The Patriot's Conquest (29 page)

He kissed her forehead. “I’ve neglected you as of late and this is one small way to show I do care.”

It was as near as he could come to apologizing for his late night activities.

Amanda shook off her troubled feelings. She itched to ride Sage.

Jeffrey frowned, looking at the saddle. “Jake put on the wrong saddle. Hang on, I’ll find a sidesaddle.” He bent down to unfasten the girth. She stayed his hand.

“Nay, ’tis fine.”

Amanda kicked off her shoes. She settled one stocking foot in the stirrup and mounted Sage. She beamed at her husband. Amanda reached up and tore off her mobcap. It fluttered to the ground along with her hairpins. She dug her heels into Sage’s sides as Jeffrey stared in obvious astonishment.

Galloping, she steered Sage past the orchard into the open field. Air hammered against her face. Amanda felt a wild yearning shake free in her breast, thrilled to be free and unfettered. Finally they slowed. As she released the reins, Sage began to crop. Amanda lifted her face to the warm sun, wanting to relish the joy for as long as possible.

Damn. He stood staring after her, his mouth gaping open like an addle-headed school boy glimpsing his first naked lady. Jeffrey tasted a moment of pure shock seeing Mandy ride off, her luxurious mane flying back with the wind, her melodious laugh of pure delight, and her legs exposed in their stockings. He’d tried wheedling passion from her in bed, encouraging her to embrace her desires and free herself from that tightly-held reserve. And what happened? Give her a horse and the woman became free-spirited. If she had stripped off her gown and petticoats and rode naked, she could not have surprised him more.

He quickly saddled Liberty. Jeffrey dug his boot heels into the big stallion’s side and rode off in the direction Amanda and Sage had taken. After a fierce gallop, he spotted her near the tobacco field. Saying nothing, he reined in Liberty beside her. Wistful longing filled Amanda’s expression.

“’Tis peaceful here,” she murmured. “I feel as if I could ride and ride forever, Sage and I galloping off into one of those clouds.” Amanda pointed at the sharp blue sky, a dreamy smile touching the lush curve of her mouth.

He felt his loins tighten with the seductiveness of that smile. A flush lit her face from the vigor of the exercise.

“And what would you do if you could ride away?” he asked, enchanted by her rapt expression, sunlight touching her rose gold tresses and burnishing them to near copper.

“I’d ride and ride until I was free, far and away.”

His heart gave a painful twist. Amanda would gallop away, never looking back. She’d slip away from him like the puffy white clouds riding the wind.

He was falling in love with her. Falling? He had fallen and the sharp recognition pained him greatly. Once more he had opened his heart and dared to fall in love. And once more, he risked having her race out of his life, never looking back. Only this time was worse. This was deeper, richer and more frightening than anything he’d ever felt.

The knowledge he loved her scared him witless. Throat constricting, Jeffrey swallowed hard. He fought to rein in his emotions, keep his hands from trembling. He counted to ten, reciting Rogers’ Rules. He sought control, staring hungrily at his wife’s body, resenting her for making him feel this aching need, wanting to let her know he still held the upper hand. Though he suspected he truly did not.

Liberty broke the silence, for the great stallion snorted at Sage. Amanda noticed and smiled.

“Even Liberty is glad to have Sage around, it seems. It will be good for later,” he murmured.

A blank look came over her face. “Later?”

“I intend to breed Sage with Liberty.”

She paled, looking down at her horse. “But...”

“Mandy, this is a working farm,” he gently reminded her. “And Sage is of good stock, as is Liberty. Her foals will have excellent bloodlines.”

His wife bit her lip. “I do not like the idea, Jeffrey.

“Mandy, ’tis a fact of life. Sage will be bred,” he said firmly, hating her distressed look.

“Like me, you mean,” she said in an angry, mocking tone. “Fine bloodlines. Like you said when we first met. Did you have in mind to do the same with me? Purchase me for my silence and breed me so you’d be certain of good bloodlines?”

