Redemption of a Fallen Woman (18 page)

Harry saw the horse go down and heard the cry of alarm as it pitched Elena over its shoulder. For a second or two she went under, then, to his relief, surfaced again. The horse found its feet and plunged towards the shore. Harry expected to see Elena towed in after it, clinging on to its tail, but when it didn’t happen and the current carried her away downstream he paled. Leaping off his horse, he flung his coat over the saddle and then plunged into the water. He was a strong swimmer but the tug of the current was stronger. Moreover, he couldn’t immediately see Elena. The sensation of dread that followed was colder than the water. He cast around in desperation, seeking some trace of her. Then, at last, he glimpsed her head above the surface. Relief displaced dread and he struck out in her direction. He was only feet away when she went under again. Harry sucked in a lungful of air and dived.

Elena struggled against the water drag, kicking for the surface, eyes stinging, lungs parched and burning. She could see lighter water above her but she was tiring rapidly and every movement was an effort. The weight of her sodden clothing pulled her downwards. Then the light began to recede and the water darkened around her. Bubbles of air streamed from her mouth. She was vaguely aware of something solid against her back and then a strong arm locked around her chest and began to haul her upwards. As her head broke the surface she gasped, coughing and choking and spluttering. Then she heard Harry’s voice in her ear.

‘Don’t be afraid. I’ll get you out of this.’

Chapter Seventeen

H
arry made no attempt to fight the current. Instead he let it carry them for another two hundred yards until a curve in the river brought them naturally into the shallows where the water was slower and only thigh-deep. Finding his feet at last he put an arm around Elena’s waist and dragged her upright. He felt her stagger and glanced down at her pale face. Her skin was icy to the touch but she was alive. He frowned, his emotions torn between anxiety and relief. Lifting her bodily out of the water he waded ashore and sat her down carefully on the shingle bank. Then he knelt beside her.

‘Elena? Elena, look at me.’

She became aware of a man’s coat, wet and rough against her cheek, and grey eyes looking anxiously into hers. Rather uncertainly she stared back.

‘Are you all right, sweetheart?’

She nodded, eventually finding her voice again. ‘I...I think so.’

‘Thank heaven for that. You gave me quite a fright back there.’

‘My horse fell in a hole. For a while I really thought I was done for.’

‘Surely you didn’t think I’d give you up so easily?’

Her gaze held his. ‘I’m glad you didn’t. Thank you.’

‘No thanks are required.’ He surveyed her critically. ‘What is required is to get you indoors in front of a fire. You’re chilled to the bone and paler than a lily.’

He hauled her onto her feet. Just then Jack and Concha appeared with the horses. When they saw their companions alive and apparently unscathed their relief was evident.

‘
Madre mia!
I feared we had lost you,’ said Concha.

‘I thought so myself for a while,’ replied Elena, shuddering.

‘You look awful. Ghastly pale.’

Jack frowned. ‘We’d best get you in t’warm, my lady.’

‘My thought exactly,’ said Harry.

‘Next town’s not far off. According t’map, it’s not above a mile up t’road.’

Harry nodded, privately thanking heaven that they weren’t stuck in the middle of nowhere. ‘Right, we’ll go there at once.’

With the aid of his arm Elena staggered to her horse, feeling very cold and uncharacteristically shaky. The thought of another ride was distinctly unappealing, but there was no choice about that now. She eyed her mount with misgivings; somehow it seemed a lot bigger than it had before, its back much further away. In the event she was spared the trouble of mounting. Assessing the situation with complete accuracy, Harry picked her up and she experienced a brief sensation of weightlessness as he tossed her lightly into the saddle. Then, keeping a firm hold on her reins, he remounted his own horse and they set off.

Fortunately, Jack was right: it wasn’t very far at all to town. He and Concha lost no time in locating an inn and bespeaking rooms. The place was unpretentious but it was clean. Harry lifted Elena off her horse and carried her indoors, firing off a series of instructions to the startled
patrón
as he went. Within a relatively short time Elena found herself in a spacious private chamber in front of a cheerful fire. Harry set her down and surveyed her critically.

‘We need to get you out of those wet things.’

‘You’re wet too.’

‘I’ll worry about that presently. Right now I’m more concerned about you.’ He stepped closer and unfastened her jacket, dragging it off her shoulders. Then he sat her in a chair and bent down to pull off her boots.

‘Can you manage the rest?’

