The Irish Duke (23 page)

James slid to his knees before her and kissed the sensitive silken skin beneath her breasts. He pressed hungry warm lips to her belly and dipped his tongue into her navel. Then he pulled her down to lie on the fur rug, spread her hair out, and gazed down at her with adoring eyes.

The luxurious fur against her naked flesh made her feel seductively beautiful for the first time in her life. She loved his male scent and the feel of his hand as he caressed her breasts and her belly. Then it moved lower to toy with the curls on her high mons. She gasped as his fingertips slipped into her woman’s cleft and when he circled her tiny bud, she arched up with a cry of arousal.

James wanted to bring her to climax without tearing her hymen, which called for very gentle and delicate manipulation. He must touch her with the delicacy of a butterfly’s wings and control his lust to plunge inside her. As the pads of his fingertips stroked her softly, over and over, he felt her shudder with longing. He knew a need to taste her and his lips took possession of hers. He slid his tongue inside the delicious cave of her hot mouth and thrust in and out, imitating what he ached to do with his cock.

The velvet magic of his tongue aroused her desire, and her woman’s center began to throb with the insistent strokes of his fingertips. Her pleasure went higher and higher in ever-widening circles of intensity. She felt as if she were floating in a sea of bliss, then suddenly she erupted and dissolved into a thousand delicious fragments.

His palm gently cupped her cheek and he gazed down into her slumberous green eyes. “Lady Louisa, will you marry me?”

She came out of her trance in an instant, and pulled away from him sharply. “Of course I won’t marry you!”

His dark brows drew together in a frown. “You promised to pay the price.”

“I
am
willing to pay the price. I will spend the night with you.”

He looked at her with regret. “I don’t want you for one night, Lu. I want you for a lifetime. With me, it’s all or nothing.”

Louisa gasped. She was humiliated at his rejection. Suddenly all the beautiful magic of the night was melting away and she hated him for destroying her happiness. “Then it’s nothing! Go to the devil, Abercorn.”

She was halfway to the door before she realized she was naked. She was mortified that she had discarded her clothes along with her inhibitions. Without looking at him, she raised her chin and marched to the bathing room. She put on her petticoat and gown, fastened it, and then pulled on her stockings and garters. She wanted to fly at him and rake her nails down his cheeks.
That would destroy your last scrap of dignity,
her inner voice warned.
If you want to keep your pride, simply ignore the Irish swine.

She left the bathing room and retraced her steps. There was no need to ignore Abercorn. He wasn’t there. In his place stood Phineas.

“I have instructions to take you home, my lady.”

The lump in her throat made it difficult to murmur her thanks. She followed him downstairs to the front door, where she donned her cloak and stuffed the red wig into her pocket. She had been right all along. The handsomest men were by far the most arrogant and selfish. She vowed that she would remember this lesson in humiliation so that she would never be tempted to repeat it.

James Hamilton stood at an upper window, ruefully watching his carriage depart for Belgrave Square. Arranging for Louisa to achieve her heart’s desire had made her the happiest female in London tonight. He knew that would be his sole reward. He was sorry he had snatched her joy away but regretted even more her refusal to marry him.

Her euphoric mood made her so desirable, I was sorely tempted to make love to her. She was perfectly willing to let me have my way for one night.
He smiled wryly.
There was only one thing that stopped me. I don’t want Lu to be promiscuous like her sister. I want her to remain sweet and innocent until she becomes my wife.

 

Her dream began happily enough. She was in Woburn’s beautiful garden picking flowers. Their heady fragrance filled her senses. She gathered an armful of blue lupins and their peppery scent floated in the air about her. Suddenly, she looked down and saw that her white dress was covered with blood. Her lovely dream had turned into a nightmare. She dropped the lupins in shock. She was obviously having a miscarriage and losing her baby. It was the thing she feared most. She heard screams, and fear for her mother rose up and threatened to overwhelm her.
No! No! Help me . . . please help me.
Then she realized it was not her mother’s screams she could hear, it was her own.

