What a Reckless Rogue Needs (22 page)

“We will have to leave soon,” he said.

“I wish we could stay.”

“You will think me greedy,” he said, “but I want to make love to you once more.”

“I want you again,” she said.

A sly expression entered his eyes. “Will you be my mistress?”

“What are you about?” she said.

He led her back to the chaise. “On your knees.”

“What game do you play?” she whispered.

“You can say no, but will you do my bidding?”

She wet her lips. “Why should I?”

“Because I will reward you,” he said in a rough tone.

She knelt on the carpet between his spread legs. The bulge in his trousers gave evidence to his excitement.

“What do you bid me to do?” she whispered.

“Release the buttons on my falls.”

She let her fingers brush over him as she slowly released the buttons one by one. The game made her breathless. Her breasts felt heavy, and she wanted him inside her.

When he sprang out, she looked up into his eyes. “May I touch you?”

“Yes.” His voice sounded harsh.

She ran her finger in circles around him. There was a drop of moisture on top.

“Have I pleased you?” She liked pretending she was a libidinous courtesan.

He pulled her forward and lifted the skirts to her waist. “Touch yourself.”

She looked at the carpet. “I am too shy.”

“Straddle my leg.”

When she did, he took her hand and guided it to her sex. “Do you like it?”

“I like your touch better.”

He caressed her intimately until her legs felt like jelly. Then he inserted first one and then another finger. “You are slick and wet. I like the sound of moisture as I pleasure you.”

She was breathing fast, and so was he. His words encouraged her to be brazen. “You please me,” she said, “but I am wanton and greedy.”

“What are you greedy for?” he said.

She wrapped her hand around his aroused cock.

“You want to ride astride me?”

“Yes.”

“You are new at this,” he said, “but you are eager.”

“I am eager for you.”

“You may straddle me now,” he said.

She did his bidding. “Will you pleasure me?”

“Yes.” Her breathing grew labored with the caress of his fingers.

“Do you want me?” he said, his voice low.

“Yes, I am lascivious and live for pleasure.”

“I want to watch you.”

She rose up on her knees and guided him. He went slowly, but God almighty he’d never been this lust-crazed in his life.

When she rocked into him, he almost spent his seed immediately, but he was as hungry as she to continue their role-play. He splayed his hands over her bottom as he lifted up to meet her. Then as he sensed she was as close to the edge as he was, he locked his mouth to hers and mimicked his tongue play with his thrusts inside her. She was panting and cried out. He could feel the contractions of her release all around him, and he spilled his seed again.

She clutched his shoulders. Their bodies were still joined.

“You have to marry me,” he said.

“No, I’m a famous courtesan. I refuse to keep only one man.”

He laughed a little. “Darling girl, you may pretend to be anyone you wish, but you will never escape me now. I’ve had more than a taste of you, and it will never be enough.”

He dressed in yesterday’s clothes and helped her into the stays, petticoats, and gown afterward.

“Angeline, I’ve been thinking. Let’s announce the engagement.”

“No, we need to use the time to talk.”

“There is nothing to be proved by letting this drag on. You know we will have no privacy at Deerfield.”

“I need time, Colin.”

“For what? We will figure things out as we go, like any other couple.”

“I know what you stand to lose at Sommerall,” she said, “but you know what I’ve been through, and I cannot be rushed.”

“Do you trust me or not?”

“Of course I do,” she said.

“Then let me make our engagement public.”

“If we announce it now, they will suspect what we’ve been doing.”

The clatter of hooves sounded. He looked out the window. “There’s John.”

“I wish we could stay,” she said.

“So do I.” He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply. Her head was spinning, and her heart was full of love for him.

“One week, Angeline, and I will announce our engagement.”

When she hesitated, he said, “I know you’re afraid, but you need to trust me, starting today. One week.”

“Very well,” she said.

He hugged her hard. “We must go before your father decides to send out a search party.”

They arrived at Deerfield to discover Wycoff and the marquess about to board a carriage.

