Something Scandalous (8 page)

Will just rolled his eyes. “Yet another example of why this country is crumbling.”

She placed her hands on her hips and scowled at him. “There is nothing wrong with this country. I believe we proved ourselves quite nicely at Waterloo.”

“Elizabeth, sit down,” he said, pointing to the seat across the desk from him. “I didn’t call you down here to argue about your country.”

“Our country,” she corrected.

Will barely restrained a growl. He refused to tell her this would never be
his
country.

“So why did you call me into your study?” she asked as she finally took her seat.

“I’ve been thinking about the boys. I know the tutor will start on Friday with them, but they are not getting enough physical activity.”

“You can take them riding every morning,” she suggested.

“Yes, but they still need more. I was thinking we should go to one of the estates for a while. That would give them space to wear themselves out every day, and the girls and I would have a quiet space for our daily etiquette lessons.”

Her face drew pale. “You want to go to the estate?”

“Yes, I do believe it is a sound decision. Don’t you agree?”

“Actually, I think it is far better to stay in town. I mean, here you can slowly immerse yourself into Society without attending every function. At the estate you would be sequestered, except for the local squires who would, no doubt, pester you tirelessly to come to their soirees and musicals, put on solely for your benefit.”

How did she get that all out in what sounded like one sentence? Her eyes darted from him to the papers on his desk as if she were suddenly nervous around him.

“Elizabeth, what is the real reason you don’t wish to go to the estate?”

She opened her mouth and then shut it quickly. She pressed her lips together and then shook her head slightly. “I have two dear friends who are both with child, and I don’t wish to leave them when they might need me.”

Again, it sounded like a feigned excuse. She obviously wasn’t about to tell him the truth. “Very well, if you think of some activities the boys can do to get them out of this house to expel some energy, we will stay here.”

“I will make certain they have plenty of outside activities.” She leaned back into the chair looking very relieved.

“Would you like to help me with this?” he said, pointing to the piles on his desk. “I have no idea who any of these people are but they all seem to want me to attend a function of theirs.”

She smiled softly, making his heart beat a little faster. Her full rosy lips seemed to beckon to him. He couldn’t think of her in such manner. Abigail was the woman he wanted. Not Elizabeth.

And yet, Elizabeth was here and Abigail refused to consider coming with him. Elizabeth was the woman helping him sort through this mess. Even though doing so might make her lose her home.

“I would be happy to help you sort through the invitations. I should have mentioned that most men of your position do hire a secretary to assist them with all this.” She grabbed a pile of invitations and quickly collated them into three piles.

“I will not be here long enough for a personal secretary,” he said.

“Right,” she said with a nod. “This stack is the definite refusals.” She handed him the first mound of papers. “This is your personal mail.”

Finally, she pointed to the third stack. “These are the invitations that we will need to determine if you wish to attend. Some are balls, a few musicales, and dinners.”

Will looked at the third pile and sighed. There still had to be at least fifteen invitations to sort through. He quickly scanned his personal mail and paused at the familiar handwriting.

“All right, we’ll start in a minute. I’d like to read this letter first.”

A wave of guilt passed over him for his passionate thoughts about Elizabeth. It would never happen again. After breaking the seal, he skimmed the note and then slowly read it again.

“William, is everything all right at home?” Elizabeth asked.

Had she noticed the pained expression he knew was on his face? “It’s a note from Abigail.”

He crumpled the letter, stood, and then hurled it into the fireplace. After walking toward the window, he stared out at the courtyard but saw nothing. “Her father is pushing her to marry Josiah Harwood. She doesn’t agree but cannot disobey her father.”

“Why not?” Elizabeth whispered. She stood behind him even though he’d never heard her move.

“She could never defy him. He wants her to marry a wealthy, patriotic American.” He felt her hand on his arm and shook off the flash of desire that raced up his forearm. “She believes it might be best if I stay in England.”

“I don’t understand, William. You are all those things her father wants in a husband for his daughter.”

Pain scorched his head and heart. “No, I am not.” He turned and stared at her. “I’m a bloody Englishman. A goddamned duke.”

Her face crumpled almost as tightly as the letter from Abigail. “But once you sell everything and return, you shall be all that her father wants.”

“You do not understand,” he muttered. He closed his eyes as her soft hand cupped his face.

“Try making me understand,” she whispered. “I only want to help you.”

“I will never be good enough for them. To them I’m nothing but a poor farmer. And not even an American one at that. Nothing I do will ever convince her father that I am an American. Not even giving up this damned inheritance.”