Louisa awoke in a panic. She pulled down the covers and examined her nightgown. Relief swept over her when she saw the pristine white garment was not covered in blood. She drew up her knees and wrapped her arms around them. It slowly dawned upon her why she had had the nightmare. Abercorn had asked her to marry him, and she equated marriage with having children. When you bore a child, you risked having a miscarriage or even a dead baby.

Fate saved me tonight. If I had allowed Abercorn to make love to me even one time, he could have planted his seed.
She got out of bed and turned up the lamp. She saw that Georgy’s bed was empty. Lu took the key to her secret desk drawer from its hiding place and took out her journal. She dipped her pen and wrote
: Tonight I had the terrifying recurring dream where I am covered with blood. It began as usual in the garden picking lupins. It used to be Mother who suffered the miscarriage, but lately I have taken her place. I realize it was Abercorn’s proposal of marriage that brought on the nightmare. I have a mortal fear of marriage and all it entails.

Louisa’s feelings of dread left her once she had written in her journal. Her thoughts winged back to Covent Garden Theatre.
Tonight I fulfilled the dream of a lifetime.
The corners of her mouth curved in a secret smile.
I’ll write about singing and dancing on the stage tonight. I want to relive the feeling of bliss it gave me. I must never forget the euphoria I experienced when the entire audience applauded my performance.
She dipped in her pen and began to write. By the time she finished, she had recaptured all the joy and magic of her experience on the stage. Her heart overflowed with happiness. Louisa locked her journal away and began to dance.

 

The Duke and Duchess of Bedford returned to Belgrave Square a week later.

“Rachel was a good little patient, but Alexander behaved like a savage. He scratched the tops off all his chicken pox and refused to take his medicine,” Georgina declared. “He disobeyed all the doctor’s orders and now insists he will be a physician when he grows up, so he can give the orders.”

“You are a marvelous nurse, darling,” her husband declared. “You have more patience than any woman in London.”

She’s had lots of practice,
Louisa thought silently. “I’m glad they are recovered.”

“Did anything interesting develop while I was away?” Their mother looked expectantly at her daughters.

Georgy looked like the cat that had swallowed the cream, but she refused to divulge a specific name. “I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Father doesn’t receive a formal call in the near future from a certain noble who has been dangling after me.”

Her mother looked pleased and asked archly, “I take it that if he receives an offer for your hand, you would like him to accept it?”

“I do, I do, indeed I do!” Georgy said emphatically.

Her mother looked at Louisa. “What about you, darling? If he receives an offer for you, do you want him to accept it?”

“I don’t, I don’t, indeed I
do not!”
she said emphatically
.

“Lu, darling, I have no idea why you are so averse to the opposite sex. You certainly don’t take after me. Men are my favorite people, with the exception of Lady Holland, and now I come to think of it, I even prefer Henry to Beth.”

“These invitations came while you were away, Mother.” Georgy handed her the cards. “I took the liberty of accepting the one from your friend Dorothy Cavendish, Countess of Carlisle. She’s hosting a ball at Devonshire House tomorrow night.”

“Oh, how lovely. It is years since I’ve been to Devonshire House. You will be astonished at its opulence. Her husband, George Howard, is Lord Privy Seal in Grey’s government, so of course the Greys will be there.” Georgina gave her daughter a speculative look. “Is it by any chance George Grey you are hoping will offer for you?”

Georgy laughed. “Though it would be a feather in any lady’s cap to snare the prime minister’s son, I’m hoping for a far more noble catch.”

I wager that Georgy is talking about William Cavendish, Lord Burlington, who is heir to the powerful Duke of Devonshire,
Louisa thought.
She’s eager to go to Devonshire House tomorrow night because she hopes someday to own it.

“Well, there is no harm in aiming high, so long as your affections are involved.” Her mother glanced through the rest of the invitations. “I can’t believe it’s mid-July. Where has the summer gone?”

I’ll be glad when the season is over. I’m looking forward to leaving London’s marriage market behind and going to Scotland.
Lu had more sense than to voice her thoughts aloud.

