The Scandal of Lady Eleanor (31 page)

“Do you think you could buy up more of his blunt? I would help finance, making Levering greatly in debt to you. I am sure Fowler would buy into it also. That way we could control him completely.”

Viscount Lexford considered the idea. “Swenton can tell us to whom Levering owes money. We could go from there; it would increase the pressure I could put on the man to show me the diary.”

“Once you know where it is, I will send Godown in to retrieve it.”

Lexford chuckled softly. “The Ghost stalks again.”

“It will be good for Crowden to exercise his talents,” Worthing asserted. “If we retrieve the diary, I will then orchestrate Louis Levering's permanent downfall.”

“Then I suppose I should be to London tomorrow. I convinced Levering that Lady Eleanor took the chance for her escape; the baronet took Fanny and returned to town.”

James looked a bit wary. “He would not follow you here, would he?”

“I doubt it; Derby is west of Nottingham. Why travel west to return south? Plus, he has Fanny with him, and she was not happy about cutting their holiday short. Levering is too narrow-minded. He imagines using Lady Eleanor's flight against her—keeping her a pawn in his scheme. He has been physically hurting her for several weeks—a twisted arm, a blow to the ribs—things such as that. He plans to make her pay physically and sexually for her withdrawal. Sir Louis is not the type to believe he has lost complete control of his pigeon.”

James clutched at the edge of the desk, trying to restrain his anger. He would enjoy inflicting pain on Levering. “When Lady Eleanor returns to London, she will do so as my wife. Levering will have to go through me to get to her.”

Lexford barked out a laugh of pure delight. “In some ways, I pity the man. The Realm's full power is about to lay him out cold.”

“I cannot see it happening to a more deserving ass.” James topped off his friend's drink. “You will ride with me to Northamptonshire. I plan to meet Fowler and Crowden there.You can share what you know.”

“Oh, Lord,” Kimbolt swore, “I forgot about Fowler's revenge. What an idiot Levering is! He dared to cross both Brantley Fowler and you. I am going to enjoy this more than anything since I returned to civilian life.”

James pushed open her bedroom door, and his breath hitched at the sight of Ella's silhouetted figure in the dimly lit room. His first instinct was to take her in his arms immediately, but he paused to fully survey the goddess before him. She stood by the window reading a letter.

“What do you read, my Dear?” He closed the door behind him.

“Your letters…they were in my luggage. I never allowed myself to read them while I dealt with Levering. I knew I could not face him if you spoke of our relationship. I kept them to help me control what seemed to be an endless imprisonment.”

James took a tentative step forward. “I meant every word, Ella. You are everything I never knew I wanted.” He paused, unsure of Ella's thoughts. “Is this what you sought, Ella? Do you still want our joining?”

“I wondered how much longer I would have to wait, Lord Worthing.” She laid the letter on a nearby table.

“Did you?”With each slow step, his heart raced faster.

Ella studied his face for a moment before smiling. “What means this teasing of yours?”

His grin widened. “Anticipation, my Love. It deepens the fascination.”

“Ah-h.You realize, of course, I am likely to see this as
terrifying
rather than fascinating.”

“Terrified of me, Lady Eleanor?” He stepped up beside her where he might caress Ella's face. “I am your chivalrous warrior,” he mocked.

“And I am your Amazon,” she countered.

James's smile spread to the corners of his eyes. “I will gladly be your captive, Ella.” Her exquisite beauty held him in place. Blonde gold curls draped over her shoulders in twisted strands, cupping her breasts.

For several elongated moments, they said nothing, but their eyes spoke of desire and of need and of something like love. He opened his arms, and Ella walked willingly into his embrace. This moment
was different from the other times he had held her to him. Ella would give herself to him tonight.

Her voice a bit breathless, she murmured, “So much for anticipation… will action follow soon?”

“Oh, yes, Ella.” His lips brushed hers lightly. “Anticipation is over.” The softness of her lips drove James over the edge, and he was lost only to her.

