Undressed (Undone by Love) (19 page)

“Isn’t it?” she replied wryly
. “‘Twill be the undoing of me yet.”

“Might I test the theory with a kiss
? For the sake of science, of course.”

She shook her head
. “‘Tis perhaps not the best idea.”  Heaven forbid she might end up on the carpet, half-clothed again. Being discovered once in such an embarrassing fashion was quite enough for a lifetime. Even now, her cheeks grew warm at the memory.

“Still, I’m tempted all the same.”  He moved closer, his purely male scent suddenly overpowering her
.

Sandalwood, tobacco
. For once, the smell of brandy was absent. Curious. She hadn’t time to consider it before he gathered her in his arms, his touch gentle as his mouth found hers. Her arms stole around his neck, her body pressing urgently against his.

Yet his usual sense of urgency was gone
. Instead, his kiss was slow, tender. His lips brushed against hers in a tantalizing fashion, his tongue parting her lips with such controlled restraint that she feared she might cry out with longing. Instead, a small moan of pleasure escaped her lips, and she felt him go rigid against her in response.

Regrettably, his mouth abandoned hers, his breath coming fast against her ear as he buried his face in her neck
. “I must stop. Otherwise, I might...well—”

“Aye, you must.”

“You’re trembling,” he said, pulling away to peer down at her anxiously.

“I dinna ken why
. I’m a wee bit nervous, perhaps. The wedding...’tis so verra soon. What must your mother think of me now? How can I face her, after—”

“Do not trouble yourself about that, Brenna
. Despite the initial shock...”  He cleared his throat, no doubt remembering that his mother had seen her with one breast nearly half-exposed, the effects of his mouth still visible on her bare skin. “Despite that,” he continued, “she’s delighted about the marriage. Jane speaks so very highly of you, and my father holds Lord Danville in esteem. Like any mother, she’s dedicated her days to marrying off her children, one by one. This is her final triumph. She’ll take it however she can get it; trust me. After that unpleasant business at White’s and all that followed, I’m sure she despaired of ever seeing me honorably wed.”

“Which reminds me, what are we to do about that
? About Hugh and Lord Thomas? When shall I make my statement?” 

Colin’s jaw flexed
. “There will be no statement.”

“Whatever do you mean
? We canna let them get away with such despicable behavior.”

“As much as I detest the notion, I’m afraid we will.”

“But why? I dinna understand. Just because we are to be wed—”

“I will not put my wife in a position to be called a liar in public.”

“But—”

“No buts
. Your family will soon be mine. I will not cast aspersions on their name, not now. Nor will I give Lord Danville further reason to detest me. We will simply move forward and try to forget the past.”

“We canna do that
. ‘Tis not fair. I canna abide by it, not when I know the truth.”

“You can, and you will.”

“Ooh,” she huffed. “Now ye sound like Lord Danville, telling me what I can and canna do.”

“Have no fear, it’s not something I’ll attempt often
. But in this case, you must see it’s the only way.”

“So ye will just accept it, then
? Being expelled from your club? Falsely named a cheat?”

His features hardened, his eyes regarding her warily once more
. “It’s the price I must pay for marrying you.”

Brenna’s mouth fell open, and she could only stare at him in surprise
. The
price
he must pay? And what of her costs?

“Blast it,” Colin said, his hands clenched into fists by his sides
. “I did not mean to phrase that so poorly. It’s a price I pay willingly, and without regret. I say—”

“I think we’ve said enough for one day,” Brenna snapped
. “I’m sure ye must have business of some sort to attend to.”

“Not particularly,” he muttered
. “But, alas, I’ll leave you to your rest. You look as if you sorely need it.”  He strode toward the doorway, then paused. “Oh, and Jane said she’d likely pay you a call this afternoon. She’s been unwell these past few days. Wanted me to tell you that’s why she’s not called since the betrothal was announced. Anyway, I said I would relay the message.” 

“And now ye have.”

“I have, indeed. Well, then. Good day.”  He offered her a stiff bow. As he straightened, his gaze fell upon her hand, to the ring adorning her finger. A slow smile spread across his face. “It looks lovely on you, doesn’t it?”

