Lily and the Duke (Sex and the Season #1)(49)
When he finally released her, looking into her beautiful face tormented with ecstasy, savoring her spicy aroma, her sweet milky taste, a decision came to him quickly.
He could not let her go.
He would not let her go.
No other man would know her as he did. He would possess her body and mind. Her heart. Her soul. He would do whatever necessary to keep Lily at Laurel Ridge. With him. Forever.
He crawled atop her and thrust himself into her body, making her his the only way he knew how.
Chapter 11
A brisk knock on her chamber door startled Lily. She had fallen asleep almost as soon as she lay down after Daniel had returned her to her chamber early that morning. Rose had been sleeping soundly and hadn’t stirred when Lily came in. Rose got up and went to the door. A housemaid stood there, feather duster in hand.
“Yes, what is it?” Rose asked.
“I beg your pardon, milady. Your parents want to see you and Lady Lily in the private sitting room of their chamber right away.”
Rose yawned. “Why? What time is it anyway?”
“It’s half past nine, milady, and I don’t know what they want. They bid me to fetch you and your sister. A servant is fetching your brother at the bachelor house.”
“What on earth?” Lily stumbled out of bed and joined Rose at the door.
“Mummy and Papa want to see us in their sitting room,” Rose said. “I don’t know why.”
“Yes, I heard,” Lily said. “But I’m too tired. I’m going back to bed.”
“But milady,” the maid pleaded. “I was bid to tell you to come quickly!”
“Why? Is something wrong?” Rose asked.
“No, milady. Your parents are well. But they said the matter was of utmost importance.”
“We’d better go, Lily,” Rose said. “They wouldn’t send for us this early if it wasn’t important.”
“You go, and then you can come back and tell me what the devil is so urgent to wake me up at this hour.”
“Lily…”
“Oh for God’s sake, Rose, all right.” She turned to the housemaid. “I require a bath. Could you send someone to attend me?”
“There’s isn’t time for that,” the housemaid said. “But I’ll bring you a basin of steaming water right away.” She hurried off.
“No time for a bath?” Lily rolled her eyes and began to brush her long thick hair. A maid returned with hot water for their two basins, and Lily and Rose washed quickly and helped each other dress in their best morning outfits. They braided each other’s hair and pinned it, and when they were both satisfied with the results, they headed down the hall to their parents’ chamber in the corner.
The Earl of Ashford was seated behind a mahogany desk, the spectacles that he used for reading perched on his nose. Before him were stacks of documents. The countess sat next to the desk, soft and pretty in her yellow morning garments. Thomas, dapper in a grey morning coat, stood next to her, nibbling on a croissant and drinking tea.
The earl looked up. “Lily, Rose, do have a seat. I trust you haven’t broken your fast yet?”
“No, Papa,” they answered in unison.
“See to my daughters,” he said to the maid.
The maid prepared plates for them from a tray on a buffet table in the corner while Lily and Rose sat down with Thomas on the sofa. Lily looked at bread and fruit on the plate handed to her. Her stomach churned. She didn’t feel the least bit hungry.
“Papa,” she began, “what is going—”
“In a moment, Lily,” Ashford said, glancing over some papers in his hands.
The maid brought Lily and Rose steaming cups of tea. Lily gnawed on a croissant but it tasted like saw dust. What on earth was wrong? They sat in silence, waiting for the earl to speak.
Finally, he cleared his throat. “I had a visitor this morning,” he said. “A very important one.”
“Who was it, Papa?” Rose asked.
“Well”—he cleared his throat again—“it seems that I have received a request for one of my daughters’ hands in marriage.”
My, Lord Evan certainly works fast. Lily turned to her sister. “Congratulations, Rose!”
“My goodness. I—” Rose began.
“The offer isn’t for Rose, Lily,” the earl interrupted. “It’s for you.”
Lily opened her eyes wide and she jumped off the couch. “For me? Who in the world would offer for me?”
Ashford cleared his throat one more time and adjusted his spectacles. “The Duke of Lybrook.”
Daniel? Daniel? “The duke?” Lily gasped, grabbing for the arm of the sofa. What was going on?
“He came to me this morning with the proposal,” the earl said. “It seems you’ve made quite an impression on him.”
“I’d say so,” Thomas said.
“Keep quiet, Thomas,” Lily said. “Papa, I’m sorry. I don’t wish to marry.”
“That’s quite irrelevant, Lily,” the earl said. “I’ve already accepted his offer.”
“Fine.” Lily plunked her bottom back on the sofa. “Then you marry him.”