As the hours passed, Darby began to grow increasingly frantic. Lillianna had no protection on the moors. The weather was unpredictable, and she would be hungry, lost, afraid. He refused to allow himself to consider the wild beasts she might unwittingly come upon if she wandered far from the house. He cursed himself for allowing the conversation that morning between his mother and father, but at the same time, he didn't know what else he could have done. Could he have prepared Lillianna for this possibility? He'd been so sure they'd love her as much as he did, he'd never considered his mother's reaction would be so vitriolic.

He'd sent the groomsmen out to search the moors on horseback, but they had come back without seeing her. He'd had the staff search the inside of the house, thinking that perhaps she'd hidden there when Winston had his back turned.

He was ready to tell his mother that he would never again grace the grounds of this house if Lily wasn't found. He knew, however, that his father would be the one to be hurt by that.

He heard a shout and turned. One of the servants had run from the direction of the pond.

"We found her, my lord!" Harlem, one of the groundskeepers, was running toward him.

Darby shot toward him at full speed.

"She's under the dragon!" Harlem's voice was softer now.

Darby closed his eyes briefly, unable to believe he hadn't checked there. He'd hidden there once when he was a child, himself.

Slowly, he approached. The dragon was bigger now and fuller. He wouldn't have seen her at all if the ruffle of her skirt hadn't peeked out from under one of the wings. Tucked under it, she was curled up in a ball, asleep. Red curls trickled down over her face, and slippers peeked out from under a green gown. But she appeared alive and unhurt.

"Lillianna!" Down on his knees, he gathered her up in his arms.

She whimpered and blinked, looking up into his face. "Oh, Charlie!" Fresh tears began trailing down her cheeks, and he held her closely.

"Lillianna, I have you. You're safe. But you also can't begin to even imagine how much trouble you're in. No, don't cry."

"But she hates me, Charlie! What shall I do?"

"You're going to eat something. You must be starving. And then, you're going to tell me just what made you think you'd survive out here alone. After that, I'm going to take a strap to your little arse until you can't sit down for a week. You hear me?"

"That's not fair—"

"You think not? I'll tell you about fair, young lady. My father has been dying of grief for the past six weeks, thinking he'd lost a son. Then I came home and brought you, and he fell in love with you instantly. Think of how he'd feel if I had to go in and tell him you'd been devoured by wild beasts."

"Wild…beasts?"

"And what's fair about you having your whole life in front of you and then losing it to some stupid notion that you'll never belong here? This isn't our permanent home, Lillianna. We've discussed this. You and I have our own home, and as soon as my father is better, we'll go there to live. You won't have to be around my mother forever."

She lowered her eyes from his face. "I perceive you're a little angry at me."

"A little? You'll find out how angry I am when I get you to our bedroom, young lady. But first, I'm taking you into the kitchen and Maria is going to feed you something. And you'll eat every bite. And then, I'll take you to see my father, to assure him you're still in one piece." He looked down into her face. She had her head turned into his chest and appeared quite contented as he cleared the steps into the house.

As if he suspected what fate awaited Lily when she was finished with her meal, her father-in-law kept his son and new daughter-in-law occupied for a long time. He ordered a meal brought up for Lily, since she'd missed breakfast, and tea for when he was back in his bedchamber. Delighted that Lillianna was safe, he was quite talkative. He insisted on knowing how they had met, where they had married, and when they planned to present him with grandchildren. Lily found herself giggling at the last one.

Darby answered first. "It was love at first sight," he explained, as the earl listened eagerly. "The moment I saw her, I fear my heart was lost," Darby added, trying to get a handle on the frustration he felt about almost losing her. "Lily booked passage to America, in hopes of starting a grand adventure in a far-off land. I must confess, it took a lot of wooing and determination to get her to agree to marry me and return to England."

Lily blushed as she sipped her cup of tea. Dearest Charlie—he'd completely left out the part about her going off to meet the scoundrel named Picou, who led her to believe he would wed her. Placing her cup back on the table, she failed to place it in the proper saucer. Darby corrected her mistake quietly, but she was sure the earl witnessed her error.

She fretted that he would think less of her for her lack of skill, but instead, he gave her a warm smile.

"And did you fall for my son on first sight, Lillianna?"

"I found him to be a rather striking man," she confided. "He has this disarming smile, you know."

"I know. He used it to get himself out of trouble a time or two when he was a child."

Lily laughed. "Did it work?"

Darby raised an eyebrow. "It worked with my mother."

"But not with me," the earl added.

