Angelina (38 page)

   Even as he caressed the sweet buds of her breasts and felt them respond against his fingertips, he knew she’d be changed, this day. Her eyes would hold the knowledge of him in their depths, of her power to take his love and make it her strength. As he kissed her lips the chaste purity of them stole the sensuality from his own. She turned it against him, making him weak.

Dear, God! Her flesh was like silk under his hands, and moulded over bones so fine he could have crushed them between his fingers had he not sensed the resilience of them. Her body was firm, but softly rounded in her femininity. Her pale slenderness was unblemished except for a tiny freckle at the curve of her waist. She shivered when he pressed his lips against it and he drew his cloak around them.

Her eyes were dewy soft when she gazed at him, her smile dreamy. She reached out to tentatively trace the contours of his face with her fingers. “Do I disappoint you, Rafe?”

“God, no!” His smile contained a thread of shame. How could she think such a thing when his reaction was so apparent against her thigh. But in her innocence she would not know of man’s baseness, he reminded himself. She’d be unaware of the inevitable incursion into her body that would change her from maid to woman. That would be his joy, and her downfall.

Tenderly, he took her lips within his own, caressing her mouth into trembling acquiescence. Slowly, gently, he gradually explored the secrets of her body - and how eagerly she learned them.

There was tension in her, but gradually her body opened to him like a flower to the morning dew. When he gazed upon her dear face he saw her eyes closed in rapture, and felt her moistness.

He could have taken her then. She would have never known what she felt was nothing to what lay ahead. Her consciousness of her sensuality was just below the surface, he wanted her submerged, unable to think, only to experience the sublime eroticism of the moment when he stole her maidenhood. Then she would remember it in the years to come as a loving exchange of gifts, not a ritual of pain.

 Slowly, he tasted her perfection, his eyes alert for signs of distress. Only once did she display shyness, her hand covering herself in a fluttering movement. She did not resist when he gently nuzzled under her hand. Her defeated fingers moved slowly and caressingly into his scalp, allowing him access in the most intimate of ways. It was not long before she uttered a long drawn out ecstatic, shuddering gasp

   Moving above her he slid against her, felt her give to him and was enclosed within the sweet musky well of her, pulsing in the cradle of her sweetness. She pulled him closer, arched herself into him, accommodating his more muscular shape and making them one. Her eyes opened to gaze straight into his. They were luminous, and deep. “I love you, Rafe,” she whispered, her voice seductive with her passion. “I will always love you.”

He experienced the strong, hot urges of his body and moved inside her. A small sound came from her throat, a tiny ecstatic growl. She arched her head back, her hair spread like the shafts of silken sunlight. He took a strand of that hair and wound it about his fingers.

Blood pounded in his temple when he moved within her, slowly and carefully at first. Her calves slid sensuously around his waist, making him prisoner to her body - such a sweet surrender. Her action was a catalyst, turning his control into a pulsing rapture of ecstasy. Abandoning his pretence of noble feelings in the primitive urge to conquer this women, he drove deep into her, felt her body rise to accommodate his driving frenzy. There was a shuddering climax, as if the world had come to an end about them. They were one body, one heart, one mind.

After today, I may never experience such complete union again, he thought, sadly gazing on the one he loved.

  A short time later, Angelina slowly opened her eyes to gaze with delighted wonder at Rafe. His expression was a mixture of anxiety and shyness. “Now I know what it is to love,” she murmured. “I have never experienced such pleasure, and will cherish this moment between us forever.”

“Angelina, my dearest. If I hurt, you I will never forgive myself. “

She placed a finger over his lips, making a tiny shushing noise as one would do with a child. “There was no hurt, only joy. This is a gift we have given each other. None shall ever diminish it in my eyes.”

He drew her into his arms. “I love you, Angelina. God, how I love you.”

She felt like weeping at the blow fate had dealt her. She’d finally experienced the perfection of love, now it would be denied her. If only they could lie in each other’s arms forever, die together in this spot. She felt no remorse at what she’d done, no shame. Only those who’d never experienced such a sublime union would regard it as a sin. If anything, she loved Rafe all the more for his weakness.

