The Devil's Thief (29 page)

She
pretended to consider it. “ ‘Interesting’?” She shook her head with an expression
of regret. “No, I’m afraid not. My life could hardly be described as an
interesting one, Sir Hilary.”

He
reared back in exaggerated shock. “Do not say so, Miss Harte! Why, I am sure
that there are all sorts of interesting things that try to creep into your
life, but you are right not to grant them admission.”

She
laughed in genuine amusement at the double meaning of his words. “Do you think
so, Sir Hilary? Ah, if only it were true! I long, you know, for interesting
things to appear.” She had a sudden inspiration. “Like a thief in the night to
steal my dull life away.”

Alasdair
stood up abruptly, startling everyone. “Miss Harte,” he asked politely, though
she saw the strain about his eyes and mouth, “would you care to take a turn
about the back garden with me?”

Mr.
Harte coughed, and when Julianna glanced over at him, she noticed that he and
the baroness were sharing a look.

“Why,
yes, Mr. Sharp. I would like that, thank you.” Her answer was impeccably polite
and she very carefully set her half-finished tea on the table. “My lady, Papa,
you will excuse us?” She turned to the other occupant of the room. “Would you
care to join us, Sir Hilary?”

“No!”
The voices of her father, stepmother, and Sir Hilary echoed in the room for a
moment. Lady Linville was the first to recover.

“That
is, my dear,” she said, blinking so rapidly Julianna could practically hear the
gears turning in her head, “I wished to speak to Sir Hilary on a very important
matter. You and Mr. Sharp go ahead.”

Julianna
bit her lip to hide her smile and decided to tease them all a bit. She slowly
began to sink back into her chair. “Really? Well, if it’s that important
perhaps I should stay?”

“I’m
sure you would both be bored, my dear,” Mr. Harte answered smoothly, waving at
Alasdair to take her from the room. “It is only important to Sir Hilary.”

Alasdair’s
hand on her arm tugged her from her chair. She widened her eyes innocently.
“Well, if you’re sure?” she asked Lady Linville sweetly.

Her
stepmother was not fooled. “I’m sure,” she drawled with a
wryly
amused
half smile. She beckoned Julianna over and turned her cheek for a
kiss. “He is not so unsuitable after all,” she whispered for her ears only, and
a small burst of laughter escaped from Julianna.

Chapter Eighteen

“Dare
I hope that your father and stepmother are playing matchmaker?” Alasdair asked
lightly after the door closed behind them.

“I
do believe they are, yes,” Julianna agreed with a huge grin. She just couldn’t
stop smiling at him.

“Shall
we take a turn around the garden?” he asked huskily, his eyes warm and
appreciative. At her nod he took her arm and led her down the stairs. They
began a leisurely stroll around the lawn.

“I
wish to marry you,” he said simply as they walked.

Julianna
stumbled. “What?” Her voice was strangled. “Why? Not yet. It’s too soon.”

He
looked at her in astonishment. “Surely this cannot come as a surprise after the
things we’ve done?”

She
just looked at him in stunned amazement, her mouth hanging open unattractively.

He
laughed. “Julianna, last night you told me that you had waited so long for me.
Well, my dear, the same applies. I have never shared as much with anyone as we
have shared in this past week. It’s clear that even if I wasn’t aware of it,
I’ve been waiting for you, too. ”

“Alasdair,”
she choked out. She was astounded. She’d hoped, of course. It was why she was
planning to get the pearl back, after all. “We’ve known of each other for
months. You certainly didn’t feel this way before. As I recall, you found me
quite forgettable.”

He
shook his head. “No, I didn’t. Because I didn’t know the real you, did I?” He
looked directly into her eyes, more serious than she’d ever seen him. “But the
moment I met you, really met you, it all changed.”

“Yes,”
she whispered. But was it her, or was it just his desire speaking? They’d
shared an overwhelming sexual attraction since the night she took the pearl. She
felt like there was more, or at least she hoped there was.
 
