He almost stomped out, and the door clicked behind him. “Come help me change and get ready for bed. I shall want my robe as well.”

Giles arrived at the same time as the under-butler returned. “What’s going on?”

She took Giles by the hand and pulled him into her room. “My maid was attacked by one of my father’s servants.”

He looked at the under-butler. “Do you have a solution?”

“Your Grace, a chamber is being prepared for Miss Mannering. I shall post a guard outside of it to see that she is not bothered and to escort her to her ladyship in the morning.”

“Very well. Have her here at seven.”

“Yes, Your Grace. I have also locked the person in his chamber until morning. Do you have a suggestion as to when we should release him?”

A slow, wicked smile formed on Giles’s firm, well-molded lips, and a glint appeared in his eyes. “When Somerset is ready to depart, and not an instant before. I want him escorted by at least two footmen out of the house and not allowed to return.”

Thalia had never seen a servant look so—so—satisfied was the only word she could think of. Her father would have to be quiet about Sittle, as well as being duped over the settlement papers and wedding, or look like a fool.

“Do I have your permission to subdue the blackguard if he resists?”

If anything, her betrothed’s smile grew. “By all means. Do whatever is necessary. We cannot allow cravens such as him to prey upon women.”

The under-butler bowed. “Just so, Your Grace. I shall take the liberty of informing the rest of the senior staff.”

“Good man.” Giles looked at Mannering. “Go with Hamish. You’ll be safe.”

“Yes, do.” Thalia squeezed her maid’s shoulder. “You will be protected, and I shall see you in the morning.”

“Thank you, my lady.” Her maid curtseyed before leaving the chamber, but not before giving Thalia a curious look.

Giles closed the door. “Now, my love. Tell me what this is about. I thought we had agreed to wait.”

She did not know how to be a seductress, but she did know how to be herself and that he wanted her. Thalia gazed into his eyes, while she placed her hands on his strong chest and pushed his banyan off his shoulders. “I occurred to me that we will not have much time tomorrow to do more than quickly consummate our marriage.” He stood in a nightshirt that revealed a deep V of dark, curling hair. “I have been told enough to realize that a quick coupling is likely to be unsatisfactory for my first time.” She undid the four buttons that were fastened and spread the fabric apart. “Therefore, after due consideration, I decided that tonight we would have more time to engage in marital congress.”

He pushed her robe off her shoulders, and it fell to the floor. “How very wise of you, my love.” Giles pressed his lips to her neck and lightly sucked the skin beneath her ear. Her breasts grew heavy, and the place between her legs began to ache. “How did I get so lucky?”

“I do not know.” His fingers grazed her nipples, and she wanted to melt into him. “That feels so good.”

“Not as good as the rest of it’s going to feel.” He drew his nightshirt over his head and lifted the hem of her nightgown.

The next moment, they were naked. Bare skin reveled in touching bare skin. His hand skated over her back and derrière, and she caressed him in the same way. “Will it feel as good as under the tree?”

She had never seen a male body. Not even a picture. All the books with drawings of Greek and Roman statues had been removed from the library at home. But if Giles was any sort of representation, the male body was magnificent, all bones, sinew, and hard muscle covered by taut skin and dark hair. He growled as he sucked first one nipple, then the other, into his mouth, and it was all she could do not to scream with pleasure.

“Blast the tree. It will be better. As good as I can make it for you.” Lifting her into his arms, he carried her to the bed and gently placed her down before crawling in and covering her with his body.

His fingers discovered her core, she sucked in a breath, and the next thing she knew his mouth was on hers, covering her moans. The same tension she’d felt before grew, and this time she knew to let it take her on its wave of pleasure. She hadn’t finished convulsing when he entered her, and then stopped. There was a brief instant of pain, and then fullness.

“Thalia, my love. Are you all right?” Opening her eyes, she could see his concern.

“I am. I am fine.” He stayed where he was, not moving, and she lifted her hips. Or rather, her hips rose on their own.

That seemed to be enough for him to plunge more deeply into her body. She felt stretched and conquered, but she liked it. Nay, more than that. She finally knew what it was to be one with a man. With Giles. The tension she wanted grew again, and when she splintered, he groaned and plunged even more deeply into her, then collapsed, rolling off to the side, and pulling her next to him.


KENDAL’S HEART was beating so hard that he was surprised it didn’t wake the entire floor. He’d never experienced anything like making love to Thalia. Her small hand pressed lightly on his chest, and he pulled her on top of him. “Was it bearable?”

“More than bearable.” She smiled as he gathered her hair and put it to one side. “I have never felt anything so amazing.”

He wanted to believe her, but he’d heard the gasp of pain when he’d breached her maidenhead. “But I caused you pain.”

She lowered her lips to his. “It wasn’t as bad as I expected it to be. More like being stuck with a thorn.”

“A thorn?” He tried to decide if that was lowering, then decided it didn’t matter. As long as she was happy, he was as well. “Thorns are very painful.” He rolled them onto their sides. “But not too painful?”

She grinned against his cheek. “Not the way you did it.”

Leaning back, she frowned. “Are you looking for a compliment or trying to make yourself feel better?”

“Neither. I’m trying to make sure you want to do this again.” And again, and again, and again until they were old and gray.

“I do want to do this again. But I am a little sore, so we might have to wait until after we are married.”

“I wish I could call for a bath for you now.” He rose. “I’ll be right back.”

He walked behind the screen and found a basin with a piece of linen and cold water. Dipping the cloth into the water, he went back to the bed, and pressed the damp coolness at her core, hoping to ease the pain.

