Dominica rolled over and lay her head on her lover's chest. She traced her fingers downwards, through the thick dark curls and teased a strand, watching for a reaction on the sleeping face.
A wide lopsided grin spread across his face, though his eyes remained closed.
A low growl emitted deep from his chest as the teased hair grew taut from pulling. "I thought you were tired Señora."
She slapped him on the chest and sat up in bed. "We've been sleeping all day. It's time to get up, we have to prepare for the Court Ball."
Dominica then slipped out of bed and walked across the thickly carpeted floor. She picked up a tortoise shell brush and began to brush her long dark hair in even strokes, glancing at Intaglio in the mirror through her thick eyelashes. He lay on the bed with his upper body propped up with his elbow, scrutinizing her with undisguised lust. Finishing, she then opened a drawer and grabbed a delicate chain with a heavy gold locket and slipped it around her head, the bauble nestling between her perfect breasts.
A snort and an exaggerated sigh from the bed made her twist to face the noise.
"Who is the poor unfortunate fellow?" Intaglio rolled out of bed in an fluid action and lifted the locket up with his left hand. Cocking an eyebrow at her, he commented. "Isn't it a little soon after your last engagement? Correct me if I am wrong, but that still stands, unless you are privy to information from Spain that I do not know about?"
"Oh, poor Alexander. I have a dreadful premonition about his secret mission. I am certain it will end disastrously. Besides, I have never been one to waste time mourning lost causes."
Intaglio smiled. "I envy no man trying to hunt down my brother. All too soon they find the hunted becomes the hunter. I assume you've heard something?"
"Alexander ought to have intercepted him in Coruña; and who knows, God willing, he may be upon The Resplendent coming back to England now."
He reached over to the bedside table and lifted a glass of wine to his lips.
"I very much doubt that Señora, as do you and God. I shall miss Alexander, damned fine shot and huntsman."
Intaglio lifted the glass above his head. "Salute to my brother, gifted sailor and leader, a lost cause, but in the end will always be second to me. With women, gambling and talent, I always win the prize."
Dominica pouted melodramatically.
"What am I - just a prize between the two of you?"
Intaglio grabbed her round her slender waist, laughing. "You are no more a prize than I am your brother. Now get dressed you strumpet, we have the court waiting."
"And I have yet to weave my charms around the young Duke."
"Oh no, not Horatio. He is a fine gambler and we get on famously."
"You'll need to find someone else to play your cards with."
"Well then, sister, that I will. I have my sights on the Marquis of Dover. What do you know of him?"
Intaglio began buttoning up his crisp white shirt.
Dominica tapped her chin with her fan thoughtfully. "Not a lot I am afraid to say; but he has not yet met me." She smiled slyly. "What is your interest in him?"
"Power, land, his deep secrets, his gambling habits, as always dear sister."
"Secrets?"
"Unsubstantiated currently. However I believe he is soon to travel to the New World on a royal mission."
"Well then. The young Duke will have to wait. The Marquis it is. How much time do I have?"
"Less than a month."
"Enough time for an engagement to be announced then."
"More than enough. Though we still have your current engagement pending. What will the Blakeshaws say?"
Dominica gave him a winning smile. "Lord Blakeshaw and I are very close to coming to an understanding and will unfortunately be discovered by Lady Blakeshaw in a compromising position. Even if by a miracle Alexander is still alive, they will be more than happy to annul our engagement quietly whilst he is away and unaccounted for. The English are so prudish about things!"
"You've been busy."
"I don't waste my time playing cards if that's what you are saying. Come on, you need to slip back to your room and I need to order our carriage."
Dominica opened her wardrobe and parted her gowns. Intaglio slipped close to her and kissed her deeply.
"I'll see you in the hall, sister."
He felt around at the back of the cupboard and found the pins he was searching for and opened the secret door quietly.
A knock at the door jerked Dominica back into the room.
"Enter."
"Madam, a message has arrived from the Dovecot."
Dominica's maid bobbed and handed her a tiny rolled note.
"I have taken the liberty to order you a carriage to the ball tonight. Will you be taking a light supper before you leave?"
"No thank you Sarah. You have done well to anticipate my tardiness. I'll be down shortly. Oh and Sarah?"
"Yes Madam?"
"Is that lazy brother of mine out of bed yet? I heard he was out gambling all night last night."
"I'm not sure madam, Jeffers is waking him now."
"Not to matter, I'll see him downstairs shortly I am sure. Thank you, you may leave."
Dominica fluttered her hand in dismissal, itching to read the note.
She sat on the bed, her hand shaking slightly. The crest was from the Spanish Court and could only bear bad news.
Her eyes widened as she read the note.
"No. Impossible! When did he have time to do that?"
She sat for a while, thoughts running madly in her head. Their time at the English court was now limited, and they would need to rethink carefully their next actions, now she had this new information.
Tapping her fan on her chin Dominica mused. "Habibi, you constantly surprise me."
Her breath caught in her throat. Her childhood pet name had been a secret code between them, first one of brotherly affection and then more. Silly at the times she had to admit now. Dominica had not meant to voice her thoughts, much less the name her father used to call her. It brought tears to her eyes - not only mourning the loss of her dear father, but it forced her to recall the last time she had seen her first love swagger out of her life.
"Damn him!" Dominica threw her fan across the room, its delicate fingers shattering on impact.
No wonder he'd always been distracted when they were at court together and caught in a constant indecision about their future.
