by Eliza Knight
Alec’s thumb brushed over her taut nipple, and a shiver trembled over her skin. Her back arched, thrusting her breasts forward, encouraging. Exploring sensuality with Alec in his glorious library was as a fantasy come to life.
“Och, sweet lass,” he groaned against her mouth.
Every inch of her skin tingled, itched, and she had the strongest urge to curl her leg around his hip, to bring the heated parts of herself in contact with his strong body. A need for it.
Alec’s hand slipped lower on her back until his fingers crested over the swell of her derriere and cupped the full flesh. That subtle, naughty grip tucked her closer still, and she felt the rigid hardness of his body against her abdomen—and lower, the place that had started to pulse with need.
Desire, passion, these were words and deeds she’d yet to explore copiously And Alec had opened the world up to her, as if flipping the pages of a forbidden book that she would never be able to close for fear of losing the exquisite euphoria that came from such sweet knowledge.
This man, who had turned her world on its ear for the better... Oh, how she admired him.
“Oh, my. I’m so sorry.”
Giselle nearly leapt out of her skin at the sound of the female voice behind them. She whipped her head around Alec’s wide body in time to see Lady Mary duck from the library. How had she come in without either of them hearing?
“Bloody hell,” Alec cursed as a similar string of words left Giselle. “That wench can no’ seem to keep out of my library.”
The blissful sensations that had made Giselle feel as if she were floating a moment ago evaporated and were replaced by something akin to embarrassment and worry. Lady Mary was the type of jealous hoyden ready to tell anyone who would listen what she’d just witnessed, including the dowager countess .
She could practically feel all the color draining from her face a moment before Alec pressed a finger to her chin, turning her face up toward his.
“Do no’ fash, lass.” His voice was soothing, calm, but it didn’t lessen the anxiety rushing through her. “We are to be married. The announcement was made. A nosy female is no’ going to change that fact. If she decides to share that she barged in on an intimate moment, then what shame is there in two people who plan to wed sharing a kiss?”
Giselle thought back to his hand gripping her arse, the other one stroking her breast. It was Alec’s back that had been to the door. There was a possibility that Mary had not even noticed where his hands were.
“Besides,” he murmured, pressing a small kiss to her lips. “If she decides to share, everyone will wonder what she was doing entering my library when the door was closed and when the guests were specifically asked no’ to come in here.”
Now that point made more sense. Lady Mary would be outing herself if she revealed what she’d seen. And the more Giselle thought about it, what did it matter if she’d seen them kiss? Alec was right; they had already agreed to get married. There was nothing shameful in two people who planned to spend their life together partaking of an intimate embrace. It wasn’t as if she’d found them writhing naked on the floor.
But oh, how that thought sent a shiver of wanting through her. Perhaps, when they had exchanged vows, and the castle was empty of all the guests, they could act out that fantasy right where she stood. Making love surrounded by books.
Giselle smiled up at Alec. “Ye are quite right.” She shook her head as if to dislodge all the worries she’d had a moment ago. “The woman is meddlesome, is she no’?”
“Ye have no idea. I’ve found her in here before snooping around, and no’ for books. I think she’d hoped to be caught alone with me.”
Giselle frowned. “I would no’ put it past her. She seemed awfully desperate for your attention and to put the rest of the lasses off your scent.” She couldn’t help wondering if Mary had found herself in a similar situation as Giselle. Had Alec possibly been the means to an unfortunate end for that woman? But the thought didn’t last long. While Giselle had agreed to marry Alec as a way of getting out from under Joshua Keith’s hammer, she’d also developed feelings for the Beast of Errol. Emotions swirled in and out of his presence that were confusing and wonderful all at once.
“My scent,” he chuckled. “Am I a stag?”
Giselle grinned, pushing away the jumble of tangled thoughts in her head. Instead, she allowed her teasing self to take over. “This week, aye. A mighty Scottish stag. But alas, I stumbled across ye in the wild before the rest of the hunting party knew where to look. The Scot is mine,” she called softly toward the door with a laugh.
