by Claudy Conn
His lordship walked over to Jasper and quickly explained as Serena watched them nod and frown. Warren took her attention at that moment as he bent over her hand and said softly, “I hope, Serena, that I read matters incorrectly. I really don’t wish to see you hurt.”
She said nothing to this as she watched him leave, but it troubled her. Was she so obvious? Had his lordship noticed her decided preference for his company? Oh my, how humiliating if he has. No. Why should she be embarrassed? She turned and found his lordship, his large, strong arm bent to receive her hand.
She hesitated, and he took her gloved fingers and boldly linked them through his arm. “Time to go. You must be getting hungry. I know … I am,” he said with dalliance in his blue eyes and the curving of his lips.
His mouth was sensuous and his voice was a caress. She was, she knew, lost. She couldn’t speak, so she didn’t answer him. She discovered that even the light touch of his hands on her waist as he helped her into the open curricle sent a rushing river of sensation through her system that she could not deny to herself. Here was the man who made her want to give herself body and soul.
A few moments went by, and then she cleared her throat to ask when he took the horse off the main pike to a wide dirt bridle path, “What are you doing? I am not sure you can get through this shortcut with a curricle.”
“Ah, Newton tells me that we can.” He frowned. “I know it is a little bumpy, and I am sorry for it.” He stopped the big cob leading the curricle, put on the brake, and turned to her as he set aside the reins.
“Oh, don’t be, I have been enjoying this glorious day, and I love the woods,” she responded happily.
“And I have been thinking about nothing else,” he answered.
“Nothing else?”
“But this,” he said, taking her into his arms.
His kiss was a feathered touch of his lips on hers. She trembled in his arms and realized she wanted more, so much more from this one man.
As though reading her mind and her body language, he brought her in hard against his rock-solid chest, and his kiss was no longer quite as gentle as he parted her lips with his own.
She felt his tongue sweetly explore as it entered her mouth, and shivers of desire scattered all reason. Again, she thought of Warren and the fact that his kisses had never done this to her.
Serena knew that his lordship had awakened something in her, something that had been brewing just beneath the surface. She had been dissatisfied with need and discovered that this man satisfied that need.
His tongue met with hers and guided it into motion. She tasted the velvet smoothness of it against her tongue with some trepidation at first, unsure how to reciprocate, until she finally just let go and gave herself over to tasting him. It was as though he knew she had never done this before, and he expertly showed her the way.
He started to pull away from her as he made an inarticulate sound, but then, as though thinking better of it, he crushed her back against himself, and she thought she might not be able to breathe as two kisses became three and four.
“Serena …” he said, putting his head back. “You want me as much as I want you … say it.”
She didn’t know why, but she balked. She wasn’t sure of herself, of him, of anything, but his words were not the words she longed to hear from him, and she stared at him and said, “No. I shan’t say it. You shouldn’t ask me to.”
He chuckled. “Obstinate woman,” he answered, and then his mouth was on hers again. He broke away and nibbled down her neck, opened her Spencer, and his touch, the way he cupped her breast even over her day gown, made her heart react with a drumbeat of fevered desire. She felt her thighs clench beneath her gown. She was aware that her body jerked with passion. She made no effort to stop his audacious lovemaking. She didn’t want to stop him. She knew this was all wrong. She did not try and fool herself into thinking this was a ‘forever’ thing and that they would continue and that he would … no, she would be smarter than that, and expect nothing more than the moment. She knew that he probably didn’t love her, but she wanted this time with him, even if he walked out of her life tomorrow. She would have this. She would have the now and the memory of this glorious day.
“Say it now,” he demanded huskily. “Tell me you want me as I want you. Tell me you want no other.”
“No,” she answered. “I don’t believe in doing things on demand.”
He looked down at her and frowned. “Do you give away your kisses and the free use of your body so readily then? Shall I expect to turn a corner and find you in … let’s say, in Freddy’s arms?”
She pulled up straight. Those words slapped her hard, and she glared at him. “Think what you will. Now, kindly take me home.”
He had hurt her. What had gone wrong? Had his kisses been for one reason alone—to wean her away from Freddy? Was that his game? Oh, but it hurt.
How could he have feigned such desire? He couldn’t. Instinct told her that whatever his reasons, his kisses had been real. He did want her. He did like her. She had seen it in his eyes, on his face. Hurtful words, however, had the power to obliterate logic, and for a moment she was too hurt to think about anything but his words.
How could he have asked such a thing of her? His accusation had been unfair, and it had stabbed her to the quick.
Another thing was clear, all too heartbreakingly clear. She was in love with him. She had kissed him and allowed him liberties because of how she felt about him, because she had undeniably been caught in the moment and the passion that had sizzled between them. Perhaps, she admitted to herself, she had even hoped her feelings for him were reciprocated?
* * *
They continued down the dirt path, and Serena was surprised that the curricle was able to make it to the road that took them to the Moorely drive.
It was, however, torture sitting in silence with him. Serena hadn’t been able to even glance his way and held herself erect, her lips tight, her thoughts buzzing furiously in her mind. Life had suddenly become so completely complicated.
