Chapter 28
“Wherein hearts are touched as surely as flesh.”
His kiss seared her, burned her from the inside out and she wanted nothing more than to step into the inferno.
This time she knew what to expect, was ready for him when his tongue demanded entry and she willingly submitted.
She reached her arms up around his neck and arched into him, feeling his hands on her, one sliding down her back to cup her bottom and pull her closer, the other stroking the column of her neck.
His touch was at once tender and furious, and he held her as though she was precious, as though he wanted to caress and worship every part of her with care.
Yet his kiss was fierce and hungry and threatened to take them quickly into dangerous waters.
She reminded herself that this was where she needed to go when her courage might have failed her.
If she wanted to keep him here, to keep him safe where he belonged, then she had to forget everything she’d been taught, she had to forget she’d been raised a lady and make him want to stay - here with her - with every means she had at her disposal.
With that in mind her hand fell, sliding down over his chest to caress the hard length of him that was only too easy to find in the fitted breeches.
His breath caught and held as her hand pressed against him and she felt suddenly powerful as he pulled back a little and she saw the look in his eyes.
There was such need there, such heat; there was the inferno she had desired.
She moved her hand, stroking him through the buckskin and he closed his eyes and groaned.
Her breath caught, her eyes on his face as her hand caressed him, watching the expressions of pleasure as they crossed his face, wanting him to need her so much he couldn’t refuse her.
“Oh, God, Henri, you’re killing me.” The words were harsh and ragged, and she smiled, leaning forward to press a kiss against his neck.
No, she thought to herself, I’m saving you.
“No ... no, I--I can’t,” he groaned, and she found herself suddenly chilled as he released her, taking the heat of him away as he went.
She shivered, clutching her arms around herself and feeling foolish. She’d picked the one room in which there was no fire to aid her seduction, how ironic. Not that she thought a warmer temperature would have helped her with this pigheaded man.
He’d picked up the lamp. “Come,” he said, his voice dull. “I expect they’re waiting to serve the luncheon.”
This wasn’t over, she thought, glaring at him as he gestured for her to return down the stairs, not by a long chalk.
He avoided showing her the rest of the bedrooms on the way back and she took a little comfort from the fact that it might be he didn’t trust her, or himself, in the vicinity of a bed.
He declined to eat with her and so she was left alone, picking at a simple repast of bread, cheese and cold meat with little enthusiasm.
It was growing dark by the time Alex returned to the house.
She had curled up in a chair by the library fire after taking some time to select a book from the vast array that stacked the shelves.
Unsurprisingly many had been in French, and although her French was adequate for speaking, she had no desire to struggle through pages of text, so she’d been relieved to find a comprehensive selection of titles in English.
She looked up, getting to her feet and bobbing a curtsey as Alex entered the room.
“My lord.”
Alex sighed with irritation. “Oh do, for the love of God, let the formalities go. Really, I have no patience with them.”
“As you wish,” she replied, irked by his sharp tone and taking her seat again. “I trust you had a good day?”
He watched her as he unlocked a beautiful wooden Tantalus and retrieved one of the crystal decanters within, pouring a generous measure.
He declined to answer but gave her a shrewd look. “By your demeanour and the fact you are here alone, am I to take it you’ve not had a successful day?”
Henri blushed, grateful that the light in the library was muted as she hadn’t yet lit all the lamps. “No, sir,” she replied, with as much froideur as she could manage. The nerve of the man, how dare he ask such questions!
He snorted and poured another glass and walked over to give it to her before occupying the other available seat by the fire.
“Come, Henri, no need to be coy. We both know what hangs on your success.” He grimaced at his unintended pun.
“How did it go?” he asked. “And for God’s sake don’t be shy, I would help you if I could. ”
Henri looked at him, utterly mortified. What on earth did the man expect her to say?
He snorted and sat back in his chair. “Very well, I will ask questions and you simply nod or shake your head.”
She huffed and rolled her eyes, taking a large sip of the drink he’d provided.
“Did you kiss him at least?”
She nodded, avoiding his gaze.