He’d said nothing about love. He might
not realize it, but the specter of the pearl’s theft and loss was still hanging
over them. Now it was imperative she retrieve the pearl. They could not marry
until she’d returned it. Then he would be free to love her and accept her love
in return.

“Is
that a yes?” he teased, taking a step closer. She shook her head and his smile
dimmed. “No?” he asked, his confusion evident. “But . . .”

“Alasdair,”
she said, trying to sound reasonable and not give in to a fit of tears. “I’ve
stolen your pearl. I am a thief. You may think it doesn’t matter now, but it
will come between us in the end. We cannot move forward until I get the pearl
back.” It was his turn to shake his head. “It is true, you know it.” She turned
away. “This last week has . . . has been more than I had a right to hope for.
But the way we feel about each other will never be enough to make you forget
what I’ve done.”

He
gave her arm a slight tug and they resumed walking. “Nonsense. I’ve already
forgotten it,” he replied brusquely, not looking at her. “Of course I’m
distressed by the loss of the pearl and I want it returned, but I will take
responsibility for getting it back. You promised not to do anything rash.”

“No,
I didn’t.”

Alasdair
forged ahead as if she hadn’t spoken. “We shall tell your parents when we go
inside that you have agreed to consider my suit. We don’t want it to seem as if
we know each other better than we ought. And I need to speak with my cousin,
the Earl of Throckton. It is time to make amends there, I think, and news of my
intentions regarding you will be a good way to start. He’ll probably want to
meet you right away.” He smiled at her conspiratorially. “But we shall only
prevaricate for a short while. I cannot wait that long to marry you, you see.”

Julianna
was so overwhelmed she could hardly speak. He was anxious to marry her. He
wanted to marry her
soon
. He seemed quite
joyous at the prospect. How could she react to that? Julianna reacted in the
only way she knew how. She hit him on the arm and dragged him back behind the
shed.

“Julianna!”
he protested. “What are you doing?”

She
spun around to face him. “I will not agree to marry you, Alasdair. You don’t
know what you’re saying.” She threw her arms around his neck. “But kiss me
anyway.”

His
look was both tender and fierce, and her heart lurched at how handsome he was,
how cherished. “I meant every word,” he whispered. “And you will marry me. I
will not rest until I have convinced you.” He crushed her to his chest and
wrapped his arms around her before pressing his lips to hers.

What
started out as an exuberant embrace soon became hungry and demanding. His hands
roamed her back and slid down over her bottom in an intimate caress, squeezing
roughly. When he turned his head to slant his lips across hers, his hat brim
knocked her bonnet.

“Damn,”
he muttered, yanking his hat off. He did not throw it this time but kept ahold
of it. “We cannot get carried away, Juli,” he panted, kissing her eyes and nose
and cheeks. “They will come looking for us soon.”

She
nodded and ran her hands down his chest and then around his waist until they
rested on his hard male bottom. “Absolutely,” she agreed breathlessly, as they
shared featherlight, quick kisses. “I do not want to be caught and forced to
marry you.”

A
surprised laugh burst out of him. The look he gave her was disgruntled, to say
the least. “Is this more of the other night’s almost honesty?”

Julianna
nodded eagerly. “I’m trying, you see, truly I am.”

“Anything
else you’d like to share? Wiley’s location, perhaps? Since you’re so interested
in getting the pearl back for me.”

“Don’t
be harsh,” she told him with a pinch.

“Of
course not,” he murmured as he grabbed her skirt in one hand and pulled it up.

“Alasdair,
what are you doing?” she squeaked, trying to move out of the way.

“Hold
your skirt,” he muttered, shoving it into her hand while he jerked at his glove
with his teeth. She immediately dropped it and started to back away. When he
got his glove off, he threw it to the ground and wasted no time in reaching for
her again.

“This
shed is quite bad for your behavior,” she hissed at him, warily avoiding his hands.
She tried to ignore how aroused she was by his determination to touch her.

