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Those words lingered unsaid but were felt in the still stare on her face. Felicity was keenly aware that the sense of loneliness that had been plaguing her, and the profound feeling of discontent, had vanished since she met Phineas in that garden. As she returned his regard, she thought,until you, Phineas, until you.
The night suddenly felt magical, the sound of crickets echoing around them, the babbling of a brook reached her ears, and jasmine was redolent in the air. Felicity cupped his jaw between her two hands, tipped onto her toes slightly and brushed her mouth against his in a soft kiss. She saw the surprise that went through him, but she only smiled and pressed another light kiss against that wicked mouth. “Good night, Phineas.”
He cleared his throat and gruffly said, “Good night…Felicity.”
Several minutes later, she was snuggled comfortably under a thick coverlet, staring up at the ceiling. The room was cast in more shadows than light, the perfect setting for the wanton musings that had not left her since she walked away from the earl. Felicity rested her hand on her lower belly, still feeling the sensations of his mouth there. He had bit her belly, then licked that spot and what he had done below…
Her stomach quivered and between her legs ached. Twisting on the bed, she burrowed her face into the pillow and smiled. If the earl ever wanted to do that again…I will most certainly allow it.
CHAPTERTEN
Despite her bold thoughts that she wanted to continue being wicked with a particular earl, the next day, Felicity had spent an entire day inside her room, claiming the bracing air from the evening before had brought on a slight chill. It might be evident to only the earl she was avoiding him after their far too scandalous encounter. She had also taken a tray in her room that night, then readEmma, before Felicity had fallen into a restless sleep.
She could not hide in her room a second day. Felicity dressed for the day like a general marching to battle. Her hair was caught in a most severe chignon, and she put on her least flattering dress, a dark blue bombazine gown she often wore when she assisted her mother in a spot of gardening. She made her way downstairs, her steps almost militant, only to discover the earl had gone riding.
Relief almost felled her, and then she laughed at her silliness. Annabelle came upon her and invited her to the music room.
“I am sorry to say I am not very accomplished,” Felicity said upon being invited to play. “Prepare for your ears to be assaulted.”
“I play the harp better myself,” his sister said, sitting before that instrument.
And she was lovely indeed. They played together for several minutes before Annabelle said, “I believe you a good match for my brother, Miss Harrington.”
“I am?”
“He seems happy to me and less brooding and smiles easily at you. Better I can see the longing in his regard whenever it touches upon you.”
A flush cascaded over her face and neck.
Annabelle grinned. “I can also see you are captivated by my brother, and it makes me happy, for I had truly despaired he would ever marry.”
“Does he detest the idea so very much?”
His sister frowned. “I am the only one who has never tried to push my brother toward an eligible wife. I’ve cautioned nanna and mama he might banish them to the dowager estates should they persist with their interfering machinations. Then he mentioned you with much brevity and the sparsest of details. Though we all wondered if you were a real creature, his words had the impact he intended. Phin could breathe without a dastardly plot to get him to the altar being thrown at him.”
They shared a smile, and as she conversed with Annabelle, Felicity discovered she was four and twenty and had a proud, very charming, and likable independent spirit.
“Are you really going to marry Phineas?”
Felicity’s breath caught. The lie felt heavy on her tongue, and despite knowing what her role and reply should be, it felt difficult to say the words because of the pulse of craving that went through her at the idea. Being his wife…his lover…his friend. How wonderful it would be. Her fingers trembled over the keyboard, and she slightly reminded herself not to hope after a ridiculous dream. Even if the earl was ready to choose himself a countess, he would not pick Felicity.
“Many things can happen between the courtship and the altar,” she said with a vague smile and a wave of her hand. “Only last month, there were rumors about town about a lady jilting hersecondgroom at the altar.”
Annabelle’s eyes gleamed. “Are you suggesting you plan to jilt my brother, Miss Harrington?”
“Good gracious!” Startled and considerably dismayed, Felicity gasped, then laughed lightly when she saw the teasing merriment in Annabelle’s eyes. “You have your brother’s wretched sense of humor.”
“Alas, someone has finally agreed with me that he is wretched indeed.”
“Surely you heard the sweet fondness in Miss Harrington’s tone,” Phineas said as he entered the music room.
“Fondness? Surely you misheard, my lord,” Felicity said, turning away from the piano.
Annabelle hurriedly stood. “How are you feeling, grandmother?”
Felicity stood and dipped into a respectful curtsy as both the Dowager Countess and Countess of Wyndham entered the room. His grandmother ran a critical gaze over her mode of dress but made no comment. She was escorted to a large, plush armchair and comfortably arranged. Of course, she had her lorgnette.
“Nanna loves music, especially the harp and pianoforte,” Phineas said. “She even likes hearing my warbling sometimes.”
