Tentatively she stretched her hand to enclose him. He was hard, yet soft, the blood pulsing strongly against her fingers. Her other hand ran hesitantly over his muscled chest, touching the hard b.u.t.tons of his nipples. Justin exhaled on a soft groan and looking up she saw his eyes were closed, the handsome head thrown back. It occurred to her, then, that in some way she was giving back the pleasure she had received from him and that that pleasure was not something to be hidden or denied.

"Lie on the bed now, Danielle." The soft command was enforced by his hands pus.h.i.+ng her gently backward. She obeyed in watchful, waiting, trusting silence as he stretched himself, long and lean, beside her. His head bent to her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, drawing the nipples between his lips as his hands stroked languorously over her body creating a dreamy lethargy that was hardly disturbed as he again began to explore her vulnerability.

"Keep still, my love." A hand pressed firmly into her belly and the next instant she felt fingers sliding inside her, moving gently. Her hips bucked in protest, arced against the firm pressure on her stomach, and then began to move of their own accord in rhythm with the alien exploration within.

"I will be as gentle as I can," the soft voice stated evenly. His own pa.s.sion was well in check now as, with quiet deliberation, Justin began to bring her to the brink of ecstasy. The tension within Danielle now built to an unbearable peak as those skillful fingers unerringly played on the sensitive center of her pa.s.sion, until, with a small cry, she took her release in the only way possible, the muscles in thigh and belly tightening convulsively as the searing sweetness flooded and spilled over, leaving her gasping, heavy with involuntary relaxation. He swung himself over her supine frame guiding his manhood within the still pulsating entrance to her body. For a second, the brown eyes beneath him opened in shock, but in the aftermath of her climax she had neither the strength nor the will to tighten her body against him. The soft barrier of her innocence opposed his path and with swift resolution he drew back slightly before driving deeply.

Danielle cried out at the abrupt shaft of pain, but her body was still relaxed and the moment pa.s.sed as swiftly as it had come.

"All over, my sweet." He spoke softly, pus.h.i.+ng the sweat-dampened curls away from her face, bending his lips to hers in a kiss of overpowering sweetness. "Now we shall both take our pleasure."

His eyes never leaving hers, he began to move smoothly, rhythmically, adjusting his speed and position as reactions flitted across the mobile face beneath him. He was taken as much by surprise as Danielle when her half-closed eyes suddenly shot open on an expression of astonished wonder. Her back arched as her legs curled around his b.u.t.tocks, pulling him hard against the cleft of her opened body. The demanding

movement destroyed all control and his pa.s.sion gushed hot and fast within her. Danielle cried out again, holding his throbbing manhood inside until he fell, spent, crus.h.i.+ng her b.r.e.a.s.t.s beneath his exhausted weight.

It was a long time before Justin s.h.i.+fted sideways, disengaging himself as he drew her into the curve of his arm.

"Dear G.o.d, Madame Wife, will you never cease to surprise me?" he muttered weakly.

"Was that not the right thing to happen?" Danielle pushed herself onto one elbow, examining his face intently.

"Absolutely the right thing, my love, just a little unusual. Virgins do not, in general, achieve such delight without some practice."

"Perhaps, in general, they do not have such skillful or experienced tutors," she murmured, lowering her lashes over an impish gleam.

"I am glad that the loss of your innocence has not meant the loss of your wit, my brat." He laughed.

"Now, little love, we must eat some of Biddy's supper. I dare not risk hurting her feelings, and, besides, we need to keep up our strength, we have a long night ahead of us."

Danielle smiled with antic.i.p.ation at his words as she took the outstretched hand and rose languidly to her feet, crossing with long strides to the discarded gown in its rumpled heap before the mirror.

"I think, milord," she stated definitely, as her head emerged from the silken folds, "that this is not the kind of garment normally worn by wives."

He laughed appreciatively, coming to smooth the material over her hips. "No, it is a gown for a mistress, Danny. And, unless I much mistake the matter, I have acquired a mistress to gladden the most exacting heart."

Danielle smiled, her eyes meeting his in the mirror. "Can one love a mistress, Justin, as one can love a wife?"

