“That’s all fine and good, but deceit does not settle well with me,” Jared snapped, coming to his feet. “You are a wanted woman. Although you claim to be innocent, I’ve no way of knowing what you say is true. If I continue to harbor you, and you’re eventually found out, I’ll pay the same price as you, Miss Ashford.”
“I understand,” she said, her gaze on her hands.
Jared looked at the top of her bowed head a long moment. Suddenly he became angry at all the emotion she stirred within him. He’d never wanted to feel anything for a woman again! In fact, he’d vowed long ago he wouldn’t! Damnation! How did he get himself mixed up in all this? “I’ll let you know my final decision in the morning.” He strode to her door. “And I suggest you don’t try to slip from this house under the cover of night. You’ll regret it if you do.”
As she watched the door slam shut, Alissa suddenly felt a spark of hope ignite within her. Since he had not said no, there still might be some small chance that he’d help her. She was willing to do anything he asked, just so long as he granted her a reprieve.
CHAPTER
Twelve
The next morning, a note was slipped under Alissa’s door that read: Agatha, meet me in my study in fifteen minutes. The use of her assumed name stressed to her that she should be disguised. Again it was signed J.
Certain Jared had made his decision, Alissa entered the library, her stomach turning somersaults. Taking in a calming breath, she closed her eyes and prayed fervently it would be in her favor.
As she stood in the doorway to the study, she surveyed Jared as he leaned back in his chair, his head resting against the leather, the thumb and forefinger of his right hand massaging his eyelids. He still wore the same clothing from the night before, sans jacket, waistcoat, and cravat, his shirt studs missing down to his breastbone. Then his hand dropped, and he viewed her.
“Close the door and take a seat,” he said, his face devoid of expression, and Alissa’s hopes plummeted.
“I assume you’ve made your decision,” she said, leaning against the closed door for support, should he say the words she most feared.
His tired eyes raked her face and body. He hadn’t slept last night, having, intermittently, paced his quarters, then lain in his bed to stare at its canopy, then started the process anew. “I think it best you sit.”
Alissa’s legs teetered slightly, but she made it to the chair where she looked at him askance.
Jared drew a breath and cleared his throat. “I’ve made my decision, although I doubt you’ll agree. The choice was extremely difficult. However, I saw no other way.”
Her gaze dropped to her folded hands. “I understand.”
“No, you don’t,” Jared said with a derisive laugh. “Alissa”—her name rolled through his lips like a summer’s breeze—“look at me.” He watched as her gaze climbed to his face. “My decision is based upon Megan’s needs. Of course, there are conditions to it. After you’ve heard them, you will either accept my terms, or I’ll have no choice but to notify the proper authorities.”
Her heart sang in her breast. Her prayers had been answered! “Mr. Braxton, how can I thank you,” she said in a rush, a smile lighting her eyes, then her face. “I promise I will—”
“Don’t thank me,” he said curtly, “and don’t promise me anything. Not until you’ve heard my terms.”
Alissa sobered. “I apologize. I thought you were going to allow me to remain at Hawkstone.”
“You will remain at Hawkstone.”
“Then what is the difficulty?”
“The terms, Alissa.”
“Well, what are the terms?” she asked, anxiously.
Again, Jared viewed her a long moment. “We are to be married.”
“Married!” she cried, springing from her chair. “You must be … daft!”
Overly tired from his long night of thought, first telling himself he’d marry her—for Megan’s sake, of course—then telling himself he was insane for even considering the issue—a mistress was less bothersome—he had finally decided to make her his wife, and now, she had the audacity to look at him like he’d just crawled from beneath a rock! Instantly, his temper flared. “Agreed, I am daft!” he shouted, his eyes hard as moss-covered stone, “but the terms do not change. It’s the sheriff or me. Now choose, woman!”
Stunned, Alissa fell into her chair. “I—I c-can’t marry you.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t love you.”
