‘I imagine she will.’
He strode to the bench and pushed it with his foot. It rocked on unsteady legs. ‘I doubt if I could use this to batter the door down. It’d probably splinter at the first try.’
‘Perhaps we should call for her,’ Sarah suggested.
‘We can try. Unfortunately, the door is as thick as a castle wall.’
But a round of shouting and pounding brought no results. Dev finally leaned against the door. ‘I refuse to believe she’s forgotten we are here.’ He grimaced. ‘I am beginning to feel like one of the idiotic characters in one of Jessica’s Gothic romances.’
‘As long as we do not see any spectres that drip blood.’
He grinned. ‘I certainly hope not. We must hope Jessica comes before it grows dark and we seriously start worrying about such things.’
Sarah smiled and then sobered as a thought struck her. ‘Do you suppose she is hurt?’
He frowned. ‘It’s unlikely. She’s more agile than a…’ He broke off, a peculiar expression crossing his face. ‘Nor does she generally go up in the boughs over mice or cobwebs. She deliberately shut us in here.’
‘Why ever would she do that?’
‘To force us into each other’s company.’ He folded his arms across his chest, his mouth curving in a sardonic fashion. ‘The other day, in no uncertain terms, she informed me that I do not spend half enough time with you.’
‘Did she?’ With a sinking heart, she recalled her conversation this morning with Jessica.
‘Yes.’ He gave a short laugh. ‘Apparently I have not been properly fulfilling my role as adoring bridegroom.’
‘There is no need to berate yourself,’ Sarah said crossly. ‘It would not have made much difference. She has already guessed we were forced into marriage with each other.’
He stared at her. ‘How do you know that?’
‘She told me.’ She stared back at him. ‘So you see, my lord, there is no need to pretend you have the least affection for me.’
‘I am not pretending I have the least affection for you.’
Unexpectedly hurt, Sarah snapped back, ‘No, you most certainly are not. In fact, you make it quite clear you dislike me intensely.’
He moved away from the door and stalked towards her. ‘What the devil are you talking about?’
She resisted the urge to back away. ‘Nothing.’
‘Nothing?’ He towered over her. ‘Nothing? This is the second time today you’ve hinted that I hold you in some sort of dislike. You will do me the courtesy of explaining yourself.’
‘I…’ Why ever had she brought this stupid topic up? What did it matter how he felt about her? It was only a marriage of convenience and she had no reason to care what he thought.
‘Well?’ He looked impatient and demanding, and Sarah felt like throwing something at him.
‘Very well. You make it quite clear that spending time in my company is akin to…. to having a tooth pulled. You showed me the tower with the greatest reluctance. If Jessica had not looked so stricken, you would have done anything in your power to avoid me!’ She glared at him. ‘Do you deny that?’
‘So you assume that means I dislike you?’ he asked softly.
‘Yes!’
He took two steps towards her and this time she stepped back, unfortunately finding her back against the wall. She stared at him, her heart pounding at the wild, reckless look in his eye as if his careful control had snapped. His hands came down on either side of her shoulders. ‘So you think I dislike you?’ he repeated.
‘Well, yes,’ she whispered. His eyes were dark green pools and she felt as if she could fall into their depths. Her gaze fastened on his strong lips, the faint outline of his beard around his mouth. Her knees trembled.
His laugh was short and not at all amused. ‘Shall I show you how much I dislike you?’
Before she could answer, he yanked her to him and his mouth took hers. His lips were hard and demanding, his arms bands of iron moulding her to his hard chest.
Her senses were spinning and her world consisted of nothing but him. His heart beat strongly under her ear, his male scent overwhelmed her and his mouth commanded her surrender. Instead of feeling afraid, she pressed closer to him. It was only when his tongue probed her mouth and then slipped inside, touching her own tongue, that she gasped in surprise.
He released her so abruptly that she nearly stumbled. Her eyes shot open. He stared at her, a stunned look on his face as if he had no idea what had happened. Then he stepped back and ran a hand through his hair.
‘I beg your pardon,’ he said, his voice stiff. He could have been apologising for stepping on her foot. The only consolation was that his breathing was as hard as hers.