"If they are one and the same, my sweet, there can be only inexplicable joy. For you, too, since you have both husband and lover."

"Yes," she whispered, turning within his embrace to face him. "For me, also, only inexplicable joy."

Part 2: Out of the Chrysalis.

Chapter 9.

"I fear, Peter, that I must return to town in the morning." The Earl of Linton did not look up from the close-written sheet in his hand.

Peter Haversham had recognized the bold black script immediately. The Countess of Linton was an inveterate note writer and in the six months since she had transformed the stately pace of life at Linton House he had received any number of these hastily written communications containing information, prettily worded requests, and, on occasion, terse instructions.

"Nothing wrong, I trust, my lord?"

"Not yet," Linton replied with the grin that still fascinated his secretary by its novelty. Justin leaned over to fill his gla.s.s from the decanter of port resting at his elbow on the smooth mahogany table in the dining room at Danesbury. A ray of late afternoon sun caught the crystal gla.s.s, turning the drops into translucent amethysts. "Her Ladys.h.i.+p informs me that if I do not return in time to escort her to Rutland House on the morrow, she will subst.i.tute a dancing bear for my presence." He pa.s.sed the decanter to his secretary, who was striving with remarkable lack of success to keep a straight face.

"Do you really think she would, sir?"

"Do you really think she would not, Peter?" His Lords.h.i.+p questioned gently, his own eyes glinting with laughter.

"I should rather imagine," Peter said thoughtfully, "that Lady Danny will, as usual, set a new fas.h.i.+on. It will become all the rage for ladies to go about attended by dancing bears."

"Quite so, m'boy." The earl swung a dusty, top-booted leg from its casual perch across the carved arm of his chair. "It is to avoid such a catastrophe that I must return-my social duty, do you not agree?"

"Indubitably, Lord Linton. Little of urgency remains here. I will speak with the steward in the morning and expect to be in town myself tomorrow night."

As his employer made to leave the dining room a sudden thought struck Peter. "Ah, my lord? You don't think that perhaps Lady Danny has already acquired a dancing bear?"

"Sweet heavens!" The earl paused, his hand on the porcelain doork.n.o.b. "A mangy, flea-bitten, starved, much abused animal in need of rescue, no doubt!"

"Well, after the monkeys, sir," Peter murmured diffidently, "it seems possible."

"Probable, rather," His Lords.h.i.+p observed. "What the devil are we to do with it, Peter?"

"I am certain Lady Danny will have some plan in mind, sir," the other offered consolingly. "She did with the monkeys, if you recall?"

"Will I ever forget?" Justin said feelingly.

Both men looked at each other, each remembering clearly that afternoon . . .Justin, with a group of friends in search ofa quiet gla.s.s of claret and some conversation, had walked into his usually orderly hall to find a scene of anarchy strongly resembling Dante's Inferno. His entire household, it seemed, from the lowliest kitchen maid and bootboy to the austere Bedford were gathered in squawking, gasping wonder. Peter Haversham, in a state of white-faced shock, stood by the open library door, clutching its k.n.o.b as if it provided the only escape route from a veritable madhouse.

Justin, initially, had eyes only for his wife, perched precariously and quite immodestly astride the topmost banister rail at the head of the curving stairs. Her skirts and petticoats were hitched carelessly around her, revealing a most indecorous length of silk-stockinged leg, dainty ankles, and kid-slippered feet. She appeared to be holding a bunch of bananas, he thought incredulously, offering them at great risk to life and limb toward something chattering and swinging from the immense chandelier in the hall.

"Danielle! Get off there!" His voice cut through the startled throng who fell instantly silent.

Not so Danielle, who said reproachfully, "Did you have to shout like that, Justin? Now you have scared them again and I nearly had them."

"Get down this instant, brat!" the earl thundered, forgetful in the urgency of the moment of the impropriety of thus addressing his wife in front of the servants. It was a voice very few of his audience had heard before, but it brought Danny, in a flurry and swish of silk and lace, to the safety of the landing.