The words hit Jared like a kick between the eyes. Never had it occurred to him that she’d reject him. Not for lack of love! True, he didn’t love her either. But that was an entirely different matter! He’d made his decision, certain she’d leap at the chance. After all, he was a fine catch. Perhaps the best in all of Britain! And he decided to tell her so. “It may surprise you, Miss Pem—Miss Ashford, but if I were to snap my fingers, at least half the women in Scotland, and a good portion in England, as well, would come running to do my bidding. And if I posted one small sign in Selkirk today that read, ‘Jared Braxton Seeks Wife,’ there would be a line outside my gate on the morrow that would stretch from Edinburgh and back, thrice.”
“It could stretch to London and back, thrice, Mr. Braxton,” Alissa snapped, still suffering from the shock of his statement. “The fact remains, I do not love you.”
“I said nothing about love,” he countered, harshly. “Megan is the one who needs your love, not I. The decision was made solely with her in mind. She has come to trust you … in fact, she looks upon you as a mother figure, which in itself is a miracle. Even though Megan tried desperately to win her mother’s love, Celeste never showed her the least bit of affection. For a small child, such neglect was hard to understand and very damaging. Not until you came along did she willingly open her heart again. You will not destroy her by leaving, and you cannot stay as Miss Pembroke!”
“But there are other women who can love her equally as much as I … perhaps someone whom you could love, as well.”
“Patricia, perhaps?”
“No.”
Alissa had said the word with such vehemence that Jared laughed, but it was not a kind laugh. “Precisely, Miss Ashford. Not only has Patricia attempted to use Megan to capture me, many others have tried the same ploy. Therein lies the problem—whom to trust. I learned long ago those of the feminine gender play a game—love’s charade—when all they really want is what my money and station can afford them. In your case, however, I know you care nothing for me or my money, but you do care deeply for Megan and that is what is important.”
Although she did not love Jared, as he had said, she had had hopes of using his money and station to her own ends. “My actions were not totally devoid of self-serving intentions,” she said, hoping her confession would change his mind. “I, too, had wanted to use your power to help me.”
“How so?”
“I had hoped, if I were to somehow cure Megan’s muteness, I could ask your help in clearing my name.”
“You were going to use Megan as a pawn?”
“No,” she denied truthfully. “My thought was if I should give Megan back her voice, only then would I ask that you assist me. It would have been in lieu of monetary payment, that which you arranged with Miss Pembroke. Never would I have put my needs first.”
“I believe you,” Jared said, knowing deep down that despite her deception, she would never knowingly harm his child. “But there is a difference. Where you would ask one favor, the others would ask many upon many, until they had drained me of all I have. My choice has been made, and I will not change my mind. We shall marry.”
Alissa shook her head in denial. “Y-you can’t be serious! I won’t do it!”
“It seems, Alissa, that you forget who holds the trump card here,” he said, becoming irritated with the entire matter, especially her rebellion. “As I stated before, it’s the sheriff or me.”
“But—”
“If Megan agrees, then we will marry,” he went o
n, ignoring her. “She is the one who holds the answer to your fate. In return, should she agree, I will do everything in my power to clear your name.”
“B-but what about”—Alissa blushed—“about …”
Jared’s lips twitched, his brow rising in amusement. “My husbandly rights?”
Alissa nodded.
“I’m not opposed to having more children,” he stated, and watched as she went pale. “But there will be no pressure on you to perform.”
He’d made it sound like a circus act, she thought in anger. This was not her idea of marriage at all. Certainly, she wanted children, but she also wanted a loving husband. Jared attracted her, made her feel things no other man ever had. Of course, her experience with men was practically nil. But love … ? She was certain that that was not what she felt for the man.
“Are you betrothed, Alissa?” he asked, interrupting her thoughts.
“No.”
“Do you have a lover?”
“No!”
“Have you ever?”
“No!”
