The Devil Duke Takes a Bride (16 page)

“You and Agatha truly should not live in the same city, you do know that?”

“I love her.”

“Who?”

Katherine sighed. “Agatha
.
I think she’s brilliant.”

“Yes, but you also trip over your own feet and show your knees in public.”

“Very funny.” Katherine made a face and raised her voice. “But truthfully
,
she’s lovely!”

“Keep your voice down
.
S
he’ll hear you!” Benedict all but shouted.

“In the carriage? But she’s at the house
.
S
he’s been sleeping for an entire day!”

“She has her ways.” Benedict outwardly shuddered. “Now, let us have some rest before I deliver you to your home.”

Seconds after saying those very words the carriage
jerked to a halt.
Benedict peered through the window looking for the reason, and then a rap was heard at the door.

He opened it. “Problem?”

“Your grace, a wheel is stuck
.
I
t seems the snow is too deep
, and
we need to go back
,
but it’s at least a two mile walk back up the drive, and in this weather…” The footman shuddered. “I think it best that you and the lady stay here in the safety of the carriage.”

Benedict wasn’t sure exactly how safe she would be in the carriage with him, but he didn’t say it aloud. Instead he thought quite hard about their situation, waiting in the carriage meant they would still be freezing by the time his footman made it back. Even if they did take the horses.

His eyes scanned the road ahead of him, then back toward the house.

“There
.
”
H
e pointed. “What’s that?”

“The hunting cabin?” the footman asked. “It’s for tenants and those who like to hunt on the countryside
.
I dare say there may be some wood to build a fire.”

“Right.” Benedict hopped out of the carriage and held out his hand to Katherine. “We’re to go on a little jaunt.”

“
A j
aunt?” she repeated, teeth chattering.

“Yes, or adventure. Would you rather I use the word adventure? How about if I say it’s a Christmas adventure, hmm?”

Katherine’s eyes narrowed.

“No? Alright
.
” He
placed
her arm within his and trudged with her through the snow. “I thought rather than freezing to death in that carriage, that we would build a fire in that lovely looking cabin over yonder.”

“That?” she repeated, dread filling her voice. “It looks haunted.”

“It’s nothing of the sort,” he assured her. “It’s merely dark, besides things aren’t allowed to be haunted during the holiday season.”

“Says who?”

“I say, and I’m a duke
,
so the ghosts have to listen.”

“Arrogance, arrogance.” She laughed, but followed him to the cabin, within minutes they were inside. He helped Katherine to a chair and searched for wood.

Fortunately, the moonlight mixed with the set of matches he had acquired the night before
,
while smoking cheroots with the gentlem
e
n, helped shed enough light that he was able to locate where the wood was hiding.

Soon, he had a roaring fire, and was thankful to feel heat begin to radiate
from
the
hearth
.

He motioned for Katherine to sit near him by the fireplace.

It was a tiny hunting lodge, nothing to boast about truly. It held one small bed in the corner, a table in the middle of the room, and two sitting chairs in front of the fire. No stove to speak of and no food.

Pity, for his stomach needed sustenance.

As if on cue, it growled.

Katherine smirked. “Hungry?”

“Only for you,” he teased, though the sudden plummet in his stomach should have hinted him toward the truth of those very words.

They were alone, very alone.

He should have laughed at their circumstances, was he not merely days ago planning on fully ruining the girl in hopes that she would cry off? And the day after finally giving up and realizing how deeply he cared for her, he found himself completely alone with the girl.

His conscience fought an epic inner battle as his eyes continued to rake
over
her with a mixture of desire and interest.

“When will we marry?” Katherine asked, breaking the silence.

Benedict wasn’t sure what the correct answer was to be
.
A
fter all
,
weddings were sort of a sacred ritual to women. They were cause for great joy, weeping, insanity…
so he needed to tread carefully. “When would you like to marry?”

“Oh
,
you mean it
?
” She clasped her hands together in excitement allowing him to exhale with relief.

“Of course.” His chest puffed, just slightly.

“Tomorrow, let’s marry tomorrow.”

“Pardon?” He coughed.

