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  “What is it, Bastian?”

  Bastian reached into his coat and withdrew some money. “Give this to the man and woman who she arrived with and have them return to the country. There is not much they can do here, and I am certain they are eager to return to their humble lives in the village.”

  “And what of Cordelia and Matthew?”

  “If you would not mind readying your carriage, I shall ride behind them on my horse. The situation requires a firm upper hand, and this is just the way to do so.” He turned to her ladyship and dipped his head. “I know I am not in the position to make many demands, but do you have a hooded cape she could use for the ride. I would like to keep her concealed until she is inside my home.”

  “Certainly, my lord, I shall see to it this instant.”

  He had had enough of this scandal already, and it had not even begun. Fortunately for him, the first place people would check was the marquess’ home. And if he knew Thompson well, he would leave instructions with Duncan that they are not accepting visitors at this time.

  Bastian hoped sincerely that she would agree to stay at his townhouse, but they would soon find out how much of a fuss she would put up. He would wait outside in the stables and watch the carriage stroll away.

  “What do you plan on doing about Mary Elizabeth?” the marquess asked, interrupting his thoughts.

  “I will be taking a course of action through Martine. This kind of behavior is not only bad form, but is not good for encouraging future business. I imagine Martine will cut her loose, but it is hard to say. I shall be stopping there tonight to conclude all association with the business.”

  “Are you not concerned at all about how dangerous she may be? The woman obviously is obsessed. What makes you think that, once she learns that you and Cordelia are seriously involved, she would not do anything harmful to the duchess or the baby?”

  Bastian had not given it that much thought, but now that he was, that would be a problem. Mary Elizabeth was emotional woman, driven my impulse, and would likely do something she might regret. The trick was to stay one step ahead of her, every step of the way. If she so much as came within a yard of Cordelia and the baby, he would make sure she never entertained another soul.

  “Of course I am, Thompson. How could you ask such a foolish question? I am going to go outside to ready my horse. Just make sure she gets into your carriage. I shall do all the explaining once we get to my house.”

  The marquess smiled and walked away to deliver commands to the servants. For whatever bizarre reason, Bastian felt happy. Soon, he would have the woman who has long haunted his dreams and his foxed hazes. They would be a family, though that might take some adjustment. Now if only he heard from his man of affairs. The need to learn of Richard’s condition was becoming dire.

  Somewhere deep down, Bastian hoped that the wretched man had met his fate. He deserved nothing less for all the strife he had created.

  * * * *

  “What do you mean Matthew and I will be travelling separately?” Cordelia asked the marchioness.

  “All Nathaniel instructed me was to advise you that Davy and Miss Miller will be travelling ahead. He mentioned something that if the weather turned, that at least the baby would be dry.”

  Cordelia cocked her head to the side, trying to decide how to call the marchioness a liar. But she knew all too well, that after the excellent hospitality they had bestowed on her, ’twas best not to say a word. Though she also suspected that Bastian played a hand in this sudden twist of fate.

  A nursemaid stood off to the side, holding Matthew while she and her ladyship talked. The babe began to fuss. “He is hungry. I should probably be on my way. Thank you so much for all that you have done.” Cordelia leaned down and hugged her hostess. “Were it not for your kindness, my lady, I fear things might not have gone accordingly.”

  The marchioness began to weep. “You are welcome back anytime, Cordelia. I know things have been hard for you, but I know that things will improve very soon.”

  “Somehow I doubt that, my lady, but I will keep an open mind.”

  The marquess entered and walked toward them. He reached for Cordelia, drawing her into a tight embrace. “Know that we will always be here for you. All you need to do is send for word.”

  “Certainly, my lord. I cannot thank you enough.” Cordelia pulled away, retrieving her son from the nursemaid. The child had started to wail loudly, making the twins cry. “I am very sorry about that.”

  “Think nothing of it. It just so happens that the twins need to feed now too. Travel safely, and I am certain we will be seeing each other soon.”

