Page 97 of A Temporary Bride for the Duke

Lydia nodded. “Yes, I know. Now are you excited to have the house to yourself for an entire week while you…?” she teased.

Daisy covered her eyes again. “Let’s talk about something else.”

“Aunt Regina?” Harry said, “Can we go to the park when I come to stay with you?”

“Of course. We’re going to do all sorts of things. We’ll go to the stables to see the horses, we’ll go to the park for a picnic, we’ll buy some new books to read… It’ll be absolutely splendid.”

Edmund sighed. “Don’t spoil him too much, Aunt.”

“Nonsense. There’s no such thing as too much,” Lady Archworth dismissed.

“Imagine, for example, if you had to see your worst enemy every day. Would that not be too much?” Edmund argued.

Lady Archworth snorted. “My worst enemy? Ihaveno enemies. But the main thorn in my side seems to have disappeared, so my theory still holds.”

“The main thorn in your side?” Edmund frowned. “Is someone bothering you, Aunt?”

“No. He was bothering myfamily. But now Lord Dulforth has run off somewhere. No one has seen him for weeks.”

Daisy stiffened. She’d avoided even thinking about Dulforth and had just been relieved that he left them alone. Then she dismissed the thought and went back to relishing the beauty of her wedding day.

The third course came, consisting of a chocolate gateau with coffee. Daisy looked at Edmund and smiled. She cut off a piece of cake and held it out to him. He leaned in and plucked it from her hand with his teeth.

He stared at her, chewing slowly, as she stared back at him. He cut a piece of cake and fed it to her. Lady Archworth clapped her hands together. “All right, I think it’s time for all of us to leave the newlyweds to it.”

People began to make their way towards the doors, leaving one by one. Edmund picked up his son and kissed his forehead. “Be good for your aunt.”

“Yes, Papa.”

Daisy kissed his cheek. “We’ll miss you.”

“Don’t worry, Mama. I’ll be back next week.”

Edmund and Daisy smiled at each other.

“We’ll be waiting,” Edmund said.

The Earl walked up to them, and Daisy automatically checked that his walk was steady. His eyes were clear, and it did not seem as if he had imbibed anything.

He reached out and embraced her. “I wish you well, and I am proud of you.”

She wound her arms around him. “Thank you, Papa. I am proud of you, too.”

Daisy had been spoiled all day by her maids. They bathed her, lathered her with scented oils, and perfumed her hair before plaiting it with daffodils and forget-me-nots. They stained her lips and cheeks with color and then helped her into a silk nightgown before leaving her alone to wait for Edmund.

Her heart was beating out of her chest with nerves. Amina had given her a long talk, as had Merry and Robin. Abigail had simply advised her to close her eyes and endure.

Daisy did not think much of that advice. She couldn’t wait for Edmund to kiss her again.

There was a knock on the door that joined their chambers.

“Come in,” she called as loudly as possible.

Edmund opened the door and came into the room. He was dressed in a silk robe and a pair of drawers. She stared at his body, fascinated by how it differed from hers. His shoulders were so broad, his stomach flat, and his muscles were defined. She stood up from the bed and walked over to him, reaching out to run her fingers down his torso, her eyes following the trail with fascination.

He stood still, letting her explore to her heart’s content, and she took advantage of it to trace the contours of his body, from the breadth of his shoulders to his compact waist. She stopped there, suddenly feeling shy, especially when she looked down and saw the tent in his drawers.

“Don’t be timid. You can touch if you want.”