He was barely out of breath by the time he reached the top. His narrowed gaze landed on the untouched tray just outside the sitting room/bedroom door. He didn’t need to try the knob to know that it was still locked. Tearing through his bedroom, he twisted the knob to Cecily’s bedroom and pushed, cursing fluidly when it resisted him.
“Cecily?” He thumped on the door, his blood going cold in his veins. So many scenarios ran through his mind. Had someone kidnapped her? Had the room been locked from the outside? Was Sophie mistaken in that she hadn’t seen Cecily go up the stairs at all?
“Open the door at once!” Jamie demanded, stepping back several paces.
One swift kick was indeed all it took. The cracking of the door was accompanied by the resounding thud of the panelling thumping against the wall. Jamie stalked through the door, gun drawn, and frowned at the darkness. He was usually cool and unflappable in such circumstances. This time though, with so much at stake, his hands shook on the cool metal of the gun he held in his hands, and his cool grey eyes held a hint of desperation that was impossible to hide.
“What are you doing?” Cecily demanded, pushing out of the blankets. She stood beside the bed and stared at the splinters littering the rug on the floor, and the gaping hole in the door where the lock had once stood.
“What do I think I am doing? What the hell do you think you are doing?” Jamie spat, dropping his gun on the chair beside her bed and turning toward her with his hands on his hips. This time he was going to get answers, and neither of them were going to go anywhere until matters were a bit more settled between them.
It was apparent from the smudges on her cheeks that she had been crying. Why did she always seem to want to be by herself to deal with her problems? Why didn’t she want to turn to him? Didn’t she know that he would be there to comfort her whenever she needed, and lend an ear to however much grumbling she wanted to do?
“I am sitting in the window seat minding my own business,” Cecily snapped moving to study the door. “You have ruined it,” she whispered, staring at the mess he had made.
“Leave it,” Jamie ordered when she bent to start to pick up the splinters.
Cecily ignored him and moved toward the door, picking up splinters as she went.
“I said, leave it,” Jamie snapped, scooping her up into his arms.
“Put me down,” Cecily demanded, wriggling and squirming.
“So you can get splinters in your feet? How are you going to run away from anyone then?” Jamie snapped, shouldering his way through the door leading to his bedroom. He had already moved the dresser across the passage doorway to prevent any intruders during the night. With the main doors to the hallway shut, the entire suite was secure.
Jamie dropped her unceremoniously on the bed, making no attempt to hide his interest in the length of bare leg that flashed before him as her skirts rode up. His usually stoic patience had evaporated. He was fed up of not understanding her. Sick and tired of trying to persuade her gently. He simply didn’t have the patience to wait for all eternity for her to make her bloody mind up. If she was seriously considering the poor house over him, then he was at least going to bloody well give her something else to think about.
Cecily tried to tug the hem of her dress down and gasped when Jamie’s knee landed on the bed next to hers holding her leg still upon the sheets. She glanced up into the fiercest eyes she had ever seen. His face was hard and chiselled, his grey eyes glistening with intent. She wasn’t sure whether she should scream or just cower under the covers.
“What is wrong with you?” Cecily snapped, frowning at his knee that trapped her skirts. She placed a hand on the solid muscle of his thigh, awed by the thick band of muscle that was unrelenting. She pushed hard, but was unsurprised when he didn’t move an inch.
“Nothing is wrong with me,” Jamie growled. “I am perfectly fine. It is you who has the problem.”
“Me? I don’t have any problem,” Cecily argued, jerking backward when he started to lean over her menacingly.
“What do you find so offensive about me then?” Jamie demanded sensing the spark of interest in her curious gaze. Tension shimmered between them and radiated heat that positively crackled with sensuality.
Cecily’s heart pounded. She couldn’t move her legs and, if she twisted around and tried to crawl away, she would undoubtedly reveal far more to him than her true feelings.
“There is nothing offensive about you. It isn’t you Jamie, it is me,” Cecily’s voice quivered with hurt.
“I can assure you that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you.” Jamie declared firmly, his eyes sliding over her body slowly.
Cecily felt as though his gaze had branded a long line down her. She fought the urge to squirm against the delicious sensations while a part of her wondered how he managed to exert so much control over her without even touching her. She should tell him to stop. She should demand he let her get up and leave. But where would she go, to her room with no door? He would only follow her and they would be back to square one, wherever that was.
She jerked when one large palm slid into her hair, scattering pins all over the bed and floor around them.
“Jamie,” she whispered, knowing he was going to kiss her. She placed her palms on his chest and pushed against unrelenting muscle that continued to grow ever closer.
“Cecily,” Jamie whispered back, his breath warm on her lips.
It was the last that was said for a very long time.
Cecily awoke the following afternoon with the weight of the world on her shoulders. She lay perfectly still, acutely aware of the length of muscle and bone behind her. Jamie’s arms were wrapped tightly around her and had been all last night, and this morning when they had both woken up. Jamie had made it clear that they were going nowhere today and had merely dragged her back down into the bed before scattering her wits about her for a second time when she had suggested they get up to eat.
