Kane, Samantha - Brothers in arms 7 (11 page)

She gave in and closed her eyes, smoothing her fingers over the soft linen beneath her hand. She wished it was a firm, hairy chest instead. She nearly moaned aloud as she remembered the feel of Charles’ burly chest against her fingertips, Gideon pressed to her back. And then Charles was against her back as she sat astride Gideon’s lap, wanton and full and desperate to feel that pleasure again, the pleasure she’d learned under Gideon’s mouth. She felt a pulse in her sex and she grew warm in the closed-off hallway. Her eyes flew open and she frantically looked around. She mustn’t let the servants see her daydreaming like this.

Sarah worried her lip as she placed the pillow covers back on the shelf. Gideon had not knocked on her door for the last three nights, not since their wedding night. Neither had Charles, which was appropriate, after all. He was not her husband. He had only been there at Gideon’s request. Her breasts grew heavy and her nipples ached as she remembered Charles touching and sucking them.

In frustration she fell back against the wall beside the linen closet with a loud thump. Why had they not come back? She was a complete wreck, watching and waiting and wondering. It was driving her mad. Had she done something wrong? There had been no indication either way, really. After it was over Sarah had been so tired she could hardly keep her eyes open. First Charles and then Gideon had risen from her bed, dressed and left to go to their own rooms. She hadn’t liked that at all. At home Papa and her stepmother slept in the same room. Both men had offered her sincere thanks, which embarrassed her mightily, and then made quiet departures. But they had not uttered one word about whether or not she had performed satisfactorily. Then again, they had let her rename the farm. That made it as much hers now as theirs, didn’t it?

They wouldn’t have done that if they weren’t happy with her.

56

Love’s Fortress

Sarah turned and yanked yet another stack of linen off the shelf. It wasn’t as if she could ask them, was it? Conversations had been limited to meals, and those were stilted recitations of her day. She would dearly love to see Gideon’s reaction were she to broach the subject at luncheon in front of an astounded Anders. Sarah laughed mirthlessly. She wanted the physical intimacy of marriage. It was part of why she had sought a husband. She sighed and buried her face in the pile of sheets.

She was lonely. A bride should not be lonely mere days after her wedding. The house was so quiet. What were they doing right now? Was Gideon in his office? Was Charles down in the paddock with the horses? She was too afraid to ask. Too afraid of looking like a fool.

“What are you doing?”

The question was asked in a mildly curious tone, but having thought she was alone, Sarah jerked upright and couldn’t stop a short shriek of surprise from escaping before she clapped her hand over her mouth.

Charles fell back a step or two, his eyes wide. “Good Lord, I didn’t mean to startle you. Are you all right?”

Sarah pulled her hand away. “I’m fine,” she squeaked. She cleared her throat. “You just…yes, startled me.” She turned back and busied herself with the linen. “I’m taking inventory of the linen.”

“By smelling it?”

Charles sounded amused, which made Sarah more than a bit angry. Here she was lonely beyond words and longing for a touch, and he found her desperation amusing?

“It smells a little musty,” Sarah snapped without looking at him.

“Oh, Mrs. North! I am so sorry.” Sarah’s head jerked up and she saw Mrs. Brown standing behind Charles. The housekeeper seemed quite upset at Sarah’s comment and she could have kicked herself. In her selfishness she’d lashed out without thought.

“Oh, it’s nothing Mrs. Brown,” Sarah said quickly. “Simply disuse. A little lavender water sprinkled on the sheets will take care of it, I’m sure.”

Mrs. Brown paled. “Lavender water? Well, you see Mrs. North, we haven’t much of that. Mr. North and Mr. Borden…” she trailed off.

“Are not prone to smelling like lavender,” Charles finished with a grin. “The horses take exception to it. But now that there is a woman in the house they will just have to get used to it.”

“You can get some in the village, Mrs. Brown,” Sarah told her with a smile. “And while you are there perhaps you could stop at the apothecary? I noticed yesterday we are in need of some items for the medicine chest.”

Mrs. Brown wrung her hands. “I cannot go today, Mrs. North,” she apologized.

“We are short two maids, as I mentioned earlier, and it is baking day. I am needed here.”

