Jane Feather - Charade by Unknown (howl and other poems .TXT) 📕

"Gad, Justin! How can you suggest such a thing? We'd all do anythingfor Danny, although," he added with a grin, "feigning fatigue at teno'clock every evening has its absurd side. Not to mention creeping

likeguilty schoolboys downstairs again once we're sure she's in bed. Idon't know what the servants

must think."

"They know full well what's afoot, my friend, and are more than happyto assist in the deception." The earl chuckled, watching his wife bendthe thin bow of pliant willow. "I strongly suspect, Julian, that youare about to meet your match. That is Danny's third bull's-eye in threestraight shots."

"Did you see that, milord?" Danielle ran across the yard, her skirtstossed over one arm. "I think I now fully understand the science. Weshall have our return match tomorrow, Jules. Will you make a wager

onme, Justin?"

"Having just witnessed your performance, my love, I cannot fail to doso." He bowed and gave her his arm. "Will you not rest a while beforedinner, though?"

"If it will make you comfortable." Her smile was soft.

"It will." He bent to kiss the corner of her mouth and Julian, quiteaccustomed to being ignored at such moments, left them to it and wentback into the house.

It was the end of January before the earl and his countess returned totown. Danielle was now rarely nauseous and her complexion had regainedits customary bloom. Apart from the tenderness of her

swollen breasts,her body showed little signs of change, but with a common sense rarelyevinced by her peers she wore her stays loosely laced even though hersvelte body showed no need for such adaptation. With grim resignationshe endured the examinations of the court's physician. With an equallygrim determination she informed her husband that she had no intentionof lying upon her bed for thegreater part of the day, and to the devil with Stuart's recommendations.

Justin stroked her belly with long delicate fingers. "My love, I askonly that you obey the dictates of

your body, that you do not ride

ventre a terre

, and that whenyour condition becomes obvious that youwithdraw from Polite Circles."

"Mais, d'accord."

She ran herfoot down the bare calf beside her,curling her toes beneath the sheet.

"You shall have your heir, husband,and if it is but a girl child this time, 'twill be a son next."

Justin propped himself onto one elbow to examine her expression in thelight of the bedside candle. "It matters not, Danielle. The child aloneis important."

"But you would prefer the son, surely?" Danielle thought of the old dueand his sons and the efforts she had made asa child to meet theirexpectations, all the while knowing in a deep subconscious valley ofher awareness that at some point pretense would not be sufficient. Shewas a Danielle, not a Danny, and as such a shattering disappointment tothe men of her family.

"I have no preference," Justin said softly. "Julian stands heir to thetitle if I have no sons and I am well satisfied with the arrangement.You may give me half a dozen daughters, Danny, and I shall be ruled by

a monstrous regiment of women and be glad of it."

"I do not believe you will be glad of it at all," she retorted. "And Ido not think it at all polite to talk of monstrous regiments." Sittingup with a sudden energetic movement, she swung one leg across hissupine form and sat firmly on his stomach. "Now, my lord, since I haveyou at my mercy, I shall think how best to punish you."

Her eyes danced as she ran her hands slowly over his chest and thenreached behind her, fingertips pitpatting down his thigh. Justingroaned as she enclosed him in one small hand, never taking her gazefrom his face as she stroked him with delicate rhythm before liftingher body slightly and moving backward, guiding him within. Justin layvery still for a moment, watching her through half-closed eyes,savoring the sensation of the soft velvet walls imprisoning him. Herinner musclestightened and he

gasped with pleasure, but as she began to move, slowlyat first and then with increasing speed as the

tight coil of passionspiraled, he seized her hips urgently, holding her still.

"Not this way, my love; not at the moment."

"Why not?" Puzzlement showed in the passion-filled eyes and not alittle indignation at this abrupt cessation.

"Because I know how energetic you can become in this position and youmight hurt yourself. Over you go!" With a determined heave, he liftedher off and rolled her onto her back beside him. "For the next months,my love, you will play a rather more passive role in this business thanyou are accustomed. There will be no less pleasure, I promise."

Any protest she might have made failed to surface as Justin parted thelong creamy thighs. His head lowered and her body arced with joybeneath a questing tongue that with all the delicacy of a butterfly onhoneysuckle sipped the nectar of her passion. It was a long time ofengulfing sweetness before he entered her, moving with the utmostgentleness, holding them both on the peak of the precipice untilDanielle could bear it no longer and then discovered that she could,that she could bear this wonder for an eternity. But at last they felltogether in a slow motion free-fall through pure ether.

"I think I shall be quite content to be passive," Danielle murmuredagainst his shoulder.

Justin chuckled sleepily and patted her bottom. "You need not betotally without initiative, love."

"I do not intend to be so." It was supposed to sound like a dignifiedstatement but a deep yawn detracted considerably from the desiredimpression and Danielle yielded willingly to the sleep of satisfieddesire.

*  *  *

It was some two days later when she was going through the pile ofinvitation cards that poured daily into the house that she heard thesound of excitable voices in the hall. A footman's ponderous tone wasdenying Her Ladyship's presence in the house