She knew that she could have stopped him if she had wanted to. At any time throughout the night’s startling revelations she could have told him that they could go no further, and she knew he would have stopped. But she couldn’t find it within her to protest against anything he did to her. She had wanted to find out what it was like to be taken by him. She had enjoyed the sensations he had created within her with a joy that felt so natural that she immediately wanted more.
Now though, in the cold light of day, the enormity of what she had allowed to happen was stark. She – they – had changed everything and now, she didn’t know what to think about anything anymore. She knew that she didn’t want to go to the poor house, but she also didn’t want to stay in a relationship with Jamie, knowing he could never love her. She couldn’t bear to be in a cold relationship. She had so much love bubbling inside her, she knew that it would wither and die if she didn’t have anyone to bestow it upon.
Although it was inevitable that if she stayed with Jamie, she would at some point end up with child, and she could bestow that love upon her son or daughter, it wasn’t the same as having the love of the man who held her heart. She simply couldn’t settle for second best.
Did she have the strength to walk away from him though? The mere thought of having to bid him goodbye made her feel slightly sick. Could she do it when the time came? Or, would she need to find another way to leave the house while his attention was diverted elsewhere? She knew she couldn’t do that to him though. He had been good, and kind, and so very generous to her. She couldn’t just sneak off like the criminal her father was.
She jumped when Jamie placed a gentle kiss on her ear. “How long have you been awake?” he whispered, kissing her neck and smiling as she squirmed against him. His tired body was not going to respond this time, but it was wonderful to be able to simply hold her the way he had wanted to for a very long time.
“A little while,” Cecily replied honestly. “Do you think it is morning or afternoon?” She mused after several moments of silence.
Jamie chuckled
huskily. “I don’t really care to be honest. There is nothing to do today except enjoy each other’s company.”
Cecily rolled over and turned to face him, making no protest when he immediately wrapped his arms around her and drew her close.
“What about Miss Emstridge?” She hated to bring any more of the outside world into this special moment but needed to keep one foot on the ground. It would be so very easy to be swept away with the romanticism of the moment and forget the stark future that lay before her.
“She isn’t going to join us,” he smiled, watching her cheeks flush.
Cecily’s lips twisted wryly and she rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean.”
Jamie yawned. “Well, I am going to have to go tomorrow to see what I can find out about her true identity and check the references she came here with. After that, then we will have to see what happens. The boxes are being watched; the outside of the house is being watched. There is little we can do right now except sit and wait for Hugo to arrive.”
“What if nothing happens?” Cecily asked absently stroking the soft fur on his chest while she stared blankly at the thick ridges of muscle underneath.
“Then we will have to think again. Meantime, I have a job for you,” he announced baldly. Ignoring his nakedness, he left the bed and tugged on the bell pull. “I don’t know about you but I am starving.”
“What do you want me to do?” Cecily demanded, trying to keep her eyes of his toned body, and failing miserably.
Jamie smirked knowing he had her interest. She had been far more receptive to their lovemaking than he had ever hoped she would be. So receptive in fact that he had been unable to keep his hands off her, even when sated and replete. He had been greedy, and she was now undoubtedly sore and uncomfortable, but there was little he could do about it now. He felt slightly proud that he was the one, and the only one, who could lay claim to her, and had to struggle to keep the smug grin off his face.
If this was what married life was going to be like, then he could fully understand Hugo and Simon’s determination to wed their wives and set up home as fast as possible. He considered the gentle mound of Cecily’s stomach in consideration for several moments and felt a little bit prouder.
“What do you keep smiling at?” Cecily asked with a frown. She knew she must look a fright. Her hair hadn’t met a brush for at least two days now, but surely she didn’t look that humorous.
“I’m just happy, that’s all,” Jamie sighed, dropping down onto the bed beside her. He frowned when Cecily tried to leave the bed.
“Where are you going?”
“To my room,” Cecily replied firmly. “I can hardly be lying here when Warren arrives with the trays, now can I?”
Jamie personally didn’t care what Warren, or any of his staff thought. He paid them, not the other way around. If they wanted to keep their jobs they kept business within the house private.
He caught her around the waist as she passed his side of the bed.
“Put me down,” she squeaked when Jamie swung her off her feet and dropped her back onto the bed.
“Make me,” he whispered playfully, dropping random kisses along her jaw.
He could sense her hesitation and glanced up at her ruefully. “I know and understand, my darling. I was greedy last night but it was your own fault.”
“My fault? How do you figure that one out?” Cecily gasped, shivering at the sensation of his warm palm sliding along the cool skin of her side.
“You started it. If you hadn’t made me kick the door down, you would still have had your bedroom. As it is, now that the door is ruined, the bedroom can no longer be used, you understand? So I am afraid you are going to have to remain in here,” Jamie reasoned, his voice low and husky. “With me,” he added for good measure. “All night long, every night, from now onwards.”
