“Oh, you have brought someone back,” she bubbled, taking Elizabeth by the hand.
Andrew looked down at the girl and nodded, “Yes, do you suppose we could find her some attire that is not torn from stem to stern?”
The girl giggled and nodded, “But of course sir. I’m certain we can find her something.”
She dragged Elizabeth through the massive wooden door and into the house. The men disappeared into another room and Elizabeth let out her breath in a loud whoosh.
“Where on earth did they find you?” the girl chattered.
“In town, Andrew there rescued me from attackers.”
“Oh, he is a gallant one, that Andrew.”
The girl’s voice dropped, “You know he owns all this, right?”
“I had a feeling,” Elizabeth admitted. “But this is… huge.”
“Aye, that it is. You know, he’s not bad on the eyes.”
Elizabeth laughed, “No, he’s not. By the way, I’m Elizabeth.”
“My name is Hope, I work here with my family. Those were my brothers in the stable and my mum works in the kitchen. My father used to work in the garden, but we have not seen him for a long while.”
Elizabeth nodded as Hope escorted her into one of the bedrooms on the second floor.
“Maybe you can stay here with us?” Hope looked for some kind of positive acceptance to her offer.
“I don’t believe that’s up to me,” Elizabeth answered vaguely.
“Well, let’s find you something to wear for dinner. I don’t think he will make you eat in the kitchen so you must look nice for the dining hall.”
Elizabeth nodded dismissively as she inspected the room. There was a large four-poster bed in one corner and a beautiful carved wooden chair in another. She ran her fingertips over the curtains that hugged the window and marveled at the softness of the velvet.
The girl was digging through a large steamer trunk on the floor and finally pulled out a breathtaking blue silk gown.
“How about this?”
“Oh my! I’ve never worn anything like that in my life!”
“Well, tonight’s the night then! And I suppose we should get you cleaned up as well. You sort of look road worn.”
Elizabeth’s pale cheeks blossomed pink, “I know, it’s been a terrible day.”
“I can take care of that, I’ll be back shortly.”
The girl disappeared and shut the door behind her. Elizabeth perched on the edge of the chair and sighed heavily. She had no idea where she was, who exactly she was with, and what was going to happen. Her mind flitted crazily from thought to thought as she worried about her peas that she left drying in the sun, and her work dress that had probably blown away in the wind by now.
Hope returned quickly with a large bucket of hot water, a small cloth, and a bar of soap.
“How about you tidy yourself up a bit and I’ll be back to help you get ready?”
Once Hope had left again, Elizabeth dipped the cloth in the hot water and soaped it up thoroughly. She draped her torn dress on the bed and carefully washed herself. She was lucky Andrew had come along when he did, otherwise her day would be ending much differently. She was glad she had not sustained any injuries during her adventure.
Hope knocked gently on the door, “Are you finished ma’am?”
She pulled the blanket from the bed and wrapped herself up. “Yes, come in.”
Hope smiled at her, “Don’t you feel a little better now.”
Elizabeth nodded as Hope produced a hairbrush and a set of elaborate hair combs.
“Let me get those curls under control,” Hope smiled.
Elizabeth pulled the blanket tighter around herself and sat in the chair. It had been so long since someone had brushed out her hair for her and she closed her eyes as she remembered her mother’s gentle touch.
Soon the hair was brushed smooth, and then coiled on top of her head. Hope pulled a few curls loose so that they brushed against her cheeks. The young girl politely turned her back while Elizabeth slipped into the gown and then Hope helped her fasten the strings to hold it in place.
“Oh you look just beautiful,” Hope breathed softly.
Elizabeth’s cheeks flushed again; she was not accustomed to fawning and compliments.
“Are you ready for dinner? It will be the whole family, but that’s all men.”
Elizabeth looked alarmed at the information but Hope patted her hand gently, “No worries, they will all stare but they won’t try anything in front of Andrew.”
She slid her feet into the tiny matching slippers and Hope ushered her to the stairway and pointed down and to the left. Elizabeth took a deep breath, grasped the railing tightly, and made her way into the dining hall. All eyes were on her as she entered the room. She could especially sense Andrew’s dark penetrating gaze.
Chapter Five
The dining hall was enormous, with a long wooden table running down the middle and lined with oversized wooden chairs. The ceiling was doubly high as a normal room, and the pillars that supported the roof were bigger than she could have wrapped her arms around. Each pillar held a lighted lamp which illuminated the room with a soft flickering glow. On one end of the room was a large fireplace that glowed brightly and warmed the open space.
The table was surrounded by the same men she had encountered with Andrew earlier, and he was seated at the head of the table directly in front of the fireplace. The table itself was loaded down with all the food she could imagine and then some items she did not even recognize. The meal looked like more food than she normally consumed in a month, and her stomach rumbled at the smells.
Andrew rose to greet her, “Welcome. Please, have a seat.”
He gestured to the seat next to him. She made her way across the room as all eyes followed her movements. The silk skirts rustled softly against the stone floor and she was suddenly aware of the cleavage that peeked out of the bodice of the dress. As she took her seat, she could feel Andrew’s dark eyes raking over her form.
