Callie Hutton (13 page)

As
Penrose
spooned
fragrant
clear soup into his mouth,
he
regarded
Merry
,
who
looked particularly delightful tonight
in a pale
aquamarine
silk gown
. The flames from the fireplace behind her cast
a
shadowy mystique
over her face
. Then she
would
turn her head to comment to another diner, and the
radiance
of her creamy skin and full lips tempted his senses. No matter how hard he tried, she was never far from his thoughts. Nor was his desire for her.

He smiled, remembering the audacity of her dragging him into a snowball fight. It was even worth the indignity he’d put up with since that eventful incident. For the first time in mo
re years than he could remember
he
hadn’t felt
like
the duke
.
Just a man playing in the snow with two young girls and a beautiful, mischievous woman.

That could be my family
.

He shook his head. No. He like
d
his life just the way it was. No wife to bring complications into it. Especially one who scoffed at marriage being a business arrangement. Let
Brandon
produce the necessary heir.
His gut tightened.
As long as
his brother
didn’t set his sights on Merry.

“Penrose, with all this snow keeping us indoors, I’m feeling a bit restless
. It’s a lovely, clear evening. Perhaps you could have the sle
igh
brought ‘round, and the horses hitched? I’m sure Miss Chambers and Miss Jennings would enjoy a ride in the night air. I know I would.”

“Goodness, Mother. I haven’t thought of that sle
igh
in years. I wonder if it’s still serviceable?”

“There’s only one way to find out.”

Penrose signaled for the footman to have the stable master
locate
the
large sle
igh
and prepare it
for a ride
.

“I’m afraid I
must decline, Your Grace. My delicate constitution doesn’t allow for rides in the night air
.
” Miss Jennings
raised her chin
.

“As you wish,” he nodded in her direction.

“Indeed. A true lady must guard against taxing her system.” She looked down her nose at Merry, then turned to Penrose,
and missed the way
Merry
glanced up at the ceiling
.

He coughed to cover his laugh.

****

The D
owager
and Merry stood in the entrance hall, bundled up against the cold, when Penrose descended the stairs. “Good. Are we ready?”

“My dear,
I was about to mention to Miss Chambers that
it appears something must not have agreed with me at dinner, and I must bow out of our little ride.” His mother touched her stomach briefly and smiled sadly.

“Oh, I will stay with you.” Merry immedia
tely looked concerned
.

She
flicked her hand in dismissal.
“Nonsense, you must both go and enjoy yourselves. I don’t want to spoil the fun. Just an old lady’s troubles.”

“Are you sure?” Penrose regarded the
rosy cheeked,
very healthy looking dowager.

“Absolutely, my dears. Go off and have fun. It’s a lovely night for a ride.” She glanced ou
t
the small window above the hall mirror. “
L
ook at all those stars.
My g
oodness, there must be millions of them.”

“It really isn’t proper for me to ride alone with His Grace,” Merry said.

“Don’t be silly. Who could possibility object to you both enjoying a ride on our own land? Things in the country are a bit more relaxed than in Town.”

S
till looking askance at the dowager,
Merry allowed
Penrose
to take her
elbow and escort her out of the house.

The
shiny
red sides of the
conveyance
gleamed in the moonlight. His heart lightened just looking at it. So many happy
memories rose as he grew closer
and helped Merry in.
As excited as a boy, h
e
hurried to the other side
and
climbed into the seat.
Reaching behind him, he pulled out
a large
fur blanket, and tucked it securely over the two of them. “Ready?”

Merry nodded, and he picked up the reins, the jangle of the bells music to his ears. “It has been a very long time since I took a sleigh ride.” He cast Merry a grin.

“It seems to me
there are many things you haven’t done in some time. And all of them fun.”

“That is right. The duties of my title have been foremost in my life for so long, I’ve forgotten how to
enjoy myself
.” He glanced at her. “But you apparently have no trouble remembering.”

She shook her head and pulled the fur up to her chin. “We must always keep part of the child within us alive.”

“Such philosophy. One of your father’s quotes?”

Merry smiled. “No. My
very
own.”

They flew past barren trees, ice glistening on the branches as they
stretched upward, r
each
ing
for the mu
ltitude of stars
overhead
. The sound of the sleigh bells echoed in their ears, soon followed by Merry’s laughter.

“This is wonderful. How could you not do this every time it snows?”

“Now with you here, you must remind me.” He tugged on the reins
,
directing the sleigh to the left. “I want to show you something.”

After about ten minutes he pulled up and brought the conveyance t
o a halt.
The horses snorted and stomped, their warm breath visible in the cold night air. In front of them sat
a
frozen pond
,
tucked away amidst a circle of bare trees.

