Page 78 of Unmasked By a Captivating Lady
Dusk was just descending, turning the sky a dappled mauve and orange, when they finally left the wedding feast, climbing into the open air carriage. Miles held her hand, helping her up, then sat next to her, gazing down at her tenderly.
Their family and friends had all gathered, around the carriage, to see them off. Ara spotted Ruth in the crowd, smiling at them. Just behind her stood the Duke of Lancaster. The man had barely left her cousin’s side the entire day.
Ara took a deep breath, standing up in the carriage. And then, she turned around, tossing her bouquet over her shoulder. She heard the wild flurry as all the single young women jostled each other to be the one to claim it.
She turned around, expectantly. Suddenly, she saw Ruth, blushing furiously, clutching the bouquet. Ara’s heart leapt. Her cousin had caught it!
Lord Andrew Comerford seemed delighted that she had caught it, too, judging by the slow smile that spread over his face as he gazed down at her.
Miles was tugging at her gown. “My love, come on!”
She laughed, falling into the carriage seat beside him.
And the next minute they were away, waving back at the crowd, until they receded into the distance, and she could no longer see them anymore.
***
Ara snuggled up to her new husband, pressing her face into his shoulder, as the carriage sped down the country track.
“Happy, my love?” he whispered, into her hair.
She stared up at him. “It was the happiest day of my life,” she whispered back, embracing him tighter. “And I simply cannot wait –husband– to climb into our bed together, tonight. Even if it isn’t really our own.”
He smiled slowly, tracing a finger along her jawline, so softly it felt like the touch of a feather.
“I cannot wait for it either,wife,” he growled, his eyes darkening. “There are things I want to do to you, that I simply could not, to an unwed lady…”
She feigned shock, hitting him lightly. “Fie, sir! You are shameless! We are a married couple, now, and should no longer be thinking of such…carnalthings.”
He grinned. “I simply cannot think of anything else, when I am around you, I am afraid. You do strange things to me, wife. Things that I cannot say aloud, for fear that the carriage driver’s ears will start to burn…”
She laughed harder. “Oh, please do tell me, sir! But whisper them, into my ear, if you will.”
His grin widened, and he bent down, pressing his lips against her ear. Slowly, he started to whisper. Ara’s eyes widened, as he told her, in meticulous detail, everything he was planning to do to her that night. She squirmed, so aroused that she almost couldn’t bear it.
She glanced at the carriage driver, who was staring at the road. It seemed almost improper to be talking about such things, when someone else was so close. But strangely, it also made it a little more arousing, too.
The carriage turned to the left, down a narrow road. Ara looked around for a moment, then gazed at Miles, questioningly.
“This is not the road to Thorn House,” she said slowly.
Miles looked surprised. “Isn’t it? Maybe the carriage driver knows a short cut.”
Ara pursed her lips, frowning. She knew all the roads in this area, and this one definitely didn’t lead to Thorn House, either directly or indirectly. In fact, they were heading in the opposite direction entirely. But Miles didn’t seem in the least concerned. She sat back, embracing him again, and was soon engrossed entirely.
The next thing she knew the carriage was slowing down, and turning through some elaborate gates, towards an unknown house.
“Where are we?” she squeaked, in surprise.
Miles stared down at her. “We are at our new home, my love…”
She stared at him, so flabbergasted she simply didn’t know what to say, for a moment.
They had discussed buying their first home together, but had agreed that they would wait, until something came along that they both liked. Miles had seemed keen to stay in London, and as much as she would follow him to the ends of the earth, she had resisted that idea.
She had known that he wanted to be close to the city and assumed they would eventually make their home in Kent, where he spent a lot of time, with the Duke. It had seemed a fair compromise, even though her heart ached just a little at the thought of leaving Dorset.
He was grinning, now. She kept staring at him. The carriage swept around a circular driveway, to the front of the property, before coming to a sudden halt.
