Or for as long as his life would last.
The thought was a rather somber one, most unwelcome. He banished it and tamped down the accompanying burst of dread.
He kissed her once more for good measure, unable to resist. “Come, darling. We should dress.”
* * *
Virtue had chosenthe wrong room in which to read her husband’s most recent gift, which had been waiting for her when they had returned from their customary morning ride in Hyde Park. A copy ofThe Tale of Love, the book he had forbidden her from reading in the library what seemed like a lifetime ago now. A note had accompanied its presence, carefully tucked into the frontispiece so that only a small sliver of it was visible.
For her eyes alone.
Darling,
I thought perhaps you might enjoy this forbidden fruit at last. I recommend in particular, and, quite wholeheartedly, the epistle from Lady X to her friend.
Yours,
Trevor
The day was rainy again, dull and gray. It was also a Wednesday, which meant Trevor was spending his afternoon at Angelo’s fencing. Virtue was alone on the Grecian divan in the library, a cheerful fire crackling in the grate. No husband to assuage the aches wrought by the deliciously wicked letter he had recommended she read first.
She snapped the book closed with a sigh and clamped her thighs together, feeling achy and flushed. If only she were in the privacy of her chamber, she would have removed her afternoon gown and slippers, then slid beneath the cool, soft comfort of her sheets to rid herself of this gnawing, horrid need.
The notion held appeal. Her mind was filled with the naughty imagery spun by the account inThe Tale of Love. Lady X’s groom had caught her watching him bathe, and although Lady X’s intent had not been to spy, the groom had taken her to task for her daring. And Lady X had quite liked it.
Virtue found herself strangely roused by the notion. Not of the groom and Lady X herself, but the forbidden nature of such a coupling. Two people utterly lost to their body’s desires, transcending societal roles. When the lusty groom had tied Lady X to a bench using her own garters…
Good heavens.
She hadn’t known she would find such a thing appealing. But she did. And she decided that perhaps retiring to her chamber to tend to herself wouldn’t be such a bad idea. No one would guess at the reason, surely. It wasn’t as if her wickedness was written on her face. Was it? Of course not.
Virtue made haste in departing the library, her naughty book held firmly to her bodice lest anyone spy the cover and discern what she had been reading and why she was in such a rush to seclude herself in the privacy of her chamber. Oh, why did Hunt House have to be so frightfully large? Its size certainly rendered navigation most distressing when one was in need of swiftness and privacy. She passed two chamber maids and Mrs. Bell on her way and prayed she was not blushing furiously.
At last, she was within the haven of her own apartments, the door firmly closed at her back. She returnedThe Tale of Loveto its place on her writing desk, thinking she would further investigate more of its contents later. Deciding against ringing for her new lady’s maid Abigail, she undid the tapes on her gown and had herself down to nothing more than stockings, chemise, and garters in no time.
That was when a familiar knock came on the door adjoining her room to Trevor’s. Two knocks, in quick succession. Strange to think that even his knocking had become something she recognized, along with his scent, the sound of his breathing when he slept, the beat of his heart beneath her ear when she laid her head on his chest.
“V, is that you?” he called, using his newest pet name for her, which he had adopted following their wedding. “I thought I heard your door.”
It pleased her greatly to have a name that only Trevor called her, for it felt as if it were a secret between the two of them. Something that was theirs alone, just like their kisses and their lovemaking.
“It is,” she called, realizing that a smile already curved her lips without her even being aware of it, for now she would not need to tend to herself after all. “Come.”
Their marriage had fallen into a surprisingly lovely routine over the last few days. Being a wife was still new, but it was not nearly as daunting as she had previously supposed. She genuinely enjoyed the time she spent with Trevor, whether in the privacy of their chambers or when they were accompanied by Lady Deering in the dining room or drawing room.
He crossed the threshold, wearing a blue silk banyan that fluttered about his bare feet and muscular calves and hugged his broad shoulders. His dark hair was damp, as if he had just bathed. The thought of him naked in his bath, warm water sluicing over the beauty of his masculine body, was enough to make her wish she had fled the library earlier. She might have caught him performing his ablutions and offered assistance.
“Have I interrupted something?” he asked, sauntering toward her in that bold way he possessed, as if he owned all the world and not just the impressive edifice in which they were currently housed.
Belatedly, she recalled her state of dress. “No, you haven’t. I was intending to…indulge in a nap.”
Not just a nap, but perhaps a lovely one could have followed her other intentions. She wasn’t certain how to make such a revelation, however. Would he be affronted that she had planned to tend to herself in his absence? She didn’t think so. However, she’d never engaged in such a sensitive conversation before.
“A nap?” He quirked a brow, coming to a halt before her. “Have I kept you from your sleep?”
The wicked grin on his lips was unrepentant, and she knew he was referring to the hours she had spent in his bed the night before, blissfully at the mercy of his knowing mouth and tongue. Her nipples, already tightened with awareness, gave a dull ache.
“You know that you did, but that I have no objections in that regard,” she said primly, fighting another answering smile of her own as he took her hands in his and lifted them for a kiss on each of her knuckles.