  Cordelia nodded and stepped outside. Home. They were heading home, and she could put all this insanity behind her. Finding out if she had anything left from her husband’s estate was not worth the scandal and pain. She needed to find comfort in knowing that she could never be the duchess she once was. She had found a new way of life, and one that was meaningful to her.

  After settling in the carriage, Cordelia unlaced the front of her gown, bringing her son to her bosom. The child latched on, greedily feeding on her, when a strange thought crossed her mind. Why had the driver not taken the same road that she had travelled up with Davy and Miss Miller? She covered her son while he nursed and reached over to the curtain on the window, shifting to look out.

  Why in heaven’s name are we headed toward…

  Her breath escaped her when she saw Bastian’s town house in sight. Of all the devilish and manipulative things to do, you rake. You had this all planned. A rush of heat seared her cheeks. Matthew would not be done eating by the time they arrived. Good Lord. She had not exactly anticipated on a short drive, which was the only reason she had decided to feed Matthew on the way. They would simply have to wait in the carriage, stopped outside, until he was done.

  No sooner had the thought crossed her mind that the contraption did stop, and the carriage slightly bounced with the driver jumping off. Cordelia looked down to ensure she was covered when the door opened abruptly.

  “You, sir, will close that door this instant. I will not step out until we are ready, am I understood?”

  The footman blushed from embarrassment, nodded, and closed the door.

  Well, that went well. Just as soon as I get in, I shall give that rake a piece of my mind.

  “Wait…sir, you cannot open that…”

  Before Cordelia could react, the door flung open. Her mouth was open wide, and the sheer shock of being interrupted once again annoyed her. “What is it now? I am not ready!” She pressed her lips together when she noticed Bastian standing at the door.

  “Well, this is unexpected. Shall we then?” He turned to the driver and whispered something then entered, taking a seat across from her. “We shall go for a drive, then. That should give the child sufficient time to finish.”

  The man has some nerve for imposing himself this way. She gently lifted the blanket away from her son to see him slowly sucking and his eyes closed. This was the moment she loved the most, knowing that her child could drink his fill. She went to cover him, but Bastian reached for her wrist.

  “I want to see him.” He leaned back into his seat and watched her with a quizzical brow.

  “Why do you want us here? What does it matter to you of what becomes of Matthew and me?”

  “Cordelia, for the moment, I shall ask the questions. When were you planning on telling me about the baby?”

  Cordelia felt shamed for the first time in a long time. She should have sent word to him the instant she had given birth, but life had been confusing enough. To have learned only days after that the ton had presumed her dead. Only then did she learn her place in high society meant nothing.

  “My lord, I will have you know, it was my every intention to tell you before I left. Nevertheless, that woman…courtesan…whoever she is discovered me, and that is why I am in a rush to leave. It was my intent to inform you of Matthew and to provide you with the option to come away with us to the country
. One can only presume that you have no interest in such notions if you have already committed to a contract with a courtesan.”

  He scowled at her. She ignored him and lifted the baby. Cordelia struggled for a moment adjusting her gown before he sat next to her and tugged the dress up. His fingers carefully grazed her nipple then pinched her. Heat washed over her, as memories of his touches flooded her brain.

  “I have missed them. They are incredible now, too. So full, begging to be touched, nibbled, and sucked. Tell me, my dear, have you missed our interludes as much as I?”

  Cordelia tried to ignore her body’s betrayal with his advance, but all she could muster was “Maybe.” He laughed, startling the baby. She rocked and cooed him, and then returned her attention to Bastian. “Would you like to hold him?”

  His hesitation riddled his face. The man was terrified. “Come now, Bastian, surely you have held a child before?”

  Now it was his turn to blush. She looked down at Matthew and pressed her lips to his head. “It is time for you to meet your father, Matthew,” she whispered before gently placing the baby into his arms.

