Page 404 of From Rakes to Riches

He smiled. “They do?”

“Yes. One usually prefers to be cheerful—but not your father. Of course,” she hastily added, “he has every reason to be depressed.”

“You sound like you plan to visit him again.”

“Of course! He is such a sad man, after all.”

One corner of his lips quirked up, but it was not a smile. “To me, he only shows his anger.”

“Maybe that’s what he wants you to see. Sadness seems to be an emotion no man wants to reveal.” She thought of her own father, who’d never revealed anything, until his suicide had spoken for him.

He smiled. “Do you know so much about men?”

Victoria felt her blush start at her chest and race upward. “Of course not, my lord.”

He walked toward her. The closer he got, the more she had to tilt her head to see his face. He touched her chin lightly, and she froze.

“I was merely teasing you,” he said.

“Oh.” Her voice sounded breathless, but she couldn’t help it. Just a simple touch from him, and her breathing was impaired.

He put his hands on her shoulders, then lightly ran them all the way down her arms. He linked his fingers with hers.

“Your hands are cold,” he murmured.

He rubbed them gently and she felt each touch deep in her body. No wonder ladies wore gloves. And then he began removing her dressing gown again. As she stood waiting, she had a thought of doing the same thing to him, as if she’deverbe that adventurous! But hadn’t she said that the Perfect Wife should be adventurous? Was such a thing within her grasp?

He seemed to be struggling with the knot in her sash. His knuckles brushed the lower curve of her right breast, and she betrayed herself with a soft gasp.

When he said nothing, she peeked up into his face again. He caught her gaze and held it as the dressing gown came free. He undid the clasp at her throat, and then the fabric slid from her shoulders. Tonight, the nightdress she’d chosen only reached her collarbones, instead of her throat, and he stared at the extra three inches of skin revealed. Her gaze dropped to the floor as she waited.

“Look at me.”

He took her face in his large hands, and her eyes lifted to his. His skin was so very warm on her cool cheeks. She didn’t understand him or what his expression revealed, but she let herself enjoy the gentle way he caressed her cheeks with his thumbs. The stroking continued across her lips and lingeredthere, brushing the full lower lip. Her breath touched his skin, her body felt flush and full and far too hot than could be good for her. But she couldn’t look away from the intent way he stared at her, the way he watched his own fingers caress her.

Like a blind man, he used his fingers to slide up the bridge of her nose and across her forehead, but again he returned to her lips as if he had to memorize them. Strangely enough, it felt so very right to be touched by him, so right that her embarrassment faded away. His thumbs brushed along the crease of her lips, then gently parted them until the faintest moisture from her mouth glistened on the tip of his finger.

She found herself watching his mouth, leaning toward him, waiting…

“Can I kiss you?”

This time he asked, rather than commanded, and she whispered, “Oh, yes.”

He placed gentle kisses on her lips, then across both her cheeks. Her forehead benefited from his touch, then even her throat. She dropped her head back and moaned. She would have staggered if he hadn’t caught her arms.

And then he stepped away from her, and her skin went cold.

“Good night, Victoria.”

It was their usual parting, but she found she had to swallow twice to repeat the farewell back to him. When he had gone, she touched her own face softly, but it wasn’t the same.

He was capable of great gentleness, and she wanted to experience more of it. She was trying to make the best of this marriage after all.

Her marriage would only thrive if she could help Lord Thurlow and his father achieve peace. If she knew her husband better, surely life would be easier. Not only would she meet him for breakfast, she would follow him out to the stablesand see what happened. She wanted to be more than a dinner companion to him.

As David walkeddown the gravel path toward the stables, he heard a sound from behind and found Victoria following him. She waved, and he waited until she caught up with him.

“Did you need me for something, Victoria?”

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