“Shh,leannan. Rest.” He raised himself to kiss the tip of her nose, his lips soft and temptingly damp. His amber eyes burned into hers, making her stomach flutter. Against her will, her arms ached to wrap around his neck and pull his mouth to meet hers.
But she knew what that would lead to.
“Aye, you’re right.” His whisper was husky with meaning.
Had he read her mind?
His mouth brushed hers; his tongue came out to trace her bottom lip. Despite her reservations, her body melted beneath his.
He chuckled low. “Aye, you’ll be begging soon enough,” he said, then turned away to blow out the candle.
Shaking, from vexation or unwelcome lust—for the life of her, she wasn’t sure which—Kendra stared into the darkness and wondered if she’d ever get any sleep while she was married to Trick Caldwell.
Fifteen
“WAKE UP,milady. I mean, your grace.”
Kendra forced open her eyes to see Jane standing over her.
“I’ve brought you some breakfast, or should I say dinner?” The maid set a tray on the bed. “It’s late, and his grace is waiting to take you somewhere. A surprise, he said.”
“A surprise?” Struggling into a sitting position, Kendra reached for a cup of chocolate. “He said he had something to show me today, but—”
“A surprise, yes.” Jane’s tall, thin figure disappeared into the dressing room. “He suggested you wear your simplest gown.”
The sound of wardrobes opening and closing came through the open door. “Why would that be?” Kendra asked.
“Well, if you’re not knowing, then how could I?” The maid came in with a peach-velvet gown. Other than a narrow edging of lace around the neckline and some wider matching lace that spilled from the wrists, the dress was plain. No overskirt, no jewels or embroidery on the stomacher. “Do you suppose this will do?”
“I’m sure it’s fine.”
Kendra slapped a slab of cheese on a slice of bread while Jane ducked into the dressing room again. Her sweet voice drifted back out. “Brown shoes rather than gold, I’m thinking.”
Kendra chewed and swallowed, not thinking at all. Her brain was now fuzzy from too much sleep.
“And a chemise, and…lud, would you look at this lovely bracelet? Where’d this come from, milady? I mean, your grace?”
“Milady will more than do,” Kendra grumbled. “And leave the bracelet there.”
Jane appeared in the open doorway, her plain face marred by a puzzled frown. Winking in the noon sun that streamed through the window, the amber bracelet dangled from her fingers. “Was this a gift from your husband?”
“A wedding gift, yes.”
“Then for certain he’d want you to wear it.”
Setting down the bread, Kendra caught a glimpse of the gold ringing her finger. Enough of a reminder that she was married to a lying duke. “I don’t care for it, Jane.”
Her maid’s mouth hung open. “But it’s so beautiful. And his grace is so handsome and kind—do you not want to please him?”
Of course Jane would think Trick was kind—he’d given her half a day off. And he hadn’t lied to her, either. “I really don’t care for it,” Kendra repeated. “Put it away for me, will you? I expect his grace will forget all about it—you know how men are.”
“Very well.” A doubtful look in her gray eyes, Jane disappeared back into the dressing room. She came out carrying the shoes and chemise and set them on the foot of the bed. “Are you happy here, milady?”
“Of course I’m happy.” Gesturing at the rich, garish chamber, Kendra forced a smile. “How could one not be happy here?”
Sixteen
“MR. CALDWELL!”A dozen children bounded down the steps of the sprawling Tudor manor house and clustered around Trick. Laughing, he reached to squeeze shoulders and pat heads, leaving no child untouched.
