The Scandal in Kissing an Heir (16 page)

Rebecca bit back another chuckle as she followed Laura to the door. She suspected that Daniel had hoped to attend to her and wondered how he would go about saying that to Laura. Keen for a bit of fun, Rebecca decided that she wouldn’t be the one to broach the issue—much better to let them work that out together. For now, however, she had no intention of doing as Daniel had asked and waiting for him to call her. If everyone else was struggling to prepare her bath, then she was going to do her part instead of just sitting about like some pampered princess. She said as much when Daniel met her in the parlor doorway. He’d discarded his jacket and cravat and had rolled up his shirtsleeves, the very portrait of an able man as he stood there with an empty bucket in his hand. There was something so elemental about it that spoke to Rebecca’s feminine side, heating her insides until they felt like mush. “Too many cooks spoil the broth,” he told her lightly as he held her gaze.

“How fortunate then that I am not a picky eater. I shall help Molly fetch some towels and some soap.”

Half an hour later, the tub was finally full, with steam rising off the surface of the water and heating the air with moisture that left the windows looking foggy. A screen had been erected in an attempt to contain the heat in the vicinity of the bath to diminish the risk of Rebecca’s catching a chill, the fire burning in the grate on the other side of the tub keeping the air balmy.

“Thank you,” Daniel said, addressing Molly and Laura, who stood ready to offer Rebecca further assistance. “That will be all for the rest of the evening.”

Both maids looked momentarily perplexed by this announcement.

“Thank you, sir, but I do believe our mistress will be in need of further assistance,” Laura said, finding her tongue and sounding as if she suspected Daniel must have overlooked this matter. “It will be difficult for her to manage on her own.”

“Thank you, Laura,” Daniel said, a slight frown the only indication of any discomfort on his part. “I am well aware of that, which is why I shall be happy to take on that particular responsibility myself.”

There was a second of hushed silence and then the sound of shuffling feet as both Laura and Molly hurried toward the door, bobbing hasty curtsies as they went, the implication of Daniel’s words turning both their cheeks scarlet. Daniel grinned at Rebecca as the door closed and he turned the key in the lock. “I do believe they think I’m up to no good.”

“And are you?” Rebecca asked daringly. She felt a sudden prickle of warmth against the back of her arms. Daniel’s eyes grew hot, and Rebecca found herself holding her breath as he came toward her with slow, deliberate steps.

“I must admit that I’ve been looking forward to picking up where we left off at that last inn we stayed at.” Bending his head, he kissed the side of her neck. “Seems like an eternity ago.”

“And yet it was only yesterday,” Rebecca gasped, her hands grasping at his shoulders while a buzz of energy shot straight to her core. What a fool she’d been to think that she would be able to limit their coupling, that she would be able to deny him once she got with child when she so desperately needed him.

He didn’t respond but began undressing her instead, his slow progress building a tension within her that made her yearn for his touch. But as she’d come to expect, he didn’t touch her where she wanted him to the most, his hands teasing along her flesh, coming close to those aching parts of her that craved his attention without quite doing so.

“You’re so unbelievably beautiful,” he whispered against the back of her neck, and she believed him—so much so that it almost brought tears to her eyes. What this wonderful man had done for her in only a few days was nothing short of miraculous. She had hated the way she looked for so long, her dark attributes a constant reminder of the way other girls had teased her as a child. Those taunts had scarred her, preventing her from forming close friendships with others, but since she’d met Daniel, he’d gradually made her realize that there was nothing wrong with being different—that being unique was a trait to be preferred. Lately, he had shown her with his heated gazes, caresses and words of sincerity that to him, she was the most stunning woman in the world, and that was all that mattered.

He slid her silk chemise up over her bottom, bunching it around her waist before slowly dragging it over her head, the soft fabric grazing against her sensitized nipples as he did so, hardening them into two tight peaks. Still holding her flimsy garment in his hand, he ran it along the length of her front while he licked the lobe of her ear.

Rebecca sighed with expectant pleasure, trembling a little when his hand swept over her pelvis. Perhaps she should just forget about the bath and beg him to carry her upstairs to bed instead.

“Delightfully responsive too,” he murmured as he swept her into his arms and carried her toward the tub, the warm water lapping at her skin as he lowered her into it.

Leaning back, Rebecca closed her eyes and tried to relax. She’d grown accustomed to being naked with her husband, but knowing that he was aware of what she desired still made her shy on occasion. This was especially true now, for while he remained dressed, her body had been put on display, the evidence of her want visible in the pebbling of her nipples. God, how she craved his touch. She expelled a deep breath, felt her heart drum restlessly in her chest, and then she felt him—a gentle caress of fingertips trailing down her arm, a kiss against her cheek as his day-old stubble scraped her skin, and the slippery lather of soap across her shoulder.