After a while her hand tangled in his hair and she brought his lips down to hers. The body lying against hers aroused most powerfully to the action, and she chuckled, delightfully aware of it.

Rafe gazed down at her, eyes alight with laughter and love. “You, witch,” he murmured. “See what you have done to me.”

Her eyes rounded with innocence. “I do not know what you mean, sir.”

“Like hell you don’t,” he growled.

She couldn’t stop her blush, and softly giggled. “See how you make the colour rise to my cheeks, Master of Ravenswood.”

“It’s too late to blush, My Lady.” His mouth trailed over her bare shoulders, over the swell of her breast and teased the glowing buds of her nipples into life again. “You’ve unleashed the beast in me, there’s only one way to tame him.”

The beast was a delightful revelation to her, and when he was, satiated, she felt extremely loved and well satisfied.

They came into the grounds of Wrey House at dusk. William had been watching out for them. He gazed from one to the other, noting the loving glances they exchanged.

Angelina gave him a carefree smile as he lifted her down from the horse, but she couldn’t quite meet his eyes. She enveloped him a hug. “Hello, Will.”

The perfume of loving clung to her. Gently, he plucked a leaf from her hair, saying dryly. “You’d best go and tidy yourself up before you present yourself to your mama.”

A faint blush tinted her skin, but her eyes were clouded when she glanced at Rafe. “Thank you, Rafe.”

“Angel?” Rafe’s grin held a degree of intimacy as he blew her a kiss.

They’d become lovers. William could feel the thread of tension vibrating between them. He hadn’t thought Rafe to be a man who would violate his best friend’s sister, nor Angelina the type to give herself lightly.

William saw Rafe’s eyes fill with pain when he watched his sister walk away - as if  he’d never see her again. The adoration in his eyes was plain to see, but what of Angelina? When she turned to give Rafe one long, lingering glance, he was shocked by the anguish in her eyes.

If these two are in love there’s nothing to stop them marrying, he thought…except the question of Frey Mellor’s innocence. “The situation between you is as plain as the nose on my face,” he growled. “There had better be a good explanation.”

“Rest assured, William. If God permits, Angelina will become my wife. First, there’s a small problem to overcome. In an attempt to save Frey from the noose, she intends to secretly marry Nicholas Snelling. I intend to stop her, but need your help.”

William nodded.

“Let there be no misunderstanding between us, William. I believe you know the identity of the highway robber, and I think Angelina knows who it is. If the worst comes to the worst, I’ll not stand by and allow you to sacrifice Angelina and Frey to protect another.”

William gave Rafe a sharp look, wondering how much he knew. He shrugged, what did it matter now. “I have no love for my bastard brother, but I’ve been thinking of late. It will do me no honour to let him die.”

“And you cannot let Rosabelle hang either, can you?”

The fellow was astute. He gave a mirthless grin. “I’d willingly strangle Rosabelle with my bare hands, but no, I couldn’t let her hang on a public gallows for what was little more than a craving for excitement. She didn’t kill anyone.”

“Then you’ll help?”

“I’ve been wrestling with a plan in my head for days.” He began to walk towards the stable. “First, I must take you to my stud. If anything should happen to me in the execution of the plan, some things need to be destroyed.”

When they reached the village, he led Rafe to the cottage he used as a tack room. Lifting a trapdoor, he lit a candle and started down a flight of stairs.

Rafe whistled when they reached the cellar below and saw the goods stacked to the ceiling. There were bolts of richly woven cloth, crates of the finest French brandy, perfume, and in one corner, cases of duelling pistols with intricate designs in silver.

“This village has always been used for smuggling,” William explained with a

shrug. “I decided to carry on with the tradition when I discovered a tunnel leading down to a cave in the cove. A fishing vessel brings the goods over from France. The trade has been lucrative, but I’m leaving for America shortly and have brought it to an end. The remaining goods will be picked up a week hence. If anything happens to me in the meantime, I would have it destroyed.” He indicated a keg of gunpowder. Just lay a powder fuse down to the cave and put a spark to it. The village will collapse on top of it.”

“And the gold stolen from Rosabelle’s victims…where is that, for it must be returned.”

