To Seduce a Bride (30 page)

“Fortunately not,” Roslyn agreed. “We will be living here in London most of the year since Drew has so many obligations to Parliament and the government.”

“Well,” Arabella interrupted briskly, “we had best stop chatting and get you dressed, or you will be late. You don't want to keep your groom waiting at the altar for long. Lily, will you ring for Nan so she can arrange Roslyn's hair? We could do it ourselves, as we did for years, but with so much of the ton sure to be in attendance, she must look worthy of being a duke's bride.”

         

A large number of the ton was indeed present at St. George's church in Hanover Square, Lily saw when they arrived. And most of those wedding guests were amazed to see the illustrious Duke of Arden willingly don the shackles of matrimony to marry Miss Roslyn Loring, whose family had such a scandalous past.

The baroque splendor of the church provided a regal setting for a society wedding. With her elegant golden beauty, Roslyn made the loveliest bride imaginable, and Arden seemed her ideal match with his fair hair and strikingly handsome features. Indeed, their union seemed like the perfect ending to a fairy tale.

Lily spent much of the lengthy ceremony trying to calm her unsettled nerves. She was much too aware of Heath sitting beside her, and too aware of how his proximity would look to the ton, rousing speculation that there would soon be a third wedding in the Loring family.

She spoke to Heath as little as possible, not only because she wanted to discourage his suit but because of the tightness in her throat. When at last the ceremony ended and Lily said her final farewells to the bride and groom, the threatening sting of tears only increased.

Mutely she accompanied the other guests as they left the church to gather on the massive Corinthian portico and see off the newlywedded couple in the duke's coach, which was adorned with white roses and satin ribbons and pulled by a team of six white horses wearing plumed headdresses.

Heath stood beside Lily, watching as the carriage drove away. Basil had disappeared somewhere in the crowd, although she hadn't noticed his absence until this moment. Fanny was speaking to Arabella while waiting for her own carriage.

Glancing up at Heath, Lily swallowed against the ache. “Well,” she murmured, her voice husky with unshed tears, “I believe I have fulfilled my obligation to you for today, my lord—spending time in your company.”

He merely looked at her for a long moment. Then to her startlement, he took her elbow and escorted her back inside the church.

Perplexed, Lily went along reluctantly as he led her down a maze of corridors. When they reached a deserted chamber that appeared to be a clerical office, Heath shut them inside, then turned to face her.

“That is the problem between us, isn't it Lily? You see me merely as an obligation.”

She regarded Heath uncertainly, wondering what his objective was in bringing her here. “Since you asked…yes. I am obliged to endure your formal courtship since you won the game. Yet I agreed to the terms, so I am prepared to honor my word.”

“But you would rather be drowned in boiling oil.”

“Well, to be quite candid—”

His mouth curled with irony. “Are you ever otherwise?”

“To be honest, Heath,” Lily began again, trying to keep the desperation out of her voice, “your courting me continues to be pointless. I will never wed you. And I don't believe you truly want to wed me.”

“You are gravely mistaken, Lily.” His searching eyes were vibrantly intense, disturbingly aware. “I want to wed you more than ever…because I have fallen in love with you.”

Lily drew in a sharp breath, certain she hadn't heard him correctly. “You cannot mean that.”

“Of course I can. I love you, Lily. Rather intensely, in fact.”

The desperation she felt increased to panic. How could she keep her heart safe when he was saying such tender things to her?

“You do not love me, Heath! You couldn't possibly. You have known me for barely two weeks.”

“It has been much longer since we first met. And even then I knew you were very special. Someone who might prove to be my ideal match.”

“But love?” Lily shook her head earnestly. She wouldn't believe that Heath really loved her. She couldn't let herself. “I just cannot credit it.”

His bright eyes held hers, never wavering. “Do you want to know why I fell in love with you, sweetheart? Because you are vibrant and passionate and full of life. You make
me
feel alive. You make me feel joyous and exhilarated. With you I look forward to each new day as an adventure.
That
is why I love you.”

