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Dedication

A big thanks to Linda for the Finnish and Leanna Renee for answering any of my questions, no matter how strange they may be. And to Jess Haines, just because.

For those still looking for their happily ever after:

“Have faith in your dreams, and someday, your rainbow will come smiling through. No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing, the dream that you wish will come true.” –Charles Perrault, 1697

Chapter One

The morning was too beautiful for a funeral. Ellie would have preferred clouds or rain to mark the occasion. The glare of the sun blinded her as she watched the coffin with her father’s body being lowered into the ground. The minister spoke from the Bible, reciting a passage about a body turning to dust and the soul rising up to meet the heavenly father in everlasting glory. She wasn’t certain she believed in God. She had stopped praying when everyone she ever loved was taken away from her.

She wiped away a tear falling down her cheek and glanced away from the cheap wooden coffin her stepmother Geraldine could barely afford. Her caretaker for the past ten years sobbed into her handkerchief. Her daughter, Mina, whispered into her ear. Both women wore black well, their dresses expensive and of the current style, unlike Ellie’s frock that was two years out of date.

Geraldine cried out Ellie’s father’s name—Louis— and would have fallen to her knees if not for Mina’s support. Ellie stopped rolling her eyes over her stepmother’s emotional display of grief. The last time Geraldine had acted in such a way was when the priest gave her father his last rites. Geraldine fell across the bed, bawling against Ellie’s father’s chest. Ellie was never given the chance to rest her cheek against her father’s and say her goodbyes. By the time she had been allowed to see him, it was too late.

Another tear slipped down her cheek and she wiped it away with the back of her hand. She should have used a handkerchief, but she didn’t have one, even though she reached into her pocket of her dress, thinking a piece of cloth would magically appear. A few pieces of lint and her pet mouse, Jack, lined her pocket. He was dozing on a full stomach after she fed him a few blocks of cheese before the funeral procession to the cemetery.

A chill came over her as the breeze picked up. She tugged her tattered shawl around her head to protect her from the elements. Spring was slowly making its notice, but winter still remained. Her one bonnet had been ruined when her cat, August, used it for a chew toy months ago.

When the coffin was finally in the ground, the mourners spoke a prayer. She remained silent, watching those around her play their part accordingly. Her father had once been a respected member in the community, but due to his illness and lack of fortune, former friends and visitors were far and few between.

Clement and Egan, partners who ran a popular tailor and dress shop in Aulnory, nodded in her direction. Egan’s son, Noah, smiled at her softly. She titled her head in acknowledgement, but couldn’t find the strength to lift her lips into a smile. Before she dipped her head down, Geraldine’s dear friend, the Countess Tremaine, caught her eye. The stare she gave her made her uncomfortable. The countess’s eyes remained on her, blazing with some sort of sentiment she couldn’t understand.

She longed to flee and escape to her small bedroom. There she could hide her face under her pillow, pretending she was anywhere else instead of Aulnory, where she had been born and raised the first twenty-one years of her life, and would most likely remain for the next twenty-one and longer, abandoned and unloved.

The mourners threw roses into the grave and paid their last respects. Afterward they would flock to her house for the repast. She was the only one without a rose. It had been decided her stepmother and stepsister should have one instead of her, the deceased’s daughter in truth. She slipped her hand inside her pocket to touch Jack, her only comfort, and walked away. She ignored the stares and the whispers sent her way. Most had no idea who she was, nor did they care to inquire about her association to the dead baron.

The tears streaming down her face were her final goodbye to the man who rejected her the moment he brought his new wife and her daughter into his home to replace her mother, the one person who loved her, faults and all.

* * * *

The house was filled with neighbors and locals who enjoyed the food and drink on the dime of the de Saltin family. Ellie sat in a corner, partially hidden by plants her stepmother had in almost every room of the house. She was responsible for watering them, like most of the other household chores, but today she was exempt from her duties. She softly hummed while petting Jack, who dozed in her lap. Her skirt hid him from view from the guests.

A group of women who ate their fill of small cakes—a generous donation from the bakery—commented on the loss of her father and how sad it was for a man in his prime to die so young.

“Consumption of the heart, they say.” The innkeeper’s wife clucked and took a bite of her third cake. “He couldn’t move from his bed, and from what I heard, he would scream out in pain at all hours.”

“Poor Geraldine, the dear.” The wife of one of the richest men in Aulnory shook her head in sorrow. She frowned, eyeing the outdated furnishings and faded wallpaper. “The baroness and her daughter have no other family to turn to for assistance. Geraldine is too advanced in her age to find another man to marry. It will fall on Mina’s shoulders to marry well and save the family from ruin.”

“Didn’t de Saltin have another daughter? Ellen or Erin of some sort?” a woman unknown to Ellie asked, looking in her direction but then glancing away as if she wasn’t even there.

I’m Eleanor! Not Ellen or Erin! She wanted to shout at the horrid women gossiping in front of her. She had a name she was proud of.

More clucking and tsking came from the women. “They say de Saltin’s daughter isn’t too bright in the head and she must be kept hidden away. I also heard she has some sort of facial or body deformity. To spare Geraldine and Mina from embarrassment, they keep the poor child locked away,” the shoemaker’s wife announced.

Ellie ground her teeth and a sharp pain ran up the side of her head. Jack let out a small squeak and she loosened her grip. She wasn’t deformed or otherwise! She just had an uninspiring and plain face and a body too lean from the long hours of housework.

“Do you think she’s a hunchback like the ones displayed in cages at sideshows?” The innkeeper’s wife giggled.

The shoemaker’s wife rolled her eyes. “I’ve lived in this town for more than thirty years and I haven’t seen a hunchback. It’s just gossip. The de Saltin girl is a recluse. She didn’t even attend the funeral and is probably hiding away somewhere until this all blows over. The death of her mother must have stunted her brain.”

Ellie’s temper rose. Before she could confront the cruel harpies, Clement strode in. He nodded at the women and surveyed the room. The women whispered to one another and left the room chortling. A tender smile broke his face when he spotted her. He was a few years younger than her papa had been and made quite the dashing figure with his dark, wavy hair and earnest blue eyes.

Clement held out his arms. She stood and quickly looked around to see if anyone would notice them. They were the only ones left. He engulfed her in a hug, comforted by the scent of bayberry in his jacket.

“How are you doing, lovely Eleanor?”

She gave him a shaky smile. “I’m good. Thank you for asking.”

“Well. You should say you’re well, not good,” he corrected, but softened his criticism by rubbing her back.

“Where’s Egan and Noah?” she asked, folding her hands in front of her. She peeked over her shoulder, relieved Jack had curled into a ball in the corner of the couch.

“They’re chatting with our neighbors. You should join us rather than hide in here.”

“I like being alone. I’m not comfortable around many people.” She hugged her waist.

Clement sighed and opened his mouth. He then shook his head and brushed back his hair. “If you have time tomorrow, you should come into the shop. The fabric you ordered for your mother and sister is in.”

“Step. Not mother and sister, but step. There’s a big difference.” She stuck out her chin, waiting for him to correct her again.

The corner of his mouth lifted and his eyes twinkled. “That’s what I like hearing. Why you don’t speak up more where your moth—the baroness is concerned is beyond me.”

She stared at him in confusion. She started to ask him to explain his comment, but then the two people she had no desire to talk to entered the room.

Holding back a groan, she wished she could hide. She flinched when the countess called out her name.

“There you are, Eleanor. I’ve been looking for you everywhere!”

Before Ellie could stop her, the countess pulled her into a hug. She turned her head to the side to catch her breath. Clement told the countess to take care, but she just laughed and gave her a kiss on her forehead. When she could move her head again, the countess’s mouth brushed over her cheek. After another tight hug she was released.

She went to sit down, but the countess snatched her hand and held it against her chest. Ellie curled her hand into a fist and tried to ignore how the side her hand nudged the countess’s right breast. Something hard poked through the countess’s bodice. She bit the inside of her lip to stop from asking what it could be.

Lord Robert Ranson, the countess’s brother, gave her an indifferent smile. Remembering her manners, she curtsied. “Thank you for coming, my lord and lady.”

“Eleanor, there’s no need to stand on ceremony with us. How many times have I told you to call us by our Christian names? We are…were your mother’s and father’s good friends.” The countess gave her a bright smile, her golden blond hair swinging over her shoulders.

“Sorry, I’ll remember next time,” she whispered and tugged her hand away to push back her poorly cut curls drooping over her eyes.

The countess curved an arm around Ellie’s waist and led her back to the divan she’d been sitting on. She landed in a pile of fluffy skirts while Ellie took more care in order not to crush Jack. His head peeked up, wiggling his nose and blinking his little brown eyes.

“Eleanor, I know your mind wanders, but you must concentrate while we discuss important matters.” The countess seized her chin in a soft grasp.

She longed to run away from the countess. This lady had always been too liberal with her touches and ended up treating her more like a girl half her age.

Clement folded his hands behind his back and widened his stance, staring down at them with a curl of his lips. “Madam, Ellie must be exhausted. Perhaps we should let her—”

The countess waved her hand around. “Eleanor shouldn’t be alone at a time like this. Isn’t that right, dear?”

She gave a small shrug and stared down at her lap. The countess’s palm landed on the side of her chest. She squeezed her hands together to stop from pushing the insistent hand away. The last time she did that was when the countess “accidently” touched her breast while serving her tea. The countess had looked offended, as well as hurt. Geraldine had locked her in the food pantry and left her there overnight as punishment for her rudeness.

“Please answer when my sister asks you a question,” Lord Robert commanded.

She gave the countess a timid smile, biting the inside of her cheek the entire time. “Forgive me. It’s been a long day, like Mr. Ruskin said. I appreciate you and Lord Robert for being here. It means a great deal to me and my family.”

“We know.” The countess gently ran her fingers up and down Ellie’s side. She sat still, praying the countess would stop.

“Ellie, would you like to come with me and get something to eat?” Clement asked.

Relieved to have been given a way out, she reached out to take his hand but then the countess imprisoned her in a tight hold.

“What a wonderful idea, Mr. Ruskin. I’ll keep Ellie…ahem, Eleanor, company while you do.” The countess settled her hands on Ellie’s hip. “Robbie, make me up a plate also so I can chat with our friend without you standing guard. You’re both badgering the poor girl.”

Clement’s mouth fell into a flat line. Lord Robert gave his sister a wink. “Your servants, my ladies.” He turned to Clement. “Let’s leave these two to their conversation. It will also give me the perfect opportunity to inquire about your pricing since Yvonne and I will be staying in Aulnory for an extended stay. Even though we’re in a provincial town and away from London, I still need to be a well-dressed man.” Lord Robert chuckled and caressed the lapel of his coat while he dug his elbow into Clement’s side. Clement moved back, his hands clenching and unclenching.

“I’ll be back soon. Don’t go anywhere.” Clement spoke directly to the countess. He then gave Ellie a softer stare. She nodded, her eyes telling him without words she would be fine even with the countess smothering her.

Both men left the room, leaving her in near seclusion with a woman who was old enough to be her mother, but acted quite the opposite.

“Here we are, two fast friends comforting one another during a loss of a loved one.” The countess wiped under her damp eyes.

She made a noncommittal response and held back her surprise when Jack scampered into her lap.

“During times like these, you need someone to help you get through the rough patches.” The countess pressed her cheek against Ellie’s and dug her fingers deeper into her waist.

“My stepmother will be happy to know you’re here for her.” She couldn’t understand why the countess was fixated on being her friend when she had nothing to offer.

The countess’s persistent stare made her stomach jump. Why does it seem the countess wants something more from me? Or is my imagination playing tricks on me?

“Oh yes, I’m thinking of Geraldine and Mina as well, but your father can never be replaced, just like your mother who departed this earth too soon. I almost lost my sanity that day when was her body was found in the river.” She rubbed her mouth against the side of Ellie’s face. Ellie hid her dismay and bit the inside of her cheek. “I’ll never forgive myself for not saving Angelica, knowing you and your father would be all alone.”

She closed her eyes to stop her tears. She hated how the countess brought up her mother’s death. She remembered that day also and how her father broke down, holding her as they cried together. That was the last time he told her he loved her.

“It’s all in the past.” She gave the countess’s hand a soft pat.

The countess smiled and brushed her nose across her cheek. “Sometimes you say just the right thing. You have a sharper mind than you let on. I’m going to talk to Geraldine about having you stay with me in London. I think it will do you a world of good. This house has too many unhappy memories for you.”

Ellie sat up, at a loss for words. Yes, there were many unfortunate memories but this was all she knew. She had never ventured outside Aulnory, and the idea the countess wanted to take her to a large city like London unnerved her.

“My lady—”

“Yvonne. Why is it so difficult for you to call me by my first name?” the countess asked in frustration, her mouth molding into a pout.

“I was taught to respect my elders,” she said without thinking.

The countess stiffened and dropped her arms.

“Young lady, I may be old enough to be your mother, but I’m not as ancient as you may think I am. Why, I look young enough to be your sister—”

“There you are, you lazy girl!”

Ellie winced and started to rise, but the countess latched onto her wrist.

Geraldine hurried over to them, distaste apparent on her face. It was a typical sight for Ellie.

“There’s no need to yell at the girl. We’re having a nice chat.” The countess tilted her head to the side and stared up at Geraldine, much like her cat August would do when he killed a rodent or bug and wanted to be praised. “I’ve extended Eleanor an invitation to join me in London before the summer begins.”

Ellie opened her mouth to argue but stopped when Yvonne’s grip tightened around her wrist.

Geraldine crossed her arms and tapped her foot encased in a satin slipper. Ellie couldn’t remember the last time she had a new pair of slippers. She always wore her wooden clogs—like now, even though they didn’t match her newly dyed black dress. To have a new dress and stockings, or an even a pair of slippers like Geraldine’s was a far-reaching dream, just like the ones she had where she no longer was a source of Geraldine’s ridicule and her stepsister’s pity.

“Eleanor!” Geraldine screeched this time. “We will talk about Yvonne’s invitation later after you clean up the mess my guests have left behind.” She looked down at her in disgust. “Your father would be rolling in his grave if he could see you now, preying on Yvonne’s kindness. How can you be so selfish?”

Ellie swallowed back her tears. When the countess’s hand came back around her waist, this time pressing down on her breast, she had enough. Silently asking Jack for forgiveness, she lifted up her skirt and he landed right in the countess’s lap.

She shrieked and sprang up. “A mouse!”

Jack squeaked and both women screamed. The countess climbed onto the couch with Geraldine, who latched onto her. People rushed into the room, and August made an appearance. He shot over to where Jack scampered around.

Ellie tried not to smile as the countess and her stepmother made fools of themselves. Lord Robert and Clement returned with Egan and Noah. The men, including the other guests, looked around the floor for the rodent, but Jack had run away with August trailing behind.

Geraldine landed on the couch in a swoon while the countess seized Lord Robert in distress.

She took the opportunity to sneak down the hall and into the kitchen. She went inside her small bedroom around the corner and shut the door.

August scampered out from under the bed and hopped on top. He groomed under his leg, yawning in between. Jack climbed up the bed and sniffed the covers. August stopped his bathing and inspected the mouse intently until Jack climbed on his back and settled down, wiggling his nose. August yawned again, then closed his eyes.

“Only I would have a cat and mouse who are friends,” Ellie sighed and pushed back her hair. She stared at her reflection in the cracked glass over her dresser. Dropping her arms to her sides, her tousled, dirt-toned hair flopped over her brow. She had worn her hair short for years since it kept her cool and didn’t get in the way while she worked. The back of her hair barely touched her neck, and if she wasn’t wearing a dress and wore a shirt and breeches, she could be mistaken for a lad.

Her lips were chapped from her chewing and her face sunken from her lack of appetite. She grimaced, repulsed by her coarse hands and her broken and torn nails. No one would ever think she was a lady like Geraldine and Mina, who had perfect hair, smooth-as-silk hands, and appealing figures most men in the town admired.

Ellie turned away and sat on her bed, petting August. He slept on, softly purring with a dozing Jack cuddled on top of him. She viewed her two pets fondly, her only friends in the world who trusted her to take care for them. In their own way they took care of her also.

Lying down on the bed, she stared at the wall. She was so tired but couldn’t go to sleep yet. Soon enough Geraldine would come looking for her and give her a smack for her insolence.

For the moment she enjoyed the sanctuary her bedroom provided. It wouldn’t last for long. Her future was now more uncertain than ever before.

Chapter Two

Home. It’s good to be home.

Kristina looked out on the horizon in joy as she spotted land. In less than two hours she would be back in Aulnory, the place of her birth. It had been five years since she last had been with her parents and her brother, spending the recent years with her grandmother who resided in Finland. The last letter her mother sent made her homesick. With her grandmama’s permission, she wrote back to her mother, the Duchess of Perrault, to say she would be home in a month’s time.

The sea air filled her lungs and she lifted her face up to the fair blue sky, anxious to walk on solid ground.

“You haven’t stopped smiling since you boarded the ship.”

She waved to Leena, the sea captain’s wife. “I’m eager to see my family. In the five years I’ve been away, I’ve seen my mother and my brother, Simon, a handful of times. For father, it’s been much longer.” She inhaled and lifted her arms. “Aulnory, I’m back.”

Leena chuckled, and wrapped her arm around Kristina’s waist. “I’m going to miss you, Tina.” Leena stared at her in sadness. She wasn’t as cheerful as she had been over the course of their sail.

She took hold of Leena’s hand. “I’ll miss you deeply.”

Leena nodded and squeezed her hand in return. “Our final goodbye this morning in my cabin was very precious to me.”

Kristina searched the area. Neither the crew nor the other passengers loitered on this side of the ship. She decided to be daring and gave Leena a kiss. Leena moaned against her mouth, caressing her cheek and her throat as she always did when they shared such intimacies.

She finished the kiss and gave Leena’s lips a lingering swipe with her tongue. Leena smiled up at her in gratitude.

“No sad tidings now.” She cupped Leena’s cheek before she dropped her arm away.

“I knew when we became friends, nothing more could come of it.” Leena stared out at the ocean. “I adore Giovanni, but you gave me something special that he couldn’t.. Next year we’ll have been married eight years.” She lifted her lips in a smile.

Marriage. Kristina internally shuddered. “I may have to marry in the next year or so. I hope I can find someone like your Giovanni, who is understanding and sympathetic to your needs.”

Leena took hold of her hand. “I hope you find a man who will treat you like gold. Dare I ask if you’ll return to Finland for a holiday or perhaps for your honeymoon in the future?”

Kristina shrugged, hiding her disdain at the possibility of having to share a bed with a man who would have complete ownership over her body. “Perhaps one day. Grandmama is settled there and I would hate not seeing her again. But it might not be for a number of years.” She tapped her thumb against the side of Leena’s hand before letting go. “Maybe you can rent a house and stay in Aulnory while Giovanni sails on his next trading expedition.”

Leena laughed sadly. “He won’t allow it. He wants me by his side. I wouldn’t refuse him. Giovanni has given me so much and has asked for little in return. After this run, we’re headed off to South America for two years, and then to Australia for another three. I…I’m uncertain if we can even write to one another.”

Ah, so that’s how it’s to be between us. Kristina suffered a sense of loss, but knew exactly what she was getting into when she accepted Leena and the terms of their friendship.

She ran her fingers down Leena’s arm. “I’ll always treasure our time together. How soon do you leave for better waters?”

“Three days. Giovanni has some business in Aulnory to attend to first.”

“Before you both leave, you must dine with me and my family. My parents would love to meet the woman who saved me from being run over by a carriage.”

Leena brushed her shoulder against hers. “I would like that very much.”

Kristina nodded in approval and made small talk until they anchored in the harbor. With one last goodbye kiss, she left Leena, excited for her homecoming.

* * * *

The ducal carriage waited for her near the pier. Other than the driver and two footmen, no one in Kristina’s family was there to greet her. Expecting her mother or brother to welcome her home, she found the situation odd but didn’t let it upset her. She was a few hours earlier than expected, and when she asked the driver, he told her he was instructed to come first thing. Unfortunately the duke and duchess had some important appointments they couldn’t reschedule. She didn’t mind. Her reunion with her family would be more ideal at the home she’d grown up in rather than inside a stuffy carriage and talking over the clopping of the horses and the ramble of the people outside.

As soon as she and her luggage were settled inside, the carriage carried her away. The motion of the carriage made her yawn and she blinked, succumbing to sleep. She had just nodded off when they hit a rut in the road and she bounced, hitting the top of her head against the ceiling. Rubbing her head, she yawned and peered out the window. The walkway was cluttered with people, and carts and horses lined the street. She wanted to hang out the window and announce her arrival. Swallowing a giggle, she sighed and stretched her arms high above her head.

Her eyes started to close again when she caught sight of a girl in an unflattering black dress, years out of date. The girl kept her head down, sans a bonnet, and held a woven, oval-shaped basket. Unlike the dreary color of the dress, the small blanket covering the basket was a dark red. The sun broke through the clouds and encased her in a glimmer of light, bringing out the multi-toned shades in her otherwise unkempt, poorly cut curls.

She looks miserable. A pang of sympathy for this stranger fallen on hard times caused Kristina’s chest to tighten. And she looks so young.

Suddenly the head of a grey cat popped out from the basket. The girl stopped in her tracks and covered the cat. Nodding, as if pleased with her work, she tipped her face up to the sky and smiled.

Kristina sat there dumbfounded, struck by how pretty the girl—no, woman—became when her face roused with vitality and her eyes shone with exuberance.

The entire exchange lasted seconds, but to Kristina it felt much longer. As the carriage continued onward, she stuck her head out the window to watch the woman, again with her head down, continue on her journey.

Only when the carriage turned the corner did Kristina sit back, bewildered and slightly flustered. She couldn’t justify her reaction to the poorly dressed woman with a bleak disposition.

Her stomach growled. Now it made sense! Her hunger must be responsible for her bizarre response. She had missed breakfast, passing on the meal to spend the morning in bed with Leena.

Satisfied, she settled back against her seat and closed her eyes. Instead of revisiting her last interlude with Leena, a vision of a woman with a sad but tender smile and hair in desperate need of trim appeared before her.

* * * *

Clement’s and Egan’s shop, named the Ruskin and Lyons Clothing Emporium, was one of the more popular establishments in Aulnory. Their reputations for hiring the most skilled of tailors and couturiers were praised for miles around. By the time Ellie arrived, the main room was brimming with customers being measured and fitted by the staff. There were two rooms off to the side, one for men, the other for women. She loved visiting the shop to admire all the pretty clothes. She still wore her mourning dress and would for another six months out of respect for her father’s death—unlike Geraldine and Mina, who were already talking about purchasing a new wardrobe for the season.

Noah folded pieces of fabric behind the front counter. His glasses laid low on his nose and his eyes were cross-eyed as he smoothed out a wrinkle on a scarf.

He glanced up and waved her over when he saw her. He fixed his glasses and tugged on the cuffs of his shirt. “Hello, Ellie, it’s nice to see you,” he greeted, holding out his hand for her to take. She gave him hers, and when kissed her knuckles, she tried not to blush. She could never understand why he went to such lengths to treat her like a lady.

“Good day,” she murmured, and when she lifted the basket on the counter, August snuck out from under the blanket.

Noah lifted his hands up to his mouth. “Isn’t he precious? Hello there, old boy.”

August meowed and squirmed, trying to get out of the basket. Ellie pushed him back down but Noah took him out. August purred while Noah petted him. Jack didn’t make a peep. She fixed the blanket over him. It was one thing to bring her cat, but she had a feeling it wouldn’t go over well if Jack jumped out and examined his new surroundings.

A vision of Jack scampering up a woman’s leg while she tried on some dress made her giggle.

When Noah lifted a brow in a question, Ellie sobered. “I’ve come to pick up my order. Is this it?” she asked, in awe of such exquisite satin displayed in front of her.

Noah handed August back to her. “This is for another customer. Yours is in the back. Follow me.”

She had been in the back many times before, where she had been invited to try on some of the dresses Egan and Clement were working on. They walked down the hall and passed the sewing rooms. Noah took her to into an office filled with piles of paperwork on desks and chairs. He hauled the papers off a chair and put them on the ground.

“What are you doing?” she asked, placing August on the floor when he started wiggling.

“Clearing the seats. Da and Clement will want their mid-morning tea soon. You’ll join us, of course.”

She wished she could stay for tea and chat with her three favorite people in the world, but Geraldine would have her head if she didn’t get back to the house in time to serve lunch.

“I can’t stay long. I’m needed back at the house,” she said.

Noah motioned for her to sit on a vacant chair. “Have a cup with us. You deserve a break. You must have been up at the crack of dawn working your fingers to the bone.”

“Before dawn,” she replied and sat.

Noah cracked his knuckles. “I’m going to need a strong cup of tea, possibly with something besides milk and sugar mixed in.”

“Why’s that?” she asked.

He cleared his throat. “The fabric you asked me about isn’t for our usual customers. They’re for someone extra special.”

“Don’t keep her in suspense.” Clement leaned against the open doorway. Egan came up behind him and settled his hands on his shoulders.

“Is my son being modest? He should be shouting to the hills how he’s been chosen as the personal tailor to Perrault’s heir,” Egan said with pride.

Noah squeezed the back of his neck. His entire face grew red and he scuffed the toe of his boot against the floor.

The older men smiled at one another. Egan lifted Clement’s hand up to his cheek. Something tender passed between them. Ellie lowered her gaze to her lap. She wished she could be looked upon with such genuine love.

“Da, you’re embarrassing me,” Noah said and disappeared into the smaller room off to the side.

Both men entered the room with their arms around their waists, but finally separated when Clement hunched down in front of Ellie and titled up her chin. “How are you faring, child?”

She shrugged. “My chores have been keeping me busy. I haven’t had time to think about other…things.”

Clement nodded and stood. He winced when his knee popped. “Ah, these old bones of mine.” He rubbed his thigh.

Ellie shot up from her chair. “Here, sit. You look like you need more of a rest than I do.”

“Thank you for your concern. You’re always so thoughtful.” Clement patted her hand and sat down.

“He’ll listen to you, but when it comes to me or Noah, he brushes us off.” Egan stared down at Clement, his eyes piercing behind his glasses.

Clement flicked his hand in the air and crossed his leg over the other. “You and your son worry too much. I’ve been on my feet longer today, all because of that blasted party tonight.”

“Party?” she asked, wondering who was having another celebration. It seemed each week someone was having some sort of get-together.

“The Cranes are.” Noah came out with a tray covered with cups and plates, and a pot of tea. “They’ve invited all the hoity-toity gents and their ladies to welcome home Perrault’s daughter.”

“Have you been invited?” she asked and set out the tea on the table Egan had brought over from the corner of the room.

“We’re the lowly working class. Perhaps if we own a bank or a law practice we would have been sent an invitation,” Clement replied, not looking insulted by the snub.

“But you and Egan are beloved citizens who do a fine business and make as much money as snooty Mr. Crane,” she announced. When the three men didn’t respond, she bit her lip and stared down at her lap. Mortification spread through her from her impolite speech and she waited to be reprimanded.

“Now, that’s impressive,” Noah replied, approval spreading across his face.

Both Egan and Clement stared at her much like they did before when they mentioned Noah’s new employment. Her chest tightened and a warm tingle came over her.

The dong on the clock came from the wall. Noah tugged on the cuffs of his shirt. “I guess I won’t be staying for tea. My appointment with Sim-erm Perrault, the son, in half an hour. I should go.”

“Hop to it, then.” Egan embraced his son and gave him a hard pat on his back.

Noah buttoned up his jacket and swept back his hair. “I’ll make you proud, Da.”

Egan took hold of Noah by the arms. “You already do.”

Ellie blinked away the wetness forming in her eyes, and when August pawed the hem of her skirt, she lifted him in her arms and rubbed her cheek against his fur.

Noah grabbed a large satchel and said his goodbyes as he rushed out the door.

“Maybe now, with Noah’s respected position, you can attend the Crane party,” she said, hiding the longing in her voice. She envisioned people dressed in their best as they dance around the room, eating the richest foods and spirits.

“The Cranes are terrible snobs. Even with Noah’s new position, we wouldn’t have been invited. Perhaps if Noah marries the duke’s daughter,” Egan explained and snorted as he took a seat next to Clement. “Not that would happen in a million years.”

“Why not? Noah is kind and generous. Any woman would be happy to have him for her husband,” she said.

When Egan gave her huge smile showing his teeth, she turned away, flustered.

“Dare I hope your feelings for Noah are more than just friendship?” Egan asked.

Ellie’s face grew warm.

“Egan, hush. You’re embarrassing the poor girl,” Clement said and poured a cup of tea.

She took the cup offered and stared down into the liquid. “I think Noah deserves someone worthy of him.”

“Worthy of him? What do you mean?” Clement asked, propping one ankle over the other.

She grasped her cup in both hands, watching the steam rise. “I’m not meant for marriage. All I’m good for is doing the laundry and scrubbing floors.”

“That’s a perfect requirement for a wife,” Egan said dryly and bit into a cookie he selected from a plate.

“But…a man wants a pretty wife he can show off around town.” She slurped her tea, hiding her wince when the hot liquid burned the roof of her mouth.

When neither man responded, she peeked up. Egan was frowning and Clement crossed his arms, looking displeased. The only sound in the room was the ticking of the clock.

“Oh! Look at the time! I’d better leave before I get in trouble.” She set down her unfinished tea and put August back in the basket.

“I’ll get your order together,” Egan said, finishing off his cookie. He gave her a tender smile, and with a quick look at Clement, left the room.

When she lifted her basket with the intent to say goodbye, Clement took it from her and set it down on the chair she had just vacated. He then took both of her hands in his.

“If I was at least thirty years younger, I would whisk you away and we would elope. I’ve told you time and again how beautiful you are, both inside and out. Why can’t you see what I see?”

She smiled ruefully. “I stare in the mirror every day and what you see isn’t there. Papa told me many times if I looked more like Mama, then maybe I would be something of value. And you know Geraldine’s opinion of me. Mina’s not all that bad, but then again she doesn’t have any competition. I know my limits, and I’m fine with that. Truly, I am.”

Clement sighed and shook his head. “I don’t understand why you don’t leave that spoiled woman and her daughter and live with me and Egan. We would treat you right, unlike some who are not worth mentioning by name.”

She gave Clement’s hands a soft squeeze. “I refuse to leave the home I was born and raised in. Where would I go? I don’t have the money or the means for a better situation. And if I accepted your offer, Geraldine would make our lives miserable if I lived with you. She would do whatever she could to keep me under her thumb.”

“Just like she’s doing now?” Clement asked with a challenging stare.

She shrugged, uneasy with the conversation. “It’s better if I stay. Ever since Papa became sick, Geraldine has relied on me a great deal. That must count for something. Perhaps if Mina marries Lord Simon, Geraldine won’t be so dour all the time.”

“Or maybe someone will come along and sweep you off your feet like I would do—”

“If you were thirty years younger and not so dedicated to Egan.”

“Ah. There’s that too.” Clement folded his hands behind his back.

“It’s not all bad. I have August to keep me company.” She grabbed her basket, purposely not mentioning Jack. “If someone came along and wanted to take me away from my life of drudgery, they would have to accept August. He’s not the most complimentary of creatures, especially when he’s hungry or can’t sleep and expects someone to pet him.”

“Then my new mission is to find that special person who loves animals, even a rascally creature like August here.” Clement gave the top of a blanket where August lay hidden a rub and was met with a soft meow.

“Good luck with that,” she lifted up on her toes to kiss Clement’s cheek.

“Now that I think of it, Lord Simon loves animals. I also hear his sister, the Lady Kristina, is fond of cats.” Clement stroked his chin.

Ellie wandered over to the open doorway. “I’ll keep that in mind the next time I’m invited to one of their grand parties. I can bat my eyes at Lord Simon and make such an impression on him and his sister that they’ll both want to become my friends and ask me to live with them at their estate. Then all my problems would be solved.”

“It could happen.”

She held her basket up to her chest. “Perhaps in a fairy tale story where the poor, abused girl is saved by some prince charming or fairy queen who takes her to some faraway land and showers her with love.”

When Clement took a step toward her, she backed away. No amount of coddling or encouragement could change her situation. Wishing or praying couldn’t change anything either. She learned a long time ago wishes never came true and the prayers she whispered at night before bed fell on deaf ears.

Chapter Three

Noah sat in the hallway waiting for Perrault’s heir as he had been directed to do by the butler. He had come through the back, and into the kitchens, expecting to be escorted up to Lord Simon’s bedroom. Instead he was told to remain in the front hall until his grace would address him.

Laughter came from the room across from him. The door was ajar but he couldn’t see inside. He wanted to investigate, but for obvious reasons he couldn’t, trying not to tug on his cravat that had tightened around his throat. He had never been inside the duke’s immense estate before and had never been invited until now by Simon.

Simon, the duke’s son, who would inherit everything and would eventually marry in order to carry on his family’s line. The idea that Simon might find his future wife at the party tonight made him queasy, and he started to stand to go in search of the water closet when the duchess walked out with her arm around a young woman. The duke trailed behind them, accompanied by his handsome son.

Noah swallowed and wiped his palms down the front of his jacket. He wasn’t acknowledged until the duchess turned his way and smiled.

Before he could introduce himself, Simon moved over to his side. “I’ve chosen Mr. Lyons as my tailor. He brought some cloth for me to look at for new breeches and jackets I want made.”

The duke eyed Noah with a haughty tilt of his head. “I’ve seen your father’s work. He’s dressed me in the past for various functions I’ve attended. I have no doubt the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, and you’ll make Simon appealing enough that all the eligible single ladies will be knocking down our door trying to get to him.”

Noah cleared his throat, glancing at Simon out of the corner of his eye. “I’ll do my best, your grace.”

The duke nodded in approval and smiled down at his wife.

The duchess continued holding the other woman who had the same color eyes and facial features as the duchess. “Our daughter Kristina has come back home after visiting family abroad. Perhaps after you finish with Simon she can talk to you about creating a new wardrobe for her?”

“It would be my pleasure, madam.” He bowed again.

Simon tapped him on the back. Sweat dripped down the nape of Noah’s neck. It didn’t help that Simon kept his hand on his lower back. The heat of his palm seeped through his jacket and sent an electric jolt straight into his cock. If he didn’t leave soon, he was certain his uncontrollable reaction would be noticed.

“Now if you’ll excuse us, we’ll go up to my bedroom,” Simon said and dropped his hand away. “Follow me, Mr. Lyons.” With one last nod at his family, he walked toward the staircase. Noah murmured a farewell, grabbed his things together, and rushed after Simon. His heart beat too fast and sweat dotted his forehead. His glasses slipped down his nose and he mouthed a curse, wishing he could grab his handkerchief from his pocket. He would have to wait until his arms were free to do so.