  Cordelia had not felt this amused in a long time. How could a grown man be so frightened to hold a near sleeping baby? “If it helps, Bastian, I can promise he does not bite…yet.”

  His eyes widened. “Surely, you are jesting.”

  “I assure you, I am not.”

  Bastian now frowned, but the moment Matthew cooed, she watched the most beautiful smile form on the earl’s face. Bastian’s eyes warmed, and the soft lines edging his lips crinkled. The man had one of the most charming smiles that had ever been bestowed upon the ladies of London. And to think, I have charmed the very rake with his own son. This would be a memory that would last lifetimes to come.

  * * * *

  Bastian stood at his chamber door, lost in the vision before him. Cordelia sat on the edge of his bed, brushing out her hair. Long, precise strokes smoothed out her cocoa-colored locks. Soft waves fluttering past her shoulders, leaving parts of porcelain skin exposed.

  The room’s temperature rose, yet the fire burned low. He loosened his cravat, pulling it off and tucking it into his pocket. The sheer thought of binding her tonight made his blood rush. His heart thundered in his ears, and the urge to tear off his clothes was instinctual. Tonight, he would remind her of the passion they had once shared. He would finally profess his love, and intentions, and this time, he would never desert her.

  He approached slowly, hoping to avoid alarm, when she craned her neck to spy him. “I was beginning to wonder when you would join me.”

  Bastian watched her lashes flicker in the candle light. The minx had an unmistakable twinkle in her eye when she was plotting. “Tell me, my dear, what is it that you wish to happen tonight? I can be a very accommodating man.”

  The bed sank as he sat behind her, only giving them an inch of space apart. Bastian slid her nightgown off her shoulder and began kissing down her neck. With his other hand, he moved to cup her breast.

  Cordelia moaned beneath his touch. “I have missed you, Bastian. Do not keep me waiting. I need you to love me. Hurry…” her voice trailed off as he changed his approach.

  “Stand up, love. I will give you what you need, and then we shall discuss how the rest of the night will go.”

  Lust and love all rolled up into one, and his need to take her soon was imminent. Bastian rose from the mattress and stood before her. She gazed upon him, filled with arousal and desperate need. He loosened the ribbons from her gown, and when they fell, her bodice opened up, exposing the beautiful, full breasts she possessed.

  “They are quite becoming, my dear.” How he desperately wanted to latch onto them, and begin to tease her, but the whole purpose of tonight was to begin a new life. He slid his hands beneath the silk fabric, pulling away the robe, allowing it to fall into a puddle of fabric at her feet. Bare as Aphrodite the day she was born, Cordelia embodied all things sensual and sexual.

  Without wasting another moment, he drew her into his arms, crushing his lips to hers. Every swipe of his tongue revelled in her sweet, sweet taste. Bastian lowered her onto the bed, stretching her arms above her before binding her to the bedpost with his cravat.

  “It has been far too long, my love. Tonight is all for you. May we never be separated again.”

  Straddling her, Bastian removed his shirt and loosened his breeches. He dropped himself again, this time to tease her senses. Showering her with kisses, leaving not patch of skin untouched. When his lips reached the contour of her breasts, he greedily sucked on one nipple while his free hand rolled the other. All of his life source seemed to have rushed to his cock. Then, her milk let loose and he drank from her.

  Her hips bucked beneath him, as he sucked sharply. When he released her breasts, he could smell her arousal.

  “To hell with it,” he muttered before releasing the confines of his cock, and in one swift movement, he drove himself into her. Over and over again, he thrust into Cordelia, who now wept from pleasure. She cried out his name. How many times, he knew not. All he knew was that to be so fully embedded in the woman he had lost and loved once again, heaven was the only name for the well of emotions building up in him.

  His muscled tensed, and as Cordelia released, he pulled out, spilling his seed over the roundness of her belly. Her once lean and slender body had become even more beautiful after giving birth. With any luck, they would have many more children.

