“So the perpetrator can continue his vile assaults in his new country?” she said, totally abhorred.
“And if a man is assaulted, the criminal would be hanged?” she asked unhappily. “You see the unfairness of the double standards in this time.”
“Mairi,” Appoloin answered, exasperated, knowing exactly where this conversation was heading, “the assault on a man would not lead to the death penalty. That would only happen if it was a consensual relationship.”
“You mean if they were gay?” she asked, horrified.
“The law, like everything else, is evolving, and although it may seem archaic to you, there are many forward-thinking people in this century—men and women—who are making these changes happen. Like I said earlier, it is a world in progression. They will learn about the will of women and what should rightfully be done in acts of evil.”
Mairi picked up her fork and played with the food on her plate. Appoloin searched her face. Her lips were drawn into a moue, but he waited patiently as she processed the information he had shared, readying himself for the next onslaught of questions and statements. He willed himself to answer helpfully and truthfully, in order that their time in this century went without too many problems.
She focussed intently on her plate, deliberating over their discussion. If she analysed his actions thoroughly, she had to admit, the measures he had taken were to ensure her safety. She may not be happy hiding in another century, so far from her father, but there was a madman out there desperately seeking her, craving her blood and her death.
She realised there were benefits as well as disadvantages in living in this century. One, of course, was—and she didn’t want to be a real ‘girl’ about it, but she couldn’t help herself. She smiled inwardly.
… The dresses were fabulous!
She had worn some outfits on stage, which claimed to be from the nineteenth century, but they were incomparable to the real thing. The material was beautiful, heavier than those worn as an actress; those had been lightweight, in order to move around the stage freely. She had peeked inside the wardrobe in their bedroom and had seen several dresses hanging and was surprised by the radiant colours, so different from the drab greys, blacks, and bottle green shades she had worn on the stage.
She had lovingly stroked the blue silk of her gown. Its embroidered bodice was of an intricate pattern; silver thread had been sewn into the fabric, replicating the stems of flowers. They wound their way up from her waist to her bosom. Small purple and dark blue silk forget-me-nots were meticulously scattered across her breasts; the stamen of each flower had been created using tiny seed pearls.
Mairi had inspected the dresses in the wardrobe, each one more vibrant than the other. They were equally magnificent as the gown she wore now. Similarly, they all had coordinating slippers in colour that were embroidered with the same intricate pattern sewn into the bodice of the dress they complemented.
Now that was something she did not have in the twenty-first century.
Could she exist here? Would she be content with the strict rules women had to adhere to in this century and keep her opinion to herself? Or would she go mad in her attempts to put aside her wilfulness and independence? Could she hammer into her head that this was to save her life?
She glanced at Appoloin, who, she was surprised to note, was studying her intently. He is so very handsome, she thought. His elaborately stitched waistcoat still carried the stain of the egg she had thrown at him, but it blended well with the gold thread. His rich blue velvet breeches, which hugged his long, powerful legs, displayed them to their best advantage. He had tied his blond hair back with a leather strip, yet it still fell over his shoulder like a swirling blond river to the middle of his back. She realised his eyes, which were the same colour as her dress, were nervously querying her as she took her time in surveying him.
He let out a sigh of relief when, at last, she spoke. “Why does Baglis call you my lord?”
This was a question he had not been expecting, and he was slightly taken aback. She was now veering the conversation in another direction, but he prepared himself to answer as best he could, without sharing information best kept to himself. “In this century I am the Duke of Kilchoan, which would make you my duchess. With your title, you will not be questioned. Therefore, any remarks you make that may seem a little obscure, or odd, to those in this time, well, they will be duly forgiven. You will probably be considered eccentric, the duchess to the mad Scottish duke, so should you carry out any actions that would appear unusual, within reason that is, they will be overlooked because of your status.”
Mairi’s mind was put at at ease, but her conscience bothered her. “Don’t you think it’s a bit unfair that, because of a title, my peculiarities will go unnoticed?”
