by Rose Gordon
“Is he sleeping?” a feminine voice asked from across the hall.
Caroline’s eyes fell on Regina, who sitting in chair across the hall. “I think so.”
Regina stood up. “Just as well. I’ll let him rest for now. That dress looks lovely on you, dear. Green is your color.”
“Thank you,” Caroline murmured, flashing her a shy smile. Compliments were not something she was used to receiving so often.
“Would you care to join me in the drawing room?”
Caroline blinked. Like an act of fate, Regina had been unoccupied and waiting outside Edward’s room just after Edward had told her to ask his wife the truth about her mother. “I’d love to,” she said, feigning excitement. “Though I feel I must warn you, I’m terrible at embroidery, and sewing isn’t my specialty, either.”
Grinning, Regina shook her head. “You’re as bad a liar as my son.”
“I really am bad at—”
“I believe that,” Regina interrupted. “I do not believe, however, that you’d like to join me in the drawing room. I know all about you, Caroline Banks. Alex is in the conservatory mucking around with some flowers or something. Why don’t you go join him?”
Caroline walked to the conservatory as fast as her slippers would carry her, slowed only by the doddering old butler who had agreed to show her the way.
She swung open the door and her eyes fell right on Alex. He was kneeling in the dirt. His coat, waistcoat, and cravat had been discarded in a pile on a bench ten feet away. His shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and the top three buttons of his shirt were open, treating her to an unobstructed view of the column of his throat and a triangle of his tan chest.
“Caro.” His eyebrows lifted in surprise. In his palm, he held a delicate flowering plant, the roots dangling in between his splayed fingers.
“I’ve come to join you. Is that all right?” She walked to where he was kneeling. “No conversation required,” she teased.
He grinned. “In that case. Take your gown off and you can help me replant these.”
She gaped at him. Was he teasing or did he really expect her to undress out here where anyone could come walking through the door?
He must have read her thoughts. “Nobody’s going to come in and see you in your chemise. But you’ll get your gown dirty if you leave it on.”
“I don’t think I can take it off,” she said, glancing at the door skeptically.
He put the flowers down next to the others and stood up, not bothering to dust off his knees before he walked over to a large bowl that was on another bench. He picked up a little brush and dunked it in the water. He scrubbed his fingers for a few minutes before setting the brush back down and drying his hands on a nearby towel. “Turn around.”
Hesitantly, she turned her back to him and sucked in her breath as his hands made quick work of the row of buttons on the back of her dress. With all the tenderness of a lover, Alex slipped his hands inside her gown and pushed it off her shoulders, letting it fall to the ground, forgotten.
“Put it on the bench,” he instructed hoarsely.
Clad in only her chemise, she put her gown, slippers, and stockings by his clothes and willed herself to stop being embarrassed. He’d seen just as much, if not more, last night. She walked back to him and knelt down. He was still digging up the same row of plants and there were at least thirty to go.
Side by side, the two of them dug up the rest of the plants, the silence only broken by the sounds of dirt clumps falling from the roots back to the ground.
“I want to replant these along the south wall,” Alex said after he’d dug up the last one. “I dug the holes day before yesterday.” He picked up the little box they’d been putting the flowers in and stood.
She followed suit and walked with him down the length of the conservatory until they reached the holes he’d dug a few days ago.
Once again, the pair worked in companionable silence to replant the row.
“You have quite the collection,” she remarked, allowing him to help her to her feet. She glanced around at all the plants, trees, flowers, and other greenery.
“Would you like to look around?” He took her hand.
“Of course.” She allowed him to interlace their fingers.
He took her around and showed her all his prized trees and flowers, answering any of her questions as they went. When they’d finished, his eyes swept her from her horribly disheveled coiffure to her dirty bare feet. “You, my darling Caro, are a mess. And while it’s a good thing you took that gown off, we now have another problem.”
A nervous burble of laughter escaped her lips. “I hope you’re not going to suggest I run to the house like this and try to sneak in the servants’ door.”
“Never,” he said, bringing her arms up around his neck. “There’s a little creek just outside. It’s behind the conservatory so no one will see us.”
“Sounds scandalous.” She grinned up at him and brushed some dirt from his shoulders. “But I’m not really surprised by your suggestion. You seem to be known for taking your clothes off as your claim to scandalitity.”
A lopsided smile took his lips. “I may have taken a first in both science and mathematics, and possibly a second to last in English at Cambridge, but I’m fairly certain that is not a word.” He wiped a smudge from her cheek.
“We can argue about it later. For now, let’s go to that creek you mentioned.”
Before she knew what was happening, Alex’s arms came around her, picked her up, and carried her out the back of conservatory and down to the creek. He lowered her to feet to the ground. “Your bath, Mrs. Banks.”
“That was much more graceful than the way you carried Olivia.”
He scowled. “If I had carried her that way and not thrown her over my shoulder, I would have hurt myself. Now, let’s not talk about her and ruin this. Go on and get in. I’ll be there in a minute.”
Caroline nodded and walked to the water. Bravely, she dipped her toe in then immediately brought it back out. That water was like ice. She glanced over her shoulder. Alex was still unlacing his boots. Would he leave his drawers on? She shivered, and not because her toes were frozen.
