An Enchanted Christmas Collection : Regency Romance

by Wendy Vella

  If he’d been in any doubt that he’d begun to think about this woman in a different light, his reaction to what he’d just witnessed confirmed it.

  Seeing her in the clutches of Stint within the filthy walls of Newgate Prison was beyond anything Gabe had ever experienced. He wanted quite simply to kill the man who had threatened Maddie, but as he could not, he needed to find the calm he was known for.

  Gabe watched as she struggled to straighten her skirts, and with each movement he thought of Stint touching her and his anger grew.

  “Please let me go back in there, Gabriel. I must, don’t you see?”

  He saw the desperation in her lovely eyes as she begged him, and imagined Stint lying on top of her with his mouth against hers, those lush lips screaming in terror. He clenched his hands into fists to stop them shaking.

  When he spoke, it was slow and deliberate, each word chosen with extreme care.

  “You will stay in this carriage, and if, Madam, you disobey this order then I will be forced to take action. Do you understand?”

  She opened her mouth but shut it again as she darted a quick look at his face.

  “Repeat after me: I will not leave this carriage or Gabriel will inform my father of my actions today,” he said.

  “You would not dare!” she cried.

  “Say it, Madeline... now,” Gabe ordered.

  “I must save my maid’s nephew, Gabriel. I-I was not in there for social reasons!”

  “No. You were in there because you are a bloody fool who has no regard for her safety. My mistake was believing you had merely asked me that question last night to ease your curiosity. Now repeat the words, Maddie.”

  “I will not.” She crossed her arms.

  “‘I will not leave this carriage or Gabriel will inform my father of my actions today.’ Say the words, Maddie, or by God, I will stand here until you do.”

  She looked away.

  “I cannot save the boy if you do not say them.”

  “Will you? Oh, Gabe, thank you.”

  He did not weaken at the glisten of tears in her eyes, he had to deal with Stint and find the boy. If he touched her now, he’d never leave.

  “Say the words, as I do not trust that you will stay in here while I do what I must.”

  “I will!”

  He didn’t speak.

  “I will not leave this carriage or Gabriel will inform my father of my actions today.”

  “Tell me about the boy.”

  She did so quickly. With a curt nod, Gabe pulled the curtains across the windows and slammed the door with enough force that the carriage swayed.

  He spoke to his driver. “Adam, do you still have that length of rope beneath your seat?”

  “I do, my lord.”

  “If Miss Spencer opens that door, you are to tie her hands and feet, is that understood?”

  “Ah, yes, my lord,” came the confused reply.

  Ignoring the outraged cry from his carriage, Gabe walked back inside the jail.

  Twenty minutes later, he handed the small, terrified Lewis Brown into the carriage beside Elliot. He was dirty and cold, but none the worse for his experience.

  “Take him home in Miss Spencer’s carriage, Elliot, and I will return her to her parents. I shall contact you later today.”

  “Be gentle with her, Gabe. She was incredibly brave to do what she did,” his friend said.

  “She was incredibly foolish!” Gabe still felt the bite of anger. Shutting the door, he turned to address the footman who was hovering nearby.

  “You should never have brought your mistress to such a place. It was only luck that we arrived when we did.”

  “I tried to tell her not to come, my lord, but she said if I didn’t bring her, she would find another way to get here.”

  Gabe’s bark of laughter held little amusement. He just bet she did, the little shrew. “Not the easiest of mistresses, then?”

  “No, my lord, but the very best and kindest,” the footman added.

  “Take the boy to his mother now, and then Mr. Yates to his address, please. I will return your mistress to her home safely.”

  The footman climbed up beside the driver and then the carriage rolled away.

  Looking at the sky, he thought they had perhaps a few hours before her household rose.

  Gabe opened the door of his carriage and felt the last of his rage flee as he looked at the slumbering form of Maddie. She’d taken off her bonnet and lay on her side with her hands beneath her chin. Long lashes resting on her pale cheeks, she looked like an angel sleeping peacefully. Climbing inside, he shut the door and turned up the lamps, then took the seat opposite her and watched her eyes open as the carriage began to move.

  Confusion clouded the dark depths, and then clarity as she remembered where she was. Sitting upright, she looked at him.

  “The boy?” Her whispered words were desperate.

  “He is safe and at this moment on his way home with Elliot.”

  She nodded, her relief evident. He watched as the long lashes closed fleetingly.

  “Thank you.”

  Gabe felt his anger flare to life.

  “Why did you not tell the truth at the pantomime? I could have helped you. Dear God, Maddie, have you any idea of the danger you placed yourself in going to the prison alone? Had I not arrived when I did, you could have been raped and beaten, then left for dead.”

  The color drained from her cheeks. He didn’t want to hurt her, but she needed to understand what could have happened. Needed to know she could not simply walk blindly into situations without a thought to the consequences.

  “I did what I had to do, what anyone would have done were they in my position.”

  He was having none of it. She may look like a delightfully rumpled angel, but he was still bloody furious that she had put herself in so much danger. And he would get her to acknowledge what she’d done was wrong if it killed him.

  “Perhaps, but anyone with a lick of sense would have sought help in their endeavors.”

