Two Notorious Dukes by Lyndsey Norton

Didn’t you feel it too?’ he asked and
smiled softly again.
She looked up into his face. He could only
interpret her expression as assessing. ‘No, I don’t think I
did. Maybe if you kiss me again, I’ll recognise it.’ She
said winsomely.
‘May I kiss you the same way?’ he asked and she
nodded vigorously. He turned and spied a fallen log,
took her by the upper arm and dragged her over to it.
He sat down and still with the reins in his hand; he
pulled her into his lap and kissed her exactly as he had
in Almack’s a few weeks before. Again her lips parted
for him as she gasped and again her body became putty
in his arms and his erection almost burst out the front
of his britches as he laid her across his knee. This time
his tongue was a little more demanding as he
investigated every silky millimetre of her mouth. It
madden him as he delved deeply and crushed her body
against his chest. Suddenly he became aware of her fists
thumping his back and her body wriggling in panic. He
jerked his mouth away from hers and looked her in the
eyes, to see anger flashing there. He was somewhat
shocked to find his hand up her skirts and stroking the
silky skin of her bare thighs. He jerked his hand down
and straightened her skirts. He pulled her upright and
said ‘I’m so sorry. I got carried away.’
She leaped off his lap and went to her horse,
sorting the reins quickly, she sprang onto its back and
from the elevated height she could look down on him. Damn! You idiot! He berated himself.
She smiled sweetly. ‘I think it’s obvious you have
no experience with virgins!’ she said and smiled as she
kicked her horse into a canter.
Chapter 6
Dreams and Nightmares
    Elizabeth was dozing in the shade of the oak tree
near the lake. Because of the excessive heat, she had
reduced her clothing to just her chemise and dress. In
the winter she wore the short stays and petticoats, but
it was too hot for all those garments in a very sultry
August heat.
    She started to dream. She could see Robert,
laughing and throwing his son into the lake and she was
sat on the dock with their daughter, who looked exactly
like Amelia. She felt contented. Robert waved at her
and she waved back. And then Edward called and she
turned her head and Edward was bearing down on her
in fury, brandishing his riding crop and shouting at her.
Calling her an ungrateful whore as he struck her face
with his fist and knocked her off the stool she’d been sat
on. She screamed and begged for help, but Robert and
the children faded away and her world became pain as
Edward rained the blows on her body.
    Robert was sat on the terrace reading the local
broad sheet, when he heard her scream. Verity was
immediately on her feet. ‘Robert! Go and find her at
once!’ she ordered, but it was unnecessary as Robert
was already at the edge of the terrace and heading for
the lake.
    She was wearing a soft pink muslin dress and he
didn’t have any trouble spotting her under the oak tree.
He ran up to her and crouched down. Gently he touched
her shoulder. ‘Elizabeth?’ he called and shook it more
firmly. ‘Elizabeth!’ She screamed again. ‘Elizabeth, I’m
here!’ he said comfortingly and manoeuvred her onto
his lap. He pulled her head onto his shoulder, wrapped
his arms tightly around her petit frame and rocked her
like a child, gentling her as he stroked her hair.
Eventually she subsided and was quiet. He rested his
back against the tree, stretched his legs out and just
held her in his arms and waited for her to wake up
naturally.
    He was quite content, watching the ducks and
geese on the lake with such a beautiful woman in his
lap. He looked down to study her face and was
surprised to see her watching him. ‘Hello.’ He said
simply.
‘Hello.’ She whispered hoarsely. ‘I take it I was
screaming?’
    He smiled gently and nodded. ‘The ducks didn’t
arrive until after you’d stopped.’ And he nodded
towards the lake. She turned her head and watched the
ducks swimming