If You Were Mine (21 page)

Heaving
a deep sigh of contentment, she stretched a little and wiggled her
toes against the cool sheets, stopping suddenly as her toes made
contact with a well muscled, hairy leg.

“
That tickles,” Dominic grumbled ruefully from above her
head.

Isobel
smiled softly up at him, delighted at his gentle smile was quickly
followed by a slow kiss.

“
How do you feel this morning?” Dominic asked her, his voice
husky with sleep.

“
A little sore but wonderfully alive,” Isobel replied, pushing
herself onto her elbow to lean over her husband.

Isobel
blushed as she remembered the tantalising sensations from the night
before. “I suppose I could behave,” Isobel pursed her lips
thoughtfully before she smiled slowly fully aware she had his rapt
attention. His gaze was firmly fixed upon the tip of her tongue as
it slowly moistened her lips. “But then, I might get bored, and
then who knows where we would be?”

“
I need to inform Peter of your friend’s activities,” he
explained. “The sooner we speak to him the better.”

“
I should like to try to go for a walk today,” Isobel said,
eyeing the snowy vista outside with longing.

“
Don’t get cold.” He fought hard not to forbid her from
leaving the house. So far, she had been relatively submissive in
agreeing to his dictates. He couldn’t hold her prisoner in the
house but it rankled that he needed to stand back and allow her to
wander. “It’s cold and slippery underfoot, please don’t push
yourself.” He pressed a gentle kiss upon her lips. “You had a very
busy night last night after all.”

Isobel
shot him a cheeky smile. “I will only wander around the gardens
outside. No further.” She sensed his disquiet, but was pleased he
trusted her enough to let her out alone.

“
Good enough. Now behave yourself wench, I need to leave the
bed!” He slapped her rump and he lurched out of bed laughing as he
dodged the flying pillow that followed him. Despite the stresses of
the situation with Rupert, life as a married man was turning out
rather well.

CHAPTER TEN

Isobel
couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was wrong; very
wrong. There were no birds singing in the trees. Everything around
her seemed to be frozen in time.

The
hairs rose on the back of her neck and she slowly began to scan the
area around her. In the near distance, she could see Edward talking
to the head gardener. Although she knew was perfectly safe, tension
began to tighten her shoulders. Instinctively, her hands balled
into tight fists. She paused briefly to look at something in the
hedgerow. In reality, she took the opportunity to take a careful
look behind her.

Everything remained still. But she still couldn’t shake off
the horrible feeling that was so familiar to her. She had spent two
months living by her wits, and had learned enough about her
instincts to know that when her nerves were as fraught as they
were, there was something seriously wrong. Carefully, she eyed the
break in the trees only a few feet ahead that led onto the lawns of
Havistock Hall; the place she now called home.

She had
taken only a few steps, when she heard a horrible sneer directly
behind her.

“
Well, well, if it isn’t my elusive princess.”

Isobel
turned slowly on her heel, careful to keep any signs of fear from
her face as she eyed the rotund man standing behind her. He had
been hiding in the shelter of the conifers waiting for the right
time to appear. From where he was standing, he couldn’t be seen by
either man talking at the edge of the path, or by anyone looking
out of the windows of the house.

“
What do you want Rupert?” Isobel drew her shoulders back
haughtily, something she knew Rupert hated. She was determined not
to show the horrid little man that inside she was a quivering
wreck.

“
I think you already know the answer to that one, don’t you my
dear?” Rupert whined silkily, eyeing her curves as though she were
a horse. “You have a fiancé waiting to make your acquaintance.” His
voice was menacing; his eyes cold and calculating.

“
I would never consider that possibility!” Isobel said with a
snort. “Marry him yourself if you like him that much, because I
never shall.” It took every ounce of her courage to return his
contemptuous glare, allowing her own gaze to wander dismissively
over his rotund little frame in return. Everything within her
screamed at her to run for her life, but she knew that she couldn’t
afford to allow Rupert to witness just how deeply disturbed his
appearance made her.

“
If you think you can escape me girl, you are sadly mistaken.
But then,” Rupert’s voice dropped to a menacing growl. “You never
were all that clever. I am sure DeLisle will take great pleasure in
ensuring you remember your station in life.”

God how
she hated him! She did not flinch as a large burly man had come out
of his hiding place behind Rupert. Not within reach to carry her
off certainly, but close enough to pose a threat

Isobel glanced at him contemptuously before turning to the
smaller man. “My
station
in life?” Isobel sneered, her voice laced with
hatred she didn’t bother to try to mask. “You want to remind
me
of my station in
life. That’s a laugh if ever I heard one!” She shook her head in
mock wonder at the older man’s arrogance. “
You
are the one who needs reminding
of his station in life, you arrogant oaf.
You
are the one who seems to forget
you are knee-deep in debt, no doubt with half of London after your
worthless hide. You need to be reminded of your station in life
make no mistake.” Isobel glared at the stocky man to Rupert’s left
with nothing less than scorn. “Make sure he pays you well, because
he hasn’t got a penny to his name.” She smiled spitefully as the
little man began to tremble with rage, and felt stronger for having
faced him so bravely.

“
If you both don’t get off this land now, I shall have you
both arrested for trespass.” Isobel snapped, her chin rose
arrogantly as she glared at both men. Cheeks flushed with temper,
Isobel fought the urge to smack her wayward relation right on the
nose. “All I have to do is scream my
husband,
and half of the armed
household staff will be here before you can take ten steps. I can
assure you if either of you are caught here, then they will take
undoubted delight in reminding you of your lowly station; both of
you.” She added with a scornful look at the silent oaf now standing
doubtfully behind his employer.

It gave
her no small measure of reassurance to mention her husband.
Something inside her calmed at the thought of Dominic being so
close.