Helpless against his attention, Rebecca arched upward, a gasp escaping her throat as she shed the warm water in favor of the cooler air. A hand rubbed her breast, tweaking the nipple there before moving on to the other side. “I must clean you well,” Daniel murmured against her ear while liquid heat flooded her from head to toe. “Now, if you’ll please raise one leg so I may attend to it.”

She did as he asked, despairing when his hands stopped their ascent at her knees. “Stand up please so I can wash the rest of you.” Opening her eyes, she complied, shivering a little as cool air brushed against her skin once more. Standing perfectly still, she watched as Daniel ran the soap up over her thighs and around to her bottom, then up the length of her back. Setting the soap aside, he then used his hands to produce a thick lather. Not once did he make an attempt to quench the need that had grown to the point of bursting within her. Instead, he asked her to sit back down so the soap could be washed off. Truly, the man was most vexing.

“Here, let me help you dress,” he said, holding up a silk dressing gown for her to slip into after drying her off with a towel. “Why don’t you go upstairs and slip into bed? I’ll just take a quick bath myself before joining you.” He kissed her deeply and then added, “I suspect you’re eager to receive the reward that I plan on giving you for allowing me to bathe you.”

Eager? Desperate was more like it
.

Pressing his lips against hers once more, Daniel hugged her against him, kissing her until she felt herself grow giddy. He then carefully released her and smiled with scandalous intent. “Go on, Becky,” he said with a nod toward the door. “I won’t be long.”

S
tartled awake, Rebecca sat up abruptly and stared through the murky darkness of her bedroom, realizing with a groan that she must have fallen asleep while waiting for Daniel, exhausted after the long day she’d had. Relaxing a little, she looked down, expecting to find him asleep beside her only to discover that his side of the bed was empty. Disappointment gripped her with startling force. She’d longed for him earlier but had denied them both their pleasure by succumbing to sleep, and now that she wanted nothing more than to snuggle up close to him, he wasn’t there.

This of course presented another question. If he wasn’t in bed with her, then where on earth was he? In his study perhaps? Rebecca considered going downstairs to check. If he was having difficulty sleeping, he might welcome her company. She pushed the coverlet aside just as the door opened and Daniel appeared, his body silhouetted in the doorway for a brief moment before he closed it behind him.

“Couldn’t sleep?” Rebecca asked, her voice a little slurry.

He paused, then tossed his jacket on a nearby chair and started undoing his cravat. “No. After finding you so peacefully asleep earlier, I must have dozed off myself for a couple of hours before waking up again. I went downstairs to read for a bit so I wouldn’t disturb you.”

With a nod, Rebecca slumped back down on her pillow. “Which book did you pick? Anything of interest?”

“
Gulliver’s Travels,
” he said as he scuffled about.

Rebecca sighed dreamily. “That’s a good one.” She rolled onto her side just as Daniel slipped beneath the covers, his arm snaking its way around her waist and dragging her closer until her head was resting on his shoulder. He dropped a kiss against her brow, and she snuggled closer, peacefully content as sleep once again claimed her.

Chapter 16

W
hen Daniel awoke the following day, he found Rebecca gone from the bedroom. Looking across at the clock on the dresser, he wasn’t surprised—it was almost two in the afternoon. After discovering Rebecca asleep the previous evening, he’d gotten dressed and headed out, hiring a hackney to take him to Piccadilly. It had been close to three in the morning before he’d returned home, but at least he’d doubled his money at the gaming tables.

Stretching, he allowed himself a smile of contentment. Rebecca must think him a terrible card player after he’d let her win yesterday. He wanted her to get a taste for the game though, and he knew that there was nothing more discouraging than constantly losing. Truth was that in spite of his uncle’s complaints, he was one of the best gamblers he knew of. His biggest problem had been his love of spending—parties, the phaeton, courtesans and jewels required to keep his mistresses exclusively to himself. It all seemed so ridiculous now in hindsight, but he’d been a reckless fool back then without a care for the future.

Things were different now. He had a wife to care for and employees in need of wages. Last night’s winnings would help with that, his only regret being the secretiveness of it all and the lie he’d told Rebecca about reading
Gulliver’s Travels.
He couldn’t tell her what he’d been doing though—not if he wanted to manage without her help. And he did. For the first time in his life, Daniel Neville, heir to the Marquisate of Wolvington, wanted to prove himself capable of standing on his own two feet. Receiving help wasn’t an option.

Swinging his legs out of bed, he got up and padded across to the washbasin, where he picked up a sponge and proceeded to clean the most necessary areas. He then added a touch of cologne and went to select a clean shirt from the dresser—no need to bother Hawkins, who had other tasks to see to. As he buttoned the shirt, his gaze went to last night’s cravat, which was hanging across an armrest where it had landed after he’d tossed it aside. A good thing Rebecca hadn’t noticed, or she might have wondered why he’d bothered to put it back on if all he’d been doing had been reading quietly in the library—the reason why he hadn’t tried to rouse her with caresses. He made a mental note to discard his waistcoat, jacket and cravat before returning to the bedroom the next time he ventured out.

