Part 20 (1/2)
”I can see you have been well trained as an explorers wife!”
She looked up at him with a serious expression on her face.
”Y .. you ... need not ... marry me ... if you do not ... want to.”
”And always be afraid of losing you? You will marry me immediately! We are due in Paris in four days tune.”
”Oh ... Vulcan ...!”
It was a cry of sheer delight, then as he kissed her holding her close against him, she could feel his heart beating against hers.
His kisses became more demanding,. more pa.s.sionate and she stirred beneath the touch of his hand.
”Do I excite you?” he asked.
”You ... know you ... do. I love you.... Oh Vulcan ... I love you !”
”Not as much as I want you to love me.”
”Then ... teach ... me.”
”That is what I intend to do my precious, my adorable little G.o.ddess.”
There was a deep note in Vulcan's voice and a fire in his eyes which thrilled her wildly.
She threw back her head to look up at him.
”This is ... true? I am not ... dreaming?”
”No, my sweet love this is real.”
”I am so ... happy ... so crazily, unbelievably happy after being so miserable.”
”Forgive me.”
Vulcan kissed her eyes, then he moved his lips sensuously over the softness of her cheeks, so that she quivered.
As if she aroused him, he lifted her a little higher in his arms and kissed her neck until the breath came quickly through her parted lips.
”I ... love ... you . . I ... love ... you.”
It was difficult to say the words.
The door opened and Lionel came into the room.
Vulcan looked up but he made no attempt to release Astara and she hid her blushes against his shoulder.
”What have you done with that swine?” he enquired.
”He is having to stay in bed until his clothes are dry,” Lionel replied.
”You told him we intend to take his Phaeton?”
”I did, and said you would leave him your horse.” ” He did not object?”
”He swore at me with a fluency which would have been envied in the Sergeant s Mess, but there was nothing he could do.”
”No, nothing!” Vulcan said firmly, ”And the sooner we get back to Uncle Roderick the better!”
”Uncle Roderick!” Astara exclaimed as if she had just remembered his existence. ”How did you know where to find me?”
”You have Lionel to thank for that,” Vulcan answered. ”
”Tell me, ” Astara begged.
”It was really just luck,” Lionel replied.
He was looking at her in Vulcan's arms and she saw the pain in his eyes. He walked across the room and poured himself a gla.s.s of wine from a decanter which stood on the table.
”When you and William drove off,” he said after he had taken a sip from the gla.s.s, ”I walked towards the stables thinking as I had nothing to do I would inspect the horses. Sam was there and I remarked to him what a very fine team of bays William had.
”They be th' best-matched ones Oi've seen for many a year, Cap'n! ” Sam replied. ”But they be over fresh not havin' been out for a day or so an' Oi 'opes 'is Lords.h.i.+p'll drive careful-like. ”
”That is exactly what I told him, ” I remarked.
”Well, a long drive's wot they needs, ” Sam said.
”A long drive? ” I exclaimed. ”But His Lords.h.i.+p and Miss Beverley have to be back here in an hour to ride with Sir Roderick. ”
”Sam looked surprised.
'” ''is Lords.h.i.+p tells Oi hed not be back 61 to-morrow.'
” 'Are you certain?' I asked.
” 'Quite certain, Capn !' Sam answered.
”I was astonished and dismayed,” Lionel said, ”and walked into the house wondering what to do. It was then I remembered that before you came downstairs I had seen William going into the Library with something in his hand.”
He took another sip of wine and continued: ”I thought it was a note. I went into the Library and found what he had carried lying on Uncle Roderick's desk. I had no compunction about opening it. ”
”That was sensible of you, Lionel,” Vulcan remarked.
”I really did not stop to think,” Lionel replied. ”I just had a feeling that William was up to one of his tricks.”
”What did he say in the note?” Astara enquired.
”He said that he had decided to take matters into his own hands and that when he brought you back you would be his wife, and he felt sure it would meet with Uncle Roderick's approval.”
”I have an... uncomfortable feeling that Uncle Roderick might have been pleased,” Astara said in a low voice.