Faith knew it would be more ladylike to respond to Nick’s letter with one of her own. As she stepped down from Aurora’s carriage in front of Geb’s home, she didn’t care about being polite. She wanted to see Nick.
Aurora surveyed the pretty manor house. “You really should have sent a note saying we would call, Faith.”
Stepping down and slipping her arm through the crook in Faith’s elbow, Mercy made a dismissive sound. “Where’s the fun in that, Aurora? This is better. We shall see a true reaction from His Grace.”
“I hadn’t realized this was a test.” Aurora brushed out her sky-blue skirt and tugged her lace-trimmed bonnet into place. “Well, we’re here. We had better go knock on the door.”
Mercy patted Faith’s hand. “Are you all right?”
“I wish Poppy were here. She and Rhys are on far more intimate terms with Mr. Arafa. I feel rude just showing up, now that we’re here.” Faith took a deep breath and lifted her chin as they climbed the stairs.
“Don’t listen to Aurora. Mr. Arafa hardly seems the type to mind an impromptu visit.” Mercy kept hold of Faith’s arm to keep her from running away.
Nothing was going to stop her from seeing Nick. She might be nervous, but she would have a glimpse of him and know he was well before she returned to town.
Aurora lifted her hand to knock, but the door swung open before she could complete the task.
The butler, Kosey, loomed in the doorway with a wide smile and an elegant bow. He was nearly as tall as the enormous oak door, and in white livery with a turban, he was spectacular. “Good afternoon, ladies. How may I be of assistance?”
Turning her head, Aurora looked to Faith for a response. Raising one curved eyebrow, she smirked.
Faith narrowed her eyes at Aurora for a moment before turning her attention to Kosey. “Lady Faith Landon to see the Duke of Breckenridge with my friends and chaperone.”
“Of course.” Kosey bowed again. “I will see if His Grace is accepting visitors. Will you ladies wait in the parlor?”
They followed the butler into the grand and elaborate parlor. Faith had admired the room when she’d attended Mr. Arafa’s dinner party. He had managed to decorate in the stoic English style, as well as incorporate a fantastic amount of Egyptian art and furniture. Somehow it all worked together to give the room a sense of decadence.
Mercy flounced onto the round divan and sank into the cushion several inches. She attempted to cross her ankles, but rolled back onto her elbows before giving up and crossing her legs under her skirts. “There is really no way to sit ladylike on this, but it’s the most comfortable thing I’ve ever been on. I may never leave.” She leaned to one side and propped her head on her elbow.
The door burst open and Nicholas rushed in with his weight supported on a black cane and his handsome face flushed. “You’re here.”
Mercy gasped, and in her attempt to stand up, rolled to the floor in a heap that was more like Poppy than graceful Mercy. “Oh Lord.” She righted herself and all three curtsied.
Nick bowed. “Forgive me. It is a pleasure to see you all.”
Suddenly Faith’s tongue felt too big for her mouth. She took a breath. “I was delighted to receive your letter.”
“I’m happy to hear that.” He kept his gaze fixed on hers.
Faith wanted to run across the room and jump into his arms, but she rooted her feet to the floor. Breaking the stare, Faith spotted his cane. “You are injured?”
His Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat. “It is nothing and will heal quickly.”
“Should I have written?” The awkwardness made her heart pound.
Eyes bright, he approached and took her hands. “I’m elated to see you.”
Faith wanted to cry with joy, not only at hearing that he was pleased to have her visit, but just seeing him alive and in England. She’d worried while he was away. She was transfixed by his bright eyes surrounded by dark lashes.
Aurora cleared her throat. “Perhaps the two of you would care to walk in the garden? I’m sure Mercedes and I will find much to amuse ourselves in this parlor.”
Dressed the part of an English gentleman, Geb Arafa stepped into the room. His dark jacket and white cravat made his brown skin glow. His eyes sparkled with mischief. “I heard there were guests. What a pleasure to have you ladies here at Aaru.” He bowed.
Nick dropped Faith’s hands and they both turned toward the doorway.
“Forgive us for not writing ahead, Mr. Arafa. We hope you don’t mind our uninvited appearance.” Aurora made a pretty curtsy.