He
chuckled seductively. “Surely this is a different circumstance than the last
time? After all, this time you dragged me back here.” She shook her head, torn
between running away and staying here to enjoy his teasing. Her hesitation
allowed him to capture her hand and he dragged her back to him. “I just want to
satisfy you, Juli,” he whispered in her ear. “Even if you will not marry me, I
am still your lover.” He kissed the curve of her neck and she instinctively
tilted her head to give him better access. It felt so good that Julianna was
seeing stars. She was insatiable where Alasdair was concerned. All she could do
was cling to his shoulders sighing, much to his delight. His smug, quiet
laughter woke her from her desire-induced lethargy and she shoved him away.

“Oh,
you . . .” She thinned her lips and crossed her arms, feigning more annoyance
than she really felt. “You are determined to get your way.”

Alasdair’s
eyes gleamed with the knowledge of what he was doing to her. He mirrored her
stance. “So are you.” When she just continued to glare at him, he sighed and
ran his hand through his hair in a frustrated gesture she was becoming very
familiar with. “Our time together has been wonderful, but I want more than to
just be lovers. As husband and wife we won’t have to part at sunrise. We won’t
have to part at all. We won’t have to sneak behind the shed, or pretend ever
again. Don’t you want that? Let me be your husband, Julianna.”

“Lover,”
she said desperately.

“Husband.”
His voice brooked no refusal.

“No,”
she argued as she looked into his intent stare. She took a step back when he
advanced toward her with the care usually reserved for approaching a skittish
horse. She let him pull her into his arms, sure that he had nothing more
dangerous planned than trying to persuade her with words. He had no idea how
hard it was for her to refuse him, when to be his was what she wanted more than
anything.
But not with the pearl between them.

Though
she refused to return his embrace, he held her tight. “Juli,” he said softly,
petting her back. For some silly reason she wanted to cry. “Don’t be stubborn,
darling.”

“Don’t
push, Alasdair,” she said, her voice breaking a little. She cleared her throat
and broke his embrace. “I’ll think about it. After we get the pearl back.”

“Juli,
promise me you won’t do anything foolish,” he demanded, reaching for her again.

She
brushed her hands over his coat to smooth out the wrinkles she’d made. “There
now,” she said as if he hadn’t spoken, “that’s a good memory here, isn’t it? To
replace the bad one?”

“Julianna,”
he whispered with a wealth of feeling, leaning down to kiss her again.

“Julianna?
Mr. Sharp?” Lady Linville’s voice was loud, but still far away. Julianna heard
the door slam and the sound of footsteps. “They must be in the back.”

When
Alasdair jerked away from her with a horrified expression, Julianna almost
wanted to laugh. She grinned and smoothed her skirts down. “I thought this was
what you wanted,” she whispered to him. “Over here, Lady Linville,” she called,
and she thought Alasdair was going to swoon.

He
shoved his hat on his head and then looked around frantically for his glove.
Julianna was smoothing her hair back under her bonnet when he found it. He
shoved his hand into his glove as she stepped around him and waved out at the
yard. “Yoo-hoo, my Lady!” she called, her heart racing. “Over here!”

“What
are you doing?” Alasdair whispered frantically. He had to tug the glove off
again because he’d put it on wrong, fingers in all the wrong places. He managed
it correctly the second try.

“I’m
acting innocent,” she whispered back out of the corner of her mouth as she
waved.

“Are
you that good of an actress?” he murmured, and Julianna blindly swatted at him
behind her back while he chuckled.

Lady
Linville, Mr. Harte, and Sir Hilary suddenly appeared through the break in the
trees and Julianna smiled stiffly and waved at them.

“Julianna,
what are you doing back there?” her father asked sharply.

“I
was showing Mr. Sharp where I thought someone might have broken into the garden
the other day,” Julianna said innocently, not sure what possessed her. Behind
her Alasdair snorted.

“Broke
into the garden?” her stepmother said incredulously. “Someone broke in?”