Page 114 of The Heiress's Daughter
“But I told you I wasn’t.”
She rolled her eyes. “And of course men never lie to women to get what they want.”
He laughed. “Fair enough, but I want you to know that I never lied to you. And I never will.”
“I know that now,” she said softly.
“Yes, after your sister set the whole of society speculating about the state of my backside.”
“I’m so sorry about that—but I didn’t know she was going to do it.” She patted the relevant body part, and he flinched slightly. “What?” she said. “What did I just do?”
“Nothing, it’s just a little, um, tender there just now.”
“Why? Did you hurt yourself?”
“Not exactly.” He lifted the sheet and turned away from her so she could see the famous backside.
“Oh, Race…” she said huskily. “Does it hurt?”
“Only when you poke it. And it will toughen up in a few days. It will be fine by the wedding.”
“Oh, Race.” Her eyes misted up and she hugged himtightly. High on his backside a heart had been tattooed, and inside it a name:clarissa.
When the moon was the brightest it would be, he judged it was time to go. “It’s getting late. Must be almost midnight,” he said reluctantly.
She sighed, gave him one last kiss and rolled off the bed. They dressed in silence. Clarissa slipped her dress over her head and then made a small exclamation.
“What is it?”
“I told my maid not to wait up for me. She was to unbolt the back door after the butler went to bed, and then go to bed herself.”
For a moment he didn’t understand what the problem was. And then he did. “Your hooks?”
She nodded. “I’ll never be able to undo them all by myself.”
“Then don’t do them up.”
She looked at him in surprise, then laughed. “If I don’t, the dress will fall down around my ankles the minute I take a step.”
“Not if we only do up the top ones. You’ll be wearing a cloak, after all, and nobody will see. And it’s just a few steps across the garden to Lady Scattergood’s house.” He stepped forward. “Here, let me.” He did up the top hook, and then, unable to resist, planted a slow kiss on her velvety nape.
She shivered against him, then turned and kissed him again. “I wish we didn’t have to leave.”
Oh, but she was hard on his self-control. For two pins he’d take her back to bed…but no. She’d been a virgin. She would still be tender. He picked up her cloak and settled it around her shoulders. “Me, too, but in ten days we’ll be husband and wife, and can spend as much time together as we want.”
As they walked down the stairs, Race began to explainhis plans for the rest of the house, but it was quite dark inside and he soon gave up. “We can come back in the morning and look through it properly if you like.” He let her out the back door, then locked it behind him. The gate squeaked as he closed it. “Needs some oil.”
The moon was in its last quarter, but the sky was clear and though the moonlight was faint the garden was all silver and shadows. The fragrance of the nighttime garden rose all around them, enhanced by dew.
It surely was a night for romance.
Hand in hand they strolled, stopping every few minutes to kiss. Race couldn’t get enough of her.
“Clarissa Studley!” A strident female voice broke into their reverie. Race sighed. The irritating neighbor, Milly something-or-other.
Clarissa sighed, but didn’t let go of Race’s hand. “Milly, what are you doing out here at this time of night?”
Milly gasped. “What amIdoing? What areyoudoing out here? Alone. With a man!”