Lily told him a bit about the voyage to America but was determined not to tell him the whole story. Not too long into their journey, she'd caused some mischief—quite a bit, if she was honest—with Arabella aboard the ship. Darby had taken great exception to her less than ladylike behavior and used a strap on her backside. Ironically, she'd found herself falling for him the moment the punishment was done. He'd taken her into his arms, praised her for facing her discipline and assured her all was forgiven, as long as she asked for Arabella's forgiveness. Being around him made her a better person. Loving him seemed to redeem her, in a strange way.

"How did he convince you to accept him?" The earl chuckled, a sparkle in his eye as he studied his son's bride.

"To be honest, he sort of stood up and announced his intentions to marry me in front of his men on the Arabella. Your son is quite bossy, sir. Once he sets his mind to something, there is no changing it."

"I am all too aware of his stubborn nature, my dear. As I get on in years, I have mentioned often my desire to hand over the role of earl to my boy. He, however, hears the calling of the sea. I hope your arrival will help settle him down some."

Once Darby managed to separate his bride from his father, he escorted her to their bedroom, his hand to the small of her back. He closed the door behind them when they were inside and put his hands on her shoulders, drawing her close, so he could look down into her eyes. His voice was low. "Lillianna."

She looked up into his eyes but couldn't keep her gaze there. With a gulp, she blinked and asked, "What are you going to do to me, sir?"

"I believe you know the answer to that. But, first, I want to give you a learning session on what kinds of animals roam here." He pulled out a chair and set it in the middle of the room, then made her sit down in it while he lectured her on the dangers of the wild beasts which roamed the area. At the end, he made her repeat them back to him, one at a time, while he stood over her, pacing back and forth.

"A lady…" he insisted, finally "…does not run away from problems. She faces them head on, but she doesn't face them alone. She depends on her husband and trusts him to support her."

"I do, but—" She silenced when he leaned down in front of her, his face close to hers.

He tilted her chin upward. "Then, why did you run?"

She lowered her gaze sadly. "You should have seen her face when she ran out of the drawing room and stood in front of me. She hates me, Charlie."

"And I love you. There you have it. Whose opinion should matter more to you, Lillianna?"

She hung her head. "Yours, sir."

"Yes. As it should."

"You said we will have our own house? Can you please tell me about it?"

If she meant it for a distraction, it didn't work. "I will, later. But right now, I'm going to spank you. We'll forgo the strap, this time, but only because you were unaware of the dangers you placed yourself in when you ran away. Consider yourself lucky, and don't try to argue your way out of facing your punishment. Stand up, sweetheart."

She looked up and hesitated, until he reached a hand toward her. She took it, slowly, and he raised her to her feet. Taking the chair himself, he spoke quietly, "Over my lap. Let us get this nasty business over with before we go down to supper."

Lily dragged her feet extremely slowly as she moved to do his bidding. "Now, turn around first, so I can help you disrobe. I doubt you'll feel much of anything through all those layers of material."

His orders made her stamp her foot in frustration.

"Lillianna?" His voice was threatening, and his brows raised as he put his hands on her hips and turned her away from him.

"It just seems unfair that it's me being spanked, when it should be your mother."

"That's my father's responsibility. You are mine."

Left standing in her shift, she was unable to force herself to take the position he required. Thankfully, Darby reached out to guide her over his knees. The cool air reached her as he lifted up the shift to bare her bottom. "We searched the ground for several hours, Lily. I died a thousand deaths each moment that passed, when I couldn't find you. Never run from me again. I could not bear to lose you."

She was sniffling now. "I'm sorry."

The sound of his hand contacting with her bare flesh filled the room. At first, Lily held herself rigid, wondering why her mother-in-law was not the person being chastised at the moment. Then she indulged in some self-pity, wondering what Darby expected her to do when faced with such a hostile situation.

However, as the fire in her backside increased, so did her self-reflection. Darby had been through much these last few hours. He had rushed home, unsure if his father would even be alive. He had defended her when his own mother turned her back on Lily. How did she repay him? Instead of acting like the lady he'd made her, she had run away like a frightened child. Shaking her head in disgust at her own actions, Lily suddenly realized her husband was talking as his hand connected with her backside, adding more fire.

"My opinion is the only one which should hold weight with you, Lillianna. You have pledged to love, honor and obey me for the rest of our lives. While you get high marks for the loving and honoring parts, you need some help following through on the obeying. Luckily for you, I'm a patient man, and I'm willing—and determined—to set my hand to the task of helping you improve. And my hand, young lady," he said, as he brought it down hard. "Goes right here."

