The Duchess

ones even if the marriage has been arranged for other reasons. Passion can be shared, and pleasurable between friends.'

'You are no longer speaking about Papa and Aunt Mama, are you, Quinton?' Allegra said softly.

'No, I am not,' he admitted. 'In a few months' time you and I will share those relations, Allegra. I want such passion between us to be happy for you. I do not want you resenting the children that you will bear me. Can you understand that?'

'You have not kissed me since the night of my ball,' she replied. She could feel the heat in her cheeks, and wondered if she looked like a boiled beef at this point.

'Did you like being kissed?' he asked.

'You didn't do it enough for me to form an opinion,' she said.

'I thought you quite opinionated on the subject the night of your ball,' he reminded her. 'As I recall you wanted to know if I was considered expert in such matters, and asked for references.'

'I most certainly did not ask for testimonials on the subject,' she huffed. 'I just asked if you were considered good at kissing. It was a perfectly reasonable question considering I had never before been kissed. I don't understand why you are so put out about it.'

'You mean not even the saintly Rupert Tanner kissed you, Allegra? I find that hard to believe,' he said.

'Why would Rupert want to kiss me? We are friends, and why do you call him saintly?” she countered.

'Because I understand he is taking holy orders, and will have a living from his father's village church when the old vicar there retires,' came the reply.

'How do you know that?' she demanded.

'Because he told me. Remember he was at Pickford House with us during the season. He implied that you had an informal understanding,' the duke said, and there was just the hint of anger in his voice.

'What?' The surprise in Allegra's voice was palpable. 'How dare Rupert say such a thing! It most certainly is not true.'

'Then he obviously said it in an attempt to drive me off,' the duke observed, his good humor restored. 'And he must be a saint to have never kissed you, my dear.'

Allegra kicked her horse into a canter and rode away from him. She was furious. Yes, she said she wanted to marry Rupert before she had come to London, but only in order to escape a season. Her father had put a firm stop to any such idea. There had been nothing between them at all but a shared childhood. 'I shall never speak to Rupert again,' she muttered to herself. 'How dare he?' He dare, she realized, because they were old friends, and he thought she needed to be saved. How presumptuous of him, especially, as they had grown up together. If anyone should know her it should be Rupert.

The duke let Allegra go. It was obvious she needed to work off her temper. She had a temper. That was a discovery. She was a more interesting girl than he had anticipated.

They stopped that night at an excellent inn. Charles Trent had taken an entire wing of the hostelry for his master's party. He was a day ahead of them. They ate their dinner in a private dining room, although Allegra and the duke seemed to be the only ones with an appetite. And when the meal had been cleared away, her father and stepmother were suddenly filled with yawns and deep sighs.

'How can you be so sleepy after riding in a coach all day?' Allegra demanded of them. 'Papa, do you not want to play a game of chess? Now that we are to get back to our regular schedule you cannot forget our nightly chess games!' She smiled at him. 'Shall I have the board and pieces brought, Papa?'

'I believe, my child, that the excitement of the season has finally caught up with me, and all this good country air is making me sleepy. I think that your stepmother and I shall retire. We will play chess another night, I promise you.' He arose, and held out his hand to his bride.

'Come and kiss me goodnight, Allegra,' Lady Morgan said. 'Did you enjoy your ride today, dearest?'

'Very much,' the young girl replied. She dutifully kissed her father and her stepmother. 'Good night.'

When they had gone she said to the duke, 'They want to make love, don't they?'

'Yes,' he said, his silvery gray eyes serious.

'I cannot believe anyone that age is still interested in such things, Quinton,' Allegra told him.

'Why not? I am sure he had a mistress tucked discreetly away somewhere near Morgan Court.'

Allegra was silent, and then she said, 'Do you have a mistress tucked away somewhere, Quinton?'

He chuckled. 'My dear, do I hear a tiny bit of jealousy in your tone? No, I could not afford a mistress, but so there is no misunderstanding between us, I have also not been celibate either.'

'You have visited whores?' She wasn't really shocked, just curious about that part of his life.

'I have not been able to afford whores either.' He chuckled again. He brushed an errant lock of dark hair from his forehead. 'Allegra, there are always women willing to give themselves for the pure joy of it. I am no satyr, but when I felt the need for passion, there was always someone to satisfy my urges. Does that answer your questions?'

'No,' she said, and she arose from the table to come and stand before him. 'I have one last question to ask of you, Quinton.'

'And that is, my dear?' She was so serious, and so amusing.

'When are you going to kiss me again?' Allegra queried him.

'Why right now, my dear,' he answered her, pulling her into his lap. Taking her chin between his thumb and his forefinger his lips met hers in a rather fierce kiss.

She gasped, surprised. His finger caressed her jawline for a brief moment, and then he kissed her again; this time slowly, slowly until she felt as if her bones were melting away. His eyes looked into hers. Allegra felt a wave of heat wash over her and her heart hammered wildly

'Do you think I kiss well enough for you, my dear?' he asked her wickedly. Actually he had quite enjoyed it himself.

'Quite well enough,' she admitted to him. 'I will swear that my toes curled, sir.'

'You are flattering me, Allegra, and I will quite confess to liking it,' he told her. He also liked having her in his lap. She was a delightful armful.

'Kiss me again,' she said softly to him, and he complied.

Her pink lips were like two rose petals, soft and yielding. Her breath was just slightly perfumed. He felt her relax against him. He found the softness of her breasts stimulating, and realized with some shock that his innocent wife-to-be was arousing him. Yet he could not stop kissing her, and Allegra in her budding zeal kissed him back with equal enthusiasm. He felt his manhood hardening within his breeches. Quickly he tipped her from his lap lest she sense it. Now was hardly the time for such an introduction.

She looked startled to find herself on her feet. Her sloe eyes and bruised mouth sent the blood pounding in his ears. 'Why did you stop?' she demanded of him.

'Kissing,' he said, wondering if his voice sounded as hollow to her as it