Sweet Torture (Fated for Love) (24 page)

“I could use your help in the study
, if you are up to resuming some of your duties this afternoon.” His father looked at him expectantly.

“Certainly. We can start immediately after lunch.” Devon nodded. As the heir
, he had taken over many of his father’s duties, as he got older in preparation in eventually running the estate. It also gave him one on one time with his father, which he enjoyed, and alleviated his father’s headaches from the strain of reading the small handwriting.

His father clapped him on the back and returned to his lunch. It felt good to be returning to normal, to have his family surrounding him, and to know that shortly he would have Lydia’s hand in marriage.
His future had never looked brighter, and he was eager to grasp it with both hands.

The rain had lessened significantly
, but the sky was still a dull gray, and it was not inviting anyone to venture outdoors. He looked across at Lydia and wondered how she would spend her afternoon apart from him. She had recovered from her vivid blush, and was now talking animatedly with his mother about her collection of painted fans.

He leaned over to Olivia
, and whispered, “I wish to speak with you privately. Come to the study after luncheon.”

“Why?” She frowned skeptically.

“Just do as I ask. I need your help with a delicate matter.”

“Oh,” she brightened, “how exciting.” She smiled gleefully.

Devon sighed and sat upright in his chair. His sister was entirely too enthusiastic now, not good when one needs to keep things quiet.

Everyone finished eating and parted ways. Devon, his father, and Colton met in the study
, and shortly followed by Olivia.

“What took you so long?” Devon frowned at her.

“I had to think of some excuse to leave. Mother, Lady Covvington, and Lydia are all in my room discussing color palates and new drapes for the bed. I couldn’t just leave, and I can’t be away long, so be quick about it and tell me what it is you need my help with.”

Colton and Lord
Ellsley looked up expectantly.

Devon debated about divulging his plan in front of them
, but decided they could be trusted.

“I’m going to propose to Lydia tonight.”

Olivia gasped and covered her mouth whilst doing a little jig. “How romantic!”

“Congratulations
, old chap.” Colton stepped forward and shook his hand.

His father did the same. “I could not be happier for you son
.”

“Thank you all
, but it is still a secret, so don’t tell anyone yet. Olivia, I need you to enlist the aid of your most trustworthy servants to set the stage in her room.”

“Say no more,” his father interrupted. “I gather this proposal won’t be following the usual—appropriate—avenues
, and I don’t wish to hear the details. I’m going to return home to fetch your grandmother’s betrothal ring for you to give Lydia. I should return before dinner.” His father exited, and Olivia spun in excited circles.

“Liv
ie, please sit, you’re making me dizzy,” Colton bid his wife.

Devon smiled as he watched his father leave then continued. “As I was saying,”
he sat down beside his sister on the chaise and gave her the details of his plan. Her eyes grew rounder and rounder as he spoke and her smile grew broader and broader. By the end of it she was teary eyed and silent as a mouse.

“Well? What do you think?”

She sniffed and her husband offered her his handkerchief. She blotted at her eyes and wiped her nose before she looked at him again. “It sounds perfect, Devon. I’m so happy for you.”

Devon couldn’t hold back a smile. Tonight would be the best night of his and Lydia’s life, their second chance at a new beginning.

Lydia watched the rest of the day pass in a small stupor. It was odd not to be with Devon since he had filled her past few days. It was normal…
and yet not. After lunch, the ladies had discussed redecorating Olivia’s room, then they had taken tea in the family parlor, and after a brief walk on the still wet garden paths, Lydia had gone to her room to rest before dinner.

She missed him. He was gone doing the things men do during the day, a milestone of his recovery, but it left her feeling disappointed. She tried to act like herself, but Olivia kept shooting her odd looks, and her mother’s incessant doting left her nerves frayed. With weary
resolve, she made her way to the drawing room, and entered to the chatter of Colton and Devon telling some risqué story that her mother clearly did not find amusing, although her lips twitched with a smile.

“There you are
, dear. I was beginning to wonder if you had taken a tray in your room. Is anything amiss?” Her eyes skittered over Lydia’s abdomen. Lydia prayed no one else saw.

“I’m fine
, Mother, I am sorry to have kept everyone waiting.”

“Tis no trouble at all
, dear,” Lady Ellsley assured her. “We were just about to head down the hall. I can smell the roast beef already.”

Devon stepped forward
. “My lady, may I escort you in to dinner?” he said charmingly.

Lydia smiled. Her heart lit up at the sight of him
, and it took all her strength not to simply walk into his arms. “I would be honored, my lord.”

“Let us go about it then.” Olivia grabbed Colton’s arm
, and practically dragged him from the room.

Dinner was lively but casual as Devon and Colton shared more stories of their rambunctious boyhood. Lydia laughed until her stomach hurt
, and her mother had imbibed more than usual, lending her a rosy glow about the cheeks, and a cheeky wit that encouraged the boys to misbehave.

Lydia was tickled to her toes. Never had she seen her mother so at ease.
Her mother and Ann—as Lady Ellsley insisted she be called now—took great pleasure in teasing Lord Ellsley, until he too was rather red about the nose and cheeks, and enjoying their verbal sparring.

After scrapping the last of her
Crème brûlée from her bowl, Lydia sighed in contentment and watched the merry group with joy.

“Have you had enough?” Devon whispered in her ear.

“I think I’ve eaten enough to feed a regiment.”