Seemingly involuntarily, her hand rose to her breast, her fingers running along the edge of her bodice
. “It does, Colin. I canna thank ye enough.”

“You like it, then?”

“I do. Verra much.” 

“I’m glad
. You didn’t notice the inscription, did you?”

“Inscription?” Brenna asked, her eyes wide with surprise
. “Nay. Whatever does it say?”

Colin only quirked a brow in response
.

She tugged the ring from her finger
. Holding it up, she squinted at the single word engraved in script inside the band.
Unbidden
.

“Unbidden
? Whatever does it mean?”

“Hmm, let’s see.”  He stroked his chin
. “Unbidden. An adjective, I believe. Something that isn’t bidden, that comes uninvited, of its own will.”Brenna could not help but laugh. “I know verra well what the word means, Colin. I only meant, why? Whatever does it mean to us?”

Colin opened the door and stepped out into the corridor, then turned to face her once more
. “You’ll understand its meaning soon enough, my sweet.”  He would do his damnedest to make sure of it.

Chapter
17

“I say, it all went rather well, didn’t it? Lady Danville did a remarkable job, in so short a time.”

“She did, didn’t she?” Brenna answered, self-consciously arranging her personal articles on the vanity while her husband stood behind her, languidly leaning against the bedpost, his coat thrown carelessly over one shoulder and his cravat untied and hanging about his neck
. In the glass, her eyes skimmed his reflection as he reached up to undo the top buttons on his shirt, revealing the firm, muscular planes of his chest. She swallowed hard at the sight.

Her husband
. She dropped her gaze to her hands and, despite her rational thoughts, nearly gasped at the sight of the simple gold band encircling her finger. The morning’s ceremony was nothing but a blur in her mind. She’d stood there beside Colin in her pale gray silk gown, thinking how very sorry she was that the Maclachlans hadn’t lived to see her made a bride. She’d never imagined her own wedding like this, surrounded by people she’d known for so short a time. When it had been her turn to repeat her vows, she’d stood there like a fool, lost in her thoughts, staring at the floor beneath her slippers. Jane, standing beside her as her sole attendant, had to reach out and pluck her sleeve to gain her attention.

Afterward, they’d enjoyed a lavish meal, one that had gaily continued on for hours
. At last the sated guests had departed, and Brenna’s trunks had been loaded onto the carriage. They’d driven the short distance to Rosemoor House—her new home—in silence, Hera in her traveling case between them.

“I apologize that we cannot take a wedding trip right away,” Colin said, drawing her from her ruminations
. “I must first settle some matters here in Town.”

Financial matters, no doubt,
Brenna thought.    

“Later, perhaps, once we are more settled,” he continued. “In the meantime, is this bedchamber to your liking?”

   “’Tis lovely, Colin.”  Brenna’s voice sounded unnatural to her own ears. She set down her brush and met Colin’s eyes in the looking glass. A shiver began at the base of her spine and worked its way up to her neck, and she clasped her arms about herself in an attempt to quell it.

“I’m glad to hear it
. You mustn’t get too comfortable, though. It seems my father has purchased us a town house on Henrietta Street as a wedding gift.”

“Indeed
? How verra generous of him,” she murmured.

“Yes, quite a turnabout,” he answered, his voice laced with bitterness
. “It wasn’t so long ago that the man was threatening to cut me off without a shilling. Anyway, tomorrow you shall go with my mother and Jane to order some furnishings and whatever else we might need to set up housekeeping.”

Brenna’s palms grew damp at the thought
. Furnishing a London town house was not something she had ever aspired to. In fact, she’d never given it a single thought nor paid overmuch attention to her surroundings at Danville House. “I’ve no idea what will be required, ye know,” she said, panic rising in her voice. “‘Tis not as if I were raised in such surroundings.”

“And that’s precisely why my mother and Jane shall accompany you
. No doubt Lucy will tag along, too. You’ll manage well enough.”

They’d all think her an incompetent ninny
. Such domestic duties were simply not among her strengths, and she disliked engaging in activities she did not succeed at. She’d have a better time of repairing a dwelling’s roof than she would of suitably furnishing it.     

