To Catch a Lady (18 page)

“Good morning, husband. I trust you slept well.”

Ash cracked open one eye and looked across the breakfast table where his wife sat. She was dressed in a bright jonquil print gown and a white lace shawl. And to make matters worse, she wore a yellow bonnet, complete with a dyed ostrich feather sticking out of the side of its band.

“Good morning,” he said with considerably less enthusiasm. “It is still morning, is it?”

Caroline laughed, making a gentle, insincere bubbling sound. “Well, near enough. I didn't want to be rude, but a few more minutes and you would have missed the morning altogether.” She leaned forward and in a loud whisper continued, “Do you remember that you'd promised me that we'd ride out to the lake today for an outdoor luncheon?”

“Oh, yes. About that…” he started. Of course, he knew that she likely didn't want to go anywhere with him, today or any other day, especially after his poor behavior the night before.

She made a sad face. “Don't you still want to go?”

“Um, do you?”

“I was looking forward to it. Your friends haven't stopped talking about how much you love this place. Aside from a few dusty rooms in a run-down castle, I really haven't seen much.”

“Of course. Then we shall go as I had planned.”

“Wonderful!” She clapped her hands together. “I've already spoken to the cook and had Meggie pack us a blanket and my favorite parasol.”

“I'll need a few minutes to get the carriage ready.” For some reason he couldn't understand, her cheeriness left him feeling surly. His anger wasn't with her as much as with himself—he should have been equal to her tactics. Usually he was quite on the sharp when it came to dealing with others. But blast it all, Caroline met him at every turn and delivered the cut far too quickly for him to parry or step out of the way.

“I can't wait.” With that she picked up her china cup and drank a healthy swallow of tea. When she sat it on the saucer, the bone china made a teeth-shattering racket. Wearing an innocent expression, she smiled up at him. “I'll be in the parlor until you are ready, husband.”

To his despair, she rose and fairly floated out of the room.

Just then Duncan entered the breakfast room, and after exchanging a hearty good morning with Caroline, he came to the table and poured himself a cup of tea.

“Your wife's in a good mood this morning. I must say, I didn't expect that.”

“A bloody good mood.”

“You say that as if it's a bad thing. I would think that she has forgiven you for your poor behavior last night and has decided to do the rational thing and move on.”

“Oh, you would, would you? Then, my boy, you don't know women as well as you think. She's so cheerful because she's plotted her revenge. She's going to emasculate me and likely roast my tender parts over a spit.”

“Ash, you really do think the worst of people.”

“What do you think she's up to?”

“Whatever it is, it could be no worse torture than what you've already put yourself through. Be a man, I say. Take your punishment and then move ahead to the best part of being married.”

“Which is?”

“The bedroom part, of course. Get her in the bedroom and things will improve. That's my advice.”

Ash looked down into his lukewarm cup of tea. “That's if she leaves me any of my necessary parts to be manly with.”

Half an hour later Caro was seated in the carriage. Her first real look at the castle in daylight—the first that didn't involve her being distracted by her naked husband, of course—was quite an eyeful. In truth she hadn't thought all that much about her husband's home. From the inside it was a huge, cumbersome pile of stone floors, walls, and ceilings. Stone and more stone. And yet, he'd placed expensive portraits and carpets throughout the place, installed window glass in the necessary rooms, and even added some very nice pieces of furniture.

It was all suited to a man's tastes, and perhaps that's what had bothered Caro the most. She felt out of place there. And since it was her husband's home, she had no right to ask him for changes to accommodate a lady. After all, she would be returning to the London estate at the end of the month.

And yet, seeing it from the outside, there was something about the place that did appeal to her. A stone behemoth at first glance, the castle was not without its charm. Much like her husband, she thought. Well-meaning ivy climbed all the way to the second-floor balconies. Even the two stone turrets that girded the castle on each side gave it a bit of charm.

But more than that, this intensely masculine place was surrounded by wildflowers. They were everywhere, and, to her delight, made a very lovely picture. If she were given to painting, she would not be able to find a lovelier subject to study.

“I'm sorry, Caroline,” Ash said as he approached the carriage. He looked a bit worse for wear, which she attributed to another night spent in the company of his new friends, brandy and guilt.

“Sorry for what?”

He looked at her for a moment, clearly measuring up her sincerity. Well, let him, she thought. Just seeing him so miserable went a long way in making up for her humiliation the night before.

A long way, yes, but not all the way.

“For, well, everything,” he said, climbing into the cab. He tapped the ceiling, letting the driver know that he wanted to proceed.

“I don't understand,” she said, turning toward the window so he couldn't see the fury and hurt she felt after his treatment the night before.

“Let's not play this game, Caroline. I was a terrible cad to leave you last night.”

“You have nothing to worry about, Ash. I understand that you changed your mind. Any amorous behavior you exhibited to me was likely a result of the brandy and not your true feelings.”

When she glanced back at him, she saw his stern expression, his fists clenched in his lap. Any hint of remorse was gone and anger had taken its place.

“You presume to tell me what motivates my behavior? I beg your pardon, wife, but you underestimate me.”

“Do I?” Caro gave him her sweetest smile. “I don't mean to do any such thing. All I mean is that you and I are in a difficult situation. We are trying to make the best of it, after all.”

He eyed her for a moment longer. “Just the same, I apologize for my terrible treatment of you these last few days. I'm thankful that you have the presence of mind to ignore what has passed and look only toward the future.”

Caro nodded. “Of course.”

The remainder of the ride passed in relative silence. Not that his wife hadn't chosen her words carefully, been cordial enough during their journey. No, she had been the picture of genteel grace and kindness.

Then, why did it irritate him so? After all, she was taking the high road.

Wasn't she?

Perhaps she was and he was just being an unconscionable bastard.

