If You Were Mine (22 page)

Dominic
turned toward his wife, knowing she wouldn’t like what he was about
to say. “For now, no more strolls in the garden.” He was surprised
when she just meekly nodded. Cautiously he surveyed her empty glass
and quietly replenished her drink, pushing it into her hands
mutely, before returning to his customary position before the
hearth.

“
I’ll organise the watch on Rupert’s.” Edward declared firmly,
relishing the possibility of meeting one of Rupert’s ‘associates’
in the bushes.

“
I need to go to visit Hubert to ask him a few pertinent
details.” He shared a measured look with his wife.

“
I will head off to London to gather the troops, so to speak.
While I am there I make a few inquiries into DeLisle and Rupert’s
activities and see if I can shed some light on their financial
status,” Sebastian added, glad to be doing something Rupert to
justice.

Isobel
frowned. What could she do? She was rendered practically useless.
She certainly couldn’t ride off to London, or sit in the bushes and
watch Rupert’s house.

“
Isobel,” Dominic’s voice broke her train of thought. “This
may at some point go before the Magistrate.

In order
to secure trial and punishment, you need to recount everything that
happened to you on paper. Make a statement we could put forward to
the authorities highlighting his illegal activities.” In reality he
wasn’t certain it would be needed. Men as desperate as Rupert and
DeLisle usually didn’t make it to the courtrooms. “It has to be
everything.” He felt a surge of pride when she nodded her
acceptance of her task, despite going deathly pale at the thought
resurrecting the ghosts of her recent past.

He hoped
it would keep her busy enough to stop her going outside while he
was gone. A week suddenly seemed such a very long time.

“
Promise me Dominic,” Isobel demanded later that night as they
lay replete in each others’ arms. Although she loved this man, and
would trust him with her life, there was a cold fierceness about
him now that made him a stranger, and she wasn’t sure she was
entirely comfortable with him. It took every ounce of her willpower
to place her fingers upon his chin and turn his cool emerald gaze
to hers. “Promise me you won’t risk yourself. You must be careful.
As you said Rupert is desperate. I don’t want him removing you in
the hope of making me a vulnerable widow.”

Dominic’s face relaxed into a ghost of a smile that vanished
so swiftly Isobel wasn’t sure if she had seen it. “I will be
fine.
You
must
promise
me
that
you will not do anything to put yourself in danger. I can ensure
you are kept safe and secure. You must play your part however, and
make sure you do not take any unnecessary risks,” his voice held a
stern edge that gave Isobel pause to consider if she really knew
Dominic at all.

Was this
side of him, the cold and ruthless side, the true Dominic? Or was
it the warm and loving man she had grown to know over the past few
weeks?

“
I won’t do anything that will inadvertently put anyone,
including myself, at risk,” Isobel reassured him. “You need to know
something else,” her sleepy comment broke the silence of the
room.

“
Hmm?” Dominic frowned at her warily through the darkness of
the room.

“
If I die, you will inherit my fortune and estates,” her
announcement was met with silence.

“
You are not going to die.”

She
could tell from the tone of his voice that her warrior was most
definitely back. “We are most definitely going to grow old and grey
together. Now, we will talk no more about death and dying.” With
that, he settled her more firmly against him and fell
asleep.

Dominic
shivered as an icy blast of air slithered down his neck, reminding
him that winter still had a firm grasp of the weather. His warm
breath puffed out, creating a white cloud in the darkness around
him, urging him to hurry through the gloom toward home.

He eyed
the clouds hanging menacingly in the skies above, and wondered if
he would make it home before the snowstorm hit. He tugged his cloak
higher, tucking his chin into the warmth. Peering through the
shadows for any familiar signs to indicate how far away home was,
he knew the village was a few miles back. Dusk had been descending
when he had left the tavern but that seemed several hours ago. The
ground was already thick with fresh snowfall, and if the wintry
chill in the air was any indication, they were due another storm
soon. He nudged his horse onward, eager to get home to the warmth
of his wife’s loving arms.

Although
several days had passed since Rupert had accosted Isobel in the
gardens of Havistock Hall, Dominic knew it was foolhardy to be
lulled into a false sense of security. The man was becoming more
desperate by the day. There is no telling what depths he would sink
to in order to get his hands on money. Everything within him had
balked at leaving Peter to look after Isobel however as Isobel’s
husband and protector, only he could question Hubert on his past
contact with Isobel. As a result, Dominic had discovered a lot of
valuable information that would help in their pursuit of
Rupert.

During
his visit, Dominic had been left without any doubt that Hubert was
indeed very worried his friend’s daughter’s safety, and had her
best interests at heart when he had agreed to help her in the only
way she would allow. It was Hubert’s everlasting regret that he
hadn’t insisted Isobel remain with him while he investigated
Peter’s death personally, but Isobel had insisted on leaving and
keeping out of Rupert’s clutches.

Sensing
the man’s honesty and integrity, and seeing for himself how much
work Hubert had carried out in order investigating Rupert’s
activities in an attempt to help Isobel, went a long way toward
calming Dominic’s anger. During his stay, Dominic found some thread
of forgiveness within him towards the man who had caused him, and
Peter, such grief. His lies after all, had been told for a very
good reason and Isobel had been able to stay well away from Rupert
and DeLisle.

He had
been away for almost a week now, although it seemed like a
lifetime. He sorely missed his wife. Over the few weeks of their
marriage, he had grown to love her far more than he had ever
thought possible. He wasn’t entirely comfortable with the claim she
had on his heart, but was unable to do anything about it. He just
wished matters were a little more stable between them. Despite the
consuming passion they shared, he could sense hesitancy in his
wife, a part of her that was held apart; as though she were waiting
for something. Only he didn’t know what. He wanted to ask her about
it, but wasn’t sure he would like her response, and didn’t want to
cause her any additional upset. She had already been through so
much.