57

Samantha Kane

Sarah waved her off. “That’s fine, Mrs. Brown. It isn’t urgent. You can get them later in the week. That will be soon enough.”

“Have you been to the village, Sarah?” Charles asked with a frown. “Since the wedding?”

It was Sarah’s turn to blanche. “No, I…I have not needed to. It has only been a few days, after all.” And would be many, many more before she went if she had her way. At least until Sunday. And if handled properly even church need not require a great deal of socializing.

“Let’s go.” Charles grabbed her arm without waiting for an answer and began to drag her down the hallway.

“What?” Sarah was incredulous. He couldn’t just drag her off to the village, could he? She clung tightly to the small pile of sheets she still held and tried to plant her feet, but his pull was inexorable. Mrs. Brown rushed to catch up and they engaged in a brief tug-of-war over the sheets. Mrs. Brown won.

“Now don’t worry, Mrs. North, I’ll take care of these. You go on to the village with Mr. Borden. I’m sure it will be nice to get away for a little while.”

Sarah could only stare wide-eyed with incredulity at Mrs. Brown over her shoulder as Charles dragged her away. Was the woman daft? Did she honestly think Sarah would find it “nice” to be stared at like an oddity from a traveling circus?

Before she knew it she was standing in the hall while Anders shoved her coat over her arms. Charles was adjusting his hat as he watched with approval.

“Blue is quite becoming on you, Mrs. North.” His comment was made politely, but Sarah caught a gleam in his eyes that had nothing to do with politeness. Her heart soared and then she blushed and glanced nervously at Anders. He was busy fetching her bonnet and paying them no mind. To him Charles’ comment must seem nothing more than the polite flattery practiced by so many gentlemen. Perhaps that’s all it was, truly. Sarah mustn’t read too much into it.

Suddenly Charles winked from under his rakishly perched hat and Sarah caught her breath.

The study door opened and Gideon appeared on his crutches. He stopped as he saw them all in the hall. “Where are you going?” His question was curious, nothing more. He held a sheaf of papers in his hand.

“To the village,” Charles replied. “Mrs. North needs a few things.”

Gideon nodded absently. “Good, good.” His gaze grew sharp as he watched Sarah put her bonnet on. “When you return I need to speak to you about these.” He raised the papers. “But there is no hurry.” He turned back to the study and as the door was closing behind him, called out, “Get her a new hat, would you Charles?” Sarah’s mouth dropped open and she was about to tell him her hat was none of his business when his sparkling blue eyes met hers briefly over his shoulder. He caught the door with his elbow and held it open. “Make sure that one meets an untimely and violent demise.”

Then the door swung shut in her astonished face.

58

Love’s Fortress

“Well!” she said. What else could she say to the closed door? Truthfully she didn’t like the bonnet either. That didn’t mean she was giving it up without an argument, however. She wore it for a reason. It hid her birthmark beautifully.

She saw a small gig waiting for them in the drive as she and Charles went down the front steps. When had Charles asked for that? It was almost as if the entire house was attuned to Charles’ needs at all times. This wasn’t the first time that whatever he needed magically appeared without a word being spoken. The servants adored him. He was always unfailingly polite and gracious with them. In the short time she’d been here Sarah had determined that Charles was not a distant estate manager but instead a man who worked right alongside the staff, listened to their problems and helped when he could. Yet they treated him like a gentleman, not an equal. Sarah had the impression that Charles had earned the deference of the servants through his kindness and industry. She hoped to do the same. She didn’t want the staff to obey her simply because she was Mrs. North, although they would. But it would be so much better, and easier, if they respected her as a person and not just her station.

“Sarah?” Charles was standing next to the gig, holding out his hand, his head cocked to the side as he waited patiently. She blinked, suddenly aware she had been standing like a dolt staring at him.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized. “I was thinking about what I needed in the village.”

She didn’t like to lie and could feel her cheeks heat with shame.

“Were you?” Charles murmured as she took his hand and stepped up into the small carriage. She refused to look at him.

Halfway to the village Charles asked Sarah where they were going. She had been desperately trying not to let his proximity encourage thoughts of the wedding night, concentrating on his driving and the horses and the passing scenery, anything but their past intimacies. She was concentrating so hard it took her several heartbeats to realize he meant what shops she needed to visit. “The apothecary and the general store, please.”

