Page 44 of His Duchess' Wicked List

Her sister was strangely resigned to the possibility of it, even if she didn’t really want the union. She was at the end of her tether, dealing with their mother. And Maddie couldneverhurt her sister.

At least I will always have these memories.They will be enough. They simply must be enough… for I will not get anything else.

CHAPTER 18

There she is.

Daniel entered the dining room the next morning, his heart constricting as he spotted Maddie looking as delectable as the night before, when they had played chess… and done so much more.

It feels like a thousand days since I last laid eyes on her.

He had barely slept at all. The whole night, after she had left him, he had been assailed by visions of her. Her glorious beauty, in full nakedness, was imprinted like a brand on his mind. She had the figure of a goddess, like Venus herself, rising out of a conch shell, breathing new life into him.

Today, she was wearing a gown of pale lemon with tiny nosegays embroidered on the sleeves and bodice. It was simple and almost plain, especially when compared to the ball gown she had worn the night before, but it became her, clinging to her chest. Hiseyes lingered on her magnificent decolletage, in particular her nipples, which he could just discern beneath the fabric.

A frisson went down his spine. Had she dared come to the table without wearing her undergarments, as he had instructed her? Was there nothing but those glorious curves beneath the light muslin of her gown?

Quickly, he walked towards her, claiming the seat next to her before anyone else did, glancing around the room as he sat down.

Lady Augusta was seated on his other side, but she was intent on her breakfast and ignored him. To his surprise, almost everyone was there. He had been expecting that most people would stay abed later this morning after the late night. However, theydidall look a little worse for wear, especially the Dowager Duchess, who was rather bleary-eyed. He noticed she was picking at her food as if it slightly revolted her.

He nodded curtly to his mother, unfolding his napkin and placing it on his lap, before turning to Maddie.

“Have you done what I requested last night?” he whispered.

Maddie blushed hard but nodded. A wave of desire swept over him as he pictured her delectable body beneath that pale lemon gown, completely free of her undergarments. He was so hard that it was almost embarrassing. He thanked the Lord that it was hidden by the napkin on his lap underneath the table.

His hand gripped the white tablecloth tightly as he tried to control his reaction. Fervently, he wished that they were alone right now. He imagined grabbing her and lifting her onto this very table as the dishes crashed to the floor, plunging into her over and over…

His other hand drifted towards her across the table. Perhaps he could sneak it beneath the table, find her, gently pull up her gown, and caress her leg, before climbing ever higher until reaching her delicious honey pot, making her writhe and shudder beneath his fingers?

The thought was so arousing, so very tempting, that he was almost going to do it, before the voice of Lady Darnley reached him from across the table. She was staring at a piece of paper in her hand through a quizzing glass with a stunned expression on her face.

“Well, thatisshocking!” she exclaimed, putting down the glass, and gazing around the table. “I simply cannot believe it!”

“Whatever is the matter, Lady Darnley?” the Dowager Duchess asked in a weary voice, rubbing the back of her neck ruefully. “I do hope that not another of those mischievous puppies of yours has vanished. We cannot be sending out constant search parties for the little beasts.”

Lady Darnley gripped the paper in her hand tighter. “No, indeed, Your Grace! This has nothing to do with my dear pups.”

“Well, what is it, then?” The Dowager Duchess sighed, looking exasperated. “What are you reading?”

“It is Mrs. Camberwell’s scandal sheet,” Lady Darnley replied, her voice rising. “It was delivered just this morning…”

Daniel rolled his eyes. He detested scandal sheets, not only because they were highly invasive, prying into the private lives of people, but because most of the ton were addicted to them. Cheap gossip was their lifeblood. They were like vampires, feeding off the misfortunes of others.

“Oh, dear.” The Dowager Duchess looked offended. “Must we listen?”

“I think you might like to hear this, Your Grace.” Lady Darnley picked up the quizzing glass again, squinting at the paper. “For it concerns you. It concerns everyone here, really.”

The chatter around the table died down. Everyone was looking at her now.

“Go on, then,” the Dowager Duchess urged crisply. “You have our attention.”

“It concerns this house party,” Lady Darnley began slowly. “And it is quite scandalous. It claims that there is an unmarried couple that are spending time alone together every night… after the rest of the party are abed!”

There was a shocked hiss around the table. Heads were whipping around, looking at the party, evidently trying to figure out who the illicit couple were.

Daniel froze. He couldn’t look at Maddie. But he heard her small gasp of distress. His blood ran cold. There could be no doubt that the scandal sheet was referring to them.

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