Chapter Eighteen

L ord Flynn, Earl of Larsson

"I don't think I say this enough, but I am very proud of you." I gripped Nigel by the shoulder and brought him in for a brief hug. The wedding had gone off without a hitch, and I was very pleased to see my beloved nephew getting married to such a wonderful person as Anne.

Eleanor had arranged for a wedding brunch to celebrate the nuptials to be held in the solarium. Hot-house flowers released their fragrant scent, reminding me of the perfume she favored. Anne was speaking to Olivia and Eleanor. She looked like a younger version of her mother, although she shared Rex's eyes.

"Thank you, Uncle." Nigel had worn a perpetual smile since exchanging vows with his new wife. "Your opinion means a lot to me."

"I am glad to hear that because I would like to have a quick discussion with you away from prying ears." I used my grip on Nigel to move him to a more secluded area so we wouldn't be overheard.

Nigel glanced curiously at me. Once we reached the back of the room, I released his arm. I shouldn't be nervous about broaching the subject of his wedding night, but I felt obligated to do so. "If your father were here, he would be the one speaking with you about your duties as a husband to Anne."

Nigel turned a pink hue, his fair skin giving away his embarrassment. "You needn't worry on that score. I am aware of my duties to my wife."

I had never pried into his affairs, wishing to give him some privacy. His mother was a different story. I wasn't his father, but I promised my brother on his deathbed that I would watch out for Nigel. "I am sure you are aware of the mechanics. However, there is more to bedding your wife than your physical satisfaction."

Rex and Eleanor were perfect examples of a marriage that stagnated because both were na?ve in the ways of the flesh. It seemed a crying shame they missed out on so many years. From what Eleanor inferred, it had run deeper than that. One could place the blame on her mother, except she had been a product of her raising. Olivia often raged against the injustice women faced, and I wholeheartedly agreed. I wanted my own daughters to thrive in the world. They were my heart and soul. "Anne is a lady. She's also a woman."

"I am well aware of that. I, well, we..." The blush turned into an all-out inferno of color on his cheeks.

"You needn't be embarrassed or share more about your relations with her thus far. I am no saint. I simply wish to remind you not to rush things. A woman needs to be wooed with words and kisses. Lots of kisses." I tapped my finger to my temple. "Starting here, engage her from the top down."

Soon I would follow my own advice with Eleanor. I could hardly wait for our rendezvous after their returned from Oxford. Her confession about her mother had stuck with me, and I wanted to help free her inhibitions.

A smile dimpled Nigel's cheek, and he scuffed his foot on the floor. "Mother said almost the exact same thing."

I instantly looked around to see if Olivia was near. It was silly and a bit paranoid. She had an uncanny ability to sneak up on me. "Then your mother has given you some sage advice. While Anne is not shy, when it comes to matters of the bedroom, she might be hesitant to follow her passions for fear you will reject her or think her too forward."

Rather like her own mother. I refrained from disclosing such personal information. Eleanor's marriage had suffered because she had allowed her upbringing to dictate her needs. Rex hadn't complained when he said she wouldn't allow him certain liberties. I had sensed his disappointment. Our night in the study showed how much he wanted to do more than simply bed her.

"I would never do that." Nigel licked his lips and looked over his shoulder in the general direction of the guests gathered around the fountain. He turned back to look at me.

How much should I disclose? If Eleanor had spoken with Anne, it was quite possible that she simply repeated the same advice she'd received on her wedding night.

"It might not be intentional. Ladies are raised to be quiet and subservient to their spouses. I have no insight into what knowledge Anne carries about carnal pleasures. There's a chance she might be overly cautious."

With an earnest nod, he said, "I will do my best to listen to her and fulfill her needs."

There was nothing else I could say. I had given him what little advice I could. I clapped him on the shoulder again. "You are a good man. Your father would have been very proud of you. I know your mother and I are."

"Thank you." Nigel pressed his lips together, his eyes downcast to hide his expressive reaction to my words. I tried to keep my emotions on an even keel, but it was hard to reconcile that he was now a grown man with a wife.

Soon, my eldest daughter would have her debut season. It pained me to think she, too, would be married someday. The panic I experienced every time I thought of how life was passing me by at an alarming rate threatened to take hold. "Come, I have kept you away from your wife far too long."

The grin reappeared, erasing the sadness around his mouth. "I am a married man."

With a laugh, I nodded. "You are. Are you excited about your trip?"

Tomorrow, he and Anne would leave on their wedding trip, sailing the seas to the warm climate of Greece. I was envious. Travel hadn't been in the cards for me. Perhaps it was time to remove my feet from British soil and explore the world.

