Glorious Angel (20 page)
“Now you stop it, Bradford Maitland. You are talking about lust, while I am talking about love,” she said sternly, then brought his lips down to hers.
“Ah, but I’ve found that the two go together so well,” he laughed in relief. He picked her up in his arms and carried her quickly to the bed.
On Angela’s large bed, there was no room for anger or jealousy, only the seriousness of love. Bradford undressed her slowly, his eyes locked with hers the whole time, so filled with passion that she became excited just watching him. She wanted him to hurry, felt she couldn’t wait to have her body covered by his. But Bradford set his own pace. Tonight he seemed to want to savor every nuance of their coming together.
At last their clothes were scattered about the bed, and Bradford drew her into his arms. She tingled everywhere he touched, and he touched her everywhere.
At last he moved to her breasts, cupping one in each hand, kneading them tenderly, his eyes still locked with hers. And then he bent his head and teasingly sucked on one and then the other soft globe.
Angela couldn’t bear it anymore. “Bradford!” she gasped. “Are you trying to drive me mad?”
He raised his head and lightly brushed his lips over hers. “Why do you say that, Angel?”
She saw the gleam in his eyes and wanted to scream. Instead she clasped his head in her hands and drew his mouth to hers, letting him know just what she wanted.
Bradford felt her need and delighted in it. The knowledge that she wanted him filled him with such pride and joy that he thought surely he would burst.
He lowered her to the bed, his mouth still cov
ering hers possessively. She opened her legs for him, and his hard member slid smoothly into that moist haven. He worshiped her with his body, drawing out every measure of her passion. She was passionate, wild, shameless in her love, and he loved her all the more for it.
Bradford was still determined to keep Angela well out of Grant Marlowe’s view. Bradford took her to the city more often now, to the theater and late-night suppers. They went everywhere together, and as Bradford had predicted, the gossip about Angela had now taken a different turn.
Preparations for the ball were nearly completed. The next two days would be filled with cleaning and cooking. A new load of ice would arrive by packet in a few days, to be stored in the cellar beneath the house. Ice cream would be made, and baskets of flowers would be collected from all over the plantation. The ladies were assured that their gowns would be finished in time, and the gentlemen’s tailor came to Golden Oaks for a couple of days.
Robert had not been seen since he had run out
of the house the day Grant arrived. Crystal informed the family, without explanation, that he had finally taken an interest in running The Shadows. She doubted they would see very much of Robert in the near future.
The sun rose in a clear sky, predicting fair weather for the Maitland Ball. Throughout the morning and afternoon, the rich aroma of baking filled the lower floor of the house. Mountains of apples and peaches had been peeled and turned into mouth-watering pies. There were French pastries and candies, and large cakes were being frosted and set aside. The ice cream was made and put in the cellar to chill, and soups and gravies were simmering in large pots over the long fireplace in the kitchen. The hams that would be served cold were baked now. The rest of the meats would be roasted later, for the eating wouldn’t even begin until midnight.
An anxious excitement filled the air, affecting everyone, including the servants. Angela’s excitement had not so much to do with the ball but with what would happen a week from now, when Bradford would make her his wife.
Angela passed through the dining room on her way upstairs, stopping by the long table to inspect the glasses stacked on it. This would be the bar. Liquors were lined up behind the table, champagne and other wines to be brought up later, packed in ice. Seeing that all the glasses
were spotless, Angela continued on her way. But as she heard Crystal’s voice in the hallway, she stopped.
“You’ve been avoidin’ me, haven’t you, Brad?”
“Now what would make you think that?” Bradford asked, a note of humor in his voice.
“’Cause this is the first time I’ve found you alone, without that little farm girl trailin’ you. You really are payin’ that girl too much attention. Are you competin’ with your father?”
“You’ve acquired a vicious tongue over the years, Crystal. But then as I remember, you were pretty cruel seven years ago,” Bradford replied.
“Just because a few stubborn words were spoken, you walked out of my life,” Crystal pouted. “Was that fair?”
“You walked out of my life when you married my brother!” Bradford reminded her sharply.
“But it’s you I’ve always wanted. Zachary isn’t half the man you are.”
“You’ve made your bed, Crystal. I really hope you enjoy sleeping in it,” Bradford returned, a slight touch of bitterness in his tone.
“So you’re turnin’ to that girl? You won’t come to me because of her!”
“For God’s sake, Crystal, it’s long over between us!” Bradford replied brusquely, losing patience. “Even if I had never met Angela, I wouldn’t come to you. But I did meet her, and I thank heaven I did. She is like the sun after the storm. If you are
unhappy with your marriage, I suggest you look elsewhere. I’m not available.”
Angela could hear Crystal running up the curving stairs, and then Angela moved to the door slowly, just in time to see Bradford disappear into the study. She waited a few minutes and then hurried out of the dining room and up the stairs without being seen.
Angela was beaming, for her lingering doubts had been dispelled. Crystal still wanted Bradford, but he didn’t want her. Angela wondered if anyone had ever been as happy as she was at that moment.
“Angel, hurry up,” Bradford called impatiently from outside her door. “The first carriage will be pulling up any minute now.”
“She’s comin’, Master Brad,” Hannah called back, sending Bradford on his way downstairs. Then she turned to Eulalia. “You did a real fine job, Eulalia. Miss Crystal will want you to do her hair from now on, after she sees our Missy.”
