“I am glad you were able to reach a resolution, my dear.” Georgiana smiled, glancing away from her daughter for a moment to nod at her son-in-law.
“I should have said this earlier, when you both had just gotten married, and I am sorry I didn’t. I hope you are happy together for years to come. And I hope your home is blessed with joy, love, and laughter.”
“Thank you, Mama,” Richard said, feeling a little bashful suddenly. “It is your home too. Please feel free to visit whenever you like.”
“Oh, can we? I would love to play with Dash some more!” Anne pleaded.
“Anne, that’s not?—”
“Why not?” Richard beamed down at the girl, gently cutting the Dowager Marchioness off. “You are welcome to visit us whenever you like. I’m sure Dash would be thrilled to see you. And… we are due to have a meal together as a family. Our doors are always open.”
Georgiana smiled, greatly touched, and she nodded. “Thank you, Your Grace. We greatly appreciate that.”
Paula walked into the foyer then, bowing slightly before she announced, “We are all set, Your Graces.”
Richard nodded then turned to his wife, who had not left his side since they had reconciled, his heart tinged with adoration as he asked, “Are you ready to return?”
Nancy smiled up at him, and he felt himself fall in love with her all over again.
“I am.”
* * *
The carriage ride back to Wexford Castle reminded Nancy of the day she had gotten married to Richard. She recalled the uncertainty of everything that lay ahead of her, how worried she had felt about being required to make a life with the man who had sat in front of her, unwilling to even look right at her.
Today, things were different. He sat by her side, held onto her hand the entire way back home, and pointed out different landscapes throughout their journey, explaining their significance.
Nancy felt hopelessly endeared by him, and she was full of hope for their future.
He had kept her close even after their arrival to the castle, only shifting his attention away from her long enough to tell Mrs. Silverstone to rehire Mr. Aldridge.
“Dash still has much to learn,” Richard said, his point proven as they watched Dash dart around the castle, clearly happy to be back to the home he knew. “And my wife’s youngest sister would love to meet him and learn from him as well.”
Mrs. Silverstone beamed at them, brimming with happiness as she replied, “Of course, Your Grace. I will send word to him right away.”
Richard took Nancy to his room after that. He pulled her close as he kissed her deeply, stealing the breath from her lungs.
Nancy clung to him desperately, feeling the flames of desire ignite within her as his tongue danced with hers passionately.
“I want to hold you,” he whispered over her skin, peppering her neck with fleeting kisses. “I want to sear every detail of you in my mind and heart.”
“You can,” she gasped as he bit a sensitive spot on her neck, soothing the bite with his tongue moments later. “I am yours to hold. To have. Forever.”
He led them to the bed, sitting on it and lifting her onto his lap, somehow managing to ensure that his lips remained pressed to hers, kissing every thought out of her mind.
“I won’t let you leave,” he said firmly, holding her face in his hands so delicately as though she were a flower. “Never again.”
Nancy smiled down at him and used her grip on his hair to tilt his face up then kissed him slowly and sweetly.
“Then you’ll have to make sure I’ll never want to leave,” she mumbled quietly.
Richard grinned wolfishly, tugging her dress open and pulling it off her in one fluid motion, startling her because she had not even realized that he had undone her buttons.
“That can be arranged,” he promised, undoing the knots that held her corset together.
Soon, that was discarded as well, and he moved her to lie on the bed while he loomed over her, so effortlessly handsome even with the ravenous look on his face. As he kissed her deeply, his hands roamed over her body, one of them trailing up her thigh, sneaking beneath her chemise to reach her already damp center.
Nancy moaned his name as he slipped a finger inside her, brought to the precipice of pleasure with a few strokes. His other hand was on her breast, kneading and tweaking her stiff nipple while his lips nipped and sucked at her skin and left marks of his love.
