Part 2 (1/2)

Head sampled beautiful women aplenty and usually found his delights in the more sophisticated connections. Yet here he was in the middle of the G.o.dforsaken country and a slip of a woman, this rather unremarkable housemaid, not only had an astonis.h.i.+ng effect on his senses, but she also was not responding to his caresses. At all.

It was a challenge of the first order.

He applied himself with increased ardor, getting even more aroused as he did so. His head hurt like the devil, but that was nothing compared to the maelstrom of heat that swirled through his veins and pooled in his loins while holding this woman. BaG.o.d, head teach her a lesson or two.

Chase deepened the kiss, lengthened it, stretched it across time until he forgot all of his aches and pains and remembered nothing but the hot, sweet warmth of the woman in his arms. Of her taste and her scent and the heat of her skin beneath his fingers.

For her part, the little maid began to move restlessly beneath his ministrations. Soon, she was busy kissing him back, though not in a particularly satisfying way. She was hesitant, almost shy. As if perhaps shead nevera”

b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l, he was kissing a virgin! The thought cleared his muddled senses and iced his ardor. Chase would never know how he was so certain of that fact, but head have staked what was left of his life on ita”the woman had never been kissed. Never been held in this manner. Never been anything.

Reluctantly, Chase lifted his head and looked down at her. For an instant, she remained where she was, a bemused look in her brown eyes, her lips parted and moist. She was a taking thing, he decided, mildly surprised to discover that she wasnat nearly as plain as head first thought. Up close, he could see that she was delicately made, her nose perfectly drawn, her eyes thickly lashed, her body whip thin, but gently curved.

She was, in fact, quite fetching. It was a pity she was a virgin. Chase avoided innocent women like the plague; they were far too p.r.o.ne to nervous twitters for his liking. He loosened his hold, and she instantly scrambled out of his arms and off the bed. Her feet thumped on the floor, and she whirled to face him, her eyes flas.h.i.+ng fire.

She was even prettier mussed and upset, he decided. Her eyes shone with indignation, the velvety brown depths sparkling gold. Her skin, an unfas.h.i.+onable tan, was now touched with pink.

For some reason, Chase found himself grinning. aThatas enough pleasantries for now. I am, after all, a wounded man.a aPleasantries?a She sounded as if she was about to choke. aYou call that a pleasantry?a aAmong other things.a He nodded a greeting. a aTis time for an introduction. Who are you?a aI was going to ask you the same question,a she said. aWho are you?a aI asked first,a Chase said gently. aSo you have to tell me first.a She smoothed her skirts, the gesture amazingly calm, considering she was a virgin and had just been sitting in his lap. By his reckoning, she should bea upset. Instead, she eyed him with something ridiculously near disgust, even though her lips were still plump from his kisses. aI am Miss Harriet Ward. And you, sir, are in Garrett Park, my home.a So she wasnat a housemaid, after all. Garrett Parka the name meant nothing to him. aWhere is this place?a aNorth Walton. Near the coast.a The coast. His memory came flooding back. Head been on his way to catch a s.h.i.+p. Head left his home, his family, everything. Not because head wanted to, but because head had to. Because head lost the right to be a St. John.

The thought tightened his throat, and it was with difficulty that he managed to say, aHow did I come to be here?a aWe found you, in the forest.a Her gaze flickered to his forehead and back. aRemember?a Chase touched his forehead gingerly. It felt curiously tight, almost as ifa”his fingers found the bandage. He closed his eyes and let the thoughts flood over him. The attack. The robbery. The sight of Motheras ring falling to the grounda He opened his eyes and found his companion watching him narrowly. What was her name? Ah yes. Harriet. Harriet Ward. Miss Harriet Ward.

Her voice broke his musings. aDo you remember?a she asked again, softly insistent.

Chase opened his mouth to answer, then stopped. If he told this woman who he was, considering that his brother Devon owned a house somewhere around here, word was bound to leak out. And the last thing he wanted was the sight of his brothers, all four of them, arriving to bundle him back to London. Head made his decision and he was not about to waver, even with this little setback.

He glanced from under his lashes at the woman who stood beside the bed. She gripped her hands together, her body erect, her shoulders set. She looked as if she was ready for the firing squad, though he detected the faintest tremble to her soft lips. A smile tickled the corner of his mouth at the sight. Inexperienced she might be, but she possessed her own pa.s.sions.

aWell?a asked Miss Harriet Ward, her silken voice edged with a shred of p.r.i.c.kly lace. aWhat is your name? I gave you mine.a Chase leaned back against the pillows, aware that besides a great ache in his head and a general overall weariness, he really didnat feel all that unwell. aMiss Ward, I would tell you my name if I could, but I cannot.a A flicker of disbelief crossed her face. aYou donat know your name?a aI donat remember it.a aOh. Do youa do you know where you came from?a He paused a moment, as if thinking, then said, aNo, I donat know that, either.a Her gaze narrowed. She was a tough one, he realized with a faint sense of appreciation.

aDo you remember where you were going?a Chase pursed his lips as if he could almost remember that. But then, after a moment, he shook his head. aNo.a aAre you married?a aNo! I mean,a he added hastily, aI donat think so.a d.a.m.n, I have to be careful or sheall figure me out.

