Surprisingly, the elderly woman smiled. “It won’t be easy for you, naturally. You do have a struggle, a worthwhile struggle, ahead of you. I believe I speak for a great many people in saying it will be quite interesting to watch.”
Lady Lyon arranged for the two of them to attend a series of private soirées, at which their marriage was announced in a quiet and seemly manner. There was no way to avoid the appearance of scandal, not when the details of their “courtship” were being bandied about London. But at least Lady Lyon had managed to water down the disgrace somewhat. At her insistence, Lily wore modestly becoming gowns to these affairs, and took care to associate mostly with dowagers and respectable married women.
To Lily’s surprise, the men she had gambled with, traded friendly insults with, drank and joked with at Craven’s treated her with unexpected deference at these gatherings. Occasionally one of the elderly gentlemen would give her a surreptitious wink, as if they were engaging in a pleasant conspiracy. Their wives, on the other hand, were only marginally friendly. But no one dared to cut her openly, since Lady Lyon and her revered cronies were always at her side. It also helped that Lily possessed an impressive title and the backing of an even more impressive fortune.
With each gathering she navigated through successfully, Lily became more “established.” She couldn’t help noticing the change in the way others regarded her, the courtesies and attentions they paid her. In fact, some of the aristocrats who had been only coolly polite to her for years were now complimentary, even affectionate, as if she had always been a great favorite. Privately she denounced this entire procedure of becoming respectable as a great indignity, which amused Alex greatly.
“I’m being trotted forth for their inspection,” Lily told him while they pored over a list of invitations in one of the upstairs sitting rooms. “Like some pony with ribbons braided through her tail. ‘Look, everyone, she isn’t quite as heathenish and vulgar as we feared’…I sincerely hope this is all worth the effort, my lord!”
“Is it really such a trial?” he asked sympathetically, his gray eyes gleaming with laughter.
“No,” she admitted. “I want to succeed. I’m terrified of what your aunt will do to me if I don’t.”
“She likes you,” he assured her.
“Oh, really? Is that why she’s always making remarks about my behavior and my eyes and my gowns. Why, the other day she complained that I was flaunting my bosom—Good God, I hardly have one to speak of!”
His brows drew together. “You have a beautiful bosom.”
Wryly she glanced down at her small, pert breasts. “When I was a girl, Mother always made me splash cold water on my chest to make them grow. They never did. Penelope’s bosom is much better than mine.”
“I never noticed hers,” he said, shoving the pile of invitations to the floor and reaching for her.
She evaded him with a quick laugh. “Alex! Lord Faxton will be here momentarily to discuss the bill he wants to propose.”
“Then he’ll have to wait.” Catching her around the waist, he pulled her beneath him on the sofa.
Lily laughed and wriggled in protest. “What if Burton shows him upstairs and he discovers us like this?”
“Burton’s too well trained for that.”
“Really, my lord, the pride you take in him makes me wonder.” She shoved at his shoulders and twisted under him. “I’ve never seen a man so attached to his butler.”
“Best damn butler in England,” he said, and pinned her down, enjoying her energetic grappling. For a woman of her diminutive size, she was remarkably strong. She giggled uncontrollably as she tried to fend him off. He let her nearly succeed in pushing him away, but then he collected her wrists in one hand and stretched them over her head. His other hand roamed boldly over her slender form.
“Alex, let me up,” she said breathlessly.
He pulled her sleeves down and tugged at her bodice. “Not until I convince you how beautiful you are.”
“I’m convinced. I’m beautiful. Ravishing. Now stop this at once.” She gasped as she heard the sound of delicate fabric ripping and stitches popping.
Staring into her eyes, Alex continued, to pull away the dress until her br**sts were exposed. His fingers brushed against her bare skin, sending tingles of delight through her. Gently he traced around the delicate peaks with a fingertip, his gaze smoldering as it fell on the slight curves of her breasts. Her playfulness vanished, and she began to breathe deeply. “My lord, we can wait until later. It’s important that…” Her mind swam with sensations, and she almost lost her train of thought. “Important to see Faxton when he arrives.”
“Nothing’s more important than you.”
“Be sensible—”
“I am being sensible.” His mouth opened over her nipple, drawing the taut bud tightly inside.