  Bastian rose from the bed, retrieving a wet cloth from the water basin. He had missed this part the most. The post copulation—the touching, kissing, and even the talking through what they had experienced and what they would try differently.

  ’Twas a miracle they had found each other once again. All those months of weeping, of being foxed out of his wits and thrown out of White’s and Martine’s establishments. Good heavens, he had made a colossal fool of himself.

  Cordelia meant the world to him, and now that Matthew was here, he would love him all the same. The circumstances of his birth mattered not. The ton did not have to know anything at all, nor did they answer to anyone. Bastian then remembered the note his man of affairs had forwarded to him earlier while he was at Stoughton Hall.

  He released Cordelia’s wrists and rubbed her arms free from the tension. Then he slowly ran the cloth over her skin, wiping his release from her body. “Can I get you anything, my dear?”

  She shook her head, but then she frowned. “Do you think Matthew will be all right?”

  “Why not, my love? My housekeeper has raised a brood of children herself. He is in quite capable hands, and I assure you, tomorrow we shall ensure he has his own room.” Her frown soon turned into a smile. “Here, allow me to pour you some wine. I think you and I have deserved this moment for a while.”

  Bastian straightened and walked toward the sideboard. Pouring two drams of wine, he returned to the bed and passed her a glass. He sat down, pondering how to bring up her husband. Will she be hurt, or will she be offended?

  He was staring into his goblet, gaping hopelessly into the claret, when Cordelia’s hand touched his shoulder. “Bastian, what is the matter? We should be rejoicing, not mourning.”

  The earl braced himself for the worst of reactions. “I have received word on Richard’s condition. I will show you the letter I received, but first, you must know that I have no intention of losing you a second time.”

  Before she could say another word, he rose again and retrieved a letter sitting on the mantle of his fireplace. When he returned, her speculative expression went from questioning to worry. Her brows furrowed, and when she held out her hand, he gently passed the paper to her. Instead of hovering while she read the missive, he walked over to the fire to stoke the embers.

  “He wants to see me, Bastian! Has he gone mad?”

  “That is a possibility. He is, after all, dying. The question is, do we deny a dying man his final wishes? Or do we allow him to perish without closure and live with the guilt of never knowing w
hat it is he wishes to speak with you about.”

  He turned to watch the pensive look on her face wash away, paving the path to confusion. Exasperated and clearly unsure of what to say next, she stood and strode toward him, only stopping to toss the note into the fire. When her gaze settled upon his, she pursed her lips and stomped her way back to the bed.

  The woman clearly needed time to consider the request. In the meanwhile, he would certainly occupy her thoughts in another way. Bastian cleared his throat. “Sweetheart, I think what you need is a good tumble. Let me demonstrate just how much you have missed me.”

  Now that should get her attention.

  Chapter Seven

  Cordelia yawned, stretching her arms out before her. She opened one eye, and then the other, trying to formulate in whose room she was. Only a moment passed as she bolted from Bastian’s room, only to discover that he was across the hall, holding Matthew and reading a book.

  ’Twas a most beautiful sight to behold. Father and son, alone and revelling in their time together. She had not thought much of how Bastian would take to becoming a father, much less expect for them to bond in such a short time.

  She crossed the threshold of the room and swept in behind them, her heart swelling with pride, an unexpected flush of heat rushing through her. Was it wrong to feel so connected, attracted, and satisfied to have a man such as Bastian at her side?

  His head craned to see her approaching. He smiled at her and lowered his head to whisper something to the babe. “I was wondering when you would get up. He’s a quiet lad, though he only holds his attention for a short while before he gets squirmy.”

  Cordelia could not help but laugh. “Surely you jest. One cannot expect a child less than a year to hold his attention long. For heaven’s sake,” she chided him, reaching for Matthew. “He should be ready to feed right about now.”

  “The housekeeper has already seen to acquiring a nursemaid on such short notice.”