He could be a rake if he plans a rendezvous with a young lady.
MISS HONORA TRUTH’S WORDS OF WISDOM AND WARNING ABOUT RAKES, SCOUNDRELS, ROGUES, AND LIBERTINES
Marlena opened the front door to her house and Tut ran inside barking as if he’d seen another mouse. She hoped not. That would give Justine reason to stay longer in Rath’s house, and though he hadn’t mentioned it at the ball or any other time, she was sure he was ready to return to his own home.
Tut scuttled down the corridor and out of sight. No use in calling out to Mrs. Doddle, she thought. Tut had announced their arrival in grand style. Stopping in the vestibule to remove her cape, bonnet, and gloves, she wondered how her little dog could have missed home so much when he had such a large patch of ground to scratch, sniff, and explore at the duke’s house.
Unfastening the hook of her new, dark-blue cape, she smiled to herself, thinking how easily she’d adjusted to living at Rath’s home. Justine had also settled into the duke’s house, after an unpleasant start of acting as if she were the duchess moving in. She’d had Sneeds, the duke’s butler, in a huff ever since, making demand after demand. It was time she and Justine moved back to her home.
Marlena laid her wrap on the table and removed her matching gloves, loving the feel of the fine fabric Lady Vera had helped her select. Though Marlena had never thought they needed to move out of their house just because a mouse or two had decided to make it their residence, too, it had been good to be at the duke’s home. She’d seen him almost every day since. There were always reasons for him to stop by early in the afternoon, before she left with Lady Vera for her daily fittings and shopping.
There were the account books he needed one day, documents for his solicitor the next, and a certain greatcoat he wanted for a special event another day. Rath always took the time to smile at her, chat with her, and gaze so intently into her eyes she thought she might jump into his arms and kiss him right in front of Justine.
Thankfully, she’d managed to control herself.
It was as if her cousin knew something was developing between the two of them. Justine never left them alone for a moment. The duke had tried more than once to get Marlena alone for a few minutes of private talk. He’d suggested they take a walk in the garden but Justine, who never went outside, said she’d love to go, too. He’d had Sneeds come in and say that he needed her attention on a matter but she’d told him it would have to wait. There had been no getting out from under her nose except the first day they’d arrived. Marlena feared the tension that had been building between her and the duke had not been lost on Justine.
Marlena laid her bonnet on top of her gloves and cape and, from the corner of her eyes, saw movement. She turned to see Rath walking down the corridor carrying Tut.
Her breath quickened in her lungs. “Your Grace, you startled me.”
“I didn’t mean to.”
“No, of course you didn’t. I was expecting Mrs. Doddle or her new kitchen helper. Not you.”
“I wondered if you’d be surprised I’m here.”
She gave him a quizzical look as he stopped in front of her and bent down to place Tut on the floor, giving him a rub on the head as he did so.
That’s when she noticed he didn’t have on a coat or neckcloth. She hadn’t known how fully his strong arms and wide chest filled out his white shirt. Or just how slim his hips were. Rath looked magnificent. He was looking her over, too. She was glad she was wearing one of her new dresses: a pale-green, long-sleeved, lightweight wool with a scooped neckline.
“You don’t have a coat on,” she said. “Is something wrong?”
Tut barked and jumped from Marlena’s skirts to the duke’s legs, trying to get one of them to show him attention. Both ignored him.
“No. Most gentlemen put their coats on in the mornings and don’t remove them until they are in their bedchambers in the evening, thinking it ungentlemanly to remove them for any reason. Certainly not in the presence of a lady. I have no such fears. There are times I prefer to be more comfortable and remove my coat and neckcloth. I hope it doesn’t offend you overly much that I’m not properly attired.”
To the contrary. She felt as if she were devouring every inch of him with her eyes.
“Not at all. But I am wondering what you’re doing here?”
“I was told the men who were taking care of the rodent problem had declared the house empty of the mice and ready for your return. Mrs. Abernathy has refused to take their word for it. Apparently she is enjoying the attention she is receiving from the ton by living in my home and is in no hurry to leave.”
“I can attest to that fact.”
“Which is why I decided I must come over and check it out for myself. Make sure none of the harassing little devils were left and impress upon her that it is safe to return.”
Marlena laughed softly. “You nor anyone else has discovered a way of looking within walls to make sure there are no mice or anything else lurking around inside.”