"If you help me improve any more today, sir, I will be taking my meal standing up tonight."

For a moment, she feared she'd crossed the line. She knew her words sounded disrespectful, but she sighed with relief when her husband began to rub his hand across her bottom. He didn't allow her to move; she was kept face down. Her red curls reached the floor as he wrapped his hand into her hair and grasped it. Her bottom, he kept quite high, over his lap.

"You, Lillianna, are one bossy bill of goods, do you know that?"

"I'm sorry, sir. But you love me, bossy and all, right?"

His hand came down between her thighs, grazing across her rosebud, not once, not twice, but several times, and she gasped, bringing her head upward.

"Are you determined to remain so recalcitrant?" His hand dipped once more, and she tried to squirm away from him unsuccessfully. "Lillianna?"

"N-no, sir."

"Promise you'll be good?"

"Yes. I promise!"

He could see the red flush that crept up her neck and reached under her, righting her to sit in his lap. Her cheeks were crimson, and she couldn't meet his eyes.

He brought her face closer to his. "I'll expect your obedience, my girl."

Lily began to cry, full of apologies. Darby kissed her forehead softly. "I love you, sweetheart," he murmured.

"I don't know how," she whispered. "I'm so wretched. Please forgive me?"

"Wretched? No. And you took your punishment well. But I expect you to remember, the next time. Do you understand?"

She nodded as the tears trickled down her cheeks. "Please, don't give up on me?"

"Sweetheart, I could never give up on you." He moved her to the bed. "I love you. And I'm going to prove it." He brought his lips down to hers. "Right now."

He showed her the truth of his feelings before she fell off into a restful sleep.

The sun had started to lower in the sky when she awakened, and shadows were becoming deep across the room. Darby still held her in his arms, face to face, just as he had when they'd fallen asleep. She watched him closely. His face was relaxed and held a hint of a smile. Her love for him overwhelmed her. He had done so much for her. She longed to show how truly devoted she was to him. Memories of their first night together lingered in her mind. If what Darby said then was true, there was one way to show her devotion to him which she had yet to explore. But dare she even try and risk disappointing him if she was unable to follow through?

Lifting the sheet up a bit, she gazed down at him. He had taken to wearing nothing to sleep, most of the time removing her own clothing, as well. Sitting up quietly, she studied him carefully. Maybe it was the poor lighting, but his male parts looked different in daylight. It was not as large and forbidding as she remembered.

She considered him as she stared. With patience and practice, surely, she could at least bring herself to kiss him there. Her fingers gently reached over to touch him. At first, it appeared relaxed and easy to maneuver, but soon, it started to get a bit heavier. She glanced up, sure her efforts would stir her husband, but he was blissfully sleeping, a smile lingering on his face.

Could she fit it in her mouth if she tried? What would it taste like? What if she gagged? There were so many questions she didn't have answers for. Closing her eyes, she determined to find out some of the information for herself, while Darby was asleep and would not be disappointed if she messed things up, somehow.

Taking a deep breath, she opened her mouth and took the very tip of him inside. Salty, she thought. He smelled musky and fresh. For a moment, she feared she had awakened him again when his stomach seemed to clench at her tasting him, but his eyes remained closed, so she continued on.

The lighting must have been improving because, soon, his male member appeared much like it generally did when they were intimate. It was positively long and imposing. Lily was sure it would be impossible to fit it very far inside her mouth. Determined to see if she was indeed right, she opened her lips wide and slowly started inching him inside. Gagging at first, she had to try a few times before having any level of success.

If she relaxed her throat just so and concentrated hard, it reached almost to the back of her throat before she started gagging again. Her hair formed a curtain around her face as she raised and lowered her mouth on him again and again. It was not until Darby reached over to pull her hair back that she knew he was awake.

Was she hurting him? He was groaning, and his face was contorted in a most peculiar fashion. She started to remove her mouth, when he pulled her face down as his hips bucked upward. For a moment, she panicked, afraid he would smother her in his haste to fill her mouth.

Her eyes peered up to his, and she realized he was beyond words. She was pleasing him with her mouth, and he was enjoying it immensely. Satisfied with her efforts and power, she started moving her mouth up and down on him, faster and faster, mimicking his pace when they made love. His body stiffened, and Lily was shocked when his seed began flooding her mouth.

It was an amazing feeling, but what was she supposed to do with his seed? There was no place to spit it, and she couldn't sit and just hold it. Embarrassed, she swallowed it—all of it. It took a lot of willpower, but she managed.