“And it also seems we’ll have use of one of my father’s lesser estates, a modest country house in Kent
. If you’d like, we can take a brief wedding trip to Brighton at the close of the Season, and then retire immediately to Kent. I think that perhaps I’ll begin raising hunters. I’ll look to acquire some breeding stock from Lucy’s stables—”

“Nay, I must go to Glenbroch at the Season’s end,” Brenna cut in, her chest tight
. “I thought ye might wish to see Hampton’s lands, now that they are rightfully yours. Get to know your tenants and—”

“I’ve already dispatched my man of affairs there to see to it
. It isn’t necessary for us to travel there right away.”

“But I’ve much to do at Glenbroch
. I’ve been away far too long as it is. I must speak with Mr. Moray about the harvest, discuss the spring crops. We’ve much to do before winter’s arrival. I thought ye would understand that I must return home—”

“This is your home now, Brenna,” Colin said, his voice firm
.

“Nay, ‘twill never seem like home to me,” she said, her voice hoarse.

Colin regarded her silently for several seconds. When he spoke at last, his voice was gentle, placating. “It’s late, and you must be weary. Can this discussion not wait till tomorrow?”

Nay, she wanted it settled now
. She reached up to stifle a yawn, her lids growing heavy. Blast it, but she
was
exhausted—perhaps too much so to make a persuasive argument. Colin was a worthy opponent in a match of wits, and this was a match she must win. She would not yield. Perhaps now was not the time to press the matter.

“Verra well,” she conceded, yawning again
. “But we
will
speak of it soon.”  Her gaze was drawn to the bright green eyes peering out from under the bed. Hera. Poor cat, she’d lived her whole life at Glenbroch and now had been uprooted twice in so short a time.

Colin cleared his throat, drawing her attention away from Hera
. He pulled off his cravat and unbuttoned his waistcoat before fixing his gaze most uncomfortably on her burning face. “Perhaps I should give you a moment to prepare, and then you will join me in my chamber?”

Prepare
? At once her mind snapped into focus, her cheeks growing warm with the significance of his words. To consummate their vows, he meant, and Brenna wasn’t certain if he meant it as a request or a command. Either way, ‘twas expected on their wedding night. Besides, she could not deny that a part of her burned with curiosity, desperate to finish what they’d begun only a fortnight ago in his parlor. Her mouth suddenly too dry to speak, she simply nodded her assent, her stomach fluttering nervously in anticipation as she watched him disappear through the doorway that connected their chambers.

Colin paced on the other side of the door, wondering just what was taking her so bloody long. His coat, cravat, and waistcoat lay discarded in a heap on the chair beside him, his valet long dismissed. It had been more than an hour since he’d left her, sitting at her dressing table, blushing furiously.

He forced his restless feet to still and paused before the door, staring at the panel while his resolve swung wildly to and fro
. He reached for the handle, then reconsidered. Shaking his head, he retreated. He clasped his hands behind his back and resumed his anxious pacing. A moment later he stopped again, eyeing the door suspiciously.

Did she fear sharing his bed
? She seemed a passionate woman, yet he could not forget she was a virgin. She would likely be frightened, and the expression on her face when he’d left her there in her room confirmed as much. The day had been long and tiring, besides. As much as he longed to make love to her, he didn’t want to rush her, to force her. More than anything, he wanted her to come willingly and eagerly to his bed.

He could wait
. It might kill him, but he could wait. A day or two, at most, until she felt more comfortable. He took a step forward, intending to go and set her mind at ease, then stepped back in surprise as the door swung open.

“Och, I didn’t mean to startle ye.”  Brenna’s head appeared in the doorway, her cheeks crimson
.

He stepped aside, watching in fascination as she glided into the room, her hands clutching together the neckline of her wrapper
. Her hair shone like amber in the candlelight, cascading across her shoulders in rippling waves, and her skin was flushed a delicate pink. From a warm bath, he surmised, noticing the scent of lavender that emanated from her person, stirring his blood as it always did. Her cream-colored dressing gown appeared to be made from the finest silk, enticingly skimming her subtle curves, and Colin could only wonder what lay beneath the fabric.

Her carriage and countenance formed a vision of virginal reticence, of fear mixed with curiosity
. But she had come to him, after all. His heart began to pound furiously in anticipation.

