Then Came You by Lisa Kleypas Page B

faster, Lily opened her mouth. She took the grape between her teeth and smiled at him as she chewed. No man had ever pursued her with such ardent gentleness. There were impossible promises in his gaze, promises of tenderness, pleasure, desire; and while her mind refused to believe them, her heart desperately wanted to. She had been lonely for such a long time. And she wanted to know about the mystery that everyone else seemed to take for granted.
    “Lily, my beautiful little English girl,” Giuseppe murmured. “I can make you ‘appy. So very ‘appy, bella.”
    “You shouldn’t say that.” She looked away from him, trying to hide her flushed cheeks. “No one can promise such a thing.”
    “Perche no? Let me try, cara. Beautiful Lily, always with the sad smile, I make it all better.” Slowly he bent to kiss her. The touch of his lips was warm, pleasant. It was in that moment Lily had decided that he would make a woman of her. She would give herself to him. After all, no one would expect or believe that she was a virgin. Her innocence mattered to no one.Looking back now, Lily had no idea why she had thought of men and love as such an alluring mystery. She had paid for her mistake with Giuseppe a thousand times over, and she would continue to pay the price for her sins. Sighing, she watched her sister walk with Zachary. They were not holding hands, but there was an air of intimacy about them. He’s the kind of man who’ll never betray you, Penny, she thought. And that, believe me, is a rarity.
    After Zachary had taken his leave, Penelope was radiant. However, something changed in the hours afterward. During supper the sparkle was gone from her eyes, and she was pale and subdued. Lily wondered at her thoughts and feelings, but they had no opportunity to talk until late evening, when they were preparing for bed.
    “Penny,” she said, unhooking the back of her sister’s gown, “what is the matter? You’ve been so quiet all afternoon, and you barely touched your supper.”
    Penelope walked to the vanity table and pulled the pins from her hair until a golden cascade fell to her waist. She looked at Lily, her gaze shadowed with misery. “I know what you’re been trying to do. But you must not arrange any further meetings between Zachary and me. It can lead to nothing, and it is wrong!”
    “Are you sorry for having been with him this afternoon?” Lily asked contritely. “I placed you in an awkward position, didn’t I? Forgive me ”
    “No, it was wonderful,” Penelope exclaimed, and then looked shamefaced. “I shouldn’t have said that. I don’t know what is the matter with me! I’m so confused about everything.”
    “It’s because you’ve always obeyed Mother and Father, and done what’s expected of you. Penny, you’ve never done a selfish thing in your life. You’re in love with Zachary, but you’re sacrificing yourself for the sake of duty.”
    Penelope sat on the bed and lowered her face. “It doesn’t matter whom I’m in love with.”
    “Your happiness is the only thing that matters! Why are you so upset? Has something happened?”
    “Lord Raiford took me aside this afternoon.” Penelope said dully. “After we returned from the carriage drive.”
    Lily’s gaze sharpened. “What? What did he say?”
    “He asked questions…and he implied that Zachary is not really your suitor. That Zachary is behaving dishonorably in trying to court me by pretending an interest in my sister.”
    “How dare he say such a thing?” Lily demanded in instant fury.
    “It is true,” Penelope said miserably. “You know it is.”
    “Of course it is I’m the one who thought of the plan in the first place!”
    “I thought so.”
    “But how dare he insult us by making such an accusation!”
    “Lord Raiford said that if Zachary had once been intent on marrying a girl like me, he would never want to marry one like you.”
    Lily’s frown deepened. “One like me?”
    ” ‘Seasoned’ was the word he