Page 115 of The Earl's Bluestocking Bride
“You can’t seduce me before our very first ball,” she reminded him as the door clicked shut.
His chuckle was sinful. “We’re the hosts. It’s not as if it’s going to start without us. But you make a good point.” He drew back, and she shivered, disappointed by the loss of his nearness.
“Is everything ready?” she asked, angling her body toward him.
“Mm-hmm.” He brushed his lips over hers. “But I have a surprise for you.”
A divot formed between her brows. “A surprise?”
He reached into his pocket and withdrew a black velvet bag. “These are for you.”
Curious, she took the bag from him and loosened the drawstring. She reached inside and felt metal and polished stone brush against her fingertips. Jewelry of some variety.
She gripped a length of chain and pulled out a necklace, gasping as she revealed at least a dozen blue sapphires in gold settings. The stone intended to sit at the base of the throat was the largest, with the sapphires decreasing in size as they circled around the back of the neck.
“It’s beautiful,” she said, unable to take her eyes off it. She didn’t wear jewelry often because she didn’t like the way it was used to display wealth, but she could tell he’d bought this because he knew she would like it rather than for any other reason.
“There’s more.” His voice was husky.
She dipped her fingers back inside and pulled out a pair of earrings with matching sapphires and intricately spun gold. “These are for me?”
“Yes.” He held out his hand, and she placed the earrings on his palm. “I bought them with the first payout from our new investments. It came through just the other day.”
Gently, he slotted one earring into place and then turned her around to do the same on the other side. She passed him the necklace, and he looped it around her throat and latched it at the back, his touch whispering over the nape of her neck, leaving goose bumps in its wake.
“It’s not a particularly practical purchase,” she whispered.
His estate needed to be reestablished. Should he really have wasted money on an expensive gift for her?
“Maybe not,” he agreed. “But it’s beautiful, and you deserve it.”
Her heart fluttered. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. “Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome.” His forehead rested against hers, and for a moment, they just shared each other’s air. But then a door slammed down the hall, and reality intruded. “We’d best go and greet our guests.”
“Yes, we should.” She linked her arm with his and allowed him to lead her from the bedchamber.
Lady Drake was already waiting at the top of the stairs. Her hair had been done similarly to Amelia’s, and she was radiant in a rich green gown. Her eyes landed on Amelia’s new jewelry and widened.
“Stunning,” she said, the corners of her eyes creasing. “Perfect for you.”
“Thank you, Brigid.”
Together, the three descended the stairs to the foyer. The main entrance was wide open, and a dark-haired figure appeared in the entranceway, shaking rainwater from his hair.
“Ashford.” Andrew beamed and crossed the space between them in several steps to clasp his friend’s hand and drag him into an embrace. “So good of you to come.”
Amelia blinked at him, surprised. “I didn’t realize you would be here, Your Grace.”
The duke gave her his customary half smile. “I wanted to show my support. I’ll be returning home tomorrow.”
She took his hand and held it for a few seconds. “Thank you. It means a lot that you made the effort when your family remains in the country.”
His expression softened. “I’ll be back to them before they even know I’m gone.”
“Somehow, I doubt that.” Surely a man so devoted to hiswife and daughter would receive the same devotion in return.
Lady Drake motioned behind them. “Guests are arriving. We should start a receiving line inside the ballroom.” She patted the duke’s cheek. “It’s good to see you, Vaughan.”