He gave a soft laugh. “I have been looking for you my entire life, Lily, even though I never realized it. And once I found you, I had no choice but to love you.”

At his confession, Lily felt a helpless dismay wash over her. She didn't dare listen to Heath's beguiling words. They were too seductive. Too dangerous. They made her heart too vulnerable.

She had to return their argument to a logical footing at once, she thought frantically.

“You want me as your wife because you want heirs,” she insisted.

“No, Lily. I once thought I could be satisfied with a marriage of convenience because we are compatible in so many ways. But I was wrong. To be happy, I need a real marriage with you. I want a family with you, children. A future. But most of all I want your love. I am not asking for that now. I think in time it will come. But for now I will be satisfied if you simply give me a chance.”

Stepping closer, Heath curled his hand against her cheek. “You fill a void in me I never knew existed, Lily. And I believe I can fill that same void in you. I could be a good husband to you.”

Her gaze was caught helplessly in his as he stroked her cheek with his thumb. Lily wanted to protest. That fierce yearning was stirring inside her again, and she knew it would only lead to pain and heartache….

When she determinedly managed to push away the tender feelings and draw back abruptly, Heath sighed and lowered his hand. “You will have to come to the same conclusion on your own, Lily. The decision to marry me must be yours, because you want to. Because you want to spend the rest of your life with me. Because you can't imagine any other choice. That is how I feel about you, Lily. I can't imagine living my life without you.”

“And I cannot imagine living my life
with
you, Heath,” she said rather desperately. “You know I plan to never marry.”

“Because you fear being hurt.” His eyes delved deeply, intently into hers. “I cannot guarantee that I will never hurt you. I can only swear that I will never betray you or abandon you. But you will have to take me on faith. I cannot make you trust me, any more than can I make you believe my feelings for you.”

Clenching her fingers together, Lily retreated another several steps. “I don't believe you truly love me,” she repeated fervently. “Noblemen of your ilk don't fall in love.”

Faint amusement touched his mouth. “Try telling that to Marcus and Drew.”

Knowing she was losing the debate, Lily groped for an even more desperate argument. “Even if you did fancy yourself in love with me, you cannot promise me fidelity forever. My father was disastrously unfaithful in his marriage, and you could be just like him. I couldn't trust that you would give up your myriad lovers for my sake.”

Heath's gaze was intense, clear, and suddenly ruthlessly focused on hers. She could see he was struggling to keep his emotions in check, and his tone held a rough edge when he replied. “Even if you question my honor, you should have more confidence in your own abilities. Any man who can command all that fiery passion of yours in bed will likely never stray. Fidelity is one thing I can promise you.”

Lily shook her head again. “It doesn't matter how many promises you make, Heath. I won't risk it.”

His jaw hardening in frustration, he raked a hand through his hair. “Your cherished independence will be cold comfort when you are old and gray. You were not meant for spinsterhood.”

She raised her chin stubbornly. “I was willing to be your mistress, but you turned me down out of hand.”

“Because carnal pleasure is not enough for me. For you, either, I am sure of it. And that
is
something I can prove to you.”

Her regard turned uneasy. “What do you mean?”

Closing the distance between them, he reached up to cup her left breast. Lily jumped at the unmistakable sizzle of lightning his touch engendered. As her nipple sprang to taut life, she drew back, shaken, and turned away in alarm, blindly reaching for the door.

She had grasped the handle when Heath wordlessly moved to stand behind her, drawing her back against his body. She felt the warmth of his thighs against the backs of her legs, even through their clothing.

His voice dropped to a rough murmur. “Shall I prove my claim, sweet Lily?”

“No, don't—”

“I think I should.” He molded himself to her body, triggering a surge of heat deep inside her. “I could take you right here, you know…from behind, so that I wouldn't even have to see your face.”

When he lifted her skirts, Lily went rigid, feeling the sudden kiss of cool air on her bare thighs, her exposed buttocks. She couldn't believe Heath was acting this outrageous way. It would be scandalous to make love in a church.

