Saved by a Rake (18 page)

“
No. Let my wife go. She has been through enough at the hands of your family.”

“
I do not believe her sorry little tale. My brother would never force himself on a lady.”

“
Your brother would, and you will put down the pistol and leave my land immediately before I take matters into my own hands.” He hit the stick off the palm of his free hand.

“
I will kill your wife if you force me to do it.” There was a slight tremble in Newthorpe’s hand. He did not have the ability to shoot someone in cold blood. She could see it in his eyes. But could Daniel see it too? Was he going to wager on him not shooting by accident especially if a scuffle ensued?”

“
My brother did not kill the late Newthorpe. I have a witness to that end. If you shoot Lady Ramsey in revenge against an innocent man, you will hang. And none of us want that. So I say again. Put the pistol down.”

“
Simon was seen leaving Newthorpe House on the morning he was murdered.”

“
He was. Simon found your brother, already dead, near a disreputable gaming hell in Cheapside. If George had been found there, it would have caused a terrible scandal and knowing you have three younger sisters who all need to find a suitable match after their come-outs, Simon decided to do the honourable, yet stupid thing. He and his friend removed your brother from where he died and took him home.”

“
I do not believe it. Are you trying to tell me that my brother buggered other men?”

Rebecca
’s eyes widened. She may not know the word that Newthorpe had just said, but she was pretty sure that in the context she knew its meaning.

“
I would thank you to moderate your language when there is a lady present,” said Daniel, nodding in his wife’s direction. Rebecca’s mouth gaped open. The man was unbelievable. He was concerned about Newthorpe swearing in her presence while he pointed a pistol at her. And after they had been discussing her being raped. Men! They were all ridiculous big oafs.

The air was thick with tension
, and the absurdity of the situation bubbled up through Rebecca until a peal of laughter escaped her lips.

Both men looked at her and frowned. She had no idea if she was just hysterical and having a fit of the vapours or if this was a normal reaction. The men looked at each other in consternation.

“Oh for heaven’s sake. Charles, put the pistol down and untie me. This is ridiculous. It’s like a farce I saw at the theatre in London once.” They both looked askance, but Daniel was the first to come back to himself.

“
Charles, there is no honour in this. I demand that you untie my wife and face me for a duel tomorrow morn.”

“
I will face Lord Simon Ramsey in that duel, my lord, not you.” Daniel pulled off his glove and threw it on the floor.

“
Tomorrow morn at six o’clock, down beside the loch, and you will face me because it is my wife whom you look upon down the barrel of your pistol.”

“
Done.” At last, Charles lowered his weapon and placed in on the side table nearby. “But you will be dead, and you had better hope that child she’s carrying is a boy.”

“
I am a better shot than you will ever be. Mark my words.”

“
Who will be your second?”

“
Simon, of course. And that big oaf I saw leave, will he be yours?”

Rebecca, still tied and now more furious than she had ever been in her
life, screamed her husband’s name, followed by the name of her assailant.

Both men turned.

“Oh I beg your pardon, my lady,” said Charles, hurrying around to untie her. “I forgot my manners.”

“
Your manners? Your manners?” She was definitely hysterical now. Men were absolutely preposterous and these two were the worst. What were they thinking as they had a friendly discussion over blowing one another’s brains out? “You are a damned fool, Lord Newthorpe. As are you, Lord Ramsey.”

“
I am defending your honour, my love, and that of my brother.”

“
Your brother would be better suited to defending his own honour and sitting down with the earl to discuss what happened. Perhaps Lord Newthorpe would consider that.”

Newthorpe
had finished untying her and stood up, moving quickly out of her way as Rebecca got to her feet.

“
Would you be prepared to talk to Simon, my lord? You and he used to be friends as I understand it.”

“
Yes, well, we were until he started trying to court Lady Charlotte Taylforth, while he knew that I was interested in seeking her hand in marriage.”

“
If I remember correctly, Lady Charlotte Taylforth, now the Duchess of Otteringham had her sights set much higher than the second son of an earl,” stated Rebecca, pushing a fussing Daniel out of the way. “Neither of you were rich enough or likely enough to hold a title for her to be interested. So you both wasted your time and a perfectly good friendship.”

“
Well, yes, but it was the principle of the matter.”

“
I think it is time to put the past and your principles behind us now. My lord, would you come to Drumbane House for tea?”

