More Than Willing

by Laura Landon

  He stepped even closer, forcing her to press her back against the wall. With a sense of panic, she realized she was trapped.

  “Your father is still a young man and will probably live for many years yet. Even if the brewery goes to you when he passes, as is speculated, it will be years before I will realize any income from owning it.”

  Maggie tried to step around him but he didn’t move.

  “You are a beautiful woman, Margaret. An ideal choice for a wife.”

  He lifted his hand and touched his fingers to her cheek.

  She pushed his hand away. “My age doesn’t bother you?”

  “Not really. It would be easier to mold a younger woman, it’s true.” He placed his hands on her shoulders. “But there are certain benefits to wedding an older bride. Benefits for you as well.”

  Maggie twisted to the side, hoping she could break his hold but he only tightened his grip. “I see no benefits to marrying,” she said, twisting again. “Even you.”

  “Don’t you?” He brushed his thumbs up and down the sides of her neck. “I am in line to inherit Bradford Manor after your father. Marriage to me will guarantee you will always have your family home.”

  “You think I would marry to keep my home?”

  He smiled. “No, you probably would not. But perhaps if you knew that by marrying me your sisters were always guaranteed of a home you might change your answer.”

  Maggie couldn’t stop the tremor that raced through her. This was exactly why her sisters had to have a Season. She had to make sure both of them found husbands to love them and take care of them, and provide them with homes of their own. She would be content living in one of the worker’s cottages between the brewery and the village, and Aunt Hester had her own home to go back to, but her sisters needed lives of their own.

  “Release me, Mr. Bradford,” she said, thankful her voice sounded strong. “I will not marry to keep Bradford Manor. I’ve known for years that it would never be mine.”

  “But it can be.”

  “No.”

  She twisted to get away from him again. Instead of tightening his hold on her, he pulled her toward him. Before she could stop him, he pressed her close to him, her thighs touching his, her belly pressed against his. He wrapped his arms around her, crushing her breasts to his chest. Maggie struggled but he didn’t release her.

  “You need someone to take you in hand, Margaret. I think that is what you’ve secretly yearned to have for years.”

  She struggled harder and lifted her chin to demand he release her but her breath lodged in her throat. He intended to kiss her. She realized she’d never wanted to avoid something so desperately in her whole life.

  “No. Don’t.” She struggled to turn her face away from him, but he clamped his fingers on either side of her jaw and brought her face back.

  Totally out of her element, she battled a feeling of helplessness she’d never experienced before. She’d never had to fight off an unwelcome suitor, never allowed anyone to get this close to her. She’d worn a cloak of aloofness her whole life, keeping every man she’d ever met at arm’s length.

  Panic erupted inside her, then built with such intensity she feared she might become ill. Her heart thundered and every muscle in her body quivered. She hated this helpless feeling.

  “I’ve dreamed of this since the first time I saw you.” He lowered his head.

  “No!”

  She felt the warm air from his breath on her face and struggled harder.

  He smiled, then brought his lips close to hers.

  “No!” she cried out again but her pleas seemed useless. She closed her eyes and braced herself for his kiss.

  “I believe I heard the lady say no,” a deep voice said from the other side of the room.

  Lyman pushed her away with a jerk and spun to face their intruder. “Who are you?”

  She turned to see who had come to her rescue. Grayson Delaney stood in the doorway. She should feel an even greater fear. Instead, she filled with an immense sense of relief.

  Her gaze locked with his, the deep blue of his eyes even darker as he assessed her.

  She tried to portray a calmness she didn’t feel and a frown appeared on his forehead that indicated that she’d failed.

  “Are you all right?”

  Maggie opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. All she managed was a nod of her head.

  His jaw clenched and a muscle on either side of his face knotted. The fury she saw in his glare caused her to fear for Lyman’s safety and she tried to smile in an effort to calm the situation. She wasn’t sure if it worked of not, but he didn’t make any move to close the distance between them. He extended his arm as if he expected her to come to him.

  Maggie stared at his outstretched arm and felt a tremor of apprehension shift her insides. The thought of allowing Lyman Bradford to kiss her was revolting in the extreme. Yet, walking into Grayson’s arms didn’t seem much safer. While his presence portrayed a powerful refuge, Maggie realized relying on him might be more dangerous. But she was willing to take the chance.

  Without dropping her gaze from Delaney’s imploring gesture, she stepped past Lyman and rushed to his side.

  The minute she was within reach, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her toward him. The relief she felt was enormous; vast enough to overshadow another little warning her emotions issued.

  “Are you all right?” he whispered as he moved her to his side.

  “Yes, fine.”

  “You’d better be,” he said so softly she wasn’t sure she’d heard him right.

  “Who are you?” Lyman repeated much louder than before.

  “Obviously a much more preferable companion to the lady than you.”

  Maggie looked to where Lyman stood, his stance rigidly still, his hands fisted at his sides, and his eyes narrowed in an angry glare. “How dare you barge in on your betters.”

  “How dare you attack a lady.”

  “Attack? I didn’t attack Miss Bradford.”

  “Then why did it seem she had no part in encouraging your advances?”

