Lady Fugitive (25 page)

She choked in horror. "What?"

His voice was thick with drink and
emotion. "Christ, if I'd ever dreamt you came from such affluence, I never
would have proposed in the first place. Don't know how you kept from laughing
in my face."

"My talk of annulment had nothing
to do with my father's money, Morgan."

"Oh no?" He eased her off his
lap and got to his feet, draining the last from the brandy bottle. "You
can't mean to imply you'd have
chosen
a fellow of little of consequence
from some minor English hamlet. I don't blame you for your obvious reluctance
to wed me."

"Because of the murder charge, not
because of your background! I was the one living a lie. I couldn't promise you
a life together." She turned to stare out the window, then swallowed and
spoke again.

"It's true I never would have
willingly married you. You're the most incredible man I've ever met, but the
Bargainer didn't bargain for this. Remember I said we'd both live to regret you
forcing me into the marriage at sea? I regret that you've been hurt by this. And
I know you realize now you made a dreadful mistake of misjudgment.
You're
the one with no reason to honor those marriage vows we exchanged on deck."

"Call me stubborn, but there are
reasons why I still would." She turned to stare at him. "You're
innocent of the crime, for one. And while you ran away from me before, this
time you ran from everything
but
me. You wanted me to find you. That
says I have some value to you, even if only as your protector."

"I wanted to spare you. Can't you
understand that? I never had any right to get involved with you in the first
place."

"Seems I recall the identical
thought going through my mind about you."

"I'm sorry! When you came to the
ship that day, I thought you wouldn't believe me. After we set sail, I just
couldn't make myself confess. You were right about the crew. I needed you to
take care of me." She sniffled, wiped ineffectually at her damp face.
"Then we became so close, especially after the storm. I let myself get too
selfish."

"Selfish? You already have more
than I'll ever be able to give you, Richelle."

She stared into his gray eyes, a single
tear coursing down her cheek. "I wanted the fairy tale to come true. I'd
had such horrible bad luck up until then. Remember when you asked me didn't I
want to love my husband next time?" 

"Aye."

"I let myself begin to believe I
really was your wife, Morgan. I just couldn't give that up."

His voice was soft. "You
are
.
In my heart, this alters nothing. You're wearing my ring. You share my life and
my name…unless you choose not to."

"You're not furious? I lied to
you."

"Furious you've been in danger
without me there to look after you. But you didn't truly lie to me. Everyone
got the same false tale. That was an act of self preservation, not a deliberate
untruth directed at me personally. Though it does sting that after all we'd
shared, you still didn't trust me."

"I was too afraid of what you'd
think of me."

"I still think you're the most contrary
and difficult little wench I've ever met. Risking yourself to spare me
pain." He shook his head, but couldn't hold back a grin of white teeth she
saw clearly in the murky room

"You're the first woman I can
recall who's ever tried to spare me misery. That in itself says something about
your feelings. But it's perfectly acceptable for you to put them into words. Or
demonstrate them." 

He bent his face close to hers. Her lips
quivered as he claimed them. They kissed for long moments before he peeled away
their scant garments. Then he carried her to the bed. Her arms and legs
enfolded him until she was lost in his strength and he in her softness. She
came once, then again as Morgan too found fulfillment.

"Felt the bloody fool standing
outside a mansion," he mumbled later as she lay quietly in his arms.
"Especially when I recalled our debate over a frigging painted lamp. Money
back in America, you'd said. Enough to buy all the wares in the man's whole
shop! I still can't reconcile myself to the fact that you're a very rich young
lady."

Richelle smoothed his mustache with the
tip of her index finger. "At least I can be sure you didn't marry me for
my money. You never knew it existed. But maybe now you understand why I want to
repay you for our passage. As you said, I
can
afford to, and you sold
your granary."

"I don't want your money,
Rachel."

"
Richelle
," she
corrected softly.

"That's much too exotic a name for
a Yorkshire matron. But it suits a hellion with a fine, ripe bottom. I was
scarcely able to conduct my business in New York for thinking of it in my
hands...just so." He squeezed her buttocks in his palms and gave her a
lusty kiss. "What shall we do about the villagers calling you
'Rachel'?"

"I don't think we need to inform
them you married an accused criminal. Though Pamela would finally see what I
had to offer you. Money and adventure."

"Aye, hiding with my fugitive bride
in an exclusive American brothel. How many men will ever be able to make that
claim? But we can't stay here indefinitely. Sheila told me about the trouble in
Philadelphia, and having encountered those two myself—"

"You met that vile man at the
house?" At his nod, she took a deep breath. "He was my
brother-in-law. Cletus was Cameron's younger brother. Cameron bragged that he poisoned
that gambler. I don't know if it was an empty boast to scare me, but it's
probably true he owed the man money. He and Cletus often gambled together.
Cletus owed Smith $500 when he died."

Morgan bolted upright. "He killed
his creditor and let you take the blame? A helpless widow, his own late brother's
wife? What kind of monster would—"

She rolled away from him. "He
is
a monster. I can't believe Elaine's hooked up with
him
, of all people. I
detest that man. He's the only person I ever hated worse than Cletus."

The hackles rose on the back of Morgan's
neck. "Why? You'd best tell me the whole of it right now. Out with it, no
matter what you fear I might think."

"This isn't about trying to protect
you."

"Tell me. You had good reason to
hate your first husband. What worse reason makes you hate his brother?"

"The miscarriage wasn't Cletus'
child. It was Cameron's."

"And you threw up a string of
bastards to me? I haven't any, to my knowledge, and at least I've never
committed adultery. You..."