“I told you I’d do her up right. You didn’t have to come up here to check on me!” Eulalia snapped saucily.
“I just wanted to see for myself, gal. Now get yourself down to the kitchen and see iffen Tilda needs your help,” Hannah said in her bossiest manner.
Hannah chuckled as Eulalia stalked from the room. “That gal’s gettin’ to be like a mother hen, I swear she is. She always thinks she knows best.
She do a lot of the time, but you can’t let her know it.”
“I’m going to miss Eulalia when Bradford and I leave. And I’ll miss you most of all, Hannah.”
“This no time to think about that, child,” Hannah replied cheerfully. “You’ll be back to visit old Hannah. Now turn ’round and let me see you.”
Angela did as she asked and then came to stand before her full-length mirror.
“You sure the angel Master Brad calls you. I ain’t never seen no lady as pretty as you, child.”
“It’s just this gown, Hannah. Anyone would be beautiful wearing this.”
“That’s what you think.”
The gown was exquisite. Of a sheer, deep-red organdy covering dark blue silk, it formed a rich violet color that matched her eyes perfectly. The neckline was extremely low, and trimmed with a thin ribbon of red silk. The gown had tight, fitted sleeves, and layered swirls of material in front that gathered tightly across the hips to form the bustle, in the newest fashion. But Angela had refused to let the seamstress tack on the numerous trailing bows and rosettes and the yards of lace the woman had wanted to add to the bodice and skirt. Angela allowed only the thin silk ribbon to form and line the bustle, and two trailing bows of the same red silk—one at the start of the bustle, and the other at the finish, where the skirt broke away in two straight lines.
At her ears were long dangling garnets, one of many presents from Jacob. The garnet-studded pins that crowned her head and held her hair tightly in place were also gifts from him. Angela wore two short curls dangling from her temples, and nine thick ringlets falling to her neck.
Because of the low neckline, Angela wore only her gold coin around her neck, but it was now in a setting of red garnets. The setting was a gift from Bradford. He had recently had two other settings made for her coin. The other two were gold rings, one with emeralds, the other one plain, with a single dropping diamond. They were round frames for her to place the coin in, each one having one gem larger than the others that hung down to cover the hole she’d carved in the coin ten years ago.
Bradford met Angela at the bottom of the stairs just as the first carriage arrived.
“You look magnificent!” he cried exuberantly. He took her hand, pride glowing in his face.
“Magnificent?”
“Well, you must get tired of hearing me tell you how beautiful you are. There are other words to describe you, Angel, and magnificent is one of them.”
She laughed gaily. “As long as you think so, my love, that is all I care about.”
“Well, isn’t that charmin’,” Crystal remarked from behind them, her voice dripping with con
tempt. “So it’s ‘my love,’ is it? And here I thought you’d set your trap for my poor brother, Angela,” Crystal laughed bitterly. “But Bradford is a much better catch, isn’t he? After all, he’ll be the heir to an estate that outshines The Shadows.”
Angela kept silent.
Crystal’s blue eyes were like ice as she continued. “Of course, marryin’ Bradford will insure that you won’t be thrown out on your ear when Jacob dies, won’t it, dear?”
“The lady with the viperous tongue,” Bradford said smoothly, but his eyes were like liquid gold as they rested on Crystal. “Or perhaps not a lady at all.”
He put his arm about Angela’s waist and escorted her into the large ballroom. With the first guests following them in, the musicians, on a raised platform in the far corner, began the evening with a waltz. Bradford should have stood in the reception line with the rest of his family, but instead he took Angela in his arms. They were the first to dance on the newly polished floor.
By the time the waltz was over, eight families had arrived, with more coming through the wide double doors. Angela insisted that Bradford join his father, while she went to greet Susie Fletcher, who was standing with her brother Joel by the long tables covered with candies and hors d’oeuvres, and decorated with freshly cut roses.
“Susie, I never did thank you for inviting me to stay at your house last month,” Angela said, a little breathless from the dance.
“We really can’t blame you, Angela, after what happened,” Joel replied.
“Did you ever discover who it was cut up my dress?” Angela asked. She had actually forgotten the matter.
“No,” Susie answered quickly, smiling. “Have you and Robert set the date for your weddin’ yet?”
“Robert and I aren’t getting married,” Angela said sharply, startled.
“But you look so happy!” Susie exclaimed.
“I am,” Angela laughed. “But not because of Robert. I love another man, Susie.”
“But I thought—I mean.” Susie looked overjoyed, yet alarmed at the same time. She turned to her brother. “Would you get us some champagne, Joel?”
“Of course,” Joel answered, and walked toward the crowded dining room.
“Angela, I’m so sorry!” Susie blurted out as soon as they were alone.
“You have nothing to be sorry for.”
“Yes, I do,” Susie replied, her pretty face puckered. “When Robert told me he was going to ask you to marry him, I just assumed you would accept. I—I hated you then. I was the one who cut up your dress that night. I’m so sorry, Angela!” Susie was near tears. “It was such a childish thing to do.”
“You love Robert, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
Angela smiled. “We women do strange things when we’re in love. Don’t worry about the dress, Susie. It was out of fashion anyway. And I wish you luck with Robert, though I don’t really think you’ll need it. You’re the prettiest girl he has to choose from around here.”
“Do you really think so?” Susie asked, her brown eyes radiating sudden joy.