“And the milliner,” Charles added.

She couldn’t see his face around the brim of her hat, but Sarah put a protective hand on it just in case. “What is wrong with my hat?”

Charles cleared his throat and Sarah scooted over to the side in order to turn her head and look at him. He stared straight ahead for a moment, a muscle working in his jaw. When he finally glanced at her, his expression was far too innocent. “Why, there is nothing wrong with your hat. Gideon simply wants to buy you new things. He is newly married, after all. It’s only natural he should want to buy you pretty things.”

Sarah let her skepticism show. “Is it? Since his money paid for this one, he has already bought me enough hats.” She turned to the front again and moved back to a comfortable place on the seat. “I am fond of this hat. I very much like the style of it.

Perhaps I should get one just like it.”

59

Samantha Kane

Next to her Charles choked out a cough and Sarah smiled triumphantly behind the huge brim of her bonnet.

But Charles was not ready to concede defeat. “You are quite right, of course. It is very fetching. May I see it? I’ve often wondered how they make those bonnets for ladies. Are they similar to a gentleman’s hat? Inside?” She saw his hand waving about in front of him, apparently to indicate flipping a hat upside down. At least she assumed it was his hand since she couldn’t see where it attached to his body. She almost giggled at the thought.

“I am sure I have no idea,” Sarah said primly. “I have not examined gentlemen’s clothing to any great extent.”

“Pity, that,” Charles murmured. He sounded closer than before, although his legs had not moved, and neither had his shoulder against hers. The heat from that contact had been warming her most of the carriage ride. Was he leaning toward her? The skin on her arms got goose bumps and she shivered. “I cannot tell from here,” he muttered.

“Take it off and show me the inside.”

Sarah was suspicious, but he hadn’t asked to have the hat so she saw no harm in holding it up for his inspection. The road was empty in front and in back of them, so she needn’t fear running into a neighbor without her bonnet. She quickly untied the ribbon at her jaw and took the bonnet off, careful not to disturb her hair arrangement.

Lil, Mrs. Brown’s young niece and Sarah’s new maid, had put it up in the latest fashion today, or so she said. All day it had felt to Sarah as if it were going to fall around her shoulders any minute. She didn’t have a headache for a change, but she missed her old, tight fashion.

“I’ve been meaning to tell you how attractive your hair looks today. I like the way it…”Charles swooped his hand down along his face. “Sort of falls like that.”

Sarah blushed and covered her embarrassment by holding the hat out for his inspection. “I’m not sure whether it’s supposed to be falling or not.” Her confession was made in a crisply wry tone that made Charles laugh.

“I’m not either, but it still looks pretty,” he assured her. Then without a by-your-leave he grabbed her bonnet and tossed it in the road under the horses, grabbed Sarah’s arm and flicked the reins. The horses broke into a trot and stomped her poor bonnet to shreds.

Sarah spun about in the seat and stared in shock at her crushed bonnet lying broken in the road behind them. Charles slowed the horses with a tug on the reins and Sarah nearly fell off the seat, but Charles put out his arm and stopped her fall.

“My bonnet!” Sarah cried in anger. She turned around and glared at Charles. “You did that on purpose!”

Charles glanced at her and she did not like his smug grin at all. “Yes, I did.”

Well, that took the wind out of her sails. She couldn’t believe she was almost charmed by his unrepentant response. She frowned harder. “You are no gentleman.”

60

Love’s Fortress

Charles’ lips became a thin slash and he trained his gaze on the road before them.

“No, I am not.”

What? It did not sound as if he meant that the same way she did. How she wished she were more adept at understanding men. But she’d known so few intimately. “I’m sorry,” she ventured.

Charles smiled coolly but still would not look at her. “Why? It’s the truth. I was not born a gentleman.”

“Charles, a gentleman is more than his birth. A gentleman is judged on his behavior, his speech, his noble actions. No one can pass judgment on you in those areas.”

He spared her only a glance before he turned away. If she didn’t know better, she’d have said he looked both tender and guilty. Her emotions seemed just as tangled today.