“You’re right. But Mrs. Abernathy doesn’t seem to know that. I’m hoping it will make her feel more satisfied and ready to vacate my home if I tell her I’ve checked all the rooms myself.”
“I’m sorry she’s been such a bother. I know you must feel as if you have two wards instead of one.”
Rath walked closer to her. His eyes skimmed down her face, and her whole body tingled invitingly. “That’s never crossed my mind.”
Tut continued to jump from her skirt to Rath’s legs.
“Tut, stop,” she said, glancing down at him. “Sit. You’re making a nuisance of yourself. Sit, I say.” He barked at her and wagged his tail but didn’t follow her order.
“Do you want to know the true reason I’m here, Marlena?”
“Yes, of course.”
“I heard you tell Mrs. Abernathy yesterday that you would be coming over today to see Miss Everard and to check on Mrs. Doddle and see how she is getting along with the new members of your staff.”
“I did.” She looked down the corridor. “I haven’t seen anyone since I arrived. Do you know where they are?”
“I don’t know,” he answered. “I told them I had to inspect every room in the house and I’d prefer to be alone while doing it. I added that I didn’t know how long it would take, so I gave them the day and evening off, with enough money to buy their supper, and told them not to return before midnight.”
Marlena smiled. “What a nice thing to do, but why would you do that when—” She stopped.
“When I can’t see inside the walls anyway?”
She loved it when his gaze feathered down her face and sent chills of desire soaring through her. “That’s why you thought I might not be surprised to see you.”
He nodded. “I did it so I could wait for you to come here. I wanted to see you. Alone.”
Marlena’s breaths became more labored. The rhythm of her heartbeat changed to a slow hard thump. Yes, she wanted that, too.
Rath reached down and picked up her dog. “Come on, Tut. It’s time for you to leave, too.” He looked at Marlena with a determination in his features. “I’ll be right back.”
From the vestibule in front of the stairs she watched Rath walk down the corridor, open the back door, and shoo Tut outside. She then watched him turn toward her. He was tall, lean, and never more handsome than when he was looking at her with desperate desire for her in his expression. It stirred her longing to be in his strong embrace again, and in that moment she knew why she couldn’t get him off her mind, out of her thoughts or dreams. She loved him with all her heart. He was the man she wanted. She knew all the reasons why she shouldn’t love him. Most notably that she was Miss Truth and didn’t want him to ever know that.
Rath strode back down the corridor with long purposeful steps, straight toward her, and didn’t stop until he caught her up in his arms.
His lips came down on hers in a long hard, ravishing kiss that stunned her with the intensity of his passion. Her lips parted and his tongue swept inside her mouth, plundering its depth over and over again. With warm lips he kissed both corners of her mouth and then glided his lips across her cheek, over her chin, down to the neckline of her dress to kiss the swell of her breasts, and back up again. It was glorious to know he wanted her kisses as madly as she wanted his.
“I thought you’d never get here so I could take you in my arms,” he whispered between kisses.
“Why didn’t you tell me you’d be waiting?”
“I wanted to surprise you.”
Their ragged breaths flowed together easily, deeply, as they kissed. Rath’s tongue slipped back inside her mouth and she moaned her approval as his hands explored her back, and then fondled her breasts with soothing, titillating strokes. He cupped her buttocks, lifting her to his lower body. She welcomed the hard feel of him and eagerly pressed against him, too.
Rath kissed his way down to the neckline of her dress again. Gently pulling on it, he slid the sleeve of the bodice off one shoulder and kissed her chest, the crest of her breast. Marlena softly whispered, “Yes,” and tilted her head up and arched her back, giving him all the access he wanted. He ran the palm of his hand and tips of his fingers over her naked shoulder, around her neck, down her breast, and back up again as he kissed her, heating their passions even more until ever so slowly the depth of his kisses eased. His kisses softened, his caresses were so tender, all she wanted to do was lie with him and let him continue to touch her so gently.
Without letting his lips leave her skin, Rath found his way up to her forehead, kissed it, and then laid his own forehead against it. He held her tightly for a moment, calming his breathing before lifting his head.
He kissed her softly and whispered, “I must stop, Marlena. I can’t go with you where we are headed.”
She moistened her lips. “Why?”
One hand moved soothingly up and down her back. “Don’t pretend you don’t know the answer to that.”
Dipping his head, he covered her mouth with his in a long, sweet kiss as he covered her dress over her shoulder once again. He then stared down into her eyes while rubbing his hands up and down her arms. “I’ve told you, I don’t take innocents to my bed. And as much, as desperately, as I want to make you mine right now, I can’t.”