She nodded dumbly.

‘Good.’ He handed her a couple of linen towels. ‘You’ll need these.’

Leaving her to get on with it he began to peel off his own wet clothing. Elena struggled out of her sodden breeches and then glanced round. Harry had his back to her so she pulled off her shirt and, with fumbling fingers, wrapped the first linen sheet around herself. Then she turned towards the fire again and began to dry her hair with the other while he finished undressing. He stripped and fastened a towel around his waist. The sight of that hard-muscled body sent a tremor through her that had nothing whatever to do with cold.

Unaware of the inner turmoil he was causing, he set to, draping their wet clothing over chairs to dry in front of the hearth. When he had done that he straightened and turned towards her, regarding her critically. Under that penetrating stare Elena felt suddenly self-conscious.

‘I look like a drowned rat, don’t I?’

‘Not the expression I was going to use,’ he replied. ‘But you still look mighty pale, my sweet.’

‘Do I?’

‘You’ll feel better with some hot food inside you. Shall you object to dining in here?’

She returned a wry smile. ‘I think it would be best under the circumstances.’

He grinned. ‘So do I. The sight of you like that would cause a local scandal.’

She thought that the same could be said of him, but ventured no reply.

He went to the door and summoned Jack, who had been loitering in the corridor for the purpose, and sent him off for some food and a jug of mulled wine. A short time later the servant returned with the wine and the intelligence that the food would follow. Harry relieved him of the jug and goblets and, after delivering an injunction to take himself off and find something to eat, bade him farewell and shut the door. Then he poured two generous measures of wine and handed one to Elena.

‘Drink this. It’ll warm you.’

The wine was sweet and fragrant with cloves and cinnamon. She took a sip and swallowed, feeling the hot liquor carving a path all the way to her stomach. It was also dangerously heady, rather like the man opposite. Slowly the combination of inner and outer warmth began to take effect with a painful tingling in her hands and feet.

Seeing some of the colour return to her face Harry felt more reassured. It had been no lie when he said she’d given him some anxious moments earlier. His heart had been in his mouth. For a little while he’d really feared he might not find her. The thought of the alternative turned him a lot colder than the river ever had. In that moment he truly understood how much she meant to him. He also knew he wasn’t going to fail her as he’d failed Belén.

A discreet knock distracted him. When he opened the door this time it was to see Concha bearing a large tray. On witnessing Harry in such a state of undress her eyes widened. She shot a swift glance past him to Elena and, on seeing her mistress in like case, sent a conspiratorial smile that way. Then she handed over the tray and left them.

Harry pulled the table closer to the fire and laid two places. Then he set out the dishes and drew up two chairs. The tray bore a tureen full of rich and savoury stew. It was accompanied by a loaf of fresh bread. It was a simple meal but it tasted delicious and they ate hungrily. Gradually the chill receded and was replaced by contented warmth. Afterwards they lingered over the rest of the spiced wine. Harry leaned back in his chair, surveying her over the rim of his cup.

‘Better?’

‘Very much better,’ she replied.

‘You look it.’ It was an understatement, he thought. Her colour had returned and, now that her hair had dried, an unruly mass of dark curls tumbled over her bare shoulders. The linen towel clung to the contours of her figure and, since it finished just above her knees, left a pleasing amount of shapely leg on view.

Aware of his scrutiny to the last atom of her being, she realised that she should have felt embarrassed or ashamed, but she didn’t. Those feelings were long gone. When Harry looked at her it engendered a very different sensation.

‘Thanks to you,’ she replied. ‘It’s thanks to you that I’m here at all.’

‘I beg you will not mention it.’

‘Not mention it?’ She regarded him incredulously. ‘You saved my life, Harry, and risked your own to do it.’

His gaze locked with hers. ‘You are too precious to lose. I did not know how precious until that moment.’

With an effort she managed to keep her voice level. ‘You don’t know how much it means to hear you say that.’

His heart performed an unusual and risky manoeuvre. He hesitated, fearing to ask the next question but knowing he was going to anyway. ‘Then am I to understand that the sentiment is returned?’

‘Yes, it is returned. I wanted to tell you before but, in view of what had happened, I didn’t know how.’ She rose from her chair and moved round to his side of the table. Taking his face in her hands she bent and kissed him. ‘It took an icy bath in the river to bring me to my senses.’

Harry put an arm about her waist and drew her on to his lap. ‘I think I am the one who needed bringing to my senses.’

