Turner's Vision (18 page)

After speaking with the seamstress, he’d visited Mrs. Ellis and Mrs. Thompkins regarding the guest list for the ball in two days. They’d invited most of the influential members of Congress, as well as the military and banking community in Washington. Micah asked that the Gibson brothers and his own brother and stepmother be included in this particular gathering. His appearance at the function was bound to catapult the group into action, either on the gold reserve or on his own person.

He hoped Howard’s condition improved enough to give him information on Patrice’s whereabouts before the group made their play.

The one problem that nagged at him was how did he keep Claudia from getting hurt? She was the unknown variable right now in his plan.

He needed to get the enemy focused on him. Doing so, without them using his wife to manipulate him, was going to be tricky.

Sliding into bed next to Claudia, Micah pulled her into his body, her backside pressed snugly against his rising manhood.

A sense of coming home settled over him.

This woman felt so right against him, as if no other had ever fit him.

He moved his hand up to cup a rounded breast, his thumb brushing against the nipple until it tightened into a bud. A soft moan escaped her. Even in her sleep she was so responsive to him.

Kissing her bare shoulder, he allowed his lips to linger on the pulse at the juncture of her throat. Claudia stirred from her slumber, wiggling her bottom across his heated member.

He slid his hand over her smooth belly to the juncture of her thighs, over the soft curls of her mound, pressing her backwards as he cupped her heat, The softness of her cheeks cradling his thick manhood added more sweet torture to him.

Guilt over teasing her when she was so exhausted nibbled at his mind, but his body wanted to connect with her, to know she was safe and his. He lowered his hand and let his fingers slip between her folds to find the moist heat already there, anticipating her lover.

The sudden need to possess her overwhelmed Micah.

“Lift your leg, little one,” he whispered hoarsely against her ear, his breath sending shivers coursing through her. Claudia lifted her leg and he entered her with one deep thrust from behind.

As he stroked back and forth in her heated channel, he slid his hand back up to her bud of desire, and he gently rubbed it with his finger and thumb. He caressed it to swollen ripeness, rocking her hips with his and allowing her passions to build until she moaned her climax into the pillow at her side.

Feeling the contractions of her body along the length of his cock, he pumped faster and harder until, with one last thrust, he poured his seed deep inside her. Panting as he held her to him, connected in the most primitive way of men and women, he crooned softly in her ear.

Exhaustion had her sound asleep again almost immediately. Micah reached down and pulled the covers up over them both.

Claudia was definitely his weak link.

Since he’d met her, the disturbing dreams were becoming more frequent. In the past, he’d assumed that they were meant to happen as fate, that there was nothing he could do to alter them. But now—now he had to protect her from whatever dangers the dreams meant would befall her.

Pulling her tighter into his embrace, he knew for a fact that he was in love with the woman at his side. He’d discovered in her a woman who could restore his faith that had been destroyed so long ago. She was beautiful, intelligent, loyal and giving. All the things he’d wanted in a wife. And he protected those things that were his.

* * * * *    

“Micah, we can’t possibly attend the Thompkins’ ball tomorrow.” Claudia said the next day as she finished tucking in the clean sheets and blankets on Noah’s bed. “I need to help Dr. Schulman here in case Officer Howard awakens and is able to give us any information on this conspiracy.”

“Claudia.” Micah paced back and forth at the foot of the bed. “Whatever Howard has to say to us will keep until we have attended the ball tomorrow evening. This affair is being given in our honor.”

“I didn’t ask for this particular honor.” She gathered up the sweat stained linen she’d removed from the bed. “Right now, there are more serious things occurring in Washington besides some silly dance that rich bankers and politicians have nothing better to do than attend.”

Turning on her husband, she continued, “Frankly I would think you’d be a little more anxious to spoil these blackguards’ plans and get on with finding your sister instead of attending a party.”

Claudia headed out the door, turning an indignant back to him. Before she reached the stairway landing, she was suddenly lifted off the floor and up against Micah’s shoulders. Her dirty linen floated down the stairs as he hauled her to their room. Kicking the door open, he deposited her in front of the flabbergasted and dismayed seamstress.

