“Of course.”
“And in my bed?” His jaw was set, his eyes green jewels of fire.
Alex let out her breath, closed her eyes, then opened them again, meeting his waiting gaze. “There I cannot deny you.”
“Because it is my right to have you?” he demanded.
She shook her head slowly, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “Because I am unable to turn you away,” she said truthfully. “Because I need you.” The admission took all of her courage, made a shambles of her pride. Yet she held her head high and waited for his reaction.
It was immediate.
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Drake walked over to her, took her hand in his. “Come to bed with me, Alex,” he said softly.
Chapter 25
“MOST OF THE GUESTS have arrived,” Samantha whispered, peering over the staircase rail, her green morning dress brushing up against the polished banister. “I just saw Lord and Lady Kensgate make their entrance.” She wrinkled her nose in distaste. “You cannot miss Lady Kensgate’s perfume. She smells like a cinnamon bun.”
Alex giggled, then, remembering her place, tugged Samantha back from her lookout point.
“Sammy,” she scolded, her lips twitching, “I am having enough trouble calming my nerves without your colorful descriptions of our guests.” She smoothed a shaky hand down the bodice of her soft blue muslin gown.
Samantha grinned. “You have nothing to be nervous about, Alex. All of the guests will love you. They won’t be able to help themselves.”
Alex sighed, wishing her queasiness would subside. But this was her first house party as the Duchess of Allonshire. If it had been up to her, they would have waited a bit longer. They had been mourning Grayson Barrett for only two months. But Drake had promised that the party would be small and intimate; just a few choice guests to meet the new Duchess of Allonshire, his new wife.
Six couples had been invited to Allonshire on this cool November morning. The party would last for several days. During the daytime the ladies would mingle and gossip while the men rode and talked business; the evenings would be filled with elegant dinners and dignified dancing.
Officially this was known as a country house party, but having quietly observed similar social events at Sudsbury, Alex wasn’t fooled for a minute. The truth was that six highly influential women of the ton were coming to viciously dissect her. All of them knew Drake; most of them had probably slept with him.
Her stomach turned over again.
“Alex”—Samantha chewed her lip, studying Alex’s face—“you look so white. Are you all right?”
Alex managed a nod. “Yes, I’m fine. I shouldn’t have eaten quite so much breakfast, though. My stomach is rebelling.”
“You ate next to nothing.”
Alex waved away Samantha’s comment. “What made Drake think of this party, anyway?” she asked.
“That’s the amazing part,” Samantha told her with a twinkle. “Drake didn’t think of it; Sebastian did.”
“Sebastian?” Alex was stunned.
Samantha nodded. “I was surprised, too. But perhaps we have been too harsh in our judgment of him. Perhaps he really does care for the family.”
The only thing Sebastian cared about, Alex thought in disgust, was coveting his brother’s possessions—his land, his position, his title … and his wife.
Countless times over the past weeks she had dodged his less than subtle advances. If he kept it up she would be forced to tell Drake about it, though she hated to do so. Her husband was totally preoccupied with all the businesses he now had to manage and spent hours each day closeted in his study with George Bishop, his steward, wrestling with the complexities of running Allonshire.
The pressure was taking its toll. Drake had been drinking far too much and sleeping far too little. He could not seem to find any peace, except in Alex’s arms. Night after night he buried his body inside hers with the desperation of a drowning man clinging to life. And, unknowingly, in the process, he penetrated her heart and her soul, brought to life all the feelings she was trying so hard to suppress.
She hurt for his pain. And more than ever, she loved him. Helplessly. Totally. Irrevocably.
“Alex? I can see that the idea of Sebastian suggesting this party renders you speechless!” Samantha laughed. “But I was there when he announced he wanted to have a small gathering in your honor. His point was well taken. Papa has been gone since September, and we have to resume our lives. What better way than to welcome my new sister to the family?”
Alex gave Sammy a tender look. In the past weeks they had spent hours talking on Samantha’s new skiff, which she could now proudly maneuver on her own. Alex could not have wished for a more loyal and loving sister.