Part 13 (1/2)

aMy beloved Persephone,a he whispered in her ear, aI want to show you something.a His lips trailed down the side of her neck.

Harriet could barely think. She wanted him so badly, her entire body was aflame now. She wanted to roll over, to lock her legs about him and let him fill her. But instead she was held, stomach down on the blanket as he tortured her with long, slow kisses in the most indelicate places.

aLift your hips,a he whispered.

Harriet frowned. aHow can I turn over ifa”a aLift for me, sweet.a His hands about her waist, he tilted her hips up.

She did as he asked. If shead felt exposed before, now she was indecently lifted, her b.u.t.t cheeks arched in the air.

Chase lifted himself above her and found her wetness. She was moist, swollen, squirming ever so slightly beneath him in a way that was driving him mad with l.u.s.t.

He splayed his hands over her back, marveling at the muscles that were displayed there. She was beauty and feminine strength, delicacy and exotic enticement. He lifted himself and pushed into her wetness, his mouth never leaving the back of her neck as he nipped and teased.

aOh mya”Chase!a She arched beneath him, lifting her hips higher, pressing back against him. G.o.d, but she was hot and tight and ready for him. Her hot wetness held him in a velvet-sleeved grip, tormenting him mercilessly. Beads of sweat dotted his upper lip and brow as he moved into her, slid deep, then withdrew to the tip.

Harriet groaned and pressed back as if eager for him to resume his pace. He thrust again. And again. And each time she met him, writhing enticingly beneath him. He could feel the excitement building inside her, feel the tremors of her as he thrust deeply. He fought for control, but the more he fought, the more she drew him onward. Finally, with a gasp, she said his name and broke his tenuous control. She swept him with her over the edge of pa.s.sion and beyond.

Chapter 24.

If we go to all of this trouble just to find Chase snuggled between the sheets with a woman, I will personally haul him outside and beat him to within an inch of his life.

Marcus St. John, the Marquis of Treymount, to his brother, Mr. Devon St. John, as they climbed into the Treymount coach Chase collapsed, cradling Harriet in his arms as he fought for breath, for the ability even to think. In all of his days, head never experienced such a sensuous woman. Never.

He pressed a kiss on her neck and then turned her so that she faced him. She had her eyes tightly clenched, her breath ragged between her lips.

aHarriet?a he whispered against her bare skin.

A s.h.i.+ver trembled across her.

Chase took her hand and threaded her fingers with his, then leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on the corner of her mouth. aYou are magnificent.a Her eyes cracked open at that and to his relief, a faint smile touched the corners of her lips.

He smiled and pressed another kiss to the spot below her ear. aAnd I think I loa”a He stopped.

Had he almost saida”it was impossible! Why the h.e.l.l had he almost said that?

She blinked, her eyes now wide open. aWhata what did you say?a aNothing,a he said hastily. He pushed himself upright and raked a hand through his hair, unwilling to admit how shaken he was that head almost let such a thing slip. aI was going to say that Ia love the way you kiss.a She arched a brow in disbelief. aMy kisses are nothing special.a aOh yes, they are.a He smoothed the hair from her forehead, noting how the sun had kissed her cheeks with even more freckles. He traced a path from freckle to freckle with the tip of his finger. It would soon be time for him to leave, and yet here Harriet would be, fighting to make Garrett Park a working, living estate for her brothers and sisters. aI worry about you.a aMe? Why on earth would you worry about me?a aYou work too hard.a Her smile disappeared. aI donat work any harder than the others. Chase, donat make me out to be a saint. Iam afflicted with far too many faults to be considered anything other than human.a aWhat faults do you have?a She snorted. aWell, letas see. Iam short-tempered. I have a dislike for doing anything whatsoever inside the house; Mother despaired of my watercolors and embroidery years ago. Oh andaa She peered up at him, a twinkle in her eyes. aIam apparently not a woman of virtue, either.a He winced.

aNot that I mind,a she added swiftly. She placed her hand on the side of his face. aIn fact, Iam glad weave had this time together. Iave enjoyed every second of it. Especially today.a aToday?a aYes, the last round left me feeling quitea exuberant.a Despite his misgivings, he found himself smiling down at her. aI feel the same way.a aI know. I could tell.a She eyed him for a moment. aWell?a aWell, what?a aI confessed my shortcomings. What are yours?a G.o.d, what he would give to be able to answer that question. aWeave all done things weare not proud of.a She glanced up at him, curiosity bright in her brown eyes. aYou sound almosta sad.a He was sad. And sorry. He had to move, to get up. He pushed himself to his feet. aHarrieta Iave done things Iam not proud of. Onea one thing in particular.a She met his gaze solemnly, and to his surprise, there was no condemnation in her expression. aWhat?a He opened his mouth to tell her, but no words would come out. All those months of not saying, of not facing the truth, seemed to have melted into him until he could not break free.