Darby was smiling down at her and reached down with his thumb to wipe the telltale remains of his seed with his thumb. Seeing his pleasure, she instinctively caught his fingers and sucked what remained into her mouth.

"Did I please you with my mouth, sir, like the woman outside the saloon said?" she dared to ask.

Darby's eyes were warm and full of appreciation. "Oh, Lillianna, you please me in every way possible. How did I ever manage to find a woman as perfect as you?"

* * *

The music room…

At the evening meal, Lily refused to look at the countess. The earl, Lord bless his soul, tried his best to engage everyone in conversation. While his son eagerly replied, the ladies at the table remained steadfastly silent.

As they finished their meal, the earl looked toward Lily. "Tell me, Lillianna. Do you enjoy music? My lovely wife plays the piano remarkably well. Perhaps she will grace us with a performance after the meal." Darby's father was smiling at her and could not help but see the expression of relief when he suggested his wife play instead of her. However, she saw regret in his eyes as if he wished he had not brought up the topic at all.

She wholeheartedly wished he hadn't, either.

"You expect me to entertain? Really, my lord, you ask too much." The countess did not appear comfortable with the topic of music.

"It was not a request, my dear." The earl had a smile upon his wrinkled face, yet it failed to reach his eyes. "It would please me for my talented wife to welcome our new daughter-in-law with a few melodies."

Lily's wide eyes moved from the countess to the earl, worried the older woman was going to get up and throttle her husband at any moment. "Do something," Lily whispered to her husband. When he did, however, it wasn't what she expected.

"My wife and I would be honored to hear you play, Mother," Darby said with emphasis.

"I see." The countess set down her fork and glared. "Well, if I am to play, it seems only fair that Lillianna join me."

"No!" both Darby and Lily interrupted, drawing a chuckle from the earl.

"I'm not as accomplished as you appear to be with the piano." Lily blushed. "Though, I do hope to learn."

"You don't play?" The countess showed surprise before sipping from her goblet of wine. "Well, then, I guess you could always sing. I know many pieces, my dear. There must be one or two you could sing for us. You do sing, I assume. Proper ladies are usually well-versed in either playing an instrument or vocal performance."

Darby tossed his napkin down, and Lily feared he was about to stand up and square off with his mother. His father appeared to have the same idea, but both halted when Lily spoke up in a small voice, "My mother did teach me a few songs before she passed away. Might I search among your music to see if one of the pieces is familiar to me?"

Darby helped his father into the music room as Lily followed the countess. Pouring over the music available, Lily breathed a sigh of relief when she located a familiar piece. "Would you be so kind as to play this one, my lady? Thomas Moore was one of my favorites as a child."

"'Tis the Last Rose of Summer?" The countess seemed to pale at the piece. "I believe Dubliner Sir John Stevenson authored the words." The last bit was not given as sanction but an aside. Taking her seat, the countess placed the music where both she and Lily could see it. Within moments, the room filled with the melody.

The earl and Darby sat nearby, both seeming ready to step in if Lily embarrassed herself, but it was a needless worry. On cue, Lily opened her mouth and magic came forth from her throat. Her pitch was perfect and extremely pleasing.

As the last note ended, Darby leaped to his feet to applaud the performers, and his father, still weak, leaned forward.

"My dear wife, once again, you have outdone yourself. And, Lillianna, it was as if an angel descended from Heaven to entertain us. Your singing is beautiful."

Lily breathed a deep sigh, convinced she had just found a bit of common ground with the woman who had given birth to her husband. If she hoped to see a small portion of acceptance, however, she was mistaken, indeed. The countless looked mournful and close to tears.

"What irony; you sound so much like Bess did." With those parting words, the older lady stood up and left the room, but not before Lily caught a glimpse of the tears streaming from her eyes.

"You must ignore her, my dear," the earl offered quickly by way of apology. "You did splendidly. My wife still clings to old daydreams. It's partly my fault. When she used to speak of them, I failed to put a stop to it. I thought her fantasies innocent enough at the time. I had no idea they would turn into an obsession."

Daydreams? Fantasies? Lily's face clouded. What was he talking about?

"I see, sir," Lily said softly, when she didn't see at all. She looked up to see that Darby had opened his arms wide, and she rushed into his warm embrace. Lily tried to console herself with his comforting words, but she refused to admit defeat as yet. Her husband deserved a happy home. She would find a way to make peace with his mother, one way or another.

