He had promised himself he would not overwhelm her. He would behave calmly and allow her time to react to his presence, to shout or rage at him as she must want to, but in the end he could keep none of those promises. He fell to his knees in the sand and snatched her up, pulling her against him and holding her as tight as he dared without hurting her for fear that she was only a dream like so many others and he would wake any moment to find her stolen from him again.
"Céleste, Céleste," he mumbled, incoherent as he smoothed his hands over her sweet face, rubbing away tears that as yet he did not know were for joy or despair. "Oh, mignonne, what have you done to me? You have broken my heart and turned me into some feral creature that cannot eat, nor sleep nor think of anything but you. Why did you run away like that before I could tell you everything, before I could explain?" He covered her face with kisses, pulling her to him once again and trying not to weep as the horror of the past months caught up with him and shredded his emotions. He held her tight, silent for a moment, hearing her breathing just as ragged and uneven as his but reassured that she wasn't fighting her way out of his embrace but holding onto him just as fiercely.
He took a breath as she looked up at him, her expression a little shy and unsure as she reached up a hand to touch his face.
"Is it really you, Alex? Vraiment?"
"Oui, mignonne, it is truly me, though it's I that need reassuring," he said, leaning into her touch and smiling, cradling her face within his hands. "Swear to me I'm not dreaming," he pleaded. "Tell me I've truly found you, for if this is a dream I beg you don't let me wake. I cannot bear it, Céleste, I cannot bear another day without you. I know I am too old and too wicked and there are too many reasons ..." But he didn't finish the words as she pulled his head down and kissed him and he sank into her embrace. He kissed her with all the love and the tenderness that he had to give, needing to show her how very much she meant, how desperately sorry he was for everything that had happened.
When he finally released her she sobbed and buried herself in his arms.
"Oh, Alex. I dreamed that you would come."
"But surely you knew?" he asked, his heart aching. "Mimi is here, surely he told you I was searching for you?"
She nodded, averting her gaze from his. "He told me."
"Then why?" he cried. "Mignonne, why didn't you come back to me, or let me know where you were? Do you hate me so?" he asked, hardly daring to hear the answer for all that she had kissed him so sweetly.
She swallowed and shook her head. "I could never hate you, Alex," she said, smiling as tears rolled down her face. "Don't you see that's the trouble. I was afraid if you found me, you'd persuade me to ..." She flushed and looked away from him and guilt and anger blazed in his heart.
"To be my mistress?" he finished for her. She nodded and he bowed his head in shame.
"My God, Céleste, didn't Mimi tell you what I told him? Did he not give you the letter I left for you?"
She frowned and shook her head, perplexed as he cursed the damn fool. He had been sure he'd made his intentions clear enough. "He told me nothing, Alex, only that you'd come looking for me and then left again."
"I came twice," he said, begging her to see how hard he'd tried. "I came here and searched everywhere and he said he hadn't seen you. Then I went back to Allaire in case you'd returned to your family home, and then I came back here again and still he'd told me he'd seen no sign of you.
"Twice?" she repeated, reaching out and grasping his arm. "I didn't know Alex, truly. But ... but what did it say in the letter?"
He took a breath and looked into her eyes. "It said that I never had the slightest intention of making you my mistress, you foolish child. If you had but waited I was going to ask you to marry me."
Her mouth formed a little O of astonishment but she said nothing so he carried on.
"Ma mie, can you not see that I am in love with you? I have loved you from the first, and every day since has been a torment. I love you beyond reason and with a ferocity that scares me to death. I have lost my sanity and my heart these past months without you, my love, and though it's the most selfish thing I will ever do I am begging you to end this misery and marry me. Please, mignonne, say you will?"
His heart stood suspended in a void while she stared at him in utter shock, until a startled little laugh escaped her and she threw her arms about his neck.
"Oui, Alex! Oui! Oh yes, yes, yes I will marry you!"
Laughing with joy and relief he lost no time in tumbling her onto her back and kissing her until she was breathless.
