Page 35 of Starlight and the Duke (Cherish and the Duke #5)

Then Lord Barclay rose and cleared his throat. “I am delighted to announce that my daughter, Eloise, has accepted Lord Pershing’s proposal and agreed to marry him.”

This was met with a moment of stunned silence from the revelers before everyone finally recovered from the shock to cheer and wish them well.

Rob expected the proposal had been the other way around, Eloise ordering Pershing to marry her, and he was too deep in his cups to contradict her. “Good luck, Eloise,” he muttered, for she would need quite a bit of it to keep that drunken sot in line.

However, she looked quite pleased. Pershing seemed not as drunk as usual, and not as scared as expected. In truth, he seemed not to mind terribly that he had been snared by that bluestocking.

Perhaps that mismatch might work after all.

The wedding breakfast was drawing to a close when Aubrey approached Rob. “Durham, I need a moment of your time.”

It wasn’t a request so much as a demand. The man appeared distressed.

“What’s wrong?” Rob asked, as they melted away from the crowd and walked down the terrace steps to stroll in the garden.

“It’s Florence Newton,” Aubrey said, clearing his throat. “I think she is a thief.”

“What?” The remark genuinely surprised Rob. “Why do you think so? Has she stolen anything from Bromleigh’s guests?”

“No, not them. But I think this is why she was snooping around Milbury’s home a few days ago. I have been watching her these past few nights.”

“Still?” Rob groaned. “Aubrey, what in blazes are you doing?”

“Getting ready to confront a thief,” Aubrey insisted.

“She stole into Milbury’s home the day after Lady Cordelia tried to push Fiona off the terrace.

It’s true, Durham. I saw her do it. She went into Milbury Hill empty handed and came out with a small pouch.

I am almost certain there were jewels in it. ”

“Seriously? Jewels?”

He nodded.

“Have you said anything to Milbury?”

Aubrey nodded again. “I spoke to him privately later that day, never mentioning Florence. However, I asked him to check his valuables, because I told him that I noticed someone sneaking out of his house while I was out bird watching. I said that I could not make out who the person was, but he and his staff should conduct an inventory.”

“Did he?”

Aubrey nodded yet again. “But he claims nothing was taken.”

“Why are you still accusing Florence, then?”

“Because I know she took something from that house.”

“Have you asked her what it was?”

Aubrey groaned. “I was hoping you might help me. Will you do it?”

“What? Me confront her?” Rob shook his head in disbelief. “I’m rather busy right now, or haven’t you noticed it is my wedding day?”

Fiona happened to join them at that moment. No doubt she had been looking for him and wondering what he was doing away from the party. “Who are you confronting?”

“No one,” Rob said. “I am not getting involved in Aubrey’s nonsense.”

Fiona’s ears perked. “What nonsense?”

Aubrey sighed. “You may as well tell her, Durham. You’re going to do it anyway, aren’t you? You have that besotted, I-love-my-wife look about you, the sort that tells me you will keep no secrets from each other.”

“This is what happily married couples do,” Fiona explained. “But you are obviously distressed. What do you want us to do?”

He quickly told Fiona what he had seen.

Rob expected her to refuse him, but she nodded. “Fine, I’ll speak to her.”

Rob took her hand. “No. What if she is dangerous?”

She rolled her eyes. “Florence? Seriously? Both of you wait here. I’ll bring her into the garden and then we shall all ask her what is going on. She is not a thief, for pity’s sake.”

She marched off and returned within a few minutes with Florence in tow.

Florence adjusted the spectacles on the bridge of her nose and stared back at them. “Fiona, why have you brought me out here? I hope you are not thinking to match me with Lord Aubrey, because I—”

“Match you with me?” Aubrey retorted with a snorting huff. “If I wanted you, then you would know it. If I kissed you, rest assured you would be melting in my arms and begging for more.”

It was her turn to reply with a snort.

Aubrey frowned. “I don’t need others to woo a woman on my behalf.”

“Then why are we here?” Florence asked.

“I saw you take something from Lord Milbury’s home,” Aubrey shot back.

Florence blushed. “That’s it? And now you believe I am a common criminal? Utterly lacking in moral rectitude?”

