Page 22 of Seven Nights with the Wicked Duke (Regency Beasts #3)

"Believe me, I understand that. You are an intelligent young woman, I should have known that caging you in was a waste of your natural talents, but Cee, I have lived through the worst parts of society and I swore on the blood they ran through my body that I would not sit back and allow anyone I love, suffer through that.

I am sorry that keeping to that vow has hurt you in ways I had not envisioned. "

"Do not worry brother, you did not do much damage," Cecilia said with a teasing smile. "I was also wrong as well." She waited for his confused look before she continued, "You are definitely a good judge of character."

With that, she exited their townhouse, his quiet chuckle trailing after her.

She took the family coach to visit Lily.

Between her nightly assignations with a certain rakish duke and Magnus's order that kept her indoors, she had not had the time to visit her friend and she badly needed the opinion of a trusted female on the chaos that have become her life.

After all her friend was the expert on rakes.

She needed her insights if she had any hope of coming out at the end of these series unscathed.

"Nude? You posed for the Duke naked?" Lily whisper yelled, her eyes glittering with unholy excitement.

"For the last time Lily, I was definitely not completely naked. I had my chemise on," she said defensively, her face burning with her embarrassment.

"You do know having only a chemise on is as good as being naked. The material is sheer and I am sure with a few candles lit, he would be seeing through it like you have nothing on," she chided, her eyes glittering with amusement.

"Who are you? Where have you hidden my friend?" Lily asked, clutching her chest in theatrical shock. "The Cecilia I know is much too prim to engage in such scandalous behavior."

"I am still your friend, Lily," Cecilia said dryly. "I just wanted to have an unforgettable experience before Magnus succeeds in marrying me off to some stuffy nobleman."

"You do know Magnus only does that because he loves you and wants to protect you."

"I do know. That does not stop me from resenting it."

"So you were being rebellious?" she asked with a chuckle. "But a list, really? That is wickedly organized even for you."

"I wanted to be sure I experienced all the important things."

"And I guess kissing a well-known rake was at the top of the list?" Lily asked mischievously. She was enjoying this more than she should and Cecilia's face was red with mortification.

"By the look on your face. I can tell it was one hell of a kiss. Tell me, how did it feel?" Lily asked, leaning in with curiosity.

"I do not kiss and tell, Lily," Cecilia answered primly, aware of the fierce burning on her cheeks.

"That was not well done of you," Lily groaned. "What a way to disappoint a lady."

"Well, you have way too much enjoyment at my expense. Do you not think?" Cecilia shot back.

"Well this is entertaining, was it not? I hardly have the courage to flirt with scandal. I wanted to live vicariously through you," Lily pouted, eliciting a laugh from Cecilia.

That was one thing about Lily she could always count on, her ability to improve her mood whenever she felt confused. There was also the fact that she was sure that her friend would never judge her. Remind her of the implications of her actions, yes. But she would never outrightly judge her.

"Have you met this suitor of yours, the one Magnus wants you to marry?"

"Yes, I have met two of them."

"Two of them?" Lily asked wide-eyed.

"Yes, the first was some arrogant scholar, I made it clear to my brother that I wanted nothing to do with him.

Even more than that, we had an argument and I explained that I did not like how we lived.

He was angry but he listened. He brought someone home this morning.

I had a conversation with the gentleman, he was quite interesting and attractive as well. "

"That settles it then, does it not?" Lily said, fairly shaking in her seat with excitement. Knowing Lily she was most likely already planning her wedding in her head.

"I only met this man once, Lily. Is it not a little too early to start planning a wedding."

"All right," Lily said raising her hands in surrender.

"You are getting to know him. Do you not think it is good reason to stop your assignations with the rakish duke?

It would be detrimental to your growing relationship with the viscount if you are caught with the Duke.

I do not want to see you ruined by a rake. "

Cecilia was quiet as she thought through Lily's advice.

While it was exciting to flirt with Theo.

She was well aware that she might be caught one day sneaking off to his estate.

The consequences would be too much. Apart from the fact that her reputation would be ruined, she would destroy the friendship between Magnus and Theo, forcing them to be enemies.

She could not have that on her conscience.

She cared about the both of them too much to allow that to happen.

"You are right, Lily. I have to be careful," she replied quietly to her friend's advice, but the moment she returned home and sat on her vanity, reading through the well-worn page of her infamous list, she could not bring herself to destroy it.

Instead she folded it and returned it to its place in her drawer, its temptation hidden but quite close at hand.