“My brother and I used to skate here all winter when we were youths.”

“How lovely!” Merry leaned forward, taking in the ice sparkling in the moonlight. She turned to him. “We must come back here and skate.”

“Oh, no thank you.”

“Why
ever
not?” She shook her head. “
Perhaps because you haven’t done that either in years?
”
Her lips tilted in a smirk.

“
You are correct, and the last thing I want to do is break my neck.”

He laid his ar
m
along
the back of the sleigh
and tucked an errant curl behind her ear.
The moonlight o
n her
face brought attention to h
er comely features
.
“Are
n’t
you afraid of anything, Miss Chambers?” He lowered his voice.

She swallowed, the delicate muscles in her neck working,
c
ausing
blood to
race to
his groin.

“Yes. There are some things I’m fearful of.”

“Such as?”

Merry licked her lips, conveying images of what he’d like her to do with that sensuous mouth. He shifted and drew her closer. “I’ll wager there is nothing that scares you.”

“Not so, Your Grace.” The words slid from her mouth on a whispered breath.

“Penrose. We dispensed with
Your Grace
a while ago.” He bent toward her, leaning his forehead on hers
, his hand cupping her cheek
. “Do I scare you?”

She shook her head in response.

Had she discerned his thoughts at the moment, she would be petrified. Despite claiming he didn’t scare her,
she was certainly not unaffected by his closeness. Her pulse raced, evident by the throbbing in her neck that appeared almost painful. She drove him
mad
with her scent, her obvious arousal. He had to taste her, feel those soft lips under his. He
grasped the back of her head
and gently rested his
mouth
on hers.

*

Penrose must
’ve
certainly hear
d
her heart thundering in her chest. Was she afraid of him? Yes. Afraid of how he made her feel
. And
wish for
t
hings beyond her grasp that one only found in fairy tales.

As h
is warm l
ips covered hers, the light
of a thousand candles burst
behind her closed eyelids. She whimpered, and he pulled her closer. Everything inside her body throbbed. Her nipples ached where they pressed against her layers of clothing. The woman’s place between her legs
throbbed
,
then
moistened. What was happening to her body? She’d never felt this before,
and although it
frightened
her, she longed for mo
re.

Penrose drew back and held her face gently, rubbing his thumb over her heated cheek. “I want you, Merry. Very much.
And that should scare you.
”
Once more his head descended and he
reclaimed her lips, crushing her against him.
When she gasped, he slipped his tongue in, sweeping over the inside
of her mouth
. She tentatively used her tongue to meet his, spurring a groan to rumble from his chest.

He released her mouth and brushed kisses over the
sensitive skin behind her ear. Shivers ran down her body.

“Are you cold?”

Quite the opposite. S
he wanted to remove
every layer of clothing
. And heaven help her, she wanted Penrose to do the same so she could rub her sensitive skin against his. Nothing in all the books
,
and learning she’d had
,
prepared her for these feelings. “No, not cold.
Rather contrary, I am much overheated.
”

Penrose chuckled and pulled back to stare into her eyes. “You never do or say what is expected.”

“’Tis a gift, Your Grace.”

“We’d better get back.” He slid over and
reclaimed
the reins, and coldness did indeed replace the warmth his body had provided. When she clasped her arms around herself, he pulled her to him, tucking her
snugly
into his side.

The ride home was swift, seeming to take much less time than their venture out. Penrose hopped from the sleigh and tossed the reins at the stable master. Taking Merry by her elbow, he escorted her to the house.

“I think a bit of brandy would warm us both up. Care to join me in the library, Miss Chambers?” Penrose shrugged out of his coat and peeled off his gloves. The footman helped relieve Merry of
her
cloak and pelisse
she’d worn to keep warm.
The house stood silent, a testament to its residents having retired for the night.

Although still confused by the kiss,
the thought of
ending the night now dampened her spirits. “Yes, I think I could use a small drink.”

They entered the library, and Merry rubbed her hands together and headed toward the blazing fireplace. Her heart thumped,
and
with the silence in the
room
,
felt certain
Penrose could hear it, and would know how he affected her. She should leave, save herself from what she wanted so badly.

“
Miss Chambers
.” The
duke
’s deep voice rumbled behind her as he held out a
crystal
glass of sherry.
H
er heart
pounded
double time as her senses
came alive at
his scent.
She stared at his strong hand
, mesmerized.
What would those hands feel like against her naked flesh? She closed her eyes, but the image stayed with her.

“Thank you.” She turned and cleared the squeak from her throat.

He
gently touched her cheek,
tenderness in his eyes.

Once they sat in front of the fire
,
a warm rush of memories from the other night raced through her. Only this time she wore clothes. She blushed
.
Why were her
thoughts
so wanton?