He
wanted her to love him as completely and unquestioningly as he
loved her. He wanted her to trust him enough to open her heart
completely. There were times when he wondered if she had been given
the choice to marry him, without the threat of Rupert, whether she
would have accepted. Sometimes he considered it was like being
married to a rare bird. An exotic creature that was beautiful to
look at, yet difficult to capture, and impossible to
keep.

Still
they were wed now. He loved her, and was still haunted by the
horrifying days when he thought she was dead. He simply could not
consider ever letting her go. During her time at Havistock, she had
regained her weight, her peachy complexion boasted good health and
although she still woke during the night sometimes, she appeared to
be quite content in her life with him. That alone gave him some
comfort. She certainly hadn’t appeared too upset by his departure,
having waved him off with smiles and laughter. Dominic didn’t know
whether to be grateful she hadn’t been a clinging, bawling wife, or
insulted that she was delighted to see the back of him.

He was
so lost in contemplating the complexities of his marriage that he
didn’t see the dark shadows lurking by the side of the road until
it was too late. He barely managed to bite off a curse, and only
just managed to ducked the first blow, but wasn’t quick enough to
avoid the man who had come around behind him. Within the flicker of
an eye he found himself dragged backwards off his horse by the
choking hold around his neck. He hit the ground just as the first
boot struck his ribs.

“
You know my dear you cannot keep sitting around moping. He
won’t come home any faster!” Peter declared, eyeing his sister’s
solemn face as she gazed at the fire. “He said he would be about a
week. He should be arriving anytime now.” He sighed when Isobel
merely offered him a unconvinced smile and remained quiet. “I need
to go back to Willowbrook soon.”

“
I know,” Isobel said. “It has been very good of you to remain
here for as long as you have.”

“
I wanted to make sure you are happy here,” Peter’s comment
was more of a statement than a question. In the time she had been
married to Dominic, she had regained her weight and, despite her
obvious upset at her husband’s absence, had a quiet contentment
about her that Peter had never seen before.

Isobel
smiled briefly across the room at him. Yes, she was happy at
Havistock Hall. Living there with Dominic as her husband was after
all a dream come true. There was one point during her life when she
thought it was a door that had been very firmly closed to her, and
she felt somewhat blessed to have been given a second chance at
living the life she had only dreamt of.

On the
other hand, there was still the looming threat of Rupert that
couldn’t be ignored. Inwardly, there was a restlessness she
couldn’t shake off. Was it feminine instinct warning her that
things were not right? Or some source of self-survival that had
developed and grown during her time away that was warning her of
imminent danger?

She
didn’t know but she would be incredibly relieved when Dominic
walked back through the front door. Despite the fact she hadn’t
slept very well at all since he left, she would be glad for the
reassurance that he was safe and well.

“
I am happy,” Isobel finally said. “I will be happier when
this issue with Rupert is resolved, and he is out of our lives once
and for all. I am not sure how much more my nerves can
take.”

Night
times were the worst. She hated climbing into the big bed in the
master suite, so suited to Dominic’s masculine tastes, without him
beside her. Many times during the night she found herself turning
over, seeking the comforting warmth of his muscled chest and the
reassuring band of his arms around her. She had not forgotten the
many nights she had spent crying into her pillow, aching for his
loving kisses, only to eventually wake up in the morning feeling
tired and ill-tempered.

Tonight
she felt distinctly on edge, but could not fathom why. Her day was
usually peaceful and mundane. Almost too mundane! Since her last
encounter with Rupert, things had gone suspiciously quiet, and she
hated it. A small part of her almost wished he would make an
attempt to do something; anything but this awful waiting - for
something.

“
I’m sorry, Peter,” Isobel said, making a valiant attempt to
shake off her inner worries. “I am afraid I am not very good
company this evening. I shall try to do better,” she smiled
ruefully at her elder sibling.

In
addition to the healthy bronzed tone to his skin, there were
already smatterings of grey hair appearing at his temples and
creases appearing around the edges of his startling eyes so very
similar to hers. He was extremely handsome; his dark brown hair was
styled loosely in the current fashion. Tall and broad shouldered;
he was a sight set to bring many a flutter of excitement to the
young misses at many social occasions. He just didn’t seem to
realise it, or if he did, didn’t really care.

“
Why have you never married Peter?” Isobel wasn’t aware she
had spoken out aloud, until Peter looked across the room at her,
his brows raised in surprise.

Glancing
thoughtfully into the fire, a long silence settled between them,
until Isobel wasn’t sure if he was going to bring himself to answer
her.

“
There was someone once,” he offered softly, clearly lost in
memories. “Her name was Jemima.”

“
Jemima,” Isobel repeated softly with a small smile. “That’s a
nice name.” She was bursting to ask questions, but instead sat
quietly, allowing Peter time for his memories.

“
She was stunning with dark blonde hair and gorgeous amber
eyes.” Sadness suffused Peter’s features for several moments,
before being replaced with a bleak look that made Peter seem to
very sad. Swiftly, he took a long drink from the goblet in his
hand.

“
What happened?” Isobel couldn’t recall having met a Jemima.
Certainly, the lady in question couldn’t have been
Ton
.

“
I made a horrendous mistake, and lost her,” Peter replied
with a shake of his head. “I was going to ask her to marry me, but
she left before I could get around to it. She was in trouble, and
needed my help, but I failed her.” He stood up, and moved towards
the fire to rest one booted foot on the fender in a stance so very
similar to Dominic’s, that Isobel felt a brief flash of pain and
longing for her husband.