Anger and frustration surged through him. “’Tis a hard task to accomplish, when my wife turns away from the deed that brings about children.”

“If my husband were home at a decent hour then mayhap I’d have no reason to turn away!”

His temper exploded. She sat upon her horse, so lovely, mocking and defiant. He had not made love to her in days. Damn it! He had every right to bed her when he pleased. She had no right to question him about his whereabouts. And no right to reject him.

“Mandy, ’tis a dangerous game you play. I’ve been a patient man but my patience is running out. I’m your husband and have my rights. You will not turn from me tonight!”

Her answer was to ride off into the clover, her hair sweeping behind her like a flame-colored flag.

Jeffrey watched, desire filling him until he could feel nothing else but a raging need to strip her, toss her on the bed and make love to her until she begged for mercy. He felt his loins tighten. Tonight. She’d yield to him tonight and to hell with the consequences. As he spurred Liberty and galloped after Amanda, Jeffrey had a nagging feeling the consequences might be ones he would regret later.

A
MANDA INDULGED IN
a hot bath after supper and then retired to a chair to read as Jeffrey tended the livestock.

The door banged open and Jeffrey walked inside. Dampness clung to his white shirt, droplets nestled in the dark hairs of his muscled chest.

He’d bathed in the creek, anticipating making love to her. She felt her insides tighten.

“Mandy, time for us to retire.”

Jeffrey removed the book and set it upon the table. “Mandy, ’tis not the time for reading.”

“What? No more riding off to your grand adventures? Be off. I want nothing more to do with you.”

He went silent as if wrestling with some demon beast. Finally, after a few minutes, he spoke. “Amanda, you are my wife. You choose to defy me?”

Defy him? When he’d been defying her all these nights with his secret activities? Her temper rose. Bristling, she stood and faced him. “Aye, if you will not tell me why you’ve abandoned me these past nights.”

“’Tis not your place to question me. I am your husband. You must trust what I do.”

“Trust you, when you refuse to tell me what you have been doing?”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Nay, Mandy, I will not. Now please, I returned early for dinner and an early night with you. Is that not enough?”

His blatant refusal to answer the questions screaming in her head ripped through her heart. What if he were bedding Polly Richards? Heated jealousy burned her like white-hot tongs. She felt the irrational urge to hurt him back. The words lashed from her lips like the crack of a horsewhip.

“Perhaps you returned early only because you worried what I was about, Jeffrey. And if I were seeing someone in your absence? Mayhap a British officer?”

The room grew quiet. Jeffrey became very still as the muscles in his face tightened. “What are you saying, Mandy?”

“Mayhap I have trysts you know nothing about,” she taunted. “And secrets I cannot share with you, just as you cannot share them with me.”

A muscle pulled wildly in his jaw. “Who is this officer, Amanda?”

She had never seen him this lethally quiet. “No, no one,” she stammered. “I told a falsehood.”

Jeffrey took a step forward. His powerful body tensed. She shuddered, pressing a hand to her throat. She had severely provoked him.

“For four nights you have turned from me. You will not deny me tonight. Take off your clothing.”

He looked dangerous as he crossed the room. Despite her fear, her chin rose into the air. “No.”

Jeffrey stopped in mid-stride. “Do not fight me, Mandy.” A warning delivered in a soft velvet voice.

Fighting him was as useless as defeating a British regiment by throwing pebbles at their flintlocks. He was far too big and muscular and could overpower her. All she had was her courage and her wits. And her love. She undressed and stood before him, naked and defiant, even as her hands trembled. Amanda forced calm as he stalked toward her.

She must take a stand, or their marriage was truly doomed. Her husband was a man of intense passions and great strength, yet Amanda knew Jeffrey would never hurt her, nor force her. But by the Almighty, tonight he would listen to her.

“Is this what you seek, Jeffrey? I am yours, as you are mine. You may claim my body, but that’s all. Do you not want more from this marriage? From me?”

With a wary look, he stilled.

