“Yes, Your Grace,” the footmen said.
She smiled her appreciation, then shooed them toward the door. “Off with you then. And do remember, this is a secret.”
With the footmen off in search of the tree, she continued down the line, giving instructions and reminders of the need for secrecy until everyone’s tasks had been assigned. She clapped her hands together and said, “We have less than three hours until the duke returns here. You all have your orders, now busy yourselves.”
The next two hours passed in a flurry of activity as boughs were placed, mistletoe hung, and candles lit. The footmen placed the Yule log in the hearth while Juliet and a maid decorated the three with the paper flowers and dolls Juliet had made earlier in the week.
After instructing the footmen to drape the evergreen garlands over the fireplace mantle and windows, she stood back to take the room in. They had indeed transformed the parlor into a Christmas wonderland. She beamed at her retainers as her excitement threatened to spill over. “You all have done an excellent job. Thank you for your hard work and discretion.”
One of the footmen stepped forward and bowed. “It was our pleasure, Your Grace,” he said.
“Indeed, it was,” the young maid from earlier added.
Juliet clasped her hands together and turned her gaze to the door. “His Grace shall join me before long. Please return to your duties and remember not to give away the surprise.”
As she watched the retainers file out, she added, “And do not return to this room before tomorrow. The duke and I are not to be disturbed.”
As if on cue, her lady’s maid strode in holding a bundle in her arms. She stopped right inside the door and waited until the last maid filed out, then pushed the mahogany panel closed.
Juliet started removing pins from her hair before her maid reached her side. “Hurry, Milly, we haven’t much time,” Juliet said as she plucked another pin from her chignon. “Did you arrange for the champagne?” Juliet added.
“Yes, my lady,” Milly said as she brushed out Juliet’s hair.
A knock sounded at the door, and Milly smiled. “There it is now.” She went to the door and retrieved the tray. After placing her burden near the hearth, Milly returned to Juliet.
A short time later, Juliet stood in front of the lit tree wrapped in her dressing gown with her hair streaming loose down her back. Milly had wrapped her naked body in a length of red silk that covered her intimate spots, then formed a bow at her waist before covering her with her green dressing gown.
Juliet could scarcely wait for Giles to enter so she could reveal herself. And as luck—or good planning—would have it, she did not have long to wait.
Giles pushed the door open and stepped into the room. His jaw slackened, and his eyes lit as he took in the sight of the Christmas wonderland she had constructed.
Juliet thrilled at the look of amazement on his face. “Merry Christmas, handsome,” she purred.
“It is not Christmas until tomorrow,” he said, turning his gaze in her direction.
“If I had waited for the morrow, you would not have been so surprised. And besides, I wanted to give you something this afternoon.” She pulled the tie on her dressing gown, shimmied her shoulders, and let the green material pool at her feet. “Surprise.” She gave a wicked grin as she unabashedly held his gaze.
His eyes smoldered with passion as he strode over to her. Giles feathered his fingers down the bare length of her arm, and gooseflesh erupted in their wake. “How did you know that I wanted you for Christmas?” he asked, his tone unusually series.
“A lucky guess, I suppose,” she said. “And now that you have me?” She arched a questioning brow.
“I intend to savor you.” He slid his arm around her back and pulled her tight against him as he crushed his lips to hers.
Juliet pushed her palm against his chest, breaking free, then strode over to the fireplace to retrieve the champagne. “Before you do, I have more in store for you.” She returned to his side and handed him a flute. “Let us toast or first Christmas together.”
He grinned and held his glass up. “Let this be the first of many, darling.”
She tapped her flute against his, a broad smile stretching her lips. “And let them all be magical,” she said before bringing the glass to her lips.
His gaze held hers as he reached for her. “May I have leave to ravish you now?”
“Not just yet. There is more in store for you.”
He gave a feigned, pouting look and teased, “What good is a gift that one cannot open?”
“Have patients, duke. You will unwrap me soon enough.” She gave a saucy look as she took his hand and led him toward the fainting couch. “First, I want to ravish you as you did me. I want to lick and suck at your skin while I touch you everywhere.”
He groaned as she pushed against his shoulders and ordered him to lie on the couch.
“I intend to learn your body as well as you have learned mine.” She knelt on the floor beside the couch, then reached for the buttons of his falls. “I want to take you in my mouth.”
“Have mercy, duchess,” he groaned as his cock sprang free of his breeches.
A sharp inhalation sounded from the doorway, and Juliet froze. She watched as Giles’s expression turned angry, then turned her gaze toward the sound. Her face burned with embarrassment as she did her best to cover herself from the elegant woman’s prying eyes.
“What in Heaven’s name is going on here?” The older woman demanded to know. “Giles, champagne in the afternoon? Really?” The woman’s gaze moved to Juliet. “And where pray tell, are your clothes?”
Giles ignored her questions as he pushed to his feet and strode toward her. “What are you doing here, Mother?”
Mother. Juliet’s face burned. The woman was Giles’s mother. Oh no. What must she think?
“You did not invite me to your wedding.” The woman said, her tone whiney.
“Neither did I invite you here.” Giles drawled.
His Mother paid him no mind as she continued, “I came because I wished to meet my new daughter-in-law. Now that I have,” she turned her attention back to where Juliet crouched behind the couch’s cover, “I want to further our acquaintance. Perhaps she will explain what I walked in on?”
Giles stalked closer to his Mother. “What I do with my wife is none of your business.” He glanced over his shoulder at Juliet. “Allow us a few minutes of privacy if you please.”
Though he had framed his request as a question, the firmness of his tone left no doubt that he had issued a command.
Juliet peaked at the dowager duchess as she waited to see what would happen next. To her amazement, the woman laughed. “Very well, son. I shall await you, and your wife, in the blue drawing-room.”
Juliet released a breath she had not known she was holding as the woman strode from the room. She pushed to her feet and came to stand beside Giles. “I am terribly sorry. Had I known we were to have company…” She turned in search of her dressing gown. “Well, I suppose there was no way to know.”
Giles retrieved the gown and wrapped it around Juliet, then tied it in place. “You have no cause for embarrassment. My mother has seen, and I dare say, done far worse. That is likely the reason for her laughter.”