“I began to think you might have drowned last night,” the marquess said to Colin.

“Angeline was frightened and wanted to leave, but of course we could not. It wasn’t safe to travel.”

“Daughter, are you well?” the duke demanded.

“Yes, I’m fine, Papa. Just a little rumpled in yesterday’s clothing.”

“I’m sorry for the miserable night,” Colin said, meeting her eyes. “I’m sure you will wish to rest once you are in your room.”

“I am fatigued. It was a long night, but I’m glad the storm passed.”

It was one of the best nights he’d had in years, but he kept that between his teeth.

“Well, we might as well go indoors,” the marquess said. “Colin, after you make yourself presentable, please attend me in my study.”

He nodded.

An hour later, he knocked on his father’s door and sat before the desk.

“That was quite a storm last night,” Colin said. “Is everything fine here at Deerfield?”

“Lightning struck a tree limb. I’ve got men chopping it now. Your sisters scared Penelope by telling ghost stories last night.”

He laughed. “I’m not surprised.”

“That ugly dog howled most of the night. I threatened to turn it out in the storm, but Margaret accused me of cruelty. Then your sisters started crying, and I thought we’d never get everybody in bed and asleep. What a night.” He paused and said, “What happened with Mr. and Mrs. Faraday? Did they show?”

“Oh, yes,” Colin said. When he finished the story, he said, “You probably would regret having them as neighbors. You would likely find them calling a little too often.”

“Something needs to be done,” the marquess said. “I can’t let the place go to rack and ruin, and it most certainly will if I do nothing. It’s a miracle the place has withstood the years as well as it has.”

“Last night, I feared the heavy rain would expose leaks, but everything appeared to be in good order.”

The marquess sighed. “I expect you know that Wycoff is concerned about you staying in the same house alone with his daughter.”

“We had no choice,” Colin said. “Would he have preferred I risk her life, that of the driver, and the horses?”

“Of course not,” the marquess said, “but it wouldn’t hurt if you reassured Wycoff that his daughter suffered no harm.”

Colin looked out the window and then he turned to his father. “I have no intention of reassuring Wycoff. I know she is his daughter, but it is disrespectful on his part to question either of us. Moreover, we are not sniveling adolescents.”

Of course their nocturnal and morning activities had not been innocent, but they were thirty-one years old and more than mature enough to deal with any consequences. Mind, he hoped there weren’t any, but if so, they would marry in a hurry.

But that only brought to mind this ridiculous secret engagement. Thank goodness he’d persuaded her to make the announcement in one week. He’d grown weary of it and did not see how they would prove anything by allowing the situation to drag on for another two and one-half weeks.

“Colin, you know what their family has been through,” the marquess said.

“Yes, a roué treated her badly, but Wycoff should take a portion of the blame. He has plenty of connections, and he let a known libertine hoodwink him.”

“I came to the same conclusion. He is a good friend, but in the case of Brentmoor, his judgment became clouded.”

Colin nodded. “Men like Brentmoor train their sights on the unwary. They recognize others’ vulnerabilities and take advantage.” He felt like a hypocrite. He’d taken advantage of Angeline last night. Of course, he would never admit it.

“Wycoff needs to own up to his mistakes, and he needs to be kind to his daughter,” Colin said.

The marquess frowned. “What do mean?”

“Wycoff is wrapped up in his own guilt. He keeps away from Angeline, and my understanding is that they were close before this all happened. He is wounding her as badly as Brentmoor.”

The marquess clasped his hands over his slight paunch. “I hesitate to get involved.”

“Who better than his oldest friend?” Colin said. “You will tell him what he needs to hear, not what he wants to hear.”

The marquess sighed. “It may well end in the ruin of a lifelong friendship.”

“He won’t like it,” Colin said. “What man would? But when he becomes defensive, you will tell him that he must stop wallowing in his guilt and be a husband and father to his family.”

“Where the devil did you acquire this wisdom?”

Colin huffed. “From you.”

His father burst out laughing.

