Love Everlasting (Kingston Novel Book 3), page 27
“Marriage agrees with you.”
Toriana smiled at Kinsley and linked her arm with hers. “I haven’t even been married for twenty-four hours, yet.”
“Still, there is a glow to you that wasn’t there yesterday.” Kinsley looked over to where Drake stood talking with Logan. “How did it feel to have the footman announce you?”
Toriana smiled. “It as quite thrilling, actually.”
“Well, I can tell you this,” Alianore cut in from the other side of Toriana. “The Marchioness of Munsford has not stopped crowing yet about what a success the two of you have made of her party. Not only did she get the privilege of introducing The Duke of Hertworth to society, but she also got the added bonus of announcing his marriage.”
“Let’s not forget that she also got to introduce us,” Vance grumbled from Alianore’s side. “This is our first party since our marriage.”
Kinsley and Toriana shared a smile.
Alianore wrapped her arm through his. “I would never forget you, love.”
“Every hostess this Season will be jealous,” Kinsley stated. “None of them will be able to top Lady Munsford’s party now.”
“Oh, my, especially now,” Toriana whispered. “Look who just arrived.”
At the top of the stairs leading down into the ballroom stood the Munsford’s footman.
“The Duke and Duchess of Canfield.”
“Grandfather Justin looks so handsome tonight, doesn’t he?” Toriana whispered as she watched him guide their grandmother down the staircase.
“Yes. And look how lovely Grandmother Masina looks,” Kinsley murmured.
“They make a stunning couple,” Alianore agreed. “They look happy. I’ve never seen that particular look on her face before.”
“New beginnings.” Toriana nodded.
Kinsley also gave a nod. “I hope it all works out as grandfather wishes.”
“Do you realize this is the first party we have ever attended where both our grandparents have been present?”
Kinsley smiled at Toriana. “That’s right. It is. I hadn’t realized until you mentioned it.”
“Look how handsome Grandfather Criston looks,” Alianore murmured. “And Grandmother Francis is beautiful.”
“We are very fortunate.” Toriana nodded.
“We are,” Kinsley agreed.
“Over there is Aurora.” Alianore pointed out. “I wonder when they arrived.”
“It looks as if Lord Birchill is escorting Lady Milison,” Vance stated, looking over the crowd. “Javan should be here somewhere.”
“Unfortunately, Lady Tulia is here,” Kinsley murmured. “I noticed her as soon as we arrived.”
“As did I.” Alianore grinned. “She looked quite livid when Drake and Toriana were announced.”
“She’s one person I would just as soon not see,” Toriana stated. “This is a lovely evening and I would just as soon keep it that way.”
“Javan and Casler are with Drake and Logan,” Vance commented. “I guess I could go join them.”
Alianore glanced at him. “And what about our dance?”
“I was waiting for a waltz to be played,” he stated, with a wink.
Alianore blushed. “Oh, well, I can wait.”
Toriana and Kinsley laughed.
Drake crossed his arms over his chest and watched as his wife danced by in the arms of her father. She far outshined every woman in the bloody place as far as he was concerned. More than once he noticed several men looking at her. All it took was one scowl from him and they scurried off to cast their lustful gazes on another.
Bunch of rotters!
“Hasty decisions are sometimes the hardest to admit.”
Drake glanced at the woman standing at his side. Though they hadn’t been introduced, he knew exactly who she was. Kinsley had given him her name when he noticed the heated glare the woman was giving Toriana. Lady Tulia Henden was lucky she wasn’t a man or he would have removed the glare from her pinched face.
“Go away,” he stated, turning his attention back to the dance floor and his wife.
Tulia felt like stomping her foot, when the big handsome man proceeded to ignore her. He was too busy staring at the little nitwit Toriana to pay attention to her! How the man could have married such a chit was beyond her, but he had!
The information she had gathered from Lady Nesbowl at the dressmakers had come in handy. It seemed all that was postponing the wedding had been the other grandparent’s arrival. She had hoped her hired thieves could prevent them showing up, but instead they had been thwarted and the marriage had taken place.
“Let me know when you desire to have a woman in your bed,” Tulia purred out.
Drake glanced at her again. “Have you looked in the mirror?” he asked. “Never will you be as beautiful as my wife…in body or in heart.”
Tulia gasped and took a step back. “How dare you?!” she hissed out. Her hands clenched at her side and her eyes narrowed.
“I dare much. This will be the second time I’ll say go away. Now be gone and throw your pinched-face smile on a man not smart enough to see you for what you are.”
Tulia could feel her uncontrollable anger building.
“Drake, didn’t I warn you about some of the less popular chits?” Logan asked, coming up beside his brother-in-law.
“Aye, you did.” Drake nodded.
Tulia raised her chin and met Logan’s handsome gaze. “I’ll have you know that I’m much in demand…more so than your plump little sister.”
“Are you talking about my little sister who is now The Duchess of Hertworth?” Logan asked and then glanced around. “I fail to see the demand you’re speaking of…unless you’re talking about the footmen and other servants.”
