C*cky Marquess by Annabelle Anders
Chapter 28
“Ahem,” The disapproving voice of Mr. Whitley echoed from the shadows of the wings, and Diana reluctantly stepped out of Zeke’s embrace. “Dancers aren’t allowed guests in the theatre. If that’s the way you conduct yourself, Miss Jones then--”
Zeke turned and glared across the stage.
“Lord Greystone! My apologies. I had no idea it was you—"
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.” Diana interrupted the man’s obsequiousness glancing curiously between Zeke and the theatre manager.
“You’ll make an exception in this case, I’m sure.” Zeke surprised Diana by adding. “Mr. Whitley, if I’m not mistaken?”
“Very sorry, my lord. I didn’t realize that was you.” The theatre manager strolled onto the stage, making several bows as he did so. “I didn’t realize…”
“But you recognized the talent in my fiancé, I see,” Greys added, glancing at Diana almost cautiously. Because, of course, she had not had the opportunity to answer him before they were interrupted. “I confess to watching the end of today’s rehearsal. She is a natural.”
Zeke had watched her dance? In the line?
And he wasn’t angry or embarrassed? A sweet tingling swept through Diana.
And he still wants to marry me?
“She is indeed, although I was not aware that Miss Jones was—” the man cut himself off and simply nodded. “I realized she was a lady, but I had no idea she was your...” Mr. Whitley’s gaze slid to the amount of leg exposed by her costume and flew wide. “And I never would have allowed the betrothed of one of our most generous benefactors had I known…. My apologies, my lord.”
“No apology necessary, my good man.” Zeke took hold of Diana’s hand and then turned back to stare at her with the slightest hint of vulnerability. “But if you’d be so kind as to allow us a moment?”
“Of course,” Mr. Whitley bowed, walking backward. “Take all the time you need.”
Diana dragged her gaze away from the shadowed wings where Mr. Whitley disappeared and stared at Zeke again.
“You are a benefactor?” she tilted her head. There was so much she didn’t know about him. So much she wanted to know.
He shrugged. “A patron who saw a need.” But he took hold of her hands again. “How long are you going to torture me?”
And because Diana couldn’t help herself, she said. “For the rest of our lives?”
“Is that a yes?”
“It is a yes.”
“In that case, you’d better get used to this.” He drew her into his arms and bent forward. With her back arched and her hands clutching his shoulders, she was totally at his mercy. He swept a few strands of hair away from her face while staring into her eyes. “And this.” He kissed her softly, his tongue sliding past her lips, sweeping around her teeth, sucking, pulling. And when Diana could finally catch her breath, she cradled his face with her hands.
“That’s perfectly fine with me.”
For the next half an hour,Zeke walked her to the back of the stage so she could gather her belongings and make her goodbyes to those who had been welcoming. But when she apologized to Claudette and Sally and Mr. Whitley for wasting their time, Mr. Whitley was quick to reassure her that she was welcome to return as a guest performer at any time. And Sally nodded, looking utterly in awe of Zeke.
Promising to do just that, Diana couldn’t help but consider what Zeke had said about her—that she didn’t fit in anywhere because she was able to fit in everywhere.
It was an exaggeration, and yet, he’d managed to put the essence of her earlier thoughts into words. Only, he’d turned them into something quite complimentary and poetic, even.
By the time Zeke had walked her outside and assisted her into his carriage, settling into his arms was the most natural thing in the world.
“Are you comfortable?”
She nodded. She was equally as exhausted as she was excited, but she was also… content.
“Do you mind that I asked the driver to circle the park a few times before returning you to your brother’s house? I’m not ready to let you out of my sight just yet.”
“I don’t mind at all.” She stifled a yawn and snuggled into his chest. She’d slept very little the night before, and it had been a very, very long day.
Diana sighed and relaxed into the protection of his arms, and chest, and… him.
Tucked against this gentle aristocrat in the most luxurious carriage she’d ever ridden in, Diana Jones, illegitimate daughter of the late Baron Chaswick, was right where she belonged.
And if not for Zeke nuzzling his lips just behind her ear, she might have been tempted to close her eyes and allow the gentle swaying of the well-sprung vehicle to lull her to sleep.
“Tell me your dreams.” Zeke’s breath feathered the skin along her jaw. “I don’t want you to sacrifice any of them when you marry me. If you want to dance, we will find a way for you to dance. If you want to swim, or travel, or…” He waved a searching hand in the waning darkness of the interior. “Learn to make whiskey from Lady Westerley. I’ll move heaven and earth to open doors for you.”