“Where’s my wife?” he asked Molly as soon as he was seated at the dining room table and had summoned the cheerful maid to bring him a pot of coffee.

“She went out with Laura for a stroll in the park,” she said as she poured the steaming hot liquid into his cup. “The weather’s beautiful, and she seemed quite eager to take a look around Town. Would you care for some breakfast or lunch, sir? Madame Renarde made an excellent chicken pie earlier, or if you prefer, there’s toast with the usual toppings . . . eggs too, should that meet your fancy.”

“Thank you, Molly—perhaps a bit of that pie you mentioned. I’ll retire to the library once I’m done eating. Perhaps you’d be good enough to ensure that my wife comes to see me there when she returns. I’d like to speak with her.”

“Very good, sir,” Molly said, bobbing once too many times as she retreated from the room.

Daniel grinned and took a sip of his coffee. He liked the rambunctious maid and found her most amusing, though he had to agree with his uncle’s dismissal of her; she wasn’t suited to the Wolvington household at all.

After finishing his food, Daniel penned a quick missive to Lord Chilton requesting a meeting and asked Hawkins to deliver it. He needed to speak to his brother-in-law as soon as possible so he could become more respectable, making money from investments rather than from gambling, a vital part of the plan he’d made to turn his life around.

It was almost three thirty before a quiet knock at the library door announced Rebecca’s arrival. Keen to see her, Daniel hurried across the floor and opened the door with a smile, his pleasure at seeing her almost overshadowed by how stunning she looked, with her bright smile and flushed cheeks, her hair swept up in an intricate coiffure. “You look radiant,” he said, taking her hand and leading her across to a chair. She took her seat and he bent to place a kiss against her cheek before going back to close the door. “Did you enjoy your walk?”

“Oh yes,” she said, eyes glowing with delight. “It was marvelous, really—so many people dressed in the most exquisite clothes, either on horseback, in carriages or just strolling about. I even saw a group of people picnicking, though I must admit I thought it a bit nippy for that. Oh, and there were boats on the Serpentine too—again, something I’d prefer to try when the weather gets a bit warmer.”

Daniel grinned. “I’m glad you had fun,” he said, “but then again, you’re generally quite cheerful by nature. I have a feeling you delight in most things, and frankly, I must admit that it’s one of the things that I . . .” He stopped himself from saying
love about you.
It was just a turn of phrase of course, but he suddenly worried that she might get the wrong idea. God forbid if she actually thought him in love with her. He wasn’t, of course. Men like him did not fall prey to Cupid’s arrow so easily, but that didn’t mean that he couldn’t like her and respect her.

In Scotland, she’d prattled on about him keeping mistresses while she took a lover, but he’d suspected that she’d made the suggestion not because it was the sort of marriage she wanted but because she was convinced it was all she could expect. He wanted to give her more, especially since they suited each other so well that he saw no reason to bother with other women. But he couldn’t allow her to think him smitten either, so instead he said, “admire about you.”

She looked at him quizzically, but when she didn’t comment, he decided to proceed with the matter at hand. “Actually, there was something specific I wished to discuss with you— namely, the matter of your pin money.”

“Daniel, that’s really not necessary,” she said, her features not nearly as lively as when she’d first entered the room. “I have my dowry, which is more than sufficient. Unless of course you’re saying that it now belongs to you, which technically it does, and that you’re considering how much of it I should have access to each month.”

“That’s . . .” Daniel shook his head. “No, I’ve no designs on your dowry, Becky.”

“Then there’s no need for me to burden you with pin money when no such agreement was ever made.” She leaned forward in her seat. “Ours is a marriage of convenience—one meant to help both of us. I’d hate for you to think that I expect more than freedom from you, so if you agree, I’ll handle my own expenses, though I do thank you for wanting to offer me more.”

It took every ounce of willpower not to gape at her. Not burden him . . . a marriage of convenience . . . she wanted freedom. Her words resonated in his head, darkening his mood. He forced himself to relax, and he managed a smile that he hoped looked sincere. “Look, regardless of the circumstances surrounding our marriage, I still like you, Becky, and now that you’re my wife, I care about your well-being and wish to ensure that you’re properly cared for. However, if you feel more comfortable spending your own money, then of course you’re welcome to do so. Just know that I don’t consider you a burden in any way. In fact, I genuinely enjoy your company and doubt I would have gotten along this well with someone else.”

“I’m happy to hear it,” she said, her smile returning. “As far as I am concerned, marrying you was one of the best decisions I ever made—I’m certain of it.”

