Juliet could feel minor tremors from inside her body. She didn’t know what to do with her hands. Should she remove her bonnet? Her pelisse?
Tony took the decision out of her hands as he slowly untied the ribbon of her bonnet. He removed it and set it aside. “You are so lovely.”
“No. I’m not,” she whispered automatically.
He tipped her chin so that her eyes met his. “Do not disagree with me. In my eyes, you are the loveliest of women.”
“You haven’t seen that many.”
“I’ve seen enough to know that no other woman will do for me. Only you.” His mouth met hers in a deep, soul-taking kiss.
Juliet let him guide her down on the blanket. His hands fumbled with the buttons on her pelisse.
“You have on too many clothes,” he groaned.
“We are outside,” she reminded him. “You were the one who said you wished to wait.”
“I wanted to see the sun dapple your skin.”
She shivered as he brushed aside the pelisse. One of his hands gently squeezed her breast through the thin muslin of her dress as his mouth took hers hungrily. She let herself get lost in his taste, his touch.
“Tony, touch me. Really touch me.”
“As you wish, love.” He pushed her bodice down and freed her breast. Her nipple tightened in the cool spring air. “Now time for dessert.”
Tony took a strawberry and bit into it. He then rubbed the berry juice over her nipple, staining it red. “That’s better.” He pulled her breast into his mouth, suckling the juices from it. “Delicious,” he whispered. “Shall we do the other one?”
Juliet’s hands rushed to the fastenings of her dress. She needed so much more.
“Slowly, love.” He loosened the dress and freed her other breast. He teased her nipple with the strawberry, then pulled it deeply into his mouth.
Juliet closed her eyes and moaned. She was never going to be able to eat strawberries again without remembering this.
She opened her eyes to find him staring at her. His look made her feel pretty, cherished, loved.
Tony pulled at the hem of her skirts until he could get his hand beneath. His callused hands scratched the tender skin of her thighs.
“So soft.” His mouth found hers again and captured her cry as his hand found the juncture of her thighs.
He teased her with his fingers, barely touching the bud of nerves where she throbbed with want for him. “More, Tony. Please.”
“As you wish, love.”
He kissed her deeply as he inserted first one finger, then another inside her.
It wasn’t enough. She needed more. She arched against his hand in a frantic rhythm, trying to force him to give her that sweet release.
“God, you’re so beautiful,” he said hoarsely against her throat. His mouth pulled again on one nipple, then another. “Come for me, sweetheart.”
Juliet let the passion claim her as she arched against her release. “Oh, God.”
Tony’s touch slowed, soothed, bringing her down from the excitement. Her heart slowed, as did her breathing. She took her hands and pulled his face to hers and kissed him. “Your turn.”
“My turn comes tonight.” He tugged her skirts back down. “Will you let me come to you tonight? Will you finally be with me?”
“Are we going to act out that picture?”
“If you want,” he said. “I think you’re going to be the death of me, love.”
“We’ll die together next time.” She brushed his hair from his forehead. “Tonight we’ll be together.”
“Let’s get you tucked in and back home before anyone figures out what we’ve been up to.”
Juliet fixed her bodice and allowed Tony to refasten her gown. “I had no idea you were so concerned about propriety, Mr. Matthews.”
“I am where you’re concerned. Now finish up getting dressed and I’ll load the curricle.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Saucy wench.” He kissed her again. He picked up the rest of the picnic things and loaded them into the basket. Juliet folded the blanket and followed Tony to the curricle.
She was so relaxed, so lost in her own emotions, that she didn’t notice the popping sound until Tony knocked her to the ground.
Chapter Sixteen
B
loody hell, someone was firing shots at them. His arm burned in pain. He must have been hit. “Are you all right?” he asked.
“I can’t breathe,” Juliet said, her voice muffled by his chest. She shoved at him. “What’s going on?”
He moved aside but placed a hand on her stomach. “Stay down. Someone shot at us.”
“Who would do such a thing?” Juliet looked shocked.
