His Courtesan Bride (Brides of Mayfair 3) (22 page)

“No.” He pulled her closer and kissed her again, his lips more demanding as he took his pleasure there.

Serena wanted to curse him, but she couldn’t break away from his damnably sensuous mouth, and how it so effortlessly aroused her desire.

Hot little tendrils of passion snaked over her skin, making her hungry for more. All of a sudden, her clothes felt too heavy, too restricting. She wished she was naked, so that Darius could have free rein, touching her where he pleased. She could curse Darius to the skies, but the damnable truth of the matter was that he had wonderful hands, and he knew how to use them to excite and pleasure her until she was breathless and drained.

He unbuttoned the neck of her pelisse, pushing it open. His hands caressed her breasts through the thin muslin of her dress, the fabric an unwanted barrier between her flesh and the rough heat of his hands.

Serena tried to ignore the sweet ache that was building between her legs. She longed for him to reach under her skirts and touch her there, longed for him to slowly stoke the fire of her arousal until it was a blinding madness only he could satisfy.

“
Who is that lady
?” a little voice asked, breaking the spell.

Suddenly, Darius released Serena from his embrace so abruptly that she nearly fell over.

“
And why did Uncle Darius push her away
?” another little voice asked. “
Is she a mean lady
?”

Two little faces peeked around the door from the hallway. A sandy-haired boy of about five years, and a girl with the same features and height, regarded Serena with curiosity.

“Evan…and Annabelle. Where is your mother?” Darius asked crossly.

Serena quickly buttoned up her pelisse and smoothed her skirts, struggling to calm her racing pulse.

“She is right here—oh! I’m sorry, am I interrupting?”

Lady Caroline Ware appeared in the doorway behind her children.

Serena felt herself suck in a breath at the sight of her old friend. “Caro….”

The emotion in her friend’s eyes told her that she had missed Serena as well. They had become fast friends during that first Season, meeting at the same balls and assemblies, and sharing shopping trips to Bond Street.

Lady Caroline, already married to the dashing Sir Christopher Ware, had introduced Serena to her brother, Darius. After the Telford scandal, Caro had been forced to abandon Serena to face the wrath of the
ton
alone. She was, after all, wife to a Member of Parliament.

Caro’s abandonment had been but another knife in Serena’s heart, though she had guessed that Sir Christopher had been the one pulling Caroline’s strings. It would be too much to bear to think that dear Caro would have forsaken Serena of her own accord. Still, the memory hurt.

If it were possible, the dark-haired Caro was even lovelier than Serena remembered, looking effortlessly splendid in a walking dress of pale green muslin with a dark green spenser. She seemed out of breath, most likely from chasing the children. Her cheeks were rosy, but her eyes sparkled—the same sapphire blue eyes as her brother.

“Serena, you know my sister, of course,” Darius said. “May I present her children, Mr. Evan Ware, and his twin sister, Miss Annabelle Ware.”

Serena supposed that mistresses such as she were not usually introduced to family members. But she had been an acquaintance, and more so, a friend of Caro’s once. “I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Ware, Miss Ware.”

Caroline smiled at Serena and then, unable to stop herself, quickly crossed the room to embrace her. “It is so good to see you, Serena.” She pulled away, dabbing at her eyes, which now shone with tears.

Seeing such emotion so openly expressed took Serena aback. The pain in her chest intensified until she, too, felt tears prick her eyes, which was a shock in itself. She had not cried since that unfortunate business two years ago.

Annabelle appeared next to Darius and tugged on his trouser leg. “But who is that lady? Is she your new wife?”

“I hope so, Uncle,” Evan said. “She’s much prettier than your other one.”

“Evan!” Caroline admonished. “Do not speak so about your late Aunt Henrietta.”

The little boy gaped up at his mother, innocently. “But it’s true, Mama. You and Papa taught me to always tell the truth.”

Caroline looked uncomfortable, not knowing what to say regarding her son’s observation.

“It is difficult to argue with the child’s logic,” Darius said, ruffling his nephew’s hair. “You and Christopher have taught both your children to always be truthful, and so you should. It is a noble way to live.”

Darius looked down at the little girl beside him, still tugging on his trouser leg. Though he was trying to keep a forbidding expression, it fell away to one of mischievous joy as he swept her up into his arms and tossed her lightly into the air. Annabelle squealed in glee.

“Dare! Please do be careful. Heavens, you’re almost as bad as they are,” his sister warned.

He hugged his niece close. “To answer your question, Bella, no—this beautiful lady is not my wife. She is a friend, though, of both mine and your mother’s.”

“Is she going to be staying in the cottage? And may we come to visit her every day?” Evan asked excitedly.

“I am not sure about every day,” Darius said. “Miss Ransom might be busy.”

“Doing what?” the little boy asked.

Caroline pulled him close to her skirts. “Do not ask so many questions, Evan.”

“Why not?” he asked.

His mother made a sound of exasperation and looked at Serena, shaking her head. “With his father away in the West Indies, I have found it a challenge to answer all of Evan’s myriad of questions about everything and everyone. The only thing for certain is that tomorrow, he will have more.”

Serena couldn’t help but smile. “He is a boy with an inquisitive mind. He does you proud, Caro. And your lovely daughter, as well.”

Darius placed the daughter in question back on her feet and patted her head when she begged him to pick her up again. Serena couldn’t blame her. It was a wonderful feeling, to be wrapped in Darius’s strong arms.

The child was lucky to have a man like Darius in her life who would pick her up and hug her. Perhaps her father, Sir Christopher, did the same. Serena’s father had certainly never bothered with such sentimental nonsense.

“Darius wrote to me about your visit,” Caroline said. “How long will you be staying on the estate?”

