Page 28 of A Duke for Hire (The Devil’s Masquerade #1)

EPILOGUE

Six Months Later

“Must we go in?” Hugo groaned, pulling Seraphina back into his chest.

She giggled as she let her back rest against him.

“We have spent the last four months in Greece,” she sighed, letting him sway her back and forth, “Are you not invited to see our friends again?”

“Of course I am,” Hugo muttered as they stood outside Tristan’s house. “But could we not go back to bed for a bit first? Pay them a visit in the morning?”

Seraphina’s smile widened. Though they had seen many beautiful things on their honeymoon in Greece, they had spent the majority of their time naked and alone in their villa, only taking small respites to eat and rest between their bouts of lovemaking. And yet, it still had not been enough. For them. Even now, arousal skittered through Seraphina’s veins as she briefly thought about taking Hugo’s invitation to skip the party.

But before she could choose one way or another, Tristan’s front door opened, and he and Theo both stepped outside.

“Too late,” she whispered as Hugo grumbled and let her go.

“There you two are,” Tristan called, both he and his sister coming down to greet them.

“We weren’t sure you were going to make it,” Theo added.

Theo and Seraphina smiled brightly at one another as they flew toward one another for a hug, and at her side, Hugo chuckled as he shook Tristan’s hand.

“Yes, well, we were debating whether or not we were still weary from the trip,” Hugo answered.

“Yes,” Tristan sighed dryly, leading them all inside, “I am sure it was the trip that has you so tired.”

He then turned to Seraphina, and paused long enough to place a kiss on her cheek.

“Darling, welcome home,” he stated affectionately.

“Thank you, big brother,” she replied teasingly.

“We want to hear everything,” Theo whispered to Seraphina excitedly as Tristan went back to Hugo.

Inside, a chorus of greetings came from their group of now mutual friends.

“Oh, my darlings!” Seraphina gushed, throwing her arms open wide as Leah, Rose, Amelia, and Ophelia came rushing at her.

They giggled like schoolgirls as they hugged, happy to be in another’s presence yet again.

Leah, as Seraphina had suspected, had integrated quite seamlessly into her group of friends, and from the letters she’d received while on her honeymoon, Seraphina knew that the rest of her friends had loved her immediately.

“Little lamb,” Hugo called, pulling her attention from the frenzy of chatter.

She looked over and smiled as she saw her husband standing beside Duncan and a beautiful woman he held close to his side.

“I shall return quickly,” Seraphina assured her friends before going over to Hugo.

Very much like Duncan had done to his wife, Hugo drew an arm around the back of her waist.

“You remember Duncan, don’t you?” He asked.

“Of course! How wonderful to see you again, Your Grace,” she stated as she curtseyed.

“What did I tell you?” Duncan scolded playfully, “There is no need for such stiff pleasantries between us.”

He reached out to kiss her chastely on the cheek, then turned his attention to the brown-haired beauty at his side.

“As promised, I would like to finally introduce you to my wife, Lady Alice Banfield, Duchess of Baxter.”

Alice and Seraphina both smiled at one another warmly, and left their husbands’ holds to embrace one another.

“It is so good to finally meet you my dear,” Alice said.

“And you,” Seraphina replied, “You must pay a visit to Merrivale soon. I cannot wait to learn more about you.”

“I too, would like to receive such an invitation,” a tall, sharp-eyed woman said, approaching them.

“My love, this is my friend Ambrose’s fearless wife, Lady Barbara Curtis, Duchess of Colborne,” Hugo explained.

“Tell me dear, are you by chance a bluestocking?” Barbara asked boldly. “You have the fierce look of one.”

“I am familiar with the movement, of course,” Seraphina explained, waving over Theo, “But my friend Theo here is a true supporter.”

“Oh how I love meeting new people,” Barbara said, wriggling her shoulders with excitement.

“Send me an invitation and we shall talk later, Seraphina,” Barbara went on, taking Theo’s hand, “But for now I must speak with my bluestocking sister.”

