They arrived at the club within fifteen minutes. Hunt turned to Diana. “I will be right out.”
“Wait!” She scuttled forward on her seat. “I want to see the club.”
“No,” Hunt said. “Women are not allowed. Decent women, that is.”
“You mean there are other women in there. Indecent women?”
Hunt leaned back in his seat. Knowing Diana, this would be a longer conversation than he would have liked. “Yes. Women from the demimonde and mistresses are allowed.”
“That’s not very fair.”
“Not so much fair as necessary. Any woman who wants to protect her name would never enter a gambling hell to begin with. Especially since they are not legal.”
“If they are illegal, how do you stay open?”
“There are ways that I don’t want to go into right now. I am ready to be done with this assignment. Just wait here for a minute, please. I will speak with my brothers and b
e right back.”
Diana opened her mouth to reply, but Hunt hurried off. He shouted back to his driver. “Don’t let her out of the carriage.”
There was no doubt in his mind that Diana would attempt to sneak into the club, so he needed to make this a fast mission. He sighed, afraid he would spend the rest of his life thwarting Diana’s plans to harm herself in some way.
He would have to get her with child post haste to keep her busy at home. Just knowing her as well as he did, Diana would not be one to hand over her child to a nanny and governess to raise. He knew as much as she loved her grandmama, she had missed out on the love and attention of a mother.
Then he smiled at how much pleasure would be gained in the effort to produce his heir.
17
“I don’t understand why you think we should invite these gossipmongers to the wedding breakfast. All they will do is criticize us the entire time. It’s my wedding, and I want a happy, peaceful event.” Diana scowled at Hunt as she scanned the list he’d presented to her of guests to be invited.
They’d already decided on a small ceremony with only Hunt’s brothers, a couple of his friends, Diana’s father, wife and children, and a few of Diana’s friends, one who would act as a bridesmaid. He had wanted to secure a special license, but with Diana’s father coming from a distance, his wife had made it known it would be an inconvenience to arrive before a month. So, they had the banns read, instead.
Hunt had cupped her face and rubbed his thumbs over her cheeks. “Sweetheart, we want everyone to know that we are a happy couple, had planned to marry, and are not being forced to do so because of Lord and Lady Grafton’s chicanery.”
Diana’s brows rose. “I see. And having to put up with slurs, suggestions and eye-rolls during our wedding breakfast will assuage their need for nastiness?”
He pulled her into his arms. “Let’s just get through this.”
She looked up at him. “Just get through this? Isn’t every woman entitled to enjoy the day and be pleased with her wedding?” She pulled away from him and rubbed her hands up and down her arms. “Perhaps we should just make the trek to Gretna Green and be done with it. It’s already a scandal, so adding to it won’t make a bit of difference.”
Why she worried about comments and snide remarks was surprising. She’d been dealing with them most of her life. Stunned to feel tears rimming her eyes, she turned her head so Hunt wouldn’t notice.
Of course he did.
“Ah, honey, come on. It won’t be that bad.” He reached for her again and, before she could protest, his mouth covered hers. After a few seconds, her thoughts fled, and she settled into his embrace.
He nudged her tongue, and she opened to him, allowing him to muddle her brain further. Her body reacted just as she’d learned every time Hunt kissed her. Her nipples tingled, and the area between her legs grew moist.
Before she even realized it, he had loosened the back of her gown and had slipped his hand into her corset to fondle her breast. He pulled back and covered her jaw and neck with tiny kisses. “I don’t see why we have to wait for the wedding.”
She was quite sure she knew to what he was referring, especially given the hardness she felt against her lower abdomen. Hunt was ready to anticipate their vows. Truth be told, so was she, but she suddenly remembered they were standing in her drawing room with an unlocked door.
Good grief, an open unlocked door.
Even though she no longer employed a chaperone, any one of the servants could wander by. She shoved him back and pulled up the bodice of her gown. “Hunt, anyone can come in.” She barely got the words out, unable to get a full breath.
Hunt ran his fingers through his hair, apparently having a problem breathing also. He grabbed her shoulders and spun her around, quickly lacing up the back of her gown.