Simon didn’t look behind him to see if Noah followed; not that he minded. It gave him an ample view of his lordship’s backside he had examined on many other occasions. If he and Simon were alone, he would have stroked one of the fleshy globes. But alas, they weren’t. He would have to abstain from any type of activity that would leave to more amorous pursuits between them.

They walked down the long hall and turned a corner where they reached the end, finally stopping in front of a door. When Simon opened the door, he sauntered in without a word. Noah went in after him and shut the door with the heel of his foot. Before he could do anything else, Simon grabbed him by the back of his head and kissed him.

The bolts of cloth and his bag tumbled out of his arms as Simon drove him back against the wall and stuck his tongue into his mouth. He groaned and spread his palms across Simon’s chest. He slid his hands up and cupped Simon’s face to stroke the roughness of his jaw. He tried to remove his mouth to place his lips across Simon’s cheek, but Simon wouldn’t allow it. The man continued to pull and suck on his lips, swirling his tongue up and down the inside of his mouth. When Simon clutched him by the buttocks and shifted his knee in between his legs to rub against his crotch, he twisted his head to catch some needed air.

“That’s quite a greeting, my lord,” Noah said, out of breath, running his hands up and down Simon’s throat and chest.

“I told you before to call me by my Christian name when we’re alone,” Simon growled and dug his fingers into Noah’s ass cheeks.

“Jesus, Simon! You act as if we didn’t just have one another two days ago,” he said, jerking up on his toes when fingers stroked the crease of his ass.

“Two days is too long. I need you again. Now.” With one last hard kiss, Simon ushered him over to his bed. The hungry look in his eyes held the promise of what was to come.

Noah knew that look all too well and had come to expect it. One stare from Simon was all he needed. They would end up fucking like animals. But unlike those past heated encounters taking place in the woods or in a stable, this time he had to abstain because of their current location.

He came to a halt even though Simon tugged on him. “Wait, we can’t.” He tore away from Simon and took off his smudged glasses, searching for a handkerchief to wipe the steamed lens.

Simon came up from behind and clasped his hips while his mouth brushed alongside his throat. He tilted his head away and concentrated on cleaning the condensation off his glasses.

“You’re not angry at me, are you? I don’t mean to be so demanding. It’s just…I missed you,” Simon whispered and planted a kiss under his ear. Noah shuddered, and after patting his face and putting his glasses back on, he faced the man he loved.

“I missed you too.” He cupped Simon’s cheek and smiled. He stared at his lover, overcome with not only lust but deep affection for the man who had changed his entire world three years ago when he first kissed him. He would never forget that kiss or what it led to afterward as long as he lived.

“One of the reasons I offered you employment is so we can be together more often.” Simon nipped Noah’s bottom lip. “I go mad only seeing you once a week. We need more time together.”

“It’s been the same between us for the past three years, every Sunday. I thought you were fine with the situation.”

Simon frowned and his brown eyes glittered with annoyance. “You sound like a rich man’s mistress. It’s tawdry and I don’t like it.”

Noah gave Simon’s cheek a pat. “Isn’t that what I am? Your kept boy on the side? I know the limitations of our affair. There can be nothing more for us.”

A twitch in Simon’s cheek grew more pronounced. “Don’t demean yourself that way. I’m not just using you for sex. What we have—”

“What we have?” Noah threw up his hands. “This will have to end eventually, perhaps sooner than both of us want. You heard your father. He expects you to court an eligible lady you can marry and have children with. You may find the perfect bridal candidate tonight at the Cranes’.”

Noah gave him an ugly sneer. “As if I would find a woman of good breeding there. They’ll probably invite all their untitled friends and neighbors. I really don’t understand why I have to go in the first place.”

Noah shook his head dolefully and picked up his possessions. “Your snobbery is showing. My father, his partner, and myself weren’t even invited, so what does that say about us? You must think I’m the worst kind of person with no real name or aspirations other than a lowly tailor.”

“Damn it, Noah, you’re twisting my words.”

“I’m not twisting your words.”

Simon combed his fingers through his hair and paced the room. “What I said was spiteful and unnecessary. Please forgive me.”

“There’s nothing to forgive. I know where I stand in your life and wouldn’t assume otherwise.” He bent down and picked up the cloth and took it over to a table. He opened his satchel and drew out his measuring tape and pins. “Now, your grace, please undress and I’ll take your measurements. I might not be able to create something for you to wear tonight to catch the eye of some pretty lady, but I’ll try my best for the next social event. Perhaps I’ll be lucky enough to dress you for your wedding.”

Simon spat a curse that had Noah’s eyebrows lifting into his forehead. He had heard Simon curse before, usually when he buggered him from behind, but never in such a vehement tone like now. It both frightened and stirred him at the same time.

Simon threw off his jacket and unknotted his cravat. Next his waistcoat and shirt came off. He unfastened his breeches until they rode low on his hips. The tip of Noah’s tongue wet his bottom lip as his eyes wandered over Simon’s chest covered with a dusting of blond hair that traveled down his stomach and into his crotch.

“Ah, very good.” Noah shifted from one leg to another. His ball sack tightened and his cock swelled.

“From your reaction, I take it our argument has come to an end?’ Simon slowly walked over to him until his chest brushed over his shirt. He removed Noah’s glasses and placed them on the table. Noah stared up at him wide-eyed, although his vision was slightly blurred.

“We have an hour, two at the most, until your mother or father grows curious and we’re interrupted,” he interjected as Simon unbuttoned his shirt.

“We’ll spend the first hour getting reacquainted.” Simon spread open Noah’s shirt and leaned down to lick his nipple.

Noah gasped and clutched Simon by the buttocks. He grunted when Simon bit down.

“You have me at your disposal for an hour.” Noah conceded, and when Simon drew him over to the bed, he lay back on the mattress and waited in anticipation of a fucking.

Simon tugged off Noah’s breeches and pressed his face over his groin. Simon’s tongue flicked over the head of his cock, circling slowly until he moaned Simon’s name, begging for more.

Chapter Four

“Do you think I’m pretty enough for Simon? I think so. He has complimented my face in the past.”

Ellie didn’t respond to Mina’s question while she fixed her hair. After two hours of styling, Mina’s hair was perfect and Ellie felt a pang of jealousy over it.

“Ellie! Pay attention. I’m asking you a question.”

“Sorry, I was too involved making you look prettier than you are.”

Mina beamed at her through the mirror. She was just as attractive as her mother, with luscious raven locks and ample curves both men and women appreciated. At least Mina’s character wasn’t as severe as her mother’s. At one time she thought they could have been good friends, but Geraldine put a stop to that right after she married her papa.

“Mama says Simon will only want to dance with me the whole night. Do you agree?” Mina gave her a sly look and brushed more powder on her face.

Ellie knew this game too well. Mina always fished for compliments and she always gave in. She took the brush from Mina to stop her from overdoing the application and added just enough to accentuate her glowing face. “His grace won’t be able to keep his eyes off you.” She circled the bristles of the brush in her palm. “All the other ladies there will be jealous. You must take care —”

“I know!” Mina jumped up from her seat and swished back her satin layered skirt. Ellie fixed the pleats of Mina’s skirt, giving her an excuse to touch the beautiful lemon-colored fabric.

“Elizabeth Crane will try her best to embarrass me.” The smile Mina gave her was cold. “But I have a plan to keep her away from Simon. I wish you could be there…oh.”

The crestfallen look on Mina’s face made Ellie’s chest sting, but in a good way this time. She had never been invited to a party, and although being around such a large group of people unnerved her, she wouldn’t have minded sitting in a corner watching the dancing and listening to the music.

“Perhaps next time. I didn’t have time to find something appropriate to wear,” Ellie said lightly and plucked the skirt of her oldest dress she had put on later in the afternoon.

“Next time for what?”

She winced and turned to face her stepmother. Geraldine looked incredible in her forest green evening gown with her hair arranged into a tight chignon that brought out her refined bone structure.

Mina met her mother and curtsied. “Hasn’t Ellie done a fine job with my hair and makeup?” She batted her eyes and twisted her head from side to side, allowing the white ribbons in her ringlets to dangle over her shoulders.

Geraldine patted Mina’s cheek. “You look ravishing. You will be the belle of the party. Don’t be surprised if Simon can’t keep his hands off of you.”

“Mother.” Mina ducked her chin down.

Ellie smiled at Mina’s reaction, and as she opened her mouth to speak, her stomach grumbled.

Geraldine’s eyes snapped to her and her smile faded. She sauntered over to where she stood and stared down at her. She had to tip her head up since Geraldine wore high-heeled slippers that gave at least four inches to her height.

“I expect you to tidy up our bedrooms and clear away the remnants of our supper. We will be back after midnight. You will stay awake and greet us when we return. Understand?”

Ellie nodded and studied the floor. She wouldn’t mind cleaning the kitchen. Then she would finally have something to eat. As for staying up late, she would be exhausted tomorrow—

Geraldine snapped her fingers, causing Ellie to jerk. Instead of asking what was wrong, she lifted her head and gave Geraldine her attention.

“Eleanor, you try my patience. When I talk, I expect you to listen.” Geraldine’s lip curled. “You’re just like your mother. Angelica would ignore everyone around her and daydream. I don’t understand how your father could stand her half the time.”

Ellie bit the inside of her cheek to stop from saying something that would lead to her being punished. She would think of the insult as a backhanded compliment since she wanted to be compared to her mother in every way.

“Sorry, ma’am. I was just thinking how all the party guests will be in awe of Mina. It would be something wonderful to see,” she said in longing and examined Mina’s dress shining in the candlelight.

Geraldine pursed her lips and her eyes roamed across her dated dress. “You weren’t invited, and even if you were, I wouldn’t let you come with us. That dress should be burned and your hair looks like a rat’s nest. Everyone in town assumes you’re my servant anyway, so why would you attend?”

I’m not a servant! I’m the daughter of a baron! Ellie wanted to shout but held her tongue. She never spoke up before, so what would be the use now? She’d end up locked in the basement or in a closet.

The clock in the hall rang. Mina went over to the window. “Our carriage is here.”

Geraldine gave Ellie another firm look and turned away. The tension in her back disappeared and she went over to Mina’s bed to pick up the dresses lying there.

“Have a nice night,” she called out, staring down at a ribbon in her hand. Her thumb brushed across the silk. The last time she had worn a ribbon was the day of her mother’s funeral.

Mina rushed from the room while Geraldine remained in the doorway. “I expect this house to be in perfect order when we return. I don’t appreciate your pouting.”

She turned and gave Geraldine a sunny smile even though it pained her to do so. “I’m sorry, stepmama. I will try harder to be a better daughter to you.”

Geraldine’s nostrils flared and an unpleasant look crossed her face. “I have only one daughter. You mean nothing to me,” she said and left the room.

Ellie sniffed, blinking away the sting in her eyes. When the front door opened and closed, she went over to the window to watch Mina and Geraldine climb into their carriage and drive off. She continued standing there until the carriage disappeared from view. Geraldine’s callous taunts should no longer hurt her, but they did.

She wandered over to Mina’s desk and sat down, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Lifting one of Mina’s brushes, she slid it through her knotted hair until it was smooth. She tied a ribbon into a bow and pinned it on the side of her head. The small decoration didn’t improve her hair or her face. Again her stomach growled, but she ignored it, taking some blush and stroking it across her cheeks.

Even with a bit of artificial color on her face, she was the same on the outside—plain and homely. But on the inside she felt bold and inspired for once. She planned on doing something dangerous that if Geraldine found out, would garnish her a beating or worse. After she finished her chores, she would sneak out into the night and spy on the Crane party.

* * * *

“Should we save your brother or let him figure out a way to save himself?” the duchess asked, hiding a smile behind the rim of her glass.

Kristina viewed her brother with pity. He was surrounded by at least ten women, mostly single daughters of Aulnory’s most respected citizens who were all vying for his attention. He glanced their way and mouthed,“Help.”

She and her mother giggled. Finally, the duke saved his son. He spoke to the ladies, then directed Simon safely to a corner of the room near their host and his wife.

“Father has taken care of everything,” Kristina said, and brushed aside a piece of her hair sticking to her neck. The room was stifling even with the windows open. She hoped to escape the heat soon and catch some fresh air outside.

Her mother cooled her face with her fan. “You forgot your fan at home?”

She nodded and took a sip of her watered-down punch. She hid her peevishness as she drank, preferring a glass of red wine, which she got into the habit of drinking with her grandmother after dinner.

“Less than a few days ago it felt more like winter than spring. The weather has been so strange of late,” the duchess commented and fanned her face faster. “Tonight is unseasonably warm, especially with so many people in one room.”

Her family’s ballroom was triple the size of this one and there was enough room to breathe without gagging on the sweat and body odors of others. People kept to the edges of the room in groups, chatting and drinking. Most of the mothers and their daughters watched Simon covertly while the rest stared at her and her mother. A few people had come up to speak to them, mostly acquaintances of her parents who didn’t bother to hide their curiosity over their errant daughter who had returned home after such a long time.

A group of musicians set up their instruments at the front of the room, a sign the dancing would soon commence. It had been some time since Kristina had danced and hoped some brave gentlemen would ask her to.

“From your sigh and the coveted way you’re staring at the musicians, you must want to dance,” the duchess said.

“Am I that obvious?” she smiled when the sounds of violin filled the room.

The duchess’s arm came around her daughter’s waist. “Your dance card will be filled soon enough. Most of the gentlemen here have been admiring you and your beautiful rose-colored taffeta gown.”

“Mama, perhaps the gentlemen are admiring you, not me,” she teased back.

A flag of red appeared on the duchess’s cheeks and she patted the back of her hair. “Nonsense. I’m too old for such things. The only man’s name on my dance card is your father’s.” A dreamy look came over her face. “I remember the first time your father held me in his arms. He was such a skilled dance partner. That was when I started falling in love with him.”

“Started to? You didn’t fall in love right away?”

The duchess lifted her fan to cover the bottom part of her face and batted her eyes in her husband’s direction. Even though the duke’s attention was on the man next to him, he lifted his head and focused on his wife with a penetrating stare.

“Mama, people are staring,” she whispered and fanned her face with her gloved hands. It was one thing for her parents to look at each other with such love and devotion in private, but in public it was embarrassing.

The duchess waved her fan back and forth in a deliberate move. When the duke tugged on his cravat and coughed, she lowered it, looking pleased. “As I was saying before, I didn’t fall in love with your father then. He was too staid and stiff. But he made me feel special with his compliments, as if I was the only woman in the room worthy of his admiration. It wasn’t until at the next ball where we talked in earnest that I decided he was the man I wanted to marry.” She turned toward Kristina, her eyes bright. “I wish the same for Simon in his search for a bride and the same for you and your future husband, whoever he might be.”

Kristina didn’t want to ruin her mother’s dream. She would marry eventually, but it wouldn’t be for the type of love her mother and father shared. It would be a marriage based on respect and friendship rather than passion.

The duchess gave her a soft pat. “Darling, you look peaked. Perhaps it’s best if you take a walk outside—”

“Hello, your grace. You and your daughter look quite the engaging picture. Why, if I didn’t know, I would think you were sisters.”

Kristina cut off laugh at the debonair and refined man before them. He bowed with his leg out, then rose, taking the duchess’s hand and placing a kiss on her knuckles.

“Always a pleasure, Lord Robert. Has the Countess Tremaine come also?” the duchess asked.

“Wherever Yvonne goes, I follow.” Lord Robert moved to Kristina’s side and indicated where a tall, buxom, elegantly dressed woman stood. She chatted with an austere, shapely looking woman. A younger, petite woman in a bright gown and very stylish hair lingered by their side, staring at Simon with unguarded possession.

Simon is going to have a handful with that one. Kristina turned her attention back to their new companion after her mother nudged her with her hip.

“Excuse me for my rudeness. We haven’t been introduced.” Lord Robert bowed.

“Kristina, this is Lord Robert Ranson. He and his sister, the Countess Tremaine, are our closest neighbors,” the duchess said.

She held out her hand and Lord Robert gave her an almost identical kiss to the one he gave her mother.

“A pleasure,” she greeted him and quickly jerked her hand back when she felt something damp. She didn’t appreciate his tongue on her hand, even gloved.

He acted as if nothing was wrong and gave her a jovial smile. A dimple appeared on the left side of his cheek. His eyes sparkled in mischief and he dipped his head as if he was aware of what inappropriate thing he had done.

“Will you be in London for the summer or is it Bath this year?” the duchess inquired, oblivious to her daughter’s discomfort.

“A trip to London is in order soon. I do miss the city life there. But Yvonne doesn’t want to leave. She’s here to support her good friend, the Baroness de Saltin, the woman she’s talking with.” Lord Robert motioned in the direction of his sister.” The baroness became a widow a few days ago and is all alone with only her daughter for company. Yvonne doesn’t want to leave the two women in their time of need,” he said mournfully.

“Oh, I hadn’t heard of the baron’s passing.” The duchess shook her head. “Such sad tidings.”

The countess and her party made their way over to Simon and her father. “Didn’t the baron have a first wife who died from in sort of riding accident?” Kristina inquired.

“Kristina, this is not the most delicate conversation to have now,” the duchess reprimanded with a disgruntled whisper.

Lord Robert stepped in closer. “It’s old gossip and not talked about, but yes, the baron’s first wife had an unfortunate riding accident over a decade ago. When the baron’s first wife didn’t come home from her morning ride, a search party was formed and they found her body in the river with a broken neck. Her horse must have thrown her. A sad state of affairs.” He gave his chest a light pat. “The baron gave up so much for his wife. He was disowned by his father for marrying her. She was a servant in his parents’ house. I don’t think he ever got over her death, even after he married Geraldine a year later.”

“The baron and his first wife never had children?” Kristina asked, moved by the tale.

Lord Robert rubbed the back of his neck. “Um, there’s—”

“Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen. If I could have your attention, I have an important announcement to make,” Mr. Crane broadcasted near the front of the room.

“Lady Kristina, will you do me the honor of being my partner for the first dance of the evening?” Lord Robert whispered.

She accepted with the tilt of her head. Other than his freedom with his tongue on her knuckles, she couldn’t find any other fault with him. His charm broke through her initial repugnance while they chatted. As a reward, she granted him his wish.

A broad smile filled his face and his chest stuck out.

Swallowing a laugh, she focused on Mr. Crane, like everyone else in the room.

“Thank you all for coming tonight. Mrs. Crane and I welcome you to our home.” Mr. Crane preened under the smattering of applause. He waved over one of his servants, who delivered a glass of champagne to him. Soon other servants appeared, handing out flutes to the guests.

“Tonight we celebrate the wonderful and generous community we have here in Aulnory. Thirty years ago, Mrs. Crane and I moved here not knowing anyone. You have treated us with kindness, and we thank you for that. We would also like to thank the Duke and Duchess of Perrault for coming tonight and addressing us with their presence, including their son, Lord Simon, and their daughter, Lady Kristina, who has come home after five long years abroad.”

“He’s laying it on thick, don’t you think?” Kristina spoke softly into her mother’s ear. The duchess shushed her.

“Please raise a glass in honor of the citizens of Aulnory and a warm welcome to Lady Kristina.” Mr. Crane lifted his glass and cries of “cheers” filled the room.

She sipped the sweet, fizzy liquid, wishing she could roll the chilled glass across her forehead. Perhaps I can make my excuses and—

“Lady Kristina, our waltz awaits.” Lord Robert held out his hand. The music started and couples moved into the middle of the floor.

The duchess took Kristina’s glass and gave her a soft push forward. “Go ahead, dear. I’m going to freshen up before I grab your father for a dance.”

Kristina wrapped her hand around the crook of Lord Robert’s elbow instead of taking his hand. Annoyance filled his eyes, but he quickly masked his reaction and gave her a congenial smile.

“Lord Robert, I don’t allow men to take my hand until after the second dance at least,” she quipped as they walked to the middle of the room.

He gave her a sheepish look as he faced her and bowed. “My apologies. Perhaps after our waltz, you’ll join me outside on the patio? It’s ghastly hot in here, don’t you think?” He tugged on his cravat and grimaced.

She erupted into laughter. The couple next to her gave her inquisitive stares. Lord Robert chuckled in return, and when he fixed his hand on her waist and took her other hand in his grip, she permitted him to circle her around the room.

He’s not a bad sort. She smiled, satisfied she didn’t have to tilt her head up, for his height matched hers. When he asked about her years away, she gladly told him of her experiences, delighted he was interested.

* * * *

The open window allowed Ellie to hear the music. She leaned back against the side of the house, partially hidden behind a bush, imagining she was in the arms of a gentleman who had asked her to dance. She hummed along with the violins and what sounded like a flute.

Not just content with listening, she stuck her head out and lifted up on her toes to watch the dancers. Men and women circled around the room, smiling and talking without a care in the world. The exquisite dresses the women wore made her yearn for her own instead of her old, washed-out dress, one of three she owned. Shaking off her melancholia over her lacking wardrobe, she concentrated on the lavish people inside. Saliva pooled in her mouth as servants roamed around with trays of drink and finger foods.

Geraldine chatted with a man and woman who were the best dressed there. The man rested his hand on the woman’s back and she smiled up at him in affection. They must be married. Trying to search for Mina, she leapt back when Lord Robert flew by with a strikingly beautiful woman in his arms.

She gasped and crouched low. For some odd reason her knees started to shake and her head throbbed. The woman in her flowing rose-colored gown was breathtaking. Her brown eyes flashed with in merriment, and her smile was radiant. It appeared Lord Robert also thought the same. He stared at her, captivated, while his hand ran up and down her back in smooth strokes.

Ellie eyes charted the mesmerizing woman, who had made an unexpected impression on her. Who was she and why was she dancing with Lord Robert? Was he courting her?

Some of the couples left the dance floor as the music changed into something slower. Lord Robert escorted the woman over to the couple talking to Geraldine. The countess crossed the room to join them. Ellie inhaled and hunched down lower, her forehead and eyes above the sill and nothing else. She would be in deep water if she was caught lurking about.

“I should leave before I’m found out,” she whispered, reaching into her skirt pocket for Jack. Realizing she left him at home, she dropped her arms to her side. Her gaze found the alluring woman who was near her age. Her companions laughed at something she said and she did the same in return.

What’s wrong with me? What am I acting this way over a stranger? So what if she has a pleasing face and figure? She shook her head to clear her thoughts. It must be exhaustion. I should go home and rest for a few hours before Geraldine and Mina come…oh no, what is Mina doing?

Strolling across the room with a glass of pink liquid in hand, Mina bumped into Crane’s eldest daughter, splashing the drink on her skirt. The Crane girl jumped back and wiped at her dress, anger exploding on her face. Mina acted apologetic, wiping at the stain, but causing it to spread further.

She clapped for Mina and her outrageous daring. It was no accident, and from the enraged look Miss Crane gave her, she knew also.

The music changed to a livelier beat and people swarmed the middle of the room. Ellie lost sight of Mina and scoured the room, trying to locate her to see if Miss Crane would retaliate in some manner.

“Much cooler out here than inside.” Lord Robert’s voice resonated from overhead.

Ellie backed against the wall and peered up at the patio where Lord Robert emerged with his dance partner. He handed the woman a handkerchief to blot her face. She shifted in closer, reassured it was dark enough that the shadows from the house and the greenery surrounding it would hide her.

“Thank you for your handkerchief. If I had known it would be so warm inside, I would have brought my own. As it is, I forgot my fan.”

Ellie closed her eyes. The woman’s restrained yet melodious voice rushed over her. What a strange accent. Wanting a better glimpse, she spread apart the bush in front of to get a better look.

Both Lord Robert and the woman stood a few feet away from her. Lord Robert’s back was to her while the woman faced her, patting her face and neck with the handkerchief. Lord Robert folded his hands behind his back, his fingers twitching as he rocked back on his heels.

When the woman handed back his linen, he shook his head. “You keep it. I have many others. It will please me to know you have something of mine, such as a small slip of cloth, cooled your overheated flesh.”

Ellie covered her mouth to smother a laugh. Lord Robert’s courting skills were less than desirable.

The woman coughed into the handkerchief. Her shoulders shook and her eyes danced in merriment.

A twinge tickled low in Ellie’s belly. Sweat glided down into her bodice. She rolled her lips in between her teeth and pressed her palm over her jittery stomach, fighting the urge to move her hand down lower and cup herself. What’s come over me? Am I coming down with something? I’ve never felt this way before.

Lord Robert took a step closer to the woman and captured her hand. The woman tried to move back, but Lord Robert didn’t let her go and gathered her to him.

Ellie was ready to jump on his back if she had to in order to stop him from accosting the woman, but to her surprise, the woman wagged her finger in front of his face.

“Now, Lord Robert, I’ve enjoyed dancing with you and spending this time together. I would hate for you to ruin everything if you tried something ungentlemanly and stole a kiss. Ymmärrätkö sinä?”

Her released her and dropped his arms. “Yamarta what?”

“It’s Finnish for, do you understand?” The woman crossed her arms and lifted an eyebrow.

Ellie wanted to get a closer look at the foreign visitor, and without realizing it, stepped down on a branch. The crack broke through the silence and her breath caught in her throat.

“What’s that noise?” The woman moved past Lord Robert and examined the bush Ellie hid behind.

Lord Robert’s hands came down on the woman’s shoulders. The woman rolled her eyes, and had just curled her hand into a fist when the sounds of glass breaking and loud screams came from inside.

“What in the world is going on?” Lord Robert asked in a testy voice and turned away.

Ellie carefully climbed out of the bush. Curious, she snuck a peek inside through the window. What she saw made her shake in silent laughter.

Miss Crane seized Mina by the hair and dragged her around the room, screaming insults and words no proper lady should say. Mina thrashed about. Soon they were surrounded, and Lord Simon looped his arms around Mina’s waist while Miss Crane’s father hauled his daughter away. The guests watched in horror, whispering to one another.

Ellie’s time here had come to an end. She checked the patio to see if it was deserted. Satisfied she was alone, she darted out from the foliage and, taking one last look over her shoulder, scurried across the lawn. A figure materialized in front of her. She cut off a scream and froze in her tracks, her heart pounding in her ears.

Standing before her was the woman Lord Robert had been trying to impress on the patio. The lady stared down at her as if she was some sort of novelty. She then blinked and her forehead knitted.

Terror-stricken, Ellie waited for the woman to accuse her of being a thief.

“It’s you.”

“Huh?” Fear stopped her from speaking correctly.

“I saw you early today. You were holding a basket with a cat covered with a red cloth of some sort.”

The woman gave her a tender smile and held out her hand. Ellie backed away, ready to flee.

“Don’t be afraid. I’m not going to rat you out. I understand how servants like to see how the upper crust lives. You are one, correct?” The woman dropped her hand and looked at her expectantly.

Ugh, what a snob. Ellie inhaled through her nose. What was the use in arguing with the lady’s opinion? She wouldn’t believe her if she told her otherwise.

“How do you know I’m the one you spotted on the street? You could be mistaken.” Ellie stuck out her chin in a form of defiance and met the woman’s stare instead of lowering her face in supplication.

The lady didn’t act insulted or give her a talking down. Instead she appeared entertained, from the twitching of her lips. “You were unforgettable. It’s not very often I see a woman dressed in black carrying a cat in a basket down a crowded walkway. You also have the most…unusual hairstyle and hair color.”

Color? What does she mean? Ellie fingered one of her curls and pushed it back behind her ear. The lady sounded sincere, but then again she never knew what to expect when it came to people of quality.

She tried a different tactic and curtsied. “Thank you, ma’am, but I must be going before I’m discovered.” She took a step forward. The lady’s arm shot out, blocking her flight.

“I’m not a ma’am. Don’t go yet. I enjoy talking to you,” the lady said, and when her hand landed on her arm, Ellie jerked away.

“Why are you doing this to me? Please, let me leave.” Her bottom lip trembled and she wrapped her arms around her waist. Now the beautiful lady was torturing her for her own amusement.

The lady’s mouth dropped to a straight line. “I’ll only take another minute of your time and then you can scurry back to your home. Would you be with the Cranes’ or at some other house nearby?”

Ellie gave her a half nod. “Thereabouts. I work for an older woman.”

“Does she treat you well?”

“As well as could be expected, I suppose,” she responded, glancing back at the house. The music had started up again. She needed to leave and fast. What if Geraldine and Mina left early and she wasn’t home to receive them?

“Tonight has been better than I had anticipated.” The lady looked entirely too pleased for Ellie’s taste.

“Who are you?” Ellie whispered softly.

Expecting to be chastised for her bad manners, she didn’t move away this time when the lady advanced. Their chests bumped and she swallowed. The scent of honeysuckle permeated from the woman. She stopped from taking a sniff.

“Miss?” she asked, clutching her hands together.

“I wanted to get a better look at you.” Inquiring eyes roamed over her face.

She allowed the examination and finally breathed a sigh of relief when the lady stepped back.

“From my presence here, you probably have concluded I’m a woman of means,” the lady announced, but in a way that was more fact than bravado. “I’m a guest of the Duke and Duchess of Perrault.”

“You’re a friend of Lady Kristina?” she asked, biting down on her bottom lip.

For some reason the lady’s shoulders sagged and she looked perplexed. When no answer was forthcoming, she took it as a yes.

“I’m told the duke and his family are kind,” Ellie said.

“Their two children are remarkable,” the lady said effortlessly with a wave of her hand.

The woman’s easygoing smile put Ellie at ease. She wanted to continue talking but she couldn’t take the chance. She cleared her throat. “I really must go now. Will you let me pass?”

The woman stepped off to the side. “I’ve taken up enough of your time. We wouldn’t want you to get in trouble. But before you go, may I have your name?”

“My name? Why?” she asked in alarm. If she discovered her name, she could tattle on her to Geraldine.

“I’m curious. When you meet another person, you usually introduce yourself by giving your name,” the woman stated, although she didn’t volunteer her own.

She scratched her arm and dug the heel of her clog into the grass. “Sorry, miss, I can’t.”

“Whyever not? What are you hiding?” the woman asked in an irritated voice.

Some sort of creature screeched and her attention was soon diverted.

Ellie took the opportunity to flee and ran as fast as she could to safety.

A shout for her to halt motivated her to keep running. She welcomed the darkness that swallowed her up until she found the edge of the property and sprinted into the woods. Her breath echoed in her ears and her heart rattled against her chest, but she didn’t stop until she reached the back of her house and dropped down on the stoop behind the kitchen door.

She stared ahead, waiting for the woman to appear, but she never did. A gentlewoman would never run after me while wearing such delicate and fine slippers. Ellie snorted and reclined back on her elbow, staring up at the starry sky. Eventually her fast-beating heart slowed down. When she had calmed, she went inside and into her bedroom to lie on her bed with August and Jack. Peering up at the ceiling, she replayed in her mind the scene between the graceful yet nosy lady and herself. What were the odds of them meeting again? If they did, she would act as if they had never met and hope the lady did the same. Nothing good could come out of their acquaintance.

August purred against her chest and she hugged him close. Jack snuggled on her shoulder. For once Ellie felt safe and content. It had been nice to speak with another person who treated her with some courtesy, even if it had been a woman of substantial means who thought she was a lowly servant girl.

* * * *

After losing sight of her quarry, Kristina kicked at an indent in the grass in frustration and made her way back toward the house. That was the most fun she had the entire night, even with the excitement of the fight she had missed due to her spy in the bushes. She should have acted appalled and scandalized, but when she recognized who it was, she decided it wasn’t worth the hassle to embarrass the poor woman.

She should be slighted the woman hadn’t volunteer her name and was less than forthcoming about whom she worked for. But then again, Kristina had told a boldfaced lie. If she had announced she was her father’s daughter, the skittish woman might have fainted.

Next time she came in contact with the demure servant, she would demand her name and who she worked for. Aulnory was small enough to locate such a person, and perhaps after they talked again, she could see if there was a place for her in her father’s household.

I do need a personal maid to assist me with my hair and bath. If she refuses my offer, I can threaten to snitch on her for being a peeper. A spark shot up her spine. Her intended plan would definitely be a mutual benefit for both parties involved.

“There you are.” The duchess came out on the patio as Kristina moved up the steps. She joined her mother, who looked flustered and upset.

“Mother, what’s wrong?” she asked in concern.

When the French doors opened and more guests walked out, the duchess tugged her off to the side. “Your father has called for the carriage. We’re leaving. I’m finished here. The way the Crane chit attacked a young lady was uncalled for. I pity the man she ends up marrying. But at least it won’t be Simon.”

“I missed it all. I went outside for some air,” she said and steered her mother back inside.

“And with Lord Robert as your escort. Alone.” The duchess pursed her lips. “I expected better of you not to go off with a gentleman you just met. Lord Robert may have an excellent reputation, but everyone is watching you in particular, waiting for you to misstep. I want nothing more for you to marry, but I hope it’s with a man you can care for and not be forced to wed because you were caught stealing a kiss or canoodling in the shrubbery.”

“I’m not some green girl just out of the nursery,” Kristina said. “I have enough experience with men to be careful. Grandmother made certain to teach me how to handle myself if I’m caught in a difficult situation with an amorous suitor.”

The duchess nodded at some guest as they made their way out into the front foyer. “And what advice did my mother give you?”

“If a gentleman gets fresh, use your knee in a way that will make that gentleman hunch over in pain and bawl like a baby.”

The duchess hugged Kristina. “You are a true delight. I am so happy you have returned home.”

“It’s nice to be back with you, Papa, and Simon,” she said, her thoughts returning once again to her interaction with the puzzling woman she was more than anxious to see again.

Chapter Five

Ellie had just poured Geraldine her coffee when Mina came into the dining room, yawning. She skipped over to her mother, gave her a kiss, and sat down. The dark bruise on her cheek and long red scratch on her throat didn’t take away from the glow permeating from her face.

“Does your face hurt?” Ellie asked in sympathy as she placed two pieces of toast on Mina’s plate.

“A little, but it was well worth it.” Mina lifted her hands to her chest and a wistful look crossed her face. “Simon acted like a knight who comes to the rescue of the heroine in one of those silly romances I used to love reading.”

Geraldine stirred her spoon in her coffee. “You did very well last night. Crane’s brat has no finesse and I expected her to react the way she did when you bumped into her a second time and spilled your drink on her gown. She made herself and her parents look like dolts.”

“Now with her out of the way, there’s nothing stopping me from claiming Simon.” Mina cradled her chin in her palm as she rested her elbow on the table. “Perhaps I can have a fall wedding. It would be nice with the changing of the leaves and the weather warm enough to have our ceremony outside on the estate’s ground.”

“I wish you all the best, Mina,” Ellie said with complete sincerity. She turned to walk out of the room when Geraldine latched onto her wrist. She paused and faced her stepmother with trepidation.

“Lord Simon and his mother will be visiting later in the afternoon. I want you to remain out of sight for the time they are here.” Geraldine removed her hand and grimaced, wiping her fingers with her napkin. “Better yet, you may have the rest of the afternoon off, but be back before sunset to serve us dinner.”