***
It was like some kind of wonderful dream, thought Céleste, except that her dreams had never had quite such dizzying heights of happiness as she now felt. They sat huddled together on the beach, unwilling to move despite the fact the sand was damp and it was growing chilly. Alex just kept staring at her, touching her face and pulling her closer though she was sat in his lap. It was like she couldn't be close enough to him, or he was afraid she might disappear again. They talked in hushed tones about the past months, and as Céleste related her story he would punctuate her words by kissing her again.
"But I'd told her the day I came to London that it was over," Alex said, looking at her with his grey eyes full of guilt. "I told them all. I had no interest in any of them. There's no one but you, ma mie, you must believe that."
She nodded and touched a fingertip to his lip. "I do believe it now, I do," she said.
He sighed and shook his head. "It was that bastard Sindalton who put her up to it. My God, I'll have his head for it too, he won't ..."
"Non."
He looked at her in surprise. "Surely you don't defend him?" There was a tone in his voice that sounded a little like jealousy.
She shook her head. "Not defend him exactly, only ... I think he believed that ... that you were making me unhappy. The day at the theatre, when you came upon us, I'd seen you with Mrs Morris and I'd ...well, I'd been crying." She smiled and took his hand, pressing it against her cheek and turning her head to kiss the palm. "Don't look so guilty, I know now you were trying to avoid a scene, but I think he guessed why I was upset. I think he believed I would be better off with him as he would offer to marry me."
Alex snorted. "Out of the frying pan into the fire," he muttered, and Céleste chuckled.
"Is 'e a very bad man?" she asked. "I know 'e is supposed to be the most eligible man in England."
Alex glowered at her, his jealousy only too obvious and Céleste laughed and pressed kisses over his face. "Come now, mon brave, I 'ave only just forgiven you for being an earl, surely you don't think I want a duke?"
His face was still grave when he spoke again. "I know you're teasing, Céleste, but ... truly, are you sure? Are you certain you can be happy with me? I'm so much older than you. I keep thinking that when you're barely forty I'll be almost sixty and ..."
She kissed him, pulling at his head until he laid her down again and covered her body with his own.
"I'm sure," she whispered. "You're all I want, Alex. There could never be anyone else but you. I would rather be alone."
He sighed and she felt a little of the tension fall away from him as she burrowed into the warmth of his body.
"You're cold," he observed, rubbing his hands over her arms and back to warm her.
"A little," she admitted. "But I don't want to go back to the 'ouse yet."
He was quiet for a little while, and when he spoke his tone was cautious. "The girl at the house, Belle, was she ..."
"One of Maxime's whores?" she said, smiling at the hesitancy of his question. "Oui, Alex, she was." She looked up at him, wondering what on earth he must be thinking. "Annise and Clara are there also. I couldn't find any of the others." She smirked at the confusion in his eyes and covered her mouth as laughter began to build in her chest. "Oh, Alex, your face. Oh, mon contrebandier, I 'ave not become a Madame I assure you."
He had the grace to look appalled at the suggestion. "I never thought it!" he swore, as she laug
hed at him. "Céleste! I swear it never crossed my mind, only ... I am curious as to how all of this has been paid for. How did you raise enough to buy this house and repay the money you borrowed?"
She pursed her lips and stared up at him, pushing a lock of thick black hair off of his forehead. "Promise you won't be cross with me?"
He took a breath and then let it out on a huff of laughter. "Mignonne, I have the ominous feeling you are about to shock me to my bones, but at this moment, I can promise I won't be cross with you. You are here and you want to be with me despite everything. You could have murdered Prinny in his bed and I wouldn't bat an eyelid. Though I admit I hope it's nothing quite so dire as killing the Prince Regent as I would rather like to go home and marry you."
"Then I had better tell you quickly," she said, her serious tone bringing real anxiety to his eyes now. "Please let me sit up," she added. "I can't concentrate with you so close to me."
Too pleased by the comment to let her up right away, she sighed as his lips kissed a warm trail down her throat. "Hurry, then," he said, his voice husky. "For I have unfinished business with you, love."