Two days later

T
he grounds were too soggy and muddy for walking, so everyone was forced to spend their days indoors, except for the marquess and the duke, who didn’t think a little mud would hurt anyone. Margaret disagreed, but she’d long ago thrown up her hands when her husband tracked mud or dirt indoors.

Colin invited Angeline to play backgammon with him. He knew it would be a challenging game, because she was more clever than most, but he recalled their conversation the last time they had pretended to play. Since Margaret, the duchess, and the girls were involved in needlework, he figured the others would leave them to concentrate.

As they set up the stones for the game, he glanced at her. “You are well?”

“Yes.”

“Were there questions?” he asked.

“My mother was appalled that you unlaced me, but I told her to be sensible. You were the only one available.”

“How did she react?”

Angeline moved a stone. “She fears you took a disgust of me. I explained that it was only circumstances, and she blamed herself for allowing me to attend you.”

“That’s foolish. I hope you did not take it to heart.”

“I told her I could not be a martyr to my stays.”

He grinned.

“Did you take a disgust of me after my wanton behavior?” she whispered.

He met her gaze. “I started the game. Were you disgusted? Be truthful.”

“No, I found it…exciting.” She rolled the dice.

“Now you are remorseful?”

“No, but…”

“But what?”

“I want to do it again,” she whispered.

His breath whooshed out of him, and his groin tightened. “Me too.”

She moved a stone. “I’m shameless.”

His shoulders shook with laughter.

“Do not laugh. They are liable to ask what is so funny,” she whispered.

He rolled the dice. “I am eager for another visit.”

She blinked. “I beg your pardon?”

He leaned forward and whispered, “From the famous courtesan.”

“She is entertaining other gentlemen,” she said under her breath.

“I forbid it. She is mine and mine alone.”

“Exclusive visits will cost you. She demands rubies and sapphires.”

He looked into her eyes. “She is beautiful and very desirable.”

“I can hardly believe I was capable of the things I said and did. I don’t know what is wrong with me.”

“Nothing is wrong with you. It’s only fantasy.”

“It is not ladylike.”

He leaned forward and said under his breath, “Angeline, I’ve never wanted a woman more in my life.”

“You are only trying to be polite and spare my feelings,” she whispered, “even though I acted like Satan’s mistress.”

He laughed, but his imagination soared. He pictured her walking in a room in nothing but one of those enormous shawls women favored. Then he imagined tearing it off of her luscious body and having his wicked way with her on the carpet.

“Colin, why do you have that gleam in your eyes?” Bianca said.

Uh-oh. “I am about to trounce Angeline.”

“You are not,” Angeline said.

He looked at the board. “What happened?”

“I beared off all fifteen stones,” she said. “I won.”

While he’d been entertaining fantasies of her naked, she’d been strategizing.

“I am a gentleman and naturally let you win.”

“Keep telling yourself lies,” she said, “but I know better.”

When everyone gathered for breakfast, the marquess folded his hands. “I have it on the best of authority from one of the groomsmen that at long last the grounds are dry in most of the areas. I imagine everyone is anxious to be out of doors for a change.”

A round of applause went up. Colin smiled at Angeline. They would probably have to spend the first hour or so walking with everyone else, but he hoped that he and Angeline would be able to take a different path so that they could discuss whether they could build a life together.

“Mama, can we ride?” Bianca asked.

“Not today,” the marchioness said. “We will all enjoy a very long walk about the grounds, and then afterward, we will have luncheon, as everyone will be hungry from the exercise.”

“Mama, may we take Hercules?” Bernadette asked.

“Yes, but bring his leash in the event he manages to find a puddle or mud.” Margaret rose. “Chadwick, do try not to step in every mud puddle.”

“Wycoff and I are not afraid of mud,” the marquess said.

“I know, dear, but given the amount of mud you have managed to find, I would be grateful if you might condescend to avoid some of the puddles.”

“We shall see,” the marquess said. “Ah, here are the guns.”