“
Your -” Rupert spluttered, his face becoming mottled with
rage.

“
Yes, that’s right; my husband. I am Lady Havistock,” Isobel
smiled feeling somewhat bolstered by phrasing the words. “I shall
call him if you like. I am sure he would like to make your
acquaintance. He has after all been trying to find you.” Isobel
turned casually as if to shout, and paused when Rupert spat a
volley of foul language at her, along with the promise that she had
not heard the last from him. Within moments he and his henchman
disappeared through the conifers.

As soon
as they had disappeared Isobel closed her eyes in a silent prayer
before spinning on her heel. It took every ounce of self-control
she possessed to walk casually back to Edward and the gardener.
Both men looked up at her as she approached, looking startled as
soon as they saw her pale, haunted face. She ignored their
questions and continued into the house, her tread measured and
steady. As soon as she crossed the threshold into the kitchen, she
took to her heels, not stopping until she burst through the library
door.

The men
within lurched to their feet at her wild entrance. Isobel didn’t
stop until she launched into Dominic’s arms and felt their
reassuring strength surrounding her.

“
Isobel?”Dominic’s look of shock penetrated the cloud of fear
fogging Isobel’s brain. “What the hell?”

Isobel
could do nothing but hiccup and gasp for breath. Everything within
her trembled violently.

“
He’s here,” she whispered, tears pooling in her eyes.
“Through the trees, at the far side of the rose garden.” She got no
further as the men within the room lurched into action. Within
seconds, the grounds were being thoroughly searched.

Isobel
was moved to sit before the hearth, a brandy in her hands as
Dominic rubbed her arms to ward off the chill from her shivering
flesh.

“
Darling, look at me,” Dominic demanded, raising his hands to
cup her face and turn her unfocused gaze towards him.

Isobel
sucked in a shuddering breath, as her jumbled emotions swung wildly
between the urge to laugh wildly at her bravado, and cry piteously
onto the broad shoulder of her husband. His reassuring presence
before her, finally penetrated the cold fog of fear that enveloped
her. Together with the warm liquid that burned as she swallowed,
within moments she had calmed enough to recount their
conversation.

“
He can’t hurt you Isobel,” Dominic fought hard to keep his
voice softly soothing. “You are perfectly safe.” Dominic turned
Isobel’s chin back towards him, waiting for several moments until
her watery eyes locked with his steadily reassuring gaze. “He was
trying to scare you. To make you believe that he poses a threat.”
He didn’t add that he could very easily have carried Isobel off to
God knows where and they would not have known for several long
moments. Long enough for Rupert to kidnap her again. Dominic placed
a tender kiss on her hair and drew her into his arms. Rupert had
now thrown down the gauntlet; his actions of the afternoon no
different to calling Dominic out. It was now down to Dominic to
call the arms and name the place.

Several
hours later the men returned, stamping their feet and blowing their
hands against the pervading cold. Anger and disappointment
shimmered in the air at their failure. Tracks had been located and
followed only to be lost in the woods, where little snow had fallen
through the thick canopy of the trees.

Once
everyone was supplied with brandy, they settled around the roaring
fire and waited.

“
I’m going to go over and warn him.” The bitter anger in
Peter’s voice was clear. “He’s my uncle. It’s down to me to bring
him into line.”

“
You will do no such thing,” Dominic’s argued in a voice that
was cold and deadly. He raised a hand to ward off Peter’s
objection.

“
He’s getting desperate. Don’t you see? By approaching Isobel
today, he is hoping he can scare her into running again. He is
hoping that if he gets hold of her, he can gain access to her
funds. I don’t think he is as brave or foolhardy to try to snatch
her from the gardens. He needs her away from here. He needs to get
her to leave.” Dominic turned toward his wife. “When are you five
and twenty?”

Isobel
frowned as she tried to absorb his logic. The brandy was very nice,
but her thoughts were getting very muddled. “Next Thursday,” she
mumbled carefully placing her glass down on the table beside her.
She wanted them to include her. It wouldn’t bode well if she was
too sozzled to remember what they had decided.

“
What does that have to do with anything?” Edward asked,
struggling to follow Dominic’s logic.

“
Rupert is getting desperate for money. While he remains at
the country house, he is a sitting duck for his debtors to find
him. He needs cash and fast. So, he needs Isobel. Peter won’t give
him any money. There is nothing left at Gosport Hall. Willowbrook
is closed to him. Isobel is the only option. She has significant
funds becoming available to her next week. He needs to get his
hands on them.”

“
But why not snatch her this afternoon when she was standing
before him.”

“
He knew I’d scream and create such a racket, neither man
would get very far. He seemed a little shocked to learn that I am
now married.”

“
I’ll bet he was,” Dominic declared flatly. They had taken
great pains to ensure the house staff remain quiet about the
wedding for now and it appeared he had been successful.

“
So what do we do now?” Sebastian’s voice broke the silence.
“Do we just wait for him to become even more desperate, and break
into the house to snatch her?”

“
I’m not going to be bullied by him any longer!” Isobel
snapped, drawing the startled gazes of the men within the room.
Yes, I was scared when I saw him. Of course I was. The man beat me
senseless, practically daily. But when I saw him outside in the
cold light of day, I saw him for the horrid little bully he really
is and suddenly he didn’t seem all that scary anymore.”

“
Be wary of him, darling,” Dominic cautioned, his voice harsh
at the thought of his wife being subjected to such brutality. “You
should be proud of your bravado, but don’t allow it to make you
reckless. He is unpredictable and has kidnapped you once
already.”

“
We need to have someone watch Rupert’s house. The moment he
leaves I want to know about it,” Edward’s voice was laced with
menace.