‘’Tis nothing.’
‘Nothing?’ He stared at her. ‘I just violated the terms of our marriage agreement.’
‘Was that what you did?’ Sarah asked stupidly.
‘Yes, dammit. I said I would not touch you!’
‘Oh, then if that was the case you…you have violated it before. You kissed me after our wedding.’
‘Not like this.’ He took a step towards her and stopped. ‘At any rate, you kissed me.’
‘Yes.’ What was his point? A thought struck her. ‘Was it such a dreadful experience?’
He stared at her. ‘Was what dreadful?’
‘Kissing me.’ The look on his face made her feel as if she was speaking Greek. ‘It is only that you do not look as if you found it very pleasing.’
‘Not very pleasing? My God! I suppose this is along the lines of whether I dislike you or not.’ He glared at her. ‘Very well, I found kissing you pleasing. In fact, too damnably pleasing.’
‘There is no need to sound as if you are confessing under torture! I did not ask you to kiss me,’ Sarah said, affronted by his angry tone.
‘No. You asked if I liked you or, more accurately, if I held you in dislike. What do you think now?’ His voice was dangerously soft.
‘I have no idea.’
‘Don’t you? Then perhaps I should kiss you again. Obviously I did not make my point clear.’
‘No!’ She pressed herself as flat as possible against the wall, although he had backed several paces away from her.
His smile was grim. ‘Don’t worry, I was only teasing you.’
‘Indeed.’ She tried to make her voice cool, but inside she felt as if she was on fire.
A small shape scuttling across the floor made her gasp. For a brief moment she’d nearly forgotten they were shut up together in an old bare tower. She shivered.
He started. ‘One of Jessica’s mice. Are you cold?’
‘No.’
‘Come here.’
‘Why?’
‘I am going to give you my coat.’
‘Thank you, but I don’t need your coat.’ She had no intention of allowing him to do her any favours. Not when it was so very apparent that anything he felt for her was strictly against his better judgement. The next thing she knew he was in front of her and had shrugged out of his coat. He draped it around her shoulders in an impatient movement. ‘Better?’
‘You’ll be cold now.’
‘I believe we have had this discussion before in your grandfather’s summerhouse. We decided that you are cold and I am rarely ever cold.’
‘Oh.’ That seemed ages ago.
He stalked over to the bench. ‘Come and sit. I’ve no idea how long Jessica plans to keep us here. We might as well make ourselves comfortable.’
From the dark look on his face she knew any sort of protest would only result in another ridiculous argument. Not that she cared. It was just she had no desire to sit next to someone who kissed her in such a way and then acted as if it had been a gross miscalculation. Miffed, she plopped down next to him, careful to shift as far away as possible from him on the bench.
He seemed to be doing the same thing except she had the unnerving feeling his eyes were fastened on her face. She finally turned to meet his dark
, intense gaze. She frowned. ‘Must you stare at me like that? Is there a speck on my face?’
‘No.’ He scowled. ‘Did you find my kiss at all enjoyable?’
She started. ‘I beg your pardon?’
He folded his arms. ‘I merely asked if you found my kissing you completely objectionable.’
‘Not completely. That is, I…I have not been kissed very often so I really have no basis for comparison.’ Whatever did he want to know? ‘I think it was a very nice kiss,’ she finished lamely.
‘Very nice? Does that mean you would not object if I were to kiss you again?’
She pulled his coat more firmly around her. ‘I…I don’t know.’
‘Shall we find out?’ he asked softly.
‘I don’t think it would be such a good idea.’ Though in truth she half-wanted to have his lips on hers, to experience his arms around her again.
‘Perhaps not. But we are married, so there would be no impropriety.’
‘Would it not violate your…our agreement?’
‘Undoubtedly.’ But he had already shifted so his leg pressed against hers. He tilted her chin towards him with a gentle finger. ‘But sometimes agreements should be violated and the terms changed.’
Her body already felt soft and pliant in anticipation. She tried one more time. ‘I don’t think…’
‘You think too much.’ He lowered his head and, for the second time that day, his lips covered hers.
