Lisette (13 page)

Mr. Smith seemed to be enjoying himself too.
He played with gusto, and laughed easily. Even when the younger
sisters fouled his serve by running him almost over, he simply
laughed and then took the serve again—a very nice one that began to
turn the set in his and Monty’s favor.

Lisette finally got her alone moment with
Marston—after exchanging only long glances and subtle private
smiles when they were in any distance to. She, Juliette, and Haven
had finished an archery contest, which Juliette won, and Lisette
went in to clean up and change into a light cream summer frock, and
braid her hair.

The servants had prepared an abundance of
food and there were blankets spread out here and there for a
picnic. The duke and duchess actually moved from the courtyard
also, to the lawn. Marston came beside her at the tables—his black
hair finger combed. He muttered a thank you as a servant brought
him a cool, damp, towel for his face. His muscle and skin showed
through the thin lawn shirt where it clung to his sweat dampened
back. She liked the look of him too much.

“You did well,” Lisette, told him, filling a
plate from the buffet.

He cast her a side-glance, and a half-smile
that made her tingle. “Thank you, I learn fast if I pay
attention.”

“Um. Certainly you do.”

They laughed. Haven picked up a bottle of
chilled wine. He lifted two glasses and she steered him a bit back
from the others, under a sprawling oak. They sat, and Elisha opened
the bottle and poured them wine.

Toasting before eating, he murmured, “To the
Wimberly’s.”

“Thank you.” She winked. “Now eat, I know you
are hungry.”

They ate with the sound of conversations and
laughter drifting over. Bursts of amusement and much yelling back
and forth as her brothers seemed to be debating something, just to
irritate each other. Mr. Smith was entertaining the younger sisters
who apparently took it upon themselves to host him at their own
spread plaid. They seemed fascinated by whatever tale he was
spinning.

She saw Marston look that way and smile as he
chewed his ham and watched April gesture for Smith to lean over, so
she could put a crown of flowers on his head.

When he turned and caught Lisette’s eye, she
offered quietly, “He looks at you just as often. He loves you very
much.”

Finishing his ham, Elisha swallowed and took
a drink of wine before lying a bit to the side, propped on his
elbow. Although he peeled fruit, she had a feeling he did it to
keep his hands busy. He replied, “He’s a good man.”

Letting his gaze skim over her face, and
watching the breeze tease strands of her hair, he supplied, “Monty
has invited the men over to Wolford for fishing in the
morning.”

“That will be enjoyable.” She grinned, eyeing
his face in return. It seemed like forever since she could do
that.” Men enjoy doing some things without the ladies about.”

“I’m sure I shall.” He discreetly reached out
his hand so that his fingertips just covered hers.

She glanced at it, then up again. “I’ll think
of some way we can be together privately, before you leave.”

“Lisette…” There was something in his gaze
that stilled her.

“What is it?”

“I’d like nothing better. But perhaps—we
should be more cautious.”

She held his gaze. Cautious physically or
emotionally? She mused, already knowing which he meant.

“I am cautious.”

When he did not comment, she felt tense in
her stomach, a little nauseated with anxiety. Her voice was raspy,
a little hard perhaps, she offered, “Don’t make me sound like a
foolish young woman, Marston. If you mean something else by that,
you need to tell me.”

He eased his hand away and sat up, leaving
the fruit where it lay. Forearms were casually on his up-drawn
knees, he looked around.

Her heart beat too fast. Lisette felt a kind
of confused panic but admitted, “I couldn’t get you off my mind or
out of my dreams this winter. Some nights, I could hear you calling
my name.”

His narrowed gaze turned on hers. “I did...
Call your name.”

“Talk to me, Elisha. Please.”

He shook his head.

She did not care who was watching, Lisette
scooted over so that she sat beside him, and laid her hand on his
muscled forearm. Breathing him, being this close to him, it made
her anxiety rise. However, Lisette remembered her mother’s words,
and she felt the risk was necessary.

“Are you enjoying yourself today?”

“Very much.”

“Good.” She let her thumb stroke his forearm.
“How long can you stay?”