“Of course,” Seraphina laughed, watching with joy as Theo and Barbara quickly started an animated conversation about women’s rights.

“Lovely to meet you, Lady Seraphina,” Ambrose Curtis, Duke of Colborne and husband to Barbara said, approaching her next.

“Lovely to meet you, my Lord, and your wife. She seems like quite the powerful woman.”

Ambrose chuckled as he looked affectionately over toward his wife.

“Oh, you have no idea,” he said with a smirk.

Seraphina’s joy grew as Hugo then introduced her Ezra and Lydia Fernside; Alice’s older sister who were the Duke and Duchess of Frampton, and then Morgan and Helena Green, Duke and Duchess of Grandville.

And of course, she had already met Everett and Dominic, both of whom also gave her a warm welcome home before Tristan joined them and they started on their teasing of Hugo.

The dinner party passed quickly with ample talk and laughter. Every person in attendance seemed at ease with one another, to Seraphina’s relief, and unlike other parties she’d been to, there was no gossip of the outside world; only personal tales of their lives.

It was after dessert and in the parlor, though, that Seraphina was able to reconvene with just her original friends, and discuss just a little gossip of said outside world.

“How is she?” Seraphina asked in their moment of privacy.

Her friends all gave her small smiles that didn’t quite reach their eyes.

“She is…Mary,” Theo sighed.

Seraphina sighed. As he’d intended, Hugo had gone to Mary with his offer, but when she had heard of the restrictions that came with his generosity, she had downright refused. Not just his offer, but also the apology he insisted Mary give Seraphina for her previous behavior.

In Greece, Seraphina had done her best to block her mother from her mind, but the moment she was back in England, the need to know how she was overtook her. She did not like her. Did not want to be near her. But she did want her to be well.

“Tell me more, I am ready,” Seraphina urged.

“We only know the rumors and you know how false they can be,” Amelia stated, her tone hesitant.

“All the same,” Seraphina insisted.

“It is said that she was seen in the streets in a maid’s uniform again, thought to whose house we are not sure,” Rose told her.

“Another is that she is being courted by Simon Bridgegood, the second youngest son to the Viscount of Willsberry,” Amelia provided.

“One rumor that she has become a paramour to Lord Repington,” Ophelia said, giving an apologetic look.

Color rushed into Seraphina’s cheeks as she heard the last rumor.

“You cannot be serious,” she gasped.

“It is only a rumor,” Ophelia said, then grimaced, “Though I did see them together with my own eyes at my uncle’s house in the country. It was truly an odd sight to see.”

Seraphina shook her head, trying her best to disperse such images from her heard.

“You tried your best to help her, darling,” Theo soothed, laying a hand on her arm.

“It is not your fault her stubbornness got in the way of what I think was a very generous opportunity from Hugo.”

“I think I am quite content with ending this subject,” Seraphina said decidedly.

“Theo you are right. Now pray, let us talk of something, anything else.”

“Oh, good,” Amelia said excitedly, clapping her hands. “There’s something else I have been dying to tell you. It was far too salacious for our letters.”

“Oh my,” Seraphina giggled, happy to move on to literally anything else. “Do tell!”

Amelia pressed her lips together as she smiled, then took a quick glance around the parlor before she leaned into their circle.

“Well, I have recently learned about parties,” she whispered, then once more threw a quick glance around the room.

Seraphina raised a brow and shared a confused look with her other friends.

“Yes, darling,” she said slowly, “We have all been to parties.”

“No, no,” Amelia insisted, leaning closer, “I speak of a very different, very particular sort of party. Ones that are rather hard to get into. Ones that you have know someone to know someone to get an invitation.”

Amelia wagged her brows and then whispered: “Ones where clothing becomes optional and masks are absolutely required, if you understand my meaning.”

Suddenly she did, and Seraphina leaned closer in excitement as the others understood as well.