Linton turned, quizzing gla.s.s raised, toward his butler. "I find it extraordinary, Bedford, that my entire household can find no better employment in the middle of the afternoon?" It was said very gently, very politely, but brought a dull red tinge to that gentleman's normally somber countenance1. Bedford bowed, turned to the group behind him-a swift movement of his hand and only the earl, his startled friends, Peter, and Danielle remained. The latter came down the stairs to join them.

"It's just a pair of monkeys, milord," she explained hastily. "Some organ grinder was treating them most dreadfully and they are so thin and starved and I am sure he has beaten them and they have sores around their necks . . ." She fell silent as her husband raised an imperative palm.

"Give me that d.a.m.n fruit," he instructed sternly, making for the stairs. "You may explain later why you have seen fit to turn the household into a menagerie."

"Oh do not be absurd, Justin." Danny choked back her laughter, running behind him as he strode up the stairs. "I am not turning anything into a menagerie. If Peter hadn't behaved in such an idiotish fas.h.i.+on none of this would have happened."

"What the devil has Peter to do with this?" Linton paused, halfway up the stairs.

"Well, he screamed," Danny said scornfully, shooting the accused a baleful look.

"They attacked me," Peter protested furiously, "and I did not scream."

"They did not attack you! They were just trying to make friends. What possible harm could a pair of scrawny little monkeys do you?"

"I think I have heard enough," Linton said repressively, anxious to prevent the development of a full-scale argument between his wife and his secretary. His sympathies were very much with the latter whose wounded sensibilities would quite clearly require considerable soothing later, but the earl was having difficulty controlling the deep surge of merriment that had become so much a part of his life since he had brought his wife to London to take her rightful place as Countess of Linton.

Reaching the head of the stairs, he swung an immaculate leg across the banister, bracing himself with one hand against a . carved pillar.

"Justin, you'll fall," Danielle yelped, seeing for the first time exactly how precarious the position was.

"I am less likely to do so than you, hampered by those petticoats," he stated.

"Well, I was going to put on my britches . . ." she murmured mischievously.

"Remind me to beat you one of these days, Danny," Linton said conversationally, stretching toward the gibbering creatures, swinging just oift of his reach.

Danielle gurgled, well aware that her husband was only feigning annoyance, and watched with admiration as, with soft-spoken commands and the enticement of the bananas, he received first one of the frightened creatures and then its companion, handing them to her with the brisk injunction to keep them away from Peter and not let them loose again if she valued her skin ...

"Let us hope, Peter, that she has already disposed of the unfortunate creature," the earl said, returning to the reality of the dining room at Danesbury as he shook these memories aside. "Otherwise, I feel sure we shall be obliged to house it here, in the stableyard."

Peter chuckled softly. "I rather think, sir, that even Lady Danny will fail to achieve John's consent to such an arrangement."

"Never underestimate my wife, dear boy. It's a lesson I learned many months ago. She has already contrived to change most of the time-honored practices in the stables with John's positively eager consent."

"And Bedford's cellars, also," Peter added with a smile.

"Just so. However, I do draw the line at dancing bears so, if you will excuse me, dear fellow, I shall make my arrangements for an early departure."

Linton left his secretary musing quietly that however cataclysmic had been the changes wrought by the Countess of Linton in the last six months, they had all, without exception, improved the general tone and quality of life. Both Linton House and Danesbury had lost their somewhat somber air and even such austere individuals as Petersham and Bedford had capitulated, after only the shortest period of dignified reserve, under the bright charm and unquestioned competence of their employer's young bride. Peter's own work load had been lightened considerably by Danielle's insistence on taking over the accounts of both establishments. She accomplished the task with a degree of stern consistency that had swiftly earned her the respect and grudging admiration of those hitherto responsible for the housekeeping and management of Lord Linton's households.

The greatest change of all, however, had been in the Earl of Linton himself whose countenance these days was rarely impa.s.sive. True, on occasion, it a.s.sumed the black glower of an impending hurricane, sending all but Lady Danny scurrying out of sight. True that the household was at times shaken by tempestuous scenes quite unsuited to a n.o.bleman's establishment. But it was also true, although everyone forebore to discuss the fact, that these scenes ended in the bedchamber whence the earl and his countess would eventually emerge, wreathed in smiles and quite at peace with one another.

