An Apple Pie for a Duke (7 page)

“
Indeed.”

He
did not say anything after that. She could not think of anything
either. She carefully glanced up at him but he gazed into the
distance.

How
can one man be this rude? Just when he started to seem at least
halfway human.

I'm
glad I'm holding my own here. I shall simply gaze into the distance
as well!

I
simply have to remember to be aloof and poised at all times.

But
Gigi should have remembered something else.

Again,
the duke's proximity had caused the same effect as it had in the
bookshop.

Only
this time, Gigi had not noticed.

Whilst
concentrating on remaining aloof and poised, there was one thing she
had not done.

She
had not breathed.

She
fainted.

9.

London,
etc.

I
must not look at her! I can control myself until this dance is over
but then I'll go. Else I'll carry her out into the garden and
“compromise” her behind the rhododendrons like a rabbit.

But
why is she so distant? Doesn't she remember what she said about me in
the stable? She's so poised and cool while I'm burning with love for
her. Can't she see how much I want her? If I drew her just a little
bit closer she could actually feel how much... if I simply pressed my
hips against her... but then she might really---

She
fainted.

Dominic
felt her sinking down. Instinctively, he lifted her up.

A
shocked murmur went through the crowd.

“
That
dreadful man!” A women shrieked.

“
Smelling
salts!” Somebody shouted. “Bring us some smelling salts!”

Dominic
gazed at the beautiful, lifeless creature in his arms. He wanted to
say something but he could not.

“
His
grace will have to carry her outside for fresh air,” another voice
consulted.

“
That
dreadful man!” Lady Tarly sang like a soprano.

“
Yes,
take her outside, but the front door is easier to access from here,”
a third person insisted. It was the young woman Gigi had been sitting
with earlier.

“
My
little dove!” That was Lady Cartwright who had shoved aside the
onlookers to get to her daughter. Her face was panic-stricken.

“
We
must slap her!” Serena Locksley suggested, eaten up by envy because
Surrey had not asked
her
to
dance.

“
On
you go, Your Grace,” Gigi's friend commanded rigorously and Dominic
started to walk.

Once
they were outside, Lady Cartwright
did
slap her daughter.

“
She's
breathing,” Dominic managed to say. His own voice sounded very
distant to him. Was this a dream? If it was, it was not a pleasant
one. He wanted to do nothing but flee! Leave these chattering women
and hide in his lair.

“
She's
never fainted before,” her mother wailed. “I fear she may be
seriously ill! She had a similar fit before in a bookshop when---”

“
That
dreadful man!” A footman led Lady Tarly out of the house.

“
I'm
sure she'll come to in a few moments, my lady,” Gigi's friend
reassured Lady Cartwright. “It was extremely hot in there and all
the twirling must have made her dizzy. She was perfectly fine before
---”

“
That
dreadful man!” Lady Tarly yelled.

“
Thank
you, Miss Parker,” Lady Cartwright said, suddenly more serene.
“You've been a great help. Please ask a steward to fetch our
carriage. We shall leave right away.”

Dominic
had no idea how her change of humour had come about, but she was
almost mirthful!

Miss
Parker hesitated. “She ought to lie down. I suppose a barouche is
too small for that purpose. Perhaps His Grace could take you home in
his carriage.”

“
That
dreadful man?”

“
Of
course, Lady Cartwright,” Dominic heard himself say. “My carriage
is at your disposal.”

“
Very
good, Your Grace, then
we
shall
take the carriage and Lady Tarly can take the barouche. By the way,
what happened to your… never mind.”

“
What
happened to my--- what?” Dominic asked but nobody listened to him.

“
I
can't go on my own!”

“
Agatha!”
Lady Cartwright shouted. “My daughter is unconscious!
She
can't
go on her own.”

“
I
could go with Lady Tarly,” Miss Parker said. Dominic thought her a
martyr.

Eugenia
moaned, nestled her head against Dominic's chest and smiled.

The
ladies looked bewildered.

“
Is
she sleeping?” Miss Parker whispered.

“
I
think so. How peculiar,” Lady Cartwright whispered in return.

“
That
dreadful man!” Lady Tarly whimpered.

“
Miss
Parker, you must go back inside and find your mother. She'll be
looking for you. We can proceed from here without you. But do call on
us tomorrow. Gigi would be very glad!” There was something strange
in Lady Cartwright's eyes as she said it, but Dominic was too
distracted by the feeling of Gigi's head against his chest to
pinpoint it.

Miss
Parker left.

Lady
Cartwright spoke.
“
My
dear Surrey. I can't allow Lady Tarly to return home on her own. She
has a sickness of the nerves. I have to rely on
you
to
safely return my little dove to Halfmoon Street. As an old friend of
your mother's, I trust you and leave her in your care without a
chaperone.”

The
coachmen had driven up both vehicles, the carriage and the barouche.

Lady
Cartwright helped Lady Tarly in and off they went.

Dominic
was struck dumb.