“Oh, my dear, far to the contrary. They will not go unnoticed, just not commented upon. Certainly not in public, for sure. Who knows what gossip may be indulged in behind closed doors, gossip that will be hushed if certain members of the aristocracy are present. They never wish to be party to such gossip, although they will definitely listen; however, they will worry that they would be the conversational piece at another time. The important part here is, you will be accepted, despite your idiosyncrasies.”
An errant strand of Mairi’s hair escaped from the safe haven of the beautifully intertwined hair Baglis had piled atop her head and fell into her eyes. She tried to blow it away, and it fluttered upwards before falling exactly where it had been prior to her useless attempts. Appoloin stretched over to her and carefully pinned it behind her ear, then remained in position, looking directly into her eyes.
He was in two minds. Her sultry blue eyes beckoned him to take possession of her lips, and as much as he wanted to do just that—and much more—he had to leave. Yet, her lips were pouting seductively, her mouth slightly open, willing him to take them. He could not deny her, or himself, the pleasure he knew awaited them. Just one kiss. Surely one kiss would not hurt, he whispered to himself, leaning farther forward. Mairi’s heart beat faster, as he continued to gaze upon her.
Mairi watched the conflict he was going through with eager fascination and wondered why there was a problem. Why was he denying that which they had already shared? She closed her eyes in excited anticipation of the passion she longed for, her lips wet and ready for him to take. When he had at last fought the demons preventing him from taking her lips, he let out a small sigh of relief as she melted into the kiss.
He took her lips slowly and gently, savouring the taste of her. He had been wrong—one kiss would not be enough.
A lifetime would not be enough.
An eternity would not be long enough to quench this craving of her. It was like an insatiable hunger that only she could satisfy.
This longing he had for her consumed him. He could not think rationally when he was near her, and that was going to put her in immediate danger.
He abruptly broke the kiss when he realised his overwhelming need of her was enveloping him like a turbulent and violent storm. He searched her face, her eyes still closed, her mouth slightly open, and those lips, now darkened after the kiss they shared…Those lips would make a saint a sinner, an Angel a Demon, and all he wanted was to take her away, to hide her, and he knew it was not solely to keep her safe.
He wanted her to himself, with nobody else near her.
Chapter Seven
“But I thought you had to remain near me to keep me safe!” Mairi wailed. She was trying not to sound like a shrew and was positive she was losing that battle with herself, as she could hear the childish shrill in her voice.
“I won’t be gone long, I promise, but I must meet with the Infidelibus,” Appoloin said unhappily. He knew she was scared, and that he was, in a small way, letting her down, not merely by leaving her but also in denying their bodies that which they craved. It was a necessity that he escape and gain some control over his overwrought emotions.
The message from the Infidelibus could not have come at
a better time. He was guilty of not sharing his thoughts with her, but it was not appropriate for him to lay them out in the open, not yet. She was already at risk. He was a hopeless case, and he knew it. He was falling in love with her. It was imperative that he not put her life in further jeopardy by his outpouring of selfish emotions to her.
The Infidelibus had called to him, and he must return to the Cavernis, where they would have to discuss the Mistdreamers’ predicament, and the next stages of their plans. He was conscious there also might be more news to assist him in his bid to keep Mairi from harm. Mayhap the actual danger had passed? But that was too much to expect. There would be many trials ahead for them. He understood that, but it did not help him come to terms with his newly found intense affection.
“I’m trying not to whinge, Appoloin, truly I am,” she said, breaking into his thoughts, “but I’m alone here. Baglis has gone. I didn’t really know her, but at least it was human companionship.”
“Human?” He held his laughter in check. The very idea of calling Baglis human—and her hearing the word. He looked forward to Mairi saying it!
