Lily and the Duke (Sex and the Season 1)

“Nice? They’re amazing. May I open another one?”

“Open as many as you like.”

Rose chose another small box in which she found a pearl choker with earrings to match. “How gorgeous!” She brought them to Lily.

Lily hated to admit it, but Daniel did have impeccable taste. “Oh, go ahead,” she said to Rose. “Open the rest of them. You can start with that hat box. I detest hats. He doesn’t know me at all.”

Rose picked up the box and held it. “This hat box seems to be whimpering.” She lifted the lid and squealed, holding up the small brown puppy from the day before. “Oh, she’s adorable, and look, she has a leather strip around her neck with a tag. It says Brandy, Lily. He remembered that you said her color reminded you of Papa’s brandy!”

Lily’s heart began to melt. “Bring her here.” She stroked Brandy’s soft fur, while the small puppy nuzzled her breast. “Oh, you are a sweet thing.”

“I’m going for the next one.” Rose quickly tore open a small package and produced a book bound in rich red leather. “It’s Mr. Dickens’s Oliver Twist.” She opened the front cover. “And it’s signed!”

“Give that to me,” Lily said. She ran her fingers over the soft leather, inhaling its robust scent. Inside was Mr. Dickens’s signature in a crisp penmanship, dated 1839. “This is too much. I can’t accept all of these gifts.”

“He’s going to be your husband, Lily. Of course you can accept them. I’m going to open this bigger one next.” Rose removed the lid that had been loosened from a wooden crate and pulled out a bottle of wine. “Château Beychevelle, 1831. This must be from France.”

“Yes, it’s a Bordeaux. It’s delicious, actually.” Lily’s eyes misted. “Daniel…that is, His Grace and I shared this wine. We… Oh, Rose, what am I going to do?”

“This is a whole case. Twelve bottles.”

“Goodness.”

“This wine has meaning for you?”

“I’m afraid so.” Lily kissed Brandy’s soft muzzle.

“Don’t go getting all misty now. Remember, you don’t want to get married.” Rose smiled. “I’m going for the next wooden crate.” She pulled out sketching paper and charcoal pencils. Pastels and water colors. Oil paints in more colors than her original set. Art books and a new journal. “Don’t tell me this doesn’t excite you.”

Lily didn’t answer. How could Daniel know her so well after only three days? So far every gift had gone straight to her heart, even the jewelry, because they had been chosen so expressly for her, to enhance her features.

Rose picked up a tin. “This is probably a confection of some sort.” She lifted the lid. “I’m right, of course. It’s bonbons.” She brought them to Lily.

“They’re truffles, dark chocolate from Belgium. Why is he doing this to me?”

“Yes, he is horrid, isn’t he? Showering you with gifts that have meaning to you. Trying to make you happy. What a cad!” Rose laughed. “Lily, if you don’t fall in love with him, I just might! Tell me the story of the chocolates.”

“We shared them together, with the wine.” She closed her eyes. “Then he kissed me and we shared the flavors. Dear Lord, what have I done?”

“You’ve fallen in love.”

“No.”

“Yes, it’s obvious,” Rose said. “Why can’t you say it?”

“Because he doesn’t love me, Rose. He’s marrying me for all the wrong reasons. He feels an obligation because he compromised me.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I’m fairly certain.” Very certain, actually, but Rose didn’t know about the possible pregnancy, and Lily didn’t want to divulge that little tidbit quite yet. “But enough about that. Try one of the truffles. They’re sinfully delicious.”

Rose took a small bite. “That’s the most incredible thing I’ve ever put in my mouth. Next to Evan’s tongue, of course.” Rose giggled.

Lily cracked a smile. “I can’t believe you just said that. Here, let’s open a bottle of the wine. You won’t believe how wonderfully it goes with the chocolate.”

“Lily, it’s three in the afternoon.”

“Who cares? I’m getting married. Don’t you want to toast me?”