‘It’s hidden in the forest, inside a fallen log. With it is a list of what was stolen from whom. I’ve not yet devised a plan of returning it. I thought that I might get Rosabelle to hand it over to George Northbridge and confess, after they’re married. Although he’s a magistrate, he would not allow his new bride to be implicated.”

Rafe smiled at William’s deviousness. “And George has got a sense of humour, so will appreciate the irony of it.”

‘Quite.” Picking up a bottle of brandy William surveyed the label with a certain amount of satisfaction. His voice was ironic when he said. “This is the finest to come out of France, and the last of my own private stock. It would be a shame to waste it. Will you share it with me while we plan the rescue of my sister?” 

Rafe wondered what James would make of this brother of his if he knew. “I’d be honoured. It will help to ease the conscience of our dishonesty.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Nicholas Snelling was garbed in lavender brocade. A profusion of lace frothed at his wrists and flounced at his throat. In a black cloak lined with purple silk, he imagined he cut a fine figure.

They’d left the Inn as soon as the look out brought news that Angelina and her sister had left Wrey house together. Barely ten minutes behind the pair, the wheel marks of the Wrey carriage were plainly visible in the dust of the road.

Constance was peevish in the extreme. She was suffering from a headache, which the early hour and bright sunshine worsened. Her malady was exacerbated by the cart she rode in. It lacked any comfort whatsoever and jolted uncomfortably through every pothole on the road.

She cursed the fact that the horses in both the hire stables and at the inn, had all succumbed to an overnight stomach gripe brought on by a surfeit of molasses, mysteriously added to their bran. 

To add to her discomfort, she’d discovered that the gown she intended to wear still contained creases from travelling, and her maid seemed unable to dress her hair to her satisfaction. Not that it mattered, she thought sourly. Nobody but herself and Rosabelle Wrey would witness the wedding, and she doubted if her future daughter-in-law would cut a bride-like figure.

She cast a derisive eye over Nicholas, smiling and nodding to himself. What a vain fool he was to imagine Angelina Wrey loved him. Had it not been for the retraction, safely concealed in the bag she carried, the chit wouldn’t have given him a second thought.

Still, the money would sweeten the deal, and perhaps she could induce one of her more experienced friends in London to seduce the girl. All it would take was a small amount of laudanum to keep her quiet. She nodded maliciously. It would be amusing to watch her corruption.

Neither of them saw the highwayman until he laid a hand on the bridle and brought the cart to a halt. Nicholas’s face turned the colour of clay at the sight of him, and Constance thought he might faint dead away.

“What’s the meaning of this?” she said coldly. “Only a coward would rob a defenceless woman and her son?”

The man edged his way towards the cart, his eyes a dark glitter as he aimed his pistol at Nicholas. “Empty your pockets.”

Twittering in fright, Nicholas did as he was told. The felon inspected the displayed objects, then said curtly. “Get down from the cart and disrobe to your breeches. Pass every piece of clothing to me, including your shoes and hose.”

Five minutes later Nicholas lay face down, naked and blushing. The highwayman’s eyes flicked to Constance.

“You, madam. Get down from the cart.”

“You would force a lady to disrobe, sir?” Her eyes wandered to the man’s thighs and narrowed a little. She stood so she was level with him, inviting softly. “Perhaps you’d rather search my body with your hands. I have no weapons concealed about me.”

Derision flared in his eyes, the mouth beneath the mask stretched in a smile. “You’re old enough to be my mother, madam. Pray, do not make a fool of yourself. Get down from the cart.”

Constance’s eyes narrowed at the slight, her face mottled red. Stepping to the ground she stared up at him, her face twisted and ugly in anger.

“Hand me your reticule.”

She clutched it tightly against her. It contained her jewellery, and she had no intention of handing it over without a struggle “I refuse.”

The highwayman turned his pistol on Nicholas. “I’ll count to five, then I will kill this skinny peacock. One...two...”

Nicholas gave a terrified moan. “For God’s sake! “ he cried out piteously. “Do as he says.”

“Three...four...”

Constance threw the reticule at him with considerable force. Her jewellery scattered on the road when he rifled through its contents. He plucked the piece of paper containing the retraction from the bag and quickly scanned it.