“And he responded?”
Her smile betrayed her, and he laughed. “Well, thank God for that, I was beginning to think we were not actually related.” Henri tutted at him, and he gave a heavy sigh. “I take it that his honour got the better of him and he forced himself to walk away?”
“Something like that,” she muttered, staring down into the crystal glass. Perhaps it was her, perhaps she just wasn’t enough to tempt him?
She dared to look up and found Alex considering her.
“Don’t look so downhearted. I think you’ve had a successful enough first day.
But you cannot afford to let any opportunity slide.
You must seek him out, touch him whenever you can, even if it is just a brush of your fingers over his, your hand on his shoulder.
Find his eyes, even if you are not alone, make sure he can read what it is you want there.
You must smile at him and make him realise exactly what it is you are thinking about.
You must use all the ammunition at your disposal, Henri, and every opportunity to deploy it.
I know you dislike behaving in this manner, but we all use whatever weapons are at hand when the need arises and like it or not, sex is a powerful motivator. ”
He got to his feet, leaving her with her cheeks flushed.
“Speaking of which I’m going to dress for dinner. Choose your weapon with care, my dear,” he said, clearly enjoying her discomfort as he smirked at her. “Your next battleground awaits.”
Henri cursed under her breath as he left her and made her own way back to her room to dress. Annie was waiting for her, and she drew her maid to the armoire and the rows of lovely dresses.
“Well then, Annie,” she said, frowning at the display of silks and muslins. “What here is most likely to topple this idiotic man’s defences and give me the victory I need?”
Without hesitation Annie reached for the white silk she’d picked earlier that morning.
“Perhaps this time, ye’ll heed my advice, my lady,” she said, one eyebrow raised.
Henri sighed and nodded. “You win, Annie. I am entirely in your hands.”
***
A short while later, Henri stood in front of the full-length mirror, feeling thoroughly scandalised.
“Oh, Annie, I can’t!” she said, turning this way and that and looking at her own reflection, torn between disbelief she could look so very lovely and shock at the idea of dining alone with two men, neither of whom she was married to dressed like ... like ...
Words failed her.
“Ye can an’ ye will,” Annie said, drying her hands after having spent some time damping down the fine silk so it clung to every intimate curve.
“But you can see ...” she waved her hand to encompass pretty much everything, as the very fine unmentionables did little to hide what the dress was putting on display.
Not to mention the fact that the bust was cut so low Henri didn’t dare take a deep breath for fear of spilling out of it.
“I cannot imagine what the staff must think of me!” she wailed, covering her flushed cheeks with her hands.
“Oh, I reckon ye can, miss,” Annie muttered, chuckling to herself.
“Oh, Annie! How can you laugh at me so?”
Annie turned back to her, clearly making a valiant effort to rearrange her face ... and failing miserably.
“Oh, I’m sorry, my little duck,” she clucked, patting Henri’s hot cheek with a cool hand.
“But if ye want to marry that young man, well ... like ‘is lordship said, you’ve got to use every weapon at ye disposal.” She looked her mistress over with satisfaction and nodded.
“And a fine arsenal ye ‘ave too, if ye ask me.”
“Oh, Annie!” Henri covered her mouth with her hand and giggled despite herself. “You are awful,” she scolded, though Annie just poked her tongue out at her.
“Now then,” Annie instructed, gathering up discarded clothes as she went. “You remember everythin’ I tol’ ye?”
“I assure you the images are seared onto my brain,” Henri murmured, still feeling shocked to her bones at the instructions Annie had given her on how to seduce her reluctant pirate.
“Well then,” Annie said with a sigh. “Short of goin’ an’ doin’ the job for ye’ ... an’ I’m quite willin’ to give it a go,” she added, waggling her eyebrows. “Then I’ve done all I can for ye.”
Henri snorted and moved to give Annie a hug. “You are utterly beyond the pale, Annie, and I thank the heavens for it.” She released her maid and walked to the door. “Well then, to arms,” she said, turning and grinning at Annie. “And let battle commence!”