A slightly chubby English lady, with housekeeper’s keys hanging from her waist and a blue turban wrapped elegantly around her head, came into the room.
“Ah, Mrs. Bastian,” Geb said. “How fortunate you are here. Can you arrange some tea for myself and the ladies? I think His Grace will be busy in the gardens, but perhaps will require tea in a short while.”
A wide smile played across Mrs. Bastian’s round face. “I’ll see to it, sir.”
When she was gone, Geb narrowed his gaze on Faith and Nicholas. “Are the two of you just going to stand there pretending you do not wish to be alone, or are you going to excuse yourselves to the gardens?”
Mercy laughed. “Oh, I do like it here.” She sat back down on the fluffy round divan and promptly leaned over on her side.
Nick took Faith’s hand and intertwined his fingers in hers. “If you ladies will excuse us.” He made a bow and gently pulled Faith from the room.
Not even bothering to feign disinterest in leaving for the gardens, Faith gave him no resistance. Summer’s warm breeze made the elaborate and lush garden a pleasure, but Faith spared only a brief glance at the low maze of shrubs or the large fountain at the center.
She stopped.
Nick turned to face her. Hindered by his cane, the move was not as graceful as the man she saw last at his ball in London. “You are distressed by my injury?”
Looking from his leg to his eyes, she shook in a long breath. “I have a thousand questions about that and other things, Nick, but I’m more distressed that we are awkward in each other’s company. I don’t know if I should curtsy or leap into your arms.”
With only an instant’s hesitation, Nick snaked out his arm and dragged her against his chest. “Always leap, sweetheart.”
She wrapped her arms around him and breathed in his comforting scent. He’d put some weight back on and felt solid and strong. “Are you finished with that other business?”
His chest lifted and fell and his lips pressed to her hair. “Almost. There is one last item to take care of, but I shall not have to leave England again.”
Relief flooded her. It was the first time she’d relaxed since Parvus. Knowing he was safe and would remain so, gave her ease that she’d not known she’d been longing for. “I’m much relieved.”
Pulling back, he contemplated her serious expression. “Does that mean you worried over me?”
“Of course.” Was he mad to think otherwise?
“When last I saw you, you were none too pleased with me. When I wrote you yesterday, I didn’t know if the note I would receive would finally release me from our engagement.” A deep frown left those stunning eyes filled with worry.
Holding him tight, she pressed her cheek to his chest. “I was an utter fool. Forgive me. I’ll not lie and tell you I’m happy with this odd profession you’ve chosen, but I love you and I can learn to live with it.”
Silence descended on the garden. Time itself and even Nick’s pounding heart seemed to stop.
There was a nearly imperceptible beat before Nick’s low voice cut through the quiet. “You love me?”
The fact that he didn’t know, that she hadn’t told him, was appalling. Had she been so foolish? “I love you more than I will ever be able to put into words.”
The cane clattered to the stones beneath their feet and he wrapped his strong arms around her more tightly. “I will not take any more assignments.”
Faith closed her eyes with the deluge of relief. “Don’t make promises you might not be able to keep, Nick. You are the kind of man who goes where you are needed. If England needs you, you shall find it difficult to refuse.”
“Difficult but not impossible. I shall be very busy loving you and will have little time for anything else. Let other men do their part. I have something to live for.”
Her pulse might pound out of her body. “And I am that something?”
Taking her by the shoulders, he stooped until his eyes were level with hers. “You are everything, Faith. I should have been less the fool and made that clear to you long ago. You saved my life this past winter, but you also saved my heart. I never believed I could feel so much for another person. Every moment I was away from you was absolute torture far worse than what I endured beneath Jean-Claude’s whip.”
Faith didn’t know what to say. It was all she could do to keep her mouth from hanging open at his declaration of not only love, but need.
Nick struggled to his knees. “Tell me that you’ll marry me. Not because I’m a duke and not because it’s what your parents want. Say you’ll be my wife because it will make us both silly with happiness. But, my love, only say these things if they are absolutely true. I want no more falsehoods between us. Never again will I withhold anything from you.”