He opened his eyes and saw tears in her green eyes. This wonderful, sensitive woman was crying over his pain. And that wasn’t right. He couldn’t move his gaze away from her eyes, her lips, that pert little nose that he wanted to kiss.

And why couldn’t he? Abigail didn’t want him any longer, if she ever had wanted him. Right in front of him stood a beautiful woman who openly flirted with him, teased him, and seemed to desire him.

Slowly he lowered his head toward hers. He paused barely an inch away from her lips. If she moved, he would let her go. But she did not.

He curved his hand around her neck, bringing her closer, until their lips met. Shock and desire soared throughout his body as they kissed. All he’d wanted was a little comfort from her. Something to make him forget his pain. And now, all he wanted was to lay her down on the sofa and make love to her all afternoon. He wanted to leisurely explore her body and kiss every freckle, wherever they might be.

He let his tongue glide across her lips, hoping she would open for him. And she did. But he never expected the all-encompassing passion as her tongue touched his, met him, and caressed him. He moved his hands to cup her face.

She tasted sweeter than he ever imagined. A combination of honey and cinnamon, and it drove him mad. He trailed his hands down her back, pressing her closer to him, to his rising erection. Damn, how he wanted her.

She moaned softly as his lips moved to her nose and then back to her beautiful lips. He could stay here all night, kissing her, making love to her.

Slowly he realized she was drawing away from him. Cool air swept between them. She stared up at him with wonder and confusion in her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

Elizabeth blinked several times as the reality of what they had done dawned on her. He kissed her. And she’d kissed him back.

Passionately!

She had only been kissed like that one other time. Only it hadn’t felt like William’s kiss. His kiss made her feel as if she were drowning in desire. The intensity of his lips against hers all but burned her into a cinder. No man had ever done this to her.

Never in twenty-six years.

And instead of chastising him for his affront, she stood there staring at him, hoping he would kiss her again. Slowly the reality of their moment together made sense. He hadn’t kissed her because she was a sensual woman. She just wasn’t Abigail.

Any woman would have done for him.

“Elizabeth, I do apologize.”

“I need some air,” she muttered, racing toward the door. She didn’t need air but she desperately needed her friends.

“Elizabeth!”

Before he could say any more or come after her, she walked out the front door. Luckily, the rain had stopped as quickly as it had started. But now what? Jennette’s home was the closest, but she couldn’t walk there without a maid. With a sigh, she reentered the house and called for Susan to accompany her.

She couldn’t get her mind off what had happened between her and William. His lips touching hers was the most incredible thing she’d ever imagined. For the first time in her life, she understood why Avis had gone off with her husband, Banning, before they were married. And why Jennette was always telling Elizabeth that when she found the right man, marriage wouldn’t matter.

But it did matter, didn’t it?

Her mother had impressed upon her the importance of a good marriage. Then again, her mother had had an affair and Elizabeth was the result. Perhaps it had been guilt plaguing her mother, not some sense of moral righteousness.

Finally, she and Susan reached the door to Jennette’s home with her husband, the Earl of Blackburn. Elizabeth knocked on the door, not surprised that their butler hadn’t seen her coming. Jennette was still in the process of setting Blackburn’s house and staff to rights.

“Lady Elizabeth, come inside before the rain starts again,” Mr. Woods said as he opened the door.

“Thank you, Woods. Is Lady Blackburn at home?”

“Please wait in the small salon and I will check.”

Elizabeth walked into the salon and noticed the changes Jennette had made in the past six months. Almost everything in the room was new. Not that Jennette was a spendthrift, but Blackburn’s home had been in a dismal state of disrepair when she married him. Together, they were rebuilding their home and his fortune.

“Elizabeth, how wonderful to see you,” Jennette said as she flowed into the room. Her extended belly looked even larger today.

Jennette sank into the rose-colored chair and sighed. “I am absolutely huge.”

“No, you’re not,” Elizabeth said. She sat across from her friend and stared at her hands.

“What is wrong, Elizabeth?”

“Nothing.” Now that she was here, the words wouldn’t come out. “I had hoped maybe Avis and Sophie, or even Victoria, would be here.”

Jennette smiled, then pulled herself out of her seat. “I will ring for tea.”

Elizabeth watched as Jennette spoke in whispered tones to Woods, who nodded in reply.

“I shall be right back,” Jennette said to her. “I need to let Matthew know that you need to talk.”

“Am I disturbing you two?” Elizabeth stood.

“He will be relieved. I was reviewing what colors and fabrics we shall use in the nursery.”

