The Seduction of Lady Phoebe (27 page)

This time their loving was softer, warmer. The tension she’d felt before bloomed and spread as wave upon wave of pleasure coursed through her. And he’d been right. There was no pain, only the love he gave her, and the deep satisfaction of having him inside her, bringing her such utter joy. This new passion was one she could grow used to.

After all the years of waiting, Marcus could barely believe he was making love to her. Phoebe was his. Nothing would ever separate them again. His need to protect her had grown exponentially, as had his need to reassure himself she was truly his.

He never knew he could feel this close to another being, that a connection could be so deep. She was a craving, an addiction.

“I love you.” Soon she would be his wife.

“I love you, and thank you,” she replied in a soft voice.

Thank you? After what she’d gifted to him? Marcus lifted himself on one arm and gazed at her. “For what?”

She turned her head toward him. “For being so gentle and taking it all so gradually. I saw how hard it was for you, how much it cost you.” She caressed his cheek. “I want you to know how much your patience and tenderness means to me.”

His throat tightened. She was the most generous woman he knew. “You gave me so much more. You entrusted me not only your body, but your trust.”

Phoebe smiled and gazed into his eyes. “I granted you my trust when I agreed to marry you, and you gave me
your
body as well.”

He tried not to frown, but he didn’t understand her at all. Was she trying to lessen her gift? “It’s not the same. It wasn’t my first time.”

Phoebe tilted her head as if considering his words carefully. “Well, that is true. I think it’s a good thing it was not your first time. What a mull you could have made of it. And as for it being my first time, well, that’s expected.” She patted his chest.

He shook his head. With luck, he’d have years to try to figure her out.

She relaxed back into his arms, and he held her safe against him until dawn stole through the drapes. He hated to let her go, but soon servants would be up.

After waking her and helping her dress, Marcus checked the hall. He didn’t want to let her out of his sight and watched until she’d reached the hall leading to the grand staircase. When she was no longer in view, he closed the door.

He’d have to give much more thought to Travenor and how to keep her protected without letting Phoebe know. He couldn’t lose her now.

When Phoebe returned to her room, she changed into her nightgown and climbed into her cold, empty bed. She’d never thought—and would not have believed—how powerful an intimacy the act of mating could be. A primal and fundamental sharing of bodies and souls.

When he’d entered her, she understood profoundly why it was called possession. She’d been helpless beneath him as he’d filled her, but she’d reveled in it because she’d made him hers as well.

Phoebe drifted back to sleep, dreaming of Marcus deep inside her, his hands roaming her body, his mouth hot on hers.

When she awoke, Rose had opened the bed hangings. The morning light streamed through the windows, and she heard the sound of water being poured into a tub set by the fire.

Phoebe moved, twinges and little pains where she’d never felt them before came upon her. As she stood, her legs wobbled a little, like jelly.

Marcus had cleaned her earlier, but she was thankful for this bath. She climbed into the tub and sank down, letting the warm water soothe her aches and caress her body. Bergamot flowers floated in the tub, their scent energizing her.

Would she and Marcus be able to be together tonight? Attempting to move, she wondered, ruefully, if she would be able to walk to-day. Ah, but what they’d done had been so amazing. She leaned back against the tub, remembering. The sensations she’d felt when he’d made love to her returned, and a tremor ran through her body. Her breasts felt full, and her nipples tightened as the now familiar throb beat at her core.

Phoebe searched her conscience for any lingering guilt or shame and was shocked to discover all she really wanted to do was return to bed with him.

Now she understood why married ladies didn’t discuss certain things with unmarried ladies. Marriage had definitely become a more enticing proposition than when she’d accepted him. There must be some way for them to be together tonight.

Then she remembered that her sisters and his mother were arriving to-day. Phoebe groaned and put her head in her hands. A whole day and evening to wait with her sharp-eyed sisters and aunt, and his equally sharp-eyed mother. There would be altogether too many knowing women in this house. Somehow, Phoebe would find a way.

