The Bedford Beauty (A Regency Novella) (8 page)

“So you and
Dayton decided to take matters into your own hands and kidnap me,” Alice stated
in a hollow tone.

Blake
flinched. “I had to get you away.”

“Why?” she
demanded, hands on her hips.

“Are you
saying you want to marry the man?” Blake exclaimed, looking confounded.

“I never said
that. Why not let me marry him or someone else? Why should I marry
you
Blake?”

Alice had to
know if he loved her. “I'm a means to your revenge against Lord Bedford.”

“No! I care
for you. I've known you forever and I want to see you safe and happy,” Blake
explained, palms open at his sides.

Alice wanted
to cry. She loved this man and he esteemed her, but did not love her. He was willing
to sacrifice his own freedom to marry her and he clearly desired her but he
didn't love her.

Alice nodded
her head and let the conversation drop. She told him she needed to rest, and
Blake went down and ordered supper while she removed her travel clothes and
slipped into her white cotton nightgown. It didn't matter what Blake saw her
in. They had made love and it couldn’t be undone, she had to marry him now.
There were worse things than a loveless marriage such as an abusive one or
unrequited love. She loved Blake while he looked at their marriage as an
obligation, though she knew he wanted her, it wasn’t enough. Her heart
shattered into a thousand pieces as she realized her fate. Tears wet her eyes.

#

Alice and
Blake ate supper in silence. She struggled to get food past the lump in her
throat. He didn't love her or he would have told her already. She only had two options
remaining now since she was compromised, either marry Blake or become an old
maid. Mother and Papa would never want her to become the latter. She was
supposed to do them proud and bring a title into the family. They will be
furious with her.

Alice sighed
unhappily and shot a quick look at Blake across the small table. The man oozed
confidence, virility, and sensuality. A lock of dark midnight hair fell across
his brow, his full lips chewed his food with slow, deliberate movements, and
those intense eyes watched her with tension and unease lurking in them.

“What are you
thinking?” Blake asked her, leaning forward and touching her hand lightly.

How
incredible he looked and how much it would kill her to marry him without her
love returned, but she held her tongue.

“Were you
planning to gain my consent and go to Gretna Green or do we still have the
option to return to Bedford?” she asked instead with a hollow voice. She could
not tell him the truth of her feelings, not when he had the power to smash her
heart to bits.

Blake set his
fork down and gazed at her across the table.

“What do you
want?” he asked with his deep, warm voice.

Alice sighed
again. Good question.

Blake stood,
came around the table, and turned her chair toward him. He knelt before her and
pressed himself between her thighs, as much as her cotton nightgown would
allow. Heat coursed through her and the desire to pull him close and kiss him
was excruciating.

“Do you want
to marry me?” he asked and leaned into her, his lips descending toward hers.
Her eyes drifted closed as his mouth met hers. She could feel his warm, hot
breath and the smooth pressure of his lips against her skin. He smelled
delicious, like soapy freshness and a unique scent of his own. He pulled back
and waited.

“What?” Alice
tried to remember what he'd asked before she became a panting wanton. Blake
smiled with male satisfaction and caressed her cheek.

“Marry me
Alice. I want you to want this.” He stroked her cheek and nipped at her lips playfully.
God, he could arouse her so easily.

“Will it only
be a good friendship between us then?” Alice asked in a shaking voice. His lips
were distracting her, but she had to get her thoughts out while was still
coherent.

Blake pulled
back to stare at her with a frown. “It will be bliss between us. You will have
everything you could possibly want, except perhaps a title but I do not think
that would make you happy.”

“And you know
what will make me happy?” she asked sharply.

Blake gave
her a seductive smile that melted her insides. He pulled her into his arms then
and he kissed her hungrily with eager, anxious lips. He lifted her to her feet
and framed her face with his hands. Those wicked hands roamed her body, molding
her to him. She whimpered his name and he lifted her into his arms and set her
gently on the bed.

He climbed on
top of her, nipping at her lips and neck and pushing her nightgown up her legs
before he settled his weight between her thighs. She could feel his eagerness
rubbing against her pelvis. His fingers skimmed her inner thighs until they
reached her wet lips and thrust into her opening.

Alice grabbed
his shoulders and cried out at the pleasure he wrung from her, but she needed
more, more than physical gratification, more than his kindness, and more than
friendship. Perhaps he would admit it under torture. Before she could think of
right or wrong, she scooted out from under Blake and pushed at his lean, hard
body.

Blake turned
onto his back and assessed her with hungry, questioning eyes. She didn't say a
word, wanted to drag out the suspense while she had a captive audience. Her
heart fluttered in her chest generating a giddy, excited feeling as she took
charge of their experience hoping to force a confession of his feelings.

She had his
attention but didn't know what to do. Touch him? Where? Kissing she could do.
She bent over him, letting her hair flow around his face. She gave soft, gentle
closed lipped kisses along the edges of his lips. Blake tried to hold her but
she pushed his arms back to his sides. Alice could feel his intense gaze
burrowing under her skin as she worked her way down his body with kisses.

“Take off
your clothes,” Alice commanded in a sultry voice.

Blake jumped
off the bed and quickly stripped off his breeches and shirt. When he was
completely naked, Alice admired the view for a moment taking in his lean body,
curling dark hair on his chest and between his thighs surrounding his large,
thick member that would soon be inside her.

Alice
couldn’t wait to touch him. She stepped closer and dropped to her knees to
complete her plan to kiss his entire body.

Her lips
touched his hard erection and Blake groaned and his member grew before her
widening eyes. He breathed harshly now.

