at its tip.
Her eyebrows were thick and black, a sign of her Welsh heritage. Her violet-colored eyes, large and luminous, were edged with a heavy fall of black lashes. Her lower lip was fuller than the upper. It was a sensuous and tempting little mouth. He was even now contemplating kissing it. She was tall for a girl, but certainly not too tall for him. She was slender of limb, but her bosom was delightfully round and nicely shaped. He estimated one of her breasts would fit quite perfectly into one of his palms.

It was then he considered the possibility of bedding Allegra. He wasn't certain how he would go about such a thing with a wife. She would, of course, be a virgin. He had never had a virgin. The fact that he didn't love her bothered him not at all. He had never been in love with any of the women he had lain with, but this would, of course, be different. Allegra would be his wife. Could a man love a woman he bedded? Could a wife arouse his desires? Or was passion just a deliciously lustful pastime? And how would an amicably bred girl react to passion? He would have to be tender and gentle with her.

“The dance has ended, Quinton,” he suddenly heard Allegra's voice saying. “Please pay attention, my lord, or you will have the gossips chattering about how moonstruck you are. What on earth are you thinking about?”

“Bedding you,” he answered her honestly, and was rather pleased to see the blush that came to her cheeks. Innocence was a powerful aphrodisiac he was learning, feeling a distinct tightness in his breeches.

“Ohh,” she said, and began to worry her lower lip with her small white teeth. “I had not yet considered that part of our marriage.”

After the guests had departed, he led her out onto the terrace that overlooked the garden. He sat her down upon a marble bench, and took her hand in his. “You told me you wanted children, Allegra.” His eyes scanned her face for the truth.

“Oh, I do,” she answered him quickly.

“Then we must consummate our marriage, my dear. It is the only way we shall obtain children,” the duke explained, hoping such frankness would not shock or frighten her.

“I am not a fool, Quinton!” Allegra said sharply. “I know how children are conceived. I would be a complete puddinghead if I didn't. Every girl knows, even if she feigns ignorance.”

“But you said …,” he began.

“I said I had not
yet
considered that part of our marriage, and I haven't, but I know it must exist between us eventually,” Allegra replied. “Do not rush me, sir. I have never even been kissed.”

“That is something I can put aright now,” he told her. Then he touched her lips with his fingertips even as Allegra's eyes grew wide. Her lips had a texture like rose petals. The duke tilted Allegra's face up to his and kissed her gently, his mouth pressing lightly against hers. Shyly she kissed him back, and the sweetness emanating from her lips overwhelmed him, shocked him, sent his senses reeling.

“That was very nice,” Allegra told him. “Are you a good kisser, my lord? You see I shall never know another man's lips, so I am naturally curious as to what your lovers have thought.”

He was torn by twin urges. The first was laughter. The second was shock at her candidness. “None of the
ladies I have kissed, Allegra, has ever voiced displeasure,” he replied.

She sighed. “They probably wouldn't unless you were absolutely awful at it. Women tend to be like that I have observed. We prefer peace.”

He felt irritated. “I am quite certain,” he said, “that I am an excellent kisser, Allegra. I cannot imagine why you should even ask such a question.”

“Oh, dear, I have ruffled your feathers, haven't I, my lord? I am sorry.” But the smile upon her pretty lips contradicted her apology.

“Shall I obtain a list of satisfied ladies for you to query?” he demanded, refusing to let the matter rest. It was her first kiss, or so she claimed. She should have been thrilled down to her toes instead of demanding references attesting to his skills as a lover.

Allegra heard the annoyance in his voice, and now it was she who found herself irritated. “I am curious, Quinton,” she told him. “I have been taught that curiosity isn't a mortal sin, but rather to be cultivated. As I told you, I have never before been kissed by a gentleman. I am sorry if my interest offended you. If you mean to wed me then you will have to get used to it, I fear.”

“I shall also have to get used to your bluntness,” he replied, his tone still distinctly annoyed.