Tearing her eyes from him, she blew out a deep breath and took a step forward. Then another, and another. Refusing to act a ninny and run out of the cool water and back to the conservatory, she kept walking until she was waist deep.
She grinned and forgot about her discomfort when Alex swore under his breath just as his bare feet made a light splash as he stepped into the freezing water.
“A bit chilly, eh?” she teased, turning around to face him.
He wore only his drawers and she couldn’t stop herself from shamelessly staring at him. She’d leaned against him and had run her hands over him before—with and without clothes—but she’d never had such a good view of the front of his body. Contrary to what she’d pictured, his upper body was firm and muscled. The muscles along his stomach were flat, with pronounced dips and indentations separating them. Higher up, the muscles in his chest and shoulders were more rounded, less rigid. Her fingers itched to skim them and tangle in the small mat of curling hair in the middle of his chest that formed a trail down his stomach then disappeared beneath his drawers.
“Chilly, doesn’t even begin describe it.” He then muttered something else she didn’t quite catch. Something about shriveling and an effective way to kill something.
She bent her knees to sink lower into the frigid water then moved closer to him. “Join me.”
He humored her and came just as much into the water as she was. He dipped his hands into the water then used his wet fingers to wash the mud and dirt from her face. She copied his action. She ran her hands along his shoulders and down his arms, then back up again. She buried her face in his chest and reveled in the moment when his hands came up behind her to hold her there. Alex’s embrace was undeniably her favorite place in the world.
His lips found her ear and whispered swee
t and tender words while his hands roamed along her back and sides. He brought his hand up and squeezed her breast, sending sparks of hot fire shooting through her cold body, warming it instantly.
His other hand moved up to cup and shape her other breast, making them both swell beneath his strong fingers. His lips tenderly kissed her below her ear then down to her neck where he used his tongue to trace her collarbone and taste the hollow of her throat.
Alex’s knee pushed between her legs, parting them. She willingly complied and was sweetly rewarded when his hand left her breast and touched her where she ached for him most. “Lean against me,” he whispered before covering her lips with his.
She returned his kiss and parted her lips for him when he ran his tongue along the seam of her mouth. She sighed against his mouth, and his tongue crossed her lips the same time as one—or perhaps two—of his fingers slid inside her.
Trying not to repulse him and give in to her wanton instincts too much, she clenched her eyes shut and willed herself to stay still as his thick fingers worked. With each stroke, the intense pressure inside her built, serving only to make her yearn to match his movements. And then she did. Twice. She bit down on her lower lip and tightened the muscles in her thighs and abdomen to keep her willful body still as his pace increased once again, putting delicious pressure so deep inside her she couldn’t stop her body from writhing in his hold. Each of his thrusts stoked the inner fire burning within her. A second later, his thumb entered the fray, massaging her aching flesh. She could stop herself no longer and rocked her hips in response to the movements of his fingers and thumb. Then, as if a dam broke, a heated release washed over her.
Alex’s mouth left hers and she spiraled back to reality. She opened her eyes to find his dark, desire-filled, brown eyes looking straight at her. He moved his hands to her waist. Which was a good thing, otherwise she would have melted right here in the creek.
“Ready to get out?’ he asked, his voice so rough she hardly recognized it.
She licked her lips. “What about you?”
“I don’t think that will be happening just now. It’s too cold,” he further explained when she stared blankly at him. He helped her from the water and offered her a lopsided grin. “It looks like we’ll have to let the air dry us in the conservatory.”
She nodded. The sun may be out, but there was no doubting the inside of conservatory was at least ten degrees warmer, providing a much nicer place to dry off than standing by the creek.
Inside, Alex grabbed her hand and together they explored the conservatory again, each trying to catch the other unaware and stealing a kiss.
And so it was for the next two weeks. Nighttime brought about steamy nights of one-sided passion where Alex took Caroline to heights she’d never imagined, and during the day, they’d act like children together, digging in the dirt, playing tag in their bare feet, stealing kisses, and swimming in the creek.
But something was missing. And for the life of her, Caroline didn’t know precisely what it was or how to get it.
Chapter 20
Alex was nearly mad with want for his own wife. He’d thought there was an imaginary string attached from her body to his heart before they’d married; now the damned thing had grown into a cord. Forget that. The thing was a bloody rope now. There was no refuting it. He was in love with his wife. What had started out as a ploy not to marry the worst creature in England had turned into him marrying the best woman in the world, and had cost him his heart in return. Not that he was complaining he’d lost it. Better in her possession than beating empty in his chest. No, the problem was for as much as he loved her, he couldn’t share the greatest joy life had to offer with her.
She seemed to enjoy his caressing just fine, and he’d even been tempted to try to make love to her again, but the memory of her shriek and the image of her turned face, complete with closed eyes and lip clenched between her teeth, had kept his pants buttoned with his privates safely tucked away.