Boldness flooded her veins at the heated look he passed her way at the tease. Giselle reached forward, her fingers curling around the back of his neck, and she pulled him in for another kiss, pushing Lady Mary and her intrusion far from her mind.
13
Alec woke before the sun, or rather, he finally hauled himself out of bed then after a sleepless night. Knowing that it was only a matter of time before his mother sent word to Boddam Castle where Giselle’s parents were and that Lady Mary was stacking the cards against them, he’d sent a missive in the wee hours, summoning them all to Slains.
The letter had not been an exact summons, but the information he’d presented them with was certainly enough to have them all climbing into their carriages as soon as they read it.
The time had come to deal with the inevitable.
Alec made his way to his library to pick up a book for Giselle, and then to the kitchen to have his cook prepare her a cup of chocolate and a scone. He was going to personally deliver the tray to her himself, along with the likely news of her parents and Keith’s impending arrival. He thought it would be better coming from him than anyone else.
At his light knock on her door, she called for him to enter.
She was still in bed, propped up on her pillows as if she’d been awake for some time, awaiting her maid.
“Oh,” she gasped at seeing him there with the tray and tucked her covers up to her chin. Her beautiful hair tumbled around her shoulders in unruly curls as if competing with her penchant for sarcasm to see which could be wilder. A flush of delicate pink touched her cheeks. He’d never seen a woman more alluring.
Giselle fumbled with her hands, running them through her glorious locks. Patted her blanket, making certain it covered her nightgown.
How he wished it didn’t. He would have liked very much to peel away the layer of protection. To see her dusky rose nipples through the sheer muslin. Or at least to imagine he could.
“I’m sorry to intrude,” he said, feeling a little sheepish now for having barged in on her unannounced. The idea had seemed like a good one at the time, and now he hoped she didn’t feel uncomfortable.
But Giselle gifted him with a bright smile. “’Tis no intrusion, my lord. Only a surprise. A delightful surprise, I assure ye.”
Alec’s chest swelled with an unknown emotion. Gone unchecked, he might start simpering at her feet, a thought that made him chuckle. So much had changed since he’d met this woman, including his reactions.
“Well, good.” He grinned and brought the tray forth, settling it on her lap. “I’ve brought ye chocolate and a book.
Giselle lifted the novel, reading the title aloud. “The School for Scandal by Richard Sheridan.” She glanced up at him, a twinkle of humor in her eyes. “Is this in regard to our encounter last evening? Will it help me prepare for the inevitable showdown with Lady Mary?”
Alec laughed and tapped the cover of the book. “’Twas originally a comedic play. I think ye’ll find it quite entertaining. And who knows, perhaps ye will get a few pointers out of it.”
She cocked her head. “For a man who has already gotten my permission to wed, ye seem bent on wooing me. A different book every day is like ye bringing me a new bouquet of flowers.”
“Aye. I do want ye to be happy. To...like me.” Alec had laid bare his vulnerabilities right there, without even realizing the words were coming out of his mouth. He wan
ted to yank them back, feeling foolish.
But Giselle reached for his hand and gave it a wee squeeze. “I do like ye. Quite a lot, actually. But what else is it?” She squinted her eyes at him. “Something else is bothering ye.”
“I’ve had to send word to your parents at Boddam Castle. And Keith too.”
Giselle closed her eyes for a moment. Her chest rose and fell with slow breaths. When she opened her eyes, she looked resigned. “And so ye thought to butter me up with gifts and charm?”
The accusation in her words stung, and he felt guilt hit him in the gut. “It is an unavoidable situation.” Which was true, as much as he felt bad for it.
She let out a long, resigned sigh. “I know. I’m sorry. I’d just hoped no’ to face them until after we’d wed. When there could be nothing that they could do to sabotage our plans.”
“That would have been ideal, but no’ altogether realistic.”