Placing her hands on his shoulders, Faith lowered herself to her knees before him. “I will marry you, not for money or title. As far as I’m concerned, none of those things exist. I would marry you if we had to scrape and save every halfpenny. All I ever wanted was to have a husband who will love me above all else and never do me harm.”
Nick palmed her cheek. “You must know, I would never touch you in anger, Faith. Please tell me you don’t doubt that.”
Resting her hand over his, she leaned into the touch. “I know. Even when I wasn’t sure you were the right man for me, with all your secrets between us, I never thought you a monster. I was safe with you at Parvus, even if you were not.”
He closed his eyes. “I shall never forgive myself for the danger I put you in. How can one ever make amends for such a thing?”
Joy filled her heart. “Marry me before my mother can turn our wedding into a spectacle for all of London to gawk at and gossip about.”
Faith rose to her feet, scooping up Nick’s cane as she went. She handed the gold and black handle to him and helped him to stand.
Offering his left elbow, ultimate joy reflected in his eyes. “I thought all women wanted a big wedding with all the fuss.”
They walked the path that wound toward the center of the maze. “You should know by now that I am not like other women. I am a Wallflower and we are of a different kind.”
He lifted her fingers to his mouth and kissed them. “I shall thank God for that each and every day of my life.”
“I hope you will say that when I abandon you each Tuesday to have tea with them, or when I go off on some mad errand because one of them needs me.” Worry crept into her voice despite her intent to keep the statement light.
The fountain bubbled as water fell from the mouths of horses. Nick sat on the bench that faced it and pulled Faith onto his lap.
“Your leg!” She tried to pull away even though it was the last thing she wanted.
Keeping her in place, he said, “It’s a small wound that causes me little trouble and will heal in a month or so. Now, stop fussing and sit still. I have something to say.”
It was no trouble to stay on his lap and wrap her arms round his neck. She toyed with the hair curling at his collar and gazed at the expression of devotion blooming in those eyes. “Say your piece, Nick.”
He pulled her bottom tight against him and wrapped his arms around her hips. “I understand Marsden attends these teas. Perhaps I might garner an invitation as well, though I’m sure there are some instances where you ladies will want to be alone, as you were in school. I shall relinquish you to them, but only for short periods of time. I have come to admire this bond you share with those three.”
“You and Mr. Arafa are good friends.” Faith was blessed with her Wallflower friendships and only wished to make Nick see his good fortune as well.
“Geb is a good friend to me.” He nodded and snuggled his head near her breast.
Breath coming faster, Faith kissed his cheek. “Should we return to the house for tea?”
“No.”
“Do you want to tell me how you injured your leg?” Faith asked.
“Not at the moment.”
She stilled. “Are you keeping secrets again, Nick?”
Kissing the pulse behind her hear, he whispered, “No, I just want to kiss you senseless, and this is a better location for that than the parlor amongst our friends.”
Every inch of Faith thrilled with anticipation. She tipped her head to the side to give him better access to her neck. “Well…in that case, you may continue.”
A low chuckle rumbled in his chest as he licked and nibbled on her ear. His breath sent shudders of delight directly to the top of her thighs.
Clenching her legs tight, she hoped to relieve some of the tension building between her legs. A sigh escaped her mouth and Nick covered her lips with his. His tongue slipped inside as he made love to her mouth. Lips, teeth, and tongue clashed violently before softening.
With one hand still on her hip, he held her nape with the other, pulling her close and deepening the kiss until she was breathless and wanton.
His shaft pressed, needy, against her bottom, and she wiggled against him.
“I want you, Faith.” He dragged his lips down her neck and his declaration dripped with urgency.
“Oh, God. I need you, Nick.” Her body thrummed with desire for more, for all of Nick.
His mouth stopped an inch from the top of her scooped neckline. He traced a line with his tongue along the edge.
Faith gripped him tighter as desire flooded her every sense and an ache pulsed low in her belly.
“Shall we make love or shall I return you to your friends immediately? I’m afraid those are the only two choices I can give you in my current condition.” He laughed, but the strained sound had no humor.
“We cannot very well make love here.” She took in the open gardens with their full view of the back of the house. “Anyone could walk out and see us right now.”
Slowly, Nick’s head came up and his gaze met hers. “Does that mean you would prefer making love to returning to the house, Faith?”
