The duchess narrowed her eyes at him but decided to let the matter rest for now as she made her way to the couch on the other side of the room. “I will leave the two of you to it then,” she said cheerfully and retrieved her needlepoint from a basket beside the couch.
The rest of the afternoon proceeded peacefully as Jameson and Charlotte rehearsed the song he had composed for the upcoming performance. Yet Jameson couldn’t help feeling as if Lady Charlotte was hiding something from him; her quiet demeanour made him question whether he’d got carried away at the Opera.
***
Charlotte lay awake in her bed, staring at the ornate ceiling of the guest chambers. Painted cherubs on clouds stared down at her as guilt ate away at her insides. She’d enjoyed her afternoon with the marquess, their conversations flowed easily, and the moments where his fingers had brushed against hers had set her heart on fire.
Yet she couldn’t bring herself to forget the secret she had discovered. What would Jameson think of her when he found out that her uncle had nearly destroyed his family? And there was something else that bothered her about the letter she had found in the attic. Was her parents’ death really an accident?
The thought alone was enough to make her ill as she turned in bed and looked at the full moon in the bright sky. The maids had closed the curtains, but she had opened them once again as soon as the house had settled. The bright light always brought her comfort when she was ill at ease.
A light knock, barely audible, sounded on her door, making her frown as she pulled back the covers and tiptoed across the floor.
Surely everyone is asleep at this hour?
She wondered if Lady Elizabeth had been taken ill as she pulled open the door. Her breath caught in her throat as her heart suddenly skipped a beat.
Jameson stood before her in the hallway, a haunted look on his face as he ran his hand through his already tousled hair. He looked at her for a moment before stepping into the room and locking the door behind him, causing her heart to thrum against the walls of her chest.
Did he somehow find out?
“Lady Charlotte, forgive me for the intrusion. I could not sleep without knowing what has been weighing so heavily on your mind,” Jameson took a step forward, running the back of his knuckles over her cheek.
Charlotte’s lips parted slightly at the unexpected contact, his hand coming down to cup her chin and tilt her head towards his. The moonlight streaming through her window lit up his eyes and highlighted the flecks of blue that had stolen her heart the moment she’d glimpsed them.
“Please tell me that I haven’t been imagining the feelings of attraction between us?” His voice was urgent and demanding as he stepped even closer, his free hand reaching for her waist and pulling him closer.
“My Lord, I …” The words that escaped her throat barely had time to reach his ears as Jameson pulled her in for a kiss. His mouth crashed down on her with a hunger and passion that couldn’t be ignored.
All sense of right and propriety were forgotten as the marquess led her over to the bed, backing her up gently before laying her down on the sheets.
“Don’t say anything; just allow me to look at you in the light of the moon,” Jameson said in hushed tones as he used the tips of his fingers to gently move her night dress up her thighs, exposing the milky flesh that seemed to glow in the light of the moon.
A light gasp escaped her throat as his hand shifted beneath the sheer fabric, working its way up her thigh, and feeling her hip. A fire lit in the pit of her stomach, spreading through her body as she responded to his touch.
“If I have been mistaken, say that I must go now, and I will leave you alone.” His voice was deep and desperate as he leaned in closer, bringing his face closer to hers.
His hot breath tickled her ear as he brushed a light kiss against her neck, his fingers running up her body in a gentle trail, pausing over her ribs beneath her breasts.
“Please don’t go …” She managed to breathe as her chest rose and fell with anticipation. Her insides felt as if they would burst if he left her now. Heat poured over her skin, causing her to arch her back slightly, demanding more attention from his caress.
“As you wish, My Lady,” Jameson growled hungrily in her ear, his hand working its way up her breast and undoing the ribbons of her nightgown over her chest.
Cool air kissed her breasts as the marquess parted the fabric, exposing her chest to the pale light. A hungry look filled his eyes as he devoured her body with his gaze, slipping her gown off her shoulders before pulling it down her body and tossing it aside.
Her arms instinctively shot up to protect her modesty, but Jameson reached down and gently pulled them aside.
“Let me look at you, Lady Charlotte,” he whispered in a husky tone, sweeping his eyes over her shapely legs and the gentle curves of her naked body.
Charlotte’s heart fluttered as she gave in to his demands, her heart singing with anticipation as the urgency to feel his touch on her body grew hotter.
Taking a step back, the marquess pulled his cotton nightshirt over his head, discarding it beside the bed with her dress before pushing his breeches to the floor.
Heat filled her cheeks as she saw a man in all sense of the word for the first time in her life. Turning her head towards the door, she took a moment to compose herself as she felt the bed shifting beneath his weight.
Jameson positioned himself above her on the sheets, gently moving her head to look up at him again as he lifted her thigh on either side of his hips, making space for his legs between her thighs.
“Look at me, Lady Charlotte. I want you to see exactly what you do to me when you look at me,” he commanded more urgently, making her stomach knot in a delicious manner that excited her even further.