Her arms slid around his neck and she kissed him again, gently at first, then more deeply. He tasted of wine and cloves and cinnamon, a combination that was exciting and erotic. His tongue flirted with hers, inviting and getting a like response. She pressed closer, breathing his scent, revelling in the touch of his skin beneath her hands and the play of muscles across his shoulders. As she moved, the towel slipped a little. Strong warm hands caressed her back and shoulders. The towel slipped further, uncovering her breasts and, as flesh met flesh, the kiss became passionate.

Eventually Harry drew back a little, heart pounding, and his gaze locked with hers. ‘If this doesn’t stop now, my sweet, it isn’t going to stop at all.’

‘I don’t want it to stop.’

For a moment he wasn’t sure if he’d heard aright but the expression in those dark eyes held an unmistakable invitation. ‘Are you quite sure about this, Elena?’

‘Yes, I’m sure.’

He scooped her up and carried her across to the bed. Kneeling on the mattress he drew her to her knees in front of him, letting his hands ride her waist, pulling her closer. His mouth brushed hers, light, teasing, then gradually more insistent. He wanted her so badly it hurt, but he had no intention of hurrying this. Nor did he intend to make any demands. It was solely about giving her all possible pleasure. Thus his exploration of her body was leisurely and thorough, every caress designed to arouse and increase desire. His lips moved from her mouth to her cheek and thence to the lobe of her ear. He nibbled lightly, sending a delicious shiver the length of her, but what she felt now was increasing excitement, not fear.

He resumed, moving lower, kissing her neck and throat and then her breasts. Recalling her response the last time he’d done this he took a soft peak in his mouth, teasing gently. He heard her gasp, saw the rosy flush that bloomed along her skin. He unfastened the towel and discarded it along with his own. Then he resumed, sliding a hand down her back to her hips and buttocks. The other caressed her belly, moving thence to the secret place between her thighs. Very gently he found what he was seeking and stroked.

Heat flooded her pelvis and deep within it a coil of tension formed and grew. As he continued stroking the sensation intensified producing slick wetness. Blood became fire. She shuddered, arching towards him, carried on a shock wave of exquisite pleasure. It was followed by another and another.

‘Heavens! Harry, please...’

Slowly he lowered himself on to his back. ‘Sit astride me, Elena.’

Her eyes widened in brief astonishment but she moved to obey nonetheless. As she straddled him he slid into her. She caught her breath, her entire body resonating with him, wanting this, revelling in the feel of him inside her. Instinctively she moved with him, in a slow delicious rhythm. Gradually, the rhythm increased and he moved deeper, but there was no pain and no fear, only increasing delight.

Harry smiled and received an answering smile in return. He knew then he’d been right. This time she was with him, part of him. Her beautiful eyes were dark with passion, their expression not of terror now but ecstasy. His hold on her hips grew stronger and pulled her down, thrusting harder. He heard her gasp, felt her body arch and quiver. Then he let go of his restraint and joined her in a final shuddering climax. Breathless now he slumped back on the bed, his heart thumping against his ribs. He had expected to enjoy the experience but the intensity of it took him by surprise. She had possessed him body and soul.

‘That was incredible.’

She smiled and leaned down to kiss him. ‘Yes, it was. More than I ever imagined it could be. Thank you.’ She paused. ‘How did you know to do this?’

‘When you panicked before it was because I was pinning you down. It was a stupid mistake and one I didn’t want to repeat. I guessed that if you didn’t feel trapped you’d enjoy it a lot more.’

‘You were right, on both counts.’

‘I’m glad. I never want you to feel frightened of me again.’

‘I didn’t trust you enough and I’m sorry for it.’

‘How should you have trusted me? You had only nightmare experience to judge by, and I was thoughtless enough to remind you of it.’

‘I shall not be afraid now.’

‘Indeed I hope not.’ He paused, regarding her quizzically. ‘Do you mean to stay there, my sweet? I’m not complaining, of course, but I’d rather like to hold you.’

She grinned and came to lie down beside him. He drew the coverlet over them and pulled her close, sharing his warmth. Elena rested her head on his shoulder. It was reassuring and dependable like the steady rhythm of his heartbeat under her hand. With a small sigh of contentment she closed her eyes and smiled. She was truly his wife now and he had made her a woman again. While he hadn’t actually said that he loved her, his actions today showed that he did care. It was enough for now.