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She found it easier to draw a breath in the face of his calm reassurance. “Thank you,” she returned sincerely, and then she lifted her chin and said, “The music room is just down the hall. Let’s start there.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Remington followed Isadora around the upper floors of the manor, winding down back staircases and various areas that she seemed particularly animated about. He enjoyed watching the play of emotion on her face as she spoke of her sisters and recalled special times in their childhood. Of course, none of these spaces connectedherto this place. If she were to heal from her past, difficult memories needed to be confronted as well.
As they left the conservatory, the single place that he’d noted had any sort of nostalgic spark in her gaze, Isadora turned to him with clasped hands. “I suppose that’s everything.”
He frowned lightly, as there was one place she had not mentioned. “And yet, you haven’t shown me your father’s study, where you spent a lot of your time.”
She stiffened slightly. “Perhaps tomorrow. Our tea should be ready by now. We wouldn’t want it to get cold.”
She started to move away, but he lightly touched her arm. “You can’t ignore it forever.”
“I know.” She exhaled heavily. “I’m just not sure if I’m ready to face it right now.”
He drew her within the circle of his arms and forced her chin up to where she was looking at him. “We’re in thistogether, Isadora. You seem to keep forgetting that.” He brushed his lips against hers and he could feel the fight slowly leaving her body.
With eyes full of melancholy, she reluctantly said, “Follow me.”
On the first floor, not far from the foyer, she paused before a closed door. After a brief pause, she pressed the handle and walked inside.
She was frozen just inside the room, which, at first glance, appeared like any other to Remington as he shut the door behind them. The smell of leather and parchment assaulted him. In the corner was a large globe, and the walls were lined with shelves of books. Various furniture littered the room, small tables, a dark green settee, and two chairs that framed the wooden mantel. But a large, mahogany desk dominated the center of the space, as well as the chair behind it.
He glanced at Isadora, and by the way her gaze was fixated there, he knew that it wasn’t the Duke of Marlington who had spent most of his time there. He set a gentle hand on her shoulder and gave a light squeeze. She seemed to come out of her trance and lifted her hand to set it atop his.
He waited for her to speak. When she did, her voice trembled. “I can sense my father’s presence here.” She walked forward and trailed her hand along the books, until she made her way to the desk. She moved around it and sat down in the chair. She put her hands on top of the solid wood desk. “Everyone thought that he sat here, but this was my domain.” She gestured to one of the chairs by the fire. “He was more like Olivia. While I worked on the ledgers, he enjoyed reading by the fire. Occasionally, he would doze right there.” Her voice cracked and he saw her swallow hard. “I always found it… comforting. We never talked a lot, but just knowing he was there was enough.” She put her head in her hands and shook her head. “Imisshim,” she whispered.
Remington crossed to where she sat. It was apparent, by the way her shoulders were shaking, that she was crying. It hurt him to see her in pain, but he also knew this was what she needed. She hadn’t ever let herself fully grieve for her father, which was why she was so distressed. Now, perhaps, she could look at this room as what it was—an enclosure surrounded by four walls.
He urged her back to her feet and gently kissed away her tears. Brushing a hand along her hair, he murmured, “It’s natural to mourn someone we care about. Just because they are gone, doesn’t mean they are forgotten.”
She put her arms around his neck and kissed him with a sigh. “Thank you for being here. I want to be with you.” She pulled back slightly. “Unless you’re still too—”
He picked her up and set her on the desk. “I’m fine.” He captured her face in his hands and kissed her with all the love and desire that was pulsing through his veins.
Surely this is wrong…Isadora tried to tell herself that she would somehow be defiling her father’s memory by joining with Remington in this private sanctuary. But then, she reminded herself, this had beenherdomain.
With that mindset, Isadora started to take control. She spread her legs where she sat on the edge of the desk and, while her mouth was still locked with Remington’s, she was freeing his manhood from his trousers. He gathered her skirts until they were bunched around her waist. Once she was bared to him, he guided his hard length to her aching core. The first thrust sent her head back, and she clutched the edge of the desk with one hand while she gripped his back with the other.
The pressure grew and built until her eyes slid shut and she was convulsing around him with a low moan. With one last pump of his hips, he spilled himself inside of her.
Afterward, Isadora opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling. In all the times she had been in this room, she didn’t think she’d ever noticed the white medallions before. She lowered her head to find that Remington was looking at her, and that was when she realized thathewas the reason she had been able to enter this room. She had planned on visiting Broxbourne House all those weeks ago in London, but she knew she would have avoided this room. Now, it no longer held any power over her, because she hadn’t allowed it.
She kissed him. “I couldn’t have done any of this without you.”
He smiled gently. “I know. And I will continue to be right here when you need me.”
She looped her arms around his neck. “I think, my lord, that I shall need you for the rest of the night.” She lifted a coy brow. “If you are up for the challenge?”
He chuckled, and the sound rumbled through her. He moved his hips where his cock was already starting to come back to life. “What do you think, Lady Osgood?”
With an answering laugh, Isadora realized that this was the first time in years where she had felt so free, so unencumbered by duty.
It was rather nice.
After an eventful night,Isadora awoke the next morning with a big stretch. Her body seemed different, but perhaps it was because she was still tearing down those walls that had kept her a prisoner for so long. Her chest didn’t feel tight anymore, and she found that the smiles came easier these days. In truth, she washappy, and she had her husband to thank for this change. She couldn’t wait to get started on their new life together.
But first…
