Page 37 of An Innocent Bride for the Duke

That strange ache began again with Benedict’s words, his closeness and the touch of his hands, strange longings fluttering in Louisa’s stomach and throbbing between her thighs.

“Benedict,” she sighed, gazing up into his eyes and feeling her cares begin to slide away into the background.

“Louisa,” he breathed, pulling away one of his hands to stroke her face.

Just as Louisa became sure that he was about to kiss her again, a voice broke in upon her consciousness.

“There you are,” called out Aunt Beatrice from the end of the rose garden’s paths. “I dare say you lost track of time out here. The children have had their breakfast and I cannot keep them indoors any longer. You had best come and say good morning. After all, you will have the rest of your lives to stroll together in rose gardens.”

The silver-haired dowager’s eyes were far too knowing and Louisa blushed a little to think what her aunt might have witnessed if she had arrived a few minutes later.

“I suppose we will,” Benedict agreed, letting out his breath slowly and lowering but not releasing Louisa’s hand from his. “Are you ready, Louisa?”

Louisa nodded. It was time to put aside all dreams of knights on white horses, proposals by moonlight and true love. She had chosen a loveless marriage over ruin and now there was a wedding to be arranged…

Chapter Sixteen

“Ihave it,” pronounced Benedict triumphantly, striding into the hallway at Rosemere and brandishing the carefully folded document which he had carried back in his saddlebag from Carlisle.

“Very good,” responded Lady Esher, beaming with unmitigated pleasure, almost as though relieved that he had not ridden off into the sunset to escape his responsibilities. “I was afraid that the bishop might have gone to the seaside for his summer holiday and you would have to chase him there, or go even further afield.”

“I would have rode all the way to Canterbury for a special license if needs be,” Benedict assured her, his gaze searching the hallway behind his hostess for the other person for whom this news mattered so deeply. “When I set out to do something, I do it properly.”

Louisa was there beside the bannisters, her honey-gold curls only partly pinned up today and falling loosely about her shoulders and the sweet curve of her bosom. She wore that new green dress that he had glimpsed that day at the seamstress, although presently she stood in shadow rather than brilliant sunlight.

As his eyes found her, Louisa smiled shyly and all of Benedict’s thoughts were temporarily diverted into noticing her loveliness… But that appreciation was what had got them into trouble in the first place and he must be careful around her.

It was likely as well that he had been absent from Rosemere for the best part of two days, having ridden with Thompson to get a common license from the Bishop of Carlisle. God only knew how he was going to restrain himself until the wedding.

“I hope your journey was not too arduous,” Louisa ventured, coming forward to join her aunt.

“No, the inn we stayed at was comfortable enough and the roads were good,” he replied. “I trust all has been well at Rosemere?”

“I have spoken to the rector this morning,” Lady Esher said. “He will be expecting you to call and confirm the wedding date at your convenience, Your Grace.”

Benedict nodded and looked to Louisa again, perhaps for some indication of her will in this regard, but she only smiled that same sad little smile he had seen in the rose garden. If Lady Esher had not come along when she did that morning, he would have kissed that expression from Louisa’s pretty face.

He might not be able to give Louisa the fantasy of love she dreamed of, but there were other things a man could give to a woman, and there were certainly adult pleasures whose intensity ought to burn away childish dreams.

“I shall call on him this afternoon,” confirmed Benedict. “Shall you come with me?”

“We both shall,” declared Lady Esher, although his question had been addressed to Louisa.

Benedict nodded, conscious of the dowager’s shrewd eyes upon him and simultaneously frustrated and grateful at her intervention. Lady Esher would know the power of desire far better than Louisa and evidently did not intend to give them too many opportunities for indiscretion before the wedding.

“Oh, this letter arrived for you yesterday, Your Grace,” added Lady Esher, picking up an envelope from the sideboard in the hallway. “Have you written to the Duke and Duchess of Wexford yet? I shall write to Seraphine directly as soon as I know you’ve both given them the news.”

“Not yet,” Benedict told her as he looked at the unfamiliar handwriting and then broke the seal on the unexpected letter which included no sender details on its envelope. “I shall write to Damien shortly, now that we have the license in hand…Hmmm.”

He scanned the missive quickly, restraining an urge to curse and making an effort to keep his face straight as he took in its rather peculiar contents. There was no point in upsetting the ladies over what was likely only an impulsive and ill-thought out note, perhaps even written by a man in his cups…

“Nothing of any importance,” Benedict told the ladies nonchalantly, folding it back up and sticking it in his pocket, even as his blood boiled…

Dear Damien

I write with important news and hope that it will not come as too great a shock…

No, that wasn’t right. With a sigh, Benedict crossed this out and then tore off the top part of the page where he had now written and rejected three successive openings.