  Gray Delaney kept his hold on her and when he spoke his voice held a threatening tone she’d never heard before.

  “Perhaps it would be wise if you left,” he ordered.

  Bradford’s jaw dropped. “How dare you.”

  “I dare because if you don’t remove yourself from the lady’s presence, I’ll remove you myself.”

  When Lyman didn’t respond immediately, Gray took a step forward. “Do you need someone to show you to the door?” He emphasized his words with a nod toward the exit.

  Her cousin’s glare turned murderous.

  “You have sunk to levels of which even your mother would have disapproved,” he said, focusing his glower on her.

  Maggie’s temper flared. “Leave. Now.”

  “It will be my pleasure.”

  Lyman walked past them but stopped when he reached the door and turned back. “Your father cannot return soon enough. Even his presence cannot undo the damage you’ve done to your reputation.”

  Maggie watched her cousin storm from the room and heard the front door close behind him. When she was certain he was gone, she stepped out of Grayson Delaney’s arms.

  She’d seen a side to her cousin that frightened her, but some of what he’d said was the truth. The feel of Gray Delaney’s arm around her had sent a fiery heat raging through her and she knew part of her remained in danger – her heart.

  Chapter Five

  “Your cousin bears watching.”

  Maggie clasped her hands around her upper arms and hugged herself. She was on fire, every inch where he’d held her hot as if flames burned beneath her skin. And she couldn’t stop trembling. The nervousness wasn’t from the distasteful near miss of Lyman Bradford’s kiss, but because of the overwhelming sensation Grayson Delaney’s touch caused when he pulled her against him and held her. She cleared her throat and tried to compose herself. “He’s angry because he
thinks you interfered with his offer to marry me for the brewery. He’s harmless, really.”

  “No one is harmless. Especially someone who has as much to gain from marrying you as your cousin has.”

  “I can take care of myself.” Maggie’s show of bravado fell short of eliminating the doubts racing through her mind.

  “That’s not what it looked like when I walked in.”

  “My cousin would have given up once he realized I didn’t share his passion.”

  “Would he have?”

  Delaney’s dark brows shot upward as if questioning the validity of her statement. The slight lift to his mouth confirmed his disbelief.

  Maggie turned away from him and stepped across the room. The familiar crackling of the fire in the grate steeled her with a little more courage than she’d had when she stood close to him. She clasped her hands in front of her and faced him.

  “My cousin is a gentleman, Mr. Delaney. Unlike some who have less stringent lines of constraint, he would have stopped when he realized I wasn’t willing.”

  He laughed. “Ah. Unlike the notorious rakes we all know exist in Society preying on young, innocent females.”

  “I’m sure you know several of whom I speak.”

  “I think I know exactly of whom you speak, Miss Bradford.” He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned one hip against the corner of the floral sofa in the middle of the room. “Do you doubt that I would have stopped had I had you in such a tentative position?”

  Maggie lifted her chin in a defiant pose. “You tell me, sir. Do you usually stop your pursuit of a female when you realize the woman upon whom you are showering your attentions isn’t a willing partner?”

  “I can’t honestly say. I’ve never met a woman who wasn’t a willing partner. Either before…or after I kissed her.”

  The grin on his face deepened the two crevices on either side of his mouth and his midnight blue eyes brimmed with devilment. Maggie felt a red hot heat rush to her cheeks. “Either you have an exaggerated opinion of your effect on women, or the world is filled with more female fools than I imagined.” She struggled to keep a look of disgust on her face.

  “Ah, I hear some doubt in your voice. Is that a challenge, Miss Bradford?”

  His smile broadened and a jolt knocked against Maggie’s ribs. “I’m not at all interested in being another of your conquests.”

  Somehow she’d put herself on the defensive and felt the need to turn the conversation onto firmer ground. She couldn’t allow Grayson Delaney an advantage, no matter how slight. She lifted her chin in the most authoritative pose she could manage and faced him squarely. “Why did you come here?”

  He shrugged. “The fire in the stable interrupted our conversation the other day. Our topic was much too important to leave unfinished.” His voice almost contained a hint of hesitation. Almost.

  Delaney was more determined than she’d imagined he’d be. This was totally out of character for someone as irresponsible as the Earl of Camden’s younger son was reported to be. “Are you afraid I still intend to fire you?”

  “That was the impression you gave.”

  She should. This was the perfect opportunity to rid herself of his overpowering presence, the perfect chance to protect her emotions from the chaos he caused. And yet…

  “No, I’m not going to dismiss you.”

  His relief was almost visible. Maggie thought she heard a soft sigh escape his mouth.

  “Good, then perhaps I can ask for a minute of your time.”

  “Why?”

  “There’s something I’d like to discuss with you. Please, sit down.”

  Delaney indicated a place on the end of the sofa. Maggie’s first instinct was to sit in the single padded chair beside the fireplace where she’d be a safer distance from him.

  “I won’t bite,” he said, his wide-open grin as dangerously enticing as a wolf licking his chops.

  Maggie looked at the chair with a longing sense of self-preservation, then realized avoiding him would be a show of cowardice she couldn’t afford. She swished her skirts to the side and walked toward him.