She lifted onto her elbows, her gaze never wavering. aWhatever it is that you did, did you make amends?a aAmends?a He grabbed up his breeches, and yanked them on. aThere was no way to make amends for this.a She sat the rest of the way up and wrapped her arms around her knees. In the indirect light, her brown hair falling over her shoulders, her eyes wide and solemn, she looked like a pixie. aBut you tried to fix things?a He nodded once, hating himself, hating that he was having this conversation with Harriet, of all people. b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l, life was not fair. He found his s.h.i.+rt and yanked it over his head.

She shrugged. aThen thatas all you can do.a He had just picked up one of his boots. He stopped and turned to face her. aDo you believe that?a aIf you try your best, then no one can ask for more.a Chase looked at her for a long moment. aI wish I could believe that. And maybe itas true for other people, but Iam a St. John, born with every conceivable benefit. There are no excuses for my actions.a aWhat exactly did you do?a aIaa The words pushed at him, begging for release. He swallowed, then closed his eyes. aI killed someone.a Silence. He forced his eyes open, ready to read the condemnation in her eyes.

She met his gaze, her face pale.

aI didnat mean to,a he gritted out. aI didnat. I was careening drunkenly through the streets of London in my new carriage. I ran over a woman. Sheaa He gave a helpless shrug as his eyes grew hot.

Harrietas eyes were already wet. aOh, Chase,a she whispered. aIam so sorry.a aSo am I. I was witha not a friend. But a person I knew. When the accident happened, I pulled the horses to and started to get out to see if the woman needed a.s.sistance. But my companion panicked and began screaming at me to drive on. I was drunk and frightened anda I did.a aDid you go back?a aAs soon as I was sober enough to realize what had happened. The man I was with, he helped search for her, too. He visited the hospitals and I spoke to every person I saw on that street, but we never found her.a Chase turned away from Harriet and pulled on his boots. He didnat think he could stand seeing the disappointment in her eyes. aI was on my way out of the country when I came here.a aOut of the countrya Why?a aThe companion I was with that night has been steadily draining me of funds ever since the accident. I decided the time had come to face my demons.a aBy running away?a aBy protecting my family from scandal. My brothers and sister do not know the truth. I couldnat tell them.a Chase picked up Harrietas gown and s.h.i.+ft and draped them over the edge of a stall.

aYou need to tell them.a aIt is better if no one knows.a She regarded him steadily. aYou are the one who told me that I was not doing my family any favors by taking care of them. Perhaps you should heed your own advice.a Chase wiped a hand over his eyes. He had said that. And for Harriet, it made sense. But for him? aIam not sure why I told you about it. I-I havenat told anyone.a aPerhaps it is practice, for when you face your family.a There was a rustle of hay as Harriet stood and made her way to the water bucket. Water plopped in fat drips to the ground as she washed.

Chase watched her silently, noting the lush curve of her backside, the tight muscles of her calf. She was a nymph of ancient lore, was.h.i.+ng herself at the bucket, the slanted afternoon light that cut through the cracks in the barn walls stripping across her smooth creamy skin and touching her hair with gold. But for all that her outer beauty tantalized him, it was her inner beauty that held him, captured him, and refused to release him. The unfairness of his situation cut to his soul. d.a.m.n it, why had he met her now, when he had no choice but to leave?

Chase turned toward the barn door, his chest tight. aI should go and see if Stephen and Derrick need any help.a aWhat you should do,a she said in a matter-of-fact voice that brooked no argument, ais pack your things and get yourself home as soon as possible. You cannot run from yourself, you know.a There was a soft whisper as she pulled her clothing from where Chase had hung them and began to dress.

Chase stiffened. aIam not running. I ama”a aRunning.a She was right, and he knew it.

aYou made a mistake, Chase. We all make mistakes.a aNot mistakes that cost lives.a aNo. But whatever our mistakes are, they werenat performed because of malicious intent. They happened because we were careless or didnat realize the consequences of our actions.a aItas not that easy.a aIsnat it?a She came to stand before him, calmly pinning her hair. aTell me what youave been doing since this accident.a aDoing? I donat know. I suppose Iave been drinking. Trying to forgeta”a aYouave been wallowing in a sea of self-pity. That is your grossest error.a Chase didnat know what to say. She looked so d.a.m.nably sure of herself. He envied her in that moment, envied her calm certainty about life, her intrepid spirit, her refusal to let life sour her spirits. He wondered how head been so fortunate as to have met her. aYou, Harriet Ward, are an exceptional woman.a Color flooded her cheeks. aIam nothing special,a she said gruffly.

aReally? Do you not run this entire estate all by yourself?a She laughed, the light slanting over her sparkling eyes. aNo. Garrett Park is run by committee. Derrick is in charge of household repairs. Heas very talented at tinkering with things. Stephen is in charge of keeping up the stables. Heas always been good with horses, though we had to sell most of them three years ago.a aWhat a pity.a aYes, Stephen was devastated, though he refused to admit it.a aWhat do your sisters do?a aSophia helps with the books. Sheas almost as good at figures as she is at playwriting.a A faint smile softened the line of Harrietas mouth. aBetter, in fact, though Iad never tell her that.a aAnd your mother?a aWho do you think sees to it that we all have fresh linens every week? That the meat is cooked well and the floors always scrubbed? She makes sure there is enough so that we can eat through the winter, and she spoils us with clothes that she herself sews.a When he stopped to think about it, it was amazing how this family, left in near poverty and distress, had banded together to make a success out of their seemingly dire straits. But he supposed he understood that concepta”in a way, his brothers were never closer than when facing adversity. aWhat does the intrepid Ophelia do?a aShe sees to it that we are not remiss in our attention to our neighbors.a He frowned. After hearing of the contributions of the others, that seemed far less than important.