She gave herself up freely to his ministrations; he was the perfect answer to a difficult question. He tasted of brandy and of male and of power and of James. The taste was intoxicating, and she swayed under its supremacy.

James caught her close to him, trailing light kisses down the curve of her neck. “Ella,” he sighed against her skin, before lifting her into his arms and carrying her to the bed.

Pressing her against the pillows, they both gasped for air. James's mouth was everywhere, while Ella's hands tugged at his shirt so she could touch his skin. He sat back to look down at her, his clothing askew; then he tugged off his jacket and his waistcoat, but never once did his eyes leave hers. “You are so beautiful; I ache for you.”

“Come to me,“ she whispered and reached for him. James shed his shirt, throwing it into a corner, wanting only to share her skin on his skin.

When he crawled across the bed to lie beside her, Ella's fingers traced the line of his shoulders. “Mmmm,” she moaned.

His lips returned to hers, tender at first, but then crushing hers, demanding her submission. “May I look upon you?” he implored.

Ella gave a quick nod of her head and then squeezed her eyes shut. She worried for the possible disappointment in his face, but Ella had nothing to fear. He could see only the exquisiteness of her form. James raised the gown slowly, exposing her ankles, her slender legs, her stomach… up the white muslin slid, revealing Heaven. He flipped the gown somewhere behind him before cupping a breast in his hand. “Open your eyes, Darling, and see how I adore you.”

Instinctively, he lowered his head to her breast, first lifting it to his mouth with his hand. His tongue traced circles around her nipple, finally taking the tip between his lips to suckle her. She was the most beautiful—most heart-stopping woman he had ever seen.

Ella gasped, his body's heat radiating through her. Gripping his shoulders, she arched into his mouth. Waves of pleasure making her breath shallow and her hands tingle, she melted into him. James shifted to lavish attention on her other breast while sliding his hand down across the flat of her stomach to palm her mons. His hand nudged her legs apart as his mouth returned to hers. Teasingly, his fingers twisted the curls found along the fatty swelling of her most secret desire. Ella impulsively arced her hips and moaned seductively. His fingertips traced along her opening's dampness, parting the lips and stroking lightly across as his tongue mimicked the movement within her mouth.

Slick and wet, she clutched the bed covering, fisting the material in her hands. Completely absorbed in what he did to her, Ella willingly spread her legs to welcome the finger James buried in her. Methodically, he moved to where he could see his finger slide in and out of her wetness, totally mesmerized by pure passion rushing through him.

“Will you come for me?” he asked softly at her ear. “I want to see you lost to my love.” He caught the lobe with his teeth and bit gently. His hand's rhythm increased as his mouth returned to her breast. Now, James sucked harder, using his teeth to rake against the nipple. The tension inside Ella increased, and her body moved of its own accord, rising to his touch before she cascaded into pleasure's pool pulsing through her, whimpering sounds escaping her lips.

James waited to allow the climax to subside before standing to remove his boots, breeches, and underthings. Ella's eyes grew in size at seeing his length, the proud erection pointing at her when he knelt between her legs.

“Do you wish to touch me?” his voice broke with emotion.

Ella could not remove her eyes from his manhood. “Do you wish me to do so?”

“I want you to feel familiar with me, but I will not force you, Ella.You must want to know my body.”

Ella took in his countenance: He was a man who would never try to dominate or subjugate her, a man who would accept her as his equal. “Is it wanton to have such desires?”

James smiled slightly; he recognized her war between propriety and need. “There is not a man alive who would refuse your curiosity, my Love. It is natural between a man and his wife, and even without the vows being read, that is how I see you. You are my wife, Ella—the life that breathes and lives within me. Touch me if you desire it.”

Tentatively, Ella's fingers touched the velvety softness, spreading milky drops of wetness across the surface. He jerked with her touch, and then closed his eyes with the experimental strokes of her palm as it slid the skin up and back over the head, driving the thoughts from his mind. She gently massaged his sacks, and he could not suppress the groan escaping his lips. James clenched his jaw in passion as Ella increased the pace—the only sound in the room being the rapid inhalation and exhalation of their attempts to breathe.

