Page 93 of Unraveled By the Duke
She slid her hands under his coat, roughly pushing past the fabric of his waistcoat to press against his cotton shirt. She kissed his neck, pulling at his collar. Then, she lowered her headand took one end of the laces that secured his shirt between her teeth and pulled.
It loosened, revealing hair beneath and slabs of lean muscle that seemed to quiver beneath her lips and questing tongue.
She looked into his eyes for a moment, searching for devotion and seeing worship. Running her hands down, she shivered at the feel of rigid muscles and then gasped at the feel of bulging, erect manhood.
It felt as though his breeches would be insufficient to contain him, and it reminded her of the feel of his manhood inside her. Of his thrusting, powerful hips and the deep, satisfying pleasure he had brought her twice.
With both hands, she touched him, suddenly wanting him to be helpless as she had been beneath him. Wanted him at her mercy.
His eyes widened, but his face remained still, his control absolute. So Celia squeezed him, running one hand down and the other up. She cupped and stroked, squeezed and massaged. A grunt escaped him, breathless and almost beyond control. She squeezed harder and was rewarded with a whisper of her name.
“Cheverton!” the driver suddenly called.
“No!” Celia gasped.
“Drive on!” Alexander roared.
“No, Aurelia! She has gone to Alvey Hall—we must go to her!” Celia cried.
CHAPTER 29
Alvey Hall was a mansion set into its own private grounds, walled off from the rest of the city. Its park had once been part of royal woods, parceled up and given away by past monarchs to loyal subjects. The Viscounts Alvey had been such.
The gates were opened by a servant tasked with nothing else and given a tiny wooden booth to stand in while waiting to admit visitors.
The drive wound through the park, trees from the old woods were kept in positions that screened the house or gave tantalizing glimpses of it that vanished in the blink of an eye.
When they finally emerged, it was to the sight of a structure of gleaming London stucco and bright red brick. Pediments decorated false columns that framed windows and doorways. Stone vases along the roofline suggested a crass classicism. Statuary filled the grounds.
“A wealthy family,” Alexander commented.
“And not afraid to show it. Lady Alvey has added to the grandeur of this place since her husband died,” Celia said. “I once sneaked in dressed as a stablehand. I saw her whipping a maid who had displeased her. I threw a stone at her, which left a muddy stain on her dress, then ran.”
“Good for you,” Alexander muttered. “I may have been in the house at the time. Lavinia took pleasure in showing me off. She and her mother seemed to regard a duke as a grand ornament.”
They disembarked in front of the house and approached the door, which were two dark oak panels with black wrought iron knockers in the middle. Alexander lifted one and let it fall with a boom.
Immediately, the door was opened, and a footman with a bowed head ushered them inside and through a hall bedecked with tapestries, sculptures, and vases on plinths and in alcoves.
The house felt too crowded to move through comfortably, while the antique paneling and furniture contrived to render the hall dark, an enemy of natural light.
They were escorted to a sitting room with a grand, glittering chandelier and chairs inlaid with gold and ivory, which was surrounded by a blood-red carpet.
“A fine contrast of styles. English Tudor to French Sun King. Too much money,” Alexander observed.
“And too little taste,” Celia added.
Both whispered as the footman announced them in a loud voice.
Celia saw Aurelia sitting meekly in a corner of the room. Next to her was Captain Greenwood. He stood casually, leaning against her chair, one arm draped across the back. It seemed that he was engaged in casual conversation with her, except for the fact that she was shying away from him.
Her eyes flicked to Celia and then down to the floor, her cheeks flushing. Greenwood put a hand on her shoulder.
“Ah, my former suitor, the Duke of Cheverton. Welcome to Alvey Hall. My mother is in Bath for the week. I hope you were not hoping to visit with her when you honored my house with your presence?”
Celia gave Lavinia a withering look and went to her sister’s side. Greenwood straightened as though to stop her, but Alexander shifted his feet and turned his head, and Greenwood stopped. He took a step back, suddenly wary, before a smug grin spread across his face.
Aurelia looked from him to Lavinia and then to Celia, before lowering her eyes. “I am sorry, Celia. I’m sorry I did not believeyou. I wanted to speak to Lavinia about the picture. I could not believe it. She has been my friend!”