* * *

Meeting Amelia…

"Right, left, left," Lily mumbled to herself as she walked. Arriving at a huge door, she took a deep, satisfied breath. "Second door on the right…" She pulled the door open and smiled brightly. "As promised, my lord. I am here to enjoy our afternoon tea—oh! My lady…"

Instead of finding her father-in-law's study, she found herself in the ladies' sitting room. As if this was not distressing enough, Lily realized Darby's mother was entertaining, and others there had witnessed her embarrassment.

A smatter of giggles broke the awkward silence. Straightening her shoulders, Lily forced herself not to run away. Head held high, she took a step into the room and waited to be introduced. Part of her felt put out about not being included. She and Darby had been at the manor for several weeks, now. One day, Lily would be the lady of this fine home. What a slight to be excluded by the current countess!

"After all this time, you are still losing your way, my dear," her mother-in-law said as she lowered her tea cup and saucer. Under her breath, she muttered, "Bess had an exceptional sense of direction." Then she raised her voice again. "One would hope you would catch on to such things sooner, rather than later. My husband's study is clear across the hall. Do come in, though. I expect my friends shall want to meet my son's new—wife." The last word seemed to leave a bad taste in her mouth.

"Your beautiful home is quite large, Countess." Instead of backing down, Lily pretended to be calm and confident. "I admit my Darby…" she emphasized her close relationship "…often has to come searching for me. He is so kind and welcoming. He makes me feel at home, as does your delightful husband." If anyone noticed she did not include her mother-in-law's welcome, they did not say a word.

The countess rushed with introductions, perhaps hoping to gloss over the omitted comment? Lily remembered to curtsy to those she should and to address everyone properly until she came face to face with her past.

"Amelia?" she said suddenly, trying to hide her shock.

"Lily… I had no idea you were the stranger who managed to capture our dear Darby. You look quite lovely. My, I haven't seen you in ages. Do tell us, what have you been doing lately?"

Lily longed to be curt with the other girl, who was close to her age. "Traveling across the Atlantic to America and back. And I have been enjoying my recent marriage, of course." Would Amelia rush to tell everyone of Lily's past, her years of working the mill and barely making ends meet? As if the countess needed any more reason to think Lily unworthy.

"He is quite a catch, my lady," Amelia offered, shocking Lily with deference to her new position in society. A few years ago, she wouldn't have even bothered to lower herself to address Lily with so much as a greeting. Now, however, it was different. She smiled, showing an extremely friendly face. "I feel privileged to be an acquaintance of the future Countess of Darby."

Lily stared, wondering if there was a graceful way to escape. "I would think it is more impressive to be the guest of the current countess," she suggested.

But Darby's mother was not the least impressed with Lily's deference to her. "Do sit down, Lillianna. Craning my neck to see you is quite uncomfortable." Without waiting for Lily to do as told, the countess turned to Amelia. "Exactly how do you and my son's wife know one another?"

"Textiles," the other woman offered, seeming to weigh her words carefully, as if she knew one wrong word might hamper future invitations to the earl's home. "Lord Darby has commissioned a new wardrobe for his lovely wife."

Lily didn't know if she should be relieved or concerned by Amelia's coy comments. "All my things perished when our ship went down. Darby has kindly seen to correcting my lack of appropriate…belongings."

"Yes," her mother-in-law commented. "Charlie is bound and determined to make sure his wife fits in. I dare say, he will move Heaven and Earth to accomplish it."

"I heard," another young lady in attendance confided. "He was very involved and only put one stipulation on the selection his wife should make." The woman gave Lily a genuine smile of condolence. "Husbands are so stubborn about accepting new fashions. My own husband does not allow me to wear the newer, lower necklines, even those that are the latest rage."

Lily blushed. She'd managed to convince the dressmaker to provide one delightful, green gown which closed minded people might consider risqué, but she was sure Darby would have to agree was perfect for her. It hung, new, in the back of her wardrobe, as she had not found the perfect time to show it to him.

"My wife does not need to wear the latest fashions to shine," Darby interrupted, standing at the open door, and she nearly leaped up in alarm. "My father sent me to find his tea partner, my dear. Did you forget you promised to join him today?"

"She got lost yet again." His mother did not even try to hide her annoyance.

"Unlike Bess, who apparently never lost her way," Lily muttered for her husband's ears alone.

"Lily is never truly lost, Mother. I am her anchor. Come, my love. Let's go join my father. Have a nice afternoon, ladies, Mother."

Lily eagerly took her husband's arm and followed him toward the earl's quarters.

Again, that night, she was plagued with the sounds of her former nightmares. The whirr and clacking of the looms, the shouts and roars of Mr. Fenwirth, the ever-constant deadlines that she would never be able to meet. But her incompetency was the thing that frightened her the most.