She flushed a little and felt her heart pick up but he moved away and sat up, pulling her once more into his lap. Threading her arms around his neck she leaned her head against his and began to tell him of her voyage to Roscoff. Of Mr and Mrs Harrison and her meeting with two smugglers on Weymouth harbour.
She was about to explain her trip to Jersey when Alex stopped her.
"Wait, ma mie, are you telling me you stepped in and saved two smugglers from the Revenue by hiding their contraband beneath your clothing?"
She nodded and he groaned and buried his face against her neck. "You're right, you'd best tell me the rest quickly. Is it much worse than that?" He looked up and she could see real anxiety in his eyes
"Fi donc! I didn't get caught and neither did they, and I am here, hein?" She huffed at him. "I thought you might be proud of me."
"I am always proud of you, mignonne, but I would have a promise that you won't go hiding any more smugglers from the Revenue please. Well, except for me," he added with a rueful smile. His face fell as she bit her lip and looked at him feeling a little more nervous as to his reaction now.
"Oh God," he said. "You'd better get it over with. Let's have it."
Céleste swallowed and began to pluck at one of the buttons on his coat. "Well ..." she began, avoiding his eyes. "They took me to Jersey, as they usually buy their goods there rather than voyage all the way to Roscoff every time, as they only deal in a small amount of contraband. But on the way it rained very hard and I got very wet and cold and caught a chill. So I was poorly for some weeks."
"Wait." He held up his hand to interrupt her. "A chill would not keep you abed for weeks," he said, his expression full of concern.
"No, that is true, it ... it was a little worse than that I think, but I am quite recovered now."
Alex made a sound of distress and pulled her close to him, burying his face in her hair. "I'm never letting you out of my sight again."
"Please don't," she sighed, stroking the back of his neck.
"Go on," he mumbled his voice muffled against her hair.
"Well I was on the island for five weeks, which is why you didn't find me when you came 'ere before," she said. "And after that I came 'ere and bought this place with some of the money I took from you and invited the girls to come and live with me, where they would be safe and not 'ave to ... to ..."
He smiled at her, his eyes warm. "Yes, I quite see, love, carry on."
"So Mimi came too and we cleaned the place up and, oh, Alex, it is really quite charming. I would like to show it to you."
"And I look forward to that, only I want to know where the money came from, Céleste. If you bought this place and have been supporting yourselves too, how have you replaced what you took?"
"Oh, oui," she said, feeling her cheeks heat a little and wondering just how cross he was likely to be. She put her chin up, a little defiant, took a deep breath and decided to get it over with as quickly as she could. "Well, Jacky and Davy, they come by when they are in Roscoff and check we are all OK, and so I said to them they should spend more money 'ere where things are cheaper, so it was more worth their while, you see. But they 'ave no money and so ... and so ..." She said the next part in a rush of words to try and soften the blow. "And so I said I would invest in their business and I bought them brandy and silk and lace and some tea and they sold it and ... they gave me a cut of the profits, and it worked so nicely that we carried on and ... and they 'ave found some other men to work with us too and so ... I've made enough money to pay you back and support the girls ... and a bit put aside as well." She hauled in a breath, after having rattled off her confession with such speed and glanced nervously at Alex who was staring at her, apparently speechless.
He cleared his throat and rubbed his hand over his face before taking a deep breath.
"Alex, are you quite well?" she asked and then bit her lip with anxiety as he didn't look well at all, in fact he looked dreadfully pale.
"Yes, ma mie, quite well," he said faintly though she noticed now that there was a muscle ticking in his jaw.
She frowned at him and put her hands to his face, forcing him to look at her. "You don't look well, you look ... you look ... like you're trying not to shout at me." She pursed her lips and crossed her arms. "You are cross aren't you? Alex, you promised!"
She huffed and looked away from him, only to turn back as she felt him begin to shake beneath her. Looking back she discovered that he was laughing silently, his big shoulders quivering with the force of it. A moment later and he could hold it in no longer and burst out laughing, gasping for breath as tears rolled down his face.