“What can we get you to eat?”
The voice next to her startled her and she whipped around suddenly.
Andrew tried to reassure her, “That’s just Abigail, Hope’s mother. She works in the kitchen.”
“Oh, hello, it’s nice to make your acquaintance. Your daughter is a lovely girl.”
“Thank you,” the older lady smiled sweetly.
She leaned over to whisper in Elizabeth’s ear, “You’d best get your food quickly, these men will eat everything here.”
Andrew chuckled, “The lady’s right. Go ahead and help yourself first.”
Elizabeth fingered the edge of her plate nervously and looked down the length of the food laden table.
“There’s so much,” she breathed. “I hardly know where to start.”
“Shall I have Abigail fix a plate for you?”
“That would be lovely, and much appreciated.”
Abigail smiled and picked up Elizabeth’s plate. She headed down one side of the table, picking up items and spooning up dishes as she went. By the time she came up the other side of the table, the plate looked as though it would break under the weight of the servings.
“Oh, that is indeed too much food,” Elizabeth protested.
“Whatever you don’t eat, I’m sure someone will help finish,” Andrew laughed.
Elizabeth looked down at the meal. Her plate was covered with smoked ham, cheddar cheese, apple slices, pickles, sliced tomatoes, some sort of preserves or chutney, cucumbers, green onions, a boiled egg, and a generous chunk of dark brown bread.
“Oh this looks delicious. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen this much food in one place before!”
“Okay men, dig in. The lady has been served.”
The room erupted into a clatter with men laughing, dishes being passed and banged, scraping of bowls and spoons, and general chatter. One of the young boys from the stable circled the table with a large pitcher, pouring out ale for the men. He paused at Eliza
beth’s chair with a question on his face. She politely rested her palm over her mug and he moved on. Abigail appeared at her elbow again and replaced the large mug with a small cup of tea. Elizabeth nodded her thanks and took a sip of the fragrant brew.
The meal was amazing, and before Elizabeth was aware, she had eaten nearly everything on her plate.
“Abigail is a great cook, hmm?” Andrew asked quietly amid the chatter.
“Oh it was amazing. I think I will be full for a month.”
Andrew chuckled, “You know, it does not have to be temporary. This place could use the influence of a woman.”
Elizabeth’s eyes widened in alarm and surprise, “What do you mean?”
“I mean, there are no women who live here other than Abigail and Hope. And this family needs to be thinking in that direction.”
Elizabeth looked down at her plate and took her last bite of bread with cheese and chutney.
“I have no intentions of forcing anything,” Andrew continued, “but I can be very persuasive and I do intend to persuade.”
Elizabeth’s cheeks flushed as she sipped her tea without making eye contact.
Eventually the rest of the room emptied out as the men drifted off to finish their evenings elsewhere. It was only Andrew and Elizabeth left in the dining hall.
“Shall we visit the drawing room?” he offered politely.
“Sure, I have not seen that room yet.”
Andrew stood and politely pulled Elizabeth’s chair out for her so that she could get up smoothly. He rested his hand on her elbow to guide her through the house and she felt a warm electric tingle course through her body.
The room was much smaller and cozier, and contained a flickering fireplace as well as a beautiful plush couch. Andrew sat down on the couch and patted the seat next to him.
“Why don’t you join me?”
Elizabeth took a deep breath and perched on the edge of the seat next to him. Her heart raced inside her chest and her belly felt like it was full of butterflies as her leg brushed against his. The smile on his face hid something wicked and his dark eyes flashed with the fire’s reflection.
Chapter Six
Elizabeth took the tea cup from Abigail and Andrew accepted his mug of ale. The housekeeper left the room as silently as she had arrived and the two were left alone again.
Andrew’s large frame nearly filled the small couch and his arm stretched along the back, lightly pressed against Elizabeth’s exposed shoulders. She continued to stare straightforward into the fire and tried not to grip the delicate teacup too tightly.
“So what do you think of my home?” Andrew asked nonchalantly.
“It’s just lovely, I’ve never seen anything like it. Well, perhaps from a distance, but not up close and inside.”
“It was built by my grandfather and passed down. My father died several years back and I’ve inherited the whole thing.”
“It’s quite impressive.”
“Thank you, my brothers and cousins help me care for it but they tend to slack off since they don’t own it.”
“Do they all live nearby?”
“Yes, there are several smaller houses in the back part of the land that they all occupy. We tried all living in this estate, but it was just too much. We were always in each other’s way so they’ve taken the smaller houses as their own. Eventually everyone will be starting their own family so it’s probably better this way.”
“There really aren’t any women around?”
“Only Abigail and Hope. Their family has worked for ours for generations now.”
“Oh my,” Elizabeth breathed softly.
Andrew laughed, “It’s not so bad. I guess I should be in charge of seeing that they are all married off, but I prefer they make their own choices. As will I.”
Elizabeth’s eyes darted up to his face and then back down into her tea.
He was an impressive man, obviously wealthy, and easy on the eyes. His shoulders were broad and strong; his hair was dark and curly as was his closely trimmed beard; his eyes were almost black and looked as though they hid secrets that no one could have guessed.