She laughed at the idea of making whiskey but brought his hand to her lips and held it there. “I was coming home. You are my dream, Zeke. I was coming home.”
Zeke tilted his head around so he could see her face. “But… Mr. Whitley hired you.”
“He did!” She smiled. The fact that the theatre owner considered her talented enough to hire had been very satisfying. It had been even more rewarding that she hadn’t made an idiot of herself dancing on stage with a line of professional dancers. “But I realized something, Zeke.” She turned sideways, and Zeke lifted her feet, draping her across his lap.
“What did you realize, little one?” But he wasn’t looking at her like she was a little one.
“That I’d given up awfully easily. That I had accused you of living for the Greystone ghosts and making all your choices for the Greystone lordlings to come, but I was doing the same thing. I was allowing a prejudice my mother taught us to prevent me from seeing anything good in society. There will always be a few bad eggs, but some of those members can be rather wonderful.”
“And who do you find to be wonderful?” The corner of his mouth lifted. She knew he was trying not to smile. What else was she going to learn about him?
Diana twisted and wound her arms around his neck.
“There is my brother, Bethany, Lady Tabetha, and Mr. Spencer, of course. Lord and Lady Westerley, oh, and Lady Posy and Miss Faraday, Lady Adrianna, Miss Augustine, the Mossant sisters, Lord Major Cockfield, and …” She narrowed her eyes and tapped her finger at her chin as though searching her mind for others.
Zeke’s hand drifted up the front of her gown, settling just below her breast.
“Is that all?” His voice was part growl. But then he tugged her bodice down.
“Ummm…” Diana loved the feel of his hands on her—all of her.
“Shall I jog your memory?” His touch stoked her rising hunger.
Diana’s head fell back. “I might need a reminder or two.” This aspect of compatibility was one that Diana would enthusiastically explore further. Her body had known that she needed him long before her mind had.
He rubbed his palm in a circle. “Like this?” His chest rumbled against her.
“Ummm…”
He squeezed and then stroked. “Any other names come to mind?”
Diana gasped and then smiled. “Ezekiel Winston Leonard Faraday the fourth, my lord Marquess of Greystone, you, my love are by far the greatest the Ton has to offer.” She clutched the back of his head. “But oh, please, just don’t stop, Zeke.”
“Don’t stop loving you?”
“Never stop loving me.” She smiled.
“But you haven’t finished answering my question.” He sounded perfectly composed, and she would have believed he was, but for his hooded gaze and the pulse racing at the base of his throat.
“Diana smoothed her fingers through his hair. “What question was that?”
“Your dreams?” he reminded her, one hand searching under her skirts.
She was wide awake now. “To swim in a lake with you. Oh!”
“What else?” He growled into her neck.
“Um…” Her dreams. What were her dreams? “To… um… see my mother and sisters happy. And Chase and Bethany, of course.”
“And?”
“To be able to have music, whenever, wherever I feel like dancing.” She was pleased to have thought of that one.
He paused for the slightest second and then pulled back.
“I almost forgot.” He reached into his pocket and withdrew a relatively small, chestnut colored wooden box. It was secured shut with a dainty blue silk ribbon.
He smiled sheepishly. “I wasn’t sure how much convincing you would require this time.”
Diana grinned and, never one to draw out the anticipation of a gift, was already untying the bow. “What is it?”
“Open it and see,” he answered.
She tugged at a loose end, slid the ribbon off, and then, holding her breath, opened the lid.
Music.
The tinkling sounds of a waltz played as a delicate figurine twirled atop a blue velvet pedestal. A ballerina! She gasped, in awe.
He had given her music.
“Because I love that you have secret music in your head,” he said, “But this way, I can hear it too. And this way, Diana, you and I can waltz together wherever we go.”
—The End—
I am soglad you read about Diana and Lord Greystone, one of my most favorite couples to write!
Preorder- COCKY BUTLER now to complete the series!
Preorder- TRAPPED WITH THE DUKE (Collette’s Story)to begin another amazing series by Annabelle!
In the meantime—Make sure you’re all caught up on the other Regency Cocky Gents… Available now!
Lord Westerley and Charley COCKY EARL
Lord Chaswick and Bethany COCKY BARON
Stone Spencer and Tabetha COCKY MISTER
Peter Spencer and Miranda COCKY BROTHER
Mantis and Felicity COCKY VISCOUNT