Marlena turned her head and looked at the staircase right behind them. It suddenly looked wide, beautiful, and glorious. Her bedchamber was only a few steps past the top of it.
Turning back to Rath, she said, “I agree. You can’t.”
He nodded. She lowered her lashes over her eyes, but he immediately lifted her chin with his fingers, bent his head, and slanted his lips over hers in a slow tender kiss. The longing and the passion inside her was intense and she felt it just as vibrant inside him. She leaned into him, wanting him to know the depth of her feelings for him. He deepened the kiss again for only a few seconds before backing away again.
“You know that I want to,” he insisted when his lips left hers.
“I do,” she answered. “And you won’t be taking me to your bed.” Her breath trembled in her throat, and anticipation filled her.
Did she had the nerve to finish what she really wanted to say?
If she was ever going to, this was the time. She smiled. “I’m going to take you to mine.”
“Ah, Marlena.” He shook his head and cupped each cheek with his hands and kissed her softly, sweetly several times. “You are mixing your words. No matter if it is said my way or yours, it means the same thing. I am trying to be a gentleman. You aren’t making it easy on me.”
“I don’t intend to.”
“I need your help. You are my ward, an innocent. I can’t do this to you.”
She rose on her toes and clasped her hands together at the back of his neck. He remained still and let her kiss his lips, his cheeks, and the warmth of his neck before dropping her arms to her side and resting on her feet again.
Marlena had no doubts, no misgivings. He wanted to be with her as much as she wanted to be with him. She wasn’t asking for forever. She knew because of their pasts that was impossible. But they could have this afternoon. That’s all she was asking for.
“I can do it,” she said. “You’re not taking anything. I am giving.”
Marlena reached out her hand to him. “Third door on the right.”
Time ticked by. He didn’t reach for her though she saw in the dark depths of his eyes he wanted to. More seconds passed. She feared he was going to walk out the door and deny her. Should she chase him as she had her cousins so many years ago and demand he not run away from her? Should she back away and honor his request?
Just as her spirits dropped Rath swooped down and covered her mouth with his in a ravishing kiss that stole her breath. Then, as if she weighed no more than a stone, he bent down, scooped her up in his arms, and headed up the stairs with her.
Within seconds they were in her room with the door closed. He laid her on the bed and covered her body with his. Their desire for each other was too frantic to be slow. With impatient hands and fierce kisses, they quickly stripped off her clothing and then disposed of his as eagerly. Rath stretched his lean, nude body next to hers, and she turned to face him.
“No, wait,” he said huskily. “I want to look at you first.”
Slowly, she rolled to her back. He rose up over her. Rath stared into her eyes for a long moment before touching her face with his fingertips. He gave her a pleasing smile, and then his gaze and his hand drifted down her face to her breasts, her stomach, between her legs before sweeping back up to her face again.
“You’re beautiful,” he said and pulled the two combs out of her hair and settled its length around her shoulders.
“I’m glad you think so.”
She ran her palms over his wide, smooth chest, his broad shoulders, and then moved her hands up and down his muscular back. It was exciting to feel his bare, warm skin. She stared at his rippled midriff, and slim hips, and touched him again.
“You’re strong,” Marlena whispered.
“And you are not an easy lady to say no to, Marlena.”
“I want to keep it that way, Rath,” she said as he captured her lips beneath his.
Rath’s hand traced the line of her shoulder, down her arm to the plane of her hip, and back up again and again. He continued to kiss her, caress her. Marlena relaxed, surrendering her body totally to him so he could show her all he knew about loving a woman. He kissed her tenderly, slowly, while caressing her breasts, her waist, and down her legs. A tremor of expectancy shivered through her. Delightful shivers of pleasure tingled along her spine, down her abdomen to settle and gather in her most womanly part.
“Your touch is always so light and gentle with me. I thought when we were alone like this … you might be rough.”
He looked at her curiously. “Why would you think that?”
“You are a rake. I thought you might be rough or harsh and not gentle.”
“You amaze me, Marlena. You thought I might be rough with you and yet you still wanted me in your bed?”
“I admit I really didn’t know what to expect, but I am very happy with the way you touch me and how you make me feel.”
He kissed her lips softly and whispered, “Rakes might be heartless, but they are not harsh.”
“I’m glad I know the difference now.”
“So am I.”