How
can she just leave me standing here with her sick child in my arms?
What a strange behaviour for a mother. What am I to do? I can't take
her home on my own, without a chaperone? She'll be utterly
compromised. But then, it is true; Lady Cartwright's an old friend of
the family. I won't harm the little dove, after all, she's
unconscious! What could possibly happen?

He
lifted Gigi into the carriage and carefully positioned her on the
bench.

Thank
God, I'm a man of luxurious tastes. It's almost as comfortable as a
bed. Velvet and cushions and all!

He
closed the door and knocked against the rear wall as a signal for the
carriage to depart.

It
was dark inside.

Dominic's
eyes were fixed on Eugenia. They wandered from her face to her neck,
to her well-rounded bosom, her small waist.

He
could see the long, slim legs through the fine cloth of her gown.

His
breathing was heavy.

He
could take her now, he mused. Nobody could stop him.

But
he would not, of course. He was a gentlemen. He was a man of his
word. He was Surrey!

As
he looked at her face again, he froze.

Her
eyes were open.

10.

A
luxurious carriage, late at night

I'm
dreaming. Oh, I love these dreams. What a wonderfully soft bench this
is...

Dominic
is looking at me with burning eyes, just like he always does.

But
why doesn't he touch me? Why doesn't he tell me how much he loves and
desires me? Maybe he's simply admiring my beauty. Yes, that must be
it.

“
Do
you like what you see?” She smiled at him.

Why
doesn't he say anything? Usually he'd say, “you are so beautiful,
it's hurting my eyes.”

But
if he doesn't want to talk, fine with me. We don't have to talk.

She
sat up to face him. Outside the lights were flickering by. It all
seemed wonderfully real
.

Why
does this have to be a dream?

But
where else could she be, alone with him? They had been alone before,
in her dreams. Countless times. They had sailed on ships, ridden on
horseback, they had been snowed in at a Scottish castle, and they had
bathed in the waters of the Caribbean.

Gigi
gently caressed his thigh with her gloved hand. Still, he did not
move.

She
inhaled his unique scent.

Knowing
how he smelled was a wonderful new aspect of her dreams, ever since
she had encountered him at the bookshop.

In
one quick move she was on his side of the carriage, kneeling above
him, his hips between her thighs. She felt his hard manliness through
her gown and sweet fire shot into her, right there, where their
bodies touched.

A
new sensation.

Gigi
had never dreamed anything like this before.

It
was confusing but maddeningly compelling.

She
kissed him hungrily on the mouth, entranced by the feeling of
realness. An overpowering desire took hold of her. Her body had taken
over command of her senses. She let herself sink lower to feel more
pressure in that suddenly tender spot.

His
arms were around her and he drew her closer. Not close enough for
Gigi. She wanted him to undress, to feel his naked skin on hers, to
have him all around her, on top of her, inside her. She began to move
her hips, the need for him growing stronger and stronger. She had to
have him in
there
. Now! How could she let him know? How was it
done?

She
took her mouth away from his.

“
Dominic,
I need you so,” she whispered into his ear.

“
Eugenia...”
He sighed and kissed her with more urgency. “I love you. Marry me.”

Why
would he want to marry her? They were already married.

Their
wedding had taken place on a pirate ship, did he not remember?

“
But
we are already married,” she objected when his lips left hers for a
brief moment.

“
What?
No---”

The
carriage stopped.

“
Halfmoon
Street!” The coachman called out.

“
That
dreadful man!” A woman yelled outside.

The
duke pushed Gigi away and she fell back onto the opposite seat.

She
hit her arm. It hurt.

“
Mary!
That dreadful man has arrived! Somebody has to get Eugenia out of his
carriage and it won't be me!”

Gigi
came to her senses.

Her
aunt's voice was much too real and had never featured in any of her
dreams before.

I'm
not dreaming! This is no dream!

This
is NO DREAM?

She
remembered the waltz, then blackness.

The
Duke of Surrey sat in silence, looking at his feet.

Gigi
got up and slapped him.

“
You
dreadful man!” She spat. “This is no dream! You are not allowed
to do any of this outside of my dreams! You shamefully abused my
situation for your woebegone desires! Were I not a lady I should
demand satisfaction! I'm not one of your cyprians whom you can relish
at your pleasure! Who do you take me for? No, do not answer me, Your
Grace. There is nothing graceful about you. You are a haughty,
arrogant, sinister and reprobate scoundrel!”

“
Gigi,
I---”

She
slapped him again.

“
Silence!”
She waved her forefinger in front of his nose. “You have no right
to use that name. You have no right to address me at all! If you
should ever cross my path again, Sir, I swear my wroth will be beyond
imagination! You horrid traitor, I saw you ogling that cow Serena
Locksley!”

“
Who?
I---”

She
slapped him once more and climbed out of the carriage.

11.

Grosvenor
Square, the next morning

Dominic
sat at his elegant tea table. A footman in gold livery poured brandy
into a glass.

Brandy
had been the duke's diet for the past few hours.