Cecily sighed and stared up at the canopy for several long moments. “I can’t sleep in here Jamie. I won’t be your mistress.”
“I don’t want you as my mistress,” Jamie argued, ignoring her disparaging snort as he rolled off the bed to answer the discrete knock at the door. “You are going to be my wife.”
“That’s what you think,” Cecily muttered, pushing off the side of the bed and trying to find somewhere to hide. Dragging the sheet around her, she stood with her back to the wall, not daring to peek in case her eyes met those of the curious butler.
“Ahem.” Jamie shook his head and placed the tray carefully on the bottom of the bed. “It is no use hiding you know. Warren has considered us lovers since the very first night that we made your bed up in the room next door.” He had heard her reply to his suggestion of their getting married and it irked him a little. Still, he had made considerable progress last night and, as a battle hardened warrior of the Star Elite, he knew when to retreat and regroup. For now, at least, he was prepared to let the matter drop.
“What?” Cecily’s cheeks flushed.
Jamie rolled his eyes. “What do you expect? You are young, stunningly gorgeous, intelligent, funny and passionately caring. I would have to be dead from the neck down not to have designs on your delectable body, and that in turn draws my honourable intentions toward you.”
Cecily frowned, clearly not sure what to make of it. While a part of her was thrilled at his opinion of her, she wasn’t entirely comfortable with the thought that the house staff had been accurate of their first assessment of her on the first day of her arrival.
She was sitting on the edge of the bed, still wrapped in the sheet when Warren arrived with the second tray. This time though she made no attempt to hide.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The following morning, Cecily was awoken by Jamie’s kiss. She sighed and rolled over, unsurprised when Jamie deepened his embrace. She blinked sleepily at him, shocked to find it was still dark outside.
“What is it?”
“I have to leave early because I have a long ride ahead. I am going to find out what I can about our eccentric librarian. Today, if you have the time, can you see if you can find the old broadsheets for the area? They may be in the pantry somewhere but be careful not to ask any of the staff if they can find them. If you do get a pile of the most recent ones, see if you can make a list of the house burglaries in the area. Make a list of the dates; what went missing, that kind of thing; anything that can give us a clue as to who those items in the secret room may belong to.”
“I will also have a look in the library to see if there are any more books missing,” Cecily sighed, placing a gentle hand on his jaw before kissing him gently.
“Stay out of the library,” he growled, scanning the pale flesh the sheet had just revealed to his rapt gaze. “It is far too dangerous right now. Just stick to finding out what you can about the burglaries.”
“Alright,” Cecily sighed, revelling in his obvious interest. It felt wantonly decadent to lean back on the bed and stretch, knowing that he was watching closely.
She gasped when his weight eased her down into the mattress.
“I thought you were going,” she chided, making no attempt to protest as he draped her long legs on either side of his hips.
“I am,” Jamie whispered. “Later.”
As soon as Jamie left, Cecily was faced with a choice. Should she use the time she had to herself to catch up on some much needed sleep? Or, should she first do as Jamie asked and see if there any recent and local broadsheets she could trawl through?
Her stomach rumbled, prompting her to get out of bed and find sustenance. Ignoring the soreness, she saw to her ablutions and got dressed, contemplating the bell pull for several long moments before deciding to go in search of the broadsheets. Jamie had said that they may be in the kitchens. Going there in search of food would give her the perfect excuse she needed to be in the servants’ quarters.
Surprisingly, the place was empty when she got there. The table was well scrubbed though laden with several freshly baked pies, two cakes and several loaves of bread. Saucepans lay on the range,
full of chopped vegetables waiting to be boiled. Cecily considered the vast amount of food and wondering if Jamie was expecting guests. Her stomach dipped at the thought of Jamie’s boss, Hugo, who was due to arrive shortly. Was all of this food in preparation for his arrival?
Taking advantage of the kitchens being empty, Cecily began to rummage around, checking first the dresser cupboards before venturing further into the scullery. She found what she was looking for under the sinks; a huge pile of broadsheets dating back several months. It was impossible to carry all of the newspapers upstairs, but she could carry most of them and did so, using the servants’ stairs to take them to Jamie’s bedroom.
She was breathing heavily by the time she returned to the room with a tray of food she had purloined from the pantry shelves. Her stomach rumbled warningly and she ate while rifling through the broadsheets. Given the size of the pile she had to search through, she was going to be there all day. Settling back, she realised she hadn’t got any parchment or ink to make a list and hastily went to Jamie’s study to fetch some.
Pausing just inside the door, she took a deep breath. Even the room smelled of him. A pang of longing swept through her that was so strong that she had to pause for a moment to get her emotions under control. She had never felt this connected to anyone before, not even Portia, and it was a little unsettling. She didn’t know if it was because they were now lovers, or whether he was the only port in her storm; the only person in her life right now whom she could count on. She knew that Jonathan was out there somewhere, but she didn’t really know him, and had only seen him on a couple of occasions when Jamie had been present. In reality, she didn’t really know Jonathan at all, even though he was out there keeping watch over the house.
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