“Do not move from that spot until you have a gown for tomorrow night’s ball. Do you understand me, wife?”

Claudia could only nod her assent. She had yet to regain the wind he’d knocked out of her. Micah slammed the door behind him, leaving the two speechless women gaping after him. Claudia was the first to recover, her temper quickly flaring to life.

“Oooh.” She stamped her foot in impotent outrage. “How dare he order me about? Don’t move until you have a gown for tomorrow night,” she mimicked him, both fists planted on her hips. Suddenly, she stopped in the middle of her own tirade, turning a mischievous eye on the woman before her. “So, he wants me to have a new gown for the ball, does he? Well, Miss Brauner, if that’s what the big man wants, then that’s just what he’ll get. In fact, we’ll give him a gown he’ll never forget.” Taking the older woman’s hand, she pulled her over to the table and began sketching her wishes out on paper.

“I don’t think that is what Mr. Turner had in mind, Mrs. Turner.” The seamstress held up the finished design before her. Studying it for a moment, a small smile formed on her lips. “But it would be the only one like it. Of course we couldn’t use the pastels that are all the rage right now. No, no not with your coloring. I believe I may have something…”

The small, wren like woman fluttered over to her trunk of materials, rummaging through it until she emerged with a bolt of the deepest forest-green silk.

“Yes, I believe this could be just the thing.” Caught up in the excitement of designing what was sure to be a fashion trend, she draped the material around Claudia’s thin shoulders. “Let’s set them on their ears, shall we, Mrs. Turner?”

“Claudia.” Claudia smiled at the enchanting little woman.

“Claudia, then. And I’m Lisbeth.” She smiled back and began pinning.

* * * * *    

The next night, Claudia sat staring out the window of the conveyance as it neared the Thompkins’ country estate, nervously drumming her fingers on the seat between herself and Micah.

He’s going to kill me. This time I’ve really gone one step too far, and he’s going to kill me.

While they had conspired together over her gown in her bedchamber, Lisbeth had bolstered her courage in turning society upside down. They even planned on hiding their creation from Micah until they arrived at the affair, by having her ermine cape upstairs and stalling their departure until he was in a hurry to be on their way.

Micah, already put out with her for making them late, ushered her out the door without insisting he view her gown. His anger would only double when he saw her without her cape.

The carriage drew to a stop outside the large house. The drive and front stairs were lined with lighted candles that cast a glow on the last of the winter’s snow. Servants, dressed in black coats and tails, opened the carriage door for her, extending white-gloved hands to help her alight to the ground.

If she weren’t so scared of her husband’s coming wrath, arriving at her first ball would’ve thrilled Claudia. She gazed up at the large, Corinthian-style house, wondering if it was a home restored to its greatness after the war. Many of the homes in Alexandria had felt the devastation of the milling troops, but had been spared the pillaging of the great homes further south.

Micah grasped her elbow and guided her up the stone stairs to the main entrance. Removing his gloves and outer coat, he turned to help Claudia off with her cape, only to find her clutching it tightly.

“Let me assist you with your wrap.” Micah tried to untie the ribbons at her throat.

“Couldn’t I keep it on for just a while longer? It’s colder than I thought it would be tonight,” she pleaded.

“I think you’ll find it impossible to dance with all this fur in place.” He chuckled at her timidity as he continued to loosen the ribbons. Leaning closer, he whispered in her ear, “There is nothing to be afraid of here. I’ll be right beside you.”

That’s what scared her the most.

She gulped the lump in her throat and whirled around for Micah to slide the cape off of her shoulders. She braced herself for what was about to occur. At the sudden sharp sound of him sucking in his breath, she closed her eyes and prayed like she hadn’t prayed since before her father’s death.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“Claudia, what in hell do you have on?” Micah clipped his words short in an effort not to throttle his wife.

“Why, I thought you wanted me to have a new gown, dear.” Claudia turned to face him, a smile frozen on her face.