“You said it, not I,” Aubrey replied with a soft growl.

Fiona stepped between them. “Florence, I know you are not a thief. Please tell us what is going on. Is Lord Milbury into shading dealings? This is something I need to know, since he is a neighbor of mine and I must protect my staff.”

“No, Lord Milbury is a gentleman.” Florence let out a breath and her shoulders slumped. “It is his sister who is a little magpie and likes to collect shiny objects.”

“Like gems?” Rob asked.

She nodded. “She noticed Fiona’s lapis lazuli ring and necklace, but she couldn’t get her sticky hands on them, since Fiona always wears them. They are lovely, by the way.”

Fiona smiled at her. “Thank you.”

Aubrey frowned. “Whose jewelry did she steal?”

“A friend of mine’s. I have been investigating the theft that occurred at my friend’s house party last month and narrowed the suspects down to one, namely Lady Cordelia.

I knew she had done it, but I could never find the gems. So when Jocelyn and Camborne asked me to join them here, I was happy to accept.

I knew Lady Cordelia intended to move in with her brother for the long term and would have to take her belongings with her. ”

“You took advantage of the opportunity and searched her room?” Fiona asked.

“Yes, knowing I had to do it before she settled in and squirreled away her loot where I might never find it. As it was, she had merely tucked the pouch in one of her drawers, so I quickly found it. I assure you, Lord and Lady Wilmot will confirm everything I have said.”

Rob smiled. “Well, glad that’s settled.”

Aubrey remained frowning. “You might have been hurt. What if she had walked in and caught you?”

She looked up at him, obviously surprised.

“First of all, Milbury had taken her away that morning to settle her in a sanitarium. Even if he hadn’t, do you think she could have chased after me with a broken ankle?

Are you worried about me, Lord Aubrey? That is wonderfully protective of you.

But rest assured, I am careful in the investigations I take on. ”

His jaw dropped. “You mean you’ve done this more than once?”

She nodded. “Yes. Oh, do not give me that apish look and start lecturing me. I am more than capable of taking care of myself.”

She bade them a good day and walked off.

“Unbelievable,” Aubrey muttered, and went off after her.

This left Rob alone with Fiona. “Do you still believe there could be something between them?” he asked.

She shrugged. “Time will tell.”

Rob grinned. “Perhaps the Silver Dukes will open a betting book on him. After all, his father is now the Duke of Weymouth and Aubrey is next in line. He may not have a dash of silver in his hair yet, but I expect Florence will quickly turn his hair gray if he ever chooses to pursue her.”

Fiona laughed as she glided into his outstretched arms. “That would be an interesting match, wouldn’t it? More important, I am glad they can now close the betting book on you.”

“They never should have opened it, for I was always yours.” He kissed her deeply, determined to be her duke and her starlight, for this was what she always claimed to feel whenever they coupled.

Starlight.

That night, when they left the revelers and returned to the privacy of Fiona’s home to share their first night as husband and wife, he carried her over the threshold and up the stairs to her bedchamber.

He kicked the door shut with his foot, not ready to set her down yet.

A lamp had been lit and left atop her bureau, casting the room in a soft, golden light. “First time for us,” he said, giving her cheek a nuzzle.

She laughed gently. “Rob, you and I have done this before. Were you not the one who claimed we were rutting like rabbits?”

“Yes, but never as husband and wife.” He set her down and began to undress her, for he was aching to have at her sweet body, aching to feel the softness of her skin against the hard expanse of his.

He kissed her as he untied the lacings of her gown. And kissed her some more as he drew the pins from her hair and watched the lush mane tumble like dark silk down her back.

“Let me help you,” she said once he had stripped her down to her chemise.

“Not tonight, love.” With a groaning laugh, he quickly undressed himself. “I am going to expire if I must wait another minute to have you under me.”

Within a breathless instant, he had disrobed. He now slipped the chemise off her body so that they stood naked before each other, each of them hungrily looking their fill.

He loved the shape of her body, the fullness of her breasts, especially. But she also had a prettily rounded bottom and long, slender legs. Her dark tresses were a gloriously untamed cascade down her back, the ends curling at her hips.