With her sharp denial, Jared felt an odd sense of relief rush through him. “Then I see no reason why we cannot marry,” he stated as though the matter were settled. “Of course, first, you must convince Megan. You will explain everything in my presence. Should she agree, we’ll be married as soon as things can be arranged.” Then he stood, ready to shoo her out of his sight. “Oh, yes. During the day, you will continue to assume your disguise as Miss Pembroke. You will do so until your name has been cleared. In the evenings, however, you will become yourself.” He rose, came around his desk, and lightly gripped her chin. “It’s hard to believe,” he said, turning her face from side to side, “that a few strokes of makeup, an old dress, and a spinster’s hairdo could hide your beauty so well. When we are alone, I do not want it hidden from my eyes … ever. Now, are we to marry?” he asked, his eyes daring her to object.
Still stunned by Jared’s proposal and the terms that went with it, Alissa stared at him and noted his stern look. All other options were closed to her. It was, as he’d stated, the sheriff or him. “You leave me no choice,” she said, defeated. “We shall marry.”
“Good. You’ve chosen wisely, Alissa.”
Megan, excited over the prospect of having a new mother, one who would truly love her, had given her approval, and three days after Jared’s ultimatum, Alissa, her beauty unveiled, stood beside him in a dimly lit church not far from Selkirk, half-listening as the Reverend Mr. Jacobs recited the wedding vows from memory. His nasal tone vibrated through her, then she heard the deep timbre of Jared’s voice as he repeated each word. Suddenly it was her turn, and in a weak, tremulous voice, she made her own pledge, stumbling several times as she did so. Jared’s hand squeezed hers in reassurance when she forgot a complete passage and the minister had to restate it, then she watched as the gold band, studded with sapphires, was slipped onto her finger, and with a chaste peck from Jared on her forehead, the ceremony ended.
With the necessary documents signed, Jared stepped aside with the Reverend Mr. Jacobs. “Have you seen to everything?” he asked.
“There’s no need to worry. Since Scotland is exempt from the Marriage Act, no banns needed to be posted, your bride did not need to prove residency, and no license was needed. An exchange of vows before witnesses is all that it took to make it legal. Your marriage certificate, sir.” He handed the paper to Jared. “As always, your secrets are safe with me.”
“Thank you, my friend,” Jared said, squeezing Jacobs’s shoulder, then he handed the man a purse. “For your orphans’ fund.”
“It is I who should thank you,” the man said after he’d peeked inside, his eyes still round with surprise.
The men shook hands, then Jared walked to the arched doorway where his new bride awaited him, passing the time with Mrs. Jacobs, who had served as matron of honor. “Shall we, Mrs. Braxton?” he asked, extending his arm, and Alissa nervously placed her hand on his sleeve. “Mr. Stanley, I believe we are ready.”
“Aye,” the best man said, pulling at his stiff collar. “Be glads to get home, meself.”
As the newlyweds traveled the road back to Hawkstone, Jared sitting opposite Alissa in the coach, he watched his wife in lazy assessment. She wore the blue silk, the one he’d found in the armoire, the gown’s neckline curving low, the sapphire brooch pinned between her youthful breasts. Puffed sleeves capped her slim shoulders; seed pearls decorated the bodice in an intricate design. The silk molded her midriff and waist, to flare into a full skirt, covering her silk-slippered feet. “You’re quite lovely, Alissa,” he said, and she turned her gaze from the darkened roadway. “A man could not hope for a more beautiful bride.”
Alissa’s concentration dropped to the bouquet she held. “Are we really married?” she asked in a small whisper.
Jared chuckled. “Yes, Mrs. Braxton. In the eyes of God and man, we are married.” She said nothing. “Having second thoughts?”
Her gaze snapped to his face. “I’ve said all along I did not wish to marry you.”
“But my wish was that you did,” he stated with superiority. “And, dear Alissa, I always get what I want.”
“Through blackmail.”
“This time, perhaps,” he admitted. “But not so in the past. You will find our union will not be as distasteful as you might think. In the near future, you will have a babe to entertain you … perhaps two or three.”
Her eyes grew round, and she finally found her voice. “You promised you would not press for your rights,” she reminded in a rush. “I have a career—”
“Had,” he stated. “Your days on the stage are finished. Should you feel the need to perform, it will be for my eyes alone.”
