Page 78 of Wedded to the Cruel Duke
“Oh, she just wants to tell you that she has been invited to a tea party at Wickham Hall tomorrow,” Minerva sighed with a slight roll of her eyes.
Wickham Hall? The residence of Miss Thomas?
“Is it not exciting!” Daphne turned towards Phoebe. “But at the same time, itisrather daunting as I am not so familiar with the other ladies in the party. I was hoping that Minnie might accompany me, but—”
“Of course not. Absolutely not,” her older sister shook her head vehemently. “I have cello lessons tomorrow and I could not possibly spare the time.”
Phoebe looked at both of her sisters—Minerva, who was seemingly implacable, and Daphne, who looked to be on the verge of tears.
“Well, if you cannot accompany me, perhaps Phoebe can,” the youngest Townsend sister sniffled. She turned her wide eyes towards her eldest sister. “Youwillaccompany me, won’t you?”
Phoebe felt a headache coming on as Daphne had put her into a very difficult spot with Charles, who was quite strict about her leaving the estate. She turned to her sister with a helpless look in her eyes.
“Daphne, I do not think—”
“You should go,” Charles told her firmly.
“I—what?” she blinked at him in disbelief.
“You should go,” he told her gently. “Accompany your sister to this tea party.”
“B-but…I was not really invited…” she trailed off.
“Oh, you need not worry about that!” Daphne told her with a brilliant smile. “The hostess assured me that I could bring someone with me. A chaperon or a dear friend or a sister.”
“That is…very considerate of her,” Phoebe murmured. She turned towards Charles. “Are you sure about this?”
“Absolutely,” he nodded.
“Oh, thank you so much, My Lord!” Daphne beamed at him. “I shall let Mama know that Phoebe will be coming with me so that she need not worry so much!”
With that, the two Townsend sisters excused themselves as Daphne all but towed Minerva back home to tell their mother the news that the Marquess hadallowedPhoebe to accompany her to the tea party.
As her sisters disappeared from sight, Phoebe could only shake her head. “You must forgive Daphne. She can be very excitable—”
Her words were cut off when Charles pulled her in for a passionate kiss that had her toes curling in her shoes. There was no one else in the vicinity after her sisters had left, but even then, the thought that someone might chance upon them in such a scandalous embrace sent a little shiver of excitement down her spine.
He pulled her towards a copse of trees as his lips began to trace a fiery trail down the column of her neck.
“If I had not agreed to your sister’s request, I would never be able to get you alone like this,” he growled as he gently bit on the sensitive spot where her neck met her shoulder. He roughly dragged her skirt up her legs and Phoebe was vaguely aware of the draft in her thighs when she felt his finger rub against her womanhood.
“Charles!” she hissed, her eyelids fluttering closed in pleasure. “Oh…what do you think you’re doing? Oh…ohh…”
“What else?” he smirked as he began to tease her there, separated only by the thin barrier of her clothes.
Phoebe let out a soft moan as she leaned back into the tree behind her, feeling the rough bark digging into her back as Charles’ relentless fingers teased her to no end. In no time at all, she was gasping, her hands finding purchase on his broad shoulders as he continued to torment her out in the open.
Overhead, she heard thunder rumbling—or was that just her heart pounding so loudly? Somehow, she was not so sure anymore. All that she knew was that he was touching her in the most wonderful way possible as his lips trailed back up her neck to kiss her once more.
“Charles…!” she gasped. “Oh… Charles!Oh myyy…”
She was teetering on the precipice. A single breath would have sent her careening headlong into a bursting release.
Unfortunately, the heavens chose that very moment to release a torrent of rainfall, causing Phoebe to shriek in surprise. Charles, however, merely laughed as he kissed her soundly on the lips and swept her up in his arms.
“Charles, put me down!” she demanded, tapping on his shoulder. Dear Lord, she was still throbbing between her legs, and every step he took reverberated straight into her core. “Where are you taking me?”
He merely laughed as he shook his head, sending droplets into her face. “Back to the carriage, of course. I cannot have you getting wet and gifting another with the sight of your delicious body.”