Your daughter is fond of books, is she not?"
The door closed with a snap, and Miranda pushed Sedley off and jumped to her feet. She pulled at her bodice and covered her breasts, then settled her skirts about her ankles. "We cannot do this, my lord. If you wish for more, you know what you must do."
Sedley ran a hand through his hair, sighed, and slumped back into the chair, his still engorged penis jutting up against his stomach. Miranda averted her gaze to his face and tried to ignore the heat on her skin. "I have a meeting tomorrow with my uncle in Kent. I shall be free the day after to call on your father, and you, if you would do me the honour?" he said.
Miranda knelt before him and cupped his stubble-roughened jaw. "You mean to be mine, my lord?"
"I do," he had told her and kissed away her tears of joy.
It all should have ended well with a betrothal and a marriage in the coming days and weeks. And yet, not twelve hours later, the future she longed for was shattered by seeing Lord Sedley in a clandestine meeting with another woman.
Miranda pushed away the memories that stabbed at her like a knife and put her mind to the daring plan Anna proposed. A shiver ran over her skin when Lord Sedley's cold, calculating gaze met hers, and her stomach clenched. Miranda swallowed and looked away, cursed herself for a ninny when she did so. Tomorrow night she was to seduce him and tonight she could not even hold his eye? She shook her head at her own pathetic antics and snatched the card from Anna's hand.
Her friend smiled and sipped her champagne. "Remember what I told you.
Explain I was unable to attend, and I wished for his lordship not to go unsatisfied."
Heat stole up Miranda's cheeks at the implication of the words. Aware she was gaping, she shut her mouth with a snap. This is what she wanted, after all. One night with . . . him.
Anna laughed. "Oh, don't be such a prude. At least you're no longer tied to the sanctity of marriage. Pity my husband wouldn't expire early like Lord Fitsimmon and leave me a wealthy widow. Why, could you imagine all the fun I could have then, my dear?"
"What should I do if he refuses to . . . that is to say . . . ?"
"My dear Miranda, have you seen what a delicious morsel you are for men who give meaning to the word, 'rake'? With your dark, bountiful locks and beautiful skin, well, what's not to like?" Anna paused and threw her a searching gaze. "And anyway, did I not hear some years ago Lord Sedley was sweet on you? So much so, the word 'marriage' was mentioned?"
"It does not signify what was between me and his lordship. Our friendship was a long time ago, and Lord Sedley made it plainly obvious his desires lay elsewhere."
Anna patted her arm and chuckled. "You should not always believe what your eyes tell you; I find they can blind you at the most inappropriate moment." She paused. "You never did tell what happened. Care to enlighten me?"
"No," Miranda said, nodding to a passing acquaintance. "I would not."
Her friend sighed. "Miranda, dear, it seems to me your previous relationship with Lord Sedley was not pleasing. So why do you wish to bed him? I mean, I have no qualms handing over my invitation to you, but if he will only cause you heartache, I strongly recommend staying away. Why not seek a man with whom you have no unpleasant history for such a rendezvous?"
Miranda took a sip of champagne and flicked a glance in Lord Sedley's direction, watched another man's wife trail a finger suggestively down his arm. He made as if to turn to her but stopped himself. "Sedley cannot continue with this scandalous life forever. It may be my only chance to sample lovemaking with an experienced man. He—" Her words faltered when Lord Sedley caught her watching him still.
"He what?"
Miranda turned her gaze toward the dancing couples. "Lord Sedley refused to see me when I requested he call soon after my mourning ended. I made a terrible error of judgement many years ago, and he has not forgiven me.
The door closed with a snap, and Miranda pushed Sedley off and jumped to her feet. She pulled at her bodice and covered her breasts, then settled her skirts about her ankles. "We cannot do this, my lord. If you wish for more, you know what you must do."
Sedley ran a hand through his hair, sighed, and slumped back into the chair, his still engorged penis jutting up against his stomach. Miranda averted her gaze to his face and tried to ignore the heat on her skin. "I have a meeting tomorrow with my uncle in Kent. I shall be free the day after to call on your father, and you, if you would do me the honour?" he said.
Miranda knelt before him and cupped his stubble-roughened jaw. "You mean to be mine, my lord?"
"I do," he had told her and kissed away her tears of joy.
It all should have ended well with a betrothal and a marriage in the coming days and weeks. And yet, not twelve hours later, the future she longed for was shattered by seeing Lord Sedley in a clandestine meeting with another woman.
Miranda pushed away the memories that stabbed at her like a knife and put her mind to the daring plan Anna proposed. A shiver ran over her skin when Lord Sedley's cold, calculating gaze met hers, and her stomach clenched. Miranda swallowed and looked away, cursed herself for a ninny when she did so. Tomorrow night she was to seduce him and tonight she could not even hold his eye? She shook her head at her own pathetic antics and snatched the card from Anna's hand.
Her friend smiled and sipped her champagne. "Remember what I told you.
Explain I was unable to attend, and I wished for his lordship not to go unsatisfied."
Heat stole up Miranda's cheeks at the implication of the words. Aware she was gaping, she shut her mouth with a snap. This is what she wanted, after all. One night with . . . him.
Anna laughed. "Oh, don't be such a prude. At least you're no longer tied to the sanctity of marriage. Pity my husband wouldn't expire early like Lord Fitsimmon and leave me a wealthy widow. Why, could you imagine all the fun I could have then, my dear?"
"What should I do if he refuses to . . . that is to say . . . ?"
"My dear Miranda, have you seen what a delicious morsel you are for men who give meaning to the word, 'rake'? With your dark, bountiful locks and beautiful skin, well, what's not to like?" Anna paused and threw her a searching gaze. "And anyway, did I not hear some years ago Lord Sedley was sweet on you? So much so, the word 'marriage' was mentioned?"
"It does not signify what was between me and his lordship. Our friendship was a long time ago, and Lord Sedley made it plainly obvious his desires lay elsewhere."
Anna patted her arm and chuckled. "You should not always believe what your eyes tell you; I find they can blind you at the most inappropriate moment." She paused. "You never did tell what happened. Care to enlighten me?"
"No," Miranda said, nodding to a passing acquaintance. "I would not."
Her friend sighed. "Miranda, dear, it seems to me your previous relationship with Lord Sedley was not pleasing. So why do you wish to bed him? I mean, I have no qualms handing over my invitation to you, but if he will only cause you heartache, I strongly recommend staying away. Why not seek a man with whom you have no unpleasant history for such a rendezvous?"
Miranda took a sip of champagne and flicked a glance in Lord Sedley's direction, watched another man's wife trail a finger suggestively down his arm. He made as if to turn to her but stopped himself. "Sedley cannot continue with this scandalous life forever. It may be my only chance to sample lovemaking with an experienced man. He—" Her words faltered when Lord Sedley caught her watching him still.
"He what?"
Miranda turned her gaze toward the dancing couples. "Lord Sedley refused to see me when I requested he call soon after my mourning ended. I made a terrible error of judgement many years ago, and he has not forgiven me.
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