Her Lord's Desire (The Forbidden Saga #3) - Maggie Ryan Page 0,64
request presented in a way that left no doubt that the guest list did indeed include adults familiar with the lifestyle that her guardian and her sister shared. She saw Louisa blush, not responding to the man’s question verbally, instead, looking to her husband. Edward gave her a smile, even as he placed her hand into Nathaniel’s offered one.
“I’d love to,” Louisa answered, now that she had been given permission. Edward took Lucy’s hand in his, and as soon as the music started for the next dance, the two couples joined the men and women swirling about the floor.
“Are you enjoying yourself, little one?” Edward asked, looking down into the flushed face of his ward. “Is the party meeting all your expectations?” Lucy flushed, and again knew why her sister had fallen in love with this man. He was extremely charming and attentive to her, and though she knew he wouldn’t hesitate to turn her over his knee and spank her when he felt she needed it, tonight she knew he was truly concerned about her happiness.
“It is lovely, sir,” Lucy answered sweetly, seeing her sister laughing at something that Mr. Birkenstone was saying. “I… I was a bit nervous,” she admitted, and saw his acknowledgement in his eyes.
“You expected to see little girls in short dresses and bows aplenty, perhaps?” Edward teased, causing her cheeks to heat. When she nodded, he pulled her a bit closer. “Even papas know their little ones enjoy a bit of dress-up, Lucille. We may prefer to keep our girls cloistered in our homes, but we realize that isolation from all the world only tends to stifle contentment,” Edward said softly. “We all adore the women who have honored us by becoming our wives, Lucille, be they dressed in fashionable finery attending a ball or dressed in frilly dresses attending to their papas in their homes.”
Lucy nodded, and realized her understanding of this lifestyle had grown. No longer did she think of her sister as being denied happiness. Having seen Louisa blossom over the past few weeks, she had discovered that this was exactly where her twin belonged. She knew that Louisa was still held to both a structured routine and a strict set of rules that were far more restrictive than even her own. She had heard her sister cry as she promised her papa that she would be his good girl, even as he spanked her bottom in their room down the corridor from her own. Despite the sound of her sister’s pain as she was being chastised, Lucy knew she was extremely happy.
She flushed slightly, acknowledging to herself that she had heard other sounds as well—moans of pleasure, and cries of passion that had caused her skin to pebble with goosebumps and had her wishing to have a man cause her to make those same sounds.
“I know, sir,” Lucy finally said. “I know you love Louisa and I will always thank you for that. She is happy, and I understand better now.”
Edward smiled and pulled her closer in order to bend to kiss the top of her head. Lucy smiled at the fatherly gesture and felt loved and protected. “Thank you, sir,” she said. “Thank you for being my guardian and for helping me to find myself.”
“You don’t need to thank me, little one,” he said hoarsely, “It has been my pleasure, to watch you take this journey, Lucille, and I am deeply honored to have you under my wing.”
Lucy felt her eyes sting as they filled with tears. She had fought so hard to prove she was an independent, modern woman. She had fought to deny that deep inside her heart, what she truly desired was to find some man exactly like the one holding her. Despite her barriers and denial, it seemed both her father and her guardian had been correct all along. She and Louisa were identical, in even this.
“Don’t be sad, Lucy,” Edward said softly. “This is a night for joy.” The music ended and he pulled his handkerchief from his pocket and then grinned when seeing she’d already pulled Lucas’ from beneath her cuff. She smiled and then giggled as his eyebrow quirked. “Seems your collection is growing, little one,” he teased. “Now, dry your eyes and make those two”—he turned her to see that both Charles and Lucas were pushing their way through the crowds toward them— “make them prove that they deserve one of the most special little girls in the world.”