Ellie gave Geraldine a short curtsy, thrilled she would have the afternoon free. “Thank you, Ger—stepmother. I’ll tidy up the drawing room for your guests. I’ll even bake a batch of scones, if you like.”

Geraldine nodded in approval, and that butterfly feeling in Ellie’s stomach grew. She quickly left before Geraldine revoked her permission. She would do her best to impress the duchess and her son with her baking skills so Geraldine would continue to be in a generous mood.

An entire afternoon free to do whatever she liked! It was like Christmas and a birthday rolled into one!

* * * *

Kristina tapped her spoon against her plate and slumped in her chair. She was exhausted from tossing and turning for most of the night. The blame was due to provocative dreams of her making love to a woman with short black hair on silk sheets. She woke to a cold sweat and a fierce ache between her legs. The only way she could fall back to sleep was to manipulate her swollen cunny and pluck at her nipples. With aid of her wanton imagination, she brought forth a rush of warm discharge and a satisfactory release of tension in her womb. She ended up dozing for another hour, and when the sun rose in the sky, she got dressed. After breakfast, she would take a ride along the beach, then come back for a nap.

She had just finished eating her breakfast when Simon sat down across from her, looking immaculate with his hair combed back and his cravat tied perfectly and coat buttoned with no wrinkles in sight. She brooded while he waited for a servant to place a plate full of food down in front of him.

“It’s a spectacular morning.” Simon speared a sausage link with his fork and took a bite.

“You’re too cheerful. Is it because you played the hero last night with Miss de Saltin?” She took a sip of her juice.

“You could say that. I’m also picking up a new jacket from my tailor. He’s a talented fellow who’s going to make me the most fashionable man in all of Aulnory.”

She threw a napkin at him. “You’re already a fashion plate. You could wear a potato sack and men would then do the same.”

“I do set precedence for many things.” He gave her a wink.

The clock let off a dong to denote the top of the hour and Kristina motioned at the two empty chairs across from her. “I expected mother and father to join us. Do they usually sleep in?”

Simon chewed off a piece of his toast. “Erm, after a party where they have both been drinking, they tend to sleep in the next day.” A blush flagged his cheeks. “Did you notice how they held hands in the carriage, and when father escorted mother into the house, he whispered something that made her blush and laugh like a schoolgirl?”

Kristina couldn’t remember, since she had been too busy thinking about her evasive party crasher. “I hadn’t noticed.”

Simon tugged on his cravat. “Mother and father don’t sleep in separate bedrooms…”

Her eyes widened. “Ah! I see what you mean. How about we talk about something else? I’m going for a nice, long ride on the beach. Interested in joining me?”

“How about tomorrow? It may take me a few hours to get fitted. Mother and I are also going to visit Mina—I mean, Miss de Saltin.”

She went over to her brother and enveloped him in a hug. He kissed the back of her hand and smiled up at her. His eyes sparkled in cheer.

“You’re too happy to be poked and prodded by another man just for the sake of a new pair of breeches or jacket,” she commented and gave the top of his head a pat. “Does this tailor of yours have an attractive female assistant, perhaps? Or maybe Miss Mina has you in high spirits?”

Simon chuckled and sat forward, moving out of her embrace. “Can’t I be excited about purchasing new clothes? Noah, my tailor, is a congenial sort and very skilled with his hands.” A reflective look crossed his face and then it was gone. He traced the rim of his coffee cup. “Miss de Saltin is a comely woman. I enjoy her company.”

“I’ll leave you to it, then. Have an enjoyable afternoon.” Instead of prodding Simon for more information, Kristina gave him a pat on the head and left the room, intent on a ride that would clear her ennui.

* * * *

Ellie petted August while concentrating on reading the words on the page. She chose a book in the tiny library Geraldine kept, and along with August and Jack in her basket and a bag, she walked the three miles to the beach. She found a nice spot near one of the sand dunes and laid out a blanket to sit on. Jack remained in the basket, nibbling on a small block of cheese, while August was content lazing in her lap.

The book of poetry she read taxed her brain. The words were ones she never recognized before, and some had too many letters for her to understand. With a piece of chalk and an old learning slate, she carefully wrote out the long sentence from one of the lines of poetry.

When she finished, she groaned. Her letters looked more like squiggles and made absolutely no sense.

Throwing the slate off to the side, she shut the book and lounged back on her palms, lifting her face up to the sun. “Why do I even bother?”

August responded by licking her chin. She gave him a hug and brushed her nose against his.

The waves crashed loudly on the shore and boats floated on the horizon. Wind whipped through her hair, and she sighed. Soon she would have to return to the gloom waiting for her at home. But for now she was at peace.

A rider, a woman whose long blond hair flew free behind her, galloped at a swift speed along the water. She wasn’t sidesaddle, but dug her legs on either side of the horse. Ellie should have found that shocking, but the woman looked spectacular in the way she handled her horse.

As the horsewoman galloped past, Ellie wondered how long it took the woman to wash and dry her hair. Probably a good hour or more. Combing back her hair, she grimaced at the grit she found entangled there. I’ll have to make extra time to wash my hair now.

She snorted and searched for an apple in her bag. Taking a big bite of the fruit, she closed her eyes and eased back on her elbows. Suddenly the sun disappeared and a shadow materialized over head. She opened her eyes and stopped chewing.

Before her was the lady from the night before!

Ellie sat up straight, squeezing August to her chest. His claws dug into her skin and she loosened her grip.

“Fancy seeing you again,” the woman warmly greeted.

“Um, hello…miss.” She spoke around the apple pieces in her mouth, trying not to choke as she swallowed. To her astonishment, the lady knelt down on the blanket.

“No need to get up. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll sit a spell. I’m winded from my ride.” The lady fixed her skirt over her legs.

A million thoughts piled on top one another as Ellie searched for an excuse about her behavior last night. This time she couldn’t run off. She was stuck.

“You’re shocked to see me again,” the lady said, not seeming miffed at all.

“Aren’t you worried your horse might wander off?” Ellie blurted out, pointing to the horse standing a short distance away.

The lady shook her head and pressed her palms down over her skirt. “I told Champion to stay put. He’ll obey.”

She has such long fingers and perfect-looking nails. She sighed, wishing her hands weren’t calloused with ragged nails.

“You don’t believe me?” the lady asked, looking troubled.

“It’s a nice day for a ride.” She ignored the question and scratched August behind his ear.

“A near perfect day. I’m glad to see you’re taking advantage of it.”

“Why would you be glad for me?” she asked carefully.

“You must work very hard,” the lady announced and shifted until she set her legs out in front of her, coming within touching distance of Ellie’s foot.

She crossed her legs under her skirt, hiding her bare feet. Her stockings were inside her old, scuffed clogs she had set behind her earlier.

“You have the right idea. I think I’ll do the same.” The lady proceeded to lift up the hem of her skirt and untied her boots.

Ellie should have turned away for propriety’s sake, but couldn’t. The woman plucked off her boots and stockings, showing off her naked ankles and feet. She wiggled her toes and stretched her arms above her head.

When the lady’s chest pressed out underneath her jacket, she did look away then, concentrating on a seagull waddling by.

“Hello there, little chap. It’s nice to make your acquaintance.”

Ellie looked back and her jaw dropped. August had crawled into the woman’s lap and allowed her to pet him. He didn’t let anyone pet him but Ellie.

“What’s your cat’s name?”

August meowed and butted the woman’s hand. Traitor. She wanted to snatch her cat back.

The woman’s hand stilled over August. “If you’re not comfortable telling me—”

“It’s August,” she whispered.

“August.” The woman nodded in approval. “A dignified name.”

“He was born in August,” she replied, as if it made perfect sense why the cat had been given his name.

The woman petted August again. She circled her fingers across his back and he arched into her hand. Ellie felt the urge to do the same. Lucky cat.

“Would August’s mistress like to volunteer her name?”

Ellie snapped out of her daze. The phantom touch on her back disappeared. Suddenly realizing she still had her apple, she tossed it away. “Why do you want to know my name? I’m nobody.”

“Everyone is somebody.” The woman gave her a kind smile. “What if I told you mine?”

Ellie lifted up a handful of sand and let it fall through her fingers. She continued sifting her fingers through the sand, forming a small pile next to her.

“You can call me…Elle,” she said, not forthcoming, but just enough where she wouldn’t be caught in a lie.

“You mean like the letter L?” the woman asked, looking delightfully confused.

She smiled. “Exactly.”

“All right…Elle. Since you’ve been nice enough to give me your name, you may call me Diana.”

She mouthed the woman’s name. She liked it, but certainly wouldn’t call her that in her presence. When Diana held out her hand, she didn’t take it.

“Aren’t you going to shake my hand?” Diana asked.

She shook her head. “It wouldn’t be right for someone in my position, miss.”

“I’m giving you permission to shake my hand.” A glower spanned Diana’s face. “And please, stop with the ‘miss’.”

Ellie didn’t take the hand offered but nodded in acceptance. “I’ll keep that in mind for the next time, Lady Diana.”

The glower turned into a scowl. Instead of another reprimand, she snatched Ellie’s hand right off her lap and gave it a hearty pump. “If anyone asks, you can say I touched you first. And seeing as you’re into respecting your betters, you will obey me and call me Diana, not Lady Diana or Miss Diana. Understand?”

Diana gave her hand a squeeze. Ellie kept her hand slack when all she wanted to do was link their fingers together. Diana’s skin was as soft as she had imagined it would be. When Diana didn’t release her, Ellie returned the shake.

“I understand perfectly. Just Diana.”

Diana’s lips lifted into a semblance of a grin. “Touche, Elle.”

She had no idea what that word meant but gave no indication she didn’t know. With a tugged on her hand, Diana let go.

“Your name is pretty,” she admitted. She couldn’t think of one Diana she knew of or ever met.

Diana’s lips quirked. “The majority of the women in my family are named after the goddess Diana. Most of the time it’s a middle name so not to confuse, although my two great aunts were both Dianas. And they both happened to be twins!”

Ellie laughed in response and decided to take a chance and not censor herself as she usually did when she was curious about something. “What is a goddess exactly?”

Diana didn’t seem to mind the question and leaned forward as if she was going to share a secret.

Ellie listened carefully as Diana explained.

* * * *

Her lack of guilt over giving a false name should have worried her. But it didn’t. She was honest in a way. Her middle name was Diana. It was well worth it to keep her identity a secret from the engaging woman sitting across from her.

Elle was captivated while she explained the history of the goddess Diana and why she was a much-beloved character from Greek mythology. Elle only interrupted when she had a question. She was a curious sort, and it made her all the more endearing. Her forehead would wrinkle and the tip of her tongue would swipe along her bottom lip as she concentrated.

Her fingers twitched with the urge to caress Elle’s mouth or cheek. If she was more forward, she would have stolen a kiss, but this wasn’t like Leena, who welcomed her touch, or the bored Finnish wives and widows who liked experimenting in the bedroom.

By the time Kristina finished her story, Elle wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her chin on top of her knees, her attention never waning, watching her the entire time. Earlier, she had taken off her jacket and unbuttoned the top of her blouse to cool off. She wanted to lie on her side and ask Elle to join her, but every time she moved in closer, Elle became wary and tense. She didn’t want to frighten the poor girl, but wanted to ease the tension between them.

The next step was arranging another meeting to see if they were as compatible as she thought they were. If so, she would then announce who she was really was and offer Elle employment in her parents’ house.

Her throat had become dry from her talking and she bemoaned the fact she didn’t have anything to quench her thirst.

“Forgive me, I need a moment to rest my voice,” she stated and cleared her throat.

Elle dug into her basket and produced an apple. She held it out in an offering. “Here, take this. It should soothe your parched throat.”

She smiled in thanks and took the fruit, deliberately gliding her fingers over the ridges of Elle’s knuckles. She then took a big bite and moaned from the sweet juices filling her mouth.

“This is wonderful.” She saluted with the half-eaten apple and spread out her legs, rotating her ankles back and forth to alleviate the stiffness there.

“Apples are my favorite fruit,” Elle smiled down at August, who dozed in her lap. She scratched between his ears and he yawned. “The best kind of pie to make is apple. The smell of cinnamon fills the kitchen and it sticks in your hair and in your skin. My mother loved to…um.” She shut her mouth and turned away to look off to the side.

She stopped chewing, waiting for Elle to tell her about her mother. She didn’t, and that made her all the more intrigued.

“Forgive me for prying, but you don’t see your mother often or is she…?” She waved her hand around for Elle to carry on.

Elle stared out at the ocean. “My mother was killed in an accident when I was a child. Things weren’t the same at home after she died.”

A pang of sympathy came over Kristina as Elle’s voice grew childlike while she spoke about her mother gone too soon. She took Elle’s hand, brushing her thumb across the inside of her wrist. Elle didn’t flinch or pull away.

The sound of the crashing waves and chirps of the seagulls filled the lull between them. It wasn’t until August climbed off her lap and sniffed around did Elle take back her hand and fiddle with the basket, examining it as if something special was hidden inside.

Kristina threw her half-eaten apple away and rubbed her hands together to erase the stickiness coating her fingers. A square wooden board near the corner of the blanket caught her eye. She picked it up, trying to read the strange lettering drawn on the board.

Something like a grunt came from Elle. She glanced up. Elle’s face had lost her color.

“What’s wrong?” she asked and reached out for Elle’s arm.

Elle motioned with her chin at the slate in Kristina’s hand. “That’s my slate.”

“I can see it’s a slate. What are you using it for?”

“To…practice my penmanship and to read better.”

Aha! That’s why she reacted the way she did. She must be ashamed by her lack of schooling.

“Oh? That’s admirable. Not many women in your situation would further their education.” She held out the slate for Elle to take. “But why do it alone? Isn’t there a tutor nearby you can go to for lessons?”

Elle grabbed the slate and set the book on top of it. Kristina tried to catch the name of the book, but it was dropped in the basket and covered.

“I can’t afford no money for a teacher,” Elle said in a tight voice and tugged on the frayed hem of her dress.

“It’s better if you leave out the word, ‘no’, as in, I can’t afford to pay for a teacher,” Kristina corrected.

“Either way I say it doesn’t matter. I do the best with what I have.” Elle stuck out her chin.

That’s the spirit, my darling girl. Speak your mind! She wanted to cheer.

Elle suddenly dropped her head down and her shoulders sagged.

“Are you all right?” Kristina set her hand on Elle’s shoulder, keeping it there for a moment, then sliding down her arm.

Elle nibbled on her bottom lip. “I apologize, my lady. I shouldn’t have spoken so rudely. I should know better than to show my temper in such a way.”

She tilted Elle’s chin up. Her eyes showed bleak remorse. Kristina’s chest stung. This poor girl needed some coddling. She wanted to be the one to give that to her.

“Now, listen to me. You have nothing to be ashamed of. You’re hardworking, like most of the people in this town not born into privilege. Many can’t read or don’t care to learn. But you, my precious girl, have taken the step in the right direction.” She tugged on one of Elle’s curls.

Elle wiped her cheek and laughed softly when August lifted up and swiped his paw against her chin. She pulled him into an embrace and kissed his nose.

“Even your kitty thinks the same way I do,” she joked and Elle laughed again.

“Thank you,” Elle said and dropped August back down. “You’re a nice lady.”

“I should like to think so.” Her stomach did a little flip over Elle’s compliment.

Elle gave her a small smile and rose to leave.

“You’re leaving?” Moving to her feet, she wanted to keep talking to her new friend.

“It’s getting late and I have to make dinner.” Elle moved the basket off to the side and lifted up the blanket.

The sun wasn’t as high as it had been before and the ocean had grown calm. Kristina hugged her arms around her waist, feeling a slight chill in the air. She had enjoyed her conversation with Elle and wished she could prolong it. The odds of them spending more time together was small. She could only imagine how that would go over with the townspeople. The gossip about the duke’s daughter befriending a lowly servant girl would be unrelentless.

She kicked a pebble away and tapped her fingers against her hip. There had to be a way—aha!

Lifting her hands to her mouth, her joy mounted over her amazing idea that would allow her and Elle to remain in contact.

“Are you feeling well, miss? Your eyes have gone all glassy like,” Elle asked.

Kristina stepped forward and smiled down into Elle’s face. “I have a marvelous idea. I can tutor you in your studies.”

Elle stared at her disbelief. “Why would you want to do such a thing? Don’t you have better things to do, like shop?”

She laughed. Elle’s question didn’t come out as defensive, but the opposite, with an open and innocent tone to it. She could understand why Elle thought the way she did. Most women of quality who had a fortune at their disposal spent most of their days in leisure.

“You’re very intuitive. I do enjoy shopping just like any woman, but every so often I shake things up and do something out of the ordinary.” She beamed, delighted with her reasoning.

Elle didn’t seem to agree. Her forehead burrowed and strain lines appeared around her mouth. “I don’t know what in-tu-itive means, but I won’t be a charity case to make you feel good about yourself.” She turned away and lifted August, who chewed on a broken piece of shell.

Kristina twisted her hands, feeling rotten for making Elle upset. I must fix this before she rushes away.

Elle lifted August in her arms. “I spoke badly just now and shouldn’t have. I keep forgetting my position and how you’re a peer of the realm.”

She wanted to correct Elle but that would be just another lie. “That might be the case but I’m not going to obsess about it like you are. Can’t we pretend we’re equals?”

Elle bent down, placing August in her basket as her answer.

Kristina nibbled her bottom lip. Think! She stalled Elle by bending down and crooning to the cat. He responded by licking her fingers.

“At least your cat likes me.” Her lips slipped into a small pout.

A blush colored Elle’s cheeks. “I like you also,” she whispered and ran her palm down August’s back.

Her hand landed over Elle’s and she halted her movements. “Before you say no, please hear me out. I want to tutor you not because you’re a charity case but because I want to be your friend. I know of a place where we can be alone and uninterrupted. I’m allowed access to the duke’s land as his guest. There’s a vacant gamekeeper’s cottage on the edge of his property near the river. We can use it as a schoolroom.”

“What about the Lady Kristina or Lord Simon? Won’t they question why you’re spending time with a servant?”

“They don’t have to know. They’re fine with me going off by myself. As long as I’m back in time for dinner, no one will find it odd. We can meet for an hour or two each day.”

“I can’t. My duties take up a lot of my time.” Elle took August back.

She crossed her arms, annoyed. “Really? I guess your duties today weren’t too pressing.”

Elle gave her a sheepish smile and brushed back a piece of her hair that had fallen over her eye. “Sometimes my mistress can be generous when it suits her.”

Not to be undaunted, Kristina wouldn’t budge without getting what she wanted. “I’ll work around your schedule. When are you free next?”

Elle stared up at the sky and her cheeks bulged out as she blew out air. “In three days, on Sunday. After morning Mass, my mistress visits with friends, then takes a long nap before supper. I guess I can get away for a few hours.”

“Shall we say around three o’clock on Sunday afternoon, then?”

“Are you certain I won’t get in trouble being on the duke’s property?”

The nervous look Elle shot her way had Kristina longing to comfort her. Now was not the time, but soon enough she would. Instead, she smiled brightly. “Trust me. There’s no reason to worry. I’ll handle everything.”

“I’ll try.”

For now Elle’s begrudging acceptance was good enough for her. She conceded, ecstatic she had gotten her way.

“Now I really must go before I get in trouble. Thank you for keeping me company.” Elle curtsied and grabbed her clogs.

What ghastly shoes. Kristina eyed the footwear with disdain. They were unsightly and the color of mud, with unidentifiable stains.

“They might be ugly but don’t pinch my feet and are very serviceable.” Elle came to her footwear’s defense as she lifted a clog in the air.

Kristina wouldn’t tease the woman about her hideous shoes. She didn’t want to say or do anything else that could offend. “I imagine they are. I actually prefer my riding boots.” She waved in the general direction were they lay. “Slippers are not the most effective for walking long distances. Dancing can be a trial. Some gentleman always ends up treading on my poor toes.”

“I’ve never been dancing before.”

“Never? How can that be?” she asked, taken aback.

Elle shrugged. “No time, really.”

“I must teach you to dance then. A woman cannot go through life not knowing how dance.” She lifted a finger in the air to push her point home.

Elle’s lips twitched. “I’ll keep that in mind.” She gathered the rest of her things and climbed up the short incline to the top.

“Don’t forget, three o’clock Sunday near the river where it runs across Perrault’s property. You won’t be able to miss the small white building in need of a new coat of paint.”

Elle stared down at her from above. “I’ll be able to find it. Goodbye.” With a wave, she disappeared from view.

Kristina didn’t follow Elle. There was no way she could be sneaky about it with her horse. For now she’d allow Elle her secrets, but soon enough she would learn all of them and introduce her skittish friend to a whole new world that had been denied her.

Chapter Six

Ellie kept an ear out for Geraldine and Mina while she packed a basket with fruit, cheese, and bread for her study lesson with Diana. When August brushed against her leg, she lifted him up to her face. He licked her cheek and meowed.

“Sorry, but you must stay home for now. I have an important appointment and it’s better if I go alone.” She gave him a hug and placed him back on the floor.

Wiping off her hands with a towel, she waited for Geraldine and Mina to leave for their shopping excursion. For some reason, they didn’t attend Mass or sleep in. She had to help them with their baths, then serve them brunch, which they ate at their leisure. If they didn’t leave soon, she would never meet Diana on time.

Her stomach cramped and every time her bodice brushed up against her chest, her breasts itched. When she thought about Diana, her nips, which had always been flat as coins, tingled and stuck out. She palmed a globe and gave her tender flesh a squeeze. She closed her eyes and bit the inside of her cheek. This morning in bed she gave into the temptation and stuck her hand inside her nightgown. She played with her swollen nips— something she had never done before. A slight dampness had formed in between her thighs. She shifted her palm down over her mound, and when she slipped her fingers inside her feminine folds, the throbbing grew. She almost cried out from the wonderful build-up of pressure, and as she pressed down, a jolt ran through her body and a strange fluttering sensation settled in between her legs. She’d never experienced anything like it and wanted to continue touching herself but stopped, fearful of what would happen next.

For the past three days her sleep had been restless. When she closed her eyes, Diana would appear. Ellie couldn’t stop thinking of her. She was anxious to see her beautiful lady again, her nerves making her sick to her stomach. She leaned back against the kitchen table and took in a few deep breaths. That familiar fluttering in her belly and in between her legs grew.

The kitchen door swung open and she snapped to attention.

“There you are! Mama has been calling for you.” Mina fisted her hands on her hips. “You should hop to it before she comes back here.”

“I was busy cleaning the kitchen.” Ellie hastened her pace with Mina on her heels.

“You haven’t been yourself of late. You stare off into the distance with a silly look on your face and yesterday you almost broke the vase on the side table under the window upstairs.” Mina jumped out in front of her and crossed her arms with a suspicious look on her face. “You’re hiding something. You should tell me before Mama finds out.”

Panic shot up Ellie’s spine. Mina would run to her mother regardless of whatever story she came up with.

“It’s nothing, really. I think the sun from the other day went to my head. The sudden turn in the weather makes me slow. Remember the same thing happened to me last year? It must be allergies.” She crossed her two fingers behind her back over her lie.

Mina shook her head. “How could I forget? You were the reason I came down with a bad cold and had to stay in bed for almost a week.”

Mina was sick last year, but not because of Ellie. Most of the townspeople had succumbed to the flu, including Mina and Geraldine. While Ellie only had a small cough and a stuffy nose, she had suffered by taking care of both cranky women from morning to night.

“You should keep your distance, then. I wouldn’t want to get you or stepmother sick.”

Mina took a step back and held up her hands. “You don’t have to worry. Mama and I will be gone all day and won’t return until late tonight. We’re having dinner with the Countess Tremaine and Lord Robert.”

Ellie held back a sigh of relief. Whenever Mina and Geraldine visited the two siblings at their home, they always stayed away for hours, sometimes spending the night. Perhaps this would be one of those times.

She started to ask Mina if that would be the case but was interrupted when Geraldine surfaced from the drawing room.

“There you are.” Geraldine patted Mina’s cheek and gave Ellie an irate look. “Why didn’t you come when I called for you?”

Ellie lowered her eyes away from Geraldine’s sourpuss of a face. She tried to think of an excuse but was saved by Mina.

“Ellie was outside watering the garden. We started chatting and the time ran away from us.” Mina gave her mother an apologetic stare.

Geraldine nodded in satisfaction at her daughter. She turned back to Ellie and her lips dropped into a flat line.

The dong of the grandfather clock rang out and Mina gasped. “Shouldn’t we leave soon? There might be a crush at the emporium. I know how you hate waiting.”

“You’re so sensitive to my needs.” Geraldine kissed her cheek. Mina preened under her mother’s display of affection.

Ellie hid her hands in the material of her mourning dress, clutching the cloth to stop her from shaking her leg over her impatience.

“I wish there was another clothing establishment in town catering to women. I may talk Yvonne about investing in such a business tonight at dinner,” Geraldine announced and patted her hair.

Mina gave her mother a shocked look. “But Mama, you would go into a trade? How provincial.”

Geraldine didn’t comment on her daughter’s outrage and nodded in the direction of the staircase. “Run upstairs for our shawls. Then we can go.”

Mina gave Geraldine a kiss on her cheek and bolted up the stairs.

“Are there any extra chores you would like me to do while you both are away today?” Ellie asked, hoping her volunteering would keep Geraldine in happy spirits.

Geraldine gave her a shrewd look. Ellie held her breath, waiting for her next direction.

“You should come with us to Yvonne’s. She’s been asking for you.”

“Me-me?” Ellie stammered, taken aback.

“Yes, you-you,” Geraldine sniped, her eyes swarming with indignation. Her hand shot out and clasped Ellie’s chin.

“Perhaps I will loan you to Yvonne. For some odd reason she wants to take you under her wing. She always did have a tender spot for Angelica. Like mother, like daughter.” Geraldine’s eyes flashed with ire when she mentioned her mother’s name.

Ellie dug her fingers into her palms. “But then you wouldn’t have anybody to take care of the house,” she said, barely above a whisper.

Geraldine thrust her away, but not before one of her long nails caught the underside of her chin. “I don’t appreciate your sass, young lady—”

“I wasn’t sassing—”

“Silence!” Geraldine’s sharp voice rang out.

Ellie dipped her chin down to her chest and waited for the slap to come.

“Mama? I’m ready.”

Ellie inhaled through her nose, silently thanking Mina for interrupting. The stinging cut on her face gave her something to concentrate on other than her distress.

“I invited your stepsister to dine with us, but like always, she has treated me with disrespect and had the audacity to talk back to me. She will stay here and go without.”

Ellie lifted her head and willed tears to fill her eyes. It wasn’t hard for her to do. When Geraldine noticed, she smiled in satisfaction.

“Come along, Mina.” Geraldine took her shawl and gloves Mina gave her. “When will you ever learn?” she asked Ellie while she wrapped her shawl around her shoulders.

Mina waited behind her mother and shook her head in disappointment.

“I will convey your absence to Yvonne. She won’t be happy, but I’ll handle her like I always do,” Geraldine announced.

Ellie found that statement odd, but then again, her stepmother always said strange things when it came to the countess.

Geraldine swiped her hands down the front of her dress and with a swish of her skirts, she followed Mina outside.

When the door slammed shut, Ellie collapsed to the floor, trembling. She sat against back the wall and squeezed her hands together to stop their shaking. It wasn’t until August climbed into her lap that she composed herself.

“It’s all better now. She’s gone,” she whispered against the side of August neck. Jack stood near her hip on his hind legs, squeaking loudly. She let out a short laugh by the sight.

Wiping her eyes, she rose to her feet and combed back her hair with her fingers. Everything would be all right now. She would be able to slip away and see Diana and not have to worry about rushing home to take care of Geraldine and Mina.

The tightness in her chest and sour feeling in her stomach disappeared as she thought about escaping the confines of the house and the distressing confrontation with her stepmother. Hopefully Geraldine would drink too much wine, as was the case whenever she dined with the countess and her brother, and end up staying in bed for most of the day tomorrow. But then Geraldine would rant and complain, which had grown worse right around the time Papa got sick.

Oh Papa, why did you die and leave me here to suffer?

She shook her head in misery. Why would her papa fight to stay alive for her when he didn’t care about her when he had been healthy and sound?

There was no use harping on the past and why she had been lacking in her father’s eyes. It didn’t do her any good and would lead to more tears and bleak thoughts.

She rotated her shoulders to relieve the stiffness there. She needed to change out of her current dress and into something more suitable, perhaps even fix her hair with a ribbon she could borrow from Mina. She smiled, thinking back to the way Diana had complimented her on her hair.

She turned to go to her bedroom when there was a knock on the door and an envelope was slipped underneath it. She picked it up and scanned Geraldine’s and Mina’s names. There was no mention of her name; not that she expected there to be. She turned the envelope around and noticed the Perrault crest on the back.

Curiosity ate away at her. But she would be punished if she even dared to open it. She would find out soon enough what it was when Geraldine read and shared the news with Mina while she listened in.

She dropped the envelope on the side table and hurried to her room to look presentable for her tutor.

* * * *

“They’re all mad as hatters,” Noah muttered and straightened his glasses.

Women of all ages had taken over the main showroom in order to get fitted for the Perrault masked ball. Invitations had been sent out, and once they were opened, the female population of Aulnory went into a tizzy. Rumors persisted this ball was for Simon to search for a suitable bride. He knew all about the dynamics of the dreaded ball. Simon had told him during one of their trysts. While he lay under Simon panting after being buggered within an inch of his life, he told him how ridiculous the entire thing was and how he had no interest in marriage.

That gave Noah hope he and Simon could continue on as they were. He didn’t mind being secretive and overly cautious when it came to their affair. They didn’t have a future together anyway, so he would live in the moment with Simon. When the time came for Simon to marry, he would break things off and wish him well. He also wouldn’t stay in Aulnory and would strike out on his own. His heart could only take so much. Watching Simon with someone, a woman he could proudly claim as his wife, was too painful to bear.

When a customer came over to the counter with a few bundles, Noah rang up her order, remaining cordial when all he wanted to do was go up to his bedroom and take a nap.

The bell over the door rang. In walked the de Saltin ladies, both of whom had dumbfounded expressions on their faces at the throngs of women picking and choosing fabric and dresses.

“What in the world is going on?” the baroness asked above the ramble and marched over to Clement, who stood in the middle of the room giving directions.

Noah finished ringing up the woman’s order and waved the next one in line ahead when Mina popped up behind the counter and came over to his side.

“Excuse me, I have an appointment with Mr. Lyons now,” Mina announced in a pleasant voice and dragged him into the back. Angry female voices rose up in an earsplitting chorus.

He yanked his arm away, not amused in the slightest by Mina’s audacity. “What’s wrong with you? I need to get back out there before there’s a riot.”

“I’ve never seen it like this. Is there a discount you failed to tell me about?” Mina gave him a pout and twirled her hair around a finger.

He snorted. “You’re wasting your time flirting with me. I’ve known you too long to fall for your feminine wiles.”

Mina tapped her foot and crossed her arms. “You’re so queer when it comes to women. Most men would fall over backward to do whatever I ask.”

“Don’t I know it,” he mumbled and squeezed the back of his neck. Before Mina could interrogate him, two seamstresses walked out from one of the work rooms. He asked them to handle the customers’ payments. Satisfied when he and Mina were alone once again, he motioned for her to accompany him down the hall and near a door leading to the back.

“You don’t have to worry there’s a discount you’re missing out on.” He patted her arm to put her concerns to rest. “An hour ago a rush of women barreled in waving invitations about from the Perraults. They were sent out to any family with a single daughter of marriageable age. The duke and the duchess will host a masked ball in seven days. They have invited any single woman over the age of sixteen within a fifty-mile radius to attend, in the hopes Lord Simon will marry one lucky lady.”

“Sounds like a desperate measure on the duke’s and duchess’s part.” Mina frowned. “Simon must be less than thrilled that his parents would go through such lengths. And how in the world can he choose the right woman when he won’t have any clue what she looks like?”

He rubbed the bridge of his nose and released a weak laugh. “He’s amused by the whole thing.”

“And how would you know?” Mina examined him with fire in her eyes.

She’s jealous! He sighed and dropped his hands on Mina’s shoulders, staring down at her in humor. “It’s an assumption. It’s not like I move in the same social circles as his grace. I’m just a lowly tailor’s assistant.”

He didn’t mean to sound cross, especially with Mina, who he usually got along with and liked for some strange reason even if she didn’t always treat Ellie with respect. With a mother like the baroness, he couldn’t help but have compassion for her.

Mina’s indignation vanished. “I’m being obnoxious, aren’t I? I hate to think some other woman could steal Simon from me.”

A sputtering laugh left Noah. She slapped him against his side and he took her hand, giving her knuckles a light kiss. “You’re too precious for words. You’re claiming Lord Simon? Is he aware of this?” For some reason he wasn’t out of sorts or resentful of Mina’s statement. If anything, Simon could benefit with someone like Mina as his wife.

“He has to know I have a deep regard for him. I’ve wanted him ever since I was twelve years old.” A faraway look came over Mina’s face. “He goes out of his way to speak to me at parties and events. During Mass, our eyes will meet and we’ll communicate without words.”

He coughed to stop from erupting in laughter. “You really are far gone over the man.”

Mina blinked, coming out of her daze. “Yes, I am. I’ve loved him for so long. If he married another woman, I…”

He hooked an arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. He hated to think she was destined for failure where Simon was concerned. Simon would aim high and choose the ideal woman to impress his peers and, most importantly, his parents.

“Why don’t you bat your pretty eyes at my father so he can take care of you personally? He’ll make you the best-dressed woman at this ball. His grace will be struck with passion over your succulent figure and won’t be able to keep his hands to himself.”

Mina giggled and gave him a hug. “You shouldn’t say such things about a lady’s body.”

“You love it when I say such things.” He nudged her away. “Now off you go to get measured. You don’t want all those women out there stealing the best fabric.”

Mina lifted her chin and thrust out her chest. She acted like she was going into battle. “Wish me luck!”

“Luck.” He saluted her as she rushed away and out to the front. Noah landed back against the door and rubbed his face. His eyes were dry and his feet ached from standing. I need a break before I’m thrown back to the wolves. He opened the door and walked down the back steps. Searching for a spot he could sit and rest his weary feet, he spotted a group of empty wooden crates near the side of the building. He would hide there and take a short snooze before he had to go back in.

Slipping off his glasses, he deposited them inside his jacket pocket and blinked away the grit in his eyes. He stretched and yawned, lifting up on his toes. As he dropped back down on his heels, an arm curved around his waist and a hand clapped over his mouth.

He struggled as he was dragged next to the side of the house near the crates. It wasn’t until he jabbed his elbow into the gut of his assailant that he was released. He spun away and clenched his fists, ready to fight, when he recognized the voice whispering his name.

