Behind the Rake's Wicked Wager(21)

‘I want to make sure you do not marry my cousin.’

She blinked at him. Was that all? Relief brought the first real smile of the evening to her face.

‘Then you have gone to a great deal of trouble for nothing, my lord. I have already told you I do not mean to marry him, and I am pretty sure Gerald has told you the same.’

‘I saw you,’ he said. ‘Coming out of the jewellers on Milsom Street.’

She raised her brows.

‘And that convinced you we are to be married? You are very quick to jump to conclusions.’

‘Then tell me what you were doing there.’

‘I will not.’

‘Then tell me where you go almost every morning, when you drive out of Bath in your carriage—and pray do not try to fob me off, I have seen you.’

‘Very well, I will say nothing then.’

‘You are an extremely obstinate woman, Miss Prentess.’

‘And you are a fool,’ she retorted. ‘I told you at the outset I had no designs upon your cousin. Gerald has come to terms with that, so why cannot you?’

‘You make use of him unmercifully.’

‘He is happy to be of assistance to me.’

‘You sent him off on an errand—’

‘I did.’

‘Where did he go?’

‘That is none of your business.’ She waved her hand. ‘I doubt you would approve, if you knew.’

‘But it might have stopped me from going to these extraordinary measures to prevent your liaison.’

His retort merely made her shake her head at him, smiling.

‘You have led yourself a merry dance, have you not, my lord?’

He sat down beside her.

‘It seems I have been well and truly bamboozled.’

He looked at her and his lips twitched. The corners of his mouth turned up. Susannah stifled a giggle, he tried not to chuckle, but the next moment both of them were laughing so hard they could not sit upright, but leaned against each other, helpless with mirth. He put his arm around her to support them and, still giggling, she turned towards him.

The laughter died away, but Susannah found she was still smiling, still looking into those dark, dark eyes that held nothing now but warmth and good humour. Without thinking she put up her hand to cup his cheek.

‘How foolish you were to doubt me,’ she whispered.

He turned his head to press a kiss into the palm of her hand and as he did so his arms slid around her. It seemed the most natural thing in the world to look up a little more, to invite his kiss and when his lips met hers it was as if the whole world relaxed with a sigh. She leaned into him, her lips parting under the soft pressure of his mouth. His tongue dipped into her, drawing on the ache that reached right through her body, down to her groin.

She wound her arms around him and kissed him back, tangling her tongue with his, pressing herself closer. Every inch of her skin was alive to the feel of his hands through the thin layers of her gown. When he stopped kissing her and slid one hand beneath her knees, lifting her effortlessly into his arms, she did not protest, but pressed her face against his neck, breathing in that faint, familiar scent she had come to associate with him and planting gentle kisses on the pulse beating beneath his skin.

He carried her through to the bedroom. A fire burned in the hearth, and candles flickered in the wall sconces, giving the room a warm, welcoming glow. He did not pause but made straight for the bed where he laid her on the covers. Her arms were still around his neck and she drew him to her, impatient to feel his mouth on hers again. He obliged, covering her mouth as he stretched out beside her, measuring her length with his body, arousing in her feelings she could not control.

She was almost swooning, transported to another world by the sensations he was creating in her. He had removed her ruff and was now kissing her throat, his hands unfastening the drawstring on her bodice so that he could caress her breasts. They were taut and hard, pressing against his questing fingers and when he began to circle one tender nub with his thumb she groaned aloud, her head going back as the pleasure of it surged through her whole body.

Susannah reached out for him. She did not know when he had cast off his jacket and waistcoat, but there was only the thin linen shirt between her hands and his flesh. She could feel the hard outline of his back, the contours of his shoulders, his spine. It was all so new, so exhilarating. She gasped as his mouth replaced the thumb at her breast and her body responded, softening, the very bones liquefying. His hand smoothed over her silken skirts, pushing them aside to stroke her thigh. She was drowning in the pleasure of him, opening, turning towards his questing fingers, inviting him to go further, to explore her fully.

Susannah moved sensuously against the covers. She had not known it could be so wondrous, this attraction between a man and a woman. That she could feel so alive, so at one with another person. Was it always like this? Was this how it had been for...

Memories and cold fear returned.

‘No.’ She was seized by panic and tried to push him off. ‘No, please. Please, don’t do this.’

Immediately he stopped and drew away. Instead of relief she felt merely chilled and bereft.

‘Susannah? What is it, my dear, what is wrong?’

She rolled away from him and scrabbled to sit up, hugging herself.

‘I never meant— I should never— I am so ashamed.’ She buried her face in her hands as hot tears burned her cheeks. Trembling, she waited for him to curse her roughly for her wanton behaviour, to swear, maybe even to lash out at her.

After a deathly silence broken only by her muffled sobs she felt his hand on her shoulder. A light touch. Soothing, not threatening.

‘I beg your pardon, Susannah. This is all my fault. I never intended... Oh, hell and damnation, what a coil!’

His gentleness made her cry even harder. He shifted until he was sitting beside her and gently pulled her against him.

‘I promised you I would do nothing without your consent, my dear. If I misunderstood—’

She shook her head, unable to speak, unable to tell him how much she had wanted, relished every touch, every caress.

‘I must go—’

He held her tighter.

‘No, not yet. It is not yet midnight, there are too many people abroad. Someone might recognise you.’

‘Then what shall I do?’

‘You must stay here until dawn and I will find you a chair.’

‘I cannot stay here, with you.’

‘To leave my chambers now would be to risk being seen. You would be ruined.’ He exhaled, a long, drawn-out sigh. ‘I think I have misjudged you. We must talk.’

‘No, not yet.’ She held her head in her hands. ‘I feel so tired.’

He pulled her unresisting on to the bed.

‘Then lie here and sleep.’ He added quickly, ‘You will be perfectly safe. I promise I shall not molest you again. The bed is wide enough for us both to lie on it without touching.’

Susannah turned away from him and curled herself into a ball. Molest her? He had not molested her. He had awoken her to the delights of her own body. He had seduced her and she had succumbed most willingly. Oh heavens, she was no different from those poor unfortunate girls at Florence House. They too had been seduced by fine words and soft caresses, before they had been abandoned. How could she have been so weak? No wonder young ladies required a chaperon to be with them constantly. She had not known how it could feel, had not realised how wayward her own body could be. She thought of the man lying beside her. There was no doubt he was kind and gentle, but it made him no less a seducer.

She felt the bed move as he slid off it, heard him pad across the room. A moment later there was the soft click as the key turned in the lock. Her worst fears were realised. She was his prisoner. Hot tears pressed against her eyes. It was clear now that his gentle assurances were worthless. He had not kissed her because he wanted to, because he was attracted to her. It was a cold plan devised to protect his cousin. The tears spilled over, burning her cheeks. What a fool she was.

* * *

Jasper came back to the bed and lay down again, keeping very still. He listened to the quiet snuffling beside him. Sympathy put his desire to flight. And he had desired her, so much so that he had forgotten his planned seduction, forgotten all about Gerald Barnabus. When he had taken Susannah in his arms he had thought only of possessing her fully, wholly, for himself. Her distress made him realise that somehow he had got it badly wrong. Whatever secrets she had they did not involve marriage to his cousin, he would stake his life on that now.

When she was calmer he would talk to her, assure her that if there was the faintest hint of scandal resulting from this evening then he would do the honourable thing and marry her. But that would come later. For now she needed to sleep, as did he. At least, having locked the door, there was no danger that they would be discovered in this compromising situation by some over-zealous chambermaid coming in early to light the fire.