She muttered something that sounded to his fuzzy ears like apiffle,a if that was indeed a word.

aI beg your pardon?a he asked.

aNothing. I was just thinking.a She crossed her arms, staring at him as if he were a particularly nasty bug to be pinned to a display. aDo you remember being attacked?a Chase frowned. Should he pretend to remember that? Or not? Perhaps the best answer was a nonanswer. aI supposea I thinka you said you found me in a forest?a aYes. Not far from here. By the way, your horse is fine.a He brightened, then caught her eye and realized his error. He forced himself to frown. aA horse? I must have been riding, then.a aAnd drinking.a Of course head been drinking. Head been desperate to dull the pain of his homesickness. Stilla that was not something he wished to admit to the little puritan facing him nowa”and he was quite certain she was a puritan. No one else could look so disapproving and for nothing more serious than a few gulps of brandy.

Chase opted for an innocent lift of his brows. aAre you certain I was drinking?a aYou reeked of brandy, and an empty bottle was found nearby.a aPerhaps it was in my saddlebag and just leaked out,a he suggested mildly.

aHm.a She appeared unconvinced. Completely unconvinced.

Chaseas amus.e.m.e.nt was quickly leaving, replaced by a sort of wary fascination. Miss Harriet Ward was obviously no fool. And she ruffled up like a wet hen when she was upset. For some reason, Chase found that he rather liked that outraged expression. Liked it a lot. Liked it so much that it made him want to reach out, scoop her up, and kiss her senseless.

He touched his forehead and wondered how hard head been hit. aI need to see a doctor.a She turned and picked up a cloth and dipped it in a bowl that sat steaming beside the bed. aDr. Blackthorne just left. He said youad be fine.a Chase had no doubt that Blackthorne was some sort of country b.u.mpkin who knew more about torn horse ligaments than doctoring actual people. aWhat exactly did the good doctor say?a As if she detected the sarcasm head tried to hide, Harriet shot him a look from beneath her lashes. She wrung out the cloth, then reached over and pressed it against his brow. aYou can speak to the doctor yourself when next he comes.a The warm cloth worked magic on Chase. He closed his eyes, a strange la.s.situde weighing him down. The ache behind his eyes began to melt away.

Harriet, for her part, was having a difficult time remaining stoic. The man was so handsome, resting against the pillows, his black hair falling over the bandage in the most interesting way. His eyes had especially caught her attention. Bright blue and clear, she had the feeling that she could see all the way into his soul.

Heaven help her, but he was a beautiful man. And the realization that this bit of perfection had held her in his arms and kissed her madly, pa.s.sionately, as if she were the only woman in the worlda Harriet thought she would burst into flames at any second. Not from embarra.s.sment, though had she any sense she would feel at least a little, but from pure hot l.u.s.t.

Harriet was no stranger to kisses. Shead been kissed before. Twice, in fact. Once was three years ago, at the farmeras fair in Newmarket. Shead been walking along the stalls, a basket over her arm, when a lad had run by, grabbed her, and planted a firm kiss on her lips, then run off.

And then, two years ago, Colonel Hillbrightas grandson, Mr. Landry, had come from London for a visit. Harriet later learned that Mr. Landry was actually in hiding from his creditors, but when shead first met him, shead thought him das.h.i.+ng and pleasant.

Indeed, theyad embarked on a three-week flirtation that had ended in the back garden of Garrett Park with a very brief kiss. Head left the following day, his pocket stuffed with the draft for funds that head finally wormed out of his grandfather. Harriet was certain that he never again gave her or his grandfather another thought.

For her part, Harriet had been similarly disaffected. Still, shead been glad for the episode as shead thought it would be the only taste of pa.s.sion shead ever havea”her only brush with the fires within. Apparently shead thought wrong. Mr. Landryas kiss, which shead managed to romanticize over the last two years, suddenly faded into insignificance. It was a mere peck on the cheek in the face of this new kiss.

A real kiss, she realized. From a real man. One who was obviously very experienced in such matters.

Harriet dipped the cloth back into the basin, noting that the patientas eyes opened reluctantly. He gave her a sleepy half smile, his lids lowered over his eyes. aThat felt soooo good.a Harriet resolutely subdued the hot tingle that flashed through her. What was it about this man that ignited such feelings? Perhaps it was the mystery. Yes, thatas what it was. She was a tidy person, one who liked all the chess pieces left on the board in their proper places. And this man, lying before her, was definitely out of place. She lowered the warm cloth to his face once again. aBetter?a she asked in her most practical, efficient voice.