“Simon. What were you thinking?” he asked, out of breath, and put his glasses back on.

Simon hunched over, wheezing. He flipped back the hair falling in front of his eyes and rubbed his stomach. “Apparently, I wasn’t thinking. I never thought you would be so sensitive.”

“Sensitive?” He shook his head. “How did you expect me to act when someone sneaks up behind me and drags me away? I thought I was being robbed.”

Simon gave him a guilty grin. “I was being playful. Shouldn’t you know the touch of your lover by now?”

“Keep that thought.” Noah walked a few feet away to stick his head out. Sometimes the employees liked to catch some air or sit out in the back for their break. He couldn’t take a chance they would be caught.

He jumped when Simon tapped him on the shoulder. He seized Simon by the arm to stand behind the crates.

“No one will think to look here.” The boxes blocked the pathway to the sidewalk and street, hiding them from view.

“Good. Then no one can see me do this.” Simon fisted his hands into the lapels of Noah’s jacket and gave him a hungry kiss.

He dug his fingers into Simon’s chest, ravenous for the mouth plundering his own. Simon’s tongue seared the inside of his mouth, jabbing and swiping until he was out of breath.

He tore his mouth away and swallowed. “Hello to you too.” He wiped away the drool on his lip. “You’re taking a chance coming here. Half the single female population of Aulnory is inside, frenzied to look their best for this masked ball your parents are hosting.”

Simon’s hand slipped down and snared Noah’s. A scowl materialized. “I had to leave the house. Mother is obsessed with planning and decorating and she has the staff running around batty. Father is enclosed in his study and Kristina snuck away somewhere.”

“Your mother wants the best for her only son, and that means finding him the perfect bride,” Noah pointed out, his voice purposely light.

Simon’s fingers tightened. “Seeing you this week will be difficult with all the insanity.”

“No worries, chap. I’ll be too busy with the shop and the barrage of customers.” His voice sounded too carefree as if he had no problem with the separation. “Perhaps it’s for the best we won’t see each other. It will ease your way with your courtship of your future wife.” He pulled his hand away and slipped it inside his jacket pocket.

Simon’s lips twisted. “Courtship? Where did you get the idea I would court some woman my parents may find for me at this blasted ball?”

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Simon, you can’t ignore this. You need to get married. People are starting to question—”

Simon landed his palms on Noah’s chest and pushed him back. He stumbled against a crate and expelled a disgruntled sigh. “Jostling me around isn’t going to solve your problem.”

“No, it isn’t. I’m acting like a spoiled brat, aren’t I?” Simon smoothed his palms over Noah’s chest and gave him a chastised look.

“Look on the bright side.” He tapped Simon’s cheek. “The ball will be a perfect opportunity for you to have a passionate encounter with a lady or two.” Noah gave Simon a blinding smile, although it hurt to do so. “You’ll then come to the conclusion I’m not what you need any longer.”

The dark glare Simon gave him made his heart jump. He’d never seen Simon so angry and it gave him a slight scare.

“Explain to me what you mean by not needing you any longer,” Simon snapped and cupped Noah’s face.

He swallowed. “At your age, most men have experienced some sort of passion with a woman. You’ve only practiced with me. How can you know you won’t be attracted to a woman unless you kiss her or touch her?”

Simon’s growling amplified. “Practice? What the hell…how can you say that? I may have never been intimate with a woman, but I sure as hell know what I’m attracted to, and whom. Are you saying you’re finished with me?”

“Let’s be realistic here.” Noah moved his head back to escape Simon’s hold. Simon increased the pressure of his grip and he went still before Simon really lost his temper. “Our relationship wasn’t meant to be forever. Perhaps this ball is a sign we should break things off. I refuse to be your dirty secret on the side as you romance a woman you’ll end up giving your name to and sharing your body with.”

“I’m not ready to give you up yet. You’ve gone too far this time.” Simon’s voice lowered to a ragged whisper and rage flashed in his eyes.

“Gone too far? By speaking my mind? You never seemed to have a problem before.” A chill shot up his back and he shifted from one leg to the other.

“This talk about you leaving me is ridiculous.”

“This talk would have happened eventually.” He lifted Simon’s palm to his mouth and bestowed a kiss there. “Why not now? It’s for the best if we end things now.”

“For the best?” Simon slammed his palms on each side of Noah’s head. Harsh pants came out of his mouth and his chest heaved.

“Calm down.” He nudged Simon back.

Simon thrust his hand away moved in closer until their chests were flush against one another.

“Here you stand, in control, as if everything between us was nothing more than a passing fancy.” Simon seethed, showing teeth.

“You must back away and let me go. We’ll get caught and—”

“Shut up.” Simon grasped Noah by the back of his neck and planted a kiss on his open mouth.

He twisted his head to the side to escape Simon’s resilient mouth. Simon cursed, breaking off the kiss and latching his lips on the side of his throat. He swallowed a groan when Simon’s knee slid in between his legs and rocked over his groin.

“God!” He flinched as Simon sucked on his neck, his teeth biting down on his skin as his hand slipped in between them and grasped his stiff cock.

“Mine,” Simon hissed and cupped him roughly, holding Noah in a firm grip.

Noah slammed his head back against the wood behind him, wincing from the sting and the throbbing that had taken over his entire body. At this rate he would come in his breeches if Simon didn’t stop.

“I can’t…” He arched into Simon’s clasp, closing his eyes as Simon lapped over his cheek, leaving a wet trail as he moved his face down the middle of his chest and knelt down before him.

He watched through slitted eyes as Simon unfastened his breeches and tugged them and his drawers down. His member spilled out and he groaned when Simon circled his thumb across his weeping head.

Many times in the past, Simon brought him to completion with his nimble hands, more so than sucking him off with his mouth. He always enjoyed having Simon’s cock in his mouth, never asking for the same in return. Now it looked like Simon wanted to return the favor.

Simon rubbed his nose over the side of his prick, expelling a breath that encased his turgid flesh. He jerked his hips forward, anxious for Simon’s mouth on him.

“Think of this as your punishment,” Simon whispered with a wicked grin and sealed his mouth around his pulsating cock.

Noah fisted his hands into Simon’s hair as his mouth pumped back and forth. He spread his legs apart and bit down hard on his lip, shaking from the intensity over the exquisite pleasure traveling through his body. He was unraveling, coming apart because of the majestic man kneeling before him.

Appreciative sounds came from Simon as he sucked and licked. His hands fiddled with Noah’s balls, clenching and releasing them, making him beg for Simon to finish him off.

“Not yet…” Simon mumbled around Noah’s cock, running his teeth over a vein, then sucking down hard. His hand ventured further back until he found the curve of Noah’s ass and glided one finger in between his cheeks.

“Fuuuck,” he garbled and ground down on Simon’s finger that slipped inside his anus and twisted to and fro. He wouldn’t last, not with the blunt finger deep inside his ass and a greedy mouth latched around his manhood, intent on stealing his essence.

“Come for me. Now,” Simon ordered and dug his finger in deeper. His mouth engulfed Noah’s dick until he hit the back of his throat.

Noah jerked and cupped Simon behind the head as he filled Simon’s mouth with his seed. Black spots appeared in front of his eyes and he blinked them away, blinded by the powerful orgasm. He barely had time to catch his breath when Simon rose, huffing. He wiped his mouth and cupped Noah’s cheeks, resting his forehead against his.

Their heavy breaths mingled together and tears filled Noah’s eyes. He clutched Simon to him, silently proclaiming his love for this man he didn’t want to give up.

Simon hid his face into the crook of his shoulder and whispered those three words he’d been longing to hear.

He continued holding a trembling Simon with disregard for his near nakedness and drying seed on his thighs and stomach. He closed his eyes, whispering nonsensical words as Simon’s tears drenched his shirt collar.

* * * *

Mina palmed her heated cheeks and moved away from the window. She sat down next to the chamber pot, immune to the acrid smell of urine coming in that direction. She quivered from her climax, her womb still clenching with the need to be filled with something long and thick. What she observed from the window in the water closet on the second floor had been scandalous and sinful, but had her wanting more, much, much more.

Noah’s and Simon’s sexual exchange should have shocked her feminine sensibilities, but what she felt was quite the opposite. She couldn’t stop watching as the two men kissed passionately with their hands roaming over one another in possession. When Simon got down on his knees and took out Noah’s manhood, she almost swooned.

She had reached in between her legs to ease the ache in her womanhood over the sex act that commenced. With fast strokes against her wet core, she experienced a release unlike any other she had before. She had wanted to see more, to take part in what both men offered one another.

Now it made perfect sense why Simon was still unmarried. He had a tendre for Noah. They were lovers, and from the way they acted toward one another, had been for some time.

Jealousy ripped through her chest. Simon was meant to be hers!

Giving her twitching mound one last rub, she rose to her feet and stared out the window. Both Simon and Noah were gone. No evidence of their assignation remained.

Tapping her chin, she stared down at the alleyway. Did Simon only prefer men or did he like women also? And if he did, would he be open to sharing?

“Aha!” she shouted in glee. Now, with this tidbit of information she had, she could use it to her benefit. As shameful as it sounded, she wasn’t above blackmail to get what she wanted. What if she approached Simon with a solution that would benefit them both? She adored Noah and wanted the best for him also. She truly didn’t want to hurt him or Simon.

She splashed scented water on her hands from the bowl on a table and patted down her flushed face. She now knew how to get Simon to marry her, and if it all worked out to her favor, he wouldn’t refuse. She had come up with a perfect way to get what she wanted.

Chapter Seven

Ellie wandered along the river bank near the Perrault property. She kept looking over her shoulder to see if she was shadowed or if anyone lurked in the bushes or behind the trees. She was both nervous and anxious, her basket far too light since she had left both August and Jack at home. She wished she brought them both with her for support, but couldn’t take the chance they would cause a ruckus, especially Jack, who wouldn’t stay in the basket for long.

She patted the side of her hair where she had pinned a white ribbon she had snitched from Mina’s collection. It matched her one nice dress, a blue checkered gingham instead of her mourning dress. She hoped to impress Diana, even with her outdated dress, taking the time to style her hair and going as far as spraying on some of Geraldine’s lilac-scented perfume.

Turning the bend near an out cropping of trees stood a small wooden structure. The white paint was peeling down the sides and the two windows were missing glass. The building lacked charm, but otherwise it looked sound for her tutoring lesson; much like a schoolhouse. She smiled, pleased with that idea, and walked up to the front door. Lifting her hand, she gave the door a rap. The door swung open.

Diana wore a floral muslin dress, displaying the graceful arch of her throat and her ample bosom. Her hair was spread across her shoulders like a curtain. She’s breathtaking! Ellie’s hand rose of its own accord toward Diana’s tresses. She blinked and dropped her hand down at her side.

Diana didn’t seem to notice her transgression and smiled in welcome.

“I’m so happy you decided to...oh my dear, whatever happened to your chin?”

She moved back when Diana lifted her hand toward her face. She covered the offensive-looking scratch. “It’s nothing to worry about. August swiped me with one of his claws.”

Diana gave her a skeptical look but didn’t press any further. “Come inside.”

She backed into the room and Ellie entered, taking stock of her surroundings. It had a homey feel to it with a fireplace, a tiny kitchen with a table, and a small bed arranged with linens and pillows in the far corner.

Ellie sniffed, expecting to smell stale air and dust. She found neither. “Did someone clean?”

Diana nodded and swiped a finger across the back of a chair. “I dusted and swept, and brought sheets and pillows for the bed.” She rubbed her hands and snuck a peek at the basket. “Did you bring August?”

“Not this time. I left him and Jack home. They get into mischief and I wouldn’t want them to be a bother.”

“Jack?” Diana asked. “You have another cat?”

“Erm, not a cat. Just another pet of mine.” She bit the inside of her cheek. She wanted to smack her forehead for mentioning Jack.

To her surprise, Diana didn’t ask any questions about her rodent pet. On the table, Ellie set out the parcel of food she brought with her, as well as her slate and chalk, and a few old elementary books of Mina’s she found hidden in one of the library shelves.

“I bought some food in case we get hungry,” she explained, peering at Diana over her shoulder.

Diana stared at her hair. Ellie hunched her shoulders, uncomfortable at being studied in such a way.

“The ribbon suits you,” Diana said, and before Ellie could stop her, she pushed aside one of her curls behind her ear and her fingertip grazed over the ribbon.

She grabbed the chair next to her to stop from swaying. Diana moved over to the counter in the kitchen and produced a bottle and two glasses.

“Do you like wine?”

Ellie nodded, although she’d never had any. She didn’t want to disappoint Diana.

“Wonderful!” Diana clapped. “This will be our reward for when we finish with our lesson for today.”

She found it strange Diana used the word “our” and not “your”. She liked the idea of sharing between the two of them.

“That would be nice.” She sat down.

Diana took a satchel off a chair and sat. She opened the bag and extracted a bundle of paper and a book. “Put the slate away. From now on you’ll use paper and pen.”

Ellie’s jaw dropped. When Diana placed the paper in front of her, she stroked it. She never used real paper to write on before. What a treat!

Diana set a small jar of ink and a pen next to her and opened the book to the first page. “Why don’t you write out the alphabet and we’ll take it from there?”

Ellie nodded enthusiastically and hid her smile when Diana laughed. She lifted the pen, dipped it in the ink and drew the letter A.

* * * *

An hour later, Kristina wanted to take a break. Her back ached from sitting in the rigid wooden chair. But then again Elle had allowed her to take her hand to assist with her writing. Their shoulders brushed against one another and their elbows bumped while they scribbled on the paper.

She was proud of her student, who with some instruction not only wrote out the entire alphabet but also copied a few sentences from the primer and could read and understand them. Her handwriting still needed work, but she made sure to compliment Elle in order to see her smile and her eyes lose the uncertainty always lurking underneath.

She lifted her arms over her head and stretched, twisting her neck back and forth to release the stiffness there. Elle read aloud from her book, but then yawned.

“Let’s take a break. I’m famished,” Kristina said and grabbed the wine.

Thunder rumbled in the distance and the wind had picked up. When she turned back around, Elle stared out the window. Her face had paled and she rubbed her arms as if she was cold.

“Are you all right?” she asked and sat back down next to the startled woman.

Elle’s lips tilted up into a small smile. “I hate storms.”

“I’m not keen on them either. But they do pop up unexpectedly this time of year. We’ll just have to wait it out if it rains too hard.” She opened the wine she had uncorked earlier and poured the dark red liquid into two glasses.

Elle pushed aside the book and papers and laid out the food.

Kristina stomach grumbled over the selection of bread, cheeses, and fruit. “Grapes are my favorite fruit.” She popped one into her mouth.

“Apples are still the best. I can’t get enough of them.” Elle took one and polished it against her shoulder. Instead of taking a bite, she set it on the table.

“I gathered that,” she murmured, trying not to stare at Elle’s mouth when she took a tentative sip of her wine.

“Hm, good.” Elle covered her mouth when she burped, murmuring an apology.

“I’m happy you approve.” Without waiting for permission, she brushed a hand over Elle’s hair. She loved touching her hair. It wasn’t as smooth as she’d like, but she enjoyed running her fingers through the curly locks.

Elle bit into her apple and chewed. Kristina took a sip of her wine and continued caressing her hair. Elle jerked her head away and touched the spot Kristina had been admiring with her hand.

“You must think I’m rude. I normally don’t go around touching people’s heads,” she clarified and ate another grape.

“My mother would brush my hair before bed.” A sober look appeared on Elle’s face.

“Was your hair always short?” she asked.

Elle shook her head. “I chopped it off around the time I became a…servant. It kept falling in my face and would never stay in a braid. It’s easier to take care of this way.”

“The ribbon is a nice touch. Did you wear it for me today?” she asked, and nudged her shoulder against Elle’s.

Elle finished her wine and took a few more bites of her apple, not answering.

Kristina swallowed a frustrated sigh, allowing her question to go unanswered. She poured more wine for them both. “I want to know more about you. It will help me with your lessons.”

She waited for the hesitation to surface over her flawed statement. Elle continued drinking her wine. Her cheeks gave off a rosy glow and the paleness of her skin diminished, lessening her gaunt appearance.

She placed her hand on top of Elle’s fist resting in her lap. Elle’s hand twitched. Kristina’s thumb ran over the knuckles, troubled by how bony they were.

“You’re far too skinny.” She gave Elle’s hand another squeeze.

“I’ve always been, even when I was little. I take after my mother, or so my father told me many times. He said I had her body, but not her agreeable face or charming disposition.”

Kristina frowned. How dare a parent say such a thing to their child?

“Your father sounds like a wonderful man.” She drank her wine to hide her outrage.

Elle didn’t seem to catch the false, droll tone in her voice and shrugged. “He loved my mother deeply, and when she died, he was heartbroken. I guess I reminded him of what he lost and was disappointed with the outcome.”

Kristina’s grasp tightened around her glass and she cleared her throat. Before she could respond, the skies opened up and a deluge of rain plummeted from the sky. Lightning flashed and thunder boomed directly overhead.

A soft whimper came from Elle. Kristina set her glass down on the table and curved an arm around the frightened woman’s shoulder.

“Don’t be scared. It soon will pass.”

Elle wiped her palms on her skirt “I know. It’s…I’ve always been afraid of storms. Many times I would be locked…um, in my bedroom at night during one.”

Kristina noticed the verbal stumble but stopped from inquiring about it. She brought Elle closer into her embrace. Elle started to tremble, causing her ribbon to dislodge from her hair and land on the bodice of her dress. Her breathing grew heavy and her nipples speared the fabric of her dress. Another roll of thunder crashed. Elle shut her eyes and her lips fell into a taut line.

Kristina grew worried Elle might faint or have a fit. She needed to do something to calm the poor woman down. She lifted the ribbon off of Elle’s chest. Suddenly an idea came to her.

“Why don’t we sit together on the bed? We’ll be more comfortable there and I can fix your hair and make it pretty again using your ribbon.” She stroked the side of Elle’s cheek, hoping her touch would comfort. “But in order to do that you must leave the table and walk the very short distance behind us. I’ll be by your side the entire time.”

Elle exhaled through her nose and pressed her hand over Kristina’s on her cheek. “All right.”

“Stand up.” She curved her arm around Elle’s waist and steered her toward the bedding. Thunder boomed again and Elle stopped, clenching her fists.

“Here we are,” Kristina announced and sat down on the mattress. Elle sat down beside her and hugged her waist. She bent over her knees as if she was going to vomit.

She had never seen someone act like this and it gave her some cause for concern. She cupped Elle’s cheek and turned her face up toward her own.

“I’m so-sorry, bu-but I-I’m so-so sca-scared,” Elle stuttered.

“Lie down with me. I’ll keep you safe from harm,” Kristina said and lay sideways on the makeshift bed. She pulled Elle down next to her and wrapped her in a secure embrace.

The storm lingered with its whipping rain and flashes of lightning followed by thunder. Elle would flinch and Kristina would hush her by stroking her hair or rubbing her hip and stomach. Elle didn’t respond to her touches other than to wiggle every so often and inhale deep breaths.

Eventually Elle relaxed. Her head drifted to one side and her stilted breath lessened. Kristina lifted up on her elbow and looked down into her face.

My sleeping beauty. She brushed the back of her hand across Elle’s pale cheek and smiled when Elle wiggled her nose. She then blindly searched around, finding Kristina’s hand and clutching it to her chest.

Elle whimpered at the thunder. Kristina crooned in her ear, telling her she was safe and no harm would come to her.

She watched the rain, content and happy Elle trusted her enough to fall asleep in her arms.

Chapter Eight

The pillow under her cheek was soft, unlike the scratchy pillow Ellie slept on in her own bed. Smacking her dry lips, she pressed back against the warm body behind her, enjoying the way something soft brushed over her hands and traced her knuckles and her wrists.

Warm body?

Her eyes snapped open. Other than the rain dripping off the roof of the cottage, and the swaying of the tree branches from the left over wind from the storm, it sounded peaceful. Turning onto her back, she stared at Diana’s face. Diana rested her cheek on her palm and looked back at her in return. Her fingers never stopped their tracing and it tickled in a most pleasant manner.

“I didn’t mean to nod off the way I did,” she said.

Diana didn’t seem offended. Her thumb pushed aside one of Ellie’s curls sticking to her cheek.

She swallowed, waiting for Diana to release her and get up from the bed. She did neither.

“You didn’t sleep long, a half hour by most. The storm has passed.” Diana nudged her chin toward the window. Diana kept her hand against her cheek, her fingers caressing.

“I feel strange,” Ellie ran her tongue along her bottom lip. Near the junction of her thighs it was tight and damp.

Diana’s forehead knitted and she brushed the side of Elle’s face with her finger. “Ssh, all will be well. My mother once told me the best way to ignore our fears is to concentrate on something else.”

“How would we do that?” she whispered, turning her face against Diana’s palm.

Diana smiled and tapped the tip of her nose. “Close your eyes.”

Finding the request odd, she did what Diana requested. Her reward came soon after, and was unlike anything she could have imagined or wished for.

Fingers ran across her lips and around her mouth, drifting down her chin and along her throat. A thumb circled the middle of her chest until it moved down lower and flattened a palm over her breastbone. Ellie dropped her hand over Diana’s and opened her eyes. She had become drowsy again and a yawn built up in her throat. As she opened her mouth to let it out, Diana’s head dipped down and lips landed over hers.

She held her breath, her yawn forgotten as Diana brushed her lips back and forth, sucking gently. Her fingers linked with Ellie’s, and she increased the kiss, a soft moan leaving her as she broke away.

“Did you enjoy that?” Diana asked, her free hand coming around to caress Ellie’s face.

She couldn’t think. Her mind drew a blank. Her lips tingled and the heaviness filling her stomach moved lower and continued to expand.

“Have I shocked you, my Elle? Are you going to run away now that I kissed you?” Diana lowered her face, her stare bold and heated. “Have you ever been kissed before?”

Ellie shook her head no, shamed over her inexperience.

Diana cupped her face. Her eyes had grown dark and her face flushed. “I’m glad I’m your first.”

“But you’re a woman, not a man. Women don’t go around kissing other women,” Ellie announced and stared up at the ceiling.

“There are women who enjoy kissing women, like me.”

She looked back at Diana in confusion. “You do? But isn’t it—”

“Wrong? Unnatural?” Diana’s lips curled and her hand tightened around Ellie’s lax one. “Most think so, but I can’t stop the way I feel. I’m careful with the women I make lo—kiss.” Her vexation was replaced with a tender smile. “I kissed you because I’ve sensed your attraction toward me.”

She didn’t know how to respond so she kept her mouth shut. Frustrated tears filled her eyes over her growing feelings for Diana.

Diana clucked and gave her cheek a soft pat. “Don’t cry, dear. It’s not worth getting emotional over. We can act like this never happened and go on the way we have. It will be our secret between friends.”

Friends. Ellie liked the sound of that. She sniffed and her lips trembled as they formed a smile. She enjoyed this closeness she had with Diana and didn’t want it to end. She might be confused over what had just happened, but she was curious to see what another kiss would be like. She had very few kisses in her life and wanted at least one more to take with her, to remember when she was alone.

Diana kissed her on the cheek and began to sit up. Ellie’s hand shot out to stop her, and twining her fingers into Diana’s hair, she smashed her lips against Diana’s. She sucked down hard, enjoying the texture of Diana’s soft lips that opened to receive her ardor. A moan left her as she increased the pressure of the kiss, arching against Diana in need.

When Diana’s tongue slipped inside her mouth, she squeaked and jerked back.

“Why did you stick your tongue in my mouth?” she asked, heat rising up her neck and face.

Diana laughed softly and ran her thumb across her bottom lip. “Kissing involves tongues. That’s the next step.”

“It is?” she asked, skeptical a person would want their tongue inside another’s mouth where they mash up all types of food with their teeth.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Diana admonished and tapped the middle of Ellie’s chin. “You like the way I kissed you without using my tongue, right?”

She nodded. That part had been very enjoyable. She wanted more of those types of kisses.

“What if I told you kissing is much better when we share tongues?” Diana’s eyelids lowered and her roaming thumb moved down to brush over the opening of Ellie’s dress near her bosom.

Ellie swallowed, her heart pounding in her ears. Diana’s touch made her warm and prickly. “What if I don’t like it? Will you stop if I don’t want to kiss with tongues?”

“Of course.” Diana’s voice came out in a purr and her hand pressed down on Ellie’s chest, her fingers sliding inside the bodice of her dress.

She shifted her legs to try to stop the pressure building in between there. She wanted to cup herself, to stop the ache, but didn’t want Diana to know.

Diana brushed her mouth over hers. “Why don’t we take things slow? Trust me, you’ll like it better if we do.”

“What do you mean?” she asked on a huff and rubbed her legs together. The ache had now reached to a fevered pitch.

“Why don’t I show you?” Diana sealed her mouth over Ellie’s.

She clenched Diana’s shoulders and kissed her back. This time when Diana’s tongue touched hers, she didn’t stop. Her tongue tousled with Diana’s forceful one. Diana seemed to appreciate the move and deepened the kiss. Her tongue circled around and swept the inside of her cheek.

“Oh…” Ellie whispered, pressing her mouth harder against Diana’s demanding one. She lifted her leg up and looped it around Diana’s hip.

“Hmmm,” Diana moaned, rocking her hips forward. Her hand dipped further down into Ellie’s dress and cupped her breast in possession.

Ellie inhaled and twisted her face away, breathing heavily. She sobbed when Diana licked the side of her throat at the same time her palm ground against her taut flesh.

She panted, gasping for air. She closed her eyes and exhaled wordless sighs, letting Diana touch her in a way no one else ever had.

“Dearest, let me taste you. Please…” Diana whispered against the crook of her shoulder and rubbed her mouth across her damp skin, moving down to kiss the top of her breast.

Ellie opened her eyes and blinked up at the ceiling. Her body was strung too tight and her inner thighs stuck together as she grew wet. She spread her legs apart, cradling Diana. Her skirt was lifted and cool air met her knees, then her thighs. She met each of Diana’s kisses with her own inexperienced ones. Diana spread Ellie’s dress open and unlaced her dated corset. She then slipped down her many-times-washed chemise. Only when Diana’s mouth left hers, did Ellie speak.

“Touch me,” she pleaded, and dug her fingers into the back of Diana’s neck, bringing her face down to her chest.

“Your wish is my command,” Diana said in a low tone and blew over Ellie’s puckered nipple.

She arched as Diana tongued her nipple. That was almost her undoing, and then Diana stroked her through her drawers. Fingers found the slit in between the thin fabric and speared through her curls.

“Oh!” she cried out, bucking into Diana’s hand. Her right leg lifted up higher on Diana’s hip and she was rewarded when two of Diana’s fingers curled up and touched her tight, swollen nub that made her shudder.

“Shh, don’t stiffen up,” Diana ordered, and laid her open mouth over Ellie’s breast, lapping over her nipple. Her teeth scraped her sensitive flesh, causing her to drench Diana’s fingers that pumped in a lazy rhythm in between her mound.

“Oh…oh…right—” Ellie bit down hard on her lip and pitched her head back against the pillow. Diana responded by sucking down hard on her breast and flicking her fingers inside her cunny, where she rubbed a small knot of flesh that expanded and made her inner muscles spasm.

Sweat beaded the top of Ellie’s lip and her vision grew blurry. She rocked against Diana’s hand, grabbing her by her nape of her neck, crying out for more. Her voice grew hoarse and she couldn’t catch her breath. When Diana stuck a finger deep inside her, she yelled out Diana’s name and clenched down, her feminine canal latching around the finger and milking it.

She tried to hide her face in the pillow to stop from being too loud. Releasing her nipple with a soft pop, Diana nudged her face back over with her cheek and sealed her mouth over hers.

While her body clamped around Diana’s finger and more liquid surged from her cunny, she continued kissing Diana until she couldn’t breathe. Her first sexual experience was with this woman, whom she felt completely safe with. Most importantly, she had been treated with respect and care.

As those welcoming thoughts filled her mind, her body quaked one last time in pleasure and she broke down in happy tears.

* * * *

“What’s this, now?” Kristina held the hysterical woman close. A few of her lovers had broken down when they experienced a violent climax, thanks to her skillful touch, but unlike those other times, Elle’s cries tore at her heart.

She wiped away Elle’s tears marking a path along the side of her face. She pressed her cheek against Elle’s dewy one and tightened her arms. When Elle quieted down, she lifted up on her elbow and stared down at the woman she had just given incredible pleasure to. Knowing she had been her first made her chest burst not only with satisfaction but in incandescent joy.

“Was that the first time you came by another person’s hand?” she asked, tracing her fingers across Elle’s chin.

Elle blinked, and a tear landed on her lip. She used that as an excuse to give Elle another kiss. Elle released a shaky breath and shifted her palm over her cheek. She broke the kiss before it could go any further and held Elle’s palm in place.

“I don’t understand what you mean.” Elle’s voice cracked and she cleared her throat.

Kristina smiled, and with a kiss to Elle’s brow this time, untangled her limbs and got up from the bed. She grabbed the bottle of wine and a glass. She poured a glass and held it out for Elle to take. Elle stared at it, confused.

“Since we don’t have water, we’ll have to make do with the wine. It will soothe your raw throat,” she recommended and wrapped Elle’s fingers around the glass.

Elle sat up and took a sip. She sat down next to her and took Elle’s free hand in hers. She would have liked to nestle down with Elle and kiss and touch her some more, perhaps teach Elle other ways they could pleasure one another. For now she would wait until Elle wasn’t unsteady and overwrought over their encounter.

Elle stared down into the glass and chewed on her lip. Kristina gave the abused lip a soft tap, startling her. She was then rewarded with a small smile from her new lover.

“You should smile more. It brightens up your face and brings out your beauty,” she said and cupped Elle’s breast.

Elle rolled her lip with her teeth, inhaling through her nose as Kristina gave her nipple one last tug. Giving Elle a soft peck, she removed her hand before she laid her back onto the bed and spent the remainder of the afternoon admiring Elle’s breasts with her mouth and hands.

“Thank you for being so kind…and for today.” Elle lifted up the straps of her chemise and covered her chest from Kristina’s view.

Next time those pretties will be all mine to play with. She bussed the top of Elle’s head and grinned. She planned on being very kind to her many more times in the days to come. After today she would do whatever she could to install Elle in her home.

“I’m pleased you enjoyed what we did together.” She tilted Elle’s face up to hers. Elle didn’t look away like she usually did. Ah, progress!

Elle sniffed and wiggled her nose. Kristina laughed and gave her a kiss. “You’ve recovered, yes?”

Ellie half shook her head in affirmation and lowered her eyes. “You like kissing.”

“Very much so. I enjoy sharing kisses with you, among other things.” She brushed her nose across Elle’s and gave her another kiss with a quick swipe of her tongue.

Elle’s tongue shot out and joined Kristina’s. A moan left her, and with one last suck and lick, she backed away. They needed to discuss some things before they went further.

“A few minutes ago I asked you if you had come with another person. I’m assuming you haven’t, and only found your climax with your own hand?”

A blush rose on Elle’s face and this time she stared at her lap. “You’re the first to kiss me like you did. As for the other things, I…” Apprehension floated in her eyes. “What does it mean, ‘to come’?”

Kristina covered her mouth to hide her grin. Apparently Elle was a total innocent when it came to sexual desire. She would have so much fun teaching this naïve woman the pleasure of the flesh.

“Do you remember how you felt when I sucked your breast and my fingers touched your pussy? You had what is called an orgasm, or a climax. Not many can achieve them, but I’m happy to say you did. I would love to show you how you can find that wonderful rapture again. We’ll add it to your writing lessons.”

“Is this what a husband and wife do together in their bed?” Elle asked, folding her hands on her lap.

A vision of Elle all dressed in white and her face covered with a veil flashed before Kristina’s eyes. It startled her and she blinked it away. “Ah, in usual married circles, I do believe a husband and a wife share intimacies like we did.”

“But we’re not married and we’re both women.” Elle stated the obvious and tilted her head in confusion.

She nodded. “You make a good point. But there are some like us, and even men who enjoy the company of the same gender. It’s not talked about in polite circles. Public opinion thinks two women or two men engaging in such activities are immoral and depraved. I’ve been selective with the women I’ve chosen as lovers.”

She expected Elle to ask about her past relationships, but instead she lifted her hand and rested it on her shoulder. Her face was open and her eyes wide and clear. “How can something be considered immoral when it feels so good?”

“I agree,” she said, breathing easier when Elle didn’t act disgusted or ashamed because of the belief that sex and love should only be shared between a man and a woman, and in the bonds of matrimony.

“It’s getting late. I should go before I’m missed.”

Kristina tightened her hold, but then relented. It wasn’t like they could remain in this tiny room indefinitely, preferably naked and engaging in more explicit activities.

She stood first, and before Elle could do the same, she gave her a swift kiss. She then backed away to stop from showing Elle what she could do with her mouth and tongue in between her legs instead of with her fingers.

Elle touched her lips and rose. She pushed back her hair and smoothed down the wrinkles on her dress. She then went over to the table and began pulling her things together to leave.

They needed to discuss their next rendezvous. She wouldn’t allow Elle to leave until she had her promise they would see each other again. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Elle’s waist.

Elle stopped what she was doing. She perched her hands on top of Kristina’s and settled back against her.

Her mouth grazed Elle’s ear. “When can I see you again?”

Elle turned her face Kristina’s way. “I’m not certain. Maybe midweek?”

She gritted her teeth. She wanted a definite answer and wouldn’t settle for less. “How about Tuesday or Wednesday?”

“I’ll have to see.” Elle moved away and lifted the basket. “Or next Sunday? That seems to be the best day for both us.”

Kristina crossed her arms and tapped her foot. She was having a snit and didn’t care. She refused to wait another seven days to see Elle. Plus, her parents’ ball would most likely go late into the night and she would be exhausted the next day.

“You’re upset.” Elle held the basket up against her chest as if to protect her.

Kristina flipped her hair back and exhaled. “I’m bothered. I hate you can’t come and go as you please.” Suddenly an idea popped into her head and her crankiness disappeared. She gave Elle a loud smack on the lips.

Elle lifted her face toward Kristina to keep the kiss going, but she was too involved with her own thoughts that could solve their problem. She spread her fingers around the back of Elle’s head and stared down at her in unabashed glee. “I take it you go into town for groceries and such?”

Elle nodded. “On Wednesdays.”

“Perfect!” She gave her another kiss and broke away again before Elle could kiss her back. Elle’s bottom lip puckered out and Kristina flicked the protruding flesh with her finger. “I’ll never let you leave if we start kissing again. How about we pick a time and a place on Wednesday where we can meet each other in town? Surely you can spend an extra hour as you run your errands.”

“But then we wouldn’t have much enough time for my lesson.”