Allegra burst out laughing. “Gracious, sir, we are having our first quarrel, and we are not even wed. I will wager that Sirena and Ocky have not quarreled yet.”

“They are in love. Cow-eyed, and moonstruck,” he answered her, a faint hint of scorn in his voice.

“And we are not in love,” Allegra said. She wasn't certain now how she felt about that fact. Then she shook herself inwardly. Love led only to betrayal and unhappiness. Better a couple suit.

“You do not hold a grudge, do you?” the duke said to her, his humor beginning to return.

“Not often,” she responded with a small smile.

“Ahh, here you are, my dears.” Her aunt came out into the wide terraced balcony. “Your papa was looking for you, Allegra, but I see that you are fine. I shall tell him.” She smiled and hurried off again.

“Would you like to see the sunrise?” the duke asked.

“In London? Such a thing isn't possible,” Allegra replied.

“We can take my coach and drive outside the city. There is time,” he said. “Perhaps Ocky and Sirena would like to come with us.”

“If you can manage to live with their constant billing and cooing,” Allegra told him, “I suppose I can, too.”

He laughed. “Is that your subtle way of saying you want to be alone with me, Allegra?”

“We are to be married in a few months' time, Quinton. I want to know you better,” she said. “If you would really like my cousin and her affianced to come, however, I will send a servant for them.”

“No,” he said softly, and drew her into the circle of his arms. “I want to get to know you better, too, Allegra.” He looked down into her small face, a half smile upon his lips.

Her heart hammered suddenly. Damn, he was a handsome man! Those silvery gray eyes were mesmerizing. “Your eyelashes are surely longer than mine,” she said breathily

He smiled openly now. “Are they?”

“Yes!”
she said. Then her eyes fastened upon the mouth that had earlier given her her first kiss. It was a big mouth, and yet it had an air of delicacy about it.

“I think, Allegra,” the duke said, “that you need to be kissed once more before we go off to see the sunrise.”
Then he kissed her again, this time his arms wrapping themselves tightly about her, his mouth pressing harder against her lips.

A shiver raced down her spine. For the briefest moment she felt weak and helpless, then the feeling passed as quickly as it had come. When he drew away she smiled up at him, but this time she uttered not a word. She had learned after their first kiss that gentlemen didn't like to be questioned about their technique. As far as she was concerned his skills pleased her, and wasn't that enough? It was going to have to be, she reasoned to herself.

The duke called for his carriage while Allegra sought out her father to tell him where they were going.

“It was a wonderful ball, Papa,” she said, finding him in his library with her aunt. “Thank you so very much.” She kissed his cheek.

“And to think you are to be a duchess!” her aunt enthused excitedly. “What a naughty pair you two were keeping such news from me these past few weeks.” She wagged a finger at them playfully.

“I wanted Sirena to have her due,” Allegra replied. “You know quite well, Aunt Olympia, that had my betrothal been announced when Sirena's was, no one would have paid the least attention to my cousin at all. Part of having a successful season is having the people who thought little, or not at all of you, be astounded by your wonderful success in the husband hunt!” She laughed. “I doubt many thought that the modestly dowered baby sister of the Marquis of Rowley could bag an earl's heir, but Sirena did with her sweetness and her charm. I wanted her to enjoy her triumph, not have to bask in the shadow of mine.”

Olympia Abbott's hand flew to her mouth to stifle her cry. Then the hand fell away and she said, “That you
love my daughter so dearly, even as if she were your own sister, makes me so happy.” Several tears slid down her cheeks with her pleasure.

“Now, now, my dear,” Lord Morgan said, and leaning over he wiped the lady's tears from her cheek tenderly. “Of course Allegra loves Sirena like a sister, and have you not been a mother to my dearest child? The mother her own was not?”

“Ohh, Septimius,” the good woman murmured, somewhat overcome.

“The duke and I are going to ride out and see the sunrise,” Allegra said, wondering as she did if they even heard her. Then she departed the library, leaving her father and her aunt seemingly lost in each other. With a little encouragement he would marry her, Allegra thought, and it was, of course, the right thing to do.

