“Cecily,” he whispered into her perfectly delicate ear.
“Yes?” she answered sleepily.
“Just that. JustCecily,” he said, nuzzling her. She wasn’t a tiny woman but holding her like this she felt utterly fragile, igniting in him an overwhelming urge to protect her at all costs.
Except he had not protected her today. She had been pushed into the Serpentine and then later fought off a snake that had been planted in her bed.
How was it that she was not even safe in her own home?
“Have you noticed any new servants? Anybody particularly who seems to not belong in the household?” His mind had begun churning. He needed to put an end to these dangerous and deadly pranks. Whoever was causing this mischief needed to be stopped before somebody was hurt, or worse.
Cecily sighed. “I haven’t paid much attention to the household. Since Flave told me of the nature of our marriage, I haven’t taken the time to familiarize myself with the staff. I know Sherman, Sally, Peters, Peterson, and Mrs. Taylor, and I ought to know more of them by now, but I haven’t had the heart to even attempt settling in as Flavion’s countess.”
And then she chuckled, a low sexy sound that heated his blood. “So, you no longer suspect me? Am I to be absolved of any new mischievous events that take place?”
Stephen’s hand rested on her bared midriff. He marveled at how soft and warm she felt, and yet he needed to concentrate. Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, the image of the mutilated snake came to mind. “After what you did to that snake, I think that if you wanted to kill someone he would be dead and buried by now.” And then another kiss. “No, love, I do not suspect you any longer.”
“Do you think it could possibly be Flavion? I have thought that if he truly did not wish to be married to me, it would be convenient if I were to depart from this world. You know him better. You grew up with him. Do you think he is capable of such deviousness?”
Stephen grasped a blanket folded near the base of the bed and pulled it up to cover her. “You are most definitely not going to depart from this world anytime soon.” After another pause, he answered her question. “Flavion is selfish and vain and controlled by his own lust much of the time, but I do not think he is capable of murder. If backed into a corner, perhaps, but not in a premeditated way. He, by the way, thinks you are attempting to murder him.”
“Oh,” she said, surprised. “Not that I hadn’t thought about it as you well know.” She turned her head slightly and gave him a sidelong glance with a smirk. “But I cannot even put a worm on a fishhook. I don’t think that I have the fortitude to murder my own husband.”
“So,” Stephen said, chuckling again, “if the adder had been a mere earthworm, he would not have been severed into twenty or more different pieces?”
Cecily laughed again. “No, I suppose not. And do not forget he tried to harm Chadwick.”
Cecily turned and burrowed closer into his chest. “So, if we eliminate both Flavion and myself, we must look outside of the family to identify new suspects.” She was unbuttoning his shirt and playing with the downy hair that curled along his sternum. Having her touch him thusly was more than a little distracting.
“I know that your father is a ruthless businessman, and you have admitted to being aware of this. I’m curious whether or not he perhaps has some enemy out there who might be seeking revenge by frightening you, by making attempts on Thomas Findlay’s daughter?”
Cecily stopped her playful touches and rubbed her nose thoughtfully. “It is always possible… but…”
“But? Do you have some other suspect in mind?”
“Well, Daphne Cunnington. She really — I meanreally —does not like me and has said as much to my face. It is possible that she is the one attempting to get me out of the picture. That way Flavion would be free to marry her, regardless of her small dowry.”
Stephen moved his hand around to grasp Cecily’s derriere. Giving her a subtle squeeze, he leaned forward and touched his lips to hers. “I like you. I mean,I reallylike you,” he said huskily. He did not think Daphne Cunnington capable of attempted murder. She was an empty-headed debutante. Based upon the few times he’d observed her, he was quite willing to wager she did not possess the fortitude to kill another person, even if that person was her lover’s wife.
Cecily had unfastened all of the buttons down the front of his shirt. Sitting up, Stephen struggled to free himself from his jacket and waistcoat. As he went to lie down again, Cecily reached toward him and took hold of his falls. Her fingers were surprisingly nimble as she unfastened them and then gave a downward tug. He had neither the heart nor the willpower to stop her. Instead, he assisted her and kicked them off the bed.
She had seen him the night before but not so boldly aroused. She let out a small gasp as she took in the full sight of him. He gave her a wry grimace and then shrugged. “I told you — I really like you…”
And then he was back under the covers, holding her again. This was madness.
When Cecily reached down to take him in her hand, Stephen agonized that he should stop her. Closing his eyes, he nearly groaned aloud when she began rubbing her hand up and down his length. It was too late for him to decide to be gentlemanly, wasn’t it? Wasn’t it?
“Cecily,” he said, grasping her hand quickly and stilling her flirtatiously naughty hands. She fluttered her lashes at him and pouted prettily.
“You think we should not…?” she asked quietly, relaxing her hand and attempting to pull it away from him.
But he stopped her.
“I feel as though I am taking advantage of you — of your situation. I could not forgive myself it this was the case.” He didn’t want her to feel rejection from him. She’d had enough of that from her husband to last a lifetime.
“And I,” she began, “would wish that you could make love to me in a way that you wash away the memories of my less-than-satisfying wedding night. In fact, I would wish that you could work your own body upon mine so as to obliterate it.”
Stephen was rather shaken by this statement. It held a misery of disappointment and bitterness. “Did Flavion harm you? Did he force himself upon you?” He could not think this would be the case but felt it imperative that he ask, nonetheless.