She tugged on Elle’s hair and drifted her palm down her cheek and then her chin where she gave it a soft tweak. “We can discuss another time to meet for your lessons. I just want to see you again and find a secluded spot where we can touch and kiss like we did here today. Unless you can get away and we can come back here for more amorous pursuits?”

“Um, we should be careful about meeting in public. I wouldn’t want to ruin your reputation being seen with me.”

Kristina found that odd. It wasn’t like she wanted to announce to the entire world they were lovers. But then again, if someone recognized her and called out her real name while she was with Elle, things could get very difficult.

“How about you tell me where you work—”

“No.” Elle raised her voice and backed away, shaking her head.

“Calm down. I wasn’t planning on knocking on the front door and asking the mistress of the house to see you, although if I want to I could. There’s nothing stopping me from finding out where you live and who you work for,” she explained with a bite in her voice.

Distress appeared on Elle’s face and she averted her eyes to study the floor.

Kristina’s stomach twisted. She wanted to kick herself for forcing Elle back into her timid shell. She cursed softly, ready to apologize, when Elle came back over to her.

“If you want to figure out who I really am, you’ll be disappointed. I’m nothing special, and like you, I prefer to keep our…friendship a secret. What if we meet at the church near the town cemetery around three o’clock? The people I work for have their tea then. I can meet with you for two hours. Will that be good enough?”

The sudden sour feeling coating her stomach vanished. She lifted her hand toward Elle’s face, waiting to be pushed away in indignation. To her astonishment, Elle lifted up and gave her a kiss. She sighed against Elle’s mouth.

“Am I forgiven for acting like a snob and ordering you around?” she asked.

Elle dropped down on her heels and smiled. Her eyes twinkled, a first since Kristina’s had met her.

“There’s nothing to forgive,” Elle said, and with one last, fleeting kiss, left Kristina. She opened the door and peeked back over her shoulder. “I’ll see you in three days’ time at the church at three o’clock.”

“It’s an appointment I wouldn’t miss for the world,” she said softly, aching to have Elle in her arms again and press kisses on her face and elsewhere on her body that would make her cry out in satisfaction.

Elle nodded in return and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her.

Kristina wanted to dance in circles. She did just that, waltzing around the room with an imaginary partner, who she envisioned as Elle.

Chapter Nine

The pillows on the settee had been fluffed and the table dusted where Geraldine and the countess would have their tea. She wanted to make certain everything was perfect and that they wouldn’t need her after she served them. That usually was the case when the countess came for a visit. Both women would remain in the sitting room until dinner. This would give her ample time to see Diana again.

She lifted the white ribbon out of her bodice and rubbed it against her cheek. In the three days since she last saw Diana, she kept the ribbon on her. This small piece of fabric was her good luck charm. She had finally received her first kiss and much more. Her face grew warm and she pressed her palms over her cheeks.

The likelihood she and Diana would engage in more intimacies this time around was impossible. It wasn’t as if they could sneak into a church confessional and do those wonderful things Diana had introduce to her with her skilled mouth and fingers. Already in the eyes of God, Ellie was a sinner. First, for sharing affections that should only occur between a man and his wife. Second, for doing those things with another woman. She couldn’t take a chance her soul would be eternally damned if they ended up kissing and touching in God’s house—

“Ellie, I’m going to town to pick up Mama’s and my dresses for the ball on Saturday night. I’ll need you to come with me. I can’t carry both dresses home by myself,” Mina said as she brought in a tray filled with small finger sandwiches and fruit.

Why is she being so considerate? She tried to grab the tray, but Mina brushed her aside and set it on the table.

“Now, don’t frown. It’s good for you to get out of this house.” Mina lifted her finger. “Think of how impressed mama will be when I tell her you’ve volunteered to help me.”

Ellie held back a snort. No amount of work she did or volunteering would impress Geraldine. In the end she still wouldn’t be rewarded by being allowed to accompany her stepmother and stepsister to the ball.

Mina wandered over to the windows and cast aside one of the curtains that had seen better days. “The countess should be here shortly. We can leave after you serve the tea.”

Ellie stopped from groaning. How in the world would she ever be able to meet Diana now with Mina by her side? She needed to figure out a way to lose Mina before—

“The countess’s carriage is coming up the drive. I’ll go upstairs and tell Mama.” Mina turned and skipped out of the room.

She shook her head, bewildered by Mina’s energy. I guess picking up a new dress to impress the man you wish to marry can make any woman excitable. She sighed and withdrew to the kitchen to bring back a pot of tea. By the time she had set the pot down in the drawing room, there was a knock on the front door. She went to answer it.

The countess was in all her splendor, wearing a satin pink dress with lace surrounding a low-cut bodice showing off far too much skin and cleavage. A large white hat with a grouping of pink roses around the brim sat on her head. The dress would have been better suited on a younger woman, but the countess dictated her own fashion and no one had ever dared to criticize.

She curtsied in welcome. “Good afternoon, Countess Tremaine. Please come in.”

“How many times do I have to remind you to call me Yvonne?” The countess shook her head and stepped inside. Before Ellie could shut the door, the countess cupped her face and gave her a kiss on each cheek.

The countess lost her smile as she drifted her hands down Ellie’s arms. “You’re far too skinny. This must change.”

She stared down at the floor. She could never understand why the countess always criticized her, which led her to touching her in some manner or another.

She tugged her arms away. The countess looked even more displeased. “Stepmother will be down soon. I have tea and a small luncheon for you both to enjoy.”

The countess steepled her fingers under her chin. “You’re so thoughtful. Lead the way.”

The countess sat on the settee instead of the chair Ellie had directed her to. She unpinned her hat and set it down next to her. Ellie reached for a cup, ready to pour the tea when the countess clasped her wrist.

“Why don’t you keep me company until Geraldine comes?” The countess drew her around the table. She had no choice but to sit down and make pleasant conversation.

She glanced over at the open doorway, hoping Mina and Geraldine would come soon. She still needed to figure out a way—

“I glad we have this time along to talk,” the countess said and rested a hand over Ellie’s. Before she could pull away, the countess turned over her hand and flattened her palm over her roughened one.

“You might find it absurd at my age, but I enjoy holding hands, especially with such a good friend as you.” The countess ran her fingers over the lines of Ellie’s palm.

“Do you hold hands with Ger—stepmother?” she asked, covering her vocal blunder.

“We used to when we were younger, but no longer. Your mother and I would sit together, and while we talked, we would hold hands or play with each other’s hair. Angelica loved the beach and wading in the ocean. We would walk along the shore line and tell each other our deepest secrets.” The countess’s bottom lip trembled. “I still miss her very much.”

“I do too.” She squeezed the countess’s hand in a comforting gesture.

The countess wiped under her eyes. “You remind me of Angelica a great deal. You have her smile and sweet nature.” The countess’s other hand joined their combined ones. “There’s another reason for me coming here today, other than spending time with your stepmother. I would like you to live with me as my companion.”

Everything around Ellie came to a screeching halt. A rushing sound filled her ears and a horrible prickling sensation flew up and down her arms and legs. She went to stand, but was kept in place by the countess.

“Is the idea of living with me and taking care of my needs so horrible? I can promise you I’ll treat you much better than Geraldine and that spoiled daughter of hers have.”

She licked her lips. Her throat and mouth had become dry. “Um…”

The countess pushed one of Ellie’s curls behind her ear. “There’s nothing stopping you from going off on your own. Why not step out into the world with me?”

She tore her hands away and leapt up, backing away as she hugged herself. The countess frowned and shook her head, also rising. Ellie almost stumbled when August brushed up against her leg. She bent down to pick him up and rubbed her cheek against his head.

“You can’t expect to stay here forever.” The countess slowly made her way over to her.

She kept her cheek against August, who purred contently. “I’m needed here—”

The countess barked out a laugh. “You have outstayed your usefulness. If all goes according to Geraldine’s plan, Mina will marry Lord Simon. She’ll hire real servants for her mother here since she’ll have a hefty allowance from her new husband.” The countess sniffed and her nose twitched as if she smelled something bad. “Geraldine will never leave this house. This is where she had many blessed years with your father after your mother’s death. She would be more than happy to throw you out. She treats you like a thorn in her side, a harsh reminder of the woman your father loved first.”

Ellie was at a loss for words, the countess’s speech like daggers slicing through her heart.

The countess sighed and planted her palm against the side of Ellie’s face. “I have your best interests at heart. Geraldine doesn’t care for you and Mina is indifferent. Why not come away with me? I can be a kind mistress and show you many wonderful things, but only if you accept what I’m offering.”

She held August tight against her chest and shifted her face away from the countess’s hand that had slid down and landed against her neck. Before she could speak, the stairs above creaked. The countess lifted her chin, and to Ellie’s dismay, kissed her full on the mouth.

Disoriented, she breathed through her nose as the countess rubbed her lips gently against her own rigid ones. When the tip of the countess’s tongue wet her bottom lip, she turned her face away, softly wheezing.

The countess’s mouth brushed alongside her cheek. Ellie stepped back but the countess’s grip tightened. Geraldine’s and Mina’s voices were heard overhead.

“I’ve wanted to do that for a long time. Can I trust you to keep our conversation between us a secret? I would hate to tell Geraldine how rude you were while I waited for her to join me for tea.” The countess gave Ellie a moist kiss on her cheek. Her hand ventured down the front of Ellie’s dress, stopping to stroke her stomach. She then backed away with a smug smile and a wink.

August jumped out of Ellie’s arms and onto the floor. She was both confused and frightened by what had just happened between her and the countess. The kiss she was given left her chilled, very unlike Diana’s soothing and tender kisses that made her want to spin around the room.

The dong of the clock in the hall made her jump, and before she could make her excuses, Geraldine and Mina entered the room. She moved off to the side to let the two women pass.

“You’re in high spirits as usual, Yvonne.” Geraldine tipped her head in the direction of the countess who had chosen a small sandwich to nibble on.

“Eleanor has been keeping me company.” The countess licked her thumb, her eyes focused on Ellie.

Geraldine turned toward Ellie. Her mouth dropped into a blunt line. “Mina wants to take you into town with her to pick up our dresses. You may go, but don’t dawdle.” She then gave the countess a stiff smile. “Will you be joining us for dinner? Mina and I would love for you to stay and dine with us.”

“Oh yes, countess, please stay! I can show you what I’m wearing to the ball on Saturday.” Mina swayed in excitement.

The countess’s lips tilted up in amusement. “Thank you for the invitation. It will give me a chance to indulge in whatever tasty delights Eleanor has created. If only I had a cook like her on my staff.”

Ellie bit down hard on the inside of her mouth, praying the countess wouldn’t bring up her suit to hire her away. Her stomach twisted as she thought of what else the countess would want from her other than her cooking.

“Too bad Eleanor doesn’t have a twin you could hire,” Geraldine said in a dry tone and sat in the chair next to the settee.

“Mama, may we go now?” Mina hopped lightly on her feet.

“Yes, you both may go.” Geraldine shooed her away.

“Thank you, Mama. Wonderful to see you again, countess.” Mina curtsied and rushed from the room. Ellie did the same before she was forced to stay.

She could finally breathe again, and she absently nodded while Mina chattered on during their walk into the town. She could barely stop the tremors overtaking her body. She wanted to hide in her room with her bed covers over her head. If Geraldine gave in to the countess’s demands, how would refuse? Who could she turn to for help? The countess was powerful and could make things difficult if she didn’t do what she wanted. She wouldn’t place Clement, Egan, or Noah in that position. Unless—she revealed to Diana who she truly was and asked her for aid?

* * * *

“What did you say to the poor girl? She was white as a sheet,” Geraldine asked, twisting her wedding ring around her finger in agitation.

Yvonne lifted another sandwich off her plate and took a bite. A soft moan left her. “Your stepdaughter is an amazing cook. I can’t wait to eat more of the delectable treats she’ll make for dinner.”

She turned away, disgusted, while Yvonne ate away without a care in a world. Geraldine inhaled slowly to stop from saying something insulting along the lines of Yvonne’s expanding girth.

Yvonne patted her lips with her napkin. “I didn’t say anything to Mina.”

“Stop playing dumb. I mean Eleanor.”

“Careful, Geraldine,” Yvonne whispered in a warning. She set her empty plate on the table and lifted her tea to her mouth. “Nothing inappropriate happened between us. We had a pleasant discussion. I told her my plans for her future and we might have sealed things with a kiss.”

Geraldine slapped her hands against the arms of the chair and jumped up from her seat. “Youyou—”

“Do calm down. Your histrionics are childish and not fitting a woman of your station, regardless if you don’t even have two coins to rub together.”

“Histrionics? Shouldn’t I be concerned with your behavior? Your fascination with Eleanor is unhealthy.” Her lip curled. “She’s an innocent and has no idea what the world is like outside Aulnory. Trying to corrupt her to your wicked ways just like you wanted to do to her mother is sick—”

“Enough,” Yvonne snapped and crossed her leg over the other while she draped her arm along the back of the settee. “My feelings for Eleanor are completely different from the ones I had for Angelica.”

“You mean the sick desire you have for the chit.” Geraldine’s voice shook and she swallowed to steady her voice. “I let it go on long enough and it must stop now before—”

“Before what? You end up killing Eleanor in a rage like you did with her mother?”

Geraldine stopped her jaw from dropping and sat down gingerly, spreading her palms over her lap when all she wanted to do was wrap her hands around Yvonne’s throat and strangle the life out of her. Taking a calming breath, she poured a cup of tea. Her hands shook as she lifted the cup and stared down at the liquid, the steam hitting her in the face. “You promised you wouldn’t bring that up again. It was an accident.”

Yvonne snorted. “I was there, and what occurred was no accident. But I’ve been such a good friend, keeping your secrets all these years that would ruin you if they came out. Whatever would you do if an anonymous source spoke to the authorities about what really happened to Angelica on that summer day eleven years ago?”

You were responsible also! Geraldine enfolded the cup in her hands, blinking away the sting in her eyes. “Are you threatening to go to the authorities after all these years? It’s been too long and no one would believe you. I’m a respected member of this—”

“Respected? Ha! You’re barely tolerated. The only thing that saves your face is your title. Everyone knows how impoverished you are and if not for me paying off Louis’s doctor bills and creditors, you and your precious daughter with be out on the street without a pot to piss in.”

“You forget one important fact. You were with me that day and tampered with Angelica’s saddle to play a joke on her, or so you had alleged,” she said softly.

Yvonne rubbed a finger across her mouth, eyeing Geraldine with resentment.

Geraldine continued sipping her tea although her stomach twisted. Yvonne suddenly rose up from the settee and wandered over to stand behind her. When Yvonne’s hands landed on her shoulders, she jerked, causing her tea to spill and scald her hand.

“We’ve been through thick and thin together, supported one another through the rough patches. That’s why I pay your bills and allow you to live in the lifestyle you’re accustomed to. I could have left you to rot, but my reputation and title, thanks to my dear departed husband, gives me a great deal of power. Imagine if I cut you off.” Yvonne lowered her head and her mouth grazed Geraldine’s cheek. “Or what if our friendship came to an end? Then where would you be?”

Geraldine gripped her cup tighter as Yvonne ran her fingers through her hair. She dipped her head forward in defeat.

“I apologize for my harsh words. I have bad days where I speak before I think and this was one of them. Can you forgive me?” She glanced up at Yvonne.

Yvonne’s smile didn’t reach her eyes, but her touch remained gentle. “Of course. Sometimes I need to remind you were we stand with one another.”

She gave her a stilted nod. “I’m grateful for all you have done for me and Mina.”

Yvonne kissed Geraldine’s cheek and walked around until she stood in front of her. “Then you shouldn’t have any problem giving Eleanor to me.”

“Hand her over? She’s terrified of you and how you slobber—”

Yvonne lifted her finger. “She’s confused about her feelings toward me. I’m not a monster, as you may think me to be. I want to help the misguided girl. You’ve abused her because of your hate for Angelica. You wanted Louis’s love all for yourself and none for Eleanor. You won in so many ways, because by ending Angelica’s life, Louis became yours and lavished all his love and praise on you, and none for his own flesh and blood.”

Geraldine didn’t have a response. Everything Yvonne said was fact. She covered her mouth as bitter tears threatened to fall from her eyes.

Yvonne sat back down, selecting a strawberry and taking a bite. She chewed slowly and eased back against the cushions. “As my reward for being such a good friend, I expect you to talk with Eleanor and explain why she should live with me from now on. To be a good sport, I’ll hire a maid and a cook for you.”

“When would you want this exchange to take place?” she replied in a tired tone.

“You act like Eleanor is a puppy or a horse I’m going to purchase.” Yvonne wiped off her hands. “I would like the exchange to happen soon.”

“This weekend is the Perrault ball. Mina and I need Eleanor to dress us and do our hair,” she said weakly.

“Robbie and I are planning on leaving for London in two weeks. I want to be back before the season begins and train Eleanor in decorum and manners. She’s lacking in those two areas and it will take time for her to become accustomed to her new life with me.”

And training in the bedroom, you cold, heartless bitch? She rolled back her shoulders and met Yvonne’s sardonic gaze with one of her own. “Eleanor will go with you after I tell her she’s no longer needed here.”

“With the possibility of Lord Simon marrying Mina, she’ll believe it. She’ll have no choice but to accept.”

Geraldine nodded in agreement. She went over to the table in the corner where the bottles of liquor were. Opening a bottle of whiskey, she poured a generous amount into a glass and chugged it down, not caring if Yvonne noticed. She was shaken to the core. The only way she could appease Yvonne was to sacrifice another innocent like she did all those years ago.

Chapter Ten

When they stopped in front of the clothing emporium, Mina didn’t rush inside right away. For the majority of their walk, Ellie hadn’t been paying attention to a word she had said. She wasn’t too worried, given Ellie acted peculiar most of the time, but she was very pale and looked like she was going to faint.

“Are you all right? You’re acting strange.” she asked, wishing she was tall enough to look Ellie straight in the eye.

Ellie wiped a palm over her face. “Maybe I am coming down with something.”

Mina backed away with her hands up in the air. If Ellie got her sick and she couldn’t go to the ball, she would kill her. “I cannot fall ill. I need to look my best for Simon this weekend.”

“I know. It’s probably nothing.” Ellie looked down at her feet. Her ugly shoes poked out from under her equally horrendous mourning dress. “Would you mind if I visited my parents’ grave while you wait for your gown?”

For once, Ellie had an excellent idea. This would give her ample opportunity to corner Noah like she’d wanted to do for days. Remaining calm when all she wanted to do was run inside, she shooed Ellie away. “Go pay your respects, but a half-hour at the most. I don’t want stay here longer than I have to.”

A warm smile appeared on Ellie’s face. “I’ll be back soon.” She waved and hurried down the road.

Mina rubbed her palms together. Instead of walking through the front door, she looped around the side, hoping to find Noah in the back where they could have a friendly chat about Simon.

* * * *

The walk to the cemetery had calmed Ellie down. The last time she had visited there was her father’s funeral. Had it been less than a month since her Papa had died? It seemed much longer. She entered through the open iron gates and wandered past the huge stone vaults. Further in the back were the unadorned graves of those who couldn’t afford ostentatious statues of angels to mark their final resting place.

She found her father’s headstone and gave the simplistic stone a pat. Whispering a prayer, she then turned to her mother’s grave. I wonder if mother and father are happy together in heaven?

She knelt down, overcome with emotion over her personal loss. Everything the countess had said came rushing back. She didn’t want to leave Aulnory and live in London among strangers. This was her home, even with Geraldine’s contempt and Mina’s pity and condescension. Then there was Diana—

“Oh Diana, what am I going to do with you?”

The dong of the bell in the church tower rang and she rose to her feet. She gave her mother’s tombstone one last stroke and walked toward the double doors of the church. As she passed the huge oak tree on her right, an arm shot out. She was hauled around the other side and pitched back against the rough bark.

Diana! She opened her mouth to speak, but she didn’t have the chance to say anything, for Diana stole a kiss. She wrapped her hands into Diana’s lustrous hair. Her lips moved in tandem with Diana’s searching mouth, overcome with bliss. Diana’s mouth moved to her cheek and down her throat to nibble on her skin.

“You taste so clean and wonderful,” she whispered and cupped Ellie’s breast.

“I bathed this morning.” She rubbed her cheek over the top of Diana’s head. “You smell nice.”

“I also took a bath this morning. I swiped a sponge over my chest and in between my legs while I thought of you. I made myself climax while calling out your name.”

Ellie inhaled, the idea of Diana pleasuring herself making her knees shake. When a bird cackled above and the sound of a branch cracked, she glanced around for any observers.

“Whatever are you doing?” Diana asked, amusement filling her voice. She ran her fingers through Ellie’s curls and moved in for another kiss.

She clapped a hand over Diana’s mouth and shook her head. “Anyone could come across us. We shouldn’t engage in such improper acts on holy ground.”

“Improper?” Diana raised an eyebrow and linked her fingers with Ellie’s. “You mean those naughty things I do with my fingers and mouth that make you moan in satisfaction?”

Heat rose on Ellie’s cheeks. Diana giggled and swung their combined hands in the air. “I’ll behave for now. Do you have time to sit and chat? When do you have to get back?”

“I have less than an hour. That should give us enough time to catch up and—”

“And schedule our next rendezvous?” Diana asked, grabbing a bag sitting under the tree and pulling her onto the stone path.

Elle led the way up the stairs to the church. “I know a place where we can talk without anyone interrupting us.” She opened the double doors and stepped inside the foyer. The pews were empty. Pleased by this, she took Diana’s hand and opened a side door, walking up a flight of stairs and onto the balcony. They walked toward the back and sat in the far corner.

Ellie kept an eye on the lower level and listened for any strange noises. Diana sat next to her, holding her hands that were clenched tightly on her lap.

“You’re tense. Is it because we’re in a church thinking of the sinful things we want to do with one another?” Diana asked in a teasing tone.

Her face grew flush. “You say whatever comes to your mind.”

Diana nodded. “I was taught to speak my mind and not allow anyone to tell me otherwise.”

She sighed woefully, wishing she was brave as Diana. When Diana touched her cheek, she looked back at her in question.

“Something is bothering you. I can sense it. Care to tell me what’s wrong? I’m a great listener and will only interrupt to give advice.”

She sighed and rested her cheek against Diana’s palm.

“Ah, that’s what I like seeing on my lovely girl’s face.”

Ellie settled back against the pew, basking in Diana’s praise. “I had a typical morning until my mistress’s good friend stopped in for a visit. This woman wants to hire me away and join her in London for the season, perhaps for longer.”

Diana’s hand twitched against her face and slid down to curve an arm around her shoulder. “You would leave Aulnory and all those you cared about?” she asked, her voice curt.

She shrugged. “There’s nothing really keeping me here. I never wanted to leave before, but now I just don’t know. London would be exciting and new, but—”

“But what?” Diana asked in a hushed whisper.

She gave Diana’s hand a squeeze. “This woman is very respected and has always been kind to me, but sometimes she makes me uncomfortable. She can be too…friendly.”

“She wants you.”

Ellie nodded, confused by the sudden harshness in Diana’s voice. “Yes, she wants me—”

“You’re misunderstanding. She wants you the same way I do.”

Her eyes widened when she figured out what Diana meant.

“I can offer you protection from this woman if you’ll let me.”

She closed her eyes, wishing she could say yes. The protection Diana was offering wasn’t so different from what the countess proposed. But if she accepted Diana’s offer, then where would she be? Eventually, Diana would become tired of her and eventually leave for her home after her visit came to an end.

“That’s kind of you, but I can’t.” She rushed on before Diana could argue. “I’m still needed by my mistress and her family. I must make the single ladies in the house look perfect for the duke’s masquerade ball this Saturday.”

“But, what if—”

Ellie lifted her hand in front of Diana’s mouth. “Please, let’s talk of something else. What are you wearing to the ball?”

Diana pressed a kiss into Ellie’s palm before she dropped their hands in her lap. Her eyes lit up again in joy. “I’ll be wearing a black and white Grecian-style gown with a domino mask and matching ribbons braided throughout my hair.”

“You’ll be the most beautiful woman there. You’ll even outshine Lady Kristina.”

Diana shifted in her seat. “You’ve heard of Kristina’s beauty? Have you ever seen her?”

“I saw her once a long time ago. I think I was around ten or eleven at the time. She was riding a pony down the main street beside her father and brother. She had the most gorgeous hair, much like your own.” She reached out to touch Diana’s hair, but then stopped and hid her hand in the fabric of her dress. She kept forgetting to ask for permission, to touch Diana the way she longed to.

“You may touch my hair, or anywhere else on my person, whenever you like.” Diana stroked Ellie’s curls. “Kristina would be jealous of you. She always wanted curly and thick hair like yours.” Her fingers drifted down and caressed Ellie’s cheek. “And snow white skin a poet would recite passionate lyrics about.”

She giggled and a snort left her mouth.

Diana tipped her chin back toward her. “You’re so precious.” She nipped Ellie’s bottom lip.

Ellie tilted her head to the side and welcomed the kiss. Her bodice grew tight across her chest and she held onto Diana as her head spun.

“Hmm, you’re sweet also. I wish we could engage in another lesson together but this isn’t the right place. If I keep kissing you, I’ll forget to give you your surprise.”

“Surprise?” she asked.

Diana produced a square piece of paper from her dress. Ellie took it and scanned the page, reading the scripted words slowly. Her jaw dropped. “This is an invitation to the ball.”

“Now you can attend, like everyone else.”

Ellie chewed her bottom lip. “But I don’t have a dress or a mask to wear. I’m only a servant and not—”

Diana ran her fingers down Ellie’s cheek. “I have a mask in my satchel you can wear. As for a dress, I can let you borrow one of my own when you arrive for the ball. We’re of the same height and body.” Diana eyed her bosom. “You may have a problem filling out the bodice area, but we can fix that easily by tightening your stays and adding some sort of stuffing to that area.”

She glanced down at her chest. “I’m too flat, aren’t I?”

Diana rolled her eyes and swiped the back of her hand across Ellie’s breast. “You’re a perfect handful for me.”

She went to smack Diana across the arm, but stopped when she was given another kiss.

“Say you’ll come for a few hours at least. The ball will go late into the evening and won’t end until the early morning hours,” Diana said in between slow pulls of her mouth.

She arched against Diana when cool air brushed over her throat and chest. Diana had unbuttoned the front of her dress and had loosened her corset and chemise to her waist.

“We shouldn’t here…ah…” She bit down on her lip when Diana rubbed her puckered nipple.

“Just for a little while longer, until I can convince you to attend the ball,” Diana whispered and dipped her face down to latch onto her breast.

The next time the church bell rang out, Ellie gave Diana the answer she wanted.

* * * *

Ellie waited for her stepmother’s opinion on her hair and makeup. Geraldine looked graceful and poised in her off-the-shoulder, midnight blue ball gown, but her lips were still pinched and her eyes dull as if she hadn’t gotten enough sleep.

“This style suits me.” Geraldine nodded in approval, curling a ringlet around her finger.

“The gentlemen in attendance will be fighting to write their names on your dance card,” she said, and organized Geraldine’s undergarments left on the bed.

Geraldine lips lifted in a small smile. “It has been years since I’ve danced. I’m not sure if I can remember how.”

“But surely you danced with Papa.” Ellie winced and fisted her hands in the material she held. In the past when she mentioned her father to Geraldine, she ended up being scolded.

Geraldine grabbed a fan off her bedside table and sauntered over. Ellie braced herself and waited for the outburst to come. Instead, Geraldine tapped the top of her head with her closed fan. “We danced once together, at our wedding. You should know. You were there.”

She dipped her head in acknowledgement. “Yes, I remember.” How could I forget? Your marriage to my father was barely a year after my mother’s death.

Geraldine tipped Ellie’s chin up with her fan and her eyes roamed across her face and down her body. “Each day you look more like your mother. This pains me. I’ve decided it’s for the best for you to go with Yvonne to London.”

Her entire body went numb. “But, you need me here—”

“Need you?” Geraldine laughed and jabbed her fan against Ellie’s chest. She backed up as Geraldine advanced on her. “You’ve never been needed. You were a charity case kept here because of your father.”

Ellie landed back against the wall and shook her head. “That’s not true! I belong here. This was my home before you came along and took over and erased my mother’s memory.”

Geraldine’s nostrils flared, and before Ellie could block her move or cover her face, Geraldine slapped her hard against her cheek. She slumped to the floor, cupping her stinging cheek and bringing her knees into her chest.

“Insolent girl! I never wanted Louis’s brat! But he couldn’t send you away to his relatives. They disowned him for marrying your common trollop of a mother. The only reason I haven’t thrown you out on the street is because of my generosity, which ends tonight.” She tapped the top of Ellie’s head, harder this time, with her fan. Ellie held back a whimper, but couldn’t stop the tears flowing down her cheeks.

“This coming Friday you will pack your meager belongings and leave with Yvonne and Robert. You should be thanking me. Yvonne wants to take care of you and show you the world.”

“But, the countess—”

“Silence!” Geraldine yelled, and as she turned, her flowing skirt hit Ellie in the face. “I don’t care what Yvonne does with you. As long as you’re gone and out of my sight, my life will be better for it. Things are on the up and up with Mina and Lord Simon. This time next month they could be engaged. I won’t have you ruin it for us.”

“Mama? The carriage is here!” Mina’s voice called from downstairs.

Geraldine lifted a shaking hand to her brow and gazed into the tall oval mirror near her bed. She wiped her palms down the front of her dress. Ellie hid her face against her knees and sniffled.

“Much better.” Geraldine pinched her cheeks. “This dress makes me look younger, don’t you think, Eleanor?”

She lifted her face and wiped away her tears. She gave Geraldine a stiff nod.

“You should have grown out of your tantrums by now. The countess won’t allow such immature and childish actions.” Geraldine stopped in the doorway. “Clean up this mess. I want this room to be sparkling. Do you understand?”

She wiped under her nose. “Yes, ma’am.”

Geraldine smiled, showing teeth, and left the room.

Ellie climbed to her feet and stumbled over to the bed after the front door closed downstairs. She lay on the mattress and sobbed against the sheets. The bed slightly dipped. August and Jack had joined her.

When August nuzzled her face, she tucked him against her side and stared ahead, letting more tears fall.

* * * *

The house was silent except for August snoring as he slept. Ellie lay on her back, petting him. Jack snuggled near her shoulder and his whiskers tickled her neck.

Almost an hour had gone by and she still hadn’t moved. All she wanted to do was go to sleep and never wake up. But her head pounded and the side of her mouth still throbbed where Geraldine had hit her.

August mewed and turned in a circle, finding a more comfortable spot to sleep in. With one last pat on the sleeping animal, she left the bed. Dizziness overtook as she walked over to the window and gripped the sill. She inhaled the evening air that had the slight scent of pine and lavender. From her view she could see the main square in the distance. Beyond that was the Perrault estate on the hill. Diana was there, waiting for her.

She shook her head, saddened that the likelihood of attending the ball was now impossible. Even if she wore the mask Diana gave her, she didn’t have a suitable dress or shoes, and her hair was a mess. She also had no way of getting to the ball. If she walked the five-mile distance, it would take her hours and she would be sweaty and exhausted by the time she arrived.

“Stop it. This isn’t doing you any good,” she scolded herself while she put away Geraldine’s clothes. She cleaned up the vanity and her stepmother’s makeup. When she lifted up the colorful ribbons Geraldine decided against wearing in her hair, she clutched them against her chest. These ribbons, ranging in many different shades and colors, would make her hair look presentable and call attention to her exquisite mask.

Her shoulders drooped and she glanced back at the bed. Both August and Jack slept, unaware she was depressed. If only she had someone she could talk to or spend company with to keep her mind off her dismal situation.

Maybe a cup of tea will calm…wait, what if Egan and Clement are home?

She twisted on her heels, clutching the ribbons. A smile spread across her face. Instead of being alone with only her thoughts to keep her company, why not visit with the two men who always made her laugh?

With a skip in her step, she dashed out of her room and down the stairs.

Chapter Eleven

Egan and Clement hadn’t said much from the time Ellie arrived to when they invited her to join them for a late dinner and dessert after. They had stared at her strangely over the course of the meal, which confused her a great deal.

“Thank you for dinner and your company. Too bad Noah isn’t here to join us,” she said.

Egan smiled. “Noah is out gallivanting with his friends.”

“Good for the boy to get out. He’s been in a bear of a mood for the past week.” Clement landed his hand on Egan’s shoulder.

“It must be nice to have friends.” She sighed and started clearing the table.

“Ellie, you’re our guest. Talk with Clement while I take care of this.” Egan gathered the plates, sharing a look with Clement.

She noticed the exchange but didn’t comment, and waited for Clement to engage her in conversation.

Clement folded his hands on the table and cleared his throat. “Care to explain how your cheek became swollen and red?”

She stared down at the table and shrugged. Even when Clement came over to her, she didn’t look up. He sat down next to her and took one of her hands in his.

“Was it Geraldine?”

She wouldn’t cry. She had shed enough tears already tonight. But the tenderness in Clement’s voice almost undid her. “We had an argument before she left for the ball.”

Clement tugged on his chin. “Was this argument about the ball?”

“No.” She could be honest about that.

“When you arrived on our doorstep with bloodshot eyes from crying, my heart almost gave out. I’ve never seen you so upset. Other than the row with Geraldine, is it because you weren’t invited to the ball?”

“I was invited to the ball. Di—” She shut her mouth before she could reveal more.

“You were invited? Wonderful! By whom?”

“Um…one of the duke’s servants gave me the invitation.”

Clement clapped. “Egan, come out here.”

Egan appeared, wiping his hands with a towel. “Yes, my lo…erm, Clem?”

“Our darling Ellie was invited to the ball.” Clement gave her a happy smile.

“Let’s have a look at the invitation.” Egan wiggled his fingers.

She reached into her basket and took out the invitation. The mask glittered across the ceiling.

“What’s the shining thing in your basket?” Egan asked, picking up the basket and placing it on the table. He lifted up the mask and some of Geraldine’s ribbons she had thrown in there.

Clement took one of the ribbons. “Did this servant also give you the mask and ribbons? The mask must have cost a pretty penny.”

“I didn’t steal it—”

“Oh no, child, we would never think that.” Egan lifted the eye mask to his face and put it on. He made a funny face and both Ellie and Clement laughed.

“I can use these ribbons to fix your hair and make you look more beautiful than you are,” Clement said and lifted up a strand of her hair.

“Why would you want to do that?” she asked.

Egan handed Ellie her mask. “We’re going to help you get changed for the ball.”

She glanced back and forth between the two men. “But I can’t! I don’t have anything to wear.” She lifted the hem of her dress and stuck out a clog.

Both men inspected her figure, causing her to grow warm under their gaze. Finally Clement stood and cracked his knuckles. “We can’t do much about your shoes. But as for a dress, we’ll have no problem finding you something that will make every single woman tonight mad with jealousy.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her up from her seat. She had no choice but to follow him, and along with Egan, they took the back stairs down to the first floor.