Most gentlemen kept a mistress because they didn’t enjoy intimate relations with their wives, presumably because either their wives didn’t enjoy such attention or the gentleman in question didn’t enjoy his wife. But Alex wasn’t most men. He didn’t want a mistress. Not only did the idea of paying a woman for the use of her body repulse him, he’d never be unfaithful to Caroline. That’s what love was about, wasn’t it? Accepting the good with the bad.
He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. He opened his eyes and looked down at the missive on his desk, needing to distract himself somehow. Marcus had sent him several notes in the past fortnight, asking him to come to see him about Caroline’s dowry and whatnot. He’d been so busy having fun with Caroline during the day that he’d put it off until today. Last night while he was trying once again trying to sleep with three lanterns glowing in his room, he’d made up his mind that today he’d go see Marcus. A glance out the window ended that plan. It was raining too hard to ride on horseback, and he wouldn’t risk the health of his horses or coachman to take the carriage over something as paltry as Caroline’s dowry. He had enough money as it was; hers didn’t really matter. Not that he expected it to be very high anyway. He’d actually been surprised to hear she had one. He’d always assumed she was a poor relation, literally.
“Mr. Banks,” Johnson said, cracking the door to the library.
“Yes, Johnson?”
“Masters Henry and Elijah have just arrived from London and have inquired as to your whereabouts, sir.”
“Send them in,” he said excitedly. It had been months since he’d seen the pair and couldn’t wait to hear all about their trip to America. He’d only been there once when he was four, and except for Aunt Carolina’s hysterics about him grabbing the Bible from her hand and running around the room, he didn’t remember the place.
“Congratulations, brother,” Henry said, sauntering into the room like the carefree lad he was. He was clad in only his shirtsleeves and his blonde hair was windblown and wet from the rain.
Elijah followed right behind, also offering his congratulations.
He thanked them both and asked for details of their most recent travels, which they were all too excited to give.
An hour later the door opened and Caroline walked in, freezing in place just past the threshold. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Alex. I didn’t realize you had company.”
“No need to be sorry.” Henry winked at Caroline. “You’re welcome to join us anytime you’d like, just as long as you sit right here.” He patted a space on the settee between him and Elijah.
Elijah scooted over to give her more room, and Caroline’s eyes nearly popped out.
“Go on,” Alex encouraged. He and his brothers might share the same parents, but that was where the similarities, physically and personality-wise, ended. His brothers were so charming it bordered on disreputable, but he trusted them with Caroline. Their flirting with her was all in good fun, nothing more.
She didn’t move. “I can’t stay,” she protested. “I just came to—”
“To see if your attentive husband was going to pay you any attention today,” Elijah finished for her.
She blushed. “And how would you know how attentive he is?” she countered. Alex couldn’t tell if her words were spoken in fun or defense.
“Because he’s a Banks,” Henry answered matter-of-factly. “And Banks gentlemen are always attentive to their ladies.”
“Is that so? And do they always fight over their brother’s lady?”
Alex chuckled.
“Only if she’s as pretty as you,” Elijah said smoothly.
A throaty, sultry, groin-hardening laugh filled the air. “Well, if I’m to be fought over, I suppose I should at least be comfortable.” She took a seat between the two. “I do feel honor-bound—if such a thing applies to ladies—to inform you both that you’ll both have to present a very good case to persuade me away from your brother. I’ve grown quite attached.”
Alex didn’t hear their responses ov
er the excitement raging through his body at her words. She didn’t say she loved him, but it was close. Close enough for now, anyway.
He watched the three of them talk and laugh over on the settee. “What’s so entertaining over there?” he asked when Caroline wiped a tear from her eye.
“You don’t worry about us, Alex,” Henry said, flicking his wrist. “Just think about one of your science experiments and ignore us like you normally do.”
Alex scowled. “Caro?”
She looked at him with eyes that positively sparkled with joy.
“Oh, all right. Tell her. Tell her every embarrassing story you remember about me.” Alex shook his head in resignation.
“How did you know?” Caroline burst out.
“You told me. Or should I say, your squeal and burst of giggles did,” he clarified. “They told you about the bees, didn’t they?”
She nodded, her shoulders shaking with mirth, his brothers merely grinned like jackals, confirming his suspicions.
“We told her to check you for scars tonight, too,” Henry said helpfully.
“Perhaps you can give her a quill and she can connect the dots to see if there was some sort of picture the bees thought to leave,” Elijah added.
He rolled his eyes. “I hate to disappoint you two numbskulls, but bee stings do not leave lasting marks. And if they did, I doubt Caroline would be interested in using my arse as a drawing canvas.”
“Stop, Alex!” Caroline buried her head in her hands. Her body shook with waves of laughter and in that split-second it made all the discomfort he’d suffered at fourteen after he’d accidentally sat over an active beehive worth it.
“Alex,” Elijah said suddenly. “I have a question.”
“What?” Alex asked testily. He might love to see Caroline so delighted, but back only an hour and his brothers were already trying his nerves.
“How exactly did that happen anyway? We all know you’d just gone for a dip in the creek and sat on a log to dry off, but how did you not know there was an active beehive in the hole in the log? I mean, you’re the scientist and all, but weren’t the swarming bees a clue?” he asked, snickering.
