If You Were Mine (11 page)

Isobel
had only experienced sensations like it the first time they had
made love in Squire Benedict’s loft, the night before his
departure. Deep inside her abdomen an aching void tightened until
she thought she would burst. Her tight nipples, buried wantonly in
his chest hair, furled in delight at the teasing of the coarseness
until she thought she would scream. She had never in her life felt
so close to anyone before and loved the sensation of being this
close to Dominic once again.

As their
bodies rocked in rhythmic splendour, for Isobel the world exploded
into a myriad stars as her body gave into the sparkling glory of
her release. Dominic’s groaned aloud in response to her scream of
delight, unable to withstand the onslaught of her inner tightening
gave himself over to his own release. Isobel could feel the warm
heat of his release deep within and her body immediately clenched
tighter around him.

“
Oh God,” Dominic groaned stunned at the sensations being
inside her was creating. Never in his life had he ever experienced
such satisfaction making love to any of his previous lovers.
Indeed, before Isobel, he was certain he had never truly made love
to a woman. That was just sex. This was something far deeper. For
several seconds, he lay panting and replete above her, his head
resting next to hers upon the pillow as he tried to get his stunned
senses under control again.

Words
seemed unnecessary as they lay in each other’s arms while their
bodies cooled. Sometime later, Dominic had the presence of mind to
cover them over with the covers, eyeing his clothing briefly before
deciding to remain with her for a while. Mentally shrugging he
settled down beside her. Viewing the cattle could wait.

Isobel
had fallen asleep again. He wondered if their loving had been too
much for her, but couldn’t find it within him to regret it. If
necessary she would just have to spend a few days longer in bed.
Stifling a smile at his wayward thoughts, and her reaction should
he put forth such a suggestion, he gathered her gently into his
arms. Placing a tender kiss on top of her head, he sighed lovingly
as she instinctively nestled against him with a sigh. With a wave
of contentment he had never experienced before, Dominic fell
asleep.

“
I am here to see the master.” Peter entered the hallway as
the Butler opened the massive front door. “Please inform him Peter
Davenport, Lord Harlec has arrived.” He brushed snow off his
breeches before removing his cloak. It took him several moments to
realise the Butler hadn’t moved an inch. “What is it man, is Lord
Havistock not here?”

“
Oh yes sir,” the Butler stammered, clearly uncomfortable
about something. He had seen the riders approach and had recognised
Mr Sanderson riding alongside the tall gentleman now before
him.

He also
recognised Lord Harlec when he saw him, and was fully aware the
lady upstairs was indeed his sister. “I am afraid the Master is
somewhat busy sir, but if you would like to follow me I shall
ensure cook prepares you a tray of food. I am sure after your long
journey you must be hungry.”

Peter’s
brows rose as he eyed the rapidly retreating back of the Butler.
“Wait!” he bellowed, his handsome features contorted with a harsh
frown. “Where is Lord Havistock?” His concern rose when the Butler
became increasingly vague.

“
I am afraid he is out on estate business Sir. I shall inform
him of your arrival, as soon as he is free.” With that Manvers
quickly spun on his heel and made for the library, surprised when
the latest arrival to the household made no move to follow him.
Instead, somewhat startled he heard the heavy thump of his booted
feet heading up the stairs.

“
Please Sir, you cannot go up there,” Manvers protested loudly
moving as quickly as he could to catch up.

Peter
paused. “My sister is here is she not?” One haughty brow arched in
condescension.

“
Yes, Sir,” Manvers replied noncommittally.

“
Then take me to her. I wish to see her forthwith.” Peter
guessed that she was still in her sick bed. He had spent the entire
journey trying to come to terms with Sanderson’s missive that his
sister was indeed alive, although was in dire straits having
suffered significant and life-threatening illness. Having been held
up by the significant snowfall, frustration now ate at him. Nothing
and nobody, especially an evasive Butler, was going to prevent him
seeing the evidence with his own eyes.

“
I am afraid she is still resting. She has been quite poorly.”
The Butler panted behind him as they ascended the stairs. Manvers
wondered how he was going to persuade the gentleman to leave his
sickbed visiting, or how he could forewarn the Master of the
imminent arrival.

“
I know she has been significantly ill, that is why I wish to
see her now. Are you going to take me to her or do I have to search
this place?” Peter asked, not bothering to hide his impatience with
the Butler’s evasiveness. His instincts warned him something was
amiss, and he had a vague notion that that might be. Without
hesitating, he spun on his heel and took the remaining stairs two
at a time, striding down the corridor toward the master suite. He
had visited Dominic’s house on more than one occasion, and was
fairly certain he could remember the layout.

However,
he wasn’t prepared for the sight that greeted him as he opened the
door to the master suite.

“
Bloody hell Dominic, what the hell have you been doing with
my sister?” he all but bellowed, pushing the door open angrily
until it banged against the wall with a thump.

In
reality, he knew he should be extremely angry that Dominic had
compromised and thoroughly disgraced his sister. Inwardly, he was
delighted. Not only to see she was indeed alive and relatively
well, but ensconced so comfortably with the man who would make her
his wife, and would give her the utmost protection against
Rupert.

Keeping
a mock frown on his face, he stood in the doorway and watched as
Dominic pushed himself sleepily onto one elbow.

“
Do you have to shout?” Dominic grumbled with a yawn. Isobel
stirred sleepily beside him, and he pulled the covers higher to
protect her modesty.

“
Isobel!” Peter chastised, watching with delight as his
sister’s beautiful blue eyes sprang open in shock. She was indeed
very much alive and recovering well if the pink blush staining her
cheeks was any indication, Peter mused fighting a smile.

“
Peter?” It took all of Dominic’s dexterity to prevent her
blushes when she immediately sat bolt upright in bed, wide awake.
“Peter? Is that really you?”