Lily trembled as he held her down and kissed her br**sts with leisurely sensuality. Her head turned listlessly to one side, then the other, her wrists flexing within his firm grip. Alex pulled her skirts up, the warmth of his hand seeping through her fine silk stockings as he caressed her legs. “I’ve never wanted any woman as much as I want you,” he murmured. His mouth played over the side of her neck, and he licked the inside of her ear. “I could devour you. I love your breasts, your mouth, everything about you. Do you believe me?” When she refused to answer, he rubbed his lips over hers, coaxing a reply. “Do you believe me?”
Through the tumult of her passion, she heard a knock upon the closed door of the sitting room. Her pleasure-drugged mind refused to accept the sound, but Alex paused, lifting his head and controlling his breathing. “Yes?” he demanded, his voice amazingly steady.
Burton’s sedate voice came through the closed door. “My lord, a number of visitors have just arrived, all at once.”
Alex frowned. “How many? Who is it?”
“Mr. and Mrs. Lawson, Lord and Lady Stamford, Master Henry, and a gentlemen he identified as his tutor.”
“My entire family?” Lily squeaked.
Alex sighed tautly. “Henry wasn’t supposed to arrive until tomorrow…was he?”
She shook her head dumbly.
Alex raised his voice so that Burton could hear him clearly. “Show them all to the downstairs parlor, Burton, and tell them we’ll join them right away.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Lily clutched at Alex’s shoulders, her body aching with unfulfilled desire. “No,” she moaned.
“We’ll continue this later,” he said, stroking her flushed cheek with his fingertip. Frustrated beyond her ability to bear, she caught at his hand and urged it to her breast. With a laugh, he pulled her body close and nuzzled against her hair. “They’ll want to stay for dinner.”
She gave a protesting groan. “Send them away,” she said, although she knew it wasn’t possible. “I want to be alone with you.”
Alex smiled crookedly and rubbed her back. “There’ll be thousands of nights for us. I promise.”
Lily nodded silently, although inside she was filled with despair. He couldn’t make such a promise when he didn’t know what she had kept hidden from him, the secret that would separate them forever.
Idly Alex investigated the torn edges of her bodice, dropping his head to kiss the shallow vale between her breasts. “You’d better change your gown,” he murmured, his breath collecting in the damp hollow and causing her to shiver. “Although I find you utterly charming like this, I’m not certain your mother would approve.”
Lily entered the parlor dressed in her favorite gown, a close-fitted garment made of dark red silk and trimmed with filmy embroidered net. The gauzy sleeves revealed flashes of her slender arms, while the slightly flared skirt moved gently around her legs as she walked. It was the gown of a temptress, hardly a style that Lady Lyon would have approved of. But it showed her to her best advantage, and Lily had decided to keep it as an at-home gown. Alex, who couldn’t take his eyes from her, most definitely approved.
“Lily!” Totty cried eagerly. “My favorite, darling daughter, my lovely child, I had to see you at once. You’ve made your dear mother so happy, so pleased and proud that I’m moved to tears of joy every time I think of you—”
“Hello, Mother,” Lily said wryly, hugging Totty and making a face at Penelope and Zachary. She was filled with satisfaction as she saw the two of them standing together. Penelope’s face was radiant with love as she stood nestled against Zachary’s side.
Zachary looked similarly happy, though he regarded Lily with a patent question in his eyes. “We could hardly believe the news,” he commented meaningfully, moving forward to embrace Lily. “We had to come, to see if you were all right.”
“Of course I’m all right,” Lily said, blushing self-consciously as she met her old friend’s gaze. “It happened rather quickly. Lord Raiford has an overwhelming style of courtship, to say the least.”
“It must agree with you,” Zachary replied slowly, contemplating her rosy face. “I’ve never seen you look more beautiful.”
“Mr. Lawson,” Alex said, moving forward to clasp his father-in-law’s hand. “You can be assured I’ll take care of your daughter and provide for her every need. I’m sorry there was no time for me to ask your permission. I hope you’ll overlook our unseemly haste, and give your blessing to the union.”
George Lawson regarded him with a wry twist to his mouth. Both of them were aware that Alex didn’t give a damn if he approved or not. Perhaps George was compelled by Alex’s hard gray eyes to observe the formalities with grace. Whatever the reason, he replied in an unusually warm fashion. “You have my blessings, Lord Raiford, and my sincere wish that you and my daughter will have a life of contentment together.”
