‘Gabriel?’
‘Shh. Relax. Go back to sleep if you like.’ As though I would let you.
‘Gabriel!’ His name broke in the middle and Caroline gave a faint shriek as he lowered his mouth to her.
He put his hands firmly on either side of her hips to hold her still and licked into the core of her, exploring her secrets, relentlessly gentle and persistent until her gasps of protest turned into sighs and she began to lift her hips to meet his questing lips and tongue. He took her over once, then again, then came up her body to slide into the soft wet heat that was so ready for him. She came for him again, crying his name as she convulsed around him, sending him over the edge, all technique and restraint forgotten.
‘Are you still reconciled?’ she asked a little later, her eyelashes tickling as she leaned over to kiss his throat.
‘Oh, yes, I think so, although I believe we will have to repeat the exercise frequently to make certain.’
She laughed softly as he pulled her tight against his side and Gabriel relaxed. Caroline was a darling. This marriage business would be no trouble at all, provided he kept it at the level of sex and friendship.
Chapter Sixteen
‘Lord Edenbridge. Good morning, my lord.’ The Avenmore butler regarded Gabriel with a more kindly eye than he deserved, given that they had arrived on the doorstep of the St James’s Square house at the outrageous hour of nine o’clock. ‘My lord and lady are at breakfast, but if you would care to wait in the drawing room, I will apprise them of your arrival.’
‘We’ll join them, Benson. Just send in two more place settings.’
‘Yes, my lord.’ The butler did not quite roll his eyes, but Gabriel suspected it was a close-run thing. ‘Should I announce you? The lady—’
‘No need.’ He took Caroline’s arm and ushered her through to the dining room. ‘Good morning.’
‘What have you done now?’ Cris enquired, folding The Times and setting it beside hisplate as he got to his feet. ‘Good morning, Lady Caroline.’
‘Cris!’ Tamsyn scolded, getting to her feet, too, and hurrying around the table to hug Caroline. She released her, regarded Gabriel with her head on one side for a moment, grinned and hugged him, too. ‘You are going to get married, aren’t you? Sit down and have some breakfast and tell us all about it. I’ll just ring for— Oh, thank you, Benson.’
Gabriel waited until he had served both himself and Caroline from the buffet. ‘Yes. I am almost afraid to ask how you know. Some form of Devon witchcraft, I assume.’
Tamsyn shook her head at him. ‘A woman’s instinct. I only had to look at the pair of you.’
‘What happened?’ Cris, with his usual uncanny nose for trouble, knew this was more than a sudden attack of romance.
‘My father found me,’ Caroline said. She was wary of Cris, he knew, but he could only admire the calm way she gave him back blue-eyed stare for stare. ‘And Gabriel was there.’
‘So Caroline gallantly saved my
honour, and what remains of my good name, by consenting to marry me.’ He saw her fingers tighten on the knife and fork as he spoke. You must get used to it, my dear. Life with me is no romantic bed of roses.
‘You are a fortunate man,’ Cris said. ‘I felicitate you. Caroline, tell me what we can do to help you. We are entirely at your disposal.’
‘I hardly like to ask it, but Gabriel suggested that you might allow us to marry here.’ She was perfectly calm, perfectly composed. For a moment Gabriel was lulled into thinking that everything was all right, that Caroline was placidly accepting things as they were, as they had to be. Then he realised that she had learned this calm acceptance as a defence against her father’s tempers, his moods, his blows. And now she was using it as a defence against him.
‘Gabriel?’
He looked up at the whisper to see Tamsyn’s concerned expression, then down to where the fragile coffee cup had cracked in his hand. Unthinking violence. Hell, what is happening to me?
‘Lord, I’m a clumsy oaf,’ he said lightly. ‘I’m sorry, Tamsyn. I’ll replace it.’ He glanced around and found Cris was still talking to Caroline.
‘Please, don’t worry about it. I bought them in Mr Wedgwood’s showroom across the Square only a few days ago. It is no trouble to find another.’ She passed him another cup and murmured, ‘Gabriel, is everything all right?’
‘Yes, of course it is. Unpleasant for Caroline, of course, her father ranting and raving and then finding herself landed with me as a husband. But for myself, I couldn’t be happier.’
‘No. Of course not.’ Her expression was a trifle quizzical. ‘As the daughter of an earl she must be considered most eligible, which we know is of paramount importance to you.’
‘Are you ever going to forgive me for opposing your match with Cris?’ he asked.
‘Certainly I will.’ Her slanting smile carried promises and threats. ‘Provided you make Caroline a good husband.’