Page 43 of An Earl Like You
“If you insist...” His fingers probed boldly between her thighs and Eliza parted her legs in invitation.
“I do.” He groaned, his mouth open against her neck, as he pushed one, then two fingers inside her. “Mywife,” he repeated, with a strange emphasis. Eliza sensed something was off, but he spread her legs with both hands and tormented her until she couldn’t think, let alone speak.
She was almost ready to explode, begging him in a voice she didn’t even recognize, when Hugh finally turned her over. His face dark, he moved above her and thrust home with such force her body spasmed and she gave a little cry of release. He curled one arm behind her head, his muscle as hard as iron, and began moving, driving hard and deep. Eliza thought she would faint—she couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t see anything but him, and he was riding her so furiously she had to curl her legs around his hips. He growled at that, kissing her until she saw stars, and finished with a shout, his head thrown back.
“My wife,” he rasped. “Forever.”
Eliza spread her hands on his bare chest, heaving and damp with sweat. Her heart was so full of love it ached. She pressed her lips to his skin. “And you’re mine, forever,” she whispered tenderly.
They stayed like that for several minutes. Eliza marveled at the weight of him; this gorgeous man was her husband.Hers.He delighted in her body and found her appealing. She ran her hands down his muscled back, still in disbelief that she could touch him. He stirred enough to settle one hand around her breast, and she shivered at the intimacy of it. They were married. There might be a child—or four—to bind them together. It was everything she had ever wanted.
“I love you,” she said softly.
“Good,” he muttered. Eliza gave a gasp of embarrassed laughter, and Hugh went up on his elbows, a heavy-lidded, satisfied expression on his face. “What shall you do today?”
She noticed he didn’t respond to her declaration, but let it go. Such things were difficult for men to say, and Hugh had amply demonstrated his affections. “When was this house last decorated?”
He looked blank. “Decorated? I’ve no idea.”
Eliza nodded. The house was dark and outdated. It was older and smaller than Papa’s house, and it didn’t have the advantage of being on a hill above the river in full sunlight, but there was no reason it must keep to the styles of fifty years ago. “I plan to speak to your mother. She’s a very elegant lady, and I wonder if perhaps she doesn’t have time, or perhaps interest, in decorating. Because the drawing room is dismal, and this room would send anyone into a melancholy.”
“Ah.” Hugh rolled off her and stared at the ceiling, his fingers idly plucking at her hair, which was in a wild tangle across the pillows. “My father wasn’t fond of London, so we rarely visited before this Season. The house has been for let these past several years, and it surely needs a fresh touch.”
“Yes!” Eagerly she scooted closer, resting her cheek on his shoulder. “Then your mother won’t take offense if I invite her to refurbish it with me?”
His fingers paused. “I hope she wouldn’t. You are mistress of the house now, Eliza.”
Eliza knew better than that. “But I don’t want to insult her. I—I don’t remember my mother at all, and I would like to endear myself to yours.”
Hugh eased his arm from under her and sat up, swinging his feet to the floor. “She won’t object if you refurbish the house.” He rose and put on his dressing gown. Eliza sat up, clutching the linens to her chest in speechless dismay. “I have some matters to attend to today, but I’ll return for dinner.”
“Of course,” she murmured, but he was already striding toward the dressing room. The door closed behind him, and she wondered what she’d said wrong.
Hugh washed and dressed, then sent Bernard to fetch Willy from the kitchen for Eliza. His mother didn’t like dogs and Edith was frightened of them, but Eliza deserved to have her pet with her.
In part of his brain he knew he ought to stay home and help smooth his bride’s way with his family, and Eliza had handed him the perfect way to do it. When they reached London, his mother had openly longed to throw out the dusty draperies in the drawing room and buy new furniture. Hugh had resisted because he could not pay for new draperies or furniture, but now there was plenty of money to spend on the house. His mother should be delighted to have a daughter-in-law who not only wanted to refurbish, but had both funds and taste to do so. All he had to do was present Eliza’s plan to his mother in the right way, and both women would be happily occupied.
But his overriding goal today, the thing he had to do before anything else, was patch up the rift with Livingston and Benwick. He would have to keep his temper, of course, and not react to any slights Benwick might utter about Eliza. If Edith weren’t desperately in love with the fellow, he wouldn’t bother, but of all the things Hugh had done to protect and care for his sisters, this might be the most important. For Edith, he could hold his tongue.
His equanimity took a blow when he went down the stairs and saw Edward Cross. The man had just come in—the butler still held his hat and coat—and when he saw Hugh on the stairs he smirked. There was no way to stop the instinctive surge of animosity.
“Good morning, Lord Hastings,” Cross said with a wide smile.
“Mr. Cross.” Hugh bowed his head. “I did not expect you.”
Cross raised one brow. “No? But we’re family now.”
The last thread of his patience snapped. “Come, then,” he said coldly. He turned on his heel and strode toward his study.
“No need to be irate,” said Cross when the door was closed. “I’ve brought you a wedding gift.” He took a packet from his pocket and held it out.
Hugh knew what it was even before he opened it. Promissory notes, mortgages, and bills, all annotated withPaid in full. The sight of his father’s signature sent a bolt of fury and anguish through him that almost rivaled the one he’d felt at the sight of Edward Cross. “Thank you,” he said woodenly.
“As we agreed.” Cross gave his faint smile. “I’ve already called upon my solicitors and instructed them to pay Eliza’s remaining dowry funds.”
It was exactly as agreed; they had both honored the bargain struck little more than a month ago. In just a few words yesterday, he’d gone from nearly bankrupt and deeply in debt to wealthy and prosperous, with the expectation of enormous riches to come. His debts were paid and his accounts would soon swell by another forty thousand pounds. And yet Hugh felt hollow, as if he’d won a Pyrrhic victory.
Slowly he folded the documents and put them in a drawer. He faced his father-in-law and willed away his anger. “Mr. Cross,” he said, “you may call upon Eliza any time you like. You are welcome here as long as she will receive you.”
