Page 101 of Madcap with a Marquess
Derek’s lips twitched. “Amen.” He lifted a hand, signaling for a footman. “But this in particular. A toast to the real Rupert. Finally free.”
A footman appeared with a decanter and three glasses full of amber liquid.
Rupert smiled softly. Finally free. “Just one glass for me.” He bit back his grin, one he knew his friends would rib him for if he let slip. “I have a wife I am quite eager to get back to.”
The three of them clinked glasses, and a bit of devilry sparked in Derek’s green gaze. “Perhaps he is doing the shagging right,” Derek mused. “Eagerare we?”
Rupert stared into his whisky and let his grin break free. “Bloody fucking eager,” he murmured.
Derek barked out a laugh, and Rafe snorted. And Rupert…Rupert felt the lightest he had in a very,verylong time. He had the love of his life, his two best friends, andhimself. And that was everything he needed.
52
Franny
“Youtrulywon’ttellme where we’re going?” Franny asked, studying her uncharacteristically chipper husband.
They’d been rocking through the streets of London for ten minutes now, and he hadn’t given her one hint of where they were headed. Despite the fact that she may have asked upwards of twenty times already.
He smiled pleasantly at her, lips pressed tight, and shook his head. She narrowed her eyes at him. If he were more like her…she’d be suspicious. But she was pretty certain that smug smile was just Rupert being exceedingly pleased with himself for whatever plan he had in store for her.
The carriage rolled to a stop, and she scurried to the window and pulled back the curtains. And promptly started bouncing in her seat.
“A modiste! Am I visiting a modiste?” She turned to her husband, and his face had split into a full-blown grin.
“Yes, love. I thought it was about time you were granted what you truly deserve.” His smile faded, and his warm gaze glinted, a small fire burning in their depths. “Whatever you want, Franny, it is yours. You never need to ask permission; you never need to fear being denied. Jewels, dresses, horses, books, wines, confections, anything. You will never go without again.”
Her heart softened. There he was. The Rupert she knew he’d always been underneath. “That’s why you gifted me those new dresses, that beautiful one I wore for our painting, isn’t it? At the time, I had thought you were embarrassed by the state of my wardrobe…”
He shook his head violently. “No. Never. I couldn’t care less if you’re in silks or in a sack—”
“Or in nothing at all?” She winged a brow.
His cheeks tinted pink, and she bit the corner of her lip, fighting back her smile.
“I wouldn’t say I care less if you’re in nothing at all. I’d quite like that, actually. I think that’d be my preference.”
“So Icango swimming naked in our pond, then?”
His lips flattened. She could see him war with himself, the indecision flitting through his eyes. He didn’t want to be his usual overbearing self. But…
“I’d prefer if you abstained,” he said, his voice strangled. “So I am not forced to commit murder toward anyone who sees you.”
“It’s all right, Rupert. I was only teasing.” She went to rap on the carriage door to alert their footman to open the door.
“Although,” he said, freezing her movements. “There may be certain times I would be more forgiving to such a situation.”
She sat back and cocked her head. This she must hear.
“Perhaps…under the cover of night. We could…”
Her heart rate thrummed against her chest, and she leaned forward, her hands landing on her husband’s knees. “Are you saying, Rupert, that you want to go for a midnight swim with me?In the nude.”
He was grinning again and nodding his head. The pink on his cheeks deepened. “Though I wouldn’t mind if we did more than just swimming.”
Her fingers tightened on his knees. “Oh, Rupert, what a rogue you’re turning out to be. We are going to have so much fun teaching you how to be free.”
He scooted to the edge of his bench, cupped her jaw, and drew her into a mind-melting kiss. She barely had time to process the delicious curl of his tongue around hers before he was pulling away. She blinked dazedly at him, his rap on the carriage door faintly registering. Her muscles trembled, and she wouldn’t be surprised if they couldn’t support her out of the conveyance.