Daniel felt his whole body sag with relief. When the devil had this woman’s happiness become so important to him?
When you held her limp body in your arms,
a tiny voice called from the back of his mind. He considered that and knew it was true. Since she’d been shot, he’d felt an innate responsibility to protect her. It was yet another reason why he wouldn’t humiliate her by taking a mistress, and though he’d told her as much already, he wanted to make it clear. “When we were in Scotland, you spoke at great length about your expectations in regard to our marriage.” He paused as he studied her but found it impossible to discern her emotions. “I want you to know that I meant what I said when I told you that I have no interest in any other women.”

She hesitated briefly, then nodded. “As I’ve mentioned before, I want us to be honest with each other, for I believe that the best relationships are built on trust, and I want to be able to trust you, Daniel. I realize that I expect you to stray based on your history and reputation, but I also think that you deserve the chance to prove yourself. You say that Lady Vernon approached you, that she kissed you and that you have no intention of accepting anything more from her.” She paused, her gaze intense, as if gauging his reaction. “I will trust you in this, Daniel, because I want more than anything for our marriage to be a pleasant one, and for our . . . friendship to last.”

“I want the same, Becky,” he said, and as he did so, he wondered once again if he should tell her about the gambling now and just be done with it. She had a right to know. In fact he owed it to her, but he also didn’t want her to worry, and he certainly didn’t want her help. This was something he had to handle on his own, so he decided to wait a while. Once his investments began to grow and sustain themselves, he would stop the gambling and confide in her the truth. She’d probably be shocked at first, but once that dissipated, he was sure she’d be proud.

B
y the time ten o’clock rolled around that evening, Daniel could scarcely wait to get out the door. He’d received a response from the Earl of Chilton in the afternoon, inviting Daniel to meet with the earl at his home the following day, but until then, Daniel intended to try and make some more money at the gaming tables. What harm was there really, when he was applying discipline and only intended to risk the money he’d already won?

“You look tired,” he told Rebecca when they retired after dinner and yet another game of cards at which he hadn’t been quite so lenient with her as he’d been the previous evening. She’d looked at him suspiciously, but he’d just grinned, shrugged a little and blamed his win on a stroke of good luck, though he was pretty sure she’d seen straight through him.

“Not as tired as yesterday,” she said as she presented him with her back, allowing him the pleasure of unfastening the long row of buttons belonging to her gown, “and since I denied both of us our pleasure then, I’ve every intention of doubling my efforts right now.”

Her suggestion, spoken in a sultry tone with a hint of shyness, sent a bolt of heat straight to Daniel’s groin. Dear God, how he longed to bury himself in her warmth. Besides, it was probably best if he arrived at the gaming tables later, when the other players had filled themselves with drink and had lost a bit of reserve. He also didn’t want to give rise to suspicion, and of course he wanted to give his wife the pleasure she deserved. Allowing her to slip away from him, he watched as she walked toward the bed, hips swaying with every step.

Looking over her shoulder at him, she slid her hands down the length of her sides until she reached the hem of her chemise. She then started pulling the flimsy garment slowly up over her luscious curves, her hands caressing her body as she did so.

Daniel forced himself to remain still, sensing that she was enjoying the opportunity to lure and entice him as much as he was enjoying the show. She tossed the chemise aside and crawled onto the bed, where she settled back against the pillows and began to run one hand up over her breasts while the other trailed down along the length of her thigh. Dear Lord, she wouldn’t, would she? Daniel knew he’d ceased breathing and that his heart would likely stop at any second, yet the only thing he seemed capable of doing was staring at his wife as he hoped she might . . .

Licking her lips as she stared straight back at him, Rebecca allowed her legs to fall open, and as she gently caressed the plump flesh of her breast, her other hand found her core—at which point Daniel finally gasped for air. Heaven above if he hadn’t married the greatest seductress of all time. Never before had he feared that he might expire from desire, yet as he stood there now, watching his wife give herself pleasure, he felt dangerously close to doing precisely that and quickly went to work on his breeches.

“Do I tempt you?” she asked when he came toward her completely naked.

“Do you really need to ask?” he watched as her gaze settled on the hard length of him. He heard her suck in a breath. It wasn’t the first time she’d been afforded a good look at him, and it pleased Daniel to see that she was admiring him just as much as she had the first time. He lowered his gaze to the juncture between her thighs. “Would you like me to assist you with that?”

“I can think of nothing better,” she said, removing her hand and allowing him access.

“You’re impossible for me to resist,” he said as he climbed up onto the bed and kneeled between her legs, his blood heating as he feasted his eyes on her every curve. “Do you know that?”

“I believe the evidence is far too great to be ignored,” she said smoothly.

“And do you approve?” he asked, enjoying the naughty banter between them as he reached out and gently stroked the flesh of her womanhood.