aSomewhat.a His hand wrapped about her wrist, holding her hand to his cheek, his eyes s.h.i.+mmering with a surprising heat. aIf you really wanted to make me feel better, youad kiss me again.a She pulled backa”as far as she could considering he held her wrist in an uncompromising clasp. aReally, Mr.a”a She paused. aIf you donat know your name, what will we call you?a aGood question. Weall think about that while weare kissing.a His eyes twinkling up at her, he pulled her wrist to his mouth, where he placed a warm kiss to her bare skin, the wet cloth dangling useless. aI can do both, you know. Think and kiss. Iam quite talented.a She rugged on her arm, alarmed at the wave of heat that s.h.i.+vered up her spine. aI am in no mood to kiss you, and I have no desire to think up names for you either.a He tugged her closer, his lips curled into a smile that was as hard to resist as Cookas cinnamon scones. Harriet found herself wanting to smile in return, a response she firmly suppressed. Whatever else he was, the man was obviously a wastrel. The last thing he needed was encouragement. aPlease release my arm.a aOnce you kiss me.a He wagged his brows. aYouad better do it. Iam injured, you know; I could hurt myself pursuing you.a He was so ridiculous that Harrietas smile almost broke loose. aLook, Mra whatever your name is, Ia”a She stopped and frowned down at him, a thought suddenly occurring. aFor someone who has just realized that he has no memory, you are in a spanking good mood.a His gaze flickered just an instant, but his smile remained in place, as did his hand about her wrist. aThatas because I know my memory will return soon.a She eyed him suspiciously. aHow?a He paused, and she could almost hear the wheels turning in his head. Something wasnat right here.

The patient pursed his lips, his thumb rubbing intimately along her wrist. aI know because,a he said with great deliberation, as if trying to explain something to a person of lower understanding, aI remember some things. Like how to put on my boots. And how to kiss a woman.a aUseful talents.a He ignored her dry comment. aI know Iam going to get my memory back the same way I know that doing thisaa” he nodded toward where his thumb was rubbing a spate of delectable tingles through her entire bodya”acan make you do that.a His gaze s.h.i.+fted to her arm, where gooseflesh danced across her skin. As warm as the cloth in her hand had been, it was nothing compared to the feel of his fingers clasped about her bared skin.

Heavens, what was wrong with her? She tried to free herself, but his hold tightened, and he looked up at her, his glance issuing a distinct challenge. aAfraid?a aOf what? A man with no memory? Piffle.a She cast about for something witty to say, but all she could find was, aSo. You believe for some inexplicable reason that youare going to regain your memory. Thatas the most asinine thing Iave ever heard.a He raised a brow. aHave you ever lost your memory?a aNo, buta”a aThen how do you know what itas like?a aI know becausea”a She clamped her mouth closed, realizing she really had no idea why his reaction struck her as false. The patientas smug air irritated Harriet to death.

She opened her mouth to argue her point, when her patient tightened his grip on her wrist and yanked her to him.

Her legs. .h.i.t the side of the bed, and she pitched forward, once again in his lap.

aThere,a he murmured, his arms holding her prisoner. aIam feeling better already.a Harriet struggled to right herself, tossing the wet cloth onto the floor so that she could use both of her hands. aThat is quite enougha”a The door pushed open, and Motheras soft voice said breezily, aHarriet dear! Dr. Blackthorne saysa” Oh my goodness!a Harriet sent a glance of triumph at the infuriating man who held her prisoner as she waited for her mother to take him to task for his reprehensible behavior.

aHarriet!a Mother said in a scandalized tone. aWhat on earth are you doing to our poor patient?a

Chapter 5.

Women are really simple creatures. Simply indecipherable, that is.

The Duke of Wexford to the d.u.c.h.ess of Wexford, while driving home from church on a Sunday afternoon.

aMother, Ia”Iam nota”he justa”I didnata”Oh, piffle!a Elviria Ward blinked at her usually staid, calm daughtera”the very same daughter who now lay red-faced and p.r.o.ne across the lap of their patient. aWell!a It wasnat what Elviria meant to say. Or even what she thought she should say. It was just all she could get out at the moment.

She was certain that later on, the perfect words would come to her. Sadly, they always did.

Harrietas face flooded bright red as she struggled to push herself back into a standing position, but it was difficult given the softness of the bed and the fact that the patient, though watching calmly, did nothing to help. Harriet twisted this way and that, a huge thunk echoing as she scrambled to her feet, followed by a m.u.f.fled exclamation.

Elviria wasnat certain, but she thought perhaps that Harriet had uttered a rather colorful comment. Goodness, but Harriet was getting more like her father every day.

Finally back on her feet, Harriet glared down at the patient. aOh! You made that as difficult as you could, didnat you?a He crossed his arms over his broad chest and grinned. aIf youad wanted help, all you had to do was ask.a Harriet muttered something incomprehensible, then turned to face her mother. Elviria had never seen Harrietas face quite that shade of red.

aMother, I know how this must look, but we didnata”that is, I was onlya”a aMiss Ward fell across the bed, and I caught her,a the patient said, a slightly imperious air to him even though he was dressed in one of Stephenas nights.h.i.+rts, his head wrapped in a bandage. He did not appear the least bit regretful for what Elviria was certain must have been a gross impertinence of some sort.

She glanced at her daughter. Or had it been a gross impertinence? Harriet seemed fl.u.s.tered, but not precisely angry. Just irritated and infuriated and outraged.