Clement took out a set of keys when they reached a closed door. “This is where we keep some of the dresses we’ve been experimenting with. I have just the dress for you.” He opened the door and motioned for Ellie to walk inside. With a nudge from Egan, she advanced slowly, amazed by all the marvelous dresses hanging in the room.

“Oh my!” She held her hands up to her face as she inspected the items. She turned back around and both Egan and Clement had their arms around each other’s waists. They beamed in pride.

“See the armoire in the corner? Open it. I think you’ll like what you find inside,” Clement recommended.

She walked the span of the room until she reached the armoire. Grabbing both handles, she opened the doors. Her eyes widened and she gasped in delight.

The most beautiful dress she had ever seen hung there. It was a long sleeved, golden-hued silk gown that didn’t flare out like the usual ball gowns in current fashion. This dress would accentuate her curves and show off a great deal of her skin. Turning the dress to the side, her eyes widened when she saw the back of the dress was very low cut. To wear such a dazzling dress would be daring and bold, both things she longed to be.

Clement came over with measurement tape and a small pillow with pins sticking out. “With a little nip and a tuck, I can fix this for you to wear tonight.”

The fabric of the bodice shimmered under her touch. “How long do you think it would take for you to dress me?” she asked in breathless anticipation.

“Less than an hour.” Clement tapped his hip. “Egan can work on your hair and add some color to your face at the same time.”

“But I have no way of getting to the ball unless I walk. It would take too long.” She hung her head in regret.

Clement clucked her under her chin. “We have a solution to that slight drawback. We’ll take you in our cart and drop you off at the entrance of the drive leading up to the mansion. We’ll come back and pick you.”

“You would do this all for me? Why?” Her voice trembled in emotion.

Clement embraced her. “This is what friends do. We want you to be happy.”

Ellie allowed her tears, happy ones this time, slide down her cheeks.

“Enough, you two.” Egan snapped his fingers. “We can’t have Ellie becoming a watering pot now. Let’s get to work and make her the belle of the ball!”

She didn’t care to be on display like Egan and Clement wanted her to be. Her one hope was that these two wonderful men could work their magic so when she met up with Diana, the woman would be awestruck. Maybe then she would finally admit who she really was and why she had kept her identity a secret. Then they could spend the rest of the evening together, not only dancing, but sharing kisses and much more.

* * * *

Kristina was hot, sticky, and wanted to take off her mask that kept scraping her cheeks. Her mother turned to her and frowned when she lifted her mask up.

“Don’t even think of it. The unveiling will occur at one.” The duchess tapped her satin wine red mask.

She scanned the expanse of the large ballroom where far too many masked guests wearing their very best danced, ate, or chatted in groups. She didn’t know how she would find Elle in this crush. “Why did you and Papa decide to have the unveiling of faces at one and not midnight?”

The duchess spread out the hem of her full-length taffeta ball gown that matched the color of her mask. “Midnight is too predictable. By one, most of our guests will be exhausted and will leave soon after. Then I can take off these blasted heels that are pinching my toes and this mask that will leave a rash on my face. Your father won’t be able to look at me tomorrow,” she said woefully.

Kristina stopped from giggling out of respect for her mother. She searched the room, finding her father a few feet away from them. The duke wore the same colors as his duchess. A smile spanned the duchess’s face and her eyes sparkled under her mask. Her father mouthed something in their direction. Without a word, the duchess approached her husband.

Her parents met each other halfway and stared at one another with elated smiles. Her father took her mother in his arms and said something that made her laugh. The duke kissed the top of his duchess’s hand and escorted her around the room. Kristina soon lost sight of them as guests swarmed the middle of the floor for the next dance set.

“Elle, where are you?” she muttered under her breath, and when a server passed with a tray, she took two flutes of champagne. She drank as she strolled along the edge of the room, keeping an eye out for a woman with short, snarled black curls wearing a gold rhinestone mask. No one fit that description, nor was there any woman in a dress of the servant class among the revelers. She finished her drink, ready for the next one when it was plucked out of her hand.

“Simon!” She gave him a smack against his stomach. He didn’t react as he gulped down the bubbling liquid.

“I’ll get you another one.” Simon lifted his modest black mask over his head and patted his forehead with a handkerchief. People around them, mainly women, whispered to one another behind their gloves and fans, watching him like a hawk would do with its prey.

“You’re supposed to keep your mask on until the unveiling,” she grumbled, ready to defy her parents like her brother did.

“I’m excused from these inane rules tonight because I’m the star attraction.” Simon rolled his eyes and hugged his arms across his chest. He had such a sourpuss on his face that she couldn’t help herself and laughed.

“Go ahead and make fun of my misery. Have you danced without a break or had your feet stepped on by partners who can’t keep their footing or even engage in intelligent conversation?”

“Aw, must be rough for you,” she said in mock sympathy.

“Yes, it is. But it must be done. The sacrifices one makes.” Simon sighed and ran a palm over his hair.

“Yes, the sacrifices you make tonight are such a hassle with all these women who admire you and would love nothing more to be your wife.” She lifted her chin, daring him to argue.

“Someone is in a cranky mood.”

Her mouth dropped. “I’m cranky? Teasing you doesn’t mean—”

When a woman cleared her voice loudly, both siblings turned to face their new companion.

Simon’s face brightened considerably. “Miss de Saltin, a pleasure.” He took the hand of the woman in an emerald mask, complete with a grouping of silver ribbons attached to the side. Her dress was a shade lighter with intricate beading and ribbons along the bodice and down the length of the skirt.

Both stared at one another in admiration. When Kristina cleared her throat, they didn’t acknowledge her. She coughed louder, startling both. “Simon, how did you know this is Miss de Saltin?”

“We danced earlier. Mina was light as a feather on her feet.”

“Oh, Simon, you say the nicest things.” Mina blushed and giggled.

Kristina cleared her throat to stop from snickering over their sickly sweet fawning. Now they’re on a first-name basis with one another? How interesting.

“Would you do me the honor of another dance?” Mina asked, excitement transparent in her voice.

Simon grimaced. “I should dance with the other ladies. It’s expected every lady have their chance to take a turn around the room with me.”

Mina eyes lost their sparkle.

If there was any woman who would be a good match for Simon, it would be Mina. “I do believe the musicians are taking a break.” Kristina nudged Simon with her elbow. “Why don’t you escort Miss de Saltin to the refreshment table? This would be the perfect opportunity to fetch her something to drink.”

Mina fanned her face with her hand. “I am quite parched. If you would do me the honor, Lord Simon, I would be grateful.”

Simon gave her a small nod. “It would be nice to sit. We can take a break until I’m called away for my next duty.”

Kristina rolled her eyes. Only Simon would find dancing a duty.

Simon led Mina away, giving Kristina a wave as he did.

Now she was left alone again. The room had grown stifling and the buzz of conversation and girlish squeals from those around her made her head hurt. She would take a rest in the women’s sitting room and then another stroll around the parameter of the room, hoping to find Elle at some point.

But what if she doesn’t come? Then what? Elle had to come. Kristina had no idea how to get in touch with new lover. Tonight she was going to be completely honest with Elle and reveal to her true identity and propose a way for them to be together for longer than an hour or two here and there. It would be tricky, but she would find a way—

She blinked once, then twice.

A woman dressed in gold from head to toe stood at the edge of the staircase. The provocative gown she wore was unlike any other worn here tonight. It sparkled under the candlelight and barely left anything to the imagination. The woman’s shortened hair was styled with a dash of flair due to the multitude of different color ribbons hanging down her shoulders. People whispered and pointed in her direction, but she didn’t seem to notice. And when the woman lifted the hem of her skirt and those familiar ugly brown clogs appeared, Kristina laughed in delight.

Elle had come!

For once Elle didn’t stare down at the floor or hug herself. She held her head high while wandering around the room. When she turned, Kristina inhaled abruptly from the amount of skin on display. The urge to lick her way up Elle’s back made her tremble in lust.

As she made her way toward Elle, the music started up again and the dancers swirled around her. She gave them no mind. She had a purpose and wouldn’t be deferred by anyone or anything.

Elle stood near a window, staring up at the sky. When Kristina finally reached her, she didn’t say anything at first. She soaked in the line of Elle’s bare back, and how the hair ribbons brushed her shoulders. Soon she would know what it would feel like having those ribbons caressing her body.

Her front pressed against Elle’s back. Elle went still but didn’t turn around. When she lifted a ribbon and tugged on it, Elle tilted her head in Kristina’s direction.

“You look ravishing. If we were alone, I would kiss you until we both couldn’t breathe,” she whispered and sniffed Elle’s hair.

“Then why don’t we go some place private to be alone?” Elle responded back, her voice giving off a slight tremor.

She wanted to dance with her darling first. She viewed the crowded dance floor. Couples turned in dizzying circles, holding one another much too tight. Those who weren’t dancing, drank and carried on in questionable ways to which society matrons would raise an eyebrow. Two men in a corner discreetly held hands and stared at one another in affection.

Elle nibbled on her bottom lip. Kristina smiled over the gesture and flicked the abused lip. Elle’s tongue came out and wet the side of her finger. Something deep and elemental passed between them as they stared intently at one another. A shudder spread through her, and before she pushed Elle against the wall and kissed her, she skipped backward. Elle followed, and when Kristina placed her hands on Elle’s hips and turned them in a circle, Elle moved along with her.

Soon they were spinning and dancing. When Elle stumbled, she caught her, commenting on Elle’s shoes being the cause. Elle just shrugged and smiled.

Euphoria filled Kristina’s chest. For the first time the sadness and despair in Elle’s eyes had been replaced with true bliss.

Chapter Twelve

Her heart drummed in her ears and her stomach twisted in anxiety. Simon chattered on, unaware of Mina’s plans for him. When she had talked to Noah a few days ago, at first he had been shocked and denied everything she admitted to seeing between them. But when she told him she didn’t want to blackmail him as he first alleged she would do, he listened to her idea about how he and Simon could be together, but as long as she was part of the equation. By the end of their talk, they had come up with what she thought was a sound plan and even shook hands on it.

Now she was worried it could all fall apart. What if Simon rejected the idea she proposed? She would be in a world of trouble then.

Simon touched her wrist, concern passing over his face, now free of the mask lying on the table next to hers.

“Mina, you seem preoccupied. Is something troubling you?”

She almost came undone by Simon’s kindness. She curled her fingers around his hand. Her heart beat faster and sweat slid down her back.

It was time to act. Starting now, there would be a point of no return. She suddenly stood, still clutching Simon. “I have something I must show you right this very minute. But in order to see it, you must come with me.”

“In my own home?”

She nodded. “There is someone here tonight you must talk to.”

He gave her a confused look but rose. “Lead the way then, Miss de Saltin.”

She hated how Simon had become impersonal by using her last name. He still had a friendly look to him, but his stance had become stiff and not as relaxed as he was a moment ago. She hung onto his arm, trying not to walk too fast toward their destination.

People called out Simon’s name, but instead of stopping and talking to them, he only greeted them as they passed. The strain attacking her body lessened. She wanted the entire world to know Simon had chosen her.

Upon reaching the main foyer, she directed Simon to the stairs that would take them up to the second level.

“Why are we going upstairs?”

She gave him a brave smile. “This person you must see is in your bedroom.”

“My bedroom?” Bewilderment flashed in Simon’s eyes. “Why would anyone be there?”

“The person there knows your bedroom very well. It’s Noah,” she said and backed away.

Simon grabbed her by the upper arm. People bustled past without giving them any notice, too involved in their own merrymaking to observe their altercation.

“Why would my tailor be alone in my bedroom of all places?” Simon’s voice sounded thin and high.

She gave his chest a pat. “I know about your special relationship with Noah.”

“I have no idea what you mean. Noah is my tailor and nothing more,” Simon hissed.

“I saw you two a few days ago against the side of his shop. You were on your knees and your face was in—”

She squeaked when Simon dug his fingers into her arm. His face had paled and sweat beaded his forehead and upper lip. She braced for Simon’s explosion, where he would deny everything and throw her out of his house.

He did neither and freed her. He lifted his fist up to his mouth and glanced from side to side. He cleared his throat and looked back at her, fear mounting in his eyes.

“What do you want from us…me? Are you planning on blackmailing…” Simon’s voice faded away and he stared up at the ceiling.

Mina hated seeing him in such pain. That wasn’t her plan at all. She gently took his hand in hers. Simon didn’t thrust her away to her amazement.

“I’m not doing this to be mean or spiteful. You probably can’t bear to be around me right now, but if you come upstairs with me to your room and listen to what I have to say, all your fears will be put to rest.” She swallowed and inhaled. “We shouldn’t keep Noah waiting.”

Simon nodded stiffly and raced up the stairs with Mina in tow. He didn’t stop when she lost her footing, but she made no complaints. Finally he came to a halt in front of a closed door and opened it.

Noah vaulted up from the window seat when they entered. She left Simon’s side and hurried over to Noah. He took both her hands in his and stared down at her fondly.

“Go to Simon. He’s shaken up,” she whispered.

He nodded and approached Simon, who stood with his arms at his side. Simon backed away when Noah touched him.

“There’s nothing to be afraid of. Mina has an idea that can solve all our problems,” Noah said with his hand stretched out in Simon’s direction.

Simon wiped his palms down his face. He sat down on a chair in front of the fireplace, bending forward with his arms on his knees and staring at the floor. “Can one of you explain to me what is going on?”

She stepped toward Simon, but Noah mouthed for her to stay put. She changed direction and perched on the bed.

Noah approached Simon and knelt at his side, planting a hand on Simon’s knee. Simon stared at Noah in silence.

Mina swung her legs back and forth, impatient for either man to start talking. When both continued to study one another, she sighed loudly. “We’ll be here all night at this rate.”

“All right.” Noah cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses that slid to the tip of his nose. He turned his hand over and wiggled his fingers at Simon. “Hold my hand, please.”

Simon crossed his arms, then uncrossed him. He muttered something under his breath and gave Mina a hesitant look before he placed his hand in Noah’s.

She smiled at the gesture, and regardless of what Noah preferred, joined the two and knelt down on the other side of Simon. She didn’t touch him like Noah did, afraid he would push her away.

“Explain to me how Mina can solve all our problems and why you’re not shaking in your boots afraid we could be discovered.” Simon gave Noah a wary glare.

Noah curled his fingers around Simon’s hand. “We were both careless that day. Mina spotted us from the water closet on the second floor. A few days later she came to me and admitted to what she had seen. I was in shock and panicked like you are now. But then she explained she didn’t want to snitch on us but rather…ahem, join us.”

“What in the world?” Simon’s eyes shot up toward his forehead.

Mina slapped her hands on her knees and rose, sitting on the arm of the chair. Simon shifted away from her and watched her with caution.

She folded her hands, pushing aside her hurt at Simon’s distance. “You might find this hard to believe, but I do have your and Noah’s best interests at heart. I…love you both. Noah is a dear friend and you’re the man I want to spend the rest of my life with as your wife. Now before you argue and demand me to leave and never speak to you again, I have a solution to your problem regarding your liaison with Noah. It’s obvious how much you care for one another. You belong together, but unfortunately you can’t be together the way you want to.” She paused and cleared her throat. “What if you married a woman who accepted your feelings for Noah? And what if she was willing to take part in that relationship, knowing the only way she could be intimate with you and have your children was accepting him as a part of the marriage?”

Simon shook his head. “You would marry me knowing I want Noah in a sexual nature? And you would be open to joining us when we’re intimate?”

She gave him a beaming smile, glad he understood. “Exactly.”

“This is madness, utter madness!” he shouted and sprang up from the chair.

Noah stood and grasped Simon by his arm. “Don’t jump to any conclusions yet. Hear her out.”

Simon jerked in Noah’s hold. He gave Mina what appeared to be a bleak look. “Go on.”

Noah nodded for her to continue, and he slid his arm up to cup Simon behind his neck.

“I never meant to spy on you like I did, but I looked out the window and there you two were. I wasn’t disgusted by what I saw, but the complete opposite. You’re both beautiful in the way you care for one another. I would like to be a third party in your lovemaking.” She tilted her head to the side.

Simon’s throat moved as he swallowed. He pinched the bridge of his nose. “What you’re asking for is abnormal. It’s just not done. And what I have with Noah is—”

“Is completely different from what we have together?” she said softly and drifted over to his side. “You never divulged to Noah how you came to check on me the next day after the Cranes’ party and you ended up kissing me.” She licked her lips as she remembered his unyielding embrace and the way his tongue tangled with hers in passion. “And I don’t think you told Noah your reaction to our kiss.” She stared straight at his crotch and smiled.

Simon winced and cupped Noah by the shoulders. “You must hate me. I meant to tell you but—”

“You don’t have to explain. Mina told me everything.” Noah gave Simon and understanding smile. “I did have a moment of jealousy, but it passed. Mina is correct. The way we care for one another is entirely different from your feelings for her. Why not allow her to join us? You need her as much as I need you.”

He gathered Simon in close and hugged him. Simon let out a loud shuddering sigh and wrapped his arms around Noah. Mina moved over to Simon and eased her cheek on his back.

“I want nothing more in this world but to be your wife. Why not see if I’m up to the task?” she asked, hoping beyond all hope he would say yes.

Simon twisted around, cradling Noah by the waist with one arm while he stared down at her in speculation. “You’ll have to spell it out for me, Miss de Saltin.”

She shifted until she stood in front of the man she loved. “You should see if we’re a good match. Even though you have an unconventional affection with Noah, I can see you’re interested in exploring other desires with me. I’m offering myself to you tonight, and all I expect in return is an offer of marriage.”

Simon glanced at Noah. “Is this what you want?”

Noah cupped Simon’s cheek. “If it is a way for us to be together. Then yes.” He brushed his mouth across Simon’s.

Simon’s eyes flickered and he groaned. Mina set her palm on his chest, eyeing the front of his breeches. His manhood strained the front of the material. She gave into temptation and cupped him.

Simon gasped and his head fell back on his shoulders. She circled her thumb over his engorged flesh and lifted up on her toes to kiss the middle of his throat. Noah’s arms came around them both.

“Let’s lie down together,” she whispered, and when Simon dropped his head down, she gave him a kiss. He didn’t respond at first, but then his hands hooked around her waist and his mouth moved roughly against her own. She moaned and squeezed him harder, causing him to cup her buttocks and bring her tight up against him.

She kept kissing Simon as she backed toward the bed. Noah followed them, rubbing his hands over Simon’s front and back. When the back of her knees met the mattress, she lay down, tugging Simon on top of her. He fisted her hair as his kiss grew more forceful.

She turned her face to the side, allowing Simon to kiss the side of her throat and down her chest. His hands cupped her breasts and she cried out his name in yearning.

A hand glided up her leg under her skirt and nudged aside the fabric. It was Noah, who sat on the bed next to her hip.

“Lift up your bottom so your dress doesn’t wrinkle when Simon takes you,” he suggested.

“Shouldn’t we undress?” she asked on a moan as Simon tugged down her bodice and chemise and latched onto a nipple. She was so happy she decided not to wear a corset and locked her legs around Simon’s waist. She rocked against him as he pleasured her breasts. She was incredibly damp below. Her inner cunny muscles throbbed, wanting to latch around something hard and thick.

Noah ran his hands over Simon’s head. Simon stopped his administrations on her chest and claimed Noah’s mouth in a kiss. She watched, incredibly aroused.

“Take me now before I expire!” she cried out dramatically, and the men broke off their kiss, both staring down at her in hunger.

“Give her what she wants, but be gentle. It’s her first ride,” Noah said and took off his coat and unbutton his shirt.

“It’s my first time as well,” Simon said and gave Mina a kiss.

She drifted her fingers across Simon’s face and blinked away the hot tears forming in her eyes. She bit down on his lip to stop from blurting out her love for him.

Their lips clung to one another until Simon sat back and unfastened his breeches, pushing them down low on his hips. His hands then came up under her dress and he didn’t bother to unlace her drawers, but ripped them apart. Keeping his eyes on her face the entire time, he lifted the hem of her dress until it pooled on her stomach, baring her mound to his gaze.

She flinched when he circled a finger along her slit. But then she spread her legs wider, wanting to be invaded. The sensation of his hands on her cunny was very pleasant and unlike her own touch.

“You’re drenched. Later, I will kiss you here,” Simon said, wonder in his voice. Using his thumbs, he spread apart her folds and dipped his cock against her center.

She cried out and fisted the coverlet under her hands. Lifting up, she met his mouth in an eager kiss.

“Ready?” he asked against her mouth, and when she nodded, he rocked his hips forward and slid inside her. She called out his name in shock. After a beat, he thrust in further. She felt the sharp tearing of her woman’s flesh and a burning sensation that was dulled down by Simon’s kisses across her face and his fingers plucking her nipples.

She remained still until she grew accustomed to his thickness. She locked eyes with Noah, who latched into Simon’s hips and rocked behind him, naked as the day he was born.

“Jesus, Noah, fuck me,” Simon grunted, pumping faster into Mina.

She dug her nails into the nape of Simon’s neck as she moved with him. Noah lurched and jerked with a hard thump against Simon’s back. His hand dipped down where Simon’s cock met the entrance of her mound and his fingers caressed where they joined.

She closed her eyes and opened her mouth in a wordless scream, tears falling down her cheeks as Simon huffed in her ear and continued invading her soul. Noah joined them with his talented hands and words of encouragement.

Chapter Thirteen

Too much drink had been consumed by all and both she and Elle were a part of it. Kristina was giddy drunk on happiness. The amount of liquor she drank added to it. After what had to be her fifth glass of champagne and Elle’s third, she switched both their glasses to punch so they both wouldn’t be too far gone for what she had planned.

She wanted to seduce Elle fully, to show her how much she cared for her. It seemed Elle was receptive to the idea, from the kisses they shared in a darkened alcove near the servants’ entrance.

She cupped Elle’s breasts, squeezing the ripe flesh. Elle ran her hands up and down Kristina’s back, arching into her hold. She moaned, then gasped when Elle tongue, lapped, and tugged on her lip—the precise way Kristina enjoyed it. She wanted Elle to lick her entire body, starting with her weeping cunny and ending with her own face imbedded between Elle’s thighs. They would climax together all night long, cementing the unique bond that had grown between them.

“Do you like my kisses?” Elle whispered and played with Kristina’s hair.

“You know I do.” She moved her face down and ran her tongue across the top curve of Elle’s breasts that thrust against her bodice.

Elle panted and her eyes closed. “I think I drank too much champagne. I’m hot and dizzy.”

“My touch is making you feel this way. Perhaps you need to lie down.” She pressed her lips against the side of Elle’s throat and shifted her hand inside her bodice to cup her breast.

Elle jerked as Kristina circled her thumb over her nipple, enjoying the way it hardened under her touch.

“I think I should lie down.” Elle opened her eyes and met her stare.

This was the exact moment Kristina was waiting for. No more words were spoken between them, not that they needed conversation to admit what they both wanted from each other. The way Elle’s body responded to her, combined with the stark craving in her eyes, was the only answer Kristina needed.

She gave Elle one last hard kiss and took her hand. Leaving their discarded masks on the floor, she hurried up the back stairway up to the second floor. Luckily no servant came upon them.

Once reaching the door to her bedroom, she almost bounced in glee. Soon she would have Elle naked in her bed for her to cherish. They had hours together to taste and touch one another, and before the night was over, she would claim Elle as her own. But first she had to get her skittish darling inside her bedroom. She opened the door and invited Elle in. Elle twisted her hands, refusing to move.

“What’s wrong?” Kristina asked, her impatience growing.

Elle scanned the hall. “Isn’t this the family wing? What if someone comes looking for you? Lady Kristina might wonder where you are.”

Kristina lifted one of Elle’s hair ribbons and rubbed it between her fingers. “We won’t be interrupted, least of all by Kristina. She’s downstairs having a grand old time.”

“How can you be cer—”

She brushed her lips gently across Elle’s swollen ones. “Trust me, I know. Have I given you any indication since we’ve met that I’m wrong?”

Elle shook her head, dislodging her mouth from Kristina’s. “None at all.”

Kristina traced the side of Elle’s face, drawing her inside the room. Laughter and the sounds of music were cut off when she closed the door. She backed Elle against it and captured her mouth, running her hands through Elle’s hair and twining the ribbons around her fists.

She tipped back Elle’s head and moved her mouth down her chin and the middle of her throat, landing over her chest. Her inner thighs quivered and her womb clenched. Soon Elle’s succulent cunny would be hers to taste and savor to her heart’s content.

“I can’t wait to have you. Let me pleasure you,” she said, her voice shaking with emotion. First she would make Elle fly apart in her arms, then share the passion that would have them both crying out in ecstasy.

“Yes. I-I want you.” Elle clutched her close.

“Let’s enjoy each other then,” Kristina decreed and guided Elle toward her bed. Without asking for permission, she undressed Elle, starting with unlacing the ties on the side of her dress and working her way down. Elle closed her eyes under Kristina’s administrations until she was in her chemise and stockings, and her clogs. Kristina sat her on the bed. Elle went willingly. She knelt in front of Elle and took off each shoe, chucking them over her shoulder.

She turned around, motioning for Elle to unlace her ties in the back. As her dress loosened, lips rubbed over the nape of her neck until the dress collapsed around her hips. With a shimmy, her dress landed in a pool on the floor. Rising to her feet, she unfastened her corset, and discarded her chemise along with her garters, stockings, and slippers.

“You so beautiful,” Elle said and rested her palm over Kristina’s breast.

Elle’s touch scalded her. Her desire and lust had risen to a fevered pitch. She spread her legs apart to stop the vast pressure in her womb from exploding.

“You smell like…” Elle’s eyes dipped to Kristina’s pussy and she licked her lips.

Kristina inhaled through her nose and bent forward to kiss Elle. Their mouths fused together, greedy and hot, stealing each other’s breath.

She unrolled Elle’s thin and faded stockings down her legs. She would buy Elle new stockings and shoes when she came to live with her and would serve only her—

“I want to eat you up,” she muttered and ran her hands up Elle’s thighs. Elle’s drawers impeded her progress. She ripped open the material.

Elle gasped. Before she could complain, Kristina crushed her mouth with ardor and laid her on the bed. She pulled away the ruined material, moved her hands under Elle’s chemise, and plucked at her breasts. Elle arched up and squirmed, rubbing her thighs together in a way that made her arousal surge and circle Kristina’s face.

She had to taste Elle’s nectar. Lifting up her chemise, she scattered kisses on her stomach, sticking her tongue inside her belly button. Elle jerked under her, crying out her name. She licked across her stomach and navel, stopping when Elle tugged on her hair.

“Aren’t you going to kiss me?” Elle asked in such an innocent voice that Kristina laughed.

“I plan on kissing you someplace different altogether. You cunny has been neglected for too long and needs love.”

“I don’t understand.” Elle covered her mound.

Kristina nudged Elle’s hand away with her chin. “Lie back and I’ll show you.”

Elle bit her lip and stared down up Kristina in uncertainty. When Kristina started to lick in between Elle’s fingers and trace her slit with the tip of her tongue, Elle’s hand dropped away.

She circled her mouth around Elle’s bush, slipping her tongue in between her pussy folds. Elle cried out, her hips rolling and twisting. She spread Elle’s legs apart and wiggled her tongue in deeper. With trembling hands, she unveiled Elle’s cunny to her gaze.

Ah, soft, pink, and juicy. Kristina ran her tongue across Elle’s inner flesh, the salt and combination of milky fluid an aphrodisiac. Her mouth came down and she sucked Elle’s pussy hard.

Elle called out her name, lifted her hips against her mouth.

Perspiration coated Elle’s upper thighs and navel. Kristina rubbed her palms over Elle’s slippery flesh while her own skin dampened from her growing climax.

“Oh… more… please!” Elle’s voice cracked and sobs escaped her while Kristina increased the speed of her tongue’s dipping and pitching along with rolling of her mouth. She plundered Elle’s virgin pussy, burrowing her tongue deep inside. She scratched her nails down the inside of Elle’s legs and was rewarded by Elle’s inner muscles latching on her tongue. Sticky feminine juices pooled in her mouth and Elle’s legs clutched the sides of her head.

Elle wailed as she came. Kristina removed her mouth and flipped Elle on her stomach. She kneaded the globes of Elle’s ass and kissed every section of her skin she could find, ending with her tongue near the seam of Elle’s ass. She opened Elle’s ass cheeks wide, stuck her tongue into the crevice, and licked the puckered rosette.

Elle moaned, rocking against Kristina’s mouth. She licked faster, the tang of Elle’s asshole overwhelming her. While she engaged her tongue in that forbidden area, she thrust her fingers into Elle’s pussy. All too soon Elle climaxed again.

Kristina rose up on shaking legs and stumbled over to her dresser. She poured a glass of water from a pitcher, gulped down her drink, and poured another. Once her thirst was quenched, she chewed on a cinnamon stick to clean her mouth before she joined Elle again.

Elle twitched lightly on her stomach with her eyes closed and her breathing deep. Kneeling on the bed, she turned Elle over on her back. Elle opened her eyes, and when she opened her mouth, she kissed her. Elle kissed her back, and Kristina straddled her legs, rubbing her pussy over Elle’s dampened one.

Her hands came up and she cupped Elle’s face, staring into her eyes. “You taste divine. What I did just now with my tongue in your bum is something I have never done with another.”

Elle sat up and laughed as she pushed Kristina on her back and rose above her. She turned her head from side to side, letting her ribbons run over Kristina’s face and chest. “I enjoyed what you did,” she said shyly and a blush rose up her face.

Kristina curved her hands around Elle’s ass to bring her in closer. “Next time you can do it to me.”

Elle’s gaze darkened and she nodded in acceptance. Their mouths latched over one another, wet and frenzied. Elle ground her mound against Kristina’s leg, riding it slowly. Soon her knee became damp with Elle’s juices. Elle surprised her by putting her mouth there and lapping it away. Eventually she moved down lower until her face hovered over Kristina’s cunny. With detailed instructions, Kristina taught Elle how to please her with her tongue and mouth.

Her reward ended with her panting and climaxing in a way she never thought possible, all because of Elle, who had stolen her heart.

* * * *

Ellie swished one of her hair ribbons across Diana’s chest. Diana smiled and lifted her leg higher around Ellie’s hip. She brushed her mouth across Diana’s shoulder, holding back from blurting out her feelings for her lady love and jumping up and down on the bed in joy.

The tickling of the small clock on the bedside table broke the silence in the room. The two hands inched closer to the number one. She wanted time to stand still.

Diana pulled Ellie over her like a blanket. She burrowed her face into the side of Diana’s neck. Guilt ate away at her. She wanted to tell Diana who she was in truth.

“I have something to share with you. It’s a secret,” she said and moved up to give Diana a kiss.

Diana lifted her face up and presented her mouth. Ellie kept the kiss going until she needed air. She finally broke away and lowered her eyes, biting the inside of her cheek.

“After the way we spent the last hour, there should be no more secrets between us.” Diana ran a finger down Ellie’s cheek.

Ellie nodded in agreement and braced herself for Diana’s reaction. “My name isn’t Elle—well, it is, but my real name is Eleanor. My mother called me Ellie.”

Diana tugged on one of her curls. “It suits you.”

“You’re not angry I wasn’t completely truthful to you?”

Diana kissed her. “Not at all.”

The ball of tension lying in her stomach disappeared and she returned Diana’s kiss. Soon Diana dipped her hands in between her legs where she had become wet again. She rolled on her back and dragged Diana on top of her, sighing because she was so happy.

Diana ended the kiss and stared down at her, cupping her cheeks and rubbing her thumbs across her heated skin. The serious look in Diana’s eyes made her heart thump faster. She chewed on her bottom lip.

“You’ll make your lip bleed. The only teeth nibbling there should be mine,” Diana said with authority and sucked on Ellie’s lip, tugging gently with her mouth. Ellie pushed aside her worry and hooked her legs around Diana’s hips.

Diana nestled her face into the crook of Ellie’s shoulder. Ellie held her tightly, her fingers running up and down Diana’s back. A yawn left her and Diana peeked up.

“I wish I could stay here all night.” Her fingers tangled through Diana’s hair.

Diana circled a finger around Ellie’s breast. “Why not stay, then? I would love to sleep with you in my arms.”

Ellie smiled over that lovely fantasy. But that would be impossible for her. She had less than an hour before she had to meet Clement and Egan, where they would pick her up and return her home to face reality again.

“You lost your smile and you look ready to cry. What’s going on in that head of yours that would make you so sad?” Diana asked in concern.

She stared up at the ceiling. “Tonight was a dream come true. But…we both know this can’t last forever. You’re only visiting and you’ll leave to return to your own home soon. I’ll still be a servant with no outstanding prospects, wishing I could be—”

“You could be? Yes? Continue.” Diana cupped the side of her face.

Ellie blinked back her tears. “I wish I could be with you always. Those moments together at the beach, in the cottage, and tonight make me want much more.”

“You want something more for us.” Diana didn’t phrase it as a question.

I want forever. Ellie rubbed her palms over her face and sat up. She climbed off the bed to gather together her dress and undergarments.

Diana got off the bed and walked over to her, naked. Ellie stared past Diana’s shoulder. It hurt too much to see her face, afraid of what Diana’s reaction would be to her honesty.

Diana tilted her chin up. What she saw lurking in Diana’s eyes made her stomach clench. Diana stared at her as if she was something precious. It humbled her to know this beautiful lady might care for her that way.

“Don’t rush away just yet. Sit down. I have something I must talk to you about.”

Ellie sat on the edge of the bed, self-conscious. She tossed the sheet over her lap. Before she could wrap herself in it, Diana knelt in front of her.

“Why are you down there? Sit next to me.” Ellie patted the empty space next to her.

Diana shook her head and wrapped her arms around Ellie’s waist. She whispered something Ellie couldn’t catch. What’s going on here?

Finally, Diana exhaled loudly and lifted her face. She clutched Ellie’s hands in her own. Her eyes glistened and a flag of red flared on her cheeks.

“Now you’re the one who looks sad. What if we lie back—”

“If I don’t do this now, I never will and you’ll end up hating me.”

“Should I be scared?’ She tried to remove her hand from Diana’s grip in order to push away the hair falling into Diana’s eyes. Diana wouldn’t let her.

“I’m about to admit something I kept from you for far too long.” Diana closed her eyes and dipped her head, her hair blanketing their hands and Ellie’s lap.

She squeezed Diana’s hands in a support gesture. “I can handle whatever you tell me.” I hope…

Diana groaned and lifted her head. Fear lurked in her eyes and Ellie’s stomach jumped.

“You deserve to know my true identity.”

Ellie licked her dry lips. “Your identity?”

“Yes. Diana isn’t the name I answer to. It is one of my names. I wasn’t lying about that.”