“Jeffrey, I am your wife. Would you deny me the trust we need as man and wife? Or am I merely a bed partner for your pleasure? Is this a real marriage? For us to have a real marriage, I need you to trust me. And I cannot trust you if you are not truthful with me.”

A muscle ticked violently in his cheek as he watched her.

“Jeffrey, you are my husband now. You have a new responsibility to me. I deserve to know where you’ve been when you fail to appear at a decent hour. Do not keep secrets from me, husband.” She fisted her hands. “Or else I would think you were bedding another.”

There. Her worst fears verbalized. She watched for signs of falsehood, for a whitening of his cheeks, a tightness about the lips. Instead, he looked genuinely bemused.

“Bedding another?”

“Polly Richards,” she whispered. “Your mistress.”

“Where do you come up with this nonsense Polly is my mistress?”

“Oh, just a notion I had when I discovered that you were seen riding from the Richards late at night. Jake saw you. Does your old beloved meet you in the woods?”

“Old beloved?” Jeffrey threw back his head and laughed.

“I saw how you danced with her that night at the Apollo! For the past four nights have you been prancing around with Polly, dallying in secret pleasures with her? She’s American as you are! You want American products in your household, American food on your table, why not an American for your bed instead of me, your British wife?” She could not keep her voice from trembling.

His expression softened. “Mandy, I have no desire for Polly Richards. Only you. You must trust me, wife.”

She took a deep breath. “Trust is something earned, not easily given, husband. It does not come with a set of marriage documents. I need to hear from your lips where you have been. I need a reason to give you my trust. Accord me a measure of yours.”

Asserting her needs took every bit of her newfound courage. It felt good.

Jeffrey raked a hand through his thick, dark hair. He seemed caught in some turbulent indecision she suspected had little to do with her. Amanda stepped forward, grasped his hand.

“Do you believe I would betray you? What manner of ill fortune came your way in the past that you cannot share your confidences?” she asked softly.

Tension rode his taut jaw line. Finally Jeffrey’s broad shoulders sagged. “Aye, you are correct. I had thought to protect you should anyone question you about my activities, but I see now ’tis more important to reassure you and take you into my confidence.”

He glanced at her, his gaze dark. “I have not been seeing Polly Richards. But her father. ’Tis work late at the forge that occupies my past nights. Repairing muskets, and giving them to Jacob, who heads the militia. ’Tis work best performed in secret, for we cannot risk Dunmore knowing how weakly armed the militia is, nor how badly we need those muskets.”

Surprise twined with deep relief. For him to reveal such a secret did indeed display a deep confidence. Her heart turned over at the haunted look tightening his face, as if he had opened his very soul. Sudden insight came to her. Jeffrey had risked much in baring his covert activities, but such a revelation created a major turmoil within him. As if he feared she’d turn and betray him...  Had another woman done so in his past?

“Thank you, Jeffrey. Thank you for telling me.” Stepping forward, she kissed him softly and wound her arms around his neck.

Surprise flared on his face as he drew back, gazing down at her.

“Well, you were most impatient to have me. Are you not so eager now, husband?” she teased with a smile.

Leaning forward, she kissed him again. Jeffrey deepened the kiss, nibbling at her mouth, his tongue tangling with hers. When they broke apart, her desire matched the fierce intensity reflected in his eyes.

Jeffrey stripped naked, his body a magnificent sample of manhood, all gleaming muscle and sinew. He took her mouth in another hard, drugging kiss, his tongue plunging into her. He wrenched his mouth from hers, his ragged breaths filling the air.

“Mandy, wife, I need you,” he said hoarsely.

“Aye, but my need is more fierce.”

Arms entwined about each other like serpents, they fell into the bed. His hands pinned her wrists to either side of her head.

“No other man, Mandy,” he said thickly. “None but me.”

A note of despair threaded through his tone. She ached at his tormented expression. What demons rode him to think she’d betray him with another? Desire and turmoil burned in his hot gaze. He needed her. Her husband needed her assurances. Her love.