“Oh,” Elizabeth said, and then returned to her seat.

She sat in the room as the clock ticked away the time. Woods brought in the tea on a silver tray, and still no Jennette. What in the world was keeping her? After close to ten minutes, a flushed Jennette raced back into the room.

“I’m so sorry it took me so long. Matthew had a few issues with some of the items I had chosen. He refused to let me leave until I heard all his complaints.”

There was knocking at the front door, and then the sound of feminine voices in the hallway. “It sounds like you must have callers,” Elizabeth said with more than a little disappointment.

“Of course we have,” Jennette said with a smile. “Didn’t you notice all the teacups?”

Elizabeth glanced over and saw the five teacups on the platter. She instantly knew who was joining them. Her lower lip trembled.

“Thank you,” she whispered to Jennette as Avis, Sophie, and Victoria entered the room.

“You looked like you needed your friends,” Jennette replied. “All of them.”

Elizabeth could only nod as tears filled her eyes. “I’m so confused,” she admitted.

“Tell us what’s wrong,” Sophie said with a gentle pat on Elizabeth’s shoulder.

“My entire life turned completely upside down today.” Elizabeth wiped away a tear.

“What happened?” Avis asked with a frown. “Did you find the diary?”

“No, I checked the boys’ room today and there was nothing. No secret panels, no secret floorboards or cabinets. Nothing. I still have to recheck the study and the duke’s bedroom.”

“Then how did your life get turned around?” Victoria asked.

Elizabeth breathed in deeply to calm her frayed nerves. “He kissed me.”

“Oh, my,” Avis said.

“It’s not just
that
he kissed me but
why
he kissed me,” Elizabeth explained. “He didn’t kiss me because he’s attracted to me.”

“Then why would he kiss you?” Sophie asked quietly.

“He was upset because the woman he wanted to marry had sent him a letter telling him she was marrying someone else.” Elizabeth reached for her tea and gulped down the hot liquid.

Avis and Jennette looked at each other and shrugged. Sophie shook her head and Victoria said nothing.

“It makes no sense that he kissed you if he feels nothing toward you,” Avis explained.

“And why is this bothering you so much?” Sophie pried.

Elizabeth should have known they wouldn’t understand. “Because
I
felt something.”

“Oh,” was the collective response from the group.

“And?” Jennette asked.

“And?” Elizabeth fought to keep her voice from rising. “He kissed me and I felt something.”

“Now, just to clarify,” Avis started with a slight grin. “This thing you felt was good?”

Elizabeth shot her friend an evil look. “Yes, it was good.” She sighed. “Too good.”

“Well, that changes everything,” Sophie said with a full smile as Avis and Jennette nodded their agreement.

“How does this change anything?” Elizabeth asked.

“Because now we know that you are both open to seduction, should it happen,” Sophie replied.

Elizabeth pressed her fingers to her temples to keep her head from exploding. Her friends had lost their minds. How could they think William kissing her was good? Even if it felt better than anything she might have imagined.

“We are not both open to seduction, Sophie,” Elizabeth commented. She was certainly not going to let him seduce her. Was she? Could she seduce him? The idea was too wicked to think about in front of her friends. “The last thing I want is a man who still believes he is in love with another woman.”

Sophie walked over to her. “Is that really the reason, Elizabeth?”

“Of course!” Not that Sophie was likely to believe Elizabeth if her skills as a medium were as strong as Elizabeth had heard. She suddenly couldn’t get the idea of seducing Will out of her head. Splaying her hands across his naked chest, feeling the warm muscles—oh, this fantasizing had to stop.

“Are you certain this has nothing to do with the diary and not knowing who your father was?” the inquisitive Sophie asked with a slight grin.

“Of course,” Avis muttered. “That makes much more sense.”

“Elizabeth would never want to get involved with a man until she knows her true background,” Jennette said.

“That is why she never married, even though she had several offers,” Victoria added.

Elizabeth walked away from Sophie and faced her friends. “Yes, you are all correct. I have no desire to look for a husband until I know who I am.”

Sophie sat back down and shook her head. “It makes no difference who you are. To the world, you are the Duke of Kendal’s daughter.”

“It matters to me,” Elizabeth sobbed. “You all know your fathers. Even you, Sophie. He might not want you to speak of him in public, but at least you know who he is. I don’t.”

Victoria stood and put her arms around Elizabeth. “I understand, Elizabeth. You won’t feel complete until you know your background.”

Elizabeth nodded on Victoria’s shoulder. “I just want to understand who I am.”