“How many names do you have?” Ellie teased, trying to ease the strain coming from Diana.

“Three in total.” Diana lifted their joined hands up to her mouth.

When Diana didn’t elaborate further, she gave Diana’s hands another squeeze.

Diana opened her mouth, then shut it. She dropped Ellie’s hands and rose to her feet. She crossed her arms and shifted from one leg to another.

Ellie had never seen her so agitated and it made her feel the same. Diana suddenly stopped fidgeting and dropped her arms to her side. Her breasts jiggled from the way her chest moved and her nipples a moment ago that were pointed and perfect to nibble on now lay flat. Ellie’s mouth watered for a taste of her lover’s nipples again, but first she had to hear what Diana planned on disclosing.

“I fear the desire in your eyes will turn to loathing once you know truth.”

She finished studying Diana’s wondrous bosom and brought her attention up to her face. “Are you married, or perhaps you’re the secret love child of the duke?” she asked in an airy manner, hoping inside she was completely wrong.

“You’re closer than you know.” Diana closed her eyes. “My full name is Kristina Diana Perrault.”

The silence that soon followed was deafening. A loud buzzing filled her ears. Ellie shook her head to dislodge the sound. Diana couldn’t be who she was saying she was!

She dug her fingers into the mattress. “Isn’t that the name of his grace’s daughter?”

The woman in front of her gave her a stilted nod and opened her eyes. Grim despair floated in them. “I’m their daughter and not a friend of the family, as I led you to believe.”

She covered her trembling mouth with her hand and rose from the bed. “You lied to me.”

“You weren’t honest either. You still won’t divulge where you work or who your mistress is.” Diana—no—Kristina moved toward her.

Ellie lifted the sheet up to cover her front and shifted to the side. “Divulge? What does that word…oh, why didn’t you tell me who you were from the start? Was this a game for you, to have fun at my expense?” Her voice cracked and she wiped her eyes that had become wet with angry tears. “Was it your plan to seduce me because you were some bored, rich lady who had nothing else to do?”

Kristina reached out to grab her, but Ellie darted away and ran over to where her chemise and gown lay. She grabbed her garments, keeping a close eye on this woman who just turned her entire world upside down.

“I won’t let you leave without hearing me out first,” Kristina said and blocked the door.

Ellie hands trembled as she threw on her chemise and pulled on her dress. Diana—no—Kristina watched her with a fixed stare.

“You’ll have to let me go sometime. What would your parents say if they found a strange, half-naked woman here with you? They would both faint.” She jutted her chin out, daring Kristina to argue.

Kristina’s shoulders drooped. “They would be appalled and end up disowning me if they knew we were lovers.”

“Why? Because you’re having a sexual relationship with another woman?” she spat and fisted her hands together.

“Why ask the question when you already know the answer?”

She shook her head in disgust. She had to leave before she broke down in tears in front of this woman who made her look like a fool for her own sick fun. Again she had been the subject of ridicule.

When Kristina took a step toward her, she backed away, holding up her hands to ward her off. “Stay where you are. If you don’t I’ll—”

“You’ll what, Eleanor? Scream. No one will be able to hear you. Everyone is drunk or close to it, engaged in their own entertainment.” Kristina said softly. “I have a way we can be together and no one would question it.”

“Together? You think I would want to be with you after all your lies?” She seethed in anger and yanked back her hair and ribbons falling over her eyes. She wanted to tear out the ribbons and fling them at Kristina’s face, or shove them down her lying throat.

“I understand why you’re furious with me. I would be also, but what we shared together wasn’t something I consider lightly. I didn’t seduce you for my own cruel enjoyment. I care for you deeply and want to keep you in my life.” Kristina lifted her hand in a plea. “You can work here as my maid.”

“Maid? You think I’ll agree to this and work for you while you diddle me in secret?” Her voice caught in her throat. Kristina had used her. She’d been such a fool! A blind, dimwitted fool like everyone thought her to be.

The sounds of cheers and music came from down below. The clock struck one and let off a soft ding.

Kristina said her name and took another step closer to her. Ellie shook her head and backed away until she met the French doors leading out to the balcony. Kristina’s face lit up in triumph, and as she stalked, she picked up her chemise from the floor and put it on. Ellie fumbled for the door knob and turned it. Breathing a sigh of relief when the doors behind her opened, she darted outside.

Kristina rushed after her. Ellie slammed the doors shut, slapping her palms against them. Kristina banged on the doors, yelling for her to let go.

She searched around for an escape. The branches of an elm tree hung low over the corner of the balcony. She turned around and leaned against the door while she untangled one of her ribbons from her hair. Kristina kept banging on the door, pleading to be let out.

She knotted the ribbon around both door handles and tied it tight. This would give her enough time to climb down the tree before Kristina could stop her. When the ribbon was adequately tied, she stared straight at Kristina’s tear-stricken face.

“I’m sorry,” Kristina mouthed through her tears.

Ellie refused to cry. She would later when she was alone.

“You’re sorry because you got caught,” she said and hurried over to the tree.

The doors behind her rattled and Kristina yelled her name. Ellie boosted up on the ledge of the balcony and swung her leg over the branch. She slowly moved back toward the base of the tree to place her foot on another branch under her.

“Ellie, come back here!” Kristina shouted and curses left her mouth.

Ellie’s vision grew blurry from her tears, and she flinched when a sharp piece of the bark jabbed into the heel of her foot. She didn’t stop to investigate the cut and descended. She moved as fast as she could. She had to reach the ground before Kristina gave chase.

Kristina’s voice had died down and the only sounds were the ones of celebration and the hooting of an owl or some unknown bird. A shaky breath left Ellie when she landed on solid ground. Lifting up her skirt, she ran around the side of the building, wincing from the throbbing and cramping in her feet and legs.

An indent in the ground made her twist her ankle and she landed face first on the grass. Tears drenched her face and she whimpered in pain. She got to one knee and started to stand, but a sharp, shooting pain ran up her leg.

“Eleanor? Dear God, what has happened to you?

She couldn’t answer. She was crying too hard. Hands lifted her up and she groaned in anguish. Swiping away her tears, she stared up into Lord Robert’s face. The countess rushed to her side. She hid her face into the countess’s chest and sobbed.

“She may need a doctor. It looks like she’s been assaulted,” Lord Robert said.

“No…no doctor. Want to leave. Need to…” She hiccupped and cleaved onto the countess.

“Robbie, she’s hysterical. I have no clue why she would be in tears with her dress torn and in bare feet, but we need to take her away from here. I’m afraid of what Geraldine will do,” the countess said over Ellie’s head.

Ellie wailed upon hearing her stepmother’s name. If Geraldine found her, she would be beaten and locked in the basement, or worse.

“Want to go home with you.” She suddenly grew lightheaded. Her legs gave out and she crumpled to the ground.

She was lifted back up. Her stomach rolled and she hung her head over the person’s arm, ready to be sick.

Soft hands brushed over her face and soon she was deposited inside a carriage. She rolled into a ball in the corner and didn’t react when the countess patted her hips, saying everything would be all right from now on.

The carriage moved and she closed her eyes. Lord Robert and the countess spoke in low voices. They talked about her as if she wasn’t there, not that it mattered.

She was dead inside. She no longer cared about anything.

Chapter Fourteen

Ellie sat on the couch, holding a large glass filled with brandy. Her feet had been cleaned by one of the countess’s maids. She shivered and pulled the blanket tighter around her, staring at the dark amber liquid that reminded her of Kristina’s eyes. The countess stood over her, watching in concern. Lord Robert sat near the window with his own drink. He also stared down into his glass with a serious look on his face.

“May I join you?” the countess asked.

She nodded, allowing the countess to wrap an arm around her shoulders.

“Are you feeling better now? Can you tell us what happened to you at the ball? It was a surprise to see you there in the first place, wearing such an expensive and beautiful dress and your hair styled with ribbons,” the countess said.

Ellie took a sip of her drink. “You must have found it odd I was missing stockings and slippers.”

“That also.”

“What time is it?” she asked, finishing off her drink.

Lord Robert took out his pocket watch. “It’s almost three.”

She nibbled her lip. By now the ball would be ending and Geraldine and Mina would return home. When she wasn’t there to receive them, Geraldine would go into a rage.

She released her chapped lip and placed her glass down on the floor. “Stepmother is going to be very angry with me for not being home when she returns. I’ll never be able to explain the way I look.” She lifted her bandaged foot.

The countess tapped her chin. “Did Geraldine approach you with my offer?”

“Yes. She mentioned it to me before the ball.”

“Good.” The countess patted her knee. “This might be the perfect time for you to accept. You don’t have to confide in me just yet how you snuck into the ball or found a stylish dress and hair ribbons. Eventually I expect you to tell me the hows and whys, including why you were rolling around in tears on the duke’s lawn. Seeing you like that broke my heart. I care for you. I always have even when you were a little girl. At times, I might have been too aggressive, which I apologize for. I would love nothing more than to take you far away and show you all the world has to offer. Please say yes.”

Lord Robert walked over to sit on the arm of the settee. “I’ve wronged you also. I allowed your stepmother to abuse you without stopping it. We both would like to make it up to you. Come stay with us in London. You can rest assured you’ll be well taken care of.”

Ellie glanced between the two siblings. “I’m not comfortable with people I don’t know or big crowds—”

“Eleanor, dear, I’ll bring you out of your shell.” The countess ran a finger down the side of her face. “There’s so much I want to show you…to teach you.”

The unwavering look in the countess’s eyes made Ellie’s breath hitch. When she didn’t response, the countess and Lord Robert shared a look she couldn’t decipher.

“If you will excuse me, it’s getting late. I will leave you with Yvonne.” Lord Robert stood and bowed.

“We’ll be up shortly.” The countess waved him away.

Lord Robert left the room, but kept the door open.

“Now that Robbie is gone, I can be honest.” The countess twisted her hands and lowered her eyes. “Did Geraldine ever tell you how she came to me for a loan to pay off your father’s doctor bills and the other outstanding bills, such as the mortgage on your house?”

Ellie shook her head in disbelief. “You’re mistaken. Papa had money saved—”

The countess laughed. “Oh my dear, how truly clueless you are! Geraldine spent all your father’s savings. She thought when she married your father she would live a life of luxury. She was in for a rude awakening because he didn’t have a fortune and was cut off from his family because he married your mother, a commoner.”

Ellie’s stomach turned. She wanted to pull the blanket over her head and hide. But the countess wouldn’t let her and herded her into a tight embrace.

“Tonight has been full of shocks for you. I hate to add more to your burdens, but your stepmother is in dire straits. As her good friend, I kept her creditors at bay. But she took advantage of our friendship and spent my money on frivolous things like dresses and unnecessary baubles.” The countess sighed. “And the fact she never took care of you and treated you poorly has upset me immensely.”

“You’re never going to get your money back,” Ellie said weakly. She wished the countess would just come out and say what she wanted from her.

“I came to that conclusion a long time ago. I would hate to have to go to the authorities and have Geraldine thrown into prison, all to prove a point, but it won’t come down to that,” The countess cupped Ellie’s cheek. “Unless—”

“Unless I come live with you and be your…companion,” Ellie said.

“Yes. I’ll forget the debt owed as long as if you leave everything behind and start a new life with me.” The countess kissed her forehead, her wet lips leaving a brand on Ellie’s skin.

Her eyes stung from her tears. What other choice did she have? She couldn’t live with the guilt if Geraldine was arrested and Mina thrown out on the street. No one would come to their defense or lend aid like the countess had. Ellie owned nothing of value and even her two pets didn’t really belong to her. Leaving behind August and Jack would pain her the most. Also poor Clement and Egan would be beside themselves, not knowing where she’d gone off to. But then again it was probably for the best if she disappeared.

Kristina’s face popped into her head and Ellie bit down hard on her lip to stop from crying out. The pain of Kristina’s deceit was still too fresh. There was no way now she could stay in Aulnory, knowing they could come in contact again. She was sick of being the subject of constant ridicule, and the way Kristina had treated her was the last straw.

The countess brushed her finger across Ellie’s lip. “If you keep that up, your lip will be bloody mess.”

She flinched. Kristina had said that exact same thing in jest. The pain in her chest intensified again. She didn’t want to feel anything, not joy, sadness, or even hate. She wanted to be numb.

She sat back and pulled her hands through her hair. She caught a ribbon and gave it a sharp tug. The burn overpowered her sick stomach and her aching heart.

“Eleanor, I need an answer.”

She twined a ribbon around her finger and gave the countess a hard smile. “There’s nothing keeping me here. It’s for the best if I join you in London. It should be a grand adventure,” she said with fake cheer.

The countess’s face lit up. “You’ve made me very happy.”

At least one of us is. “When can we leave?”

“As soon as you want.”

“Would now be too much to ask?” she was more than ready to start their journey.

The countess pursed her lips, her eyes roaming over Ellie. The heat of her stare didn’t concern her like it had done in the past. She no longer cared if the countess wanted her for something more than just companionship.

“We can leave before noon. First we’ll catch a few hours of sleep and then pack up our belongings. We should be in London by nightfall.”

Ellie nodded in agreement, and when the countess nuzzled her cheek, she allowed herself to be carried away on a sea of frozen numbness.

Chapter Fifteen

Loud banging woke Kristina out of a deep sleep. She sat up, wiping her swollen and gritty eyes. She had forgotten to lock the French doors last night before she collapsed on her bed in tears. She cursed and rose, her body stiff and achy. Stumbling over to the doors, she walked onto the balcony, not caring her gown was wrinkled and her stays untied. In her haste to chase after Ellie, she had thrown on her dress, not bothering with decorum. Finding Ellie was all that had mattered. She had failed.

She glanced down at the ground below. Comforted that the descent wasn’t too far, she propped her elbows on the ledge and dropped her face in her hands. By the time she cut the ribbons away from the door, Ellie had disappeared. She sped down the stairs to catch her before she ran off. She didn’t get far, for the crowd surged around her, making it impossible for her to move. She then had become sick from too much champagne and the deep pain in her heart for treating Ellie so poorly. She never expected Ellie to act in such a way. The shock and anguish on Ellie’s face and the tears streaming down her cheeks destroyed at her. She had to find Ellie and make things right between them.

But she had no idea how to find her missing darling, and that left her with a conundrum.

She paced her bedroom, debating what to do next, when she spotted Ellie’s unsightly clogs and frayed stockings. Maybe she could bring those shoes around to the townspeople and see if they recognized them as Ellie’s? How many servant girls in short, ragged hair with an enchanting smile and kind eyes could be in this town? And ones with bad taste in shoes? She wouldn’t rest until she found Ellie, and if she had to go door to door to find her, so be it!

Yes, Ellie was hers and she wouldn’t let her to walk out of her life. She would get down on her knees and beg her for forgiveness if that would make it better. Once Ellie accepted her apology, the next step was figuring out a way for them to be together.

She wished she could go to her mother for advice. The duchess might be sympathetic, but she didn’t expect her mother to be that tolerant if she found out her daughter was in love with another woman.

Kristina gathered Ellie’s shoes to her chest. One of Ellie’s hair ribbons was entangled in a buckle. She rubbed the silky fabric, her eyes growing damp again. She had fallen in love for the first time in her life and had no idea what to do or how to get her precious beloved back.

She hunched over her knees in pain and whispered Ellie’s name in longing. She wouldn’t be whole again until Ellie was by her side and in her arms.

Rising, she wiped away her tears. She would get dressed and begin her search for Ellie. But she wouldn’t be going at it alone. Simon would help her.

She straightened her gown the best she could, took the clogs, and opened the door. She rushed down the hallway to Simon’s room. She didn’t have any guilt about waking her brother, and when she reached his door, she knocked, waited a few beats, and swung the door open to walk inside.

What she saw in Simon’s bed made her drop the shoes and slap her hands over her mouth. Her face flamed in embarrassment. Simon was naked and wasn’t alone. Not only did he have an equally naked woman sleeping next to him, but an equally naked man snuggled up against his back with his arms draped around him. Simon snored and turned, facing the other man—who, dear lord, was her brother’s tailor!—and cupped the man by the back of his neck and kissed him. The woman snuggled up against Simon and yawned.

“Mina de Saltin?” Kristina asked in a high voice, blinking away the shocking scene before her.

Mina yelped and threw the sheet over her head.

Simon broke away from Mr. Lyons and sat up. His mouth fell open as he stared at her.

“Simon Christian Perrault, cover yourself!” she ordered and pointed a finger in the direction of his lap where his male genitalia was openly displayed.

He grabbed the pillow behind him and set it upon his lap. Mr. Lyons sat up and also covered his manhood with a pillow. He nodded in her direction, yawning loudly.

“Had too much to drink last night, brother?” she asked, and grabbing Simon’s robe hanging in front of his closet, threw it at him.

He caught it and pulled it on. He whispered something to his male bedmate and climbed out of the bed. Mina remained hidden under the covers.

“I could say this isn’t what it seems, but it is,” he said and ran his hands through his hair. He peered over his shoulder at the bed. Mina’s face peeked out from under the sheet. Noah leaned over, speaking softly to her.

“Really, Simon? With your tailor? I can understand Miss de Saltin in your bed, but as for the other…” She waved her hand around at a loss for words.

Simon cupped his elbow as he rubbed his fingers across his mouth. “His name is Noah and I love him. We’ve been having an affair for three years now.”

“You really do love me?” Noah asked, sitting back up.

Simon turned and gave him a soft smile. “How could you even ask? I’ve loved you from the first moment we kissed.”

“And what about me?” Mina muttered and lifted her head over the sheet.

“I adore you,” Simon responded and rested his hand against his chest.

Kristina crossed her arms and tapped her foot. “I don’t have time for this. Something horrible has happened. Now that I know your dirty little secret, you must do whatever I ask.”

Simon gave her a glare of foreboding. “And if I don’t, you’ll snitch to mother and father?”

She slapped her arms against her side. She was all bluster and no bite. She loved her brother too much to betray him to their parents. There was only so much they would be able to take, especially if they learned both their children had peculiar sexual tastes.

“It’s not proper for a lady of my breeding to share what may or may not happen in my brother’s bedroom. That’s on your shoulders.” She cleared throat. She glanced back at the duo on the bed who hadn’t said a word. Both stared at her in apprehension, as if they waited for the other shoe to drop.

Speaking of shoes, she got back to the matter at hand.

She picked up the clogs and thrust them at Simon. “I need to find the owner of these shoes.”

Simon curled his lip and folded his arms behind his back. “These things should be burned. They’re ghastly.”

“Yes, they are.” She gave the clogs a fond caress. “The woman who owns them is very special to me and I need to return them back to her.”

“Those are Ellie’s.” Noah cinched the sheet around him and rose from the bed.

“You know Ellie?” She faced the half-naked man who rested a hand on Simon’s shoulder. Simon curved an arm around Noah’s waist.

“She’s my stepsister,” Mina announced, drawing the coverlet around her. “Why in the world do you have Ellie’s shoes?”

“You can tell me where I can find her!” Excitement hummed through her body.

“Kristina, who is this woman you need to find?” Simon asked, and turned toward Mina. “Mina, love, this is the first time I’ve heard you have a stepsister.”

Mina twirled a piece of her hair around her finger. “We, I mean Mama, keeps Ellie hidden. She’s dimwitted—”

“Ellie is not dimwitted! She’s just shy and has poor self-esteem.” Kristina advanced toward the bed with one of the shoes raised in the air. How dare she say such things about her Ellie? She drew back her arm to throw the boot at Mina’s face, but Simon blocked her.

“Don’t speak to the woman I plan to marry that way.”

“She has no right to say such cruel words about the woman I love!” Kristina snarled and tossed the clogs against the wall. Mina yelped and both Noah and Simon inhaled in shock.

Kristina moaned and covered her face. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes again. She upset and out of sorts. She had to find Ellie before she had a nervous breakdown.

Simon whispered her name. She released a shaky sigh and turned around. “I’ve fallen in love, and not with a man. If mother and father find out, they may disown me or make me join a nunnery.”

“You’ll be in good company, then. They may force me to become a priest.” Simon chuckled, then grew serious. “What do you need me to do?”

“Help me find Ellie. We had a horrible fight last night and she ran away. She could be anywhere.” The plea in her voice was more than noticeable.

Simon kissed her on the forehead and held out his hand to Mina. “Come here.”

Mina obeyed, dragging the coverlet with her. She smiled blissfully up at Simon, and when she reached his side, he gave her a kiss.

“It would make me extremely happy if you could tell us where we can find your sister,” he said and gave her another kiss.

“She’s probably at home in the kitchen making breakfast for—” Mina winced. “Mama has no idea where I am! She’s going to kill me!”

“She won’t kill you when you tell her you and Simon are engaged to be married,” Noah said and grabbed his glasses from the bedside table and put them on.

“This situation of yours is beyond strange.” Kristina rubbed her aching forehead. “I’m not in my right mind right now to question this odd friendship you three have.”

“When you’re in a better frame of mind, I’ll explain everything. But first, let’s get dressed and we’ll go to Mina’s house,” Simon recommended.

Kristina nodded. “I can be ready in less than ten minutes. I assume it will take you longer as you try locating everyone’s clothes and who wears what.” She motioned around the room where articles of clothing had been strewn.

Simon’s neck and face grew red and Mina hid her face against his arm. Noah sat on the edge of the bed, looking bashful.

Kristina scooped the clogs off the floor. “I’ll meet you downstairs shortly,” she announced and hurried back to her room. This time she didn’t feel as if the world had come crashing down upon her head. In less than an hour she would see Ellie again. This time she wouldn’t let Ellie run away from her, and if she had to, she’d tie Ellie to a chair to keep her from escaping a second time.

* * * *

When Mina opened the front door, Kristina rushed inside. Mina called out for her to wait, but she didn’t listen and vaulted up the steps to the second level, two at a time, calling out Ellie’s name. She searched each bedroom. When she didn’t find Ellie, she ran back down the stairs.

Simon grabbed hold of her when she darted past him. “Calm down. We’ll find her if she’s here.”

“Her bedroom is next to the kitchen.” Mina pointed that direction.

Kristina wrenched away from Simon and rushed down the hall. She skirted the kitchen and found a half-opened door. Pushing it open, she eyed the small room. In the middle of the bed sat August with a mouse sitting on his back.

What in the world…? She shook her head over the strange sight of the cat and mouse looking chummy with one another and studied the tiny room. Other than a bed and a small desk, the bedroom was woefully bare. She fisted her hands on her hips. Where could Ellie be?

Loud voices came from the front of the house. She left the room, hoping Ellie had been found.

Mina and Simon were inside the drawing room staring down at the baroness, who sat on a settee in need of a good refurbishing. Her eyes were bloodshot and her face was pale. A small wooden box sat next to her, overflowing with papers. She handed a letter to Mina.

She walked into the room. “What’s going on? Where’s Ellie?”

“Ellie no longer lives here,” the baroness said and touched her forehead. “I had too much to drink last night.”

Mina held out the letter for Kristina to take. “It’s a note from the Countess Tremaine. It says Ellie has accepted a position as her companion and they left for London early this morning.”

Kristina took the letter and scanned the words on the page. She then hit her leg with her fist and glared at the baroness. “You let Ellie leave with the countess? How could you allow that?”

“Allow it? Eleanor is a grown woman who can make her own decisions. She wasn’t here when I returned home last night. I came home alone when I couldn’t find my missing daughter.” The baroness gave Mina a firm look.

Mina didn’t cower under her mother’s stare. “I stayed overnight at Simon’s because it was so late.”

“Simon was kind enough to let you sleep in a guest bedroom?” The baroness’s voice had sly tone to it.

Before Mina could answer, Simon spoke in her stead.

“Your daughter has consented to be my wife. Now you don’t have to be too concerned about her reputation if it ever gets out she slept at my home without a chaperone,” he said stiffly.

The baroness’s face brightened. “This is wonderful! We need to set a date for the wedding—”

“Enough!” Kristina cried out. “How long ago did Ellie leave with the Countess Tremaine?”

The baroness’s mouth molded into a straight line. “How would I know? Why would you care where my stepdaughter has run off to and with whom?”

“Mama.” Mina sat down next to her mother. “Lady Kristina is friends with Ellie. I know it comes as surprise because of how much of a homebody Ellie is, but it appears she was at the ball last night and left behind her favorite pair of shoes. Lady Kristina would like to return them to her and needs to know the countess’s address in London or meet up with them if they haven’t traveled too far.”

The baroness looked lost. Kristina’s temper grew, but then something warm and solid brushed against her legs. August rubbed his face against her skirt and meowed. She picked him up and cradled him in her arms.

“Ellie wouldn’t up and leave everything behind. At the very least she would take August with her,” she explained through gritted teeth.

“Madam, it would please me greatly if you could give us more information on your stepdaughter’s whereabouts,” Simon said and crossed his arms behind his back as he stared his nose down at the baroness. “We fear Ellie wasn’t thinking correctly and may have done something rash.”

“Only friends, hmm?” the baroness asked, staring at Kristina in speculation.

She gave the odious woman a bland smile. “Ellie needs someone like me, a good friend to watch out for her and care for her, since she has been lacking love for so long.”

The baroness opened her mouth to respond, but faltered. Suddenly tears came to her eyes and she covered her mouth with her fist.

Mina curved her arm around her mother’s shoulders. “Mama, what’s the matter? You’re trembling.”

The baroness cleared her throat as she traced a finger over her papers lying on her lap. A tear dripped on the top sheet. “I can’t keep it a secret any longer. Yvonne has succeeded in getting everything she’s ever wanted while I’ve suffered.”

“Secret? Suffered?” Mina asked, staring up at Simon in confusion.

Simon sat down on the other side of the baroness. “Is there something you want to share with us?”

Kristina lifted August up on her shoulder to stop from lunging and shaking the older woman who talked nonsense. She tapped her foot and waited impatiently for the baroness to continue.

The baroness squeezed the bridge of her nose. Strain lines riddled her mouth and she looked a good ten years older. “We’re in dire straits. We’ve run out of money and have been relying on the countess for too long. Ever since Louis fell ill, Yvonne has been paying off the doctor bills and the mortgage on the house, as well as funds to feed and clothe us. For her kindness toward us, there was only one thing she asked in return.”

“Ellie?” Mina asked.

The baroness nodded. “Yvonne always liked Eleanor, even when she was a little girl. She reminded her of Angelica. It wasn’t right for—”

“It wasn’t right for Ellie to wait on you hand and foot!” Kristina lashed out, enjoying the mortified look on the baroness’s face.

“I won’t deny I was selfish, but I couldn’t let Eleanor go off with Yvonne at such a young age. I had hoped Yvonne would lose interest.”

“Mama, I don’t understand. Why wouldn’t you want Ellie to work for the countess? We could have found another servant of some sort for cleaning the house and cooking—”

Kristina couldn’t hold back her rage any longer. Placing August on the floor, she slammed her hands down on the table in front of Mina and her mother. Both women jumped while Simon crossed his arms.

“Mina, you can’t be this clueless!” Kristina spat and rapped her knuckles on the table. “Countess Tremaine wants Ellie because she lusts for her. She wants access to Ellie, much like a man would want a woman he desires.”

Mina’s eyes shot up into her forehead and she stared at her mother in shock. “Tell Lady Kristina she’s wrong! The countess would never do something so—”

“Devious or diabolical?” Kristina asked snidely and pointed her finger at the baroness. “You are quite the piece of work. You’re just as vile as the countess who could be hurting Ellie even as we speak.”

“She wouldn’t do that. She adores Eleanor in her own way,” the baroness said in a shrill voice.

Simon slapped his hands on his knees and stood. “Enough! The ride to London takes eight hours. If they left after sunrise, they have a good four hours’ lead time. I say we leave now and try to meet up with them. Maybe we’ll get lucky and the countess and her party will take a short rest at some inn along the way.”

“Yvonne and Robert always stop at the Barley Arms. It’s halfway between here and London. They’ll want to freshen up and have a meal. I hear it’s a proper establishment and they always give Yvonne the best room,” the baroness rambled on, wrinkling her papers.

The papers the baroness had were aged and yellow. For some odd reason Kristina had a feeling they might be of some importance regarding the countess or perhaps Ellie. But for now they had more pressing matters to deal with: stopping the countess from forcing Ellie to cater to her sexual needs. And if the inn had a private room, nothing could stop her from seducing Ellie or worse. Ellie would be powerless to stop her, especially if Lord Robert was involved.

Kristina shuddered at the thought of both the countess and Lord Robert forcing themselves on Ellie and raping her.

“Let’s hurry, then,” she said to Simon, then faced the baroness. “You’re coming with us even if I have to drag you.”

The baroness stood, clutching her box. She tossed the papers back inside and shut the lid. “There are some other things I should mention about my relationship with Yvonne and why Eleanor is stuck in the middle of all of this. I can’t live with myself if anything unfortunate happens to my stepdaughter.”

Kristina didn’t know if the baroness was putting on an act to gain sympathy. She wouldn’t be surprised if she was. It appeared to have worked on Mina, who held her mother close. She, on the other hand, wasn’t going to fall for it, and so she stalked out of the room.

“Mina, it would be best if you stayed here in case Ellie didn’t go with the countess and eventually returns home. We’ll take good care of your mother,” Simon said in a placating tone.

Mina nodded in agreement. “I’ll go check with Noah and his father. Perhaps they know where Ellie is,” she said brightly.

Kristina tapped the side of the door. “This is ridiculous. We know where Ellie is and with whom. We need to hurry.”

Simon pulled the baroness along, who clutched onto his arm. She whispered something to him, and as he walked out with her, he spoke in a low, soothing voice.

Kristina started to follow them when Mina touched her arm.

“What?” She didn’t bother to hide her frustration.

“Please bring Simon and Ellie back in one piece. Whatever the countess has planned for Ellie, it can’t be good, based on my mother’s reaction. I fear the worst.”

“You and I are both in accord.” She gave Mina a terse smile. “Simon and I will find Ellie. I’m planning on making her very happy for the rest of her life, if she’ll have me.”

August circled around Mina and meowed. Mina picked him up and nuzzled his head. “Good luck.”

With one last stroke on August’s back, Kristina walked out of the room. Simon waited by their carriage with the door open. When she hopped inside, the baroness sat across from her. Sobs rose from her mouth.

When Simon was settled in, he handed the baroness his handkerchief. The baroness wiped away her tears and told them about Yvonne’s obsession with Ellie’s mother that led to her death and how she ended up being an accomplice in order to get what she thought was rightly hers—Louis de Saltin.

Chapter Sixteen

A footman set the trunk in front of the bed. With a bow in the countess’s direction, he left, leaving the two women alone.

Ellie wiped her palms down the front of her borrowed dress. Even though it was one of the countess’s maid’s, it was still a better one than she usually wore.

“Eleanor, dear, you look like you’re going to drop!” The countess tsked and rested her palm against Ellie’s cheek.

She stiffened. During the carriage ride, she had suffered the countess’s touches and far-too-friendly overtures while Lord Robert dozed, unaware. She actually didn’t mind Lord Robert, who had been very kind since finding her last night. She wished he was here now instead of downstairs having a drink in the tap room.

“I didn’t get much sleep last night, and with the bumping of the carriage I couldn’t nap, my lady,” Ellie explained. I didn’t want to take the chance of falling to sleep and having you touch me without my permission.

The countess pursed her lips, a sign she was not amused. “One of my first rules is I expect you to call me Yvonne in private. I won’t have it any other way.”

Ellie nodded and covered a yawn, wishing she could rest. But then the countess might join her, seeing as there was only one bed to share.

“We’re in no rush to get to London. With Robert downstairs drinking, it will be hours yet before we leave. I’ll order us a light repast, and after we eat we can lie down.” The countess stretched her arms overhead, thrusting out her chest and showing off the globes of her breasts. Ellie averted her eyes and stared down at the floor.

When the countess fiddled with her hair, she glanced up again. The countess stared at her in sympathy, her touch unnerving. The only person she wanted to touch her in such a manner was Kristina. She backed away and sat down on the mattress, cutting off a weary groan.

“I’m going to order us food. I’ll be gone a short while.” The countess gave Ellie a wink and left the room.

Ellie lay back and stared up at the canopy. She missed her tiny bedroom, and August and Jack. The slippers she wore that pinched her feet made her wish for her plain clogs. She turned on her side and closed her eyes. Kristina had probably thrown away her shoes or burned them by now. Her chest tightened as memories of Kristina and their time after their lovemaking— rushed over her. What if she hadn’t overreacted, and forgiven Kristina for lying to her? Right now they could be together at the beach or experiencing more breathtaking passion in the cottage where she had fallen in love—

Love. She loved Kristina and it got her nothing but heartbreak and misery. Now she was stuck with a woman who would eventually expect her to engage in the same intimacies she had shared with Kristina.

Hiding her face in the pillow, she covered her sobs. After one final cry she would put aside all her feeling for Kristina Perrault and welcome the Countess Tremaine to do whatever she’d like to her without complaint.

* * * *

Yvonne hurried back after she requested a meal be brought up to her suite. She almost had a fit when she didn’t find Eleanor in the room, but then she heard noises coming from the water closet. She composed herself and directed one of the servants to set out their meal. With a slip of a coin, the servant left and she was alone again. She locked the door while humming under her breath and took out a small bottle filled with clear liquid. For the next few hours, she planned on keeping busy with Eleanor in bed. She would show her such pleasures, much like the ones she had always wanted to practice with Angelica but never did.

Tender memories of her deceased friend came over her as she poured two glasses of wine. She then poured a small amount of the opiate into Eleanor’s glass and swirled it around with her finger. In less than a half-hour, Eleanor wouldn’t shy away from her touch like she normally did. Soon enough they would both be naked, and she sucking Eleanor’s virgin flesh.

She had just taken her first sip of wine when Eleanor emerged from the water closet. Her eyes were red and her lips chapped. She cut off a sigh, loathing how wan Eleanor looked. Soon enough her young ingénue would be smiling and crying out in joy.

She waved at the table. “Join me in a glass of wine.”

Eleanor folded her hands in front of her. “Thank you, I don’t want any—”

“One glass won’t do you any harm. I ordered the most expensive bottle in your honor.” She gripped her glass tight as Eleanor took her seat. The next time Eleanor wouldn’t refuse her, and if she did, she would be punished. She hid her displeasure and drank more of her wine. Eleanor stared down at her plate.

“Take a few sips. It will calm your nerves.”

Eleanor lifted the glass up to her mouth, taking a tentative swallow.

Yvonne’s breath caught in anticipation. All it would take was a few sips and Eleanor would succumb to the effects of the drug.

Eleanor sniffed the wine and wiggled her nose. “This isn’t half bad.” She tipped her glass and took a big gulp.

Yvonne didn’t bother to point out Eleanor’s lacking manners. Elation spread through her body for what was to come. Her hands shook and she placed her glass back down on the table.