 

The Russells arrived fashionably late at Devonshire House the following night. Georgina caught up on old times with her childhood friend Dorothy Howard, and John was soon discussing politics with her husband, the Earl of Carlisle. Both men had recently received the Order of the Garter.

Georgy took it upon herself to explore the magnificent mansion and could not disguise her proprietary air. When she spotted Lord Burlington, she made her way around the ballroom floor until she was standing beside him. She gave him an inviting sideways glance and ran the tip of her tongue around her lips.

William winked at her as his hand surreptitiously caressed her bottom.

George Grey asked her to dance. She threw William a provocative glance and replied, “I’d love to.”

Supper was to be served at midnight, but before everyone left the ballroom, the lights were turned up and the Earl and Countess of Carlisle ascended the dais where the musicians were playing. Dorothy held up her hands for silence. It took a few minutes for the noise to subside.

“The earl and I have an announcement to make. Our beloved daughter, Blanche, has consented to marry William Cavendish, Lord Burlington. Needless to say, our family is delighted with the match.”

Blanche Howard and William Cavendish ascended to the dais amid thunderous applause.

Georgy stood stunned, like a bird flown into a stone wall. Her ears began to roar as the blood rushed to her head. She felt her gorge rise.
The bastard! The bloody bastard! I’m going to be sick.

 

When Louisa heard the announcement, her heart filled with anguish for her sister. She looked about the ballroom and saw Georgy standing wide-eyed as if she were rooted to the spot
. I must go to her.
She crossed the floor and took her sister’s arm. “Are you all right, Georgy?”

Her sister stared at her blankly and Louisa knew she was far from all right. She gently led her from the room and found her a seat. Then she went in search of her mother. “Georgy has taken ill. She needs to go home, I’m afraid.”

“Oh dear, I hope I didn’t carry the chicken pox infection home to her.”

“No, Mother, I don’t think it’s that. She feels faint and has a dreadful headache. I’ll go home with her and put her to bed. You and Father must stay. Georgy will be fine tomorrow.” Lu knew that her sister would not be fine. Her dream of marriage and someday becoming the Duchess of Devonshire had just been shattered.

A footman took a message to the Russell coachman, and Lu led her sister from the Devonshire mansion. Georgy sat huddled in silence as the carriage bowled along Piccadilly, slowed as it entered Grosvenor Crescent, and came to a stop in front of their house in Belgrave Square.

When they entered the house, a maid came forward wondering what was amiss that the Russell sisters were returning from a ball at such an early hour. When she saw Georgy’s pallid face she gasped. “Oh, my lady, you’re ill. Will I send for the doctor?”

Louisa put her arm around her sister. “That won’t be necessary, thank you. Just make sure that we are not disturbed.”

Once the bedroom door of the room they shared was closed, Georgy began to scream. Lu sat quietly as her sister tore at her clothes and flung things about the chamber. She knew Georgy had to get it all out. After she had screamed for half an hour, her screams turned to sobs. Louisa put her arms around her sister and held her tightly. Then for the next hour she rocked her.

T
he following day Louisa urged her sister to come downstairs for lunch. “If you are absent, you’ll be subjected to all sorts of scrutiny.”

When Georgy entered the dining room, her mother searched her daughter’s face with anxious eyes. “You missed breakfast, darling. Are you feeling all right?”

“I’m fully recovered, thank you, Mother.” Georgy suppressed a shudder.

“I realize now why the Howards threw a ball at Devonshire House. It was solely to announce the engagement of their daughter Blanche.”

“Blanche Howard isn’t even pretty,” Georgy said with disbelief.

“That’s an understatement. But when I analyze it, it’s no surprise that they made a match for her with William Cavendish, Devonshire’s heir. Since the couple are distant cousins, the marriage will keep their great wealth in one family.”

Louisa glanced at Georgy. “Perhaps William had no choice in the matter.”

“Oh, it’s undoubtedly a marriage of convenience,” their mother declared. “Still, I have high hopes we’ll have an announcement of our own soon.” She gave Georgy a conspiratorial wink. “Do give me a hint who it is, darling.”