Andrew’s arm shifted on the back of the couch, and his rough hand was warm on the nape of her neck. She inhaled sharply and tried not to move.
“I don’t intend to harm you,” he whispered softly in her ear.
His breath danced on her skin and sent a small shiver through her body.
“I know,” she whispered.
“But you are a beautiful woman.”
His fingers tickled the back of her neck gently and she felt the goosebumps erupt down her arms.
“Thank you,” she breathed softly.
“I must admit, we have not had a beautiful woman here in a long time.”
“Andrew…” her voice trailed off in confusion and anxiety.
“Yes?”
“I-I-I…”
“I figured as much,” he acknowledged her silent admission of innocence. “There is no shame or harm in that.”
When Elizabeth looked up at Andrew, he was startled to see her eyes bright with tears.
“Please, don’t be afraid of me. I’m persuasive, but not forceful.”
She smiled weakly, “I just, I have no life experience. I’ve been on my own for a while now and well, have just been focused on getting by.”
“You live alone?”
“Yes, I have a small place that I keep. My parents died a few years ago and I think I’ve been doing pretty well. I have a house and a garden and a chicken coop. I’ve even learned to skin rabbits and such.”
“I am impressed. Before my father died, he was trying to marry me off to some girl in the neighboring village. It was terrible, her father was wealthy and she was an idiot. I always pictured myself with someone a little more, well, self-sufficient.”
Elizabeth smiled; she had been worried that a man like him was interested in some kind of delicate flower of a girl who could barely stand on her own.
What am I thinking? Why would I be worried about that? I have no intention of staying here with him. Why would I be jealous of whoever his father had in mind?
“I was able to put it off long enough that eventually her father got tired of waiting and found her another husband. However, that still leaves me to find my own.”
Elizabeth set the teacup down on the small table and turned to face him.
“Is that why you brought me here? To force marriage?”
“No! Not at all! I, You, Well,” Andrew stuttered his response.
She laughed, “I wasn’t trying to put you on the spot. But you have to admit, you did that to me earlier.”
“Fair is fair,” he smiled.
He looked down at the delicate young woman and admired her creamy complexion and the swell of her breasts as they rose out of the blue silk bodice. Her cheeks were flushed and the fire danced in her eyes. Her lips were deep pink and slightly parted. Andrew could not stop himself from bending to her.
His beard tickled her cheeks as he leaned in and when his lips pressed against hers, it took her breath away. She sat motionless as the tip of his tongue slid across her lower lip and she felt a heat inside her body that did not originate from the fire in the fireplace.
He pulled back and prayed that she would not slap him. Instead, she perched with her eyes still closed and her lips still parted, holding her breath.
He slid his arm off the back of the couch and snaked it around her waist to pull her closer. The second kiss was rougher, as he told her with his mouth and tongue exactly what he had in mind for the rest of her body. Elizabeth felt lightheaded with nervousness but the flames inside her bloodstream would not let her pull away.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he whispered when he pulled away.
Elizabeth was left on the couch alone with a pulse beating between her thighs and a spinning head.
Chapter Seven
Elizabeth slept fitfully that evening on the huge bed in the cold room, and almost missed her tin
y house with the stove in the middle of the room. All night she had thoughts and dreams of Andrew -- what his rough hands would feel like against her skin, what his strong arms would feel like wrapped around her, and what exactly he meant by ‘the place needed the influence of a woman’.
The men, including Andrew, were not around when she finally made it downstairs for breakfast. She had found a simple housedress in the trunk that had produced her evening gown, and she tied her hair back in a simple ponytail at the nape of her neck.
There was no one to be found in the dining hall or the drawing room, so she just kept wandering around. There were more rooms in the estate than shops in her town. She finally found Abigail and Hope sitting at a small table in the kitchen, sipping tea and laughing over some shared joke.
“G’morning,” she said softly, trying not to scare them.
“Well hello there,” Abigail said warmly. “Can I get you some breakfast? Some tea?”
“Both would be lovely, thank you.”
Hope grinned up at her, “Did you sleep well?”
“Yes, but I’m afraid it’s a bit cold in there. Perhaps I could find another blanket for the bed?”
Hope giggled loudly, “There are other ways of warming oneself.”
“Hope! That is not appropriate!” her mother chastised her. “I do apologize for her, that was most uncalled for.”
Elizabeth’s cheeks flushed warmly, “It’s okay. I’m sure I do not know what she meant.”
Abigail nodded and winked, “Of course, I understand.”
Elizabeth sat down at the table across from Hope and gave her a mock scowl. Hope giggled again, and scurried off to take care of her chores around the house. Abigail set a plate and a cup down in front of Elizabeth. Breakfast was a piece of the dark brown bread from dinner with a small slice of salt-cured ham. The tea was steaming hot and it felt comforting to wrap her hands around the warmed mug.
Abigail sat down across from her and smiled softly. “I think we both know what Hope was referring to, miss.”
“Yes, I just, um, didn’t think I should acknowledge the comment.”
“Fair enough, she is young and doesn’t understand these things the way we grown women do.”
Possessed By The Duke (Regency Romance) Page 2
