Page 61 of Scandal’s Daughter

“My bank balance has made, you mean,” Georgiana said with a snort as she stepped into the fine Indian muslin gown that had been selected for her.

“Nonsense,” her indignant abigail snapped at her as she did up the laces at the back of her dress. “Lord Nibley is rich enough to buy an abbey, but he runs for cover whenever women try to target him. Everyone knows that. Shy he is, but he found his courage for you, didn’t he?” she demanded, to which Georgiana had no answer that could help.

She allowed Sarah to primp and fuss her until she caught a glimpse of herself in the glass and gave a gasp at the amount of décolletage on show in the low-cut gown. “Good heavens, Sarah! What have you put me in? Aren’t I in enough trouble already?”

“Not sure you could ever get in enough trouble with Beau Beaumont, Miss,” her amused abigail retorted with a smirk.

“Give me that fichu this instant,” she demanded, narrowing her eyes at her maid as the girl returned a mutinous glint.

“Shan’t,” she replied, holding the gauzy scarf behind her back and standing guard in front of the drawers where such items were kept. “I’ve got a reputation to consider and you’re not going to receive a proposal from the marquess looking like an old maid. And that’s final,” she added with a sniff.

“Oh, well as long as your reputation doesn’t suffer!” Georgiana replied with a huff and allowed herself to be ushered out the door.

“Oh, do hurry miss, you’ve kept him waiting long enough!”

“I’ve kept him waiting? Well I like that ...”

But by the time she was practically forced through the door of the drawing room it was clear Beau had indeed been kicking his heels for some time. He turned and smiled at her, one eyebrow raised.

“I was beginning to think you’d escaped via a back door to avoid me?” he said, the usual twinkling of warmth in his blue eyes as he looked her over with appreciation. “Though if this is what I was waiting for I heartily approve. You may give your abigail my deepest appreciation.”

“I’ll be sure to do that, my lord,” she replied, wondering if the wretched creature was listening outside the door.

He crossed the room and lifted her hand to his lips, kissing her fingers and then slowly sliding his hands over her skin as he turned her arm and kissed the inside of her wrist. Her heart immediately picked up speed and everything she had been considering earlier about passion came to clarity before her eyes. Percy would never, could never, make her feel like this.

“I’ve thought of nothing else but you since yesterday,” he murmured, pulling her arm and hooking it about his neck as his other arm snaked around her waist. Suddenly their bodies were flush, and she gasped at him.

“If Lord Falmouth comes in ...”

“Oh, but he won’t,” he replied, smirking. “Even a bounder like myself should be allowed to make a formal offer in private, don’t you think?”

She felt her breath catch. He really meant it this time. He’d proposed before, but this time he’d spoken to Falmouth, he’d come to her home. Beau was announcing to the ton that his interest was serious. He was saving her reputation.

“You’ve spoken to Lord Falmouth?” she replied, a trifle unsteady.

“Yes,” he said, smiling at her while one hand cupped her cheek, his thumb stroking her lower lip with a soft caress. “He’s not enamoured of the idea but better me than Sindalton, for obvious reasons,” he said, with a shrug as his other hand slid to the small of her back and pressed her against him. “Though it appears I am not the only one in the running after all. Who’d have thought old Percy had it in him, a dark horse indeed.”

“It’s always the quiet ones you have to watch,” she replied, dismayed by the breathless sound of her voice, but he’d pulled her very close indeed and his desire for her was only too obvious.

“You don’t want Percy,” he replied, ducking his head and kissing the tender skin between her neck and her shoulder. She gasped and before she could think clearly about it one hand had sunk into the thick warmth of his golden hair as the other clutched at his shoulder. “You’re too much for Percy, sweet Eve,” he murmured, nipping at her earlobe as he moved her until her back hit a wall. “You’d frighten him if he saw even a glimmer of everything you want.”

“And what do I want?” she asked, wanting to know what it was he saw in her.

His laughter rumbled through his chest and he looked down at her with knowing in his eyes.

“You want to experience life, you want to feel love and passion, desire ...” He nipped at her lower lip and then kissed it, his words breathing against her mouth. “You want to give in to lust and tear at my clothes. You want me to take you right here and now ... it burns in your eyes, darling, did you know that?”

His hands dropped to her hips and he pressed against her, the hard length of his strong thigh sliding between her legs and pressing unerringly against the delicate nub of flesh that was crying out for attention. She moaned and then buried her face against his shoulder as shame flooded her.

“Oh, Georgiana,” he whispered, his mouth gliding over her skin as his hot breath fluttered over her neck. “We could set the world alight, you and I.”

She shook her head, but what kind of answer she was giving she didn’t know.

He stilled and held her face in his hands. “How can you decide whether you’ll marry me or Percy unless you know what it means?” he said as though reading her thoughts, his eyes serious now. “You will never have passion with dear old Nibley. We both know that. Let me give you a small taste of what you’ll be missing. Let me show you how I can make you feel.”

“B-but we can’t do this ... here!” she protested, but Beau just grinned at her, devilry sparkling in his eyes.

“Oh, darling, I could do this anywhere,” he said, a chuckle rumbling through his chest. “But I told you, we are being given privacy for my proposal. No one will interrupt us, I promise you.”