“Two more days.”

He was looking at her now, so she glanced up
at him. “Make the most of it. The men, my brothers, and his
friends, everyone will have activities and things, spur of the
moment sometimes.”

He reached and covered her hand. “I’d spend
every moment with you if it were possible.” He added gruffly, “but
I want to be fair to you, Lisette, and I don’t think I have
been.”

“I’m a grown woman. I started this—affair.
Why don’t you let me decide that for myself?”

After a second, she went on, “I’m trying to
understand what you say, as much as what you don’t, Elisha. It’s
not easy.”

“Lisette. It isn’t about—you.”

“Are you trying to push me away—end it?”

He breathed in then let the air release
through his nose. “I should. I am doing the taking.”

“I don’t believe so.” After a bit, she asked,
“Would you still pursue a match between us?”

“You’re not ready—”

“But if I were?”

“I’m not the man for you.”

It felt like a blow. Nevertheless, she took
it silently, likely a fool for choosing to believe he was saying
that from some sort of protective stance.

Elisha must have read something in her
expression, because he lifted his hand and turned a bit aside, to
touch her cheek. “I’m torn between wanting you, and realizing I’m
not what you need.”

She breathed carefully, absorbing that for a
moment.

Lisette covered his hand, and moved it away
from her cheek, but held it a little longer. “I initiated our
trysts. I drew the lines, and you asked me to keep them firmly
established. But I wished you would ask me for something.”

“If I were a man with any honor at all,
Lisette, I wouldn’t have taken as much as I have already.”

“Being my lover has nothing to do with honor.
Or rather, enjoying each other. I see nothing wrong with exchanging
pleasure. I don’t wish for you to feel guilt over something that I
assumed, brought us both moments of bliss.”

“It’s not guilt for that. It’s certainly not
regret for the moments.”

“Then what is it?”

Elisha did not answer but was looking away
again.

She released his hand. Preparing to stand,
she murmured, “I am here for you, Elisha. If you want me, you will
have to show me when there is opportunity. Anything else… I cannot
say, because you won’t let me in close enough to know what it is
that troubles you.”

On her feet, she watched him rise too. He
leaned down to pick up the things they had brought. She added, “I
want you to enjoy yourself this stay, either way. I want that for
you.”

She was walking away when he called to
her.

Lisette turned, seeing he had handed the
glasses and plates to a servant who came to fetch them. He was
standing under that tree, one leg slightly out, looking deliciously
tall, handsome and dark, as the sun dappled down on his face and
shirt.

Lisette walked back towards him and watched
his sensual lips move as he said huskily, “I was starved for the
sight of you. When I did arrive last night, you filled my soul with
a vision even more beautiful than my winter dreams.”

Oh. God. Her body and soul both reacted to
that. She uttered, “I felt much the same, of you.”

He shook his head. There was a war of
emotions in his eyes. “Can we meet—be alone?” He dampened his lips
and glanced around only long enough apparently to see if they were
being observed.

“Later tonight. If my father keeps everyone
at cards or billiards. Make excuses at some point. I’ll be there,
in the back courtyard.”

He murmured, “I shouldn’t—but I want
you.”

She smiled slightly, understanding him a
little bit more. “It’s not as hard as you assume for me, to give
you what you want or need. I have desires. Giving is a part of
them, too.”

Their gazes clung for a moment of openness,
of heat and memories of kisses and how it felt skin-to-skin, joined
and intimate. Their bodies reacted to it. It took some doing to not
touch each other, to grab and hold on and kiss each other.

Lisette said, before turning again to leave
him, “Enjoy the day. I’m going to entertain the girls so that mama
can play host.”

“I’ll try.’ That grin of his was struggling
to come forward. “My mind will be occupied…”

“Mine as well.”

Lisette left him before the verbal could get
out of hand.

Later, as she romped with the sisters and
pup, she spied him in a game of cricket with her brother and
several others. Lisette smiled watching him put his all into it and
watching Monty and Deme slap him on the back after a good play. He
had not done that, not any of what he’d partaken of today, and she
did not need to know everything to realize it.