His wickedness shocked her, but his coldness shocked her even more. Yet she was powerless to pull away, and she remained mute as his hands slid softly over the globes of her buttocks, even when his knee eased her legs apart.

When his fingers trailed up her inner thigh to brush against her silky folds, though, Lily gasped, her stomach clenching as she felt those long, strong fingers caressing her. When he teased the bud of her sex, Lily gritted her teeth, fighting that part of herself that hungered for him. It was shameful, how much she wanted him.

Then he slowly slid a finger inside her and nearly buckled her knees. She pushed back against him helplessly, locking her jaw to hold back her moan of need, her hand gripping the doorknob as if her life depended on it.

Yet he was right, Lily realized in some distant part of her mind. Carnal pleasure was not enough. His touch was detached, passionless, calculating. Nothing like the tender lover she longed for.

His voice was just as remote when he spoke again. “I don't believe I will take you this way after all. You see, angel…if all I wanted was nameless, faceless sex, any woman would do.”

Withdrawing his finger from her, Heath let her skirts fall. Lily shivered with disappointment and shame, but it appeared he wasn't done with her.

He kept his body pressed against hers while his lips found her ear. “I could make you scream with pleasure, Lily. But in the end, all that would be engaged are our bodies. It is your heart and mind I want. Your very soul.”

A sharp ache escalated in her chest while absurd, ridiculous tears pricked at the back of her eyes. She bit her lip hard because she didn't want to cry, but Heath went on, his voice harsh and low.

“It is
you
I want, Lily,” he repeated. “Not any other lover. Not any other woman. Not any other wife. But I intend to grant your wish. I am through chasing you and beating my head against the walls you've erected. Unless you agree to wed me, I intend to keep away from you.”

His hands reaching up to lightly grasp her shoulders, he eased her away from the door and opened it, then stepped out into the corridor. But he glanced back over his shoulder at her, his eyes dark as night and bright as fire.

“What we have between us is unique and very rare, Lily. Only a fool would throw it away. I never took you for a fool, but perhaps I was wrong.”

He left her standing there, staring after him. He couldn't have unnerved her more if he'd shaken her. She felt dazed, dismayed, miserable.

Which was supremely foolish. Heath shouldn't have the power to hurt her. But he had walked away, Lily acknowledged, feeling the hot sting of tears behind her eyes.

Becoming aware of her weakness, she dashed furiously at the dampness. She wouldn't cry over a man as her mother had done so frequently. Indeed, there was no reason for her to cry. This was exactly what she had wanted, hoped for! For Heath to leave her entirely alone.

She had been right to refuse his offer of marriage; right to reject his dubious declarations of love. She couldn't deny that a sharp pain had settled in the pit of her stomach, but there would be far worse pain in store if she allowed herself to be drawn into loving him.

Wiping her eyes one last time, Lily took a shaky breath and left the room in search of Basil.

“Where the devil have you been?” he demanded when she found him outside on the portico. “You told me to remain beside you—”

“Never mind, will you please just take me home?”

His gaze narrowed. “What is wrong, Lily? Have you been
crying
?”

“Yes, because I am sad at losing my sister. But nothing is wrong. Indeed, everything is utterly perfect.”

She kept telling herself that during the entire drive back to the boardinghouse, no matter that she couldn't make herself believe it for a single moment.

As soon as they entered, however, Lily was jarred from her emotional turmoil.

Something was wrong, she realized as Ellen came rushing up to her in agitation. Apparently the chambermaid had been watching for her arrival.

“Oh, Miss Loring, Miss Delee wants to see you right away!”

“What is the matter, Ellen?” Lily asked, somewhat alarmed.

“I don't know exactly, but I think it has to do with Miss Irwin.”

“Where is Miss Delee?”

“In her sitting room upstairs.”

“I will go to her at once,” Lily said, turning away quickly.

She hurried up the stairs with Basil hard on her heels. When she reached the sitting room, she found Chantel wringing her hands and Fleur pacing the floor. Another distraught woman was seated on the sofa, her face splotched with tears.