Pirate Hunter's Mistress (The Virginia Brides) (8 page)

“Just the two of us?” Her voice became small and hesitant.

“If you’d rather not—” He appeared disconcerted.

“Oh, no, this is fine, my lord,” Marlee hurriedly assured him, because this was very fine indeed, dining alone with her husband. She started to take her place at the end of the long table when Arden gently nudged her forward, leading her to the chair beside his own, as if he truly wanted her there.

More than anything in the world, Marlee wanted to be near him, literally ached for her husband to care for her. But she was wise enough to realize he didn’t, not now at least, but perhaps in the future. She was willing to wait; she’d wait forever.

When he took the liberty of filling her crystal goblet with a rich red port, her fascinated gaze rested on his strong and capable hands. Everything about Arden fascinated her. Tonight, as always, she was struck at his handsomeness. Attired in a wine-colored jacket which was fashioned from a soft velvet and lined in a black silk material that matched his trousers, he looked exceedingly wonderful. His hair was slicked back into a queue and emphasized his rugged and masculine features. Marlee found herself memorizing each and every line on his face.

“My lady, is something wrong?” he asked her in a surprisingly husky voice that sent shivers of primitive delight down her spinal column. “You’ve not stopped staring at me. You may tell me if my costume is amiss. I won’t fault you for your honesty, I promise you.”

“Forgive me, I’m sorry, but—” she stopped herself, feeling a blush start at her hairline and spread across her entire face and neck at what she was about to say. But she couldn’t help herself and plodded on daringly as she burst out, “You’re so handsome, my lord, that I can’t help but stare.” There she’d been honest with him and said what was on her mind but couldn’t speak what was in her heart.

He stared hard at her, and seemed startled himself, almost as if he hadn’t expected such an admission. Finally, he laughed aloud, but she knew from the joyous quality of his tone that he wasn’t offended or thought her a simpleton, either. “How delightful you are, utterly and completely delightful.”

No one had ever called her “delightful” and because Arden was the first to compliment her in such a way, his words touched her heart. “I believe in being honest, my lord.”

Lifting his glass of port, he solemnly toasted her. “To you. I wish others could share your honesty.”

He sounded so sad that Marlee felt tears spring to her eyes and was grateful she didn’t have to say anything because Mary Carter entered the room and served their stew. When Mrs. Mort later appeared to take their plates away, Marlee cleared her throat. “I hope you don’t mind that I’ve hired a staff without asking your permission.”

Leaning back in his chair, the candlelight clearly emphasized the rugged planes of his face. “This is your home, I told you that already. You may do whatever you wish here.”

“Thank you, my lord. I should like to start refurbishing the house as soon as possible. Mrs. Mort assures me that there are competent carpenters in the village to take care of any structural damage. Also, the furnishings shall also need to be recovered and new drapes placed on every window.”

“I’m certain you’re up to the challenge.”

“Yes, but, but,” and here she wasn’t too certain she wanted to be honest, frightened he’d put her in her place by refusing her since their marriage wasn’t a love match.

“What is it?”

She bit at her lower lip and hesitantly raised her eyes from the white lace napkin in her lap to guilelessly meet his perplexed stare. “I would deem it an honor, my lord, if you’d agree to help me. ArdenManor will always be your home, and I should like to make choices that please you, and since I don’t know your tastes…”

Arden took a deep controlling breath and sipped his port. It seemed a very long time before he spoke, and by the time he did, she was clutching at the napkin, frightened she’d been too forward. His gaze settled upon her, enveloping her in heat. “Everything about you pleases me, my lady. I’ll help you in any way I can.”

She wanted to cry aloud her happiness. This was the first indication that Arden was beginning to accept her, to truly think of her as mistress of his home. Soon, she hoped, he’d come to want her as his wife. Because the warmth in his eyes expressed his desire, perhaps he was beginning to care for her, but for now she settled for his help with the house. Redoing it was the first step in taming Arden. “Thank you, my lord,” she stated simply but her heart sang with joy.