"Oh my God," he managed, apparently quite unable to stop. "You're a smuggler!"
She stared at him, not sure if she was relieved or cross that he found it funny but then he pulled her to him and kissed her soundly. "Ma mie, you never cease to surprise me and I pray you never do. You are simply the most extraordinary woman I have ever known." He sighed and shook his head. "My God, I do love you so."
"So you're not cross?" she asked, smiling at him.
"Not cross, no," he replied, his voice soft. "Though I hope you don't mind if I ask you to come back to Cornwall and marry me? I know it will likely be rather dull for you after all of your adventures but ... I would rather if you left this life behind you, if you think you can bear it?"
She gave a heavy sigh and pretended to give the matter great thought. "Well, it's true, I 'ave discovered I'm a rather good contrebandier," she said with some gravity. "But ... I think I should like to marry you very much and life with you ... I think it won't be dull at all." She grinned at him and he chuckled.
"But, Alex," she said, putting her hand on his arm. "I would ask you the same thing. Please stop going on the runs. I couldn't bear it if you were 'urt or ..." She stopped as her voice grew thick and he leaned down and kissed her.
"As you wish, Céleste. I think perhaps, with you in my life, I will have no need to seek adventure to ease the boredom of my days." His smile quirked and his eyes glittered with amusement as he added, "Living with you will be quite adventure enough."
She huffed and smacked his arm playfully. "Odious man, are you comparing me to your smugglers?"
"No," he said, his voice serious now. "I am saying that nothing on earth makes my heart pound so fiercely as you, ma mie." The kiss that followed that statement kept them occupied for some considerable time, until Céleste shivered and Alex got up, pulling her to her feet.
"Come, you're freezing out here. Let's go back to the house and get your things. If we hurry we can catch the tide."
"Oh but, Alex ..." She paused and he looked down at her with a quizzical expression, taking her hand in his. "Well, it's just, Mimi and the girls. I 'ave promised them they will be safe 'ere."
"And so they shall, mignonne. I would not undo any of your good work. I am proud of you."
He slipped his arm around her waist and they began to walk back to the house. "Alex?" she said, her voice quiet.
"Yes, love?"
"Do we ... do we 'ave to go back 'ome right now?"
He paused and looked down at her, concern in his eyes. "Don't you want to?" he asked, sounding anxious all over again.
"Oh, oui!" she exclaimed, shaking her head. "Of course, only ... only ..." She blushed and he looked at her with curiosity in his eyes.
"Only?" he prompted.
"Only ..." She looked away from him and studied her feet. "Well, I was very unwell on the boat and ... and my room 'ere is really très comfortable. I 'ave bought a new bed you see and ..." She ground to a halt, blushing furiously and felt his hand slip beneath her chin, raising her head up to him and finding his eyes dark with wanting.
"What a wonderful idea," he murmured, dipping his head to brush his lips over hers. "If you're sure we won't shock the other residents."
"Well we might I suppose," she said with utter seriousness, pursing her lips and giving a little shrug. "But they'll just 'ave to put up with it."
Alex gave a bark of laughter and swung her into his arms. "Well now, let's see what we can do about that."
Chapter 34
"Wherein our reunited lovers are at last left alone and in the arms of bliss."
To Céleste's frustration Belle and the others were so full of excitement and felicitations for her that they insisted on drinking a toast, and then it was time for dinner and it would have been too embarrassing to refuse. Though from the knowing smirks on the women's faces they knew only too well she was anxious to quit their company. Only Mimi was quiet and she stole a moment to go and speak with him alone and reassure him that the house was theirs and that there would always be a place for him.
She understood, on talking to him, that he'd been afraid if the earl found her their little idyll would be at an end, and so he'd kept the information to himself. Although he'd caused her extra weeks of misery she found she couldn't be cross with him; her happiness was too complete for any amount of regret to be felt. As soon as she had assured him that nothing for him would change, he had beamed and hauled her into a rib-cracking embrace before shuffling off to leave them to their evening.
The Earl's Temptation Page 28