She bided her time, dishing out food until one of the signs she was waiting for took its notice. Eleanor’s head dipped forward. She lifted her head back up and stared up at the ceiling, wide-eyed.

“The room is spinning. Do you feel it?”

Yvonne rose from her seat and approached Eleanor. Her breasts grew heavy and her body damped in preparation for Eleanor’s sweet mouth. “Dear, you should lie down. You look like you’re ready to fall asleep.”

Eleanor almost buckled to the floor while Yvonne helped her up. She led Eleanor over to the bed and laid her down on the mattress. She unbuttoned the front of Eleanor’s dress, taking her time to run her fingers across her pale skin.

“So soft and all mine,” she crooned, and reclining on her side, she circled her tongue around Eleanor’s breast.

“That tickles.” Eleanor’s sluggish giggle hit Yvonne low in her stomach.

“I love hearing your laugh,” she whispered and scattered more kisses across Eleanor’s skin. Eleanor stared above at the ceiling, dazed.

When she unlaced her corset and tugged down the top of Eleanor’s chemise and licked her nipple, Eleanor moaned.

“Feels strange…Kristina,” Eleanor whispered and lifted her arms over her head.

Yvonne lifted up, offended. She dares to say another woman’s name? I’ll erase this Kristina from her memory. The only name she’ll call out will be my own from now on!

Swallowing a growl, she pressed her mouth back down on Eleanor’s breast, sucking on a nipple. Her hands crept under Eleanor’s skirt and her nails scratched along the inside of Eleanor thighs when she squirmed. She bit down hard on the distended nipple and dug her nails in deeper as a warning for Eleanor to behave.

* * * *

The moment the carriage came to a halt, Kristina threw open the door and jumped out, ready to barge into the inn and tear it apart.

“Be patient and remain calm. It’s better if we don’t cause a scene. For all we know, the countess and Ellie could be in the dining room, sharing a meal together,” Simon said in a rational voice as he descended from the carriage.

Kristina inhaled deeply though her nose. She didn’t believe for a second the countess would eat with Ellie in public. The deranged woman wouldn’t want any witnesses for what she had planned.

Without waiting for Simon to accompany her, Kristina marched inside the inn and straight into the dining room. It was half filled with patrons eating and drinking. The one man she hoped to find was sitting at the end of the bar, chatting up the bartender.

Instead of confronting Lord Robert, she marched back into the foyer and waited for Simon and their footmen to join her. Soon enough three footmen came in with Simon and the baroness. She looked faint and clutched her box holding the incriminating evidence against the countess.

Kristina tugged Simon off to the side. “Lord Robert is at the bar.”

“Good,” Simon nodded. “I’ll have one of the men locate the constable and then we’ll see to him.”

“I’ll take the footmen up with me to the top floor,” Kristina said, anxious to find Ellie.

“Don’t go rushing into anything until I talk to Lord Robert,” Simon warned.

“By then it may be too late!” Kristina said and sprinted up the stairs.

She ignored Simon when he called out her name. Two of the footmen trailed behind her. She moved swiftly, with the urge to get to Ellie before all was lost.

By the time she reached the third level, she was winded. But she didn’t stop to catch her breath. She hurried over to a wide door, unlike the others on the floor, and turned the knob. It was locked. She pounded on the door. When no one answered, she motioned for one of the footman to step forward.

“Lady Kristina, what if this is the wrong room—”

“It’s not the wrong room. Break down the door. I’ll pay for the damages.”

The footman gave her a doubtful look but did as she ordered. Along with his associate, they used their shoulders to push in the door. After a few seconds, the door cracked and flew open.

She shoved aside the two men. A scream rose in her throat. The countess lay across Ellie, half-naked. Ellie’s dress was up around her hips and the countess’s hand moved in between Ellie’s legs.

“You witch! Let Ellie go!” she shouted and ran over to the countess, seizing her by her hair.

The countess screeched. Kristina dragged her off the bed and slapped her hard against the face. The countess crumpled to the floor, staring up at her in hate.

“Secure this woman,” Kristina ordered her men. She climbed on the bed and hauled Ellie into her arms. She pulled down Ellie’s skirt and righted her bodice, covering the bruises and red marks on her skin. Ellie’s eyes rolled in back of her head and she moaned.

“Everything will be all right now. We’re here to save you,” Kristina ran her hands around Ellie’s hair and face. She shook with rage over the redness marking Ellie’s throat and the swelling of her lips. She looked like she had been ravished.

The countess cursed and fought between the two men. Kristina held Ellie tighter. Her poor darling acted as if she was drunk or—drugged! For this, the countess would pay dearly.

Simon and Lord Robert walked into the room. The baroness stood in the doorway. Her mouth trembled and her eyes widened as she took in the room.

“How is she?” Simon asked Kristina.

Kristina shook her head. “I think she’s been drugged and abused. We need a doctor.”

“Eleanor hasn’t been abused!” the countess yelled and tried to escape the footmen. Simon pointed to one of the empty chairs near the table. She was thrown into a chair and held down by one of her guards.

“Are you going to deny you drugged her?” Kristina yelled, wishing she could slap the horrid woman across the face again.

The countess curled her lip and crossed her arms.

Ellie whispered Kristina’s name and rubbed her cheek against her arm. Kristina rested her mouth against the top of Ellie’s head. She didn’t want to think what the countess had done to this precious bundle.

A tall man with a salt-and-pepper mustache dressed in black with an air of authority walked in.

“You’re the constable?” Simon asked.

The man nodded. “Yes, your grace. Peter Brauns, chief constable at your service. Now before we jump to any conclusions, can you tell me what type of crime might have been committed here?”

“No crime has been committed!” The countess jumped up from her chair and rushed over to her brother. “Robbie, explain we’ve done nothing wrong and Eleanor isn’t a prisoner, but a new addition to our family.”

Lord Robert stared down at his sister, visibly uncomfortable. He squeezed the back of his neck and stepped toward the bed. Kristina curved her arms protectively around Ellie. He wiped his brow before facing everyone in the room.

“Yvonne, what did you do to the poor girl? She looks as if she drank too much. This isn’t sign of a fatigued woman,” he said in suspicion. “Did you give Eleanor something to make her more receptive to your favors?”

A look of disgust crossed the constable’s face. “Madam, what did you give this young woman?”

“I only gave her wine. How is it my fault Eleanor can’t hold her liquor?” The countess lifted her chin. “I was helping her into bed when we were rudely interrupted.”

“You lie!” Kristina snarled. “You had your hand in between her legs and your face near Ellie’s…” She stopped and glared.

The countess lifted her nose in the air and turned away to find the baroness behind her.

“Geraldine, what are you doing here?” the countess asked in a high-pitched voice.

The baroness ignored her and placed her box on the mattress. She brushed aside the curls away from Ellie’s forehead before Kristina could stop her.

“Explain to everyone in the room what you told me and my brother on the ride here,” Kristina ordered and lifted Ellie on her lap. She rocked, rubbing Ellie’s back.

The baroness and twisted her hands, looking lost.

The countess hissed the baroness’s name but was hushed by Simon, who came over to the baroness’s side.

“I’m tired of keeping secrets. Angelica’s spirit haunts me while I sleep.” The baroness clutched Simon’s arm. “I was forced to remain silent because of Yvonne’s threats and blackmail.”

“You can’t believe a thing she says! She’s a liar,” the countess cried out.

The baroness gave her a smile. “Think what you will, but your good name will be ruined and the investigation into Angelica’s death will be reopened.”

The countess pressed her lips together. “If I’m ruined, you will be also.”

The baroness released a combination sobbing laugh. “I’ve been ruined for years. Now it’s finally caught up to me.” She crossed the room and gazed out the window. “The moment I met Angelica, I was jealous of her. Louis loved her deeply and I wanted the same love they both shared. I had just lost my husband a year before and was left to fend for myself. After the de Saltins were introduced to me at church, of all places, I became so enamored of Louis and wanted him. I purposely befriended Angelica in the hopes of getting close to Louis. I was so stupid, and confided in Yvonne, who wanted to help me. Why she did, I had no clue, but then she revealed she desired Angelica as much as I did Louis.”

“You stupid bitch,” the countess snarled her insult. No one hushed her. Everyone waited for the baroness to continue her story.

“We were petty, jealous women. I thought Louis would be a wonderful father for Mina. I allowed Mina to become friends with Ellie, and in turn I hoped I would become a trusted friend to Angelica. It worked. While Yvonne would spend as much time as she could with Angelica to keep her away from Louis, I would show up at their house, unexpected. Louis would invite me in for tea. I thought he was falling in love with me because he would go out of his way to smile and touch my arm or press his thigh against my own.”

“Tell them how you forced a kiss on Louis and Angelica caught you,” the countess announced, her smile cruel.

The baroness rubbed her brow and leaned her shoulder against the window pane. “During one of Yvonne’s parties, I asked Louis to come with me into the gardens. The silly man went with me, and the moment we were out of sight, I kissed him. He responded, I could tell he wanted more, but he stopped and admitted he desired me but loved his wife. By then the damage had been done. Angelica witnessed the entire exchange behind some shrubbery with Yvonne by her side. She was devastated and ran away. I thought I had succeeded in destroying their marriage.”

“Get to the point, how you and the countess caused Angelica de Saltin’s death,” Kristina demanded. Ellie shifted in her arms. Her eyes were clearer and she was more alert than before. Kristina brushed the side of her hand across Ellie’s cheek.

The baroness turned away from the window and paced across the room. “Days went by and I hadn’t heard from Louis. Angelica didn’t confront me for trying to steal her husband. Then one day I received a note with her signature, asking me to join her on the outskirts of the town near the river, where we could talk alone and undisturbed. I found out later the letter was forged by Yvonne. I rode out at the designated time. Angelica and Yvonne were there. Angelica was shocked to see me and called me the most wretched names. I tried to apologize, but she wouldn’t hear of it. At one point she slapped me across the face. Yvonne watched the entire episode, patting and feeding Angelica’s horse. Yvonne purposely loosened the saddle. She said it was meant to be all in jest after…”

“After what?” Simon asked.

The baroness stared straight at the countess with tears in her eyes. “Angelica threatened to tell all our friends and acquaintances what I had done, and I would be known as a pariah who seduced married men. She would run me out of town. As she climbed on her horse, I tried to stop her and we struggled. Her horse suddenly lifted in the air and she tumbled off and fell near the river.” The baroness’s shoulders shook and she rubbed her arms. “It was too late to save her. The fall broke her neck. Yvonne said we had to leave or we would be blamed for her death. I left Angelica in that cold, muddy water. We ran back to Yvonne’s house and made up a story. No one came to arrest us. We did such a ghastly thing and got away with it.”

The countess leapt from her seat and charged toward the baroness. Lord Robert caught her around the waist as her fingers curled into claws aimed at the baroness’s face. “You lie! You have no proof I did anything. You’re the one who killed Angelica so you could possess Louis, which you did!”

“Yes, I was partially responsible for killing her, but it was an accident! I never meant to for anything like that to happen. But I was weak, and because of your manipulations, I kept silent. I expected God to strike me down, but he never did. And when he rewarded me by giving me Louis, I repented and begged him for forgiveness.”

Ellie hid her face into Kristina’s lap. Her harsh sobs filled the room. Kristina started to cry also. She didn’t know how Ellie would ever get over this horror.

The baroness stumbled toward them. Simon caught her arm, and she hung onto him as she became hysterical. “Eleanor, I was selfish and despicable. I know I’m going to burn in hell for all I’ve done. Yvonne will join me and be punished as well for her crime and her immoral lust for your mother and for you.”

“You have no proof! It’s your word against mine. No one will believe you, a dried-up, pathetic woman with nothing to her name,” the countess shouted.

Simon let go of the baroness and she folded to the floor in a heap. The other men in the room didn’t rush to her aid.

Simon went over to the box on the bed and flipped open the lid. He pulled out a handful of envelopes and lifted them in the air. “That’s where you’re wrong, Countess Tremaine. Baroness de Saltin kept every single correspondence between you and her, leading up to the first baroness’s death and after. Your ego and conceit was your downfall. The baroness shared her letters with me and my sister. What you both wrote to each other will be enough evidence presented to a judge when you’re both brought up on murder charges.”

The countess grabbed lapels of her brother’s jacket. “Robert, you must believe me. I was at home the day Angelica’s body was found. The staff can speak on my behalf. Geraldine was the one to visit, acting nervous and jumpy. You were there. I never left the house that day.”

Lord Robert flung his sister’s hands off of him and backed away. “I was asleep in until early afternoon because the night before we had too much to drink, or rather I had. You kept plying me with alcohol in celebration of my graduation from university.” Revulsion crossed his face. “Was it to trick me in order to act out this evil plan and kill an innocent woman because she wouldn’t return your feelings?”

“You don’t understand! It’s all lies. Geraldine has been jealous of me all these years and this is her revenge.” The countess stumbled forward.

Lord Robert tugged on his hair. “I’m going to be sick.” He covered his mouth and ran from the room.

The countess cried out for him, falling to her knees. The baroness continued sobbing into her hands. Kristina whispered softly to Ellie, who had quieted down.

A much older man holding a medicine bag appeared in the open doorway. “I was told someone has been taken ill?” He scrutinized the two distraught women. “Or perhaps now it’s three? Did they eat something bad?”

“No, doctor, I’ll explain. Give us a moment,” Simon said and went over to Kristina. “We need to take Ellie to another room where the doctor can inspect her for any…damage.”

Kristina nodded and brushed aside the hair failing over Ellie’s face. Ellie moaned and wrapped her arms tighter around her.

“I’ll take her.” Simon drew Ellie away. Ellie struggled, but when Simon lifted her in his arms, she grew quiet. Kristina halted in her tracks and stared down at the two women who were still putting on quite the show.

“I hope you both rot in a small, dank room with only your thoughts to keep you company. Your guilt will drive you insane before you’re sentenced to hang.”

She then spat on the floor, cursing the two heinous women to the bowels of hell.

Chapter Seventeen

Kristina paced down the hall while she waited for the doctor to finish his examination of Ellie. She had tried to help the doctor, but he refused, and instead his own female assistant stayed with him in the room with the door closed.

She had bitten her nails down to the quick in her agitation. She would never leave Ellie’s side again. She planned on doing whatever she could to be with Ellie, even if it meant leaving the country.

Simon turned the corner and walked to her side. He fisted his hands on his hips and drew aside the sides of his coat, which was in need of a good pressing. “The constable and his men took both women to the local jail. They’ll stay there overnight while Lord Robert rides forth to London for his lawyer. He was quite shaken up over the whole thing.”

She rolled her eyes. “How do you know he wasn’t involved in his sister’s deceit? He would lie for her.”

Simon squeezed the bridge of his nose. “Robert stayed behind instead of accompanying the countess and baroness to the jail. When he and I were the only ones left, he broke down in tears. I’ve never seen a grown man cry so much before. I truly believe he’s innocent in all of this.”

“You and father must make certain those two are punished for what they have done. Isn’t it bad enough Ellie was not only mentally abused by her witch of a stepmother, but possibly sexually—” She covered her mouth, shaken to her core.

Simon pulled her into his embrace. “Let’s hope for the best and we made it in time before the countess could do any lasting damage to Ellie.” Simon ran his hand over her hair. “If the worst has happened, we’ll be there to pick up the pieces.”

“I’ll never forgive myself if Ellie is broken by this. She’s been through so much pain.” She closed her eyes and soaked up her brother’s warmth.

The door next to them opened and the nurse came out. She smiled and motioned for them to enter the room. Kristina went in first. She grabbed the bedpost, staring down at Ellie huddled under a blanket. She sat down and rested her hand on Ellie’s leg. No response came from the sleeping woman.

“Doctor, how is she?” she asked, keeping her eyes on Ellie.

“As well as can be expected, under the circumstances,” the doctor responded.

“Care to explain?” Simon asked as he stood next to Kristina.

The doctor gestured for Simon. Both men talked in low voices by the window. Kristina listened carefully, and when she caught such words as enflamed, bruised, and swollen, she ignored the nurse who told her to stop, and moved up to lie on her side facing Ellie. She gently rested her arm on Ellie’s waist and stared at her face. Her eyelids twitched and every breath she took came out as a soft rattle. She wanted to join Ellie under the covers, but she had caused enough questions with her recent actions. Instead she stayed where she was, wishing Ellie would awaken so she could tell her she loved her and would protect her always.

The door opened and closed. Only Simon remained. He stood at the foot of the bed. His eyes showed extreme tenderness when he glanced at Ellie.

“Should I ask what the doctor told you? Or will the knowledge make me run from this room and want to string the countess up by her neck?”

“Ellie was drugged, but not enough to do any permanent damage. When she awakens, she’ll have a headache and some nausea. We’re to give her fluids and not move her right away.”

“And what about the rest?’ She swallowed, her stomach turning.

Simon cleared his throat. “Other than bruising and bite marks on Ellie’s chest and throat, she appears unharmed. The doctor did find fingerprints around her thighs and scratch marks on the inside of her legs but he believes she wasn’t abused in any other way.”

“The countess didn’t force her attentions on Ellie by using her fingers or… tongue?” Kristina swallowed again, bile burning her throat.

“Ellie isn’t a victim in that way.”

She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer in thanks. She moved her face in closer to breathe in Ellie’s sweet scent.

“I’m going to order food. Would you like me to bring you up something?” Simon asked.

She shook her head. “I’m not hungry. You should go downstairs and eat. I’ll stay here and wait for Ellie to wake up.”

“That could be hours.”

“I’m not leaving until Ellie opens her eyes and says my name.” She snuggled against her. “I don’t have an appetite right now. Go have a pint of ale on me.”

“I’m stationing a footman at the door in case you need anything.”

She nodded faintly. “Thank you.”

Simon came over to her side, bent down, and kissed the top of her head. “I love you. I’m sorry I don’t say it enough.”

“You don’t have to. I know.”

“I’ll be an hour or two at most.” Simon walked over to the door and opened it. It then closed it with a soft snick.

Ellie slept on. Kristina caressed Ellie’s cheek, urging her to wake up. She needed to see her happy smile. Most importantly she had to tell Ellie she loved her.

She whispered her plans she had for them. They would see the world together and wear the best dresses and eat the best food. She described in great detail about her grandmama and their adventures together. Midway through her speech, a sob caught in her throat and she gasped for breath. Her chest shook as she started to cry. Laying her face against Ellie’s shoulder, tears fell down her cheeks unchecked.

Wake up…wake up….wake up…

“Please wake up,” she beseeched through a shattered breath.

Ellie shifted. Kristina’s head shot up. She wiped her eyes and under her nose, blinking away hot tears. Ellie stared at her.

This was the moment she had been waiting for. But she couldn’t seem to find the right words. They were lodged in her throat.

“Kristina, you found me,” Ellie said, her voice clogged with sleep.

“I’m sorry!” She dropped her head back down on Ellie’s chest, hugging her tightly.

No other conversation was shared between both women, only hugs and tears of joy.

Chapter Eighteen

Kristina stood by the window in the library, watching Ellie and Noah talking near the entrance of the garden. August wrapped around Ellie’s legs and swiped at the hem of her dress. She bent down and lifted the cat in her arms, placing a kiss on top of his head.

The basket next to her feet hid her other pet, but he didn’t make an appearance. Kristina still couldn’t believe Ellie had a mouse for a pet and August treated the rodent like it was his offspring. But whatever made Ellie happy, made Kristina feel the same.

She turned away when the duchess entered the room with Simon and Mina, who held hands.

“Has tea been called for?” Kristina asked and sat down in a chair.

The duchess sat down next to her, but Simon and Mina remained standing.

“I can’t stay for tea. Father and I are leaving for London in an hour. We want to be in court when they announce the charges against the Countess Tremaine and the Baroness de Saltin.” Simon said, curving an arm around Mina’s waist.

Mina didn’t crack a smile or glance at Simon in adoration like she usually did. Her face showed a deep sadness that reminded Kristina of Ellie when she had first met her.

“Simon thinks it’s best if I stay here until the trial. I wrote a letter to my mother, but she hasn’t responded. I guess that’s to be expected, seeing as she’s busy trying to prove her innocence.” Mina suddenly broke away from Simon and turned away, hugging herself.

The duchess rose from her chair, but Simon waved her away and went over to his fiancée. He turned her around and tipped up her chin. “This will be a rough time, but we’ll soldier through.”

Mina gave Simon’s chest a pat. “There’s going to be a great deal of talk about my mother. My reputation is already in tatters. Perhaps it’s better if we break off our engagemen—”

Simon pressed the pad of his finger over Mina’s mouth. “We’re not calling off our engagement. I want to marry you. No other woman will do. You accept me for who I am and keep those demons eating inside of me at bay.”

“Demons?” the duchess mouthed to Kristina, who in turn just shrugged.

When Simon kissed Mina, the two ladies looked away to give the couple their privacy.

“I’d better pack. Noah has come to talk to Mina about her wedding trousseau,” Simon announced, his arm low around Mina’s hip. “We’ll be in my bedroom if you need anything.”

“Simon, do you think that’s wise, having Mina in your bedroom without a chaperone? Perhaps Kristina should join you?” the duchess asked.

Simon gave Mina a look. Both smiled at one another as if they shared a secret. “Mina and I are engaged now. Noah can be Mina’s chaperone. What inappropriate things could occur between two men and a woman alone in a room?”

The duchess coughed and her face flushed. “Ah, I can see your point. But for propriety’s sake, leave your door open.”

Simon bowed in his mother’s direction, gave Kristina a wink, and escorted Mina from the room. Noah stood in the hallway. He lifted his hand in greeting, and when Simon and Mina met him, they all walked out of sight.

“That boy loves to tease me.”

Kristina lips twitched in humor. “Your son is a grown man who’s going to be a husband. He cares for Mina deeply. They’ll do well together.”

The duchess twisted her wedding ring on her finger. “Simon is so much like your father, standing by the woman he loves in the face of possible ridicule and scorn.”

She waited for her mother to explain further, but she didn’t. The duchess stared across the room, lost in her thoughts. When the clock on the fireplace mantel struck the top of the hour and rang, the duchess shook her head and gifted Kristina with a bright smile. “As for you, my lovely daughter, you have made me very proud.”

“Me? What have I done?”

The duchess rubbed Kristina’s arm. “The way you have supported your friend is commendable. Eleanor is delightful. It’s such a shame how much pain she has experienced in her young life.”

Kristina nodded. The duchess had been made fully aware of what had happened to Ellie and how her stepmother had treated her. When they returned home, Ellie was invited to stay with them. Five days later, Ellie had settled in the household, with August and Jack in her possession. Five days of Kristina spending the late night hours tossing and turning in her bed, her thoughts filled of Ellie. She had wanted to share a bed with her, only to sleep, but had abstained. Ellie didn’t invite her to spend the night in her bed. Most of the time Ellie read or sat in the garden. They only talked among others and never in private. She had wanted to continue tutoring Ellie, but was never asked.

“Darling, what is it? You seem troubled,” the duchess asked in concern.

She jumped up from her seat. “It’s Ellie. I can’t seem to get through to her. She’s unreachable and looks troubled most of the time. I want to help her recover.” She expelled a shuddering breath.

“You must be patient. It takes time. But I may have something that may move along the process.” The duchess wandered over to a desk where she wrote her daily correspondence. Picking up an envelope, she held it out for Kristina.

“This letter arrived from your Aunt Melinda a few days ago. She’s planned a European tour in honor of your cousin Rosa’s eighteenth birthday. She has invited us to join her. I think this is the perfect time to go on a holiday. You should ask Eleanor to join us. It would do her good to get away from all this…drama.”

Kristina took out the letter and scanned the words on the page. “Three months traveling across Europe, then staying a month with grandmama in Finland? Father approves? And what about Simon’s and Mina’s wedding?”

“We can prepare for the wedding when we return. I spoke with your father last night and he agrees with me. It’s been far too long since I saw mother and Melinda. They will return with us and stay for the winter.”

“The hardest part is getting Ellie to agree. She’s never been outside of Aulnory. That is, until…” She waved her hand around, refusing to mention the events of the last week.

“You can convince her. It’s obvious she cares about you.”

Kristina went still. Her mother’s statement seemed innocent, but what if she knew the true dynamics of their friendship? “How can you know?”

“The way she looks at you and how attentive she is when you speak. I also had time to chat with Eleanor and she couldn’t stop praising you.” The duchess sat back down and picked up a bell to ring for a servant. “It’s obvious you both have bonded.”

“We have. In the short time I’ve known Ellie, I feel as if we’re meant to be together, as friends. I’ve never been this close to another woman before,” she admitted, hoping her mother wouldn’t read too much into her words.

The duchess smiled in returned. “I’m going to have some tea and read. Go find Eleanor and tell her about the trip.”

“I saw her outside near the gardens. Perhaps we’ll take a walk,” she said, hopeful she and Ellie could finally talk alone and uninterrupted.

“It’s a gorgeous day for a walk. Take your time with one another and enjoy the air and sunshine.”

“Oh we will. I’ll make certain of that,” she announced, and with a kiss to her mother’s cheek in farewell, she went in search of the woman who owned her heart.

* * * *

She found Ellie near the stables watching one of the stable hands grooming a horse. She leaned against the fence, unaware she was being watched. She held August against her chest, stroking his head and back. Her basket sat at her feet and Jack was nowhere to be seen, hidden away from view. Ellie wore a light green day dress Noah’s father had given her, along with a white shawl. She wasn’t wearing her clogs, but a pair of slippers donated by the town shoemaker.

Kristina smiled, thinking back to when she first saw Ellie’s feet. It had been that day on the beach where they had talked and gotten to know one another better. She only realized now that was when she started to fall for this seemingly fragile woman who on the inside had a strong will and a very generous heart.

The blazing mid-morning sun encased Ellie in incandescent light. Kristina’s heart skipped a beat. She was overcome by the glow emanating from Ellie that accentuated the highlights in her hair and hue of her alabaster skin.

August lifted his head and yawned. Ellie gave his head a pat and looked in Kristina’s direction. She didn’t smile in welcome or wave her over. Her face was blank and not entirely inviting.

She approached her anyway. Her hands itched to hold Ellie and her lips twitched with the need to kiss the bewitching mouth she was currently destroying with her teeth.

“If you keep chewing your lip like that, you’ll start bleeding,” she teased and brushed up against Ellie.

Ellie released her bottom lip. “It’s a bad habit of mine.”

“You do it when you’re nervous. Am I the cause?” She dipped her head down near Ellie’s ear. “Or perhaps you’re…excited?”

Color filled Ellie’s face. She ran her hand down Ellie’s back. “Take a walk with me. I have something important to share with you.”

“Can I bring August and Jack?” Ellie asked.

“Of course.”

They left the stable area and walked side by side, not talking. She wanted get far away from prying eyes. She was anxious to share her news and to give Ellie a special gift that waited for her at the cottage.

“Interested in walking along the river?” she asked.

Ellie nodded and hitched her basket up higher. “Shall we check out the cottage while we’re in the area?”

Kristina almost halted in her tracks. Ellie had an innocent expression on her face although the tone of her voice sounded very different.

She slowly reached out and clasped Ellie’s hand. A soft smile appeared on Ellie’s face and she linked her fingers with Kristina’s. The ball of tension in her stomach dissipated and she sped up her walk. Ellie kept up her pace and soon they were running.

When they reached the cottage, she stopped to catch her breath. Ellie had a healthy color to her face. August popped his head over the rim of the basket. A small squirming ball of fur climbed on top of his back and she giggled over the sight. Opening the door, she allowed Ellie to walk in first.

The cottage was exactly as she had left it. The pallet where she introduced Ellie to her first taste of passion had been made. A box wrapped in gold paper sat in the center.

Ellie placed the basket on the table and August climbed out with Jack still on his back. He sniffed the top of the table.

“What’s in the box?”

She rested her hands on Ellie’s shoulders, thrilled when Ellie didn’t flinch or move away. “It’s a gift for you. Go ahead and open it.”

Ellie sat on the edge of the bed. She lifted the box and drew it to her, pulling apart the wrapping carefully. She then took off the lid and peeked inside. Her eyes lit up as she pulled out her clogs, decorated in different colored ribbons.

“I thought you would want them back. You forgot them when you left suddenly during our argument.” She folded her hands in front of her stomach, waiting for Ellie bring up that night.

“Ah yes, that’s a night I will always remember,” Ellie said and put the clogs back in the box. A few stands of ribbons dropped on her lap. She fiddled with them and then did something Kristina wasn’t expecting at all. She held out her hand. “Come sit with me.”

She sat down on the other side of the box. Ellie frowned and removed the box, placing it on the floor. Kristina didn’t fill in the gap between them.

“What—”

“I have—”

Both spoke over one another, but stopped. Ellie twined a ribbon around her finger and Kristina spread her palms across her lap.

“Why don’t you go first?” Ellie asked, staring down at the floor.

Kristina felt nervous and she didn’t know why. It’s not like Ellie would refuse my offer. She has nowhere else to go and is all alone in the world. If she doesn’t count Mina or Noah and his—

Ellie closed the space between them and rested her hand over Kristina’s. A shudder left her and she turned her hand, palm up to link their fingers together. When Ellie whispered her name, she looked at her darling girl. She almost blurted out her love. But this wasn’t the right time to confession such deep feelings. She first had to tell Ellie her—their plans for the next coming months.

“I have wonderful news to share. My aunt has invited Mother and me to join her on a holiday in Europe. My cousin is doing her grand tour for their eighteenth birthday and Mother and I plan on joining the party. We’re going to roam the continent to our heart’s content.”

Ellie pulled her hand away. “When do you leave?”

“In a week or two,” she said and leaned in close, her shoulder brushing Ellie’s. “Will that give you enough time to put everything in order on your end?”

Ellie gave her a confused look. “I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Darling, you’re coming with us.”

Ellie’s eyes widened and nibbled on her lip. She cupped Ellie’s chin and flicked her lip with her thumb. She rubbed across the tender skin and slid her hand down until her palm lay over Ellie’s heart.

“Mother thinks you should get away before the trial starts,” she said softly.

“But don’t I have to stay in case I’m questioned?” Ellie asked, grabbing Kristina’s wrist and giving it a squeeze.

“The trial won’t start right away. It may be a good six months or more.” She stroked Ellie’s cheek slowly. “Father and Simon will stay in the area. Mina will stay to support her mother. I want you to have a full recovery and be strong enough to take the stand and tell the world how you were wronged by your witch of a stepmother and that horrid woman who almost stole you from me.”

“I have recovered, for the most part. It’s only at night in my bed when I’m frightened. I feel…so alone,” Ellie whispered and turned her face away.

Kristina curved her arm around Ellie and hid her face in the crook of her neck. Ellie tilted her head down. Her nose brushed over the side of Kristina’s face. She tightened her embrace and joined Ellie, who lay back.

Moving to her side, she held Ellie close while Ellie brushed over her hair. She sighed and pressed her mouth against Ellie’s throat. “You aren’t alone. You have August and Jack. I’m here to keep you safe from harm.”

Ellie’s warm breath ran over her hair like an embrace. She glanced up and licked her lips. The need to kiss the woman lying next to her had become overwhelming.

Their eyes met and Ellie dipped her face down while Kristina lifted hers up. Before their lips met, Ellie ran her fingers over Kristina’s cheek. “I don’t want to be alone anymore. I’m sick of it. A cat and a mouse can’t give me what I want.”

“And what is it you want, Eleanor?” Kristina said her full name on a breathless whisper.

“You. I don’t care if I’m not the right person for you or what we have is considered an abom—”

She took Ellie’s mouth with her own, and from her ardent kiss, showed how much love she had for her. Soon enough Ellie kissed her back, and a near-lethargic peacefulness came over her. She clasped Ellie tighter and flicked her tongue out to tangle with Ellie’s searching one.

Their kissing led to them touching and moaning until Kristina had her hand under Ellie’s skirt and was cupping her slick heat. Ellie molded Kristina’s breasts in her hands. Their breaths mingled and the scent of their arousal filled the room.

Finally she broke off the kiss and stilled her hands even as Ellie arched up. She had to share a few more things before they moved on to more enjoyable pursuits that would leave them naked and quivering in pleasure.

“I was afraid you wouldn’t want to be with me again so soon.”

“Why would you think that?”

She lifted away a ribbon stuck to Ellie’s dress and circled it across her bodice. I want her wearing these ribbons and nothing else. She smiled over that visual and placed a kiss in the middle of Ellie’s throat where she could taste the salt of her skin. “You’ve endured such horrors with that beastly—”

“Shh, she doesn’t belong here with us. Honestly, I can barely remember what happened after I drank the drugged wine. I guess it’s a good thing. She didn’t accomplish what she set out to do. She didn’t steal my innocence or make me fearful of intimacy.” Ellie’s eyes twinkled and she lifted Kristina’s face and kissed her gently on the mouth. “And she certainly didn’t deserve my love. That’s only for you. From that moment you volunteered to be my tutor, I fell in love with you.”

She sighed and kept her eyes on Ellie’s face, sliding her hand inside Ellie’s bodice and cupped her breast. Her heartbeat vibrated against her palm and she gently squeezed. “I have your heart?”

Ellie moved her hand in between and dipped inside Kristina’s dress and found her breast. “Do I have yours?”

“Yes, a thousand times yes. You have that and more. You’re my one true love and always will be. No one will ever separate us,” Kristina said, her tone sharp.

Ellie didn’t look aghast by her announcement. She seemed to melt under her possessive words, her radiant smile making her heart skip a beat.

She inched her face up toward Ellie’s with the intent to kiss her for hours. Ellie twisted away and stared at August and Jack, who slept on top of the table. “Am I allowed to take our boys with us?”

“Wherever we go, they’ll come. It should be interesting to see how they react on a ship,” she mused and began unbuttoning the front of Ellie’s dress.

Ellie unlaced the ties of Kristina’s bodice. “Let’s hope they don’t experience any seasickness. I’ve never been on a ship before, so I may end up hanging my head over the side.”

Kristina moaned in bliss when she finally bared Ellie’s breasts to her gaze. She circled Ellie’s nipple, enjoying how Ellie’s breath grew deeper and a red flush rose up her chest and higher. “If you do get ill, I’ll be there to pat your brow and whisper words of encouragement. You’ll never have to worry about taking care of yourself again. I’ll be by your side the entire time.”

“You promise?”

She kissed the tip of Ellie’s nipple, drifting her mouth up higher until Ellie’s mouth was under her exploring one. “It’s one I plan on keeping until my last breath.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Ellie said, her voice strong and clear.

“You can count on it,” Kristina replied and concentrated on showing Ellie how much her promise entailed.

THE END

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A Ravenous Romance© Original Publication

www.ravenousromance.com

Copyright 2012 by KT Grant

Ravenous Romance

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All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher, except by reviewers who may quote brief excerpts in connection with a review.

ISBN-13: 978-1-60777-517-1

This book is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental..

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