At his touch, ripples of desire flooded her once more. Pleasure swept over her. He placed one hand on her waist, and with the other, he supported his weight as he fitted himself against her. A soft tremor shook her and she gasped softly when the weight of his body settled on hers.
Rath made love to her with tenderness that overwhelmed her. His movements were slow, sensual, and worshipful. He kissed her, stroked her body, and moved gently on top of her. An inexpressible, eager wanting kept increasing between her legs and caused her to join the rhythm of his hips meeting hers.
Rath continued his tender assault on her senses, gently moving until she whispered his name in unexpected wonder at what she was experiencing. As the extraordinary feelings ebbed, she murmured a blissfully contented sigh and watched Rath release his own passion. Marlena closed her eyes and hugged him to her as she buried her face in his neck, celebrating the feeling of strength and joy in his body.
They lay there side by side in the afternoon light, not moving. She was too filled with the wonder of everything she’d felt to think about the future. What would she do now that she was no longer innocent? She slowly shook her head. Innocent? Was she trying to fool herself? She hadn’t been innocent for a long time. Not since she became Miss Truth.
Rath raised up on his elbow and looked down at her. “Did I just hear you laugh?”
He was so handsome with his dark hair rumpled and his dark eyes staring into hers. “Probably. I was just telling myself that I would think about tomorrow—tomorrow.”
“No,” he said, and with the tips of his fingers under her chin he kissed her sweetly on the lips. “Let’s talk about it today. Right now. I’ll start by telling you I don’t want to be your guardian anymore.”
She swallowed hard. Though his words came as a shock to her, she understood why he’d said them. It wouldn’t be proper for him to continue. “I don’t think you ever wanted to be, did you?”
Rath brushed a strand of tangled hair away from her face. “No.” He smiled softly at her. “I’ve decided I do want to be your husband.”
She flinched. “That’s not humorous, Your Grace.”
“I am never Your Grace when I am in your bed, Marlena. And I might be smiling, but I’m not trying to amuse you. I’m serious. I want to marry you. I came to your bed with you for one reason only. I don’t want you going through the rest of the Season searching for a husband when I know you are the lady I want to marry.”
Marlena couldn’t move, couldn’t take her gaze off his face, but that didn’t keep a stab of pain from piercing her heart. Had he actually said the words she most wanted to hear but could never respond to?
“I didn’t expect silence from you,” he said.
“I didn’t expect a proposal. I can’t marry you,” she said, looking away from him.
He took hold of her chin and gently forced her face toward him again. “All right. I suppose I should have first told you that I love you, Marlena.” He pressed another soft kiss to her lips. “I do. And I’m damned jealous, too. I didn’t want any other gentleman dancing with you, bringing you a glass of champagne, but I had to stand by and watch them do it. I knew the first day I saw you I felt differently about you, but I didn’t want to believe it could be true. I still can’t believe you captured my heart so quickly.”
His affectionate words made her want to bury her face in the warmth of his chest, confess everything and hope, or even beg him to forgive her. But she couldn’t face him knowing what she’d done. She’d never wanted him to know what she’d done.
“Don’t say any more, please,” she said, feeling as if her chest were about to cave in on her heart. She tried to move, to get off the bed, but he put his arm around her waist and held her so she turned away from him again.
“Look at me, Marlena.”
It was difficult, but she acquiesced. Rath loving her, wanting to marry her, should be the most wonderful feeling in the world. Instead it was heartbreaking.
“I wouldn’t be asking you to be my wife if I didn’t love you and want you with me and not with anyone else. I hesitated downstairs because I didn’t want to take your innocence. Not because I was unsure.”
Marlena felt tears rushing to her eyes. She hoped they wouldn’t collect and spill onto her cheeks. With everything else she was feeling right now, she didn’t want Rath to see her cry. Her cousins had always said, “She could cry, but she couldn’t let anyone see her do it.”
“Stop,” she whispered. “I don’t want to hear any more. I can’t marry you.”
“I know you love me, Marlena.”
“Yes,” she whispered, feeling as though her heart was crumbling in her chest. “I do love you, but there are things about me you don’t know.”
He gave her a crooked smile. “There are things about me you don’t know, too,” he answered. “Things I wouldn’t want you to know.”
“But I couldn’t live day after day with you not knowing the secret I carry between us, and I can’t tell you because it involves other people.”
“You don’t have to,” he said, staring into eyes now pooling with tears. “I already know who Miss Honora Truth is.”