  “Who was I to ask?”

  “Me!”

  “I do not know you well enough to do so.” She looked away.

  “After today, yes, you do, Maddie. What you did was reckless and merely reinforces my belief you cannot be left alone… or, for that matter, trusted.”

  Dark eyes spat fire back at him.

  “I do not answer to you! You may have the right to vote and educate yourself, but that does not make you any more intelligent than me. You cannot treat me as if I were a... a simpleton. You do not have the right to tell me what I can and cannot do!”

  Gabe actually blinked. Where the hell had all that come from?

  Bracing his booted feet on the seat opposite, he folded his arms in a pose designed to infuriate his beautiful companion further. She was here, safe with him; he was beginning to feel calmer. Maddie had been easy to niggle when they were children, and he found he wanted to see if that was the same now. He needed some retribution for what she’d put him through tonight.

  “Come now, Maddie, surely you can see that men have a far superior emotional and intellectual capacity than women?”

  She let out a little screech of outrage, her fists clenching as if she’d like to strike him. Direct hit.

  “Utter rubbish. From an early age, women are forced to face life’s realities, while men swan around behaving like small boys until they are in their dotage.”

  She had a point there, Gabe conceded silently.

  “But I do not make the rules, Maddie. Furthermore, this has little to do with your irresponsible behavior. If you think your actions this morning in any way strengthen your argument, then I suggest you think again.”

  Maddie glared at him, then spoiled the effect entirely by sniffing. He watched her small white teeth clamp around that full bottom lip to stop it from trembling.

  She had to have been terrified when Stint grabbed her. He had no idea how she’d found the strength to even walk inside that jail, but she ha
d, and he remembered again the strong girl he’d once known.

  “I’m sorry that man scared you today.” He’d tormented her enough. “Will you let me hold you? Only then will I know you are truly safe.”

  She flew across the carriage and into his arms, and Gabe crushed her against him.

  “You scared me this morning, and I do not scare easily,” he whispered into her hair. “You must promise me that you will never attempt anything so foolhardy again.” Soft curls brushed his chin as she nodded.

  “I promise,” she sighed. “And I am sorry to have scared you. To be honest, I was scared a great deal more.”

  “I wish I could believe you.” Gabe enjoyed the feel of her in his arms. “I think I shall just have to oversee your movements personally from now on.”

  “I cannot turn my back on someone who needs my help. So many have no one to turn to.”

  “I understand that, but you cannot continue to do these things alone. There is too much risk. The thought of you going to Spoke House was terrifying enough, but now I will be haunted with visions of you visiting prisons too.”

  “I will not change who I am or what I do because of what happened, Gabe. But I promise to show more caution.”

  That would do for now. He knew they would have several heated debates about her actions in the future, but for now he simply wanted to hold her.

  “Why were you at Newgate prison this morning, Gabe?”

  He’d known this question was coming but still had not rehearsed the answer, so he settled on the truth.

  Chapter Twelve

  “Three years ago, Elliot ran over a boy in his carriage. His name was Luke and he was twelve years old. Horrified at what he’d done, and unsure what to do with the child, he brought him to my house. He was not badly hurt but had suffered a sprained ankle and lots of bruising. Luke was very agitated and most insistent that he leave; upon further questioning I realized why.”

  Maddie didn’t want to leave the comfort of Gabe’s arms, yet knew it was the correct thing to do.

  “I shall return to my seat.”

  “I’m not letting you go. Now, be quiet and listen. You asked me a question, and I’m answering it.”

  It did not take much to convince her to stay. She rested her head on his chest, and his chin brushed the top of her head.

  Did Verity feel this way when she sat close to Stephen? Maddie hoped so, because it was a wonderful feeling.

  There was something powerful stirring inside her for this man, and Maddie had a feeling she knew exactly what it was, but she’d think more about it later. For now, she wanted to hear his story.

  “Luke was the sole caregiver for his brothers and sisters, of which there were four.”

  Gabe went on to explain that their father had died and their mother had abandoned them. It was a story like so many others.

  “What are you doing?” she asked when he leaned over her.

  “Getting a blanket.” He reached under the seat. “I’m cold, so I’m sure you must be.”

  He wrapped it around her.

  “Gabe, I don’t think this is right.”

  “It feels right.” he looked down at her.

  It did feel right. It felt amazing.

  “The abbreviated version of an incredibly long story is that we have set up several houses out of London for families and children who have nowhere to go.”

  “What a wonderful thing you and Elliot are doing, Gabe.”

  “Are you weeping, Maddie?”

  “Of course not, I don’t weep.”

  “What, never?” he teased. “How terribly hardhearted of you, Miss Spencer.”

  “I am sorry that I doubted you for so very long, Gabe.”

  She could see her words had confused him.

  “Sorry I doubted your ability to be the man I wanted you to be. The man who the boy I cared for had grown into.”

  Silence greeted this statement; the only sound was the clip-clop of horses’ hooves.

  His eyes held hers, the blue depths intent and seeking. “I feel the same way about you. I loathed the woman I thought you had become. This one is so much nicer.” His finger traced the line of her nose.

  “I’m glad neither of us have changed so much.”

