'Did she not say to you that now Quinton wouldn't love her?' Ocky said stubbornly.
'Certainly she knows better than that,' Sirena replied with a small smile. 'But you will recall that Quinton Hunter with his bluer than blue blood made a match with Allegra first because she was the richest heiress in England. Allegra doesn't really understand the nature of true love so how can she believe, even if he says it, that her husband truly loves her, and would love her even if she were poor? And there is the matter of an heir for Sedgwick, Ocky. Suddenly that becomes most paramount for Allegra for she is faced with the loss of probably half or more of her fortune, or value. Of course she is angry and upset.'
'What can we do to help?' Viscount Pickford wondered aloud.
'We can do nothing,' Sirena said quietly. 'It is now up to Quinton Hunter to convince his wife that no matter what happens he will love her forever and a day, and even beyond. It will not be an easy, or a simple task.' Sirena watched as the duke rode after Allegra. She could but imagine how her beloved cousin felt right now. Lost. Bereft. And she was correct about one thing. It really was embarrassing that her own mother was having a baby at this time in her life, although, Sirena thought, I will never say it. I will be happy for Mama, and Steppapa. Then she giggled to herself. She would have never imagined that Olympia Abbott Morgan was still interested, and obviously if one was to believe Allegra, very interested in matters of the flesh. But she and Lord Morgan obviously were.
'What's so funny?' her husband asked Sirena.
'I thought how amusing that at their ages Mama and Steppapa would still be being naughty. 1 did not realize one's interest could last
'I certainly hope so, my darling girl,' the viscount replied. 'I certainly hope so!'
Chapter 17
“I want to go up to London,' Allegra told her husband.
'We have just come back from London,' he replied calmly. Living with his bride of six months had not been very easy these past few weeks.
'Nevertheless, Quinton, I wish to go. I am bored here. I have nothing to do. If you do not wish to come, I will understand,' she responded coldly.
A message had come this morning from Aston, he knew. 'You have heard from Eunice?' he attempted to change the subject.
'Yes,' she said shortly.
'She is well, and Marcus, too?' He tried to elicit more information from her than she seemed willing to share with him.
'They are both well. Why wouldn't they be? She is expecting a child. She says Caroline believes she is with child, too. I, however, am not expecting a child, and I wish to go up to London. If you really loved me you would not question my motives, Quinton. I repeat. I am bored here in the country. I may even want to go to Brighton this summer. I obviously have nothing in common with my friends any longer. Why would I? They are fertile, and I, it would appear, am barren.'
'If you wish to go up to London for a few weeks,' he told her, 'then I see no reason why you should not. I, however, must remain here at Hunter's Lair, Allegra. I have an estate to manage. And we cannot go to Brighton this year. I want you home, Allegra. I know that you are shocked by the fact your father and his wife are expecting a baby. You need time to come to terms with it. So if going to London is what you want to do, go. You shall not conceive an heir for me if we are apart, but that is your choice, my dear.'
He was angry at her. He couldn't help himself. Allegra had become a self-pitying little bitch these past few weeks. He had done everything, he thought, to reassure her of his love, but for some reason he could not fathom, she didn't believe him. It was irritating to say the least. What was the matter with her?
'I'll tell Honor to pack a trunk, and be gone tomorrow,' Allegra said. 'I will not need much for I intend having Madame Paul make me an entire new wardrobe.'
'She made you one seven months ago,' he reminded her.
Allegra shrugged. 'I thought while I still have the ready, Quinton, I would have a fashionable wardrobe made. When Papa's new child comes along there will be little for me.'
'You do not know that,' he almost shouted. 'Until a few years ago you had a brother, James Lucian, and your father denied you nothing,' the duke told her.
'This will be a boy,' Allegra said angrily. 'I just sense it. He will become Papa's heir, and I will have little. Papa is besotted with his new wife. She will influence him, and her first interest will be for her son, and not for me. Do you not understand, Quinton? You bartered your good name, and now you have been cheated.'
'I have wanted you since the moment I first saw you, Allegra,' he insisted. 'I want you now, and I don't give a damn about your father's wealth. I love you. I want you.' And then he was kissing her passionately, his hands moving beneath her chamber robe to caress her slender body. His palms cupped her buttocks, and pulled her close. She moaned softly in his embrace, unable to help herself from pressing against him. His lips slid down her throat. He pushed her robe off, and kissed her breasts. He knelt before her, his mouth engraving a line of hot kisses down her torso. He could feel her trembling beneath his lips. He pulled her down upon the floor before the fireplace. His knee nudged her soft thighs open.
'Tell me you don't want me, too, my darling duchess,' he murmured hotly against her kiss-swollen lips.
'No,' she replied softly. 'I won't tell you that because it isn't true, and you know it.
She was warm, and welcoming. He buried himself as deep as he could within her luscious body. Her hips met his in rhythmic splendor. Slowly he withdrew from her, then he plunged again, and again, and again until he was dizzy with his passion for her, and she for him. When his desire for her finally burst and mushroomed into a bloom of incredible pleasure, he thought he would die from the excess of it. 'I love you,' he cried. 'I love you, Allegra. Do not leave me.'
When he awoke in the morning, still before the embers of the dying fire, she was gone, and he cursed to himself that she did not believe enough in his love to trust him. Yet she must care, he thought, noting the down coverlet had been taken from the bed and carefully tucked about him. Scrambling up he yanked at the bellpull.
'Yes, Your Grace?' Hawkins had answered his summons rather quickly, the duke thought.
'When did Her Grace leave for London?' he asked his valet.