Alissa could not find a suitable comeback. In her haste to escape the Crown’s punishment, she’d given Jared Braxton the right to say what she could and could not do. She was no longer an individual who retained the right of choice for herself. No, she was owned by another—one who did not love her.
“I presume you now wish you’d chosen the sheriff over me?” he asked through the shadows. “If so, you are wrong in your assumption. I’ve done some investigating since I learned who you are. The Earl of Creighton, Rothhamford’s father, has many friends in high places. If you had gone it alone, you would not have stood a chance. I, too, have friends. With my help, your risks of being convicted of the assault and robbery of one Charles Rhodes are far less likely. If you will be patient, I will prove it to you.”
“And what shall I offer in return?” she asked in honest query.
“Yourself.” Jared saw her stiffen. “Many couples marry for other reasons than love, Alissa. And they parent a half-dozen or more children as a result.”
“They also take lovers to compensate for their loneliness,” she said, heatedly, knowing of several such marriages herself.
Jared’s eyes narrowed. “In your case, you will not.”
“And you?” she asked, detesting the thought of the double standard by which she’d be made to live, for she was certain he would take as many mistresses as there were days in the week. Yet, if she were of the disposition to search out a tender heart, then she’d, no doubt, be made to pay for her transgression. “I suppose you will be allowed as much freedom as you wish.”
“Give me no reason to seek another,” he said, thinking of his late wife and her frigidness, “and I shall search out your bed alone.”
Certain she had spoken too soon, Alissa fell silent. Perhaps if she continued to refuse him, he’d find another for his masculine needs. Yes, that’s what she’d do, she decided. She’d refuse him.
“This marriage will be consummated, Alissa,” he said, reading her mind. “It is up to you how it is done.”
“Y-you wouldn’t use force, would you?” she cried, her eyes growing wide.
Jared chuckled knowingly. “Sweet Alissa, you are so naive. I’d never force you. I wouldn’t have to, love. My experience is far greater than yours. I’m a master at s
eduction. No woman has ever refused me.” Then he thought of Celeste—cold, selfish Celeste. Driven by his thoughts, he felt he had to prove his words. His new wife would not be like his first. “Come sit by me,” he said, patting the empty space next to him.
“I’m quite comfortable here,” Alissa said haughtily and without thought.
A cunning smile crossed his face. “Then I will come to you.” He transferred his body next to hers, trapping her skirt under his thigh, then his hand hit the side of the coach, stopping her flight to the opposite seat. “Still comfy?” he asked with a grin as his free arm slipped around her shoulders, pulling her against him.
“Unhand me,” she demanded, pushing against his solid chest. “If you touch me, I’ll—”
“You’ll what?” His hand released the coach wall and slipped around her waist, his grin growing wider. “Call the law down on me?”
Frightened, Alissa struggled the more. Visions of Charles Rhodes leapt into her mind. “Jared, please … don’t.”
Her attempts to free herself drove him onward. She would not be another Celeste. Never! When he wanted her, she would acquiesce, come to him willingly, her arms open, her body anxious for his entry. A moonlit glade suddenly filled the field of his mind; a free-spirited nymph beckoned to her lover, and Jared forgot all except the dream in his arms. “Don’t deny me, Alissa,” he whispered hoarsely, then he turned her face, and his mouth covered hers.
His lips probed softly, gently, Alissa fighting their tender persuasion, yet he refused to release her, his tongue tracing the fullness of her lower lip. Slowly, tenderly, he melted her, and of a sudden, she felt a spark ignite deep within her. At first, it frightened her the more, but the burning emotion kept increasing at a feverish pace, until fire leapt wildly through her veins, consuming her fears, and she leaned against him, her lips opening under his.
Her instant surrender rocked him, all thought of tender seduction fled, and he could no longer control the flame inside him. Raw desire erupted, an inferno blazed out of control, and his thirsty lips became demanding, forceful. In reckless abandon, his hand left her waist to glide up her silk-clad side, then cup her breast. His palm pressed the softness, then his fingers, eager to touch her flesh, moved to the swooping neckline of her gown and plunged into its depths.
Masque of Enchantment Page 18
