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“There is something about her, Hector,” Jonathan whispered, turning closer to his friend. “I told you about kissing her. And that kiss… it enflamed me more than that Spanish opera singer.”

Hector’s eyes widened in shock. “You can’t mean Arabella Ortiz?”

“The same one,” Jonathan nodded.

He had bedded that woman years ago, and yet, the passion and skill of that woman was something Jonathan had been retelling to his friend on many an occasion.

“You cannot mean that.” Hector still couldn’t believe it.

“You know me, Hector,” Jonathan grinned. “I don’t say things I don’t mean.”

Hector whistled as they both turned in the direction where Ciara was standing with her friend. “Perhaps her friend kisses in the same manner?” Hector asked with a curious smirk.

Jonathan chuckled. “You may try, old boy.”

Hector raised an inquisitive eyebrow, not taking his eyes off Adeline. “To tell you honestly, I might take you up on that.”

Jonathan nodded amusedly. “Are you interested in a marriage of convenience yourself?”

“God no!” Hector frowned, his eyes widening as if he had just witnessed the worst horrors of hell. “I was just thinking of stealing a few kisses, maybe feeling the inside of her?—”

“Shhh!” Jonathan elbowed his friend hastily the moment he noticed the girls turning to them, and Ciara waving at him with a smile.

Hector raised an eyebrow at his friend, only to burst into a chuckle. “You have already been hen-pecked I see, and you’ve been married what… a mere hour?”

“Hen-pecked, my arse,” Jonathan teased him back. “If you want any chance of kissing her friend, you’d better be on your best behavior, my devilish friend.”

As soon as he said those words, the two girls embraced, bidding each other farewell, and Ciara started to walk in their direction.

“You know me,” Hector grinned, speaking in a very low tone of voice. “I can be very good when I need to be.”

“Yes, that is what I am afraid of.” Jonathan resisted a chuckle since Ciara was already within earshot.

“Ah, the new duchess,” Hector bowed respectfully. “You are lovely, my dear, and the whole wedding was so… wonderful.”

“Thank you, Your Grace.” Ciara smiled with a courteous curtsey.

Jonathan gave his friend a quick glance. He knew Hector well enough to know that his friend had never described a wedding as a wonderful event, but Ciara had actually taken his words to be true.

“Yes, Hector was just leaving,” Jonathan urged. “Weren’t you, old boy?”

Hector lifted an eyebrow. “I was?” He paused for a moment then he nodded. “Why yes, I was. All the guests are leaving, aren’t they?” He bowed once again before Ciara, taking her hand andkissing it in a chaste manner. “Thank you for having me, Your Grace.”

Jonathan winced at the title. He only noticed now that Hector was the first person to call her that.

It made him realize that it wasn’t a dream. He was truly married to this siren. And now, a titillating question remained which was whether she would allow him into the depths of her bedchamber where he would explore her body in more ways than he could imagine. He had to admit that he had never been so desirous of a woman before. Perhaps it was simply a matter of being forced to wait, of being denied the pleasure that he would usually obtain after a bit of effort.

But she was different, his siren. Different in so many ways, and he couldn’t wait to start exploring the depths of his desire for her.

CHAPTER 13

The sunlight filtered softly through the lace curtains of Ciara’s chamber, casting delicate patterns on the wooden floor. She stood by the window, gazing out at the sprawling estate that was now her home, a mix of excitement and trepidation coursing through her. The wedding had been a whirlwind, and now, she found herself in this new, unfamiliar place as the Duchess of Silverbrook.

A gentle knock on the door drew her attention. She turned to see a young woman, neatly dressed in the uniform of a lady’s maid, standing in the doorway. She curtsied respectfully.

“Good day, Your Grace,” the girl spoke courteously and with a smile that could light up the darkest of chambers. “I am Frances, your lady’s maid. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” The girl curtsied deeply and respectfully, lowering her gaze.

Ciara smiled, feeling a sense of relief at the girl’s kind demeanor.