Page 32 of A Marriage of Necessity

His kiss became insistent. With his next thrust, she lifted her hips. When their bodies collided, he groaned. The sound reverberated through her. Her mother hadn’t told her about any of this. She also hadn’t told her about the pleasure that exploded inside her when her husband drove so deep she thought he’d touched her soul.

* * *

Kennedy had read the paragraph in the report half a dozen times and still wasn’t certain what it said. His focus kept returning to yesterday afternoon—and last night—with Anne. There was something about her. She excited him. He found he was looking forward to getting to know her in the years that lay ahead. Even with Jacqueline, he’d never considered such a thing. He never thought of being without Jacqueline, but he hadn’t thought past what they had, either. With Anne, he found himself looking forward to more afternoons in the conservatory. With Jacqueline, he wanted her, felt he couldn’t get enough of her, but he also never felt…satisfied. Anne satisfied him in a way he’d never known possible.

Was this love? He had believed himself to be in love with Jacqueline. The emotions had been intense, but somehow different. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

A knock came to the door and he started from his thoughts as a footman entered.

“Mr. John Weston to see ye, sir,” he said.

John? “Show him in, immediately,” Kennedy said, but he didn’t have to wait, for John stepped into the room.

Kennedy rose and hurried around his desk toward his friend. John strode toward him and the footman closed the door behind him. They met, clasped hands, and Kennedy said. “What happened? You have learned something.”

Surprise shone on John’s face.

“What is it?” Kennedy demanded.

“You don’t know?”

Kennedy’s heart began to pound. “Know what? Tell me, man.”

“Your father is in a coma.”

The words didn’t register. “What? What do you mean?”

“I have a servant in your father’s household in my employ,” John said. “He just reported that the doctor visited Chesterfield two hours ago because your father wouldn’t wake up.”

A coma? A dozen thoughts bounced off the inside of his skull, but one word resounded: Rose. What would happen to Rose?

Kennedy looked at his friend. “What if he dies?”

“Sit down, Kennedy.”

“What?” Kennedy couldn’t focus on his friend’s words.

“Sit.” John grasped his arm, urged him over to the chair near the window and pushed him onto the seat. John sat on the divan to his right.

“Think, Kennedy. Your sister is safe, at least for now. She has only been away from home for nine days. The situation cannot have degraded in so short a time.”

Kennedy nodded. He was right. But how quickly could things degrade now that the earl couldn’t send instructions for her safekeeping? He prayed Ranald had luck in finding her in France.

As if reading his mind, John said, “Your father is not a complete fool. He knew you would kill him if anything happened to her. He will have made provisions. She is safe for, at least, some time.”

Kennedy nodded. He was right. He had to be right.

“There is more,” John said. “I didn’t want to say anything until I was certain, but there is no time now to confirm. I suspect that the person your father was using to keep in contact with your sister is a servant within his household.”

“What do you mean?”

“As you know, I have had the house watched at all times. Only the usual activity has taken place: food deliveries, supplies, the comings and goings of servants. I doubt any of the deliverymen are anything but what they appear to be. Therefore, it is easy to strike them off the list of potential contacts. That leaves only the servants. I have jested before about how servants know everything, but it is the truth. Someone in your father’s household knows something about your sister’s whereabouts. My guess is that servant is a man.”

Kennedy grunted. “Of that, you can be assured. My father believes women to be weak in all things.”

John chuckled. “In that he is very mistaken.”

Kennedy nodded. “Have you any idea who the man might be?”