He stopped in mid-sentence. He'd been on
the verge of accusing her of intentionally sleeping with her husband's brother.
It wasn't inconceivable, in light of her powerful dislike for her spouse. She
wouldn't have been the first abused wife to seek the shelter of other arms. But
he couldn't picture Richelle deliberately cuckolding her husband, no matter
what he'd done or how she'd come to wed him. He knew her too well to believe
that of her. Even as his mind had formed the words, he'd known they felt
terribly wrong.

Which left only one other conclusion as
to how she'd become pregnant by her own brother-in-law. "The
son-of-a-poxed-whore
raped
you." She didn't reply, but her
shoulders stiffened. "That's it, isn't it? The reason you hate him so. He
forced himself on you."

"Cletus was drunk and passed out
cold. I was seventeen and afraid of Cameron, then. But I wouldn't let him touch
me this time." 

Morgan's pulse began to pound
everywhere. In his temples and chest. In his closed fists. "
This
time? You're
my
wife this time!"

"But he doesn't know that. I didn't
tell them I'd remarried."

"That rakehell is bedding your
father's widow. Doubt that's coincidence. Either he has a penchant for rutting
with women within the family, or there's a purpose, a deliberate scheme behind
all this."

Richelle got up and pulled her wrapper
back on. "He's been associated with my family for years. He and Cletus
both worked at Papa's factory. He probably returned to Philadelphia, asking for
his old job back. Elaine's the type to latch onto any available man.
Particularly one she can control."

"Widdershins," he muttered.

"Excuse me?"

"Other way 'round. The man more
likely controls her. I suspect he always has. There have been too many
coincidences in your life, Richelle. Perhaps Nash had his mistress marry your
father in hopes she'd outlive him, which she has. Did she encourage the
arranged marriage to Cletus?"

Richelle nodded. "To my everlasting
regret."

"Cameron's own flesh and blood, who
cared less than nothing about you, as you've deduced. I doubt the union was
even about that free land, though it didn't hurt. I suspect Cletus was forced
to wed, too, probably in exchange for a promise he'd share the wealth
later."

He beat his fist against his thigh.
"I sensed something amiss when I visited that house. Elaine lied, claimed
she hadn't seen you in over a year. But she recognized my signet ring when I
shook her hand. You didn't have that until two months ago. I knew she'd seen
you since our marriage, no matter what she said."

"But we're probably not actually married,
remember? I signed the license Rachel Cordell."

He crooked a finger at her. He pulled
her back into bed and his naked embrace. "We've spoke briefly about
pregnancy. Even now I could have given you a child. It only takes once, as your
brother-in-law proved in such a revolting manner." He shuddered. "I
still can't believe that animal raped you."

"I wish you hadn't made me dig up
that ugly part of my past. It was long ago."

"It amazes me you'd let any man
within twenty feet of you after the experiences you had with the Nash brothers.
But you let me kiss you and hold you, even back in the village. Hell, you asked
for lessons in passion."

"I always knew you were
different." It was stated calmly, but firmly, with no teasing lilt in her
voice. Morgan's manhood began to swell along with his heart.

"I love you, Richelle. I want to
make love to you, tenderly and often. I would like children, but I'm not the
one who must risk carrying them. There are precautions we can take if you don't
want to accept that risk."

"But what about the son to wear
your signet one day?"

"You wear its mate."

She gazed into his eyes, her face very
still and intense for long seconds. "Morgan, would you marry me?"

"I did. I'm not concerned about the
technicalities."

She vehemently shook her head in denial.
"You married Rachel Cordell. I'm asking you to marry Richelle Hardwick
Nash. I'll need your name if I'm going to give you a son."

"You're certain you'd risk that? No
precautions?"

"No precautions. I love you,
Morgan. I'd want to carry your child."

"You're bloody incredible, do you
know that? I'm getting a marriage proposal in a brothel from an wealthy and
beautiful young widow...who looks fearful I might not say yes." He winked
and stroked a hand across her brow and along the auburn tresses on the pillow.

"I'd be honored to marry you,
Richelle Nash. But just now I think I'd like another go at conceiving that son.
I haven't finished demonstrating my feelings for you."

Morgan was awake, stroking the silky
skin of Richelle's hip. The room was dimly bathed by early morning light. She
rolled onto her back. He immediately covered her nude body with his own.
"So many times back in the village I pictured us together like this. I
imagined exactly what I'd do, if I was ever allowed to claim you for my
own." His lips branded a fiery trail along her throat.

Her eyes were still closed, her voice
teasing. "You pictured us like this? In a Washington whorehouse?"

"Not quite, though I find the
setting very appropriate for reminiscing. Those wonderful images I had. You
atop my desk in the office with your skirts rucked up. Riding Phantom stark
naked. I'd lift you off his back and lay you across that big rock outside the
granary. But my favorite had you wrapped in white lace. I'd peel away the
layers until all that remained was above and below you, in the canopy bed, and
you'd sprawl there in wanton abandon, licking your lips and begging me to make
you—"

She clapped a palm over his mouth.
"You do have a wicked mind, sir!"

"Husband," he corrected.
"We went to the courthouse yesterday. It's positively legal now."

"Oh, speaking of making it legal,
it must have infuriated Elaine when you showed up and introduced yourself as my
new husband. What did she say?"

He flushed. "I wasn't certain you'd
admit me. The mansion put me off. I pretended to be a lovestruck suitor and
claimed I'd just met you during the Atlantic crossing."

"My father's will has a condition
that both Elaine and I must remarry to take control of the estate from
Jeremiah's attorney. He's executor. I can take over my inheritance, but Elaine
hasn't married Cameron yet. At least I don't think she has."