Lord Sebastian's Secret (The Duke's Sons #3)(71)

She put her arms around his neck and kissed him. “I prefer a bed of bracken. Or this. It’s…thrilling.”

And then she wrapped her legs around him as well, and every vestige of hesitation, or control, dissolved. Sebastian was washed by a white heat that drove all else before it. He slid his hands along the soft skin of her inner thighs, pushing her skirts away until he could make her gasp with pleasure. She kissed him more deeply and busied her fingers with the fastenings of his breeches. In moments, they were free to meet in ecstasy. Sebastian had never experienced such a combination of arousal and emotion. When she cried out his name, he felt like a man who’d won a hundred medals.

He continued to hold her as their breathing gradually slowed. She was lithe and soft and infinitely precious in his arms.

“I love you so,” she murmured in his ear.

“I love you,” he replied.

Georgina raised her head from his shoulder and smiled at him. “And I’ll never look at this billiard table in the same way again,” she added.

Sebastian laughed with pure joy.

“It will be our secret,” she said with a provocative smile.

Sebastian drew back slightly at the word. But wasn’t love enough? Many things could be overcome by love.

After a while, Georgina slipped off the table. They helped each other straighten disordered clothing and smooth tousled hair. “I shall be doing this for years and years,” she said as she adjusted his neckcloth, “making sure you are ready for public view.” She ended her ministrations with a tender kiss.

Feeling the broad smile on his face, Sebastian went to remove the chairs. He opened one door and found the corridor outside empty. Holding out a hand, he led his love from the never-to-be-the-same billiard room. Could he actually play a game with his father there after this?

They saw no one as they returned to the main part of the castle. It was a miracle, Georgina thought, that her mother hadn’t sent someone to find her. Finally, just outside the entry hall, they heard voices.

“I cannot believe you would have been so unobliging,” said Hilda.

“It was not a matter of being obliging,” answered Randolph.

“And to save your own brother, too. Could you have been so selfish? I could not, if I had been able to help my sister in any way whatsoever.”

Georgina started forward to the rescue, but Sebastian put a restraining hand on her arm. When she looked up, surprised, she saw that his eyes were twinkling.

“As I have explained to you, more than once,” Randolph said, “I could not ignore legalities just because my own family was involved.”

“Oh, legalities,” interrupted Hilda, her low opinion of such things clear in her voice. “I’m sure you could have cajoled it out of them.”

“I…cajole…the Archbishop of Canterbury?”

“If you had wished to,” Hilda said.

“I most certainly could not, not after the way that he and I… And in any case, I did not wish to, and…and none of this matters any more. The difficulties about the wedding have been resolved.”

“You’re enjoying this,” Georgina whispered.

“I’ve never seen anyone out-argue Randolph,” Sebastian murmured. “But if anyone can, it’s Hilda.”

“What if I’d threatened to write the archbishop and tell him that you’ve been participating in bizarre pagan rites?” said Hilda.

The hidden pair exchanged an astonished look as Randolph sputtered, “What? What are you… What bizarre pagan rites?”

“Papa’s Hindu ceremony.”

“It wasn’t. That wasn’t a rite. Mr. Mitra said very clearly that it was of his own devising. It was rather a fascinating…experiment. Scientific, like Alan’s work. And I am not required to explain my conduct to you.”

“No, just to the archbishop.” There was the hint of a laugh in Hilda’s tone. “I think I must tell him.”

“Is she storing up ammunition for future blackmail?” Sebastian whispered.

The idea seemed all too plausible. Georgina suppressed a groan.

“Perhaps I will inform him that you would benefit from an exorcism,” said Randolph.

“What are those like?” asked Hilda. “Are there robes?”

“What sort of young lady asks…?”

“Well, none, of course,” she said, cutting him off once again. “I’m heartily sick of being a ‘young lady.’ The proprieties get one nowhere, as far as I can see.”

“Which is not very far at all,” said Randolph.

“We must help him,” whispered Georgina.

Sebastian nodded and stepped forward. They found his brother and Georgina’s sister squared off near the front door of the castle. Randolph was glaring, Hilda smug. “Oh, hullo,” said Sebastian, showing no sign that they’d overheard. “Not thinking of going out, are you? Still pelting with rain out there.”

Georgina choked on a laugh.

“I was coming to speak to you,” snapped Randolph, “when I encountered Lady Hilda.”

He sounded far younger than his years, Georgina thought. Her sister had reduced him to her own level, as she could so easily do. For once, she was grateful. Hilda had saved them from an embarrassing interruption. Cheeks warming at the memory of that delicious interlude, she said, “Shouldn’t you be in your bedchamber, Hilda?”