He smiled at her, the kind of liquid and arrogant smile that promised he was up to no good
, and that she would love every second of it. She hoped it were true. She wanted nothing more than for him to sweep her off her feet and carry her to his room. Shameful thoughts, yes, but after this afternoon, it was all she could think about. She felt a curl of heat in her belly as Devon continued to devour her with his eyes and she boldly stared back. She was of the mind to wantonly tell him to come to her tonight or vice versa, but such a thing could not be said when the other guests were well within earshot.

“Did you enjoy your dinner
, as well?” Her smile answered his in every way.

“Oh
, yes, I shall have stored lots of energy for the remainder of the evening.”

Arousal heated her blood until it simmered inside her, each beat of her heart spreading the heat through her until her cloths felt heavy and uncomfortable. She hope
d that was a warning that he would come to her tonight. She prayed for it.

“I think I will retire early after such a heavy meal.” With her
eyes, she invited him to join her.

“Not likely, I promised our mothers we would entertain them with a duet at the
pianoforte,” Olivia broke in.

Lydia deflated. “Oh?”

“Once the gentlemen return, of course. I wouldn’t want them to miss the performance.”

“Why don’t we forgo cigars and port, what say you
, gentlemen?” Lord Ellsley said jovially.

“Excellent idea
, Father. Shall we move on to the drawing room?” Devon stood from his chair, and the others followed.

Lydia watched in dismay as everyone but
her, looked forward to an evening of entertainment. She didn’t want to spend a merry evening with music and cards; she wanted Devon all to herself. She followed anyway, hiding her disappointment behind a façade of serene content.

She took her place behind the
pianoforte as the mothers and gentlemen took their seats. Olivia sat beside her and set up a book of songs to play.”

“What do you wish to sing? You are a lovely soprano and I an accomplished alto so it shan’t be difficult to harmonize.”

Lydia nodded numbly. “I have no opinion one way or the other. We can play whatever you wish.”

“
Lovely!” Olivia said brightly. She picked a sprightly tune about spring that they had played many times before together, and Lydia struggled to appear interested in the gathering.

She sang and played with competence
, but her heart was not in it. No one seemed to notice. An hour had passed, and Lydia contemplated complaining of a headache as Olivia and Colton took to the piano to sing a lovely song about lovers separated at sea. Another half hour passed, and then another as the mothers took their turn filling the air with an Irish ballad of longing. Lydia could sympathize. She kept sneaking peeks at Devon, but he was giving his full attention to the performance and paying her no attention at all. Her mood was getting blacker by the moment. She returned her attention to the mothers as they finished their set, when Olivia popped into her vision.

“Lydia
, you poor dear! You look positively exhausted. You should retire at once and never mind us. We shall continue our concert without you.”

Lydia sat up awkwardly as all the eyes in the room turned to her. “Uh, if you think I should.”

“Absolutely, I know you were caught in the rain today. I will never forgive myself if you caught a cold. Rest is precisely what you need.” Olivia took her elbow and escorted her to the door. “Now don’t worry about a thing. I will make it my mission that you not be disturbed.”

Lydia found herself booted from the parlor. She looked around the hall in befuddlement as the
pianoforte started up again. She slowly turned on her heel and looked around her. This was odd, very odd. Perhaps this was a ruse Devon concocted with Olivia? That was definitely something they would do. Her pulse quickened in anticipation as she climbed the stairs. She expected Devon to present himself at any moment.

There were fewer candles than usual lighting the halls. Corners and alcoves where thrown into deep shadows. She walked slowly, searching for the slightest sound or movement to give Devon’s position away. Reaching the hall to her room she looked around, she paused, stepped closer to her door, and paused again.

Nothing.

Perhaps she was wrong
, and Devon was still in the parlor with the others. Her heart sunk. She had been so befuddled by Olivia’s sudden urge for her to go to bed that she hadn’t looked for him. Oh well, she sighed, and resigned herself to sleep. She put her hand on the knob and twisted. Eyes on the ground as she entered, she closed the door behind her as she lifted her head, and her mouth popped open.

She couldn’t believe her eyes.

Every surface of her room was covered with candles. Pink rose petals were strewn across the floor. The fireplace snapped and wavered cheerily with hungry flames. In the middle of her room sat a bath big enough for two filled to the rim with bubbles, and a very naked nobleman.

“Devon!”
She said with more breath than sound. Her eyes couldn’t take it all in. It was beautiful, magical, scintillating, and as wild as a fantasy come true.

“There’s plenty of room for two
,” Devon invited.

His broad chest rose out of the water like a wicked god
, and the light wavered over his dark hair in a mesmerizing fashion. Lydia was speechless, her feet rooted to the floor where she stood. She couldn’t stop looking at him, at his wet chest, at the layer of bubbles masking the promise of pleasure that lay beneath the water. Before she realized it, she was reaching for the back of her gown, but she couldn’t reach the blasted buttons at the top.

“Do you need help?”

She shook her head desperately. If he got out of the water, she might faint where she stood. Her heart beating wildly, her skin coming alive with arousal, she yanked at the back of her dress, and the tiny pearl buttons popped off and scattered.

Devon’s eyes widened
, but he said nothing as she hastily undressed down to her shift. She walked forward on wobbly knees, unable to take her eyes from his. As she stepped closer to the tub, Devon sat up and stood in the tub. Lydia kept her eyes trained on his.

Wet fingers touched her hips and began to slowly pull up her chemise. With a whisper of
silk, it was gone and she was as naked as he, and burning for his touch. He pulled her against him, his arousal searing her as it brushed her hip, and she took a quick breath.

He swept her up into his arms and she
gasped, “Devon, don’t!”

“Shhh
, I won’t drop you.” He lowered them into the hot water slowly until she was cradled in his lap, and they were both submerged to their shoulders.