His thoughts must have been evident on his face, for Harriet sent him a sharp frown. aOphelia spends a good portion of every year helping Cook with the herbs. She also makes Christmas gifts for our neighbors. She does far more than her fair share.a aGifts? Why bother with gifts?a She turned to fix a gimlet stare on his face. aNeighbors, Mr. St. John, are important to us all. When our plow horse strained her foreleg in the midst of spring plowing, our neighbor to the west, Baron Whitfield, sent one of his horses to take her place. When Ophelia became ill and we needed medicine, but were unable to get to town because it had snowed so deeply that our poor farm mare could not make it out the drive, Mr. Nash came to our aid. He made the trip to town himself, wrapped head to foot in wool and riding in an old farmeras cart to cut through the roads.a She eyed Chase up and down, as if uncertain whether to spit on him or kick his s.h.i.+ns. aI can give you other examples, if youad like.a aNo. No, that wonat be necessary. I had just forgottena”a He raked a hand through his hair. He couldnat forget what head never known. The St. Johns were the community. Not a mere part of it.

Harriet turned and made her way to the door. She grabbed the bar and lifted it to one side, then pulled the door open. Sunlight flooded the barn, turning the hay to spun gold.

Her gaze fell on the pile of shears and she laughed. aI almost forgot those.a Her eyes crinkled and her mouth curved in such a beguiling fas.h.i.+on. He caught her amused look and an unaccustomed heat traveled up his neck.

She straightened, her gaze suddenly fixed on the driveway. aSomeone is coming. I thinka”oh, itas just the cart from the inn. Mother must have asked them to send some spiced wine.a Chase glanced indifferently at the cart, watching as Derrick walked up to speak to the driver. They spoke for a moment, then Derrick gestured toward the barn. The man looked toward Harriet and Chase, nodded once, then hawed the horses on.

Harriet frowned. aI wonder what that was about?a Derrick stood in the drive, watching the cart rumble away before he walked toward them. aThat was strange,a he said on reaching them.

aWhat did he want?a Harriet asked.

aHe said head heard about the captain and wondered if he could meet him.a Derrick flickered a gaze at Chase. aHe was wondering if you were the same Captain Frakenham that he sailed with two years ago.a aI doubt it,a Chase said.

aThatas what I said,a Derrick returned, a disturbed look in his eyes. aI even pointed you out, thinking that would turn him. But instead, he seemed to recognize you.a Chase frowned. aAre you certain?a aI think so. He nodded as if you looked exactly the way head expected you to. But then, when I offered to introduce you, he said that wouldnat be necessary.a Harriet sighed. aI wonder if Mr. Gower is up to his tricks again.a aI canat imagine how,a Chase said. aBut if so, heas too late. Weall be done with the shearing in another two days and he wonat be able to do a thing to you after that.a Derrick nodded, a relieved look on his face. aThatas true. Well, Iad best get back to the pens. I have some shearing to do.a He grabbed a set of shears and then walked away, whistling a sprightly tune.

aI must help,a Harriet said, collecting the other shears. She turned to go, but Chase caught her wrist.

Against her brown skin the talisman ring glittered as if jewel-encrusted. aYou wore this to irk me.a She bit her lip. aActually, I canat get it off. I havenat been able to get it off since the first time I put it on.a She grasped it with her other hand and pulled and pulled, but the ring would not budge. She stopped and sighed. aI tried b.u.t.ter and oil, but itas stuck.a Chase looked down at her fingers. They seemed so slender beneath the heavy silver band. He rifted her hand in his and gently tugged on the ring. It hung for a second, as if not wanting to move. But then it released and easily slid off her finger.

Harrietas mouth opened. Then closed. Then opened again. aHow dida”I tried so hard! I canat believe you justa”Oh, piffle!a Chase looked at the ring. Mother had said that it would lead the possessor to his one true love. Could it bea”

aHarri!a Stephen and Sophia waved from across the barn yard.

Harriet sighed. aTime to get back to work, I suppose.a aYes, it is.a At least for today. aHarriet, about the ring. Perhaps you shoulda”a aNo. It belongs with you. Ia”a Stephen and Sophia called again and Harriet sighed. aI have to go. Weall discuss this later.a Chase nodded and watched as she joined her brother and sister. Chase wondered if the ring felt as bereft as he did. His fingers curled over it.

After a moment, he slipped it into his pocket and went to help Derrick with the shearing.

This time, Chase worked as hard as he could, though his mind never stopped mulling over the th.o.r.n.y problem that faced him.

He was beginning to care far too much for Harriet Ward. He had to leave Garrett Park. And soon.

Chapter 25.