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Chapter Fourteen
Tomorrow’s wedding proved simple enough to arrange, with Sebastian disappearing for a few hours and miraculously returning with a special licensee in hand, proclaiming that the ceremony would take place the following morning.
“You acquired that rather fast,” Kitty observed as he sat beside her on a chaise. They were currently ensconced in the parlor, the others having dispersed to various parts of the house after Sophie suggested the couple might like some privacy. Her father had been a bit difficult about the matter but was rather quickly cowed by a glower from Mary. Again, Kitty wondered at the relationship between the two and how they had managed to hide such familiarity for her entire life. She still hadn’t gotten a chance to speak to her newfound mother in private, though she was not at all sure what she wanted to say to the woman who had hidden from her in plain sight.
“Have you forgotten who I am, darling?” Sebastian said lightly. “It was not difficult to call in a favor or two. I am a duke, after all.”
“Right, of course,” she replied absently, her thoughts still consumed by the prospect of confronting her mother.
“You are nervous,” he stated.
“Not about you.” No, that was a lie. She was supremely nervous about becoming a duchess, especially one who would have the scandalous reputation she did. Right now, however, her thoughts were jumbled in other directions, preventing her from dwelling to long upon her impending union.
“Your parents, then,” he guessed without hesitation, always seeming to know the train of her thoughts.
She sighed. “I’m at a loss for what to say to them, my mother in particular. And then there is this whole blackmailer business.”
“I’ll be handling that,” he cut in. “If I need to interrogate every goddamn servant in this house, I will.” His gaze was hard, unyielding, and she had no doubt that the criminal would have absolute hell to pay once Sebastian got a hold of them. Despite all of her doubts concerning the success of their union, Kitty knew that she and their child would be safe with him. She put a hand on her stomach at the reminder of the future in store and was rather shocked when Sebastián’s warm hand covered her own. “Will I be alright at this?” he asked softly, the question seeming to be more for himself than for her.
“I guess you won’t know until you try,” she replied honestly. Kitty had an inkling he would do just fine, if the tender way he gazed at their hands was any indication. “There is no going back now, anyway.”
“I’m sorry. I should have known better,” he said, his eyes clouded.
Guilt did not suit him, she thought. “Well, I was the one who seduced you first.”
His lips quirked. “I suppose you did. It’s all rather preposterous, really. The wallflower seducing the rake in a darkened corner of Vauxhall.”
“I’m not a wallflower,” she protested hotly, all too aware of the truth of his description. “I had plenty of suitors for my first season…at first.”
“At first,” he echoed wryly.
“It was my laugh, wasn’t it?”
“It is quite formidable. I will admit that I am looking forward to watching the Ton pretend to like it, lest they insult the great Duchess of Ashford. It will be rather amusing to watch their snobbery and adherence to rank backfire so spectacularly.”
“I’ll be extra loud, then,” she said with a huff, though the picture he painted was becoming more entertaining by the second
“I look forward to it.” His eyes softened on her form, the look sending butterflies raging across her stomach. “I’m looking forward to a lot of things.”
The warmth in his voice sent a jolt of arousal through her. “Such as?” she asked, her eyes drawn to his sinfully delicious lips as a teasing smirk spread across them.
“Having you in my bed, for one.” He trailed a playful finger down her arm, leaving shivers on her skin in its wake.
“That is one perk of this whole mess, I suppose,” she replied, determined to keep her bravado despite the flushing of her face. Kitty leaned forward, intent on kissing him, but his hand went up, fingers stopping her mouth from reaching its intended destination.
“Behave yourself,” Sebastian murmured. “It was hard enough not to flop you on your back when we were upstairs this morning.”
She pulled back with a pout, perturbed that he would deny her after speaking such suggestive words. “I don’t want to.”
“It’s already going to be difficult for me to stay away from your room tonight without you trying to seduce me.” He held up his hands. “Do humor my attempt at propriety.”
Her mind stopped on his first statement. “You’re sleeping here? Tonight?”
“After the attempt on your life, I refuse to leave you alone until you are safely installed in my townhome. I’ve already asked a room to be prepared.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Brow-beat my father into allowing it, you mean?”
He shrugged. “The baron is an obstinate man but had no choice in the matter.”