“Do you like
this Blake?” she asked, placing another kiss on his manhood.

“Yes,” he
panted, and moved his hands into her hair, allowing it to flow freely down her
back.

“What about
this?” She took his member into her mouth and sucked the tip. Blake nearly
knocked her over as he thrust further into her mouth.

“Oh God,
yes,” his words grated out between panting breaths.

Alice
caressed his thighs, squeezing and pulling him closer. She let him pop out of
mouth for a moment to ask, “Do you love this Blake?”

And she took
his member in her mouth again and sucked as she caressed his legs and calves.

“Oh God,
Alice, I love everything about you. You have to stop now,” he forced her head
up and flipped her beneath him and thrust inside her, burying him as deep as he
could possibly go.

Her heart
soared at the same time pleasure coursed through her. He'd practically told her
he loved her. Was it close enough to be love then? All thoughts were wiped from
her mind as he plunged into her again and again. The physical pleasure mixed
with her love for him, overwhelmed her. Intense sensations coursed through her,
curling her toes and contracting her body.

“I love you,”
she screamed out before she went limp.

“Alice,”
Blake called out as he thrust one last time and collapsed on top of her. For
several heartbeats they laid still as they recovered from the incredible,
beautiful experience. Did she say she loved him?

She stiffened
in Blake's arms and tried to pull away. Blake held her tight and snuggled his
face into her hair as if he never wanted to let her go.

“I love the
way you smell, like lilacs in the spring time. I love the way you feel, your
soft, full breasts. And I love you,” Blake stated in a ragged voice and lifted
his head to watch her.

“Truly?”
Alice choked out.

“Truly. I
loved you before I left for war.” Blake stroked her hair and cheek as he bared
his soul to her.

“Why did you
never say anything?” Alice asked in wonder and awe.

Blake
shrugged. “You were too young for marriage or commitment and I was leaving. I wrote
you letters everyday I was gone, but I could never send them to you. It would
have been wrong. But I read every letter you wrote to Dayton, trying to extract
additional meaning out of your inquiries about me.”

Blake smiled
down at her and Alice couldn't speak. She was overwhelmed and choked beyond
words with love for Blake.

“I love you
too Blake, my Shadow.”

Blake gave
her a curious smile, wanting to know what she meant by Shadow, no doubt.

“I gave you
the nickname when we were young. I've always thought of you as true and
faithful and quiet like a shadow,” she shrugged with embarrassment and gave him
a smile.

Blake smiled
and pulled her close.

“What now?”
Alice asked, wrapping her arms around him and pulling his head down for a kiss.

Blake
laughed. “Now we go to Gretna Green so I can officially make love to my wife,”
he kissed her nose.

Blake and
Alice paid their fare at the Queens Head Inn the next morning and stepped out
into the busy courtyard. The carriage would be ready momentarily to continue
their journey to Scotland. Alice was full of nervous excitement. Blake loved
her! But what would happen when they got back? Mother and Papa will be so
unhappy and she had never disobeyed them in such a shocking way before.

As they
waited, a horseman arrived into the courtyard. A dirty and dusty fellow who
looked worn to the bone but held on by sheer will, as if he was on a mission.
As the stranger stepped down from the lathered horse and turned toward them,
Alice nearly fainted at the sight of Lord Bedford.

She grabbed
Blake's arm in distress and watched with wide eyes as a solemn, disheveled Lord
Bedford approached them. Blake tensed beside her and slid his arm around her
waist possessively. Lord Bedford looked relieved.

“What brings
you to
Leicestershire
, my lord?” Blake asked casually.

“You,” Lord
Bedford replied watching Blake intently.

“You cannot
marry her,” Blake ground out.

“I do not
want to marry Miss Fulton,” Lord Bedford replied.

Alice watched
his lordship in confusion. She glanced at Blake and he seemed equally
bewildered as to the reason for Lord Bedford's strange interception.

Lord Bedford
sighed and rubbed his face. “I am not explaining myself well. I am here to tell
you there is no need to make haste to Gretna Green. If you come back with me to
Bedford, things can be explained.”

“Why should I
trust you after what you did to my mother?” Blake spat in anger.

Lord Bedford
looked at Alice briefly and then replied, “I think we should talk privately,
Mr. Hadley.”

“Miss Fulton
stays,” Blake bit back and squeezed her waist in reassurance. “Why should I
trust you?”

“Because I am
your real father, dammit!” Lord Bedford glared at Blake then looked away and
closed his eyes. His clothes were rumpled, his eyes were shadowed. Exhaustion
would claim him soon.

Alice gasped.
Of course, she should have seen it. The resemblance between them was easy to
spot if one looked for it. They had the same square jaw, the proud Bedford
nose, and the way they smiled was similar, although that last attribute was from
memory as neither smiled at present.

Blake scowled
and Lord Bedford looked strained and frustrated, a tight mouthed expression on
his face.

“You are not my
father,” Blake ground out, releasing Alice, “How dare you claim that title
after you killed my mother!”

“I loved your
mother! God, I've done nothing but love her since I was a young man,” Lord
Bedford defended.

“Then why
didn't you marry her if you loved her?” Blake accused.
He didn't believe Lord Bedford, but the similarities between them
were hard to deny from Alice's perspective. But she kept quiet, now was not the
time to interfere even though they stood openly in the courtyard.

“I wanted to
marry her, but my father forbid the marriage and sent me to the continent. I
didn't even get the chance to say good-bye. I wrote to your mother and begged
her to come to me, but she never returned a single letter. I knew my father
would not let me return to Bedford after a few short months so I remained away
for a year.” Lord Bedford spoke in a choked voice.