Later that morning, Phoebe held Marcus’s hand as Hester, Hermione, and their cavalcade arrived. Before her sisters were able to descend from their coaches, Phoebe’s older nieces and nephews piled out of the carriages and ran up to her.

Marcus laughed as Phoebe was surrounded by children, ranging in age from three to six, all of them chattering at the same time. He remembered she had always loved children. A warm feeling infused his heart. She would be the mother of his children. Hopefully soon.

The two older boys took her hands and the girls circled her with hugs. Phoebe smiled and greeted them all.

One little girl was trying to hurry her nursemaid and practically flew into Phoebe’s arms.

“Oof, Mary! I almost dropped you,” Phoebe exclaimed.

The child put her small hands on either side of Phoebe’s face and kissed her. “No drop. Hold.”

Her sisters, finally having descended, chuckled at the melee surrounding his betrothed.

“I don’t know how you do it,” the Countess of Fairport said. “You are like honey to their bees.”

“Little heathens, all of them.” Edwin came forward and held out his hand to Marcus. “How are you, Finley?”

“I’m well, Fairport.” Marcus glanced back at the children. “Are they always like this?”

Fairport tried to remove the small girl from her limpet-like grip on Phoebe. “Only around Phoebe. We don’t know what it is. Her mere presence sets them off.”

Fairport’s wife took his hand. “Leave Mary, Edwin. She will let go when the others have been taken away. It’s the only way she can be part of this group without being trampled.”

John Caldecott and his wife joined them. He shook his head. “Don’t understand it. She turns them all into barbarians.”

Marcus stood near while Phoebe listened to her nieces and nephews as they told her all their news, and she made the appropriate comments to each of them.

Motioning them in Marcus’s direction, she said, “I want all of you to make your bows and curtseys to Lord Marcus, then go with your nurses. I am very sure Cook has something nice waiting for you in the nursery.”

After they were properly introduced to Marcus, she handed Mary to Nurse and shook out her skirts.

Marcus and Phoebe joined her sisters and brothers-in-law as they all repaired to the morning room whilst their lady’s maids and valets prepared their chambers.

Tea was waiting and Phoebe poured. Marcus’s hands touched hers as he took the cups then handed them around. The sparks were still there, but seemed even more intimate. Was that because of their lovemaking?

Marcus grinned to himself as curious and interested eyes took in the picture of domesticity they presented.

Hester settled back against the sofa. “I take it we have our usual rooms?”

“Yes, I checked with Ferguson,” Phoebe said. “There are no surprises.”

Marcus glanced at her. Unless they found her sneaking to or from his room. Would she come to him?

When Lord and Lady St. Eth arrived, Phoebe served them, and the women settled down for a comfortable coze.

Marcus stood with the men, trying not to glance at Phoebe. The few times their eyes had met, they’d both looked away quickly before Phoebe’s blush betrayed them. They’d agreed not to tell her sisters of their betrothal until his parents arrived, yet it was harder than Marcus believed to remain silent when he wanted to shout out their news.

Shortly after he rose, Marcus had sent the notice to the
Morning Post
. To-morrow was Phoebe’s birthday, and plans had been made to drive out to the nearby Abbey ruins in the morning. Afterward, a small party with a cake had been planned for the children whom, her sisters told Phoebe, had worked diligently on the gifts they’d made for her and were excited for her to see.

When the party finished luncheon, the twins retired to their chambers and the gentlemen to the billiards room, except for Marcus, who’d asked Phoebe if she’d like to walk in the gardens before his parents arrived.

Hands clasped, they ambled around the knot garden, which led through an arch cut into an old boxwood hedge surrounding the rose garden. Alone and hidden from the house, they strolled with their arms around the other’s waist, stopping occasionally to look at the last bloom of some bush or another.

When they reached the hidden arbor at the end of one walk, Marcus enclosed her in his arms. “Phoebe, I need you, I never knew how much.”