Tony had his ideas but said nothing. He looked around for the curricle, but it was gone. The contents of the basket had been thrown over the ground after tumbling out of the runaway vehicle. They were going to have to walk home.
Unfortunately, they were in the open, so if they raised their heads, they’d likely be shot at again.
“Perhaps hunters don’t know we’re here.”
“I don’t think it is hunters. I’m going to get up slowly. Stay put until I can make sure the blackguard is gone.”
Juliet went pale. “But he could shoot you.”
“He already has.”
Juliet gasped. “You’re hurt? Where?”
Tony sat up slowly. “My arm. It’s not serious.” At least he didn’t think it was serious; it felt like he’d only been grazed.
“We have to get you home.” Juliet bent over and tore off a piece of her petticoat. “At least let me bind it.”
“Thank you. Most young ladies would be screaming or crying.”
“Just wait. I’ll fall apart once the danger has passed,” Juliet said with a wry smile. “You’ll have to medicate me with brandy.”
“There’s brandy waiting at the Lodge.” Tony allowed her to remove his ruined jacket. Blood had soaked into the linen of his shirt. He pulled it away, tearing open a bigger hole. Juliet wrapped the piece of petticoat around his wound.
“It looks like a burn or a scratch,” she said. “I don’t think it penetrated the skin too deeply.”
“I don’t either. Luckily, the man is a lousy shot.”
“I’m supposed to be home for my dress fitting. What do we do now?” Juliet asked, keeping her voice low. “The Williamses’ farm is nearby. We can go there and have Aaron take us home in their cart.”
“I don’t want to take the lane. We’ll be walking targets in case he comes back.” Tony searched the woods for movement. The shots had come from the direction of the lane, but the man could have run into the forest. “Do you know a quicker way back to the Lodge from here?”
“There’s a path through the woods that leads to the back pasture of the Lodge, by the river.”
“We’ll go home that way.”
“What about the curricle and the horse?”
“The horse knows his way home. If not, someone in the village will return him. May I see your bonnet?”
Jules removed it and handed it to him. “What’s wrong with it?”
He held it up, sticking his finger through a hole in the brim. Juliet went white and, for a second, Tony thought he’d have to carry her home in a dead faint.
“We must go. We’re targets until we get to the woods,” Tony said. He held on to the bonnet and rose carefully, ready to duck if he heard any movement. There was nothing. He pulled Juliet to her feet. “Do exactly as I tell you. Until we are away from here, we are not safe.”
She remained pale but nodded.
He took her hand and led her into the woods, leaving the blanket and picnic things all over the ground. He wanted nothing to slow them down in reaching the Lodge. Someone would pay for this. The graze in his arm was one thing, but to shoot at a lady? Thankfully, whoever it was had missed. Had Juliet had been hurt, there would be nowhere the man could hide.
Juliet trembled beside him, but she didn’t cry or scream. She had bottom.
“Tell me which way to go, love,” Tony said softly, pulling her closer to him. He needed to keep her calm.
“Your arm is bleeding through the bandage.”
“It will stop in a few minutes.”
Juliet pointed to an old, barely distinguishable path at the far edge of the small clearing. He held the branches away from her face as she took the lead.
They walked silently, deeper and deeper into the woods. Juliet tensed as she heard the cracking of a branch, as if someone had stepped on it. He pulled her down behind some brambles until they could make out the sounds—probably animals, a deer or rabbit. They ducked down several times before they reached the edge of the woods, by the Fairy Steps.
“You know the way home from here,” Juliet said breathlessly.
“I think we’re safe now. Let’s rest a minute.”
They settled onto the first of the stone steps.
“I found you here, that first day you came back,” Juliet said. “I always wondered if you were making a wish.”
Tony chuckled. “I don’t know about a wish. I knew I was ready for a change.”
“I don’t think someone wants you to change. Do you think it was Mr. Bartleby?”
He did, but he didn’t want her thinking about it. “Why would he shoot at us?”
“He knows you purchased Horneswood. He has to know he is losing his position.”
“I don’t think he’d be stupid enough to fire at us. You look done in. Let’s get you home.”
