Merry Misrule - St. Clair, Ellie Page 0,68

powerful motion, he had her lifted up and on top of the sofa at their backs.

Joanna didn’t think he could move quickly enough, and she threw back her head with a moan when they joined together. Suddenly all of their words of love and tender caresses were forgotten, as the moment turned into one that was devoted to their need for one another.

Elijah set a quick pace, one which led Joanna to loop her arms around his neck and hold on tightly, as the intensity he took her with soon sent her flying to her peak, fire exploding within her belly and spreading through her limbs with an unimaginable force. Elijah buried his face in her neck and groaned as he clung to her in desperation.

For a moment, Joanna lost herself and became one with him, completely bound to him as they declared themselves to one another.

Finally, slowly, consciousness returned as Joanna became aware of Elijah, softly crooning in her ear. She leaned back and took his face within her hands, cupping his chin as she searched his eyes, finding only peace.

Elijah slowly smiled, his eyes dark and soul searching as he sighed in satisfaction.

Joanna ran her fingertips up and down his back, and he shivered at her touch.

“I love you too, Elijah,” she said, finally answering him, and he laughed lowly as he leaned in and took her lips softly and quickly.

“Now,” he said, “are you ready to return, as queen of Twelfth Night?”

She laughed lowly, kissing him once more.

“Only if you’re my king.”

“Always.”

Chapter 23

Joanna had been somewhat worried about their return to the ballroom, as though everyone would know simply by looking at them where they had been and what they had been up to.

But she had nothing to be concerned about. During the time they had been gone, it seemed that everyone had truly lost all of their inhibitions, and the party was in full merriment.

House guests, servants, and villagers alike were now in the midst of a truly scandalous, merry dance as they all filled the ballroom floor.

The only attention she and Elijah received as they entered was from Caroline, who greeted them with an excited kiss on the cheek for both of them and then pulled them into the middle of the melee.

They danced long enough that they were both ready for a drink themselves after a time, and Elijah pulled her to the side and began to murmur in her ear as he nuzzled it in the same breath.

Joanna nearly swooned once more, until she opened her eyes to find a figure just beyond Elijah’s shoulder.

“Eli,” she murmured, “Alexander is here.”

He growled low in his throat before turning around to see his brother as well, although it seemed that Alexander had not yet seen the two of them.

“I know that I am supposed to be a changed man,” Elijah said to Joanna, “but what do you say about a little mischief this Twelfth Night?”

“I say that sometimes a little mischief is called for,” she said with a wicked smile, and he laughed.

“What do you have in mind?” she asked, and then he proceeded to explain his plan. By the time he was done, she laughed in anticipation. “I love it,” she said, then did as he bid and made herself scarce, hiding at the side of the room, behind one of the columns where she could watch the proceedings.

Elijah walked over to his brother, his shoulders stooped as he played the part of a jilted lover. Alexander reached out and clasped his shoulder, to which Joanna rolled her eyes. Surely he didn’t think that Elijah wouldn’t have found out about his attempt to keep the two of them apart?

She saw Alexander’s head rise and a satisfied smile spread across his cheeks as Elijah shared with him the fib they had discussed — that Joanna had chosen Alexander and was awaiting him.

Elijah left him, then, and walked over to the column Joanna was hiding behind.

“Let’s go,” he whispered, and then they raced out of the room and down the hall so that they could arrive before Alexander did.

They took their places in the shadows of the room, where they would be hidden from view, but present — they wanted to play a joke, yes, but not actually cause any harm to come to Alexander or the person he would be clandestinely meeting.

The door eased open, and first Cecily entered the room, a bounce in her step as she took a seat on the sofa and