His chest filled with joy as he pulled her head to him and kissed her with all the love he felt for her.
Her response was equal, as she was in everything. She’d stolen his heart like she’d stolen his book, but he hadn’t even known it until it was too late.
Mariel cleared her throat. “It would be remiss of me as your chaperone not to remind you that I am here with you.”
He smiled and Joanna laughed, effectively ending their kiss.
She brushed back his hair. “Of course, there will be conditions.”
He would have groaned if he had any voice, then he grinned. “The first is that I be allowed to teach at your school.”
She pulled back and stared at him. “You mean you want to…don’t mind…oh, James.” Throwing her arms around him she kissed him again.
Loving the feel of her in his arms, he welcomed her with his whole heart. Now and forever. Breaking the kiss, he looked into her eyes. “I cannot wait to share the rest of my life with you.”
As the coach moved through the better parts of Town, the light grew inside the interior and he could see her glowing face and the twinkle in her eye. “I guess Lady Caroline was correct after all. She said I was stealing the duke.”
He pulled the long lock that had fallen over her shoulder to the front. “You can never steal something that is freely given. My heart is yours.”
“And mine yours.” She sat back against him, holding his hand and sighed. “Now what shall we nameourschool?”
An uncharacteristic wetness formed in his eyes at her use of the wordour. “What do you think?”
“I think we should discuss it when you have your voice back. It would be far too easy to get my way now.”
He smiled. As long as he had her for the rest of his life, he was content to let her have her way…half the time.
Epilogue
Haven House library
June 1816
Joanna Huntington, Duchessof Northwick added the final number and set the quill back in the ink stand. Blowing on the paper, she set it aside. The tuition would cover everything but the changes she’d made to Silver Meadows. The estate would be ready for them to open the Belinda School for Curious Ladies come September. She rose and stretched, before walking to the bay window where her husband sat reading the newest collection to their library.
She flopped down into the chair next to him.
He immediately set down the book. “Are you finished?”
She nodded. “I believe so. I can’t imagine there could be anything else. Of course, once we get through the mandatory sampling of courses with the three of us, we will need to hire additional teachers, dependent on the subjects requested.”
James’ gaze turned wicked. “And what if one of our students requests to be instructed in the pleasures of seduction?”
Her body reacted to his question far faster than her mind. In the month they had been married, they had already enjoyed the majority of positions illustrated inthe book. She rose and lifted the new book from his lap and set it on the small table, then she took the place of the book and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I think if we wished to teach such a subject, we would have to open a school for married women and mistresses, don’t you?”
His gaze moved to the neckline of her turquoise day gown. “The only woman I’m interested in teaching is right here.” He lifted the fine material from her chest and blew air down her cleavage.
She placed her finger under his chin and nudged his head up. “Are you sure there is anything left to impart?”
His head dipped and he caught her finger in his mouth. As he held it lightly with his teeth, he sucked.
Her body flushed with remembered pleasure from the night before.
Letting her finger go, he grinned. “There is far more to learn than what is in a single tome.” His hand came up to cup her breast, his finger grazing over her now-taut peak through the cloth. “Remember I have other volumes, one which you already began to read. I believe it started with something about how a woman must be available for a man to take her whenever, wherever, and however he wished.”
The promise of pleasures she’d had yet to experience glowed in his predatory gaze and her core tightened with need. “I don’t remember it sayinghowever. Maybe I should write a book about how a man should be available to his wife whenever, wherever, and however she pleases.”
He grasped her breast and squeezed. “You haven’t done enough research yet.”