Tulia’s face turned red hot with her embarrassment. Her anger was building much too fast inside her. “You!” she gritted out, glaring at Drake, “and the Telford family will rue the day you dared to cross me!” she hissed out.
Logan watched as she turned and cut through the crowded ballroom. “I believe that was a threat. Did you see her eyes? She looked like a rabid dog. I believe Lady Tulia isn’t right in her head.”
Drake glanced in her direction for a moment and then shrugged. “Maybe so. She’s definitely egotistical, delusional, and jealous. She knows no matter what she can never compare to Toriana, Kinsley, or Alianore.”
“That’s because my sisters are a special breed of woman,” Logan stated with pride.
Drake laughed. “They are. Indeed, they are.”
Lady Tulia didn’t even bother to put on her wrap. She just snatched it from the Munsford servant and stormed out of the house. It took her a moment to find Willis and her carriage. Without waiting for him to bring it around, she made her way to him.
Willis knew her well and knew something had set Tulia’s temper off; otherwise she would be waiting for him to fetch her with her normal haughty, queenly wench airs on display.
Holding the door to the carriage open, he held out his hand. “Is there a problem, milady?” he asked.
“Yes, there’s a bloody problem!” she growled out. “Tell those idiots you hired that our plans have changed. We will do this thing tomorrow.”
Willis’ eyes widened. “Tomorrow?”
“I will have the last laugh on that family…and that twit!”
“I’m not sure it can be ready by tomorrow…maybe the day after.”
“I want it done tomorrow!”
“And what about the man inside their townhouse, have you secured his loyalty already? Much of this plan depends on him.”
Tulia smiled as she leaned forward to brush a kiss to Willis’ lips. “You know me…I can be very good at gaining loyalty.”
Willis accepted the kiss and then waited until she was done. “You’ll need the help of your cousin,” he stated.
Tulia glared at him. “We’ll get him tomorrow.”
Willis nodded. He thought her plan was not only reckless but showed just how much of reality she was losing track of. The woman was fine for moments, but there were other times, more frequent times, she was ready for Bedlam.
“If the Telfords know they have upset you, it will not be hard to figure out to where their trouble comes from. I still think you should wait a day or two.”
“No. I don’t care what they think. They would have to prove it and that they can’t do.”
Willis held his silence. He knew it was useless to argue with her.
“Come to my bed tonight.”
He stared into her blues eyes, thinking seriously about deny her, deny them both, but then he knew soon enough there would be no more bed-sharing between them.
“As you wish,” he stated.
Chapter Twenty-Six
It was mid morning and Toriana was moving about her and Drake’s bedchamber as she waited for him to finish his bath. She smoothed out a wrinkle she noticed in the blanket covering the bed and then moved over to the settee. Picking up one of the small pillows she fluffed it and then decided they all needed a good fluffing.
Benjamin was across the room making sure everything was in order, but he kept watch of his young mistress. Since rising she hadn’t left the bedchamber at all. She hadn’t even called for her new maid to assist her in dressing or with fixing her hair.
Not that the Duchess needed any help. She was beautiful. She had brushed and styled her own hair in a long braid that hung down her back. The results were quite simple and yet stunning on her.
“May I speak freely with you, Your Grace?”
Toriana glanced over to where Benjamin stood. “Of course, you can.” She smiled. “I want you to feel free to say whatever you like to me, Benjamin.”
Closing the space between them, he took the pillow from her hands and placed it back on the settee. “Why are you hiding up here?”
Toriana sat down and then patted the area next to her. “I’m not going to talk to you until you join me,” she told him with a grin.
Benjamin took a seat. “Now, why are you hiding?”
“I’m not hiding…not really.”
“Then what is the problem?”
“I guess I’m just unsure of myself…and this townhouse is nothing compared to what Hertworth Hall is going to be like. What if I’m not any good at this whole thing of running a household? What if I make a blunder? What if I’m the worse mistress there ever was?”
Benjamin smiled. “You won’t be. But I can tell you this; you won’t be any good at it from up here in this room. I have not known you long, Your Grace, but I have noticed your kindness and your warmth. And anyone whose family refers to her as elf must have tons of courage.”
Toriana laughed.
Drake stood in the doorway to the bathing chamber listening. He could tell something had been bothering Toriana but he thought she would tell him when she was ready. He never would have guessed it was this.
More than once he was glad for Benjamin, which was almost ironic when he thought about how much he disliked the man at the beginning. But the older man seemed to connect to Toriana much in the same way Grandfather Justin connected to him.
“Mrs. Mason will help you in all that you need to do, or in the areas you need to learn. You know this, right?”
“Oh, yes, she’s been very sweet.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“Do you realize how bloody silent this house is?” Toriana asked and then grinned.
Benjamin actually laughed at that.
“You should do that more often,” she told him. “I guess coming from a house filled with so much going on all the time, to a house filled with nothing but silence is kind of unsettling.”
“So you miss all the noise?”
“God yes.” She laughed. “Sometimes our house felt like it was going to explode with all the noise, but it was also comforting.”
“The silence here and at Hertworth Hall is only temporary, Your Grace. Soon you and His Grace will start having children and fill the halls with love, laughter, and noise.”