He stroked her back, easing her nearer, and she melted into him.

She slipped her arms around his neck, reached up and kissed him. “Marcus, you wouldn’t believe the thoughts I’ve been having. They’re quite wicked.”

Her low, sultry voice made his member throb. “If they are anything like mine, I would say quite wicked indeed. I can’t wait to have you naked in my bed again.”

She shivered.

Marcus held her closer. “Cold?”

Phoebe’s eyes widened. “No, it’s my reaction to you.”

He kissed her. Softly at first. She was intoxicating. His tongue danced with hers. His muscles hardened as he crushed her against him.

Phoebe stretched up and slid her fingers around the back of his neck and into his hair. When his hands moved to her breasts, she moaned.

She glanced around. “Can we do it here?”

Her eagerness was as unexpected as it was welcome. And though it was a risk, he couldn’t bring himself to deny either of them. “Yes. Are you able?”

“I think so. Marcus, I feel so wanton. I need to have you inside me.”

Marcus kissed her ravenously. Sitting on the arbor bench, he lifted her skirts. His fingers stroked her already wet curls. “You must be sore. If it hurts, tell me, and I’ll stop.”

Sighing, she opened her legs wider as his fingers entered her, before moving over him. “Now, Marcus. I want you now.” Phoebe kissed him deeply, voraciously, inviting him to join with her. He unfastened the buttons of his breeches and released his shaft, then brought her down slowly upon him, impaling her.

She gasped as he began lifting her up so that he was almost out of her then filled her again. Shuddering, Phoebe tried to help but had no purchase. She trembled with pleasure.

“Put your legs around me,” Marcus whispered.

Doing as she was told, he filled her deeper still, and she gave herself up to the sensations of him being so far inside her he touched her heart. She clung to him and when the tension in her rose to an unbearable level and she opened her mouth to cry out, he covered her lips with his. She reached for the sun as his warmth filled her. They slumped against each other, their breathing ragged. The more they were together, the stronger their tie became.

Phoebe remembered where they were and laughed out loud.

“What is it?” he asked.

“We’ve gone mad. Look at where we are. We’re very fortunate we were not caught.”

He kissed her. “I thought about that, but not for very long,” he said ruefully. “We’ll have to be more careful.”

She pressed her lips against his temple. “Particularly now that both our families will be in residence.”

They stayed until she heard the sound of coaches. “Marcus, I think your parents have arrived.”

Quickly detangling themselves, they stood, straightened their clothing, and hurried to the front of the house, arm in arm, arriving just as his parents’ carriage stopped.

“Mamma, Papa . . .” Marcus walked forward.

He was interrupted by a large carriage with the Cranbourne crest arriving on the heels of the Dunwoods’ carriage. Marcus helped his mother alight as Phoebe walked forward to greet her brother.

“Geoffrey, what a wonderful surprise, and how delighted I am to see you,” Phoebe said. “How did you get here so soon? How did you get here at all? There wasn’t enough time.”

Geoffrey hugged Phoebe before turning to assist Amabel from the carriage.

A footman came forward to aid Nurse and little Miles.

With long strides, Marcus walked to meet his sister. “Amabel, I didn’t expect to see you here.”

Uncle Henry and Aunt Ester came onto the front steps, followed by the others. Pandemonium reigned as the new arrivals were greeted and Miles cuddled and exclaimed over.

Amabel stood a little off to the side whilst the ladies admired her son. She glanced at Phoebe, her forehead wrinkled in concern.

The last thing Phoebe wanted was for her sister-in-law to feel estranged. She clasped Amabel’s hands and hugged her.

Amabel clung to Phoebe. “I am so sorry—”

“No,” Phoebe said, “you could not have known.”

Shaking her head, Amabel replied, “No, it was very wrong of me to try to push him on you. Marcus told Geoffrey everything. If it hadn’t come from Marcus himself, I would not have believed a brother of mine could have behaved so disgracefully. It is outside of enough to have done something like that at all, but to one so young.”