  He stepped back to allow her to pass then instead of sitting beside her like she was afraid he intended, he pulled up one of the heavy sitting chairs as if it weighed little or nothing and sat in front of her.

  Maggie took a deep breath and tightened her fingers in her lap. Having him sit across from her was even more disconcerting than if he’d sat next to her. At least then she could have stared straight ahead to avoid looking into his mesmerizing blue eyes. Now she’d have to lower her gaze to avoid being caught in his gaze.

  “What is it you needed to speak with me about?” She straightened her spine until she was afraid her back would break and lifted her chin with as much regal fortitude as she could muster.

  He relaxed against his chair and placed the ankle of his right foot atop his left knee. She felt oddly uncomfortable while he looked infuriatingly at ease.

  “How financially stable do you consider Bradford Brewery?”

  His question caught her totally off guard. “I’m not sure that’s any of your business.”

  “It’s not. Just mark my curiosity up as another of my unforgivable sins.” He dropped his booted foot to the floor and leaned forward in his chair. “How financially successful were the profits from last year’s brewing season?”

  Maggie sucked in a deep breath. “It’s no secret that last year’s profits fell short of the previous year. There are always one or two unforeseen expenses that take one by surprise, and the brewing industry is very competitive.”

  “How many tied properties does Bradford own?”

  His question surprised her. Not many outside the brewery industry realized the importance of buying as many local inns as they could to guarantee places to deliver their product. But how many outlets a brewery owned was something that no one ever talked about. Grayson Delaney especially should know how inappropriate his question was. “That’s hardly any of your—”

  “There’s a chance the King’s Crown can be purchased for the right price.”

  Maggie’s jaw dropped. “How do you know that?”

  Delaney leaned back in his chair and smiled his wolfish grin. “One of the tavern maids with whom I was…visiting, spilled her sad tale.”

  Maggie felt her cheeks blaze. Instead of Grayson Delaney showing some contrition, he smiled even broader, as if he were pleased with the reaction he extracted from her.

  He cleared his throat and reassumed his natural pose. “To make a long story short, the lass was understandably upset after she overheard Mr. and Mrs. Briars discuss their desire to move from Harleymoor. It seems their only daughter married a man of means and wants her mama and papa to live close by. She’s even found a home for them near her.”

  “I can’t believe it. Mother offered to buy the inn several times but Briars repeatedly refused.”

  “Your mother?”

  “Well, Father went to talk to him, but it was Mother’s idea.”

  Grayson Delaney’s mind seemed to evaluate the information she’d just let slip. “Maybe the time wasn’t right then. It may be now.”

  Maggie’s mind whirled with plans. “How much do you think Briars will want for the King’s Crown?”

  “I have no way of knowing until I talk to the man.”

  “You! What makes you think I’d allow you to talk to Mr. Briars?”

  “Who else is there? Charlie Murdock?”

  She bit her lip.

  “Henry Tibbles?”

  Maggie avoided looking at him by moving her gaze to the opposite side of the room.

  “Maybe you’d consider Fletcher. He’s an expert with the horses but I’m not sure how good he’d be at convincing Briars to sell the King’s Crown.”

  Her fingers ached and she eased her clenched fists. She’d found so little tolerance for a woman in the business world.

  “This is an opportunity that has to be seized now or you will lose the chance to b
uy a valuable outlet for the ale you produce.”

  Maggie wanted to shout that she knew she had to act quickly. But what could she do? She doubted Briars would take any offer from a woman seriously. Not many men would.

  “Do you expect your father to return shortly?”

  His question startled her and the knot in the pit of her stomach dropped. “No, I don’t expect him any time soon.”

  “Then let me help you.”

  “No!”

  “Why not?”

  “Because…” Maggie couldn’t continue. How could she explain that she couldn’t allow him into her world? Something about him presented too great a danger to her.

  Maggie rose from the sofa and stepped over to the window. She pulled back one side of the heavy velvet drapes and watched the big flakes of snow that fell.

  She needed time to come up with an alternate plan and she didn’t have it. The moment rumors circulated that Briars was interested in selling, there would be a half dozen breweries offering to buy the King’s Crown.

  “You need me.”

  His voice was soft and warm and wrapped around her like a heavy woolen shawl. “I don’t want to,” she answered, and meant it.

  “I know.”

  For a long time neither of them spoke. He seemed to sense how much she hated the only choice open to her and chose to give her the time she needed to come to terms with what she had to do.

  Maggie searched frantically for another alternative but there wasn’t one. The chance to buy the King’s Crown was an opportunity she couldn’t let slip away. Even if it meant risking her sisters’ futures.

  “I have a certain amount set back that I was going to use for Felicity and Charlotte’s Season.”

  “Your sisters are both quite young. Perhaps they can wait to have their Season until next—”

  “No!” She spun to face him and found him standing before the chair where he’d been sitting. Deep furrows ridged his brow and she softened her harsh tone with gentler words in hopes that she could ease the questioning confusion she saw written on his face. “Felicity and Charlotte must have their Season this year. If you knew them, you’d realize that they’re of an age when they are ready to fall in love. They need to meet men who can give them what they need. Neither of them would be happy spending their lives in the country.”