Micah raked his gaze over her from the top of her head down to her toes, his rising anger matching his rising manhood with every inch he saw of her outfit. The thin layers of deep-green silk lay flush against her skin, fastened only at her left shoulder with a golden clip and falling from her shoulder deeply across her bosom to be gathered at her narrow waist with a chain of gold. From there it fell over her hips, and clung to her thighs down to her ankles. It left nothing of her shape to the imagination.

A necklace of simple gold chains encircled her slender neck. Her coppery mane was piled on top of her head in coils, with the same golden threads woven into and through it. Several loose strands of hair had escaped from the base to dust her shoulders and face. The effect gave her the appearance of a Greek goddess—a highly seductive, barely dressed goddess.

“I meant one suitable for dancing at a ball, not a…a…” he blustered in frustration, throwing her cape at the waiting servant.

“If my design doesn’t meet with your requirements then I suggest we return home where more pressing matters await us.” Claudia lifted her chin in that defiant way he’d come to see when she meant to get her way.

It wouldn’t work. Not this time.

“So that’s your plan.” Micah grasped her by the elbow to maneuver her to the entrance to the ballroom. As their hostess approached, he whispered into Claudia’s ear, “Any other time your scheme would have succeeded. But you see, my dear wife, tonight there are some very interesting guests here. We’re not leaving until our presence in town is brought to their attention.

“Smile. You chose that gown, and now you’ll have to face all of these people while you wear it.” Micah turned his most charming smile on their hostess. “Good evening, Mrs. Thompkins.”

“My dears, I am so glad you’ve arrived. Now I can introduce you as our guests of honor.” Taking Claudia by the hands, she pulled her into the room. “Your gown is simply wonderful, my dear, simply wonderful. I can tell you right now, everyone in this room will be at their dressmakers tomorrow, demanding one just like it.”

“You’re sure it isn’t too scandalous?” Claudia asked quietly as they approached the raised platform in front of the orchestra.

“
That
is exactly why everyone will want one. Now, you two wait right here. I’m going to introduce you to our guests.”

Micah clenched his teeth to refrain from commenting on their conversation.

The grey haired woman stepped onto the platform and signaled the orchestra leader to give the arranged fanfare.

“I am so pleased to have so many friends here tonight. Many of you, I am sure, remember one of our favorite bankers and a member of the financial community, the late Mr. Jacob Davis.

“Recently, I had the privilege of attending the wedding of his lovely daughter, Claudia. Tonight’s ball has been organized as an occasion to introduce you all to her and her handsome husband. If you will join me in welcoming them, I would like to introduce our guests of honor, Mr. and Mrs. Micah Andrew Turner.”

As a ripple of whispered conversation slid through the crowd, Micah held Claudia’s elbow and they ascended the dais, his grip letting her know he was not pleased with her.

They acknowledged the warm greeting of applause from those around them. Then the orchestra started a waltz. The crowd in front of them separated and Micah led her down onto the ballroom floor. Taking her into his arms, he guided her around the room to the strains of the music.

Despite his ire at her machinations over the gown, holding Claudia in his arms felt more right than anything else ever had in his life. He wished this night were over so he could whisk her back to the safety of the town house and the privacy of their bedroom.

Only a few times in her life had Claudia danced, but after several hesitant first steps under Micah’s guidance, she relaxed and floated around the room to the strains of Strauss’ waltz. Soon, other couples joined them until the room swirled in a rainbow of colors. In all her dreams as a child, none ever came close to the beauty of this night.

When the dance ended, Micah led her over to stand next to Mrs. Thompkins. The Congressman’s wife introduced her to many people, all claiming a former association with her father.

Throughout the night, Claudia danced several more dances with Micah. His mere presence at her side, with his arm loosely draped behind her back, prevented the other gentlemen in the room from attempting to secure her for a partner—much to Claudia’s relief. She was sure she wouldn’t fare as well with a less-skilled partner out on the ballroom floor.

After their light dinner, she found herself once again in line for introductions to numerous guests. Claudia noticed an unusual pattern as she stood, shaking hands with those introduced to her. Many of the people at the ball were also in some way connected to the opium houses they’d been visiting. Mentally, she checked off their names until all except the main conspirators and General Wallace were accounted for.