Chapter Thirty-One
After Jenny dismissedSusan, she perched on the stool before the mirror in her negligee, a little nervous, as she waited for Andrew. She was a duchess! Did she look different? More confident, perhaps. It had been a small, intimate, and perfect wedding. The ceremony passed in a blur. Andrew, smiling down at her, so handsome and imposing in his superbly cut black and white clothes, a diamond winking from his crisp white cravat. His best man, Strathairn, beside him. The vicar looked nervous and cleared his throat several times before reading from the Book of Common Prayer. Her father, smiling his approval of her at last, gave her away, then the exchange of vows and the wedding ring, and Andrew’s too brief kiss. After signing the register they joined hands to leave the chapel for the wedding breakfast. Her sisters, so lovely in their pink and white dresses, Bella smiling at Glyn, and little Beth flushed with pleasure. Jenny couldn’t wish for more.
She had warmed to Andrew’s friends. The handsome French-born baron, Guy Fortescue, and his poetess wife, Hetty; the Irish diplomat, Viscount Flynn Montsimon, and the lovely Althea. The guests gathered in the double drawing room where the furniture had been removed to create a dance floor. A trio played Bach until Forrester announced that the breakfast was served. How elegant it all was, and how perfect. The delicious food, and the amusing and uplifting speeches, Andrew’s friends made, toasting them with champagne. The cutting of the cake, a huge white marzipan covered cake rich with brandy. And later, in Andrew’s arms dancing the bridal waltz as he murmured teasing and sensual things in her ear, which made her laugh and yearn for him.
Jenny smiled into the mirror. Afterward, Andrew had taken her below stairs and introduced her as his duchess to the staff who were enjoying their own party. He thanked them all, and especially Cook for the elegant repast. The servants then toasted them with glasses of champagne. But best of all was when William had allowed Jenny to hug him, and Barbara had called her Mama.
The door opened, and Jenny’s heart began its wild beating. Andrew walked in dressed in a midnight blue silk dressing gown with gold tassels. She caught her breath. She refused to believe her father’s warning that Andrew had married her for his children’s sake. And she’d dealt with whether he could love her after he’d mourned Catherine so long. It no longer concerned her. She trusted her future to the fine man she had married.
Jenny rose as he crossed the carpet, trembling a little, to meet him. Her gaze roamed his face from his firm, freshly shaved jaw to his slow smile. She was caught by the passionate fire in his eyes.
“I am the most fortunate of fellows.” He took hold of her hands. “Such a beautiful bride walking down the aisle on your father’s arm.” The touch of his lips on her palms sent an erotic thrill through her. “It all went well, didn’t it?”
Filled with an almost painful longing, she smiled, wanting to kiss him. “It was quite perfect,” she murmured.
“The children are so happy to have you back again.”
“As am I. I love them dearly.”
“Yes, I know you do.” One arm slid around her waist. He lifted her chin and lowered his mouth to hers in a long passionate kiss, which left her breathless. “While I am happy for my children’s sake, Jenny,” he said after he’d drawn away, “Please know that I married you for my own selfish reasons.” He tucked a long curly brown lock back over her shoulder and untied the bow at the neck of her negligee. The garment slipped from her shoulders, and he drew it away and tossed it onto a chair.
She yearned to declare her love for him, the words trembled on her tongue. Might she embarrass him? What if he didn’t wish to hear it?
“I want you so much, darling,” he said as her nightgown joined her dressing gown on the chair. She stood naked before him. He stroked her arm with the lightest of caresses and just looked at her. “You are very lovely, Jenny,” he said in a husky voice. The raw passion in his eyes made her shiver in anticipation.
He stripped off his dressing gown and stood naked before her, proud and erect. Rendered breathless by the sight of his strong, muscular body, and the evidence of his desire for her, her senses reeled. Slowly, he drew her against him, a bare touch of skin against skin, and took her mouth in another long, demanding kiss. She breathed in his masculine smell and the beguiling hint of his citrus cologne, the frisson of needy desire making her murmur.
Beneath her hands, his smooth skin stretched over the taut muscles of his back, tapering to a slender waist and powerful buttocks.
“Jenny!” He stroked down over her waist and hip to cup her buttocks and pull her hard against his erection and she gasped.
He pressed kiss after kiss on her lips, and with a soft moan, moved down over her throat. When his mouth covered a nipple, a rush of excitement shot through her and shortened her breath. Her knees weakened and threatened to give way, and she melted, mindless, clutching onto him.
Andrew swept her up and carried her to the bed, laying her gently down. He leaned over her. “I’ve wanted you from the first moment I saw you, Jenny. I admit to suffering a measure of guilt. A man doesn’t like to admit he fancies his children’s governess.”
She grinned. “You did?”
“Unforgivable lust, Jenny. But it’s not like that now.”
She gazed at him, surprised. “You don’t feel that way anymore?”
A devilish look came into his eyes. “Of course I want you.Ah, Jenny. I want your love. I’ve fallen head over heels in love with you.”
Jenny bit her lip to stop the sob rising in her throat. Her hand at his nape, she drew him down for her to kiss. “I love you, Andrew. So very much.”
He lay over her on the bed, pulling her closer. His hand cupped her head as he kissed her, easing her lips apart to stroke the inside of her mouth. The taste of him flowed through her, champagne and brandy and something essentially him. At so intimate an act she lost herself, her tongue dancing with his.
With a soft moan, he explored her with his hands and lips, pressing kisses down over her throat to take a nipple in his mouth. Jenny moaned and wriggled in ecstasy. Blushing furiously she stilled as he turned his attention to the thatch of brown curls at the base of her stomach. She whimpered and gasped while his mouth and skillful fingers aroused her in a way that was beyond her imagining.
He edged her thighs apart and moved between them. “Jenny, love,” he murmured and entered her.
With a deep moan, Jenny gave in to the exquisite sensation of being joined with him in this most intimate of acts as she hugged him to her.
Andrew woke tothe sound of knocking. He glanced over at his lovely bride, sleeping soundly beside him. He grinned. They’d had very little sleep. She stirred and opened her eyes. Her gaze settled on him and she smiled. “Good morning.”
“Someone has knocked at the door. I must say I’m surprised. Anyone who dares disturb us must desire a period spent in the dungeon.”
Her eyes widened. “I should get up.” She moved to leave the bed, then recalled she was naked beneath the blankets.