Charles
’s gaze darted from Rebecca to her husband, and Daniel shrugged and snorted.

“
Women. Always thinking things can be sorted out by talking,” he grumbled to himself.

“
Fine. Seems as good a plan as any. But if we cannot work this out, I will challenge you or your brother again to a duel.”

****

Simon walked into the drawing room, head held high. Rebecca suspected that only someone who knew he had been shot would realise his gait was somewhat compromised. He wore a dark green coat, black breeches and black riding boots. His hair was wet and swept to the side. Andrew walked in a few feet behind him.

“
Ah Simon, you know the Earl of Newthorpe. My lord, may I present Simon’s friend Mr Andrew Mackay. He is a scholar at the University of Edinburgh.”

“
Pleasure to meet you, Mr Mackay. Mr Ramsey.” The men all bowed politely, waited for Rebecca to sit, then took their seats. Daniel sat so close to Rebecca, he was practically on her knee. She frowned and wriggled, hoping he would get the message but, oblivious to her discomfiture, he glowered from Simon to Newthorpe.

“
Now the pleasantries are complete, let us consider why my brother-in-law has a bullet hole in his side and why you deemed it necessary to kidnap me, my lord.”

Daniel frowned at her as she lifted the heavy teapot and began to pour. She was far too tired and emotional to tiptoe around the subject.
And it needed to be dealt with. Besides, she had no wish to deal with another round of male egos posturing and strutting and threatening more duels. The self-confidence she had gained since Newthorpe’s attack still surprised her and left her wondering where this inner strength had come from. But she knew. The Countess of Chapelbrooke would be proud of her when they eventually made it back to London.

“
Ah yes, well, it appears that you, Mr Simon Ramsey, were seen with another gentleman leaving Newthorpe House sometime on the night of my brother’s murder.”

“
The other gentleman was me, my lord,” said Andrew. Newthorpe stared at him for a moment, obviously having expected Simon to deny being there, and shook his head in confusion when he did not.

“
So you were there? Did you kill my brother?”

“
I did not,” stated Simon, his voice even and his gaze steady as it met the earl’s.

“
Then why, pray tell, were you leaving his house? What the devil happened to him?” Newthorpe was becoming loud and upset in the face of Simon’s calm demeanour.

Simon paused, allowing
the other man the chance to catch his breath and compose himself before he spoke. He glanced at Andrew, who gave him an almost imperceptible nod.

“
We think he was robbed. Very probably killed for his purse. Your brother was very skilled at cards and often won big in the less reputable gaming hells. There would have been men who knew of his luck and possibly of his tendencies towards other men.”

“
This is the second time one of you has claimed that George preferred gentlemen to ladies. I do not believe that to be the case. He was courting Lady Ramsey, when she was still Lady Rebecca Eversley of course. Why would he have… oh!” They all sat quietly, waiting for him to fully work things through in his mind. “Oh God. He needed an heir. Of course he had to wed.”

“
I often think second sons do not quite realise the amount of expectation heaped on the shoulders of elder sons,” stated Daniel solemnly. “I was lucky that my father allowed me to sow my wild oats and be a bit of a rakehell before he forced me to settle down. But I suppose I was also lucky that I had a penchant for ladies.”

“
He attacked Lady Eversley because he needed an heir?” Newthorpe’s words were half question, half statement.

“
Or because he hoped to force her into marriage with him. We do not know, and he is not here to ask. Suffice to say, I think your brother was a very unhappy and troubled man, Your Lordship.”

Rebecca had watched Charles throughout. Hurt seemed to surround him as each new piece of information sunk in. He looked as if he had aged ten years in the length of time it took for his tea to grow cold.

“I am so truly sorry, my lady, for the pain and distress that my brother must have caused you. I have no way to recompense you for his ill-treatment of you.”

“
I do not need recompense. I have everything I need.” She placed her hand on Daniel’s as it rested on his knee and smiled warmly at him. He turned his hand over and squeezed her fingers.

“
And you, Simon. I shot you. How can I ever recompense you for your injury?”

Simon laughed.
“Do not be so bloody daft, man.” Daniel’s younger brother chuckled. “Apologies, my dear Rebecca. But really, Charles, there is no harm done and it was a dashed idiotic thing to do to carry your brother through the streets of London. Even if I was only thinking of the reputation of your sisters.”

“
I could offer you one of my sister