Part 30 (1/2)
”Your suite, er, sir?” Tompkins managed, flus.h.i.+ng.
”Miss Hughes is sharing my rooms,” Devlin said, smiling warmly at her.
And Virginia, her heart racing with exertion, suddenly sensed what was coming. ”Devlin,” she managed, a feeble protest.
”Hush, darling,” he said. And he smiled at the servants. ”Mrs. Hill, Mr. Tompkins, meet Miss Virginia Hughes, my mistress.”
Part Two.
The Bargain.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN.
VIRGINIA KNEW HER SURPRISE was evident. She felt her jaw drop, and it certainly seemed as if her eyes popped. She was only given an instant in which to react, however, an instant in which Mrs. Hill turned grim and severe, a knowing glint in her eye, while Mr. Tompkins flushed. ”Come, darling,” Devlin murmured, tugging on her hand.
What game was this?
Anger rushed over her in one hot wave. She refused to move, turning what she hoped was a murderous glare upon her captor. Still, her disbelief knew no bounds. What could he possibly be doing?
Devlin swept her up into his arms and carried her into the house. ”Do not argue with me,” he murmured. ”And do not kick.”
”I'll do better than that! Put me down and I am not-”
He covered her mouth with his.
Virginia could not have been more surprised. She stiffened, but his mouth was far more than terribly familiar. When she did not kick or beat at him with her fists, his lips softened. She felt him push open the door as her heart lurched wildly and then picked up an insistent, faster beat. His mouth covered hers, demanding that she open and admit him. How she wanted to yield...Her anger vanished, as did all thought. Her lips parted; her hands curled around his shoulders. His tongue swept deep inside her.
And the answering desire was a piercing bolt, directly to her heart.
He raised his head as he trotted up the stairs and their gazes met. His gray eyes smoked, but otherwise, Virginia could not fathom what he was thinking-much less what he was doing. And what was she doing-kissing him back, her entire body burning with a desperate need? On the landing he paused, finally breaking their stare, glancing around.
”Put me down, Devlin,” she said more calmly than she felt. Her s.e.x was full, a terrible testimony to how easily this man aroused her, but she was not about to share his bed, no matter how he might attempt to seduce her, no matter what he had said.
His answer was to push open the first door with his shoulder, glance within and back out. ”Be quiet,” he said tersely. ”And stop squirming.” He strode to the next door.
”I am not squirming,” she said rather breathlessly. ”And I-”
He entered the next room, sliding her to her feet. Virginia made contact with the singular most fascinating piece of his anatomy, and she went still. He was also aroused. He still wanted her. How was she going to manage this?
He turned and closed the door, faced her, and said low, ”This is only a pretense. I will sleep on the...” He looked around, and resigned, said, ”Floor.”
”What?” she gasped, realizing that the master bedroom, if it was that, had a fine four-poster bed and one chaise, two end tables, a bureau, a hearth and that was all.
He walked over to her.
Virginia tensed, still breathless and still wis.h.i.+ng desperately that she did not burn to be in his arms. ”What are you doing, Devlin?” she asked quietly.
”Unfortunately, I will have to provoke your uncle into paying a ransom,” he said flatly. ”You will live in my rooms as if you are my mistress, and in public, we shall act like a very shameless pair of lovers. I expect your cooperation, Virginia,” he warned, ”and I remind you that your interest remains in being freed quickly. The sooner Eastleigh cannot stand my parading you so openly about, the sooner you will be on your merry way home-or wherever it is that you choose to go.”
She simply gaped.
”I once thought to enjoy toying with him over this.” He was so grim. ”But actually, I am sorry he will not pay me directly so that we might be done.”
It took her a moment to truly understand his plan and her comprehension of it made it impossible for her to hear his last words. ”We will pretend to be lovers? We will share this room? You will ruin me in the eyes of the world-but you are not going to share my bed?” She heard disbelief and the tremor of hurt in her own tone. What he suggested was more than incredible, more than shocking. He would ruin her good name-flaunt her in society. She was stunned.