Juliet leaned her head against his sore arm and he winced. She jumped back. “I’m sorry. We need to get a doctor to look at that.”
“It’s just a scratch.” He stood and pulled her to her feet with his good arm. “And don’t worry, it’s not going to keep me from spending tonight with you, so don’t get any ideas.”
“Are we going to have more strawberries, Tony? Because I didn’t get a taste.”
“I think that can be arranged. In fact, I’ll make sure we have strawberries ready, just in case.”
“You know they are my favorite,” she teased. Her lips traced his jaw.
“Behave or we’ll never get home.” He took her hand and raised it to press his lips against her glove. He pushed the glove from her wrist and pressed his mouth against the pale skin of her wrist. “Tonight, you’ll finally be mine.”
Juliet shivered against him. “Good.”
They arrived at the Lodge without further incident. Tony wasn’t happy when Juliet made a fuss about his arm, but she was worried about it getting putrid.
Nathaniel was the angriest she’d ever seen him. She sat through question after question about what had occurred. Things had happened so fast that Juliet couldn’t remember much except Tony pulling her to the ground and protecting her. Her stomach gave a little lurch every time she thought about it. She hated that Tony was hurt, but she loved the way he had protected her.
She never thought of herself as being that kind of woman, who wanted to lean on a man. She wanted to be strong like Anne, but she liked knowing that Tony was there to protect her, to keep her safe from harm, to worry about her.
Which brought her around to the shooter. Tony seemed to think it was Bartleby. She’d overheard him talking to Mr. McDonald before she was rushed upstairs to prepare for her final fitting for the ball the next day.
Why would Mr. Bartleby take shots at them?
Why would the younger son of a peer take the position of a land steward in the first place? It would make more sense for him to have gone into the military or the Church. Mr. Bartleby could also marry an heiress. He’d courted Juliet for her money and she didn’t have that much. Surely he could do better in London.
And there was the way he had treated Penelope, Mr. Williams, and the other tenants. He was capable of cruelty.
“Stand still, Juliet, and focus,” Anne said in a frustrated tone. “You’ve kept Mrs. Jenkins far too long as it is.”
“It’s quite all right, Mrs. Matthews. It’s not every day a girl finds herself in love.”
Juliet fought the urge to roll her eyes. She hated fittings. “Thank you for staying, Mrs. Jenkins.”
Mrs. Jenkins was fussing with the bodice. “Should we pad this a bit more, do you think, Mrs. Matthews?”
“No,” Juliet said. “It’s uncomfortable.”
“But the dress will fit so much better if we do.”
“You can’t make the dress fit without it?”
“Not before tomorrow night,” Mrs. Jenkins said.
“Fine.” Juliet gave up. Tony knew the truth and didn’t care.
Anne picked up the bonnet Juliet had tossed on the bed. “Do you realize there’s a hole in this bonnet?”
“Anne—”
Anne went pale and tossed the bonnet back on the bed. “We’ll talk about it later.”
Juliet almost sagged with relief. She looked down at the dress. It was a pale, shimmering blue fabric trimmed in silver. It was quite pretty. “Thank you for doing this, Anne.”
Anne’s eyes welled with tears. She was so emotional when she was increasing. “I’m so happy for you. And for Tony. Who would have thought?”
Juliet smiled. “I didn’t.”
“I suspected when we were in Town. He would never miss any of the balls we attended, but he only danced with you; then he’d leave. I thought that was so strange.”
“He bought Horneswood.”
“I didn’t know it was for sale.”
“Neither did I. We went to look at it.”
“Is that where you were?” Anne said, shooting a glance at Mrs. Jenkins.
“We had a picnic by a pond near the house.”
“How romantic!” Mrs. Jenkins said. “It’s so nice to see young gentlemen doing things like that. Though I will say that in his day, Mr. Jenkins could play the romantic fool quite well. I miss those days sometimes.”
“I know what you mean, Mrs. Jenkins,” Anne said with a sigh. “Daily life has a way of making us forget the romance.”