“You know what I mean!” She sobbed. She shook her head, annoyed with herself. “Lord, I can’t believe I’m acting like a clingy girlfriend. What the hell’s happened to me? I used to be an ‘almost’ confident yet capable actress. Oh, wait a minute, I know what’s happened to me—I got caught up in Angels’ problems. My life was thrown into complete disarray, and I’m not me any longer! I reckon my whinging is quite acceptable!”
Appoloin took her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. Her sweet scent assaulted his senses, causing him to tense.
“And what’s with that?” Mairi cried as she pushed away from him. “Your body goes like a stone wall every time you hold me. Is it the sex? Did I do something wrong? I know I’m not as experienced as an Angel, but I didn’t think it was that bad.”
Deprived of the warmth from her body, he pulled her back into the safety of his arms, breathing steadily as his heart hammered in his chest. This need for her was like an obsession.
“You didn’t think it was that bad!” he said in shock. “You may have been thrown into a world of disarray, Mairi, but you are still you, and I’m still an Angel, and one in desperate need of some gentle ego boosting now! I certainly hope it was better than ‘not bad’!. Please tell me you thought it was as blissful as I.”
“Well,” she whispered reluctantly, “I did. I thought it was blissful, but every time since then you’ve rejected me in one way or another.”
“I am attempting to keep some dignity.” His voice echoed his frustration. “I want to remain professional. Mairi, I am supposed to be your protector, and instead, I’m like a lovesick human teenager. I cannot get enough of you, and… well, to be truthful, I worry about the feelings I have for you. It-it… it’s like an obsession.” There, I said it.
“Are you saying you love me?” she asked, the smile radiating her face. “Do you love me, Appoloin?”
Appoloin shook his head. He was positive denial would be the best course of action. His body, however, was reacting in a very awkward manner, the blood rushing from his head to his crotch. His very noticeable arousal, which pushed painfully against the tight material of his breeches, was giving him cause for alarm.
Mairi coughed, covering her wide smile with the back of her hand. Appoloin’s discomposure was hilarious. She had meant to make him feel awkward, but his reaction was like a heady intoxication, and she was curious about the power she wielded over him, finding it extraordinarily exciting and pleasing.
To gain a modicum of self-control, Appoloin flopped back into the chair and covered his lap with one of the large napkins before answering her question, and hoped his voice would not sound like a lad going through puberty.
“I am unsure of love,” he said evenly, and was pleased his voice sounded normal, so continued with more confidence. “I am aware of what humans determine love, but the feelings I have for you, Mairi, are very complicated.”
Mairi rolled her eyes. Yet another male unable to commit. She had hoped for more from an Angel. “No need to explain. It’s great sex, I understand, and that’s enough for me as well.”
Appoloin’s arm shot out like a snake and grabbed her wrist. “It is not just great sex! I have feelings for you that I cannot interpret. Feelings that I know I should not have for you. I tell you I am your protector and must make certain you are safe, but my head is filled with you, not just of you in our bed, with your hair falling over the pillows, but always you. How can I keep you safe when the only thing I want to do is be with you?”
“Well, isn’t that the whole point of ‘protecting’ me, you’ll be with me all the time?” she said sensibly.
“Don’t you understand, Mairi? You fill my senses, my heart, my head. I cannot think rationally when you are near me. I do not want anyone to touch you, become close to you.” He turned away in frustration and pushed his fingers through his hair, loosening the leather strap, before returning to look upon her face. “If this is love, as you humans call it, then it is painful. If I am in love with you, Mairi. I cannot be your protector. I-I-I… tell you again, it is like an obsession. It cannot be healthy for either one of us. No, Mairi,” he said, as she rolled her eyes in exasperation. “This is not how it should be. I cannot feel this way. This fixation I have with you, everything about you. Your smell, the way you sway your hips when you walk, the way you”—he stopped and pointed at her—“that, yes, that.”
Mairi was baffled. “What? What did I do?”
“That thing you do,” he said, “with your hair. The way you comb it with your long fingers. It drives me wild.”
