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Chapter Twenty-Eight
“Pay that no mind, Nicholas,” Jenny said, every nerve in her body screaming for him to listen to her.
“I am not,” he replied, undoing the buttons holding her dress together and drawing the neckline down her shoulders. “I am not going anywhere. I want you.” He pulled away to gaze down at her bared chest, primitive hunger swirling in his eyes.
Her joy soared and her hands reached for him. “So do I.”
“Your Grace!” Bentley called again.
“Forgive me, darling, I have to dismiss him.” He kissed her once more and tugged her dress up. She helped him. He went to the door and opened it a crack. “What is it?”
“Mr. Davis is here, Your Grace.”
“Tell him to come back at a later time. I am occupied.” There was a brief silence following his instructions before Bentley cleared his throat in a manner that suggested he was aware of the activity holding his master.
“I shall inform him.” Nicholas closed the door immediately and strode back to her. She was still sitting on the table.
“Where were we, darling?” he asked, drawing her dress down, this time to her waist. Before she could say anything, her nipple was in his mouth and she cried out in pleasure, pushing her fingers through his hair. With each suckle, her senses inched further away from reality and into a void where there was nothing but the pleasure he was giving her.
“Your Grace, Mr. Davis insists that he is here on urgent business.”
Nicholas cursed, the sound coming out of him in a hiss. “He said something about a cheque being rejected.”
When his body immediately grew tense, Jenny knew their moment of pleasure was over. She clenched her jaw and began to dress. “Forgive me, Jenny. I have to attend to this.” He drew her to him and kissed her lightly on the lips.
In one final, albeit futile, attempt, she tried to deepen the kiss but he pulled away. She hopped down from the table, silently cursing and gritting her teeth.I was so close to having him. So very close.
Frustrated more than she was willing to admit, picked up one of her geodes and hurled it at the door that Nicholas had just closed. It hit the wall by the doorframe instead and landed with a thud on the floor.
* * *
The day of the Seaton ball was finally upon them and everything was going flawlessly. Jenny looked flawless and Nicholas could not take his eyes away from her. When she had come down to meet him in the foyer. He had nearly forgotten how to breathe for the sheer beauty he beheld. And he kept her close to him, feeling proud that he was the husband of such a woman.
After many incidents of lying awake at night staring at his ceiling—in the days after their interruption in Jenny’s laboratory—he had come to a decision. His urges were stronger than his conviction to resist his wife. His fears were still there, hounding at the gates of his consciousness but he had to have her. The next time an opportunity presented itself, he wouldnotsquander it.
“Men like you are bad for this country,” Lord Hambert pontificated as Nicholas and Jenny joined him and Lord Hanover after making rounds, greeting their guests.
“Would you care to enlighten us on how men like Lord Hanover are bad for this country?” Nicholas asked.
“Well, Your Grace,” Lord Hambert tugged at the right waistcoat that was riding up his paunchy midsection, “Lord Hanover cannot seem to see the advantages of the Corn Laws and that is not good for this country.”
Lord Hambert was a ridiculous man and Nicholas did not always take him seriously. Until now. He shared his father-in-law's view of the laws having more disadvantages than advantages but he understood the importance of employing tact when speaking about it. “Everyone can have an opinion, Lord Hambert. It is why we have been given free will, after all.”
“Yes, Your Grace, but Lord Hanover's opinion is rather harmful. Do not you think?”
Nicholas glanced at his father-in-law and smiled. “Had you found yourself on the other end of this spectrum, you would have found yourself protesting like the poor. I do not believe Lord Hanover’s opinion to be harmful and this is a free world.” Lord Hambert blinked several times, having been rendered speechless.
“I am in full support of my father’s opinion, Lord Hambert,” Jenny spoke and Nicholas smiled. “This law does not benefit the common man except the wealthy landowners. Merchants are suffering. How is the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer good for our country?”
Lord Hambert cleared his throat. “I did not know the duchess dabbled in politics. The Dowager Duchess of Seaton’s influence is strong with you.” He would have said more if Jenny were not a duchess. Nicholas could see the disapproval in his eyes.
“One has to dabble especially when the way of life of the working class is being compromised by the aristocracy. And most of said aristocrats have not worked a single day to earn what they are so very proud of.”
Nicholas could kiss Jenny right then. There will be talk of this, no doubt, but his wife was an unconventional woman. She was fearless. He leaned close to her ear and whispered: “Well said, darling.”
She smiled graciously and inclined her head, her eyes fixed on Lord Hambert. Her father looked pleased, too. “Did I hear you say the political playground is no place for a woman, Lord Hambert?” the dowager said, her voice loud enough so anyone in proximity would hear.
“I said no such thing, Your Grace, I only asked if the duchess—”