Later still, he was in the shade, sipping ale
she suspected, and smoking a cheroot whilst men laughed and talked
of something around him. He raised his head and caught her gaze.
Across the distance, she felt him touch her. She waited until he
looked away to leave the spot, realizing then…what was happening
inside.

She was such a silly fool.

She was falling in love with him.

* * * *

Marston lounged in his thin, linen,
knee-length drawers, after a bath. He and Smith were sharing
apartments. His friend was also damp haired but wearing fresh
trousers. They sat by the window sipping coffee, their feet up and
able to see some of the Wimberly’s still going full force out on
the lawn.

“I can see why you’re drawn to her. Drawn
here, too,” Smith mused aloud and took a sip of coffee. His eyes
turned from the window to Elisha. “It is amazing that they are of
the same high society as others. They’ve created something with
this mixed family, here at this place.”

Elisha nodded and flickered his gaze to meet
those brown eyes.

Smith offered, “I was much taken by the image
of you and Lady Lisette on that blanket today. You complement each
other perfectly, of course. But there was much in the body
language…”

“I tried,” Elisha, admitted. “I could neither
tell her yet, nor follow through in—letting her go. She’ll be
waiting for me in the courtyard tonight.”

“I’ll be sure and make myself scarce.” His
friend returned. Then offered, “Not speaking of it doesn’t make the
emotional connection any less strong. Women have a way of seeing
what we try to hide.”

“I declared I was selfish, and I am.” Elisha
stood and braced his hands on the ledge, looking out and seeing
Lisette heading into the house. Her hair was a mess and her skirts
were creased, but the site stirred him all the more.

“I don’t think you give her enough credit. It
may not make a difference to her.”

“It will,” Marston murmured grimly. “I would
rather be known as aloof and cold than what the real truth of our
lives were.”

“I think you are mistaken.” Smith stood too
and looked at him before going to dress. “But I cannot make you see
it. I know the pain remembering and living with it brings. I see
more of it for you—if you walk away from what you can have with
Lisette.”

Sometime after he had gone, Elisha got
himself dressed in dark trousers, polished boots, a silk shirt and
jacket. The rest of the guests had left when he joined the family
in the dining room for a buffet meal.

He did not see Lisette until his own plate
was empty. She entered with her hair down and tied simply back,
wearing a cream summer gown of empire style and slippers.

As she took her seat at the table, he was
invited to the duke’s study with the men for brandy. Their gazes
met briefly. Her smile made his knees a little weak. He nodded and
left, spending an hour listening to conversation between the duke,
his sons and Monty. Smith was included when they moved to
billiards, and the evening progressed into night.

Tensing by the hour, he managed to hold his
own in conversation and discussions, but looked for the moment to
make his excuse to leave. He had it, after games were done, and
someone mentioned the mild weather.

“If you’ll excuse me, my lords, I think I’ll
take a walk in this fresh country air.”

“Of course.” The duke nodded.

Marston decided to ignore the somewhat
knowing looks from Deme and Monty. He supposed that Lisette
confided somewhat in her friends. While he did not know if the men
knew they were lovers, he certainly felt an extra pressure at the
repercussions, particularly from her male guardians. That caution
he spoke of—and was now ignoring.

Leaving the room via the French doors, he
took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves. The spring night was
mild, the country scents pleasing. The walk around the spacious
manor house served him well, giving him time to clear his
expression by the time he reached the courtyard and Lisette.

She had changed her gown for a dark blue that
stood out less in the night—it was of a delicate gossamer material.
A shawl with black beads was around her bare shoulders. Her hair
flowed down, unconfined. Her hips were leaned against one of the
non-flowing fountains.

Elisha halted less than a foot in front of
her, taking in her upturned face. Her lovely eyes were luminous
from the cast of lamplight a bit away. Lifting his hand to cup
under her jaw, Elisha dipped his head to kiss her. Any distance or
control fled the moment their tongues moved sensually into each
other’s mouths. The chemistry was electric and the hunger, mingled
with emotions, almost overwhelming.