The duke's black coach was wonderfully well sprung and quite comfortable inside. It was drawn by four bay horses with blond manes and tails. The coach took an easterly road leaving the city. Above them the sky was fading from black to a stone gray which eased into a blue that grew lighter and brighter. Atop a hill their vehicle stopped, and they descended into the road.

“Wait for us here,” the duke ordered his coachmen, and then taking Allegra's hand they walked forward until ahead of them they could see the first faint ribbons of pink, peach, and lavender decorating the horizon. These colors were followed by a slash of red orange, and at last the sun. Red gold at first as it rose, mellowing as it slipped over the purview of the distant sea.

Allegra sniffed the fresh country air appreciatively. “Ahh, how good that smells,” she said. “It seems we have been in town so long that I had almost forgotten what good country air is like. We shall go home after Sirena's wedding, and it cannot be soon enough for me!”

“You do not like London?” he asked.

“Oh, the city is a fine place to visit, but I certainly don't want to live there, Quinton,” she told him. “Nor would I want to raise my children in London. Children need the countryside in which to ride, and to run barefoot through the dewy grass of a May morning.” She flung out her arms and spun about. “Just a few more weeks, and I shall go home.”

“Hunter's Lair will be your home soon,” he told her.

“Is it beautiful?” she asked him.

“I think so,” he said softly.

“Then I shall love it,” Allegra told him.

“I think I had best get you home, Miss Morgan,” the duke responded with a smile. “The sun is now up, and you have been dancing all night long.” He took her by the hand again. “You danced very well with Prinny. You were every inch a Duchess of Sedgwick, my dear. I was proud.”

“Were you?” Her tone indicated that she didn't really care if he was or not. “The prince is very handsome, but I think he is already running to fat. Did you see what he consumed at the supper buffet? I was astounded his waistcoat did not burst open with all the oysters he swallowed down so greedily.”

“You will learn not to speak so frankly out of my company, won't you, Allegra?” the duke asked her.

“I am not such a ninny, Quinton, that I would offend the prince,” she told him. “But I assume I may be honest with you.”

“You must always be honest with me,” he said as he helped her back into the coach.

She fell asleep on the ride back into town, her head against his shoulder. What an interesting girl she was, he thought. Mayhap it would not be such a bad match. She might not have a glittering pedigree, but she had
manners and was as accomplished as any noble lady. Perhaps even more so. While extremely outspoken, he did not think she was flighty in the least. Her father said she knew how to manage her funds, and God knows that was more than most women knew. Quinton Hunter recalled an ancient aunt from his youth, now long dead. She was always saying he should marry someone of less vaunted family than his own.

“Get some new fresh blood into the line, boy,” she would growl at him. “Overbreeding is the ruination of most good families, I tell you. A healthy wench will breed you up more sons than any high-flown miss. Remember what I say, boy!”

Strange that he did remember the old woman's words, but only now that he was betrothed to Miss Allegra Morgan. He turned his head to look down at her. Her dark curls were quite tumbled now. He gently fingered one, and a gentle whiff of her fragrance assailed his nostrils. It was the scent of lilacs, his favorite flowers. How odd, or wonderful, that it should be her perfume. Outside the coach windows the city was coming alive. The vehicle turned into Berkley Square and stopped before Lord Morgan's fine town house. The duke, unable to help himself, bent and kissed Allegra's smooth brow.

“You are home, my dear,” he said quietly. “Wake up, now.”

“Ummm.” The violet eyes opened slowly in confusion and then comprehension, as she realized where she was. “I slept all the way home?” She sounded surprised.

A footman ran from the house to open the carriage door. He helped his young mistress to descend. The duke followed. In the round foyer he gave her a chaste kiss on the lips in farewell.

“I shall call for you at three o'clock this afternoon so we may promenade through the park in my landau.
Now that we are formally engaged it will be expected that we be seen together daily.”