He continued to look his fill as he swept her back into his arms and settled her in the center of the bed. Then he doused the lamp, for he now wanted to see her by the silvery shadows of moonlight.

And amid the glow of starlight.

She reached out her arms to him.

He settled atop her with a soft growl, careful to remain propped on his elbows, because he was big and she looked slight and delicate beneath him.

His blood turned hot and pulsed through him like the thick flow of lava.

They were husband and wife.

She was his to claim in marriage.

His to love forever.

He cupped her breast, running his thumb lightly over the rosy bud and then lowering his mouth to suckle and tease it.

Sweet. As sweet as the apples they used to pick from her family’s orchard. This was her scent, apples and autumn spices.

He slid his hand down her body. She moaned and threaded her hands in his hair, tugging as she urged him to go faster.

He laughed. “Fiona, I do not want this over within a minute.”

“It won’t be,” she assured him, her breaths now coming fast and her eyes wild and shining with passion as he breached her threshold and embedded himself inside her. “Oh. Oh. Don’t you dare slow down. We can do this again all night. But I need you now .”

Hellfire. Their first time as husband and wife was going to be hot and ravenous, a molten explosion of heat and desire.

So be it.

He did not hold back.

They were soon an incendiary tangle of limbs, pure fire and volcanic eruptions as he poured himself into her and held nothing back.

Not a blessed drop would be left in him.

They tumbled over the precipice at the same moment, their damp bodies clinging to each other as the final quivers of pleasure tore through them.

He grunted like a satisfied beast and rolled onto his back with a heavy release of breath. “Gad, that was good.”

She laughed and leaned over to kiss him, for she had also reached her starlight moment.

This came as no surprise to him.

He’d always felt they were one heart.

One soul.

Neither complete without the other.

He made growling panther sounds as he inhaled the warm apple scent of her skin. She purred in response. He kissed her with scorching heat.

You are mine, Fiona.

Mine forever.

When the kiss ended, she look up at him in wonder.

This intimacy was new to her, and it felt right that she had never shared this with anyone but him. Her body was hot and felt wonderfully soft as she curled like a kitten against his side.

Blessed saints. She was so beautiful, it took all his willpower not to start up again.

“Starlight,” she whispered, and smiled up at him.

“Starlight,” he agreed.

The windows were open and a light breeze filled the room, mingling with the hot scent of their passion.

This was how they drifted off to sleep, in sight of a canopy of stars and the silver glow of the moon.

They got little sleep, however.

Their bodies were not done with each other yet.

All it took was for one of them to softly stroke the other, and their fires blazed.

“I love you, Fiona,” he whispered, watching her in an unguarded moment as the sun rose and its golden rays shone across their bed.

“Love you so much,” she mumbled while asleep beside him, her lips soft and pink, and her dark hair in a wild tumble upon her pillow.

This was the best moment for him, watching her by the light of morning and knowing he had the right to share this bed with her from now on. No more sneaking away like a thief in the night.

He leaned over and kissed her on the shoulder.

She looked small and lovely beside him. Still a fairy princess.

His fairy princess.

He quietly rose and tossed on his trousers before walking over to the window to look out over the garden and the cove waters beyond. This mist was burning off water, and the gentle waves were already glistening as the sun’s rays struck them.

Fiona must have felt his absence, because she now stirred. “Rob? Could you not sleep?”

He smiled. “Best sleep I’ve had in years, love.”

She donned her nightgown, which had lain unused on their bed, and padded to his side. Holding her face up to the sun, she sighed. “It’s going to be another perfect summer day.”

He drew her into his arms. “A hot day. Look how strong the sunlight is upon the water already.”

“No, Rob. There’s no sunlight.”

He arched an eyebrow in question. “No sunlight?”

“Only starlight,” she said, smiling up at him. “Beautiful, sparkling starlight.”

“Is that so?” he said with a light chuckle.

She nodded. “Nothing but shimmering stars.”

“Then I am mistaken and it must still be nightfall. Care to join me back in bed?”

Her smile broadened. “I can be persuaded.”