Why had she allowed him to kiss her like that … touch her the way he did …?
A man could kiss a woman and make delicious love to her, as Daniel had just done only a short while ago, and still be able to easily walk away. His lordship probably didn’t feel anything for her but a mild physical attraction. He would leave soon—return to his home and forget her.
Could she now forget him?
No. Even though he had insulted her and made her furious with him, she knew she wanted him still. What was she to do? She could not deny that she was three and twenty and had spurned all suitors because she had been waiting to feel what she felt right now. What, just what, should she do? Could she somehow win this man? How? She only knew how to be herself. She had never actively sought to win a man; even when she had been infatuated with Warren, she had never made a push to have him.
This was so very different. His lordship was so very different.
She watched him as he waited for the Moorely livery boy to hold his horse steady before he put down the driving reins, jumped from the leased open-air curricle, and put out a hand to help her take the short steps.
He flipped the boy a coin and asked him to water the cob while he walked Miss Moorely to the house.
She could see from his behavior that he meant to try and make it up with her. Everything about him was presently solicitous. Politely he remarked, “Watch the bottom step … there …”
She noticed the crack in well-worn step and said, “What then? Should I hop over it?”
His eyes sparkled with amusement. “I only meant step light.”
She was already on solid ground, but she looked up at him and said, “La, would you not have caught me if the step broke and I was thrown into a fall?”
He bent closer to her ear and murmured, “I would have caught you and more, my beauty, do you doubt it?”
“As I don’t have your measure, yes, I suppose I do,” she countered and saw hi
s blue eyes alive with amusement.
“Ah, Serena, if only …”
“If only what?” she asked, surprised by the sudden sincerity of his tone.
“Nothing. I have been a beast.”
“Indeed, a horrible beast. You kissed me,” she said, shocked at herself. “You kissed me and then slapped me for kissing you back. That, my lord, is odious and ungentlemanly behavior.”
He threw back his head and laughed before he took her chin and gave it a squeeze. “You are so very right. I do beg your forgiveness.”
“Very well,” she said begrudgingly though secretly relieved to get things on a safer, more comfortable footing.
“I do want to speak to you about something that has me exceedingly worried,” he said, suddenly serious.
She stopped and turned fully toward him. “Of course,” she said, her brows drawing together.
“I know that you and my nevvy have been drawn into a situation that will lead you both into danger. I also know that this was not your fault, but I would like to keep both Freddy and you quite out of it.”
“What, my lord, do you mean?”
“You know precisely what I mean.” He frowned. “Apparently Tuthill and Lewis Tucker are friends, and I know a great deal.”
She sighed. “All we did was agree to put it about that we saw … witnessed—”
He cut her off sharply. “What in thunder were you thinking?”
“Well, I must say, this is awkward. It was most indiscreet of Jasper’s brother to go blabbering about—”
“That is neither here nor there,” he said, cutting her short. “Are you telling me that Tuthill has put you both not in an awkward position but in a highly dangerous one?”
Serena eyed him. He hadn’t known the entire story. She had obviously just made him aware of it. Well, that was neither here nor there. “We have merely agreed to say that we caught a glimpse of the villain’s profile while he was on horseback and that we might be able to identify him. We hope to draw him into the open.”
“Damnation, woman!” he said vehemently. “I do beg your pardon, but this scheme you have put together with the magistrate is unacceptable. The man is a murderer. You have put yourselves in his line of fire.”
Serena sighed. “Something must be done to draw him out. Or are you thinking we should allow the New Forest to be used as a den for thieves and cutthroats?”
“Of course I don’t think any such thing. However, nor do I think you and Freddy should be the ones to draw a cold-blooded killer out.” He shook his head. “To put a delicately nurtured female and a young cub in the blackguard’s way is not what I think will serve to do anything but cause harm.”
“I do not mean to put myself in his way … and I am sure Freddy does not either,” Serena offered calmly.
“But that is what you and Freddy have done—made yourselves targets for a villain.” He frowned at her. “Tell me, has Tuthill arranged for your safety? Of course not. I have seen no one lurking about, guarding you from afar either at Moorely or at our backs when we were out and about. It is why Jasper suggested I take a little-known road back to Moorely. I noticed the fork in the road and asked Newton about it, and he told me we could get through.”
“Oh,” she said, impressed. “Yes, well, there isn’t too much I can do about it at this stage of—”
He threw up his hands as he interrupted her. “Is there not, my girl? You are as naïve as my nevvy!” He drew a long breath. “At any rate, I mean to do something about it, and the first thing I must do is alert your uncle to this. Perhaps between the two of us we can scotch this piece of work.”
Serena felt a blaze of anger shoot through her. “You will do no such thing! I won’t have my uncle worried about me.”
“Won’t you?” his lordship said grimly. “And how will he be when he hears that an attempt has been made on your life, for mark me, both you and Freddy stand in this scoundrel’s way, and I, Serena, won’t have that!”
She frowned and chewed her bottom lip. “You don’t understand.”
“We are not playing at schoolgirl games. You cannot set yourselves up as bait and then make light of it. If you aren’t concerned for yourself, what of Freddy? How will you feel if he gets murdered over this?”