This time his kiss was gentle and warm, exploring her mouth, coaxing her surrender instead of demanding. His lips were firm and strong, his taste intriguing. His hands crept under the coat still draped over her shoulders and he pulled her firmly against the hard warmth of his body. She scarcely noticed when the coat slipped from her shoulders.
This time, when his tongue probed her mouth she opened to him. His tongue slipped inside, strange and intriguing all at once. She shyly touched his tongue with her own. He made an odd sound, almost a groan and pressed her closer, his kiss more demanding. And then his lips left her mouth and trailed down her neck, and his hand cupped the softness of her breast. A warm pit of feeling was growing in her stomach, making her want to press closer.
Suddenly he lifted his head and swore.
Her eyes snapped open, the sudden loss of his warmth devastating. ‘Is something wrong?’
His breathing was hard, his eyes heavy and dark. And he looked as if he’d just committed a crime. ‘Nothing is wrong. You are right, we should not be doing this. It’s too dangerous.’
‘I see.’
‘I don’t think you do at all.’ He gave a short laugh. ‘I doubt very much that next time I will want to stop at a few kisses.’
‘Oh.’ She flushed, the desire in his eyes making her feel shaky and vulnerable.
‘So, you see, my dear, there is a reason I wish to stay away from you. I doubt very much if you’d like the consequences.’
He was staying away from her out of the desire to avoid seducing her? She felt more confused than ever. Had he loved Mary so much that any tug of attraction he experienced for another woman was a betrayal of her memory? It was obvious he found any desire he had for Sarah unwelcome. She tugged his coat back up around her shoulders tightly as if trying to block out the hurt she felt.
A tear trickled down her cheek. She swiped at it with the back of her hand and tried to hold back a sniff. She’d rather die than have him think she was crying over him.
‘Are you crying?’
‘No!’
‘You are!’ She felt him shift closer to her. ‘I did not mean to make you cry. The whole situation has become so damnably complicated.’ For once he sounded completely at a loss.
‘It really is not. Tomorrow you will leave for London and then when you are…are back, I will go. You…you said I could live anywhere I want. That way we can avoid each other.’
‘That is hardly what I want. Sarah, will you at least look at me?’
A pounding at the door startled them. Then it burst open, crashing against the wall. Jessica rushed in followed by Mr Dalton.
‘Sarah, Dev!’ she cried. ‘Are you all right?’
Dev rose. ‘What did you mean by locking us in here?’ he demanded.
Jessica stopped near the door. She clasped her hands with consternation filling her face. ‘I…I really only meant to keep you in here for a while, but when I came back to let you out the door would not give. So I went to fetch Mr Dalton. It was just I thought that perhaps, if you were here alone together, you might…’ Her voice trailed away at her brother’s black expression. ‘I am very sorry.’
‘You should be. We will discuss this later.’ He looked at Sarah who had also stood. ‘Come, Sarah.’ His voice was cold and clipped.
She slipped past him. Jessica touched her arm. ‘I am sorry, Sarah.’
Sarah managed a smile. ‘’Tis no matter. I am fine.’
Jessica hardly looked reassured. ‘I hope so.’
Sarah started down the winding steps. Her head was starting to hurt and she wanted nothing more than to escape. She felt miserable and confused. To her dismay, tears filled her eyes and she had the lowering feeling she was about to burst into tears.
She reached the small landing. She stopped to catch her breath. A noise from the room caught her attention. It almost sounded as if someone had stepped away from the door. But that couldn’t be. She started down the steps again and then something struck her with such force she stumbled.
Her foot met nothing but air. She vaguely heard Jessica’s cry and then another cry, which she realised was her own. Then her head hit the cold stone wall. The last thing she heard, as darkness descended, was Dev’s agonised shout.
Chapter Fourteen
‘Sarah, Sarah, can you hear me?’
The urgent feminine voice penetrated Sarah’s hazy consciousness. She fought against the urge to drift back into the embracing foggy twilight. She moaned a little, trying to shift her position, and found her left shoulder and arm ached. Her wrist felt awkward and constrained; with vague surprise, she thought she had broken it. She forced her eyes open.