Margaret shook her head. “Let us all put on our warmest wraps, gloves, and hats. We will meet in the hall in fifteen minutes.”

Colin knew it was important that he treat Angeline as a friend only in front of their mothers and sisters. It was not an easy task when she favored him with one of her brilliant smiles and walked beside him. But he thought better of being familiar with her. Wycoff had been displeased about the night they had spent at Sommerall. Fortunately, the marquess had told Wycoff to let him know the day he could predict the weather, as he would sell tickets for miles around.

Hercules forged ahead and the leash slipped from Bianca’s gloved hand. “Hercules, come back!”

The dog ignored her and ran farther and farther away.

“He’ll be lost,” Bianca cried.

Colin whistled as he chased after the dog. Naturally Hercules ignored him. “Come back here!” he yelled. Hercules spied a red squirrel and chased it yards ahead until the squirrel ran up a tree. The foolish dog pawed the tree and barked continuously. Colin scooped the dog up, and of course, he got dirty paw prints all over his coat. “No wonder my father threatens to put you in the dustbin,” he muttered.

The girls surrounded him and clapped their hands.

“Bianca, put the leash on him. I saw some mud puddles,” Colin said. “Father is liable to make good on his promise to get rid of Hercules if you don’t take care of him.”

“Thank you for catching him,” Bianca said.

“I thought you meant to teach him some commands,” Colin said.

“Such as?” Bernadette said.

“Command him to sit.”

“Sit, Hercules,” Bernadette said.

The dog lolled his tongue.

“Push his bottom to the ground.”

Colin looked up at the sound of Angeline’s voice. “Good idea.”

“Sit, Hercules,” Colin said, pushing the dog’s hind end to the grass.

Hercules promptly stood up and lolled his tongue.

“You’ll have to do it repeatedly for him to learn,” Angeline said.

“You’ve trained a dog before?” he asked.

“Yes, but I gave him a small treat as a reward when he obeyed.”

He met her gaze and remembered the command he’d given her that morning at Sommerall. He still couldn’t believe she’d played along.

Her lips parted and she shaded the brim of her bonnet as she looked away. Ah, she might well be remembering.

Colin handed the leash to Bianca. “Today let’s not let him loose since there are mud puddles, and it would be just your luck he would find them.”

“After we return to the house, ask Cook for some bits of meat that you can use to reward him,” Angeline said. “Teach him one command at a time.”

“Thank you, Angeline,” Bianca said. “Papa makes fun of Hercules, but he really is a smart dog.”

“You must take care of him and teach him manners,” Colin said.

Hercules broke wind.

“Pew,” Colin said, waving his hand.

“He does some very unmannerly things,” Bernadette said.

Angeline and his sisters laughed.

Colin groaned. “You had better train him not to do that in our father’s presence. That might be the last straw for Papa.”

Colin stood. “Margaret is waving from the folly. Shall we catch up to them?”

This time Colin let the girls walk ahead and lagged behind with Angeline. “It seems a long time since we last had a conversation.”

“I think we are all grateful to be out of doors.”

“I don’t suppose you have any news,” he said.

“Not yet.” She paused. “Colin, are you sure about the engagement? There are only three days left. We do not have to rush.”

He couldn’t tell her that he dared not wait any longer for fear of losing Sommerall.

Unlike him, Angeline would do anything for her family. She would marry to make her parents and her sister happy. When he thought about the way he’d ignored his own family, he was ashamed. He’d been a selfish man.

He couldn’t change all the years he’d sullenly come home for Christmas. Without fail, he’d resented attending the annual house party and often left early to rake, drink, and gamble in London. He’d preferred the company of acquaintances he didn’t care about over the members of his own family. But he could change for the better and start afresh. He could make amends and be there for his father, stepmother, and sisters. But there was someone else who needed him, someone he’d mistreated.

Since the day Angeline had told him what Brentmoor had done to her and her family, he’d seen himself as the good man, the one who would never hurt her. But he’d been a cad. He’d actually told her he wouldn’t abandon her if she found herself with child. Now he felt the shame bone-deep. She was the daughter of his father’s best friend, and he’d bedded her, without offering a single tender word. She deserved better.