Between her legs the sensitive bud pulsed and waited for her answer. “I would prefer to have you deep inside me, but not here by the fountain.”
His groan rumbled deep inside him and vibrated through her, heightening her want for him. Nick lifted her to her feet and steadied her when she wobbled. He took several breaths while staring at the pebbled ground before rising and taking her hand. “Come on.”
Slowly and with the help of his cane, Nick pulled her through the garden and around a line of evergreens. The pebbled path ended, but a dirt path continued toward a paddock. Poppy had once told Faith that Geb used the paddock past the gardens to hold his fine horses after the barn had been damaged by a storm. They entered another grove of trees and a creek bubbled nearby. A small stone house appeared from out of the thick woods. Nick pulled the latch and let them in.
“Where are we?” Faith asked.
Nick struck a tinder and lit a few candles. “This was the caretaker’s cottage, but he married and lives in town now. It is not in use, but I’m happy to see it’s still kept clean.”
Just as Nick said, the quaint two-room home had barely a sheen of dust to indicate it was no longer in use. A chair before the fireplace with fire irons, and a foot stool, made up the parlor, with a tiny kitchen in the corner near the door.
Standing in the only other door, Nick reached out his hand for her to join him. His eyes rang with questions, desire, and love.
Heart in her throat, she joined him. The bedroom was small, with only a single bed and wardrobe. She sank into Nick’s arms and wrapped hers around his strong back. “I never dreamed it would be like this.”
“I do seem to find less than ideal circumstances for our lovemaking, dearest. I shall do better in the future, but I understand if you wish to return to the house.” Nick sighed against the top of her head.
Unable to hold it in, she giggled. “I don’t care about that. I’m just happy to be near you. Don’t you know I want you just as much as you seem to desire me?”
He kissed her crown. “What did you expect to be different then?”
Always believing she would find a romance that would sway her to marry had not prepared Faith. “Love.”
“Oh? What did you expect?” She could feel his smile lift against her skull.
Faith turned her head up and looked at him and ran her hand down his ribs inside his coat. “I don’t know, but not this all-encompassing need to be near you, with you, to hear your voice and see you smile. It’s much more than I had ever thought possible.”
He shrugged out of the coat and placed it on the bedpost before lifting Faith into his arms with her legs wrapped around his waist. His cane clattered to the floor. “Tell me to stop.”
She gasped as his shaft pressed against her center. “Oh my.”
“Tell me I ask too much of you.” He eased her onto the bed and lowered himself on top of her, trailing kisses down her neck to the swell of her breast.
Faith’s skirt bunched between them and she wiggled to push it aside. “Don’t stop, Nick, but be quick before the others come looking for us.”
A wicked grin tugged at his lips as he pulled down the front of her bodice and freed one nipple, which he took between his teeth and worried.
A quick gasp pushed from her lips as the touch of pain forced pleasure between her legs. His tongue lapped and he sucked on the taut pebble until she thought she might jump out of her skin.
Nick leered at her, that same naughty expression plastered on his handsome face as he sank lower, to where her skirts bunched. Wicked grin in place, he tossed her skirts over his head and wrapped his hands under her thighs.
Faith screamed with laughter and wiggled away.
Holding fast, his mouth pressed to her center.
Laughter gone, Faith’s body floated above the bed as she arched into his lovemaking. His tongue swirled around her sensitive nub and dipped inside her. Each movement shot thrill after thrill to her core and the muscles low in her belly tightened to a pleasure akin to pain.
She wrapped her legs around his back and wished they were both naked. Then he slid one finger inside her wet sheath and suckled her. In the entire world there was only emotion and pleasure. The rest floated away in a mist of unimportance. His mouth, arms, legs, fingers, the way his hair tickled the inside of her thigh, was all that existed. Her body left her mind behind in a cacophony of pleasure and she tumbled over the edge with abandon.
Nick lapped at her overly sensitive bud ever so gently, kissing his way from one thigh to the other, dipping inside her on the journey. She shuddered with every touch, wanting more, but so sensitive to even the slightest pressure.
If Faith died in this moment, she would be perfectly and exquisitely happy and satisfied.