Or perhaps she was just playing him like a well-used pianoforte, ready to pull out the tune she intended at any moment. Was he being a suspicious cur? Or was he a man battling feminine wiles?

“It is a lovely day,” she said beside him. “And the forest is very fragrant. I hadn't expected that.”

“You didn't expect fresh air? You really haven't spent much time out of the city, have you?”

“Not for a very long time.” She glanced out the window once again, but her expression was wistful. “I wish Bea could see it. She used to love the outings Mother took us on when we were children.”

“Then we shall bring her here one day.”

All right. Suspicious cur seemed to be the suit he wore.

“I'm not sure she'd come. She's too concerned with her broken heart.” She let out a breath. “I will say I had a wonderful time at my ladies' meeting yesterday.”

“Ladies' meeting?”

“I spoke to some of the local ladies about the writings of Mary Wollstonecraft. She speaks of the treatment of women. How unfair it is to be forced into marriage, to be unable to own property and the like.”

“What do you hope to accomplish? Change women into men?”

Caroline scoffed. “As if any woman would want such a thing. There is the idea that women should be able to make their own decisions about their lives. Have their own money, manage their own properties.”

Ash shrugged. “Don't some women do those things? My aunt, for one.”

“Only because you allow her to. Not many women are that fortunate.”

“Are you saying that women can manage their lives? I'm not sure that's wise.”

“Well, sir, I'm sure that you've met gentlemen who are far short of wisdom. And yet, they are allowed to be in control of their lives. Oh, and the lives of their women, as well.” She smiled at him sweetly enough, but when she spoke, her tone stung him. “Present company not included, of course.”

There it was. The sharp barb that he'd been waiting for. Well, best to have it over with and out in the open. As a rule, Ash wasn't opposed to being wounded in battle. Take the cut, let it bleed or heal—that's what every soldier knew.

But the cuts that were hidden, festering away, slowly draining a soldier of his life's blood—those were the kind he abhorred. He'd seen it in his compatriots. Hell, he'd seen it in his parents.

Ash cleared his throat before speaking. “I know you said that there was nothing to be sorry for, but in truth I do have to apologize and explain myself. If you will let me, that is.”

She turned to him then, the hurt evident in her smoldering glance. She didn't fool him. Her eyes were red-rimmed from crying and though she put on a brave face, he could tell it was taking every bit of her resolve to remain calm.

In an odd way, it gave him hope that he knew what she really wanted to do was rail at him and likely do him bodily harm. So be it. He wanted a fair fight as much as the next man.

“There's nothing to apologize for,” she said again, this time her voice tight, her words spoken through clenched teeth.

He grabbed her arm then and pulled her to him. “Yes, there is. I was rude and insensitive last night and there is no earthly excuse for my behavior.”

“So you seem to think. Very well. Apologize and be done with it.”

He shook his head. “I think not. What I will do is explain myself so that you know what lies between us.”

She attempted to jerk her hand out of his grasp and he knew his frankness surprised her. Good. He wanted her surprised.

Off balance.

Uncertain.

He didn't want to be cruel, though. He wanted her unsettled, because that's the way he felt. The way he had felt since the moment she'd come barging into his office weeks earlier.

“Very well,” she said. “What is between us?”

With that he pulled her forward and kissed her. Deep. Hard. Unrelenting at first.

She meant to pull away from him. He could feel her stubbornness in the way she stiffened. But as seconds passed, she relaxed into his embrace, her body softening in his arms.

And he knew he had won the argument between them. Forget that he didn't exactly know what that argument was. Just that he had won.

When they pulled apart at last, both of them were breathless, confused, delighted. He felt it in her as he did in his own body.

“Sir, your behavior is most curious,” she said, when she had her breath back.

“It is. And, for what it's worth, I can't explain it. I only know that if I'd stayed outside your door last night and continued as we had before, I wouldn't have been able to stay away from you. I would have broken down that door and, beast that I am, lifted your shift and taken you right there.”

There. He'd made his confession. It was up to her to accept it. To accept him.

Her hands flew to her chest and her face was a beautiful mixture of puzzlement and surprise, of joy and confusion.

Ha! He'd bested her, all right.

“I see.” She swallowed and looked away for a moment. “Your rude behavior toward me last night was because you were saving me from you?”

“Precisely.”

“I don't know whether I should thank you or slap you. Rest assured, both are in my mind to do right now.”

“I completely understand.” And he did. In fact, he couldn't decide which he wanted her to do. Perhaps she could knock some sense into his stone-brained head. Ash was sure he deserved no less.

“Well,” she asked, “what are we to do now?”

The carriage pulled to a stop. For a moment, Ash toyed with the idea of kissing her again, but he quickly put that thought down. He knew that if he did, he wouldn't be able to restrain his passions any longer, and she'd end up with her lovely yellow gown up over her ears, and he with his trousers around his ankles.

As much as he wanted to proceed with that, he knew that if he was to win this engagement, he had to go slow, to lure Caro to him, to make her understand what it was that was between them. In the process, he thought, he might learn it as well.

Ash gave Caro a wide smile. “We do what any couple on a lovely afternoon outing would do. We eat lunch.”

Caro didn't know when she'd ever been so unbalanced in her entire life. One minute she was determined to box his ears, and the next she was falling into his arms like a lovesick ninny.

Still, his explanation for her abandonment the night before had been quite rational, when she thought about it. If it was the truth, and he had done a very good job proving it was, then she would have to forgive him.

Though to be honest, bursting into her room and “ravaging” her, as he put it, would not only have been forgiven, it likely would have been applauded!

When had she become such a wanton?

“Lunch it is, then,” she said.

Ten minutes later their luncheon was unpacked and spread out on the blanket. Ash quickly dispensed of the carriage after having given the coachman instructions on when to return.