He rose and gallantly extended his arm to her. “Would you care for a stroll on the terrace? There’s a full moon tonight.”

In a trance, she nodded and placed her hand on his arm, not caring about the moon but wanting only to touch him. If Arden had issued an invitation to hell, she’d have gladly risen and followed him, so mesmerized was she.

From the flag-stoned terrace, they gazed down at the black abyss of sea below them. The darkness was obliterated by a silver moonlit patch upon the rolling surface. Thunderous waves echoed in the night, pounding the rocky cliffs and dampening their faces with a fine sea mist. The night air was charged with awesome energy and something else—something which left Marlee’s knees feeling weaker than sea kelp.

She shivered from the coolness of the night, more than surprised to suddenly feel Arden’s hands on her shoulders as he placed his jacket about her. Now she trembled but not from any chill and discovered herself to be warmer than she’d ever been in her life.

“The sea is a powerful force of nature and must be respected,” she heard him say over the sound of her heart hammering in her ears. “There’s nothing greater in God’s universe, nothing more magnificent. I miss it so.”

Marlee noticed he wasn’t looking at her, or apparently aware of her. It seemed his vision was on a far distant point. “Have you sailed often?”

“What?” Arden glanced at her, her voice pulling him from his reverie.

“You sound as if you’ve been on many voyages. I had no idea you sailed. I mean all of the tales I’ve heard—” she broke off, unwilling to discuss his reputation.

“I can imagine the horrible things you’ve heard about Lord Richard Arden,” he said, and she swore she noticed a gleam of amusement in his eyes. “But, I assure you, what you’ve heard has nothing to do with me.’’

“Forgive me, my lord, I shouldn’t have said anything. Gossip hurts, believe me. I know firsthand how painful such loose talk can be. But I do wonder if you’ve ever sailed to distant places and, if so, I should like to hear about them. I’ve never been anywhere but my village—and here.”

“Nowhere else?”

She shook her head. “But I should like to see distant ports and visit all of the countries I’ve heard about. Have you been to America?”

“Er, why, yes, I have.”

“Where in America?” Marlee asked, her eyes bright and glittering like starlight.

“Virginia, Williamsburg to be exact.”

“Oh, how exciting! Did you see any savages? I’ve read about the heathens.”

“Well, I’ve seen an Indian or two in my time.”

“Were they very fierce?”

“Not the ones I’ve seen.”

“Oh.” Marlee sounded disappointed. To overcome the boredom of her everyday life, she’d read stories concerning savage attacks upon unsuspecting settlers and envisioned warrior chieftains prepared for battle. Suddenly America seemed as dull as the small village she’d left, and she sensed she amused Arden with her schoolgirl questions. “Have you ever encountered any pirates then?”

The change in his attitude was immediate. His expression darkened and his fingers dug into her shoulders until she winced. “Richard—please— you’re hurting me.”

“I’m sorry,” he hastily offered when he realized what he’d done and loosened the pressure but still he held onto her.

“Have I said anything to offend you? If so, I do apologize but I don’t know what I’ve done. You must forgive my country-bumpkin musings, sometimes I don’t realize what I’m saying. You’re so different from me, so noble and aristocratic, while I’m—a nobody—”

“Never say such a thing again, Marlee!” The vehemence behind his words startled her. “You’re a baroness, you belong here. And even if you weren’t a baroness, you’d still be yourself.”

“And what am I?” she asked, not daring to move away from him, barely able to speak.

His hands moved from her shoulders to her waist and he drew her nearer to him, so close that in a second their bodies were touching and she could feel his heart beating. With his black gaze roaming her face, she saw the hunger in his eyes and wondered if he knew how much in love with him she was. “You’re a damned desirable and beautiful woman. And I want to kiss you like I kissed you last night. You stir up something in me, something like a strong current each time I look at you—”

“Kiss me,” she begged and wantonly pulled his head closer to hers until his lips were a hairs- breadth from her own. “Kiss me like that again.”

