Page 52

Yet she felt as though the others should be able to see the change in her by a mere glance. She was different now. She felt different. She’d felt the touch of a man’s hands and mouth upon her body. In her. She’d taken him into her mouth. And swallowed. She could still taste him. She still felt the unique sense of satiation after pleasure.

It felt as though the word harlot should be blazing above her head.

“There you are!” Tiffany said cheerfully, though she did shoot a look at her brother. If the duke was perturbed, it did not show in his demeanor nor on his face when Mei glanced up at him. “It is getting rather late. We thought we should turn in.”

“Very well,” the duke replied with a smile, as if nothing untoward had happened between them.

Likely, he was used to trysts in gardens with ladies.

Mei pasted a small smile on her lips as well, hiding the little pang of hurt that just jabbed her heart.

“Yes, I believe tomorrow shall be a rather busy day?” Her voice lilted up at the end to make it a question.

“I am hoping for fair weather all day so we may visit the local village shops,” Tiffany admitted. “And perhaps a picnic out by the river.”

Mei noticed that Lord Hayworth and Lady Juliette hung back a bit from the rest of them, making moon-eyes at each other. Perhaps they had engaged in similar activities that she and the duke had, taking advantage of the darkness of the garden for intimacies that were otherwise denied to them.

“That sounds lovely,” Mei replied to Tiffany. “I know some of the ladies were hoping to go shopping.”

“It could very easily be an all-day excursion with some of them.” Tiffany laughed.

She was so focused on her conversation with Tiffany, trying to act normal so that her friend would not guess that Mei had become her brother’s lover, that she did not notice the significant glance exchanged between the two dukes escorting them.

22

Sebastian

Up early the morning after his garden tryst, Sebastian was feeling particularly fine.

Last night, Mei declared she wanted to be his lover. He’d kept his promise to his sister not to seduce nor dishonor Mei—she’d been the one to seduce him. And he absolutely did not mean to dishonor her, as he was now certain that she was the woman he wanted for his wife.

Surely, it could not be too far a leap from lover to wife. That was always the hope of mistresses and lovers of nobles of the ton. Just look at Zachary and Delilah. If he had not been so foolish as to release her to appease his mother, he could have married Delilah.

Which was what Sebastian was very sure he wanted to do now. Not only because of the game of charades and realizing how his and Mei’s minds were so closely attuned, or how she made him laugh or feel at ease, or the desire that flowed between them… but because of all of it.

He could not pinpoint one singular reason he wanted to marry her; it was just everything about her. Last night, being able to speak with her more freely, to admire how forthright she was with him despite their differences in stations, had only solidified his decision. She would make a wonderful wife for him. Exactly the kind of wife he wanted.

All Season, he’d met debutante after debutante, and not one of them made him feel the way he did when he was with her. Even her best efforts at finding him a debutante to marry had resulted in four young ladies who would make exemplary duchesses… but who did not stir him the way she did. Who did not make him feel as though he could be himself with them the way she did.

It was as though she truly saw him. Which was how she’d managed to pick four ladies who would suit him admirably, if not for the attraction between him and her. Past the veneer of duke, beyond being Tiffany’s older brother, despite what she knew of their mother… she knew the good and the bad. And she wanted to be his lover, anyway.

A knock at the bedroom door broke him out of his reverie, and Sebastian and his valet exchanged a glance. Darning’s disapproval of the interruption to the morning routine was clear on his face, but he went over to the door. As soon as he opened it, he bowed and stepped back, so Sebastian had a good idea of who had knocked even before Gregory entered the room.

He was already fully dressed and ready for the day in riding breeches and a navy coat, his dark hair artfully tousled. There were quite a few people who mistook them for brothers at first glance—and now Tiffany had made that supposition a reality. Usually, Gregory was known as the cheerful one and Sebastian as the serious one, but today it was Gregory who had a scowl on his face.

“Excuse me, Darning, but I need a moment with His Grace,” Gregory said.

Darning glanced at Sebastian, who nodded his head.

“I can finish up myself,” Sebastian said. “Thank you, Darning.” The valet did not appear entirely pleased at not being able to ensure that Sebastian was quite done, but he bowed and exited the room without complaint.

They really had almost finished.

As soon as the door closed behind the valet, Gregory’s fists planted themselves on his hips, and he glared at Sebastian.

“What the devil are you about with Miss Hu?” he demanded to know.

“I would have thought my sister would have told you.” Sebastian raised his eyebrow at his friend, who scowled even harder.