“Three weeks,” Serena replied.

“Oh… I see. And then you will return to London?”

Serena gave Darius a pointed look before replying curtly, “Yes. I have other business there which cannot be put off.”

The Duke of Balfour
.

“That is a shame, now that we’ve only just been reacquainted,” Caro remarked. “But we shall make the most of your visit, while you are here. And you can always return to us when your business in London is concluded.”

Serena gave a faint smile. She didn’t want to tell her friend that such an event would be highly unlikely after she became the Duke of Balfour’s courtesan.

Darius said firmly, “Yes, well, we are here now, and here is where we will stay.”

“For the present,” Serena added.

He took Serena’s hand and kissed the back of it. “A keen observation, for the present is all we truly have.”

She smiled at him serenely. She would not let him goad her into an argument in front of his sister and her children.

The children had tired of being in one spot for more than a few minutes and headed downstairs in search of something more interesting. Darius followed Caroline and Serena as they descended the staircase to the first floor. As they came to the bottom of the curved stairs, Caroline looked back at Serena, and asked, “Did Darius tell you about the cottage’s origins?”

“He did not.”

“He built it when he was a young man of seventeen.”

“Really?” Serena tried not to sound too impressed.

“Practically by himself,” Caroline explained. “Of course, the roof was a challenge. Father wanted to help, but he was mostly crippled by then. So he had old Martins push him down here in his reclining chair, all the way from the Hall in order to watch you build it. Didn’t he, Dare?”

“So he did,” her brother said, quietly.

They had reached the first floor and moved into the parlor, Caroline craning her neck to see her children as they played in the yard outside.

“Father was a great student of architecture, among other things,” she explained to Serena. “He is the one who designed the landscapes and vistas on the grounds here at Manning Park.” Seeing Serena’s surprised expression, she asked, “Did you not know of those? Oh, my brother will have to take you about, and show you our pastoral treasures.”

“I am planning on it, Caro,” Darius said.

“The children and I ramble about the grounds each day,” she continued, “taking in the visual splendor that Father worked so hard at creating. There are the Roman Ruins, the Grotto, the Chinese Pavilion and Bridge, as well as a Turkish Tent. You may have glimpsed some of them on the road.”

Serena nodded, intrigued.

“There are also the unfinished follies,” Caroline said. “Father had grand plans for the park, many of which did not see completion. There is the Serpentine Maze, the canals, and even an outdoor amphitheatre, all partially built.”

“Why didn’t he finish them?” Serena asked.

Caro sighed. “He tried to, of course. When he realized that he was dying, he poured all of the estate’s financial resources into construction of his designs. It’s what ultimately bankrupted us, I suppose.”

“What about Mother?” Darius asked, looking as if he knew the answer. “Does she go about the grounds, as well?”

Caroline gave a pained look. “From time to time. Though as you know, she never took much enjoyment from viewing Father’s creations. She thought they were a waste of time and money.”

“Perhaps they were,” Darius said. “And yet they gave him much happiness. I daresay they will inspire the same feeling for generations to come.”

Caroline grasped her brother’s hand and gave it a quick squeeze. “So they shall.” She looked out the window again at her children, one of which was hanging from the low branches of a nearby tree. “Oh, dear. Evan is climbing again. I must not tarry, or we will be calling on Doctor Harwood again this week. I shall leave you and Serena to get settled in.” With a quick wave, Caro departed.

As her old friend crossed the yard toward where her children played, Serena turned to face Darius. “Why didn’t you tell me Caro would be here? I thought she was in Dorset.”

“Since Christopher has been traveling, she and the children have been staying here at the Hall,” Darius answered. “Her husband has charged me with looking after her in his stead, a duty I am only too happy to oblige. I thought you would be happy to see her again.”

“I am.” Serena moved about the room, unable to relax.

“Your current state seems to indicate that you are anything but happy, my dear,” he pointed out. “Why would my sister’s presence upset you?”

Serena didn’t know the answer, herself. “I suppose it brings back memories which are best forgotten.”

“You mean Telford House.”

“Yes,” she replied. “And the weeks leading up to it. It was a different world, then. And I was a different person.”

“As was I.”

Serena gave a bitter laugh. “I don’t believe that to be so. You were just as wicked then as you are now.”

“How little you know me, Serena,” he said. “That is a situation I intend to remedy.”

“How?” she asked. “By seducing me anew with this little retreat to your estate?”

“Perhaps.”

“It won’t work,” she said flatly.

“You may find yourself surprised,” he answered. “Manning Park has a magic about it that can soften even the hardest of hearts. In three weeks’ time, you may find that you don’t wish to leave.”

Serena eyed him with a level stare. “Whether I wish to or not will have nothing to do with it. Hear me when I say this, Darius. I
shall
leave Manning Park—and you—just as I have promised to.”

Chapter 17

“
When approaching the end of a contract
with a courtesan, a man can sometimes become possessive, especially if a new lover looms on the horizon. His lovemaking can become more heated and intense as he attempts to bend the courtesan to his will….”

–from Memoirs of a Courtesan, by Lady Night

Serena tied the laces of her walking boots and arranged the skirt of her dress as she stood. Darius had instructed her to be prepared for a stroll about the estate when he returned from his business at the Hall. She wore a plain walking dress of dark amber-colored linen, along with a warm plaid shawl in dark blue and gold tones.

She sat gingerly on the sofa in the parlor, thinking of Darius’s lovemaking the night before. Exhausted, they’d slept for an hour or two, then woke for another bout of sex. Darius had brought her to the brink of release more than once, and when she’d cried out in pleasure, Serena was glad for the isolated location of the cottage.