“That feels good.”

“I hoped it would.” Now to get rid of any sign that they had anticipated their vows. He rinsed out the linen and tossed the bloodied water out of the open window.

“What are you doing?”

“Saving your maid from embarrassment tomorrow.” The woman had suffered enough. She did not need to feel that what he and Thalia had done was her fault in any manner.

“I do not understand.”

He climbed back into bed and wrapped his arms around her. “You bled when your maidenhead was torn. I’ll have my valet take the sheet to whichever room we will go to after the wedding, as proof of consummation, but no one will know that you were no longer a virgin when we married.”

“Is that important?” Her expression was adorably confused. “Both my sisters anticipated their vows.” She frowned. “Although it caused difficulties for one of them.”

That was one way of putting it. “Normally, no. It doesn’t matter. But I have a feeling that it might for us.” He gazed at her, his heart never fuller than it was now. “Let’s not take any chances.”

“Tempting fate?” Her eyes were wide and worried.

“In a manner of speaking.” A sudden chill swooped down his back.

Kendal nestled Thalia’s back against his chest. With her in his arms, he slept better than he ever remembered sleeping.

A noise woke him—the sound of feet shuffling outside the door. What the devil was going on?

Then Thalia’s maid stepped into the bedchamber through the dressing room. “Hurry, come with me into the passageway.”

Thalia was still fast asleep. “Both of us?”

“Yes, Your Grace. You mustn’t be found in her room.”

That was a good point.

She awoke as he lifted her. “Your maid is waiting for us.”

Thankfully, she didn’t waste time asking questions, but headed immediately toward the servant. They entered the passage by way of a hidden door in the dressing room. Thankfully, one of the previous dukes hadn’t wished the servants to be running around the main house, and the place was riddled with secret ways in and out of the rooms. “Where are we going?”

“I’m taking her to another chamber. When she’s safe, I’ll tell Lady Hawksworth where she is.”

“Very well. I shall go to my room and change. Are the servant’s stairs still safe?”

“No, Your Grace.” A footman Kendal hadn’t noticed before spoke. “We will need to use the passages to make our way to the chapel.”

“Cellars?” That would be the easiest way.

“Yes, Your Grace.”

He hugged Thalia. “I’ll meet you down there. Go with them. I shall see you soon.”

Kendal rushed back into the bedchamber and grabbed the blood-stained sheet. Once back in the passage, he turned in the direction opposite to the one Thalia had taken and exited into his room.

Hearing pounding and voices in the corridor, Kendal dropped the sheet on a chair, pulled on a pair of trousers, then stepped through his door. Four men in Somerset livery were standing outside of Thalia’s bedchamber. One of them looked as if he was preparing to break the door down. In his most dukely voice said, “What the devil are you doing?”

Two of the footmen flushed red, and another slumped back against the wall, but the fourth one said, “We are to bring Lady Thalia to the Duke of Somerset.”

“You can go to perdition. I don’t care if you came from King George. You will leave now and not return, or I’ll have you all thrown into the dungeons until your master is ready to depart.”

Hamish the under-butler came around the corner from the main staircase. “Your Grace, may I be of service?”

“Remove these interlopers.”

Kendal wanted to laugh when the under-butler snapped his fingers smartly, and at least ten footmen came rushing over. “Remove these men.”

“Where would you like them put, Your Grace?”

He felt a particular glee in giving the order, “The dungeons.”

Hamish bowed. “As you wish, Your Grace.”

The rest of Thalia’s family piled into the corridor, and Hawksworth raised a brow. “What is going on?”

“Your father’s servants were attempting to gain access to Lady Thalia’s bedchamber.” Kendal watched a scowl form on her brother’s face. “They are being taken to the dungeons.”

Hawksworth turned a malevolent look toward Somerset’s footmen. “I cannot think of a better place for them.” Once the servants had been taken away, he glanced at Hamish. “See if you can get their names. When I eventually become Somerset, I will not have them work for me.”

“I will do my best, my lord.” Hamish turned to Kendal. “Will there be anything else?”

“Keep a guard on this part of the house.”

The corner of the under-butler’s mouth tipped up, as if he knew no one would be here any longer, and the guard was a ruse. “It will be done.”

“Where is Thalia?” Laia asked.

Of course they would all be concerned. “Safe elsewhere. I suggest we all dress and meet back here. I’ll lead you to the chapel.”

“There are things we need to give her before you marry,” Euphrosyne said.

He raked his hand through his hair. “I don’t know what to tell you. I don’t even know where she is.”




CHAPTER 9




THALIA FOUND herself in the same bedchamber she and her sisters had discovered yesterday. Now the only question was what was she going to wear to her wedding?

Mannering joined her. “If you come with me, there is a bathing chamber through that door.”

The room was tiled and had a fully tiled stove that went from the floor to the ceiling as well as a large bathtub. She had read about this from the accounts of travelers, but she had never thought to see one. “Does that pump bring hot water?”

“Yes, my lady.”

In much less time than it would have taken if servants had carried in hot water, she was in the tub soaking.

About the time the water was cooling, her maid returned. “I went to your old chamber and brought the gown Lady Hawksworth planned for you to wear to your wedding.” A pained expression crossed Mannering’s face. “Your sisters, aunt, and Lady Hawksworth insisted on coming with me.”

As Thalia got out of the bath and wrapped herself in a flannel robe, she couldn’t help but laugh. “I want a house with secret passages.”