Linton had found a se'ennight away from his wife quite long enough and was more than willing to respond to her importunate summons. The demand had been bolstered by some remarkably frank and uninhibited statements that brought a smile of antic.i.p.ation to his lips as he contemplated their reunion. Petersham merely bowed when informed of their premature departure and drew his own conclusions from His Lords.h.i.+p's expression.

It was later than he intended when Linton left Danesbury the following morning and owing to one of his chestnuts throwing a shoe just outside the little village of Chiswick, it was after ten o'clock that evening when the racing curricle d rew up in Grosvenor Square.

Bedford greeted His Lords.h.i.+p with a low bow and the information that Her Ladys.h.i.+p bad said he was expected.

"Lady Linton has left for Rutland House?" the earl inquired, stripping of his gloves.

"Yes, my lord, about an hour since."

"Who escorted her?" Linton shrugged out of his dust-covered driving cape, resisting the urge to subst.i.tute "what" for "who."

"Lord Julian, sir." Bedford refrained discreetly from mentioning that Julian had been but one of half a dozen gallants who had a.s.sisted at Her Ladys.h.i.+p's toilette before escorting her sedan chair with much laughter to Rutland House. "Have you dined, my lord?"

"Indifferently, Bedford, but it will suffice." Linton shuddered slightly. The only inn in a position to provide dinner at Chiswick had been patently unused to the delicate palates of the Quality. "Did Her Ladys.h.i.+p use the chaise?"

"No, my lord, the chair."

"In that case, have the chaise brought round. I shall leave within the hour." Linton mounted the stairs to change his traveling clothes for those more suited to the d.u.c.h.ess of Rutland's ball. He was tempted to bathe and await the return of his wife, but knowing her indefatigable ability to dance the night and morning hours away decided that he would be better advised to fetch her himself.

Thus it was that on the stroke of eleven, just as she was preparing to leave her post at the head of the great staircase, the d.u.c.h.ess of Rutland was gratified to see the unmistakable figure of Justin, Earl of Linton, mounting at a leisurely pace toward her.

"Linton, how delightful!" she exclaimed, extending a plump hand. "We understood you were in the country, although your entrancing little wife did say there was a possibility you might honor us with your company."

Justin bowed low over the hand, brus.h.i.+ng his lips across the heavily ringed fingers. "I find I completed my business rather earlier than expected, your grace."

"How fortunate for us all, Justin." Her grace gave him a shrewd smile. "I rather suspect, though, that even had you not done so, you would not have remained out of town overlong."

Justin laughed softly. "How right you are, Amelia. Where is my lady wife?"

"I am not certain, but if you look for the men you will a.s.suredly find her."

A frown pa.s.sed over His Lords.h.i.+p's previously smiling countenance and the d.u.c.h.ess made haste to explain herself. "I implied no criticism, Justin. But you must know that Danielle is like the proverbial honeypot. She has only to walk into a room to draw every eligible-and not so eligible-buck to her side. But she is always the soul of propriety."

"I think 'always' might be a slight exaggeration," Justin corrected, taking snuff with delicate insouciance. The frown, however, had left his face and the d.u.c.h.ess breathed an imperceptible sigh of relief. It was not wjse to arouse the earl's ire at the best.of times and he would tolerate no breath of criticism of his wife.

"That wife of yours, Justin, for all her youth is well up to snuff," she declared firmly. "I suspect that she does nothing unintentionally and even her occasional ... uh ... misdemeanours, are carefully calculated. She enjoys surprising people, Linton, but rarely goes beyond the line of what is acceptable."

Justin nodded. He had noticed the same thing himself, but had also noticed that Danielle escaped Society's censure for acts that would put others, at least temporarily, beyond the pale. It had something to do with a certain flair she possessed, combined with her irresistibly charming manner and her most extraordinary beauty. In six months she had earned an undisputed place as one of the leaders of the ton-an extraordinary feat for a new bride, particularly one so young.

"Well, if you will excuse me, Amelia, I shall go in search of my bride."

Amelia laughed. "By all means, and if you remove her shortly I guarantee that you will be the hero of the hour for every young woman present."