Page 70 of The Duke of Distraction
Chapter 11
After dinner that night, Sarah was delighted to remove to the drawing room with Lavinia while the men remained in the dining room to drink port.
“It seems you are very excited to have me alone,” Lavinia said, laughing, as soon as they sat down together on the settee.
A footman brought a tray with two glasses of sherry, which Sarah and Lavinia each took, then departed.
Sarah didn’t take a sip before saying, “I’m glad you’re here.I have so much to tell you.”
Laviniadidtake a sip of her sherry.“You seemed to be brimming with news when I saw you briefly after we arrived earlier.I own I am surprised to see how improved you are.Improved and, dare I say, happy.”She took Sarah’s hand and gave it a brief squeeze.
Was she improved?Definitely.Was she happy?She certainly wasn’t as weighed down with sadness as she’d been.And that was due to Felix.“It’s Felix.”
“Of course it is,” Lavinia said.“He’s the master of cheer and diversion.If anyone could help you navigate this time, it’s him.What has he been doing to distract you and Anthony?”
Sarah blinked at her.“Kissing me.Touching me.Doing unspeakable things to me.”
Lavinia’s eyes widened, and she squeezed Sarah’s hand again but this time didn’t let go.“What is happening?”She leaned forward, her lips parted in anticipation.“Are you in love?”
The question stopped Sarah cold.She hadn’t thought about emotion.Because she’d purposely shoved all emotion to the recesses of her mind.“I don’t know,” she said quietly.“And I don’t think I want to contemplate it.”When Lavinia opened her mouth to speak, Sarah spoke over her.“What would be the use in loving Felix?The emotion would never be reciprocated.”
Lavinia pursed her lips and let go of Sarah, easing back.“True.”She swore softly.“Why do some men have to be so terrible?”
“He’s notterrible,” Sarah said with a hint of a smile.“But he can be rather stubborn.Twice now he’s…given me pleasure—”
“Have you had sex?”
“Not that specifically, no.”Sarah now took the opportunity to take a long drink of sherry.She felt as though she needed fortification.“He used his hand and his…mouth.”
Lavinia’s brows arched, and the corner of her mouth ticked up.“Well done, Felix,” she murmured.“And how was it?”
“Should we really be discussing this?”
“Of course.All women do.”
“You don’t discuss it with me—not like this.”She’d satisfied Sarah’s questions about what happened between men and women, husbands and wives, but she hadn’t elaborated as to how it hadfelt.
Lavinia’s cheeks heated to a dull pink.“I didn’t want to get into specifics since you weren’t wed.”
“I’m not wed now.”
“Don’t be obtuse.You know what I’m getting at.Why tell you how wonderful it is to be with a man when you aren’t with a man?It seems unkind.”
Sarah could understand that.“It was lovely.”
“Lovely?”
“And wild.”It was Sarah’s turn to blush.“And I am desperate to do it again.”
“Then I would say Felix is definitely doing it right.Though I wouldn’t have doubted it, given his reputation.”
As a rake.
“You said he was stubborn,” Lavinia prompted.“Before I interrupted.”She gave Sarah a sheepish smile.
Sarah was used to Lavinia’s…conversational exuberance.“He hasn’t let me reciprocate.”
“Ah, I see.Have you offered?”
