The Rake's Wicked Proposal

Her eyes opened wide at this suggested impropriety. ‘Better for whom?’

‘Yes, Lucian. Better for whom?’ Grace looked at him incredulously; she would never be able to extricate herself from this betrothal if Lucian continued to compromise her in this manner. But perhaps that was his intention…? Although Grace couldn’t understand why; after this morning he must be even more aware of how unsuitable a wife she would make him.

He turned icy black eyes on her, his handsome face cold and forbidding. ‘For Arabella, of course. Unless you would prefer that my sister remains during yet another of our arguments…?’

So it was to be like that, was it? Grace acknowledged heavily, already more than a little impatient with Lucian’s rebukes about her behaviour. Although he did perhaps have cause to complain after she had struck him with her reins this morning, Grace accepted guiltily as she noted that the mark from that blow was still slightly visible in a narrow red welt on his right cheek.

‘Perhaps you should leave, Arabella, if your brother is going to deliver yet another one of his interminable lectures.’ She gave the other woman an encouraging smile.

Arabella walked gracefully to the door, pausing beside her brother. ‘The Duchess will not approve…’

A nerve pulsed in Lucian’s tightly clenched jaw. ‘I approve.’

‘Oh, well, then—I am sure that makes it acceptable!’ Arabella laughed tauntingly. ‘Although I believe I will ask to be shown out into the rose garden until you return downstairs, in order that the Duchess does not become too…concerned by your absence.’

Lucian’s mouth thinned. ‘That will not be necessary, Arabella. After all, Grace and I are betrothed.’

‘Nevertheless, I believe I will take a stroll outside,’ his sister insisted, before standing on tiptoe to give him an affectionate peck on the cheek, pausing only long enough to shoot Grace one last mischievous glance before leaving them alone together, and leaving an awkward silence in her wake.

Grace was very aware of how alone she now was with Lucian. And Lucian—well, Grace could only guess at his feelings on the matter. From the arrogantly disapproving look on his face as he stepped fully into the bedchamber, closing the door softly behind him, she could only assume that his being alone with her in her bedchamber when Grace was wearing only a thin velvet robe over her silk nightgown was not in the least disturbing to him!

Grace wished she could claim the same unconcern at being alone in her bedchamber with him. But Lucian looked too arrogantly handsome, in a superfine of royal blue over an embroidered silver waistcoat and white linen, breeches of soft grey, and black Hessians moulded to the muscled curve of his calves, for Grace to feel in the least comfortable in his presence.

Requesting that Arabella leave him alone in the bedchamber with Grace had perhaps not been his most sensible move, Lucian acknowledged grimly as he realised how intimate their situation had now become. Grace was so alluringly beautiful, with that ebony hair cascading loosely down the slenderness of her back, and the low neckline of her robe allowing him a tempting glimpse of the creamy swell of her full, unconfined breasts. And the intimacy of the bed was so tantalisingly close…!

Lucian clasped his hands together behind his back as he began to pace the bedchamber impatiently, his gaze averted from the beautiful cameo Grace presented by the window. ‘I believe I owe you an apology for my behaviour this morning.’

‘An apology…?’ Grace’s eyes widened; this was the last thing she had been expecting from Lucian after he’d requested the two of them be left alone.

He nodded tersely. ‘I have considered our disagreement and believe my manner may have been more dictatorial than one reasonably has a right to be with one’s betrothed.’

‘The dictatorship only begins after the wedding?’ Grace made no attempt to keep the scorn from her voice.

‘I also believe I am guilty of having made certain—remarks,’ Lucian continued hardly, as if she had not interrupted, ‘Personal remarks, concerning your character, that I should not have made, and which resulted in your behaving…rashly.’