Jessica’s worried face floated above her. She stared at Sarah for a moment and then tears filled her eyes. ‘Thank goodness. Oh, Sarah, I feared you would never awake! How…how are you?’
‘I…I am fine.’ Jessica looked so stricken that Sarah wanted to reassure her.
Jessica made a little choking sound that was half-laughter and half-tears. ‘How can you say that! Your shoulder was wrenched and your wrist broken and your poor head! When you fell…I thought… Oh, Sarah, you cannot know what terrible things flashed through my mind! But I am talking too much! Do…do you need anything?’
‘Water, please.’ Her throat was parched and there was a peculiar taste in her mouth she thought must be from the laudanum. She had the vaguest memory of someone forcing the liquid down her throat and voices drifting above her head before the agonising pain in her shoulder sent her into blessed unconsciousness.
Jessica returned with a glass and helped Sarah take a few sips. Then Sarah fell back against the pillow and winced as her head made contact. Jessica knelt next to her. ‘Will you see Dev now? He is so terribly worried. He spent the entire night by your bed and it was just a mere half-hour ago that Lady Coleridge and I persuaded him to sleep. I doubt very much he is doing more than pacing his room.’
Dev was worried about her? He had spent the night in her room? And why was Lady Coleridge here?
‘Sarah, will you see him?’ Jessica looked anxious.
‘Of…of course.’
But her heart pounded uncomfortably when the door closed behind Jessica. And when Dev stepped into the room, she had the most insane desire to bury herself beneath the covers. He stared at her for a moment. With more than a little confusion, she saw he looked as if he’d slept in his clothes. His breeches and white shirt were rumpled. Even from across the room she could see the shadow of his beard.
‘You are awake.’ He came towards her, his eyes s
till on her face.
‘Yes.’
He stood over her and she was taken aback to see how weary he looked. ‘Are…are you all right?’ she asked.
He appeared startled and then a brief smile lifted the corner of his mouth. ‘I believe that is the question I am to ask you.’ His face sobered. ‘How do you feel?’
‘I don’t know.’ The gentleness in his voice confused her as did the concern in his eyes. He almost appeared a stranger. Perhaps she was still delirious. She closed her eyes for a moment.
‘Sarah? Sarah, damn it! Don’t fade off again!’ His voice was rough and commanding.
At least she knew she wasn’t dreaming. She opened her eyes. His face hovered over hers, so close she could see the dark stubble of his beard. Her gaze fastened on his strong mouth and she suddenly recalled the feel of his mouth on hers. As if he read her thoughts, his own eyes suddenly darkened and then he straightened as if he’d been shocked. ‘I should leave you,’ he said abruptly. ‘You’re probably tired.’
He looked as if he were about to move towards the door. For some reason she did not want him to leave her. ‘You did not go to London?’
He stared at her. ‘No. I would hardly leave you in this state. Not when—’ He stopped. ‘My business can wait.’ He hesitated, then asked, ‘Do you need anything?’
‘How long have I been here?’
‘Since yesterday. Do you remember much?’
‘A little.’ Just the sensation of falling through space. And pain and voices as she drifted in and out before falling into a deep sleep. A vague memory of something else tugged at her, something before her fall. She was beginning to feel tired again and the effort of talking was too much. Her eyes fluttered shut. But she had the oddest notion that before she drifted away again, she felt Dev’s lips on her forehead.
Dev watched her for a few minutes more, her face peaceful as she slept. He would never forget his stark terror when he heard her scream and then saw her still body lying at the foot of the stairs.
He had run to her, numb with fear and knelt beside her. She was breathing, although her arm was twisted under her and she was barely conscious. He stayed with her while Dalton left for the carriage and on the interminable trip to Ravensheed. She was unconscious by then, only waking briefly while the physician eased her shoulder back into position and bound her wrist and then the laudanum took its effect. He’d sat with her the entire night, and only when his godmother had arrived did he finally retire to his own room.
The Marriage Truce Page 14