His mouth came down upon hers, bruising in its intensity, but Marlee felt only ecstasy. She met his kiss with a passion she didn’t know she possessed, with a sweet yearning that flowed through her body like melted honey. When his tongue invaded her mouth and met hers, she moaned in absolute surrender. She belonged to Arden, her baron, the man with whom she’d fallen in love the first moment she set eyes upon him. Marlee literally ached for him, her body heating with each sweep of his hands across her back and down her buttocks to come upward and caress her swelling breasts. She knew now that he desired her, maybe not loved her yet, but in time he would. She’d make certain he would love her in time. At that moment she made her decision about her fortune.

“Ah, Marlee, Marlee, you’re so beautiful,” he murmured and skimmed her neck with kisses. “I want you so much, I need you so much—”

“I know,” she whispered and allowed his mouth full rein upon her face and neck, giving her body to him to feast upon. “I need you, too, my darling. I never thought you would want me this way. I never thought I could feel this way. Tomorrow, I’ll sign my fortune over to you. Everything I have shall be yours because I love you, Richard. I love you.”

She began kissing him again until she realized that he was no longer returning her ardor. He’d loosened his hold upon her, and she’d been so dazed that she hadn’t noticed. Opening her eyes, she found he was staring intently at her, almost as if he was warring within himself. Finally, his hands dropped away from her until one hand took her elbow. “The hour is late. I’ll escort you upstairs, my lady.”

As he started to lead her into the house, she turned to him with bafflement and pain etched upon her face. “What have I done, Richard? Tell me what I’ve done wrong.”

“Nothing, my lady.”

How formal he sounded, how frozen he looked. A cold fear swept into Marlee’s heart. Somehow she’d lost him, but how could she lose someone who’d never really belonged to her in the first place? She was confused and hurt and so angered by his sudden withdrawal from her that she wanted to scream. In desperation she swung about when they reached the upstairs hallway and pulled off his jacket to throw it at him. “If I’ve done nothing wrong, my lord, then you have! I don’t understand you, I don’t. Did you trifle with me to gain my fortune? Is that what this is about?” Tears clouded her eyes and blurred her vision. “I should have known you didn’t want me—but my—money. She took a deep sustaining breath. “Don’t worry, my lord, I shall sign the paper in the morning. I do it not for you but for Arden Manor. At least I live up to the bargain I made.”

He started to touch her, but she backed away. “Sometimes I think I hate you.”

“Hate me then!” he thundered and grabbed her wrist. “I’d rather suffer your hatred than your love.”

She struggled to free herself but he was stronger. In an instant he’d swept her into his arms and pinned her against the wall until all the breath and fight left her body. Then his lips found hers and branded her mouth with a kiss that left her clutching at his shoulders.

“Forgive me,” he said softly against her cheek. “But know that I could never hate you. No matter what happens in the future, believe I never wished you ill.”

Before she could reply, he let her go and bounded down the stairs to disappear into the night.

“The color for the draperies is most becoming, Marlee. I think your taste is excellent. I’m certain Lord Arden is very pleased with your choices.” Barbara held up a swatch of velvet, a deep rose color, that was to be used on the windows in the dining room. Bolts of multicolored silks and satins were strewn upon the garden room floor, clear reminders of the recent renovation which had been undertaken.

With a disinterested air, Marlee fingered the materials. “I suppose the restoration will be finished sooner than I wish, and then what shall I do with my time?”

Marlee sounded so forlorn that Barbara turned her attention to her cousin. She gave her a quick hug about the shoulders. “You can devote yourself to your husband.”

“Hah! Stop humoring me, Barbara. You know very well that the man hasn’t spoken to me in over a week—and I don’t care if I ever speak to him again. The notorious rake! He lulled me, positively lulled me into believing he might come to care for me, and what do I do but fall into his trap and tell him I’ll sign away my fortune. I believe I’m the biggest fool alive!”