“Thank you.” Alex reached for Lily and drew her close, forcing father and daughter to confront each other.
Lily eyed her father warily. “Thank you, Papa,” she said in a subdued manner. She was surprised when her father reached out and took her hands, one of the few spontaneous gestures of affection he had ever shown her.
“I do wish you well, daughter, no matter what you may think to the contrary.”
Lily smiled and returned the pressure of his grip, her eyes becoming suspiciously moist. “I believe you, Papa.”
“My turn,” a boyish voice interrupted. Lily laughed with glee as Henry launched himself at her. “You’re my sister now!” he exclaimed, crushing her with a hearty hug. “I couldn’t wait another day to see you. I knew Alex would marry you. I had a feeling about it! And now I’m going to live with you, and you’ll take me to Craven’s again, and we’ll go riding and shooting together, and you’ll teach me how to cheat at cards, and—”
“Shhh.” Lily put her hand over his mouth and glanced at Alex, her eyes gleaming wickedly. “Not another word, Henry, or your brother will begin proceedings to divorce me.”
Heedless of the shocked gazes of her family, Alex tangled his fingers in her curls and kissed her cheek, drawing his head back to smile down at her. “Never,” he said firmly, and for one heart-stopping moment Lily allowed herself to believe it.
“Lord Raiford,” Burton interrupted sedately, presenting a white card. “Lord Faxton has arrived.”
“Show him in,” Lily said with a laugh. “Perhaps he would like to stay for dinner.”
They all partook of a long and enjoyable dinner, with conversation that ranged from the merits of Lord Faxton’s proposed bill to the accomplishments of Henry’s tutor Mr. Radburne, a sober but amiable man with an affinity for history and language. Lily was the perfect hostess, giving the conversation gentle nudges when it dawdled, effortlessly drawing a spell around the group to make each guest feel comfortable and included. Alex watched her from the other end of the table with dawning pride. For tonight, at least, the inner tension had faded away, leaving behind a woman so lovely and charming that she dazzled his eyes like sunlight. She faltered only once, when she met his eyes and a searing awareness passed between them.
While the gentlemen were having their port, Penelope drew Lily aside for a private conversation. “Lily, we were so shocked when we heard you had married Lord Raiford, of all people! Mama nearly fainted. My word, we all thought you hated him!”
“I thought so too,” Lily said uncomfortably.
“Well, what happened?”
Lily shrugged and smiled lamely. “It’s difficult to explain.”
“Lord Raiford seems a completely different man, so kind and smiling, and he stares at you as if he adores you! Why did you marry so suddenly? I don’t understand any of this!”
“No one does,” Lily assured her. “Least of all me. Penny, let’s not talk about my marriage. I want to hear about yours. Are you happy with Zach?”
Penelope sighed ecstatically. “Beyond anything I could have imagined! I wake up every morning afraid it’s all going to end like some miraculous dream. It sounds ridiculous, I know—”
“Not at all,” Lily said quietly. “It sounds wonderful.” Suddenly she smiled wickedly at her younger sister. “Tell me about the elopement. Was Zach terribly masterful, in the mode of Don Juan, or did he play the shy, blushing bridegroom? Come, don’t keep the thrilling details all to yourself.”
“Lily,” Penelope protested, turning scarlet. After a brief hesitation, she leaned forward and spoke with her voice lowered. “With the servants’ help, Zach stole into the house after Mother and Father had retired. He came to my room, threw his arms around me, and told me that I was going to be his wife, and he wouldn’t allow me to sacrifice my happiness for my family’s sake.”
“Good for him,” Lily cheered.
“I put a few things into a valise and went with him to the carriage waiting outside—Oh, I was so terrified we would be caught, Lily! At any moment Mother and Father might have discovered my absence, or Lord Raiford might have returned unexpectedly—”
“No,” Lily said dryly. “I made certain that Lord Raiford was indisposed for the evening.”
Penelope’s eyes turned round with curiosity. “What in heaven’s name did you do to him?”
“Don’t ask, dearest. Just tell me one thing—did Zach play the gentleman and wait until the night you reached Gretna Green, or did he waylay you at the coaching house?”