As they walked back she admitted this friendship, this virtue, thistalk of spirits and angels, which would surely have delighted LauraMontreville to ecstasy, frustrated her. Why? Because her thoughts wereconstantly on more earthy matters. How long could they go on like this,like Wordsworth and his devoted sister, Dorothy? For despite their strangefamily connection, brother and sister they most certainly were not. Wouldhe really wait for her to make the first move? It was so unfair. She hadno notion what to do.
That night, their last night at Hartwell, Beth suggested a walk in themoonlight. It was a perfect June evening and the full moon sailedbeneficently over them. Again it turned his springy curls to silver giltand Beth remembered that time at Belcraven and that casual thumb on hernipple. She shuddered, but this time it was not with fear or disgust.
“Are you cold?” he asked with concern.
“No, of course not. Someone walked over my grave, I suppose.”
They were in the laburnum walk, and the long yellow blossoms were allabout them, filling the air with their perfume. Beth sighed.
“Will you be so sorry to return to Town?” he asked.
“I will, a little. This simple life is more to my taste, but I know wemust.”
“When the Season’s over we can return here if you wish.”
“What would you normally have done?”
He shrugged. “Brighton for a while. Some time at Belcraven. Visitingfriends.”
“Do you miss your friends?” asked Beth curiously.
He smiled, teeth white in the moonlight. “I have a new friend.”
She had to speak of it, but she turned away. “Do you not mind?” sheasked.
“Having a friend?”
“Having only a friend.”
He turned her with gentle hands. “Do I appear to be driven crazy withfrustration?” he asked. “I’m able to enjoy a woman’s company withoutdemanding more.”
Beth raised her hands helplessly and let them drop. “I knownothing.”
He took her chin gently and raised her head so he could study her face.“I don’t mean to tease you, Beth. If you want me, you have only tosay.”
She stared up at him, trying to read his secret thoughts in hisfeatures. “I don’t know.”
No flicker of regret or frustration marked him. He smiled and dropped abutterfly kiss on her lips. “When you do, you have only to tell me.” Hethen drew her hand through his arm, and they turned back to the house.
As they reached the French doors through which they had left, it becameunbearable to Beth that they simply go off to their separate rooms as theyhad every other night. She said suddenly, “Kiss me, Lucien.”
He stopped and looked down at her, a smile tugging at his lips, warmthgrowing in his eyes. “Like a manservant with a maid? Well, why not?”
He placed his hands on her shoulders and slid them, soft as warmvelvet, up her neck to cradle her head. Beth closed her eyes to savor histouch and felt his thumbs rub, gently rough, against the line of her jawas he stepped closer and his body brushed against hers.
“Hold me, Beth,” he whispered.
She put her arms around him and, driven by some unsuspected need,pulled him hungrily close. His hands released her and his arms came aroundas tightly so they were fused, as it seemed, into one.
He tilted her head and set his lips to hers and that touch became apoint of light burning in the dark behind her eyes. The whole of him ? hisarms, his body, his spirit, and his mind ? seemed to whirl about her andthat point of contact.
When his lips slowly left hers she was still spinning and whirling. Hismouth trailed softly, moistly down her neck. She let her head fall backand he explored the front of her throat. Then his hands came up along herribs to cup her breasts.
A shuddering response swept through her. Her wanton body recognized itwith delight, but her mind flinched in alarm. She felt like a person whohas prayed for gentle rain and received a raging torrent.
The French doors were pushed open and knocked against them.
They broke apart and turned sharply to see the horrified face of thebutler. “My lord. My lady. I beg your pardon!” The red-faced man fled.Beth and Lucien looked at one another and burst into laughter. Beth couldfeel her face burning, though. She had never been so embarrassed in herlife. She hastily readjusted her disarranged bodice.
