She lowered her lips to his. “It wasn’t as bad as I expected it to be. More like being stuck with a thorn.”
“A thorn?” He tried to decide if that was lowering, then decided it didn’t matter. As long as she was happy, he was as well. “Thorns are very painful.” He rolled them onto their sides. “But not too painful?”
She grinned against his cheek. “Not the way you did it.”
Leaning back, she frowned. “Are you looking for a compliment or trying to make yourself feel better?”
“Neither. I’m trying to make sure you want to do this again.” And again, and again, and again until they were old and gray.
“I do want to do this again. But I am a
“I wish I could call for a bath for you now.” He rose. “I’ll be right back.”
He walked behind the screen and found a basin with a piece of linen and cold water. Dipping the cloth into the water, he went back to the bed, and pressed the damp coolness at her core, hoping to ease the pain.
“That feels good.”
“I hoped it would.” Now to get rid of any sign that they had anticipated their vows. He rinsed out the linen and tossed the bloodied water out of the open window.
“What are you doing?”
“Saving your maid from embarrassment tomorrow.” The woman had suffered enough. She did not need to feel that what he and Thalia had done was her fault in any manner.
“I do not understand.”
He climbed back into bed and wrapped his arms around her. “You bled when your maidenhead was torn. I’ll have my valet take the sheet to whichever room we will go to after the wedding, as proof of consummation, but no one will know that you were no longer a virgin when we married.”
“Is that important?” Her expression was adorably confused. “Both my sisters anticipated their vows.” She frowned. “Although it caused difficulties for one of them.”
That was one way of putting it. “Normally, no. It doesn’t matter. But I have a feeling that it might for us.” He gazed at her, his heart never fuller than it was now. “Let’s not take any chances.”
“Tempting fate?” Her eyes were wide and worried.
“In a manner of speaking.” A sudden chill swooped down his back.
Kendal nestled Thalia’s back against his chest. With her in his arms, he slept better than he ever remembered sleeping.
A noise woke him—the sound of feet shuffling outside the door. What the devil was going on?
Then Thalia’s maid stepped into the bedchamber through the dressing room. “Hurry, come with me into the passageway.”
Thalia was still fast asleep. “Both of us?”
“Yes, Your Grace. You mustn’t be found in her room.”
That was a good point.
She awoke as he lifted her. “Your maid is waiting for us.”
Thankfully, she didn’t waste time asking questions, but headed immediately toward the servant. They entered the passage by way of a hidden door in the dressing room. Thankfully, one of the previous dukes hadn’t wished the servants to be running around the main house, and the place was riddled with secret ways in and out of the rooms. “Where are we going?”
“I’m taking her to another chamber. When she’s safe, I’ll tell Lady Hawksworth where she is.”
“Very well. I shall go to my room and change. Are the servant’s stairs still safe?”
“No, Your Grace.” A footman Kendal hadn’t noticed before spoke. “We will need to use the passages to make our way to the chapel.”
“Cellars?” That would be the easiest way.
“Yes, Your Grace.”
He hugged Thalia. “I’ll meet you down there. Go with them. I shall see you soon.”
Kendal rushed back into the bedchamber and grabbed the blood-stained sheet. Once back in the passage, he turned in the direction opposite to the one Thalia had taken and exited into his room.
Hearing pounding and voices in the corridor, Kendal dropped the sheet on a chair, pulled on a pair of trousers, then stepped through his door. Four men in Somerset livery were standing outside of Thalia’s bedchamber. One of them looked as if he was preparing to break the door down. In his most dukely voice said, “What the devil are you doing?”
Two of the footmen flushed red, and another slumped back against the wall, but the fourth one said, “We are to bring Lady Thalia to the Duke of Somerset.”
“You can go to perdition. I don’t care if you came from King George. You will leave now and not return, or I’ll have you all thrown into the dungeons until your master is ready to depart.”
Hamish the under-butler came around the corner from the main staircase. “Your Grace, may I be of service?”
“Remove these interlopers.”
Kendal wanted to laugh when the under-butler snapped his fingers smartly, and at least ten footmen came rushing over. “Remove these men.”
“Where would you like them put, Your Grace?”
He felt a particular glee in giving the order, “The dungeons.”
Hamish bowed. “As you wish, Your Grace.”
The rest of Thalia’s family piled into the corridor, and Hawksworth raised a brow. “What is going on?”