“Tomorrow,” she said slower and reached out to touch his arm. “I’m already ruined
.
W
e both know I don’t need any sort of fanfare
.
A
fter all, the
ton
has
seen my knees, have they not?

Benedict chuckled.

“I know we wanted to wait until after the Kringle Ball
,
but I truly cannot wait to start our lives. Don’t you agree?”

He suddenly felt very, very hot, and deuced uncomfortable
, and
the innocent look in her eyes haunted him.

“Er, yes.” He rubbed the back of his neck.

“To think! In just a few hours
,
I’ll be able to move into your house, and we’ll be able to…” She blushed profusely and looked at her hands.

“Be able to?” He leaned forward and lifted one eyebrow in question.

“You know…”

“No, I truly don’t.”

Her look was incredulous. “Benedict!”

“Katherine.”

She scowled. “We’ll be able to really be together.”

“Like we are now?” He played innocent
.
G
ads how he loved the way she became so easily flustered. Her cheeks took on the most beautiful shade of pink
,
tempting his tongue to caress the spot right below her jaw where the pink met ivory skin.

“No, not like we are now.” Her little bum shifted in the chair.

He leaned even closer, placing both hands on either side of the chair until his face was so near
,
he could hear her shallow breaths. “You mean like this?” His hands reached out to touch her neck and then moved down her shoulders, her arms, and finally to her legs. With little effort
,
he lifted her into his arms showing her how to wrap herself around him, and just held her there as he placed long
lingering
kisses on her neck and face.

“Y-yes…
Oh, heavens yes, like this.” Her head fell back exposing her throat.

Careful
, his inner voice warned him.
Take it slow
.

But he was never one to listen to his good conscience.

So he laid her across the dusty bed and hovered over her, watching her squirm and sigh beneath his touch.

“Benedict
.
”
H
er voice was hoarse.

“Yes, love?”

“Will your servants like me?”

What an odd question. And dreadful timing considering his hand was already placed halfway up her creamy thigh.

He kept his arousal in check and tried to answer the question, mentally going through every person in his employ.

And then his body went cold.

Maria.

Suddenly, he was disgusted with himself. Withdrawing his hand from the pleasure of her leg, he leaned back on the bed and shuddered.

“What is it?” Katherine asked.

“It’s just that…” Benedict couldn’t even look her in the eyes his shame was so great. “I had forgotten about some business at the house, business I need to attend to before I welcome you with open arms.”

“Oh.” She looked down.

“But
…
” he interjected
.
“
I
t won’t take long. Before you know it, you’ll be the mistress of the house.” He gulped against the bile that rose in his throat at the use of the word mistress. Could he have not come up with a better description? She was so much better than that.

And he, the
D
evil, did not deserve her.

If she knew…

Well
,
if she knew, she wouldn’t continue to give him a chance. He was afraid, devil take it, he was terrified that if she truly knew about some of the things that took place under the roof of that house, she would be more than scandalized.

“Let me buy you a house.” The words fell out of his mouth in a rush.

“A house? You want to buy me a house?” Katherine shook her head. “Whatever’s wrong with your house?”

“It’s old.”

“Alright...” Katherine’s eyes searched his. “And you want to buy a newer house, is that it?”

“Yes. I want you to have the best.” At least that part was true.

“I’ll buy you a house, move you into it…” Why in the blazes was he going on in this fashion? As if she was some type of mistress. “Naturally
,
I’ll live there too,” he added.

“I should hope so.” Katherine laughed. “We are to be married.” She lifted her hand to cup his face. “After all, you won’t get a traditional
ton
marriage from me.”

“I won’t?” He feigned depression, though he couldn’t have been more pleased.

“No.” The minx leaned closer to him, her arm hooking his neck like a shepherd
’
s crook
,
pulling him down closer and closer until he once again hovered over her. “I’ll want you by my side every day.”

“That can be arranged.”

“And in my bed every night.”

What was that? Angels singing?

“I believe I can manage to agree to your terms.”

“Promise.” Her eyes sparkled in the moonlight.

He took a shuddering breath before lowering his lips to hers and mumbling against them, “Promise.”

Now all he needed to do was make sure she never found out his secret, never know the depths of his depravity, lest she lose that sparkle he so adored.

Not All Surprises Are Welcome