“Do you wish to drive me absolutely crazy?” He caught her hand, stopping her before he could no longer control his hunger.

“I want you to want me,” she protested.

“Oh, Lord, Ella. If I wanted you any more, I would explode.” He smiled seductively. James eased her back, spreading her legs with his own. “I will be gentle, but this may hurt; however, the pain will pass quickly.”

He placed his member to her opening and edged into her. It was all he could do not to plunge deeply, taking her fast and furiously, but James made himself go slowly, a few inches at a time, allowing her body to welcome his breadth inside her. “I love you,” he whispered against her mouth as he pushed past her maidenhead
to open her to him completely, catching her protest with a deep kiss. He felt her flinch, but he pulled out almost all the way and plunged in again.

“Feel how much I love you,” he growled as he set up a rhythm of withdrawal and thrust. Soon, her body responded, meeting his plunge with her own push. He briefly returned his attention to her breasts.

James felt her tighten around him as he began to pound his body into hers. A high keening and a thrumming of impulses along his length sped up his drive—faster and faster until he threw his head back and exploded, releasing his seed into her, love's waves making him shiver before collapsing on top of Ella.

“That was unbelievable,” he whispered into her neck.

“You were quite magnificent, Lord Worthing.” Ella ran her fingers through his hair and pulled his mouth to hers.

“Ella,” he tilted her chin to where he could watch her face, “when Elizabeth died, I thought my life had ended. I was content to live alone, thankful for having known a wonderful girl. Yet, I am no longer the young man who loved a sweet, innocent girl. When I joined my unit, I left Elizabeth's memory, but I also left the memories of a young man behind. I saw things, which changed me, and I can say in all honesty that sweet, innocent Elizabeth Morris would never interest me now. I need a woman who does not faint dead away whenever life opens the wrong door. I need you, Eleanor Fowler, every day—every hour. I do not wish to live another minute without you.”

Tears crept toward her hairline, and emotions danced across her countenance. “I…I know I can never replace Elizabeth in your heart,” she stammered.

James touched her mouth with his finger. “Listen to my words, Ella. The James Kerrington who loved Elizabeth Morris died with her, and it was not an unpleasant death. They loved completely, but young blood has its own time. As Ovid said, ‘How different from the present man was the youth of earlier days.' You lie with a different
James Kerrington, a man who loves only you. We will grow old together, surrounded by our children and grandchildren. You are the missing part, the one who makes me whole.”

For a long moment, she simply clung to him. He knew her; he knew what Ella needed. She needed family and love, both of which he would give her. “I love you,” she whispered, and then said it again to make it so, to give credence to her declaration. “I want to be your wife.”

“Before you return to London,” he avowed.

“What of Sir Louis?” She clutched at him for safety.

James distracted her with several well-placed kisses across her stomach. “You trust me to cherish your body and to nourish your heart; trust me, Ella, to see to your safety. I will not fail you.Within a fortnight, Louis Levering will know my vengeance. No one hurts the people I love.”

“You do not know the extent of the mistakes I have made of late.” Ella looked away, apparently fearing his questions.

“I know everything, Ella. I know about how Bran forestalled the engagement to find time to locate Levering's weakness, and I know how the baronet publicly shamed you at the theatre and at the inn in Buckinghamshire.” Ella's lip trembled in humiliation. “The man will pay for his audacity.”

Ella's voice begged him for forgiveness. “I acted foolishly. Please understand I meant you no harm; I wanted only to protect Thornhill. If you indulge me in this, I will be the best wife any man has ever known. I will bring no more disgrace to you.”

“There is nothing for which to offer absolution, Ella. God, you have no idea of some of the choices I made as part of the Realm. We go forward from here. All that you demonstrated was the depth of the love you possess. Heaven help anyone who would harm our children or the name Kerrington. Now, no more of this foolishness. Tomorrow, I ride to Northamptonshire to confer with your brother. I will secure a special license, and we will marry privately in the Linton Park chapel by the middle of next week.”