Her Mystery Duke(101)
“Yes, this is also true; however, we could focus more on saving individuals.”
“You have a plan, do you?”
“Yes, I think you should found an asylum, one run with a heart.”
“Yes.” He smiled, broadly. Once again, her thoughts were mirroring his own and he couldn’t help but believe that was the best possible omen for their marriage. Despite the hardships of her common birth and their age difference, they had every chance of building a strong and successful union . The House of Somerville would be redeemed and renewed for all future generations. “We should found an asylum. Maybe purchase some land near my estate in York.”
“So far north?”
“The farther away from London and the more secluded, the better for everything, I think. I shall likely prove a stubborn man to reform. I will need to be far away from the House and the temptation to become too deeply drawn back into politics.”
“Goodness.” She studied his open, sincere expression. “This isn’t the first time you’ve thought of this.”
“No, it is not. I started toying with the idea of a change once my bill failed to pass the House of Lords, but other events caused me to be distracted.”
“I am so sorry I distracted you from your work.”
“You didn’t distract me. You woke me.”
“Woke you?”
“Yes, you woke me to all the other possibilities in life. I possess vast wealth and a good deal of power. I have always thought that politics was the best way to utilize that wealth and power to create change. Now I see that change may be best brought about through direct, personal effort.”
“I woke you to this?”
“Yes, you woke me to this that first day when you saved me.”
“I suppose you have woken me as well. I did not realize how I had focused my memories of Papa only upon the most nightmarish aspects at the end. I forgot the years before. You awoke me from my nightmare of that.” She sighed. “Oh, David, I cannot promise that I shall ever be comfortable doing as you do, touring asylums and interacting with the insane like that. I do not know if I shall ever be as socially facile as you are either. I am, I fear, a very private person.”
“It will be fine. I love you just as you are. I need you just as you are.” He bent and kissed her, long and lingering.
When he lifted his head, she stared back at him with eyes as brilliant blue as the sky above. “I love you too. I have for a very long time now. I want to entwine my life with yours and my home is wherever you are.”
He cupped her face. “I hear the ‘but’ in your tone. What are you so worried about?”
“Is our love enough? I don’t want to disappoint you or shame you or—”
“Listen to me. We’re going to live a very different life than I have here in London, serving in Parliament. We shall spend much time on my estate, filling our nursery. And you shall have all the time you need to write or do anything else that takes your fancy. You shall take things at your own ability to do so.” He stood and reached a hand down to her. “Come, my love, it is time we went home.”
* * * *
As she lay on her back, Jeanne closed her eyes and recalled her first impression of the Elizabethan-style house with its many, large mullioned windows and stepped gables. They had just arrived a few hours before.
The huge bed rocked. She opened her eyes to meet David’s clear, emerald eyes as he sat beside her.
“This is no cottage,” she said.
A glimmer of a smile teased at his sensual lips, and from the window the setting sun shone in blue lights on his coal black hair. He took her wrists into his hands. “It seems very cozy to me. Believe me, after the summer at our estate, you shall see it that way too.”
“Our estate?”
“Yes, our estate, my Duchess of Hartley.” He pulled her legs together and up. Then he took her arms and wrapped them under her thighs and tied them together with silk rope. It left her cunt exposed and made her feel confined in a way that caused her heart to race. He traced her outer lips. “How do you like it?”
“This position?”
“No, I can tell by how wet you are that you like the position just fine. I want to know if you like this house.”
“I adore it.”
“And I adore you.” He kissed her quickly.
“I adore you too, David.”
“It’s yours, you know.”
“Is it?”
“Yes, it is not entailed. I had the deed changed to your name about a month ago. You should have something real that you own outright.”
“Thank you, David.”
“My lovely, naughty girl. I have neglected my duties. You’ve been too long without discipline, eh?” He laid a hearty smack on her bottom. “I am glad to hear you like this house because I intend to keep you here, sequestered for the whole month, whilst I tie you up and do all sorts of wicked, wonderful things to your gorgeous body.”