Guilt would not help either of them, but he could help her reclaim her life and her rightful place in society. It would not be a simple matter, but for once in his life he would give to someone he cared about without expecting something in return.

Three days later

It had rained twice more, and now the grounds were saturated, and the paths were muddy. The roads were as well. The marquess and duke continued to trudge through mud, and Colin was so wild to get out of doors that he accompanied them one day. He attempted to shoot a pheasant and ended up shooting into mud that splattered in his hair and all over his clothes. He returned to the house, preferring confinement in a two-hundred-room mansion to mud.

This particular morning, he played billiards, though it wasn’t much fun with no competition. His mood perked up when Angeline darted inside, until she closed the door.

“You had better open the door,” he said.

“Colin, I dare not open the door.”

His heart thudded in his chest. “You have news?” Was he going to be a father? Was he ready for such a step?

“There were no consequences,” she whispered.

He almost sagged with relief. “That is good news.”

She nodded, but she didn’t look happy about it.

He took her hands. “Were you hoping for a baby?”

She shrugged. “We are fortunate to escape the consequences.”

“It would be better to get such news after marriage.” He paused. “Tonight, in the drawing room, I will make the announcement.”

She wet her lips. “Yes.”

“Are you afraid?”

“I suppose everyone is a bit anxious before a life-changing event.”

“I’m glad about the engagement, Angeline. Our parents will be as well.”

“I had better return to the drawing room before someone discovers me here.”

“You are miserable doing needlework?”

“I’m going mad,” she said, leaning against the door.

“Angeline, no one is forcing you. If you don’t wish to do needlework, read a book.”

“I will feel guilty, because everyone else is mending or embroidering handkerchiefs or darning stockings. The mending does need to be taken care of.”

“Perhaps you could read to everyone else while they mend or embroider,” he said.

“You’re brilliant. Margaret has a copy of
Sense and Sensibility
. I could read it to them.”

“Well, it’s hardly a brilliant suggestion, but if it pleases you, it pleases me.”

She stepped closer to him. “I miss you.”

As much as he would love to kiss her, he didn’t want someone to catch them alone behind a closed door. It might create problems between their families, and he wanted the announcement to be void of any possible scandal. “You had better return, Angeline. It would not do if we were caught alone in here.”

She nodded. “I promised to tell you.”

Someone knocked on the door. He winced.

I’m sorry
, she mouthed.

He opened the door. Penelope stood there.

“I beg your pardon,” Penny said. “Angeline, will you come with me to the drawing room?”

“Yes, of course,” Angeline said. “I just needed to tell Colin something I remembered about Sommerall.”

Penny regarded him with a slight frown. “Come, Sister. Mama will worry if you are gone too long.”

“Angeline,” Penny said as they walked through the great hall. “Mama sent me to find you when you did not immediately return to the drawing room.”

“Mama is overly finicky.” She wished her mother would not hover.

“You were expected to attend. Everyone noticed you were gone.”

“I had every intention of returning to the drawing room.” Where else could she go when the grounds were soaked and muddy?

“You will be cautious, will you not?”

Penny’s question made her heart race. “About what, dearest?”

“You should not have gone to the billiard room.”

Relief filled her. “Oh, you worry for nothing.”

“You are spending a great deal of time with him.”

“I have been helping him at Sommerall,” Angeline said. “There’s nothing to be concerned about. It is only Colin.”

Penny halted. “Why did you close the door?”

The question caught her unaware. “I only meant to tell him something, and I was on the verge of leaving when you came.” It was all true, but not nearly as innocent as she’d made it sound.

“Please be careful,” Penny said.

“Yes, I do not wish to inadvertently give the wrong impression,” she said. Her stomach felt a little queasy. She’d had to tell him there were no consequences. It would have been cruel to make him wait.

“I do not want you to ever have to leave again,” Penny said.