Except I had three daughters, an estate, and an infatuation with a duke and duchess I couldn't abandon on a whim.

"I am, although Mother isn't thrilled with our leaving and not telling her where we will be." He glanced guiltily in his mother's direction. It was customary for the bride and groom to hide their destination from all but a select few. Olivia and Nigel were close and she tended to coddle him when he clearly didn't wish it. His bold move to keep the tradition was a mature step on his part.

"I dare say she will survive." I didn't have the heart to tell him she'd already gotten the information out of me. In my own defense, Olivia could be relentless once she had a goal in mind. Her goal right now was me. Perhaps I should give in to the inevitable and at least kiss her to see if there was a spark between us. However, that would open up a Pandora's box, especially if there wasn't an attraction between us. I'd already risked my friendship with Rex and Eleanor. Thus far, the bold suggestion I presented to them had paid off.

Anne viewed us as we approached. The look of love on her face was evident. Nigel took her outstretched hand to join his bride in conversation with Rex and Eleanor. I stood back for a moment and drank in the sight of them. In two days, we would be together at last. I could hardly wait.

"Flynn," Olivia said near my elbow. I willed down the blush creeping up my neck.

"Olivia." I gazed into her hazel eyes, bloodshot from crying all day. Like with Eleanor, this was an emotional day for her. "How are you faring?"

"I have shed more tears today than in a lifetime." With a wobbly smile, she dabbed at the corner of her eye. Her cheeks were flushed and the tip of her pert nose was a rosy hue. Although her face showed the ravages of crying, she never looked lovelier. "Do you have a handkerchief? I am afraid mine is quite sodden."

I pulled mine out of my pocket and pressed it into her hand. "Of course."

"Weddings are such joyous occasions." She glanced at me from the corner of her eye, a calculating tone in her words.

"They are, yes." I wasn't falling for her bait. She was cagey, even in her emotional state.

"If you recall, I was invited to travel to Sydney for my cousin's wedding." She whipped out a fan and began gently waving it before her face. Her dark hair was displaced by the molded paper fan that had been hand-painted to resemble a peacock feather. "It is her second marriage, of course. I received a telegram from her inviting me to stay for an extended period at their family station, which, from what I can discern, is some kind of farm."

A snort of disbelief left me before I could stop it. "You abhor the country."

"My cousin tells me there are many eligible men in Sydney." With a shrug, she paused the fan and covered the lower half of her face. Although I couldn't see her mouth, I sensed her impish smile. "I look forward to finding out for myself."

"It sounds like a grand adventure." I tore my gaze from hers and focused on Eleanor. She said something to Rex, who turned around to look at me. He grinned, the sight sending a shooting need right to my cock. I lowered my regard, unable to look at him without recalling the feel of his cock in my hand or the taste of Eleanor on my lips.

"I am glad you feel that way." Olivia laid her hand on my sleeve, her long fingers tipped with oval nails. Her touch forced me to look at her. The amusement had disappeared from her face. "I have already accepted her invitation and booked my travel."

The panic I had kept at bay returned immediately. Chest tight, I willed myself to breathe. Why I was having this kind of reaction to her news flummoxed me. Olivia and I flirted and fought, our relationship tumultuous at times. Yet we had always been there for each other through good and bad. "When do you leave?"

"A week from Saturday."

"The girls will miss you," I said out of stiff lips, my voice more strained than I would have liked. Her words sounded like a death knell to my ears. Surely she wasn't serious.

"I will miss them as well. With Nigel married, I am free to follow my own path." Olivia closed her fan and inhaled, the navy bodice pushing her generous breasts high. She truly was a comely woman, but she wasn't without complications.

A bell rang, drawing everyone's attention to the front of the room. I was glad for the respite. My head was spinning, and I tried not to think about Olivia leaving. Everything was changing yet again, and I was powerless to stop it.

Inhaling a much-needed gulp of air, I focused on Rex, the one constant in my life. He stood next to Eleanor, wearing a closely fitting black coat that flattered his slender frame. Both were my lovers, and in their arms, I would find solace.

For one night. That was all Eleanor committed to and I had agreed. Then what? Meaningless affairs hadn't filled the void inside my chest since Mary died. Olivia offered me something more permanent, yet I balked at her terms. I stood rooted to the spot, unable to commit either way. I needed time to think, but that wasn't possible. She was leaving, and I could either let her go or beg her to stay. I had little time to decide on my future happiness.