Juliet frowned. “I hope not. I’m just getting used to it.”
Mrs. Jenkins and Anne both chuckled.
“Romance is best in small doses, my dear,” Mrs. Jenkins said with a smile. She turned Juliet toward the mirror. “There. The dress is perfect for you.”
Juliet stared at herself in the mirror.
Dear Lord, she looked like a bride.
The pale blue brought out her brown eyes and the red in her hair. The silver added a bit of shine, catching the light as she moved. “It’s beautiful.”
“You’ll be the belle of the ball,” Mrs. Jenkins said as she undid the fastenings down the back. “Let me get the alterations done and I’ll have it ready for you tomorrow.”
“Perfect, Mrs. Jenkins,” Anne said. “Thank you for waiting for Juliet to get back. I don’t know what happened to cause their horse to bolt.”
“No harm done,” Mrs. Jenkins said. “It will be nice to have another young couple in the neighborhood. It’s good to see Beetham growing.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Jenkins,” Juliet said, stepping down from the stool.
Anne had the maid escort the seamstress out and closed the door. She leaned against it. “Tell me everything.”
“About what?”
“The house, the shots fired, everything,” Anne said. “Nathaniel would keep me in the dark about all of it.”
Juliet agreed with Nathaniel. Anne was in the early stages of pregnancy. She didn’t need the worry.
“Don’t behave as Nathaniel did. You’re my sister and therefore on my side,” Anne chided.
Juliet plopped on the bed, still in her petticoat with the tear in it. “We went for a drive and stopped on the lane to look at Horneswood. Tony told me he bought it for us.”
“What else happened?”
“He proposed again. Properly this time. And then we went for a picnic.” Juliet got up and went to the cupboard for another gown. “Are we dressing for dinner?”
Anne put her hands on her hips. “Don’t play games with me, Juliet. Who fired the shots?”
Juliet frowned at her sister. “I don’t know, so there’s no point in getting upset.”
“There’s a bullet hole in your bonnet!”
Good heavens, when Anne wanted to raise her voice, she did it with a vengeance. “Anne, settle down—think of the baby.”
“Who would shoot at you?”
“I don’t know, honestly.” Juliet pulled out a dress and tossed it over her head. She turned her back to Anne, who automatically fastened the hooks for her. “Tony will find out.”
“Thank God for Tony. I don’t even want to imagine what would have happened if you had been alone,” Anne said. She tucked a strand of hair behind Juliet’s ear. “You are certain you’re all right?”
“Right as rain. Tony was the only one hurt, and it appears to be just a scratch.” Juliet hadn’t gotten the chance to even look at the wound. She had been ushered to the room for her fitting as soon as they arrived.
“Men always say that. God forbid they show weakness,” Anne complained. “I swear, the only time I saw Nathaniel squirm was when I was in labor with Nat. I thought we were going to have to pour brandy down his throat to get him to calm down.”
Juliet chuckled. She remembered realizing how much Nathaniel loved her sister in that moment. He couldn’t fix the pain and he was having none of it. “Do you think Tony will be the same?”
Anne smiled for the first time. “I think he will. He loves you, you know.”
Juliet looked down at her hands. “He hasn’t said so.”
“I’ve watched him since the ball we had before Nathaniel and I were married. That night was the first night he realized you were not a child any longer. He couldn’t take his eyes off you.”
Tears welled in Juliet’s eyes. She so wanted to believe that he loved her, had loved her as long as she’d loved him. “Really?”
“At every ball in London he only had eyes for you. I was beginning to wonder if he’d ever act on it when he came home this time.”
“Do you think he came home because of me?”
“I think that was part of it.”
“Perhaps I’ll ask him.”
“I wouldn’t,” Anne said with a chuckle. “Men don’t know their own minds when it comes to love and softer emotions. One day they awake and realize they are in love. Tony will tell you when he’s ready.”
Well, that was true
, Juliet thought. She picked up the bonnet and stuck her finger in the hole left by the bullet. “Shall we dispose of this? I think it’s quite ruined.”