Will paced the confines of his study. He was an absolute idiot to kiss her. What was he thinking? And why wasn’t he sitting in this room drowning his sorrows over Abigail in a bottle of whisky?

For years, he’d wanted to marry her. At first, he thought her to be too young, even though many ladies marry at sixteen. Perhaps he’d hoped she would see her father for the controlling bastard he was. Then he gave her time to convince her father that he was the right man for her. But over the past year, Will had begun to realize that she might not love him as much as she led him to believe.

Could that really be why her betrayal didn’t hurt as much as he thought? Had he slowly been falling out of love with her? Strangely, he had never felt as free as he did at this moment. Kissing Elizabeth, while idiotic, also taught him that his desire for Abigail was finished.

He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been with a woman. Between Abigail and his father’s illness and subsequent death, a long time had passed since he’d enjoyed a woman’s body. And Elizabeth’s sensual body could satisfy any man. She had luscious curves and a slim waist. He could spend days getting to know her body.

Not that he would do such a thing.

She was a proper lady and no upstanding woman would let a man in her bed until the ring was on her finger. He really needed to stop thinking about her in such a base manner. But he couldn’t get his mind off her. It was now two hours later and she still hadn’t returned. She probably thought he was going to attack her. He would have to apologize to her again.

The front door opened and closed. Will raced out of the study and down the hall to make certain it was Elizabeth. She spoke to the footman and started to walk up the steps, until she noticed him.

“Are you all right?” he asked softly.

“I am perfectly well, thank you,” she replied stiffly.

“Can we talk in my study?”

She pressed her full lips together. “I am not sure that is a good idea.”

“It will only take a moment.” This time his voice brooked no denial.

Whether she walked toward him because she wanted to or because the duke commanded it, he didn’t know. All that mattered was that she followed him into the study. He closed the door behind him.

“I think you should open the door, Your Grace.”

Perhaps he did have his answer. The duke requested her presence and she knew her duty. Damn.

“I wanted to apologize,” he said quietly. “What I did was inexcusable.”

“You apologized earlier. Now if you will excuse me, I must get ready for dinner,” she replied in a tight voice.

“One more thing, if you please,” Will said firmly. “Tomorrow I plan to take the older children out for a drive. I would like you to attend with us.”

“I have no need to see Hyde Park, Your Grace.”

“I have no intention of going to Hyde Park, Elizabeth. We shall take a drive through some of the other sections of London. You will ride with us.”

She tightened her jaw at his demand, but nodded. “As you wish.” She stood to leave and then stopped as if to say more. Instead, she merely said, “Please excuse me now.”

He let her go. At some point, she would have to get used to being in the same room with him again. They had too much to do, between getting Ellie and Lucy ready and helping him prepare for Society. He stared up at the portrait of the former duke and knew exactly how to get her alone again.

With a smile, he walked toward the salon to wait for everyone to assemble for dinner. He poured four glasses of sherry and handed one to Lucy and Ellie as they walked into the room.

“I really don’t think I like this,” Ellie complained as she took a sip. The pursed look on her face almost made him laugh.

“I like it,” Lucy said before taking a rather large drink.

Looking around the room, Will was impressed with the progress Elizabeth had made with the children. They were all dressed for dinner, including the boys, and they had entered the room quietly.

Finally, Elizabeth walked into the room. He handed her a glass of sherry and smiled down at her. She wore a lavender gown with off-white lace that showed the beautiful swell of her lightly freckled breasts. He had such an urge to find and kiss every freckle on her body.

So much for getting himself under control.

“How did you enjoy your ride today?” She turned and asked the children.

“I saw two swans!” Sarah said as she bounced her bottom on the chair.

“You must have driven by the Serpentine,” Elizabeth commented. “It is one of my favorite spots.”

“Are there serpents in there?” Robert asked.

“No, just a lot of water fowl,” Elizabeth replied with a laugh.

The footman announced dinner and the children walked toward the dining room. Will clasped Elizabeth’s arm to stop her.

“William?”

He waited until the children left the room. “Thank you for what you have done with them. It’s only been a little over a week, and yet, they are doing so much better.”

She smiled and looked down where his hand touched her bare skin. “You are very welcome. The governess and tutor will make even more significant progress.”

“I also hoped you would do me a favor.”

“Oh?” She glanced back up at him, her green eyes shining with confusion.

“I think in order for me to learn more about my position here, I need to understand my background. My family history. Well,
our
family history. My father never really discussed how we were related to the late duke, or how my side of the family fit in.”