Page 4 of More or Less a Countess
“No, we haven’t time for the bodice, my lord. Just raise my skirts and be quick, before we’re missed.”
Raise my skirts?That wasnotHonora.
“Sorry, love, but I can’t forego the bodice. Not when the contents of it are so magnificent. And I’mneverquick.”
The lady with the magnificent bosom let out a throaty laugh. “Yes, I remember that about you, but we haven’t time for…oh. Oh,my.”
There was a low, wicked chuckle, a faint rustle of clothing, and then what sounded like a coat hitting the floor. “Perhaps we have more time than you thought, my dear?”
Violet squeezed her eyes closed and raised her hands to her burning cheeks. Couldn’t a lady enjoy a few private moments of peace without being forced to witness a disgraceful debauchery? For pity’s sake, this was alibrary, not a brothel.
But surely they’d stop at a few harmless kisses? That was shameless enough—not to mention in shockingly poor taste—but even people with as little self-control as this wouldn’t dare bring the, ah…business to a conclusion right in the middle of Lord and Lady Derrick’s library—
“Oh, yes. Put your hand…yes,there.Faster…”
The lady’s words were lost in a long, soft moan that made Violet’s entire body burst into flames of embarrassment.
“Hold your skirts up for me, love…yes, like that. Ah, sweetheart, you’re so…now let me just…”
Violet didn’t get to hear what he meant to do, but whatever it was, the lady must have permitted it, because in the next moment there was a grunt, then a sharp gasp and a quiet thud, as if someone had been shoved back against the door.
And then shoved again, and again, and again in a steady, measured rhythm.
Violet pressed her lips together, then pressed a hand over her mouth to hold back…a shout of indignation, perhaps? Tears? Was she crying? It would make sense, given the circumstances, and she could feel moisture gathering in the corners of her eyes, spilling over her cheeks…
Except those weren’t tears bubbling up in her chest. Those weren’t sobs rising into her throat and threatening to burst through her lips.
It was laughter. Loud, indecorous, manic laughter.
Oh, dear. Perhaps she’d gone hysterical, but all that moaning and gasping, and the breathless discussion of bodices—well, it was absurd, wasn’t it? And that rhythmic banging…what in the worldwasthat? It sounded as if someone’s head were being knocked repeatedly against the door—
The lady’s.It was the lady’s head. At least, that was the most likely scenario, given what Violet knew of the mechanics of the thing. Granted, she had no personal intimate experience, but there was no end to the information one could find in books.
“Oh. Oh. Oh.”
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Another violent burst of laughter threatened, and Violet pressed her hand harder against her mouth and bit her lip until it split. Dear God, it would be a miracle if the poor woman escaped without a head injury. Violet could only hope the gentleman was making it worth her while.
From the way the lady was carrying on, it sounded as if he was doing something she enjoyed, but there was only one way to know for certain.
No. I can’t possibly. It’s a disgraceful invasion of privacy.
But then again,theywere the ones who’d chosen to express theiraffectionsin Lord Derrick’s library. Did they really deserve privacy, given the circumstances? And after all, she’d been here first.They’dinterruptedher, and it wasn’t as if she’d ever get another chance to see it.
She couldn’t resist just the tiniest peek, for purely educational reasons.
Violet squirmed onto her knees, careful to keep her head low, held her breath, and peeked over the back of the sofa. She watched for a moment, squinting in the darkness, then let her breath out in a silent sigh.
Well. It wasn’tquitewhat she’d expected.
In fact, if the truth were told, it didn’t look nearly as interesting as it was rumored to be. But then, that was invariably the way, wasn’t it? That was why Violet preferred books—they never disappointed one the way real life did.
And this was…well, a bit anticlimactic.
She’d thought the lady would be clutching at the gentleman in mindless, desperate passion, but this lady was too occupied with holding her skirts out of the way to offer much in the way of clutching. Most of the gentleman’s lower body was obscured by the lady’s voluminous skirts, but she had one leg hitched awkwardly over his hip, and Violet could see his pelvis moving, jerking against the lady in rhythmic thrusts. They weren’t up against the door, but against one of the tall bookshelves next to it, and he was fully clothed aside from his blue coat, which lay on the floor at his feet. It was too dark to see his face, but there was just enough light coming from the crack under the door to catch the glint of silver thread on his scarlet waistcoat.
Lord Dare.