”That is the gist of it, yes,” he answered, his hands on his hips and his strong thighs braced. In fact, he looked braced for a very real storm.
”A gentleman does not live openly with a woman other than his wife-a gentleman does not escort his mistress about his neighbor's halls.”
”There is no other way.”
”How can you do this to me?” She found it hard to breathe now. For here was the ultimate proof that Sean was wrong and Devlin did not care-he would callously use her and ruin her name, all for the sake of the ransom.
Maybe you are the one who can help him find his soul.
Absolutely not, Virginia thought in response to Sean's terrible words. Devlin could not care about her, not at all, if he thought to destroy her reputation this way. To use her so deliberately, he could not have any soul left to save. She was now horrified.
”You know what motivates me,” he said rather harshly. ”Again, I have no wish to abuse you, but there is no choice. I did not come this far to have Eastleigh simply laugh in my face and refuse to pay your ransom.” And he turned away, as if he could not face her now.
But she was imagining that. ”They are impoverished! They cannot pay it and it is obvious!” She had to sit down as her legs had become useless. ”Even if they could...how could you do this...to me?”
”They can sell off the estate, Virginia, or borrow more funds; they might even succeed in selling Sweet Briar. I hardly care what they do.” He stalked toward the door, his strides stiff. Then he turned. ”We both know you don't care what anyone thinks-you just spent five months unchaperoned at Askeaton-and that does make this easier. I know that if I actually made you my mistress, you would be pleased. So cease this sham of hurt and outrage!” Inexplicably, he was trembling.
She did not know why he was so distressed and she could not care. What if her uncle sold her home in order to pay her ransom? ”No one knew I was at Askeaton, and the villagers thought I was your fiancee. I am hurt, Devlin,” she said with what dignity she could muster. ”I am hurt that you care so little for my reputation that you would flaunt me as your lover just to gain your ends. You justify ruining me for the sake of your revenge.”
And he was furious-so much so, that for a moment, he could only stare. And what he saw was the most hurt, vulnerable expression he had ever beheld. Tears filled the violet pools of her eyes. In fact, Virginia was looking at him as if he had betrayed her. In that moment, he hated himself for what he was doing-but there was no choice. Was there?
And for one moment he hesitated, aware of the oddest urge to back down-to let her go and be done with it all.
Then Eastleigh's cold laughter came to mind, followed by the terrible memory of his father's sightless eyes staring up at him from the ground. Eastleigh could not win. Justice had to be served. ”You are making far too much of this. I am sparing you actual degradation. I am not making you my mistress in fact. And when this is over I will tell the world, if you wish me to, that it was all a lie to humiliate your uncle. But as you intend to return to Virginia, what happens here is of no consequence-there, no one will know what has happened here.” And he knew his attempt at rationalization was a pathetic one.
She raised her chin but her tone was so soft, it was barely audible. ”If we were really lovers, you would guard my reputation fiercely and no one would ever know of the affair.”
She was right. He felt as if he had been struck a severe and physical blow. ”I fail to see the difference,” he lied. ”There is no other choice.”
”There is always another choice, Devlin. Even if you use me so callously, what makes you think they will pay, even if they can sell my home or borrow the funds?” she cried.
He gripped the doork.n.o.b but did not face her, as he could not. ”It will be a matter of honor,” he said. ”They will pay-I will make certain of it.” And he walked out as quickly as he could, as if in doing so he might forget the atrocious plan he had set in motion, a plan that would, in fact, destroy Miss Virginia Hughes once and for all.
VIRGINIA WAS AFRAID.
It was crystal clear now that Devlin was so obsessed with his revenge that nothing and no one would stand in his way. It was equally clear that Sean was so very wrong-she could not show him the light of a different way, because if he were not completely lost, he would have some guilt over what he was doing to her. But she hadn't seen an inkling of guilt-she had only seen utter determination. Of course, Devlin O'Neill was a master at controlling his emotions.
I am asking you to save my brother.