Amelia smiled seductively. “I’d like to see you try. Once you put your hands on me, you’ll be mine. You won’t be able to resist.”
“I assure you, I will. Now go.”
“Fine, I’ll go, but I’m afraid I’m not leaving the estate.”
“Yes, you are, damn it.”
“Daniel, I will stay and enjoy the rest of the house party. I was invited. If you force me to leave, I swear I will make sure all of England knows of our exploits. And the first two people who hear about them will be your sweet Lily and your dear devoted mother.”
“Both Lily and my mother are aware of our affair.”
“Perhaps. But do they know all the juicy details? Like the time my young housemaid joined us in bed? Two pairs of lips on your hard cock? But that was nothing compared to the cockstand you had when she and I sucked each other. And what about that handsome gardener?” Amelia lifted her skirts and slid a hand into her drawers. “One cock in my cunny and one in my arse… Heavens, I still burn from time to time thinking about it.”
Daniel grimaced. How had he ever been so young and foolish? He couldn’t risk Amelia poisoning Lily against him. “Do as you please,” he said through clenched teeth, “but stay away from my mother, stay away from Lily, and stay the hell out of my sight!”
He pushed her out the door and slammed it.
* * *
Amelia blazed with temper as she walked down the hallway to the back stairwell. She wasn’t finished yet, not by a long shot. “Oh, no,” she groaned aloud as she spied the very bane of her life, Lady Lily Jameson, coming up the back stairwell.
“Lila, dear,” Amelia said, approaching. “How lovely to see you.”
“Good afternoon.”
“Going to see your intended, I presume?”
“It’s none of your business where I’m going. If you’ll excuse me.”
“I was just in his chamber. I’m afraid he’s a bit…indisposed at the moment.”
“What were you doing in his chamber?” Lily demanded.
“I’m sure you can guess.” Amelia straightened her wrinkled gown and smoothed her hair.
“I don’t believe you.”
But Lily wrung her hands nervously, fumbling with a handkerchief. No, she wasn’t nearly as confident as she wanted Amelia to believe.
“You don’t? Surely you’re not such an innocent that you thought Daniel would stop his affairs just because he’s getting married.”
“What?”
“I must thank you,” Amelia said. “You’ve obviously been a marvelous influence on him. Daniel has never been quite so, shall we say, prurient, in his lovemaking.”
“Daniel would never…”
“He told me that it’s only a matter of time before he gets his heir on you, and then he’ll ship you off to Scotland and make me his live-in mistress.” She spied the green engagement ring on Lily’s hand. “You may as well give that to me now. Daniel said I could have it.”
Tears glistened in Lily’s eyes. “No, he wouldn’t do that.”
“Are you going to cry, my dear? How dreadful.” Amelia grabbed Lily’s hand. “Now, give me that ring!”
“Daniel chose it for me. He went to London, he… You can’t have it!” Lily backed toward the stairwell.
“It’s mine!” Amelia screamed, yanking the ring from Lily’s finger.
Lily toppled a bit, losing her balance.