“When I’m not with you, how do you feel?” she asked calmly.
“It is as though I have a fever.” He thought carefully. “I manage to keep some form of self-possession, in front of others,” he added. “I hope it appears as so, but my thoughts, they charge around like gladiators fighting for their freedom as they race in a chariot. They are always of you. I fear for you, of what I would do if anything happened to you.”
“Good Lord!” Mairi exclaimed. “Will you calm down, for heaven’s sake? It’s love. You love me, and… and…”
“Yes?” Appoloin encouraged.
“I love you,” she managed to whisper.
“You do?” he asked, surprised, and lowered an eyebrow.
Mairi stood straight. She would not be cowed; her emotions and how she spoke were important. “I do!” she said, forcefully this time. “I am not the kind of girl who falls into bed with just anyone.”
“Actually, you had not fallen into bed with anyone, if memory serves,” Appoloin said with eyes wide open.
“That was rude of you.” She blushed. “I didn’t think that would go noticed. Please don’t say any more. It’s enough you realised.”
“I could hardly not notice something so important, Mairi. Yet another item I have to add to my list of ‘things I’ve done wrong’. I just hope and pray Omniel never finds out! But then, of course, we have one other fact of which we must inform him.”
“What fact would that be?” she questioned.
“No, I have not the time to discuss it. We will talk more when I get back. It’s something that can wait.”
Mairi playfully punched his arm. “You can’t do that, Appoloin. You can’t tease me with half a statement and not expect me to want to know more.”
Reluctantly, he let go of her wrist and stood. “I truly do not have the time to explain.” He skirted around her question. “I must meet with the other members of the Infidelibus.”
“So you’re really going to leave me on my own, here, in London, in a century I’ve only read about in Jane Austen novels?”
“I promise to be back quickly. I assure you, you will not be bored if you explore the house. Do not, under any circumstances, go outside. Your trace signature may be picked up by someone or something. Do you understand?” he asked.
Mairi began counting off t
he instructions, using her fingers. “Check the house. Don’t get bored. Don’t go outside. Don’t talk to anyone. Have I missed any ‘don’ts’?” she asked peevishly. “Are there any ‘can dos’ in your list?”
Appoloin laid his hands on her shoulders, breathing in her wonderful scent, then checked himself, shaking away his immoral thoughts. He lifted her head with one finger, so that he could gaze into her eyes and reinforce his rules. “Mairi, I do not do this to prohibit you from having a life. I do this for your safety. You have a mad demon out there intent on destroying you. Let me keep you out of harm’s reach.”
“Then stay.” She closed her eyes, her lips becoming a tight line, then exhaled. “No, ignore that.” Opening her eyes, she smiled. His concerned look, as he stared down at her, softened her resolve. “I apologise. I was behaving childishly. Go see the other Angels and return, as and when you can. I will be quite suitably taken care of here. Like you said, I will explore the house. I’m sure there are some hidden passages behind these walls that haven’t been found yet.” She stroked his face warmly. “Go, Appoloin. The sooner you’ve gone, the sooner you’ll be back, and we can plan the next stage of my disappearance, together. Maybe the next time you will let me be involved in the new home you intend me take up as residence, hmmm?”
“I promise we will have some fun when I return. We will go to the Gladstone’s’ ball. The invitation arrived this morning. I was going to tell you over breakfast, but our conversation went in a differing direction from the one I had hoped.”
“A ball, marvellous.” Mairi tried to keep her voice light. “I can’t wait. I’ve plenty of gowns, and it would be a shame not to put them to good use.”
“Why not have a new gown made especially for that evening? I am certain the housekeeper would contact the modiste and you could have it ready upon my return. One that will enhance your beauty—if that is at all possible?”
“Thank you, but I will just wear one of the lovely dresses already hanging in my wardrobe. But,” she stammered, “will Baglis be able to help me?”
The Park Family: Mairi: Retribution Page 9
