Nearly a quarter hour had passed when he eased Geoffrey’s foot aside and picked up the other in order to massage it with the same gentle care.
“Marry me,” Geoffrey murmured.
Donovan chuckled.“Not allowed, I’m afraid.”
“I’ll wear a petticoat and a bonnet.”
“Something about your hulking, six-foot-five frame makes me think it would take more than a skirt and bonnet to disguise all that manliness.”Donovan’s voice softened.“And I wouldn’t want to.I like looking at you just as you are.”
Geoffrey’s eyes flickered open, hooded and aroused.“I like everything about you.Even your terrible choices in carriage refreshments.”
“You’d do this again?”
“I’d go anywhere with you.You must know this by now.”
Donovan lowered his gaze to Geoffrey’s foot rather than respond.
Yes, he supposed he did know that by now.Had known it for some time.Knew his own feelings on the matter were much the same.Perhaps even more fervent.
All the more reason why dismissing Geoffrey from his post was the only responsible decision.
Donovan could not betrustedto keep his hands off his valet in the future.Not after tasting the forbidden fruit, and learning precisely what he was denying himself.His only hope of being a halfway decent husband was by removing all other temptation.
No matter if it felt like drowning in an endless pool of despair.
Chapter11
To Donovan’s frustration, he had no sooner returned to London than he was called away to deal with various ducal duties.The country tenants had a problem that needed to be dealt with, and tracking progress on the issues he voted on in Parliament required every moment of his waking hours for several days.There was barely a moment to sneak a kiss with his valet, much less engage in meaningful conversation.
A knock sounded on the study door.
It was not Geoffrey.Geoffrey entered rooms silently, and besides, he and all the other servants on this floor knew the duke was not to be interrupted.Which meant this was one of the downstairs footmen, bringing up yet another delivery of the post.
Donovan did not look up from the urgent letter he was writing.“If those are magazines, set them on the sideboard with the others.If it’s correspondence, place it atop the pile at the corner of my desk.”
“It’s neither, I’m afraid,” said a wry female voice.
Donovan felt his hackles rise even before he glanced up from his writing.“Mother.I do not have the time—”
“You don’t have time for your mother, but you do have time for…” She moved toward the sideboard.“…fashion magazines?”
“They’re for Geoffrey,” Donovan muttered.
“Ah, yes.The French valet.”Without being invited, Mother took a seat in front of Donovan’s desk.“If those outside of this household had any idea how much time you spend with a servant, they might find your comportment unseemly.”
Donovan set down his plume and crossed his arms.“They just might.”
“I know I’m interrupting,” his mother said quickly.
“And yet, here you are.Some might find such comportment unseemly.I’ve a speech to give in the House of Lords in less than three hours, and I—”
“Darling, Iknowyou’re busy.You’re always busy.It’s just… Even a busy man can find the time to take a wife.It’s been two decades.I hoped when you went to Marrywell with your brother that you might find happiness—”
“Ididfind happiness.”
“But not a bride!”She threw up her hands as if at her wits’ end.
Donovan felt much the same.His frustration could not fully be blamed on his mother’s current interruption and constant machinations, however.She was only doing what society said good mothers ought to do.It was Donovan who was failing to uphold his role in the play.