“Oh … no … no,” she said worriedly. “But what can I do now?”
At that moment, they looked up and found a rider, Freddy, in fact, making his way to them. He looked disheveled. His top hat was missing, and his cravat was askew and, Serena thought, dirty … and then she realized … it wasn’t dirt, but blood!
She gasped because, as he got closer, she saw blood all down the side of his neck. Freddy, however, appeared absolutely excited as he jumped off his horse, grinning like a fool, and exclaimed, “Wait till I tell you what an adventure I have had. Must go up to the house though, before the doctor takes his leave. I was told he was here tending to your uncle, Serena.”
“Frederick, what the devil has happened?” his uncle demanded.
~ Ten ~
SERENA RECOVERED HERSELF and went to Freddy, her face and voice filled with horror. “Freddy … blood is pouring out of your wound. Do hurry then—let’s get to the house. You can tell us what happened as we go.”
“At the beginning,” his lordship added as they picked up their pace and headed up the drive.
Freddy didn’t hesitate. He was exploding with excitement, quite willing and ready to tell it all, “Well, Sir Newton and I had the rarest kick-up when old Barker decided he was tired of being a foxhound and took off after a deer!”
He shook his head, and Serena objected. “Freddy … try not to shake your head. You are losing too much blood.”
“Yes, well, up the beach and into the woods after the biggest buck I have seen in some time, let me tell you. Right, what must the hounds do but honor him, all but Warrior, who won’t chase deer. Good hound. At any rate, off the rest all went in pursuit. Newton was furious. He blew his horn till I thought he would go off into an apoplexy, got as red as his coat, but only the best of his hounds packed in. Finally, we got them all back, except for Barker. I took up the chase and managed to find the fellow and discovered the poor ol’ boy was caught up in the briar.” He looked from Serena to his uncle and said portentously, “Guess where we ended up, Serena?”
She closed her eyes and said in a resigned, ‘oh no’ tone, “Piney Woods.”
“Aye, how did you know?”
“They usually run deer in that direction, especially Barker,” she answered on a sigh. “Freddy, your ear looks torn.”
His lordship didn’t bother knocking for the butler but pushed in, opened the door wide, and ordered, “In.”
Serena hurried inside, turned to the men, and said, “I’ll call for the doctor.”
She moved to the bellrope, and Davis entered the central hall from the library, a tray in his hand. “Yes, Miss Serena?” he said, looking from her to Freddy, who was dripping blood onto the floor.
She asked for the doctor to be sent for, and he replied that both the squire and the doctor were in the library having tea.
Pulling Freddy along, she said, “Come on …”
“Yes, but, Serena, I haven’t finished, have I? Do you know where I ended up?”
“You have just said the Piney Woods.” She frowned at him.
“Indeed, but it was less than thirty feet from where we found that poor fellow’s body.”
“And that is where you were shot,” his lordship said grimly.
“Shot?” Serena nearly screamed. “Shot? Freddy, is your wound from a gunshot?”
“Only grazed m’ear …”
Doctor Forbes, an elderly man, was already on his feet as they entered and asked, “Shot … gunshot? Here, let me have a look at that.”
As it turned out, Freddy was right and the bullet had only grazed him, but the wound was deep enough to need a couple of stitches. This circumstance seemed to thrill Freddy as much as anything else, as he wanted to know how many stitches he could
have.
“I must assume, Frederick, that your attacker was interrupted before he could finish the job.”
Freddy suddenly stopped and eyed his lordship from under a furrowed brow. “Well as to that … Sir Newton arrived at that point, so I suppose … yes, the shooter was interrupted from taking another go at me.”
“What is this? Why should someone want to shoot him?” the squire, who had been quietly watching the proceedings, demanded at this juncture.
“The devil is in it that my nevvy bravely albeit foolishly set himself up as bait to draw out a blackguard. Apparently, his ruse worked a bit too well, but without benefit. We are no closer to knowing who the blackguard is, are we?” He glared at Freddy, who did not seem in the least daunted.
Serena bit her bottom lip and stood, her expression grim. His lordship had been in the right of it. All they had done was get Freddy shot. She could only be relieved that his lordship had not mentioned her part in it to her uncle. How very kind of him. She had not realized he could be quite that thoughtful.
“Well, it was famous good sport, and now that we know he means to kill me, we could set a trap for him and have him surrounded in no time,” Freddy suggested merrily.
Davis had brought the doctor the warm water he had requested, and Serena went about the business of cleaning the wound for the doctor so that he could stitch and bandage it.
“Famous good sport!” Freddy announced, determined not to be deterred from his point of view.
“Your uncle is right, Freddy … this scheme was not well thought out,” Serena said.
Freddy frowned at her. “Serena, you shock me.”
His lordship’s eyes met hers before he said authoritatively, “Very well, we must take the problem we have and deal with it. We need some serious planning, and it must involve Jasper, for he has a good head on his shoulders for these things.” He eyed Freddy. “Let me be clear about this, Freddy—you will hand the reins over to me now, right?”
“Oh well, this was my adventure after all … and—”