She picked up her stiff skirts and swept out of the room. At least now she was certain of her future.
A wide lopsided grin spread across his face, though his eyes remained closed.
A low growl emitted deep from his chest as the teased hair grew taut from pulling. "I thought you were tired Señora."
She slapped him on the chest and sat up in bed. "We've been sleeping all day. It's time to get up, we have to prepare for the Court Ball."
Dominica then slipped out of bed and walked across the thickly carpeted floor. She picked up a tortoise shell brush and began to brush her long dark hair in even strokes, glancing at Intaglio in the mirror through her thick eyelashes. He lay on the bed with his upper body propped up with his elbow, scrutinizing her with undisguised lust. Finishing, she then opened a drawer and grabbed a delicate chain with a heavy gold locket and slipped it around her head, the bauble nestling between her perfect breasts.
A snort and an exaggerated sigh from the bed made her twist to face the noise.
"Who is the poor unfortunate fellow?" Intaglio rolled out of bed in an fluid action and lifted the locket up with his left hand. Cocking an eyebrow at her, he commented. "Isn't it a little soon after your last engagement? Correct me if I am wrong, but that still stands, unless you are privy to information from Spain that I do not know about?"
"Oh, poor Alexander. I have a dreadful premonition about his secret mission. I am certain it will end disastrously. Besides, I have never been one to waste time mourning lost causes."
Intaglio smiled. "I envy no man trying to hunt down my brother. All too soon they find the hunted becomes the hunter. I assume you've heard something?"
"Alexander ought to have intercepted him in Coruña; and who knows, God willing, he may be upon The Resplendent coming back to England now."
He reached over to the bedside table and lifted a glass of wine to his lips.
"I very much doubt that Señora, as do you and God. I shall miss Alexander, damned fine shot and huntsman."
Intaglio lifted the glass above his head. "Salute to my brother, gifted sailor and leader, a lost cause, but in the end will always be second to me. With women, gambling and talent, I always win the prize."
Dominica pouted melodramatically.
"What am I - just a prize between the two of you?"
Intaglio grabbed her round her slender waist, laughing. "You are no more a prize than I am your brother. Now get dressed you strumpet, we have the court waiting."
"And I have yet to weave my charms around the young Duke."
"Oh no, not Horatio. He is a fine gambler and we get on famously."
"You'll need to find someone else to play your cards with."
"Well then, sister, that I will. I have my sights on the Marquis of Dover. What do you know of him?"
Intaglio began buttoning up his crisp white shirt.
Dominica tapped her chin with her fan thoughtfully. "Not a lot I am afraid to say; but he has not yet met me." She smiled slyly. "What is your interest in him?"
"Power, land, his deep secrets, his gambling habits, as always dear sister."
"Secrets?"
"Unsubstantiated currently. However I believe he is soon to travel to the New World on a royal mission."
"Well then. The young Duke will have to wait. The Marquis it is. How much time do I have?"
"Less than a month."
"Enough time for an engagement to be announced then."
"More than enough. Though we still have your current engagement pending. What will the Blakeshaws say?"
Dominica gave him a winning smile. "Lord Blakeshaw and I are very close to coming to an understanding and will unfortunately be discovered by Lady Blakeshaw in a compromising position. Even if by a miracle Alexander is still alive, they will be more than happy to annul our engagement quietly whilst he is away and unaccounted for. The English are so prudish about things!"
"You've been busy."
"I don't waste my time playing cards if that's what you are saying. Come on, you need to slip back to your room and I need to order our carriage."
Dominica opened her wardrobe and parted her gowns. Intaglio slipped close to her and kissed her deeply.
"I'll see you in the hall, sister."
He felt around at the back of the cupboard and found the pins he was searching for and opened the secret door quietly.
A knock at the door jerked Dominica back into the room.
"Enter."
"Madam, a message has arrived from the Dovecot."
Dominica's maid bobbed and handed her a tiny rolled note.
"I have taken the liberty to order you a carriage to the ball tonight. Will you be taking a light supper before you leave?"
"No thank you Sarah. You have done well to anticipate my tardiness. I'll be down shortly. Oh and Sarah?"
"Yes Madam?"
"Is that lazy brother of mine out of bed yet? I heard he was out gambling all night last night."
"I'm not sure madam, Jeffers is waking him now."
"Not to matter, I'll see him downstairs shortly I am sure. Thank you, you may leave."
Dominica fluttered her hand in dismissal, itching to read the note.
She sat on the bed, her hand shaking slightly. The crest was from the Spanish Court and could only bear bad news.
Her eyes widened as she read the note.
"No. Impossible! When did he have time to do that?"
She sat for a while, thoughts running madly in her head. Their time at the English court was now limited, and they would need to rethink carefully their next actions, now she had this new information.
Tapping her fan on her chin Dominica mused. "Habibi, you constantly surprise me."
Her breath caught in her throat. Her childhood pet name had been a secret code between them, first one of brotherly affection and then more. Silly at the times she had to admit now. Dominica had not meant to voice her thoughts, much less the name her father used to call her. It brought tears to her eyes - not only mourning the loss of her dear father, but it forced her to recall the last time she had seen her first love swagger out of her life.
"Damn him!" Dominica threw her fan across the room, its delicate fingers shattering on impact.
No wonder he'd always been distracted when they were at court together and caught in a constant indecision about their future.
She picked up her stiff skirts and swept out of the room. At least now she was certain of her future.
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