the delights her body will hopefully desire.”
She looked at him in obvious curiosity. “You think she will not enjoy the hunger of the body? Crave all of you? I think, my dear Ashley, you will be more than a match for any woman, especially one with such an inquisitive and inquiring nature as Adriana.”
He shook his head in amusement as he dressed swiftly, soon to be the ever-immaculate gentleman of the Ton, not the disheveled, panting lover. Adriana? His well-brought-up affianced? Inquiring and inquisitive? Were they discussing the same woman? All he could aspire to was compliance and a modicum of participation, surely?
“You shake your head, Ash, but I think Adriana has hidden depths, ones that if you plumb, you will be pleasantly surprised with.”
Now suspicious as he remembered how much ladies confided in their dressmakers, he glared. “What know you, Molly?”
Molly wagged a finger at him in what he could only assume was disapproval. “Oh no, Ash, what women impart when in a shift or less is known only to the speaker and the recipient. No one else. I do not tattle. Ever. I will say I believe she has seen more of you than you could imagine. Now...” She stood and shook her body, letting her long blonde hair stream over her shoulders and breasts. “Farewell and thank you. For everything.” She lifted her head for one last kiss. He complied—a final brushing of lips—and checked his appearance in the glass before walking out of the room. He sighed for what he had experienced and would no longer.
***
Ashley walked briskly along the street toward White’s. Time to call in, see who was about, catch the news and perhaps some gossip before meeting his affianced who, according to her dressmaker, may have hidden depths. Thoughts on finding these hidden depths occupied his mind as he also mulled over the visit he had received from an unexpected caller earlier. So deep in thought was Ashley, he was surprised to find himself at the portal of his club. The members within were few, but a chance meeting with a peer whose acres adjoined his own made for an agreeable interlude and concluded with a satisfactory transaction regarding the purchase of a hunter he had long coveted.
An hour or so later, Ash made his way along a pleasant, tree-lined street toward one of the many elegant squares for which that area of London was famed. He approached a tall, green door, which, as if by wizardry, opened upon his approach.
“My lord.” Archer, the majordomo, bowed. “My lady asked if you would be so kind as to wait for her in the Amber Salon. She will be with you shortly.” A command couched as a request, Asher surmised, but nonetheless, he nodded.
“It will be my pleasure, Archer.” He followed the stiff back up the wide, curved staircase to be ushered into a charming room overlooking the leafy greenery of the square below.
“Refreshments, my lord?” Archer unbent enough to smile. He had been with his mistress as a footman and now majordomo for more years than Ash could remember. “My lady is somewhat agitated with all the arrangements for your wedding that have a need to be finalized. May I take this opportunity, on behalf of all the staff, to congratulate you on your choice of bride, my lord? A fine woman. We all hold her in the greatest regard. Indeed, when she left her father’s household those some four years ago, there was a rush to join her in her own establishment; such is her charm and empathy. Those of us here, indeed, feel lucky.”
Ashley was thoughtful. Such an impassioned speech from such a taciturn and proper man was high praise, indeed. He rather thought one of the reasons Adriana had succeeded in running her own household without censure—and with no fallout from the Ton—was in no small way due to Archer and the rest of her staff. From the boot boy to the butler, all loved and would do almost anything for her. Even, he suspected, commit murder if necessary. He fervently hoped that would never be
She looked at him in obvious curiosity. “You think she will not enjoy the hunger of the body? Crave all of you? I think, my dear Ashley, you will be more than a match for any woman, especially one with such an inquisitive and inquiring nature as Adriana.”
He shook his head in amusement as he dressed swiftly, soon to be the ever-immaculate gentleman of the Ton, not the disheveled, panting lover. Adriana? His well-brought-up affianced? Inquiring and inquisitive? Were they discussing the same woman? All he could aspire to was compliance and a modicum of participation, surely?
“You shake your head, Ash, but I think Adriana has hidden depths, ones that if you plumb, you will be pleasantly surprised with.”
Now suspicious as he remembered how much ladies confided in their dressmakers, he glared. “What know you, Molly?”
Molly wagged a finger at him in what he could only assume was disapproval. “Oh no, Ash, what women impart when in a shift or less is known only to the speaker and the recipient. No one else. I do not tattle. Ever. I will say I believe she has seen more of you than you could imagine. Now...” She stood and shook her body, letting her long blonde hair stream over her shoulders and breasts. “Farewell and thank you. For everything.” She lifted her head for one last kiss. He complied—a final brushing of lips—and checked his appearance in the glass before walking out of the room. He sighed for what he had experienced and would no longer.
***
Ashley walked briskly along the street toward White’s. Time to call in, see who was about, catch the news and perhaps some gossip before meeting his affianced who, according to her dressmaker, may have hidden depths. Thoughts on finding these hidden depths occupied his mind as he also mulled over the visit he had received from an unexpected caller earlier. So deep in thought was Ashley, he was surprised to find himself at the portal of his club. The members within were few, but a chance meeting with a peer whose acres adjoined his own made for an agreeable interlude and concluded with a satisfactory transaction regarding the purchase of a hunter he had long coveted.
An hour or so later, Ash made his way along a pleasant, tree-lined street toward one of the many elegant squares for which that area of London was famed. He approached a tall, green door, which, as if by wizardry, opened upon his approach.
“My lord.” Archer, the majordomo, bowed. “My lady asked if you would be so kind as to wait for her in the Amber Salon. She will be with you shortly.” A command couched as a request, Asher surmised, but nonetheless, he nodded.
“It will be my pleasure, Archer.” He followed the stiff back up the wide, curved staircase to be ushered into a charming room overlooking the leafy greenery of the square below.
“Refreshments, my lord?” Archer unbent enough to smile. He had been with his mistress as a footman and now majordomo for more years than Ash could remember. “My lady is somewhat agitated with all the arrangements for your wedding that have a need to be finalized. May I take this opportunity, on behalf of all the staff, to congratulate you on your choice of bride, my lord? A fine woman. We all hold her in the greatest regard. Indeed, when she left her father’s household those some four years ago, there was a rush to join her in her own establishment; such is her charm and empathy. Those of us here, indeed, feel lucky.”
Ashley was thoughtful. Such an impassioned speech from such a taciturn and proper man was high praise, indeed. He rather thought one of the reasons Adriana had succeeded in running her own household without censure—and with no fallout from the Ton—was in no small way due to Archer and the rest of her staff. From the boot boy to the butler, all loved and would do almost anything for her. Even, he suspected, commit murder if necessary. He fervently hoped that would never be
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