“If Hertworth Hall is as big as they say I’ll have to have at least a dozen children to make it as noisy as I’m used to,” she teased.
Benjamin nodded. “It’s a good number.”
Toriana laughed. “All those children wouldn’t scare you off?”
“I wouldn’t know. I’ve never been around children much, but I’m sure I would grow accustomed to them.”
“I may have to give you a different job other than valet.”
Benjamin raised a brow. “And what would that be, Your Grace.”
“Confidant…so that our children may tell you their hopes and secrets. Protector…to help me and Drake watch over them. And Guardian…to help keep them in line when they take a notion to stray.”
Benjamin didn’t know what to say at first. He was greatly touched by her words and the honor she would place in him. “And did you have such a person growing up?”
“Oh, yes.” Toriana nodded. “Mr. Tadmen may perform the duties of a butler, but he was all those things to me, and to my sisters and brother. In many ways, it was like having another grandfather, but this one wasn’t blood, he was heart. Mr. Tadmen has been there from the time we were born. He has scolded us, loved us, and tried his best to make sure we behaved to the utmost of our upbringing. Each of us loves him dearly for always being there for us and listening to our ramblings.”
“He sounds like an extraordinary man.”
“Just like you. Would you be this man for the future children of Hertworth Hall?”
“I would be honored, Your Grace. But as you stated just a moment ago…what if I’m not good at it?”
Toriana reached over and laid her hand on his. “We’ll learn this together. I’ll learn how to be the Duchess of Hertworth and you can learn to be the Confidant Guardian of Hertworth.”
“I think between the two of you, you can accomplish almost anything,” Drake stated coming forward.
“Your Grace,” Benjamin murmured coming to his feet and turning to face him.
“Rest easy, Benjamin. I heard what Toriana asked of you and to I agree with her. I couldn’t ask for a better man to be all those things to our…dozen children.”
Toriana laughed. “At least a dozen.”
“It looks as if I’m going to be a busy man, Benjamin.”
“So it would seem, Your Grace.”
“I know I can’t be much help in easing Toriana into her new role as I’m still getting used to mine, but any help you can give her I would much appreciate it.”
“Give us,” Toriana corrected him.
“I’m at your service.” Benjamin bowed. “Though Mr. Milton was thought to be the best one to help you, Your Grace, I believe Henry would be better suited. Also, I’m sure His Grace, The Duke of Canfield would be able to help you out more so than any of us.”
“Benjamin is right. Grandfather Justin has been a duke most all his life. Anything you need to know he’ll be able to help.”
Drake smiled. “It looks as if I’ll get to spend more time with Grandfather Justin after all.”
“He’s going to enjoy that.” Toriana smiled. “You are his favorite grandson-in-law.”
“Our first son will be named after him.”
“You’ve picked a name already?” she teased.
“I have…you don’t mind?”
Benjamin looked from one to the other. “If you will excuse me, I’ll get back to my duties.”
Drake watched as Benjamin exited the room and closed the door behind him. “Smart man.”
Toriana laughed. “I think the name is perfect, but first we should make the baby before naming him, don’t you think?”
“Most definitely,” Drake agreed as he advanced on her. Picking her up, he carried her toward the bed.
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she placed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “I thought we were going downstairs?”
“Afterwards.”
Toriana closed her eyes and as she did so she came to the conclusion that her husband was a magician. He could cast the most erotic spells over her that brought gasps from the very depths of her soul. He could weave his magic with such skill that she was helpless but to surrender to his sensuous enchantment.
She could feel the soft scraping of his teeth against the backs of her legs and then onto the globes of her bottom. Her hands clenched at the sheets when his tongue came out to soothe her.
He once promised to kiss every inch of her, now he had done so several times and she hoped he would never grow tired of this ritual he liked to perform before making love to her. Some women might be jealous of the women that came before her, but Toriana was most thankful for them.
Though she lacked knowledge in this area, she was quite positive her husband was indeed an expert lover. Years of living the life he had lived, the numerous women he had bedded, all of it had come down to be a benefit for her…and that was what she was thankful for.
Toriana smiled when she found herself rolled over and her husband covering her body. “When do I get the same freedom with your body?” she whispered, reaching down to wrap her hand around his arousal.
Drake groaned. “Maybe later. Right now, I want to be inside you…deep, deep inside you.”
“What are you waiting for?”
“For you to release me,” He grinned.
“I like the feel of you…all steel, velvet, and heat.”
“You’ll like what comes next…I promise.”
She loved it when he used the roguish tone and grin on her. “Well, when you put it that way,” she murmured, releasing him.
Drake joined their bodies and then gathered her close. “Wrap your arms and legs around me,” he instructed. Holding her close, he came to a kneeling position in the middle of the bed.
Toriana’s eyes widened when she found herself face-to-face with him, her bottom resting on top of his muscular thighs. “Oh, I say, I believe I like this.”
“I did promise.”
“Now, you’re gloating.” She grinned.
“Maybe a little,” he smiled before he began moving. “But you like my gloating.”
“I do…and you do it so well.”
