The Duchess

doing to her, and that she wanted more. For a moment she struggled from his embrace, and pulled off her nightgown and cap. Then she lay back against their pillows, her look inviting.

He responded in kind, drawing his own nightshirt off, then leaned forward to kiss her adorable breasts. One hand kneaded her while his mouth attached itself over the other nipple and he suckled. She writhed and murmured beneath him, stoking his passions until he knew exactly what he wanted from her tonight. Something he had never dared to do with her, but he needed to initiate her completely into this passion. Raising his dark head from her milky white breasts he said, 'I don't want you to be afraid, Allegra.' Then his head dropped again and he began to kiss her body.

His lips moved slowly, slowly over her torso. Sometimes his tongue snaked out to lick at her warm flesh. She murmured with pleasure. The dark head moved lower and lower down her lush young body. He cupped her dark mont in his palm. The thick dark curls were soft against his palm. Releasing her from the intimate grip he fingered her nether lips, teasing, and playing with her until she began to squirm slightly and grow moist beneath his touch. The ball of his forefinger found the tiny bud of her sex. He caressed it until she was moaning aloud. He slid his large body down until he was firmly between her open thighs.

'Quinton?' Her voice registered fear.

'Don't be afraid, Allegra,' he pleaded, and then leaning forward he began to tongue that quivering little nub of flesh.

Her body arced up in shock, but he held her tightly so she could not escape him. She was at first scandalized by what he was doing. She had never in her wildest imaginings conceived that this… this was part of passion. And yet she very quickly decided that she liked it. Oh yes! She liked it very much. Her body quivered. That tiny part of her that she hadn't really known existed tingled and tingled until it seemed to burst into a blanket of deliciousness that covered her and left her weak and breathless. 'Oh, please,' she murmured helplessly.

He pulled himself up, covering her trembling form, and slowly pushed himself into her love sheath. 'God, Allegra,' he groaned. 'I want you so desperately!'

He was so hard, she thought. She could feel each stroke of his manhood with every fiber of her being. She felt herself tightening about his lance, trying to keep him from leaving her. 'Don't stop!' she begged him. 'Ohh, Quinton, I want you so very much!' Her nails dug into his muscled shoulders, and she pushed her tongue into his ear. Her legs wrapped themselves tightly about his straining form. 'Ohhh, sweet! Sweet!' she cried as they together approached nirvana.

'Ahh, you precious witch, you have unmanned me!' he told her as his boiling tribute poured forth, and they collapsed together in a tangle of arms and legs. They lay still entwined for several long minutes amid the wreckage of their bedclothes, their breathing finally slowing and calming. And then the duke sneezed.

'Oh, lord.' Allegra scrambled from their bed, and grabbed up his nightshirt. 'Put this on, Quinton, else I kill you with my love.' She caught up her own night garment and quickly pulled it over herself.

He began to laugh as he complied with her order.

'What is so funny?' she demanded, climbing back into the bed, and pulling the covers up over them.

'I am so damned happy,' Quinton Hunter told her. 'A year ago when the four of us decided we must find wives and finally settle down, my darling Allegra, I never imagined, no, I never even dared to hope that I should be this happy. I have never been happier in my whole life, and it is all due to you, my darling. It is all due to you.'

'You are a fool, Quinton,' she told him, but her own heart was soaring with happiness.

'I love you,' he said. 'And you love me.'

'I suppose I do,' she grudgingly admitted.

He laughed again. 'Say it, you adorable witch! Say you love me, and you will never love anyone else but me.'

'I do, and I won't,' she teased him mischievously.

'Say it, damnit.' He rolled over to face her, his look fierce.

Her heart melted then and there. 'I love you, Quinton Hunter, and I always will,' she said softly. 'I expected a comfortable arrangement and a mutual respect. I never expected to know this phenomenon that is called love. I still don't understand it, but I seem to love you dearly, Quinton. Now are you satisfied, and will you go to sleep before you become truly sick?'

'Yes, Duchess,' he said, and then taking her hand in his, he finally fell asleep.

PART III

WINTER AND SPRING 1796

A DANGEROUS GAME

Chapter 13

The day had arrived for Allegra's at home reception. Not one of the two thousand invitations that had been sent out had been refused. Allegra was relieved that it was midwinter, for if it had been the height of the season, she might have had double or triple the acceptances. People were expected to come, remain for fifteen minutes, no more, and leave their cards if they could not personally manage to greet the duke and the duchess, which most would not. Since no refreshments or music would be required, there would be little preparation except for the tall footed columns with their urns of flowers scattered about the gracious foyer and public rooms. Roses and sweetstock, lilies, tulips, narcissus, iris, and daffodils, all brought up from Lord Morgan's greenhouses in the country. The arrangements were lush and colorful.

The Earl and Countess of Aston, in the company of Lord and Lady Walworth, had arrived early. Quinton Hunter was recovered from his chill, which had required several days of intense nursing on his wife's part to resolve. And during that time they had remained in the house, keeping to themselves while their meals were brought to them.

'Will you be well enough for the theatre this evening?' Marcus Bainbridge, the Earl of Aston, asked his old friend.

'We were beginning to be seriously worried,' Adrian, Lord Walworth said. 'I've never in all the years of our friendship known you to be sick more than overnight, Quint.'

'Allegra took wonderful care of me,' the duke said with a smile in his wife's direction, and a wink to his friends.

'Why you devil,' the earl chuckled. 'Just how sick were you?'