“
Yes, you can be bloody sure it is me, darling Sister. Get
yourself presentable, I shall be back soon and then I want some
answers about your behaviour, my dear.” He turned around to head
back into the corridor before pausing and turning around to face
them. “From the
both
of you!” he added, with a glare towards Dominic.

As he
turned away, Peter closed the door behind him with a firm click and
broke out into a grin. He could get used to playing the stern older
brother, he mused, giving the shocked Butler a wink as he passed.
If playing the outraged protector rushed those two in the bedroom
to the altar, then he needed to put on the performance of his life.
He paused beside Manvers.

“
Do you know something Manvers? I do believe I am famished. Do
you think cook would be able to prepare me a plate of
something?”

“
I am sure she would be delighted to Sir,” Manvers blank tone
belied the very definite twinkle in his eye, and he rapidly
disappeared to the kitchens to report the latest piece of
news.

“
Oh God, was that really Peter?” Isobel gasped, still coming
to terms with their discovering
in
flagrante delicto
by the brother who was
supposed to be deceased.

“
Yes my dear, it was,” Dominic replied, dragging on his
breeches before trying and failing to turn his shirt the right way
around. “Rupert lied about that too.”

“
Why the hell are you smiling?” he demanded when Isobel
dissolved into a fit of giggles.

Isobel
couldn’t resist the surge of happiness that swept through her. Not
only was Dominic here, but Peter was alive too. Could life get any
better? She watched Dominic fighting with his shirt, and couldn’t
stop the giggles that swept through her.

He
paused, his arms only halfway into the sleeves of his shirt, and
turned to watch as her eyes sparkled with merriment. It had been
such a long time since he had heard her laugh, he hadn’t realised
how much he had missed it, until now. A wave of tenderness swept
through him as he eased his arms free before tossing his shirt down
onto the bed.

Within
seconds, Isobel found herself lying back upon the cool sheets,
Dominic looming over her intently.

“
Now you have to behave,” she giggled eyeing his answering
lecherous smile. “My brother is in the house.” She suddenly found
herself unable to wipe the smile from her face. The look of guilt
that suffused his face made him look almost boyish, and it made her
smile grow wider. She eyed his handsome features mere inches from
hers, and began to place teasing kisses along his jaw.

“
Behave yourself minx, you are still recuperating remember?”
he tried, and failed, to make his voice stern as he gave her a mock
glare. “We shouldn’t have spent the morning in bed while you are
still recuperating. You need to rest,” he chided.

“
Oh I am. I am,” she smiled cheekily, tugging his head down
for a kiss. “I shall remain in bed for as long as need be.” Her
smile deepened at his answering groan.

Later
that morning, Dominic finally left the bed leaving an exhausted
Isobel securely beneath the sheets. This time, Isobel let him go.
“I had better make my peace with your brother before he returns to
the room to find out what is taking us so long.”

He eyed
the white sheet she held haphazardly to her chest, and couldn’t
hide the smile of satisfaction at the flicker of memory of the last
few minutes. Keeping his satisfied smile well hidden, he turned to
her with a mock sternness. “Now behave yourself. You shall get no
more until you have rested,” he cautioned, sweeping up the
remainder of his clothes. Splendidly naked he quickly left the
room, closing the door quickly behind him before the pillow Isobel
launched across the room, hit him at the back of the
head.

CHAPTER SIX

“
You had better have honourable intentions towards my sister,”
Peter warned half jokingly as a now presentable, if somewhat smug
Dominic joined him in the library several minutes later.

“
You know damned well I do,” Dominic replied, moving toward
the decanter next to the hearth. Pouring them both a drink he sat
in the plush brocade chair on the opposite side of the roaring
fire. “I trust Cook and Manvers have seen to your needs?” Dominic
eyed the empty tray longingly for a second and he sipped his
drink.

“
Aye they have. I shall steal your Cook before I go,” Peter
replied with a deep sigh of contentment.

“
You can try,” Dominic argued, letting the silence settle
between them for several minutes. “Are you going up to see
her?”

“
I’ll let her get her energy back first,” Peter replied wryly
eyeing the contentment of his friend slouched opposite.

“
You know I have every intention of making her my wife. Now I
have her, I have no intention of letting her go. She is perfectly
safe with me.”

“
I know,” Peter paused for several minutes but couldn’t
prevent the question. “How is she really?”

Dominic
sighed and took a long draught of his brandy before turning his
gaze back toward Peter, and away from the flickering flames in the
hearth.

“
She is as well as can be expected. She was half starved when
we found her Peter. It was clear she hadn’t eaten much at all since
her escape from Rupert.” Dominic leaned forward in his chair,
placing his forearms on his thighs, remembering the bones clearly
visible through her wafer-thin skin. “It has taken some time to
coax her to eat sufficiently to sustain her, but she is eating well
now, but with the condition her lungs were it, her situation has
been dire.”

“
What do you mean with her lungs? What was wrong?” Peter eyed
the solemnity on his friend’s face in alarm.

“
She had putrid lungs. They are much better now than when we
found her but there were times when I thought they were getting
worse. If we hadn’t found her when we did, she would not be alive
now, I am certain of it. She definitely would not have had
sufficient strength or protection against the winter. She had two
halfpennies left in her pocket.”

Peter
swore. “What has the doctor said?” Peter knew that Isobel would
have received the best of care money could buy.

“
Her lungs are on the mend. She needs to be kept warm, and
must eat as much as possible. He has given us some tisane for her
to drink, which she is still taking. It does help, but it is slow
progress. She has been so weak and malnourished that it is taking a
lot longer than it should to get her back to full health.” Dominic
settled back in his chair with a sigh.