  “Amen,” he whispered. His eyes ran over her face slowly and settled on her lips.

  “I want you so much, Maddie.”

  She closed her eyes as he lowered his head, and the kiss that followed was everything she wanted and so much more.

  The emotions of the past few hours drove them on; passions rose and consumed them. He drank from her lips, his tongue teasing hers, stroking the inside of her mouth, and Maddie kissed him, holding nothing back.

  She felt his fingers on the buttons of her coat. He opened them slowly, then parted the edges.

  “I want to touch you, Maddie.” The rasp of need in his voice made her shiver.

  “I want that too.”

  Gabe lowered her to the seat and then pulled the bodice of her gown down until her breasts were free. Maddie should be shocked; she wasn’t. Her body ached for more.

  “You’re beautiful.” His hands cupped her breasts, fingers stroking her nipples. “You could incite a man to murder. Don’t be afraid, Maddie.”

  “I’m not afraid, Gabe. I know you would never hurt me.”

  Insecurities forgotten, maidenly shyness pushed aside, her own needs soon matched his. Reaching for him, Maddie pushed his overcoat and jacket from his shoulders. After removing his necktie, she began unbuttoning his shirt, as eager to see him as he was her. Desperate to touch his body.

  She traced the hard planes of his chest, her fingers brushing his nipples. Gabe shuddered, so she did it again.

  “Your skin feels so good to touch, all slopes and hard planes... and warm... so very warm.” Maddie watched her hands as they mapped his chest.

  “Your touch is like heaven and hell combined,” Gabe gritted out.

  Lowering his head, he kissed her again, this one more intense than the last. It spoke of the tension that was building inside them.

  His lips moved down her neck, igniting where they touched. Reaching her breasts, Gabe licked the sensitive curve on one, and then gently grazed his teeth over her nipple. Maddie cried out as delicious shivers coursed through her body.

  “So responsive, my sweet Maddie. I should have known it would be like this between us. Our connection has never quite severed.”

  His hand moved under her skirts. One palm stroked her leg through the wool of her stockings as it traveled up her thigh, exposing her to his gaze with every inch her hem rose. The tension inside Maddie was almost unbearable now. She’d never felt this way before; the wicked heat licking at her senses had her writhing beneath Gabe’s hands.

  She tensed as cool air touched her exposed skin.

  “Trust me,” he whispered against her lips. His kiss was soft and searching, touching her soul.

  Maddie’s eyes closed as he stroked a finger softly over the curls only she had ever touched before. A moan tore from her lips as he moved lower. The first brush of his hand had her arching off the seat.

  “Gabe?”

  “Trust me, Maddie.” His voice was hoarse with a need that matched hers.

  He touched the hard bud between her thighs, and she shuddered. His lips found her breast as he pushed a finger inside her tight sheath.

  “Let go for me, my sweet.” He thrust in and out, and the sensations climbed. She arched off the bench, shattering in ecstasy seconds later.

  “Christ, Maddie, you’re beautiful.” He kissed her hard. “I want you, sweetheart. Do you understand what that means?”

  She touched his jaw. Clenched tight, the muscles bunched as he spoke. “Now, Gabe. I want you now.”

  “It will hurt, sweetheart.”

  “I know. Penny, my maid, told me about what happens between a man and woman.”

  His laugh was a gruff bark as he released his breaches. “I don’t want to know what she told you.”
r />   “That it can hurt… ah, especially if the woman is not ready.”

  “You are.” He touched her again, his hand cupping her breast. “I would never hurt you, Maddie.”

  “I know that.”

  He moved over her, bracing his hands on either side of her head. Maddie felt him there, pressing against her entrance. His eyes held hers, the blue depths intent. As he eased inside, she felt a small sting of pain and then, her body accepted him inch by inch until, he was there, seated deep and high.

  “Tell me what you feel, Maddie.”

  “I feel as if you are part of me now.” She lifted her arms and wrapped them tight around his neck.

  “How is the pain?” he gritted out, tension in every line of his body.

  “It eases.”

  He slowly withdrew, and then reentered.

  “That feels... well, it’s quite wonderful,” Maddie whispered.

  His grunt sounded as if he was in pain.

  “Gabe?”

  He kissed her hard, then thrust back inside her once more. Maddie felt the wonderful tension build inside her again.

  “Let go again, Maddie. Do it for me, sweetheart.”

  She did, flying once more, and with a final thrust, Gabe followed her.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Gabe rode his horse toward the Spencer town house, impatient to see Maddie.

  He’d managed to smuggle her back inside the house undetected two days ago, with the promise that he would call on her today. Her smile had been a secret lover’s smile, the kind Gabe had seen Elliot and Lyndy share when she left him.

  He’d had a business meeting that he couldn’t postpone yesterday but had spent the entire time thinking of her.

  Maddie, his love.

  He loved her, there could be no other word for the feelings inside him. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with Madeline Spencer and was certain she felt the same. She would never have made love with him in his carriage if she did not.

  Just thinking about what they’d shared in the early hours of that morning made his body stir. So passionate for someone who had been an innocent. She’d touched him, and his body had responded as it never had before.