“Those are real?” Seraphina asked. “I thought they were just tall tales!”

“No, no, they are quite real. I have it on good authority,” Amelia replied excitedly.

“And whose authority is that? Ophelia asked, her tone wary.

Amelia tsked her tongue.

“Now you know I cannot risk speaking any names!” She chastised. “It puts the entire idea of it in jeopardy. The point is, ladies, I am now sure that they exist, and I have decided that I am going to try to gain an invitation.”

Seraphina looked up as her friends descended on Amelia with a dozen more questions, and met Hugo’s eyes almost instantly. He had been watching her. Just as he always had, from the first night they might. He gave her a charming smirk as he nodded his head toward her, and swept his eyes down her figure in obvious appreciation.

Heat swept through her as she felt the subtle need in that look he gave her, and she suddenly wondered what attending such a party would be like with him. She had to admit, it gave her a small thrill to envision the two of them naked and masked, writhing in ecstasy among black silk sheets and blood red walls.

She squirmed in her seat just thinking about the thrill of it, and had to look away.

As her eyes wandered around the room, she caught Helena not far from them. Her eyes were shifted down and toward them, and had not yet noticed Seraphina looking at her. She was chewing on her bottom lip as she appeared to fight a smile. Her husband, Morgan, leaned down and whispered something in her ear as he stroked a hand down her back.

She whispered something back to him, and Morgan’s gaze immediately shot to Seraphina’s group, an impish grin on his handsome face. Suddenly, as if sensing her, they both looked directly at Seraphina. Knowing smiles graced their faces as they both lifted their wine glasses toward her, and then moved along.

Interesting, she thought. Perhaps these parties are more popular than I believed.

“What do you think, Seraphina?” Amelia asked, pulling her attention back to the group. “Do you think you could attend such an event?”

Seraphina smiled as she felt Hugo’s hands stretch over her shoulders, and she looked up to see him staring down at her with wicked amusement.

“I don’t know,” she answered playfully, “With the right partner, I suppose.”

Hugo’s brow perked.

“And what are you ladies talking about?” He asked, massaging his hands over Seraphina’s shoulders and neck.

Even that small touch was enough to make her body want to go limp and submissive to accept his ministrations- whatever they might be.

“Nothing,” her friends all chimed in unison.

“Mhmm,” he mused, “I had no idea there was such excited chatter about nothing.”

He smirked, letting them know he was only teasing, and then looked back down at Seraphina.

“You look tired, little lamb,” he said, his deep voice thick with insinuation. “Perhaps it is time we get you home?”

“Oh, yes,” she replied, then blushed at how fast she answered.

“You can’t go yet! You’ve only just-” Theo stopped mid complaint as she looked at the clock on the mantle. “Oh my. It’s been six hours already? Where has the time gone?”

“I am sorry, dear ladies,” Hugo apologized, taking Seraphina’s hand to help her rise, “But it is late, and my little lamb is still weary from our travels. But please, feel free to visit tomorrow, as long as you want.”

“Oh, fine,” Amelia sighed.

“You two really are so sweet together,” Ophelia noted. “Little lamb. A bit much for me, but Seraphina, I love that for you.”

“May such love find me,” Rose sighed dreamily, and Hugo chuckled at them all.

Happy, if slightly bittersweet, hugs and goodbyes were given by all as Seraphina and Hugo announced their leave, and as they walked outside, he once more wrapped her tight against his side.

“Do you truly need rest, little lamb?” Hugo asked, lifting her up into their carriage then getting in himself.

In answer, Seraphina gripped his lapels and pulled him close for a passionate kiss he wasted no time responding to.

“Yes I do,” she whispered as she climbed into lap, “But not until we have a long, long discussion.”

Hugo smiled knowingly as he wrapped his hand around her throat, making her whimper.

“And does this discussion involve pleading and words of praise?”

“Yes,” Seraphina breathed, leaning into him.

“Thank God,” Hugo groaned, then kissed her again.

The End?