Giselle smoothed her hands over the book. “Aye, and they probably worry I am dead, off the side of the cliff as the mount I’d been riding intended. Lost at sea.”
“Aye.” Alec nodded, watching her fidget as she tried to come to terms with the bubble that they’d created popping.
“I do hate for them to worry. No doubt my mother has taken ill to her bed. Who knows what my father’s been up to?”
Alec wanted to comfort her, wanted to say “forget it, we’ll leave and pretend the missives were in jest.” But that would only delay the inevitable and make their problems worse. “They will be relieved to know ye’re no’ dead, I’m certain, even if they are unhappy with your choice in a husband.”
Giselle reached out, gripping his hand in hers again. This time she held on tight. “How could they be unhappy when ye are so wonderful?”
“Now, who is trying to woo?” He winked at her, watching her blush.
She laughed. “If it keeps ye bringing me more books, well then, I am happy for it.”
“I would bring ye books every hour for the rest of our days if ye asked.” He was dead serious. And just might do it.
“And what can I give ye in return? More books?”
“That and honesty.”
“I know we’ve no’ known each other long, but I have given ye that, Alec. More so than anyone else in my life. I can promise that I will always do so.”
“Thank ye.” That was more than any woman had given him in a long time. Giselle couldn’t know how much it meant to him. “Well, lass. I wanted ye to be aware of the situation and to prepare mentally for the impending arrival of our unwanted guests.”
“As long as I have ye by my side, we shall prevail.”
Alec smiled, feeling a measure of comfort from those words he wouldn’t have expected. When he’d been in battle, it had been much the same with his comrades. As long as they had each other, protected each other’s backs, sides, fronts, then they felt safer, and the idea of prevailing did not seem so far away. It was the same now with her.
They were both preparing for battle, and they were each other’s allies. A united front.
At least this time, their enemies didn’t plan on attacking with their deaths as the imminent goal. Well, he hoped not at any rate. There was no telling what Keith might do when he found out that Alec had proposed to Giselle, and she’d accepted. Swiping not only his bride but the coin he so badly needed.
“We shall.” Alec reached forward, gripping her hand in his and lifting it to his lips.
“My lord.” His mother’s voice behind him sent an annoyed chill up his spine. Was it now going to be that every moment alone with Giselle would be interrupted by someone who wanted them apart? “This is highly inappropriate.”
Giselle’s face drained of color, and he recalled how she’d told him the previous night that his mother had asked her to leave today.
“Mother,” Alec said, turning slowly to face her. “I fail to understand how delivering my future wife breakfast is inappropriate. In a few days’ time, I’ll be sleeping in the bed beside her.”
That caused a gasp from his mother, her hand flying to her throat, and a glower on her face as she pinned Giselle with her stare. The message was clear in that one look—Giselle had defied her and would pay. Good God, but he had issues to smooth out at every angle. This one, he’d deal with now.
“She’s no’ leaving,” Alec said, watching his mother’s face turn from accusation at Giselle to surprise.
“I do no’ know what ye mean.” A tight smile pressed to her face. “Why would she leave if ye are to be married?”
“That’s a question I was going to pose of ye myself, given your recent request of her.” He straightened and looked his mother in the eye. He loved her as much as a son could love his mother, but he couldn’t allow her to continue to interfere with his life. “Giselle will be my wife.”
“Of course.” The honey was back in his mother’s tone, one which she’d often used when he was a boy to convince him to go her route rather than whatever idea he had for himself. “But best ye maintain propriety until the vows are exchanged in a few weeks.”
“I’m no’ waiting a few weeks.”
His mother gave him another tight smile. “Ah, I see. As it happens, I had come by this morning to speak with Lady Giselle about the plans for the event.”
They both knew it for the lie that it was, but he decided to let it go for the sake of forgiveness. They would need his mother on their side when Giselle’s parents arrived.
“Thank ye.” Alec pressed a kiss to his mother’s cheek. “I bid ye both a good morning.” He winked at Giselle and then took his leave.