“I...I’m sorry for taking so verra long
. Celeste seemed overly enthusiastic in her ministrations tonight. I hope...”  Her voice trailed off, and the silence was deafening.

“Don’t make yourself uncomfortable, Brenna
. You look lovely.”

She ignored the compliment
. “I didna realize it had grown so late. I think perhaps I might have dozed off while Celeste attended my hair.”

“It has been a long day, hasn’t it?”  Truth be told, he was exhausted himself
.

“I confess I am a wee bit nervous.”

As was he. He’d never felt so emasculated in his life—actually nervous to bed a woman, something he’d done many a time with much pleasure and usually without much thought. Why did tonight seem so different?
Blast it
. He was surely over-thinking the matter.

He cleared his throat and tried to affect a mask of ennui
. “A touch of nerves is to be expected, I’m sure. Has Lady Danville not—”

“Aye, of course she has, and I was well aware of the...of my marital duties before then.” 

His brows rose in surprise. An informed virgin. That certainly made things a bit less complicated.

With trembling hands, she reached down and untied her dressing gown
. It slipped to the floor with a swish, and his curiosity was instantly satisfied. His bride stood before him in a silk gown the same creamy color as the wrapper. The fabric was delicate, near transparent, and trimmed in rich lace. A single tie held the gown together between her breasts, breasts that were fuller than he’d remembered. Rose-colored peaks crowned their fullness and strained against the fragile fabric. Just above each gently curved hip, a tie held together the wisps of front and back panels. Even in the candlelight he could clearly see the tantalizing dark shadow at the point where her thighs joined. He felt the pull of his breeches across his groin and drew in a sharp breath.

In one quick movement, he swept her off her feet, into his arms
. He heard her gasp at the contact, her body trembling against his as he carried her to the bed and deposited her gently on the pillows.

She lay there provocatively, the hem of her gown tucked up to her thighs and her breasts splayed out as he turned from her, removing his boots and stockings
. Hastily, he pulled his shirt over his head.

His gift
. His thoughts were drawn at once to the long velvet box lying on his dressing table, holding the piece of jewelry he’d commissioned for his wife—a delicate rope of oval aquamarines, separated by diamonds and held together by a gold filigree clasp. It was truly a magnificent piece, a perfect match to the betrothal ring he’d given her. He’d had to put himself deeper into debt to pay for it, but it would be worth every last pence to see it on her neck, lying in the hollow above her collarbones, just below her fluttering pulse. The image of her wearing the necklace and nothing else sent flames of desire lapping at his groin, and he nearly groaned aloud. He had to present it to her,
now
.

“I’ve something for you,” he said, turning toward her
.

The color in her cheeks rose, and she tugged down the hem of her nightdress in an attempt to cover her bare limbs
.

Colin swallowed hard, wanting nothing more but to ravish her
. Immediately. “Wait there,” he managed to say. “I’ll only be but a moment.”  He picked up the silver candelabra beside the bed and hurried through the doorway to his dressing room, intent on finding the gift and hastening back to his bride as expeditiously as possible. Holding the candelabra aloft, his gaze scanned the top of his oak dressing table, seeing nothing but a pair of silver cuff links and a watch.

Blast it, where was it
? He could have sworn he left it sitting right there. Had he put it away? He opened the top drawer, pushing aside monogrammed handkerchiefs and cravats as he rummaged through the drawer’s contents, all to no avail.

It took him a full quarter hour to locate the box, lying on the mantel beside the ebony clock, whose pendulum rhythmically marked the minutes he’d been away from her
. He frowned, having no recollection of having put the box there. Perhaps the chambermaid had moved it? He flipped open the case, smiling at the jewels that lay there against the folds of velvet, sparkling in the candlelight. Perfect. Snapping shut the case, he retrieved the candelabra and hurried back to his bedchamber, as eager as a schoolboy. He would fasten the jewels about her neck, then remove her nightdress, lowering it inch by tantalizing inch till she was entirely bare save the gems at the base of her throat.

His erection pressing fervently against the flap of his trousers, he stepped into the bedchamber and stopped short, his gaze drawn immediately to her small form, lying in his bed where he had left her.