Page 58 of Love, the Duke
The familiar tug of arousal tightened Hurst’s lower body again. Her sensual mouth beckoned. He wanted to pick her up in his arms and twirl her around so she would know how happy he was that she was his. But he caught himself in time. She needed to be wooed, not rushed.
He smiled. “I’m sure the little insect lived to sting again.”
Gently, he slid his hands around her waist and pulled her to him. She fit snugly and perfectly against him and gave no resistance to his maneuvers to get closer to her. A deep swell of anticipation melded into his mouth with a moan as the full swells of her breasts burned a satisfying imprint on his chest. Hurst drank in Ophelia’s innocent smile.
“I will always stand in harm’s way for you, Ophelia. You have my word.” He then lowered his lips to hers.
Ophelia closed her eyes and parted her lips as he touched hers. They felt almost like silk, yet firm, full, and enticing. They yielded warmth. She allowed his tongue to slip inside her mouth and he probed the depths. Champagne and Ophelia quickly created a combustion of fiery heat inside him, and he wanted to take her away from everyone. With the simple kiss, he only meant to hold her tightly against him a moment or two and make it a brief satisfying embrace to hold him until they were alone in his chambers.
But sometimes things didn’t go as planned. Slender hands came round his neck, and she clung to him. Unexpectedly, he knew she didn’t want to resist him. Her arms wound further, and she pressed her body tightly to his, kissing him with fervor equal to his.
Her innocent move made his heart pound. It wasn’t thequick or prim kind of kiss a husband should give a bride of less than ten minutes. It was long, generous, and glorious. At times they managed short, gaspy breaths and others were long, contented sighs. He was on fire with wanting to be consumed by his wife.
Feeling her curves beneath his hands made him want to explore more than he knew they had time for and feelings that he wasn’t sure she was ready to talk or even think about.
But their little interlude came to a halt far too soon with a recognizable male voice.
“Hurst, are you in here?”
The ill-timed call caused him to reluctantly break away from his bride with deliberate slowness. In a ragged breath, Hurst said, “Unfortunately, we are needed outside.”
“And just in time, I think,” she answered and reached up to straighten her veil.
Wyatt and Rick approached with their wives and Rick’s mother by their sides as Hurst and Ophelia walked back onto the patio.
Wyatt addressed Ophelia directly with a nod and a smile. “Many happy years to you both.”
“Hear, hear,” Rick and the others signaled their approval with the lift of their glasses.
Pleasantries were exchanged for a few moments before Rick’s mother looked at Ophelia and said, “Your Grace, I understand you are looking for a man who is attracted to religious artifacts.”
Mrs. Stowe made an audible gasp, which she quickly recovered from by pulling her handkerchief out from under her sleeve and politely and gently coughed to cover her gasp.
Ophelia gave Hurst a startled look and he immediatelygave her a slight shake of his head. He knew nothing about this. Of course, he expected Wyatt and Rick to tell their wives about Ophelia’s search, but telling his mother hadn’t been expected.
“I mentioned it to the dowager,” Edwina said quickly, looking at Ophelia with caution in her expression. “I hope I wasn’t out of line in doing so. She knows so many people in Polite Society and is the epitome of discretion I assure you. I thought perhaps she might have heard of someone who might be of help to you. I hope I didn’t speak out of turn.”
“No, no. It’s quite all right,” Ophelia replied, giving her a forgiving smile. “If anyone can aid me in my search, we’d be delighted. Right, Maman?”
“Most definitely, my dear,” she answered softly. “I find the weariness of our search burdens me more each day.”
“That was my thought,” Edwina explained.
“And if it’s any comfort,” Fredericka added with a genuine smile, “she sought my opinion, and I agreed. We both know what it’s like to want something that seems out of reach or appears there is no answer for it. So, if you are going to be upset with Edwina, you’ll have to include me.”
“Oh, please understand I am happy for any help,” Ophelia said with eagerness. “I thank you both for being interested enough to care. And you too, Duchess,” she said to the dowager. “I find that my coffers of ideas are running low and my time to settle this affair is short. All assistance is appreciated.”
Hurst was pleased with the way Ophelia settled Edwina’s concern that she might have gone too far. And that she finally realized she needed help from wherever it came.
“Yes, of course.” Rick’s mother smiled with a bit of arrogance that always looked attractive on her and sounded like a sweet compliment no matter who she was talking to. “I want to oblige if I can. I’m a member of a group called the Insightful Ladies of London Society.”
“Your Grace,” Rick said in an annoyed tone to his mother. “You led me to believe you gave up that group after Edwina and I married.”
“Yes, I did for a while,” she answered innocently. “And I don’t attend their weekly meetings anymore, but I do like to keep in touch with them and see what they are up to and what they are reading. I still want to know about their discussions on various subjects. It’s—well, enlightening.” She lifted her brows as if to challenge him to say more.
Rightfully so, her son didn’t take the bait she threw out, but Edwina came to her mother-in-law’s aid anyway. “While I’ve never attended a meeting, I know they are a diverse group who study and read about superstitions, phenomena, the heavens, and many such subjects, so I’m not surprised that religious artifacts are one of them.”
“And it just so happens,” the dowager said with her light-blue eyes sparkling with confidence, and her voice as soft as a pluck of cotton, “one of the ladies in the group knows a gentleman who collects religious artifacts, though he doesn’t make it known to many.”