Giselle wished she could call Alec back. The last thing she wanted was to be stuck in a room with his mother, especially given how their last conversation had gone.
“I see my son is quite taken with ye.” The woman sounded more resigned than pleased as she stood in the doorway. Her pale blue day dress was smoothed of wrinkles, and her hair was pulled into a neat bun at the nape of her neck. She wore a diamond necklace and white gloves. Giselle wondered if she woke before light to make herself so complete so early in the morning.
“And I with him.”
Lady Errol let out a lengthy exhale. “Then fighting it is futile on my part.”
Giselle didn’t say anything. Instead, she watched the older woman to figure out exactly what Lady Errol meant, or what she would do. While she waited, Giselle sipped her chocolate, which was lukewarm but still delicious.
“I wanted him to wed.” The dowager countess went toward the window, looking out on the grounds below. “And as his mother, of course, I want him to be happy.” She glanced back at Giselle. “Ye seem to be providing both of those things.”
“I am quite fond of Lord Errol,” Giselle said, the title sounding foreign on her tongue when she preferred the intimacy of calling him Alec.
Lady Errol nodded. “He is a good man.” There was a slight break in her voice when she said it. “I have hated to watch him suffer since returning from the Peninsular War, and the truth of the matter is that since he brought ye to Slains, I’ve never seen him happier. Or more devoted.”
Her future mother-in-law sounded genuinely surprised. Why was she struggling so much with being happy for them?
“Then I have to ask ye,” Giselle said, “Why would ye demand I leave?”
Lady Errol drew in a deep breath, her hands pinched together in front of her. She approached Giselle’s side. “I did no’ want to see him hurt.”
“So rather than wed a woman who genuinely finds his company pleasing, ye would leave him to the other vipers?”
Lady Errol frowned. “I think viper is a bit harsh.”
“They would no’ have wed Alec for anything other than the meal they’d make of him or because they were forced into it. Just as I would have with Joshua Keith, save I’d still be hungry in the end.”
The dowager’s eyes met Giselle’s then, and she stared at her for what felt like forever.
“I did hear something about Keith b
eing low on funds. He’s got a bit of a gambling problem, I think.” Lady Errol was quick to add, “But ye did no’ hear such from me. I disdain gossip.”
“He’s got more problems than that.” Giselle sat up a little taller. “I would prefer us to get along, as ye are my fiancé’s mother, and I know he cares a great deal for ye, respects ye. I understand your actions and speech from last night were out of love for him.”
“He is all I have left.”
If Giselle’s vision wasn’t deceiving her, tears were gathering in the older woman’s eyes. “I will no’ hurt him. Ye have my word.”
Lady Errol straightened her spine, sucked in a breath, and seemed to give almost an imperceptible shudder as if she were shaking off her emotions. “Then I wish to congratulate ye again, Lady Giselle, for the first time I did so it was no’ genuine. I look forward to welcoming ye to my family.”
Giselle’s smile widened. “And I thank ye for it.”
Lady Errol retreated from the room, and this time when she left, Giselle did not feel the impending sense of doom she had before. She felt a bit renewed in her conviction and stronger too. She’d told Alec that together they would prevail, but now that they had his mother on their side, their victory was sure to be complete.
That sense of accomplishment, of strength and confidence, did not last long. When Giselle descended the stairs using her cane for luncheon, she was met by the shrill voice of her mother, the demanding outrage of her father, and even more so, the coolly cruel voice of Sir Joshua Keith. They echoed up through the grand foyer so loudly that she was surprised not to see them standing there before her, accusations and fingers pointing.
Giselle stilled on the stairs, trying to decipher where the voices were coming from. The parlor to the right, or the library to the left. Her stays felt suddenly tight, the boning digging into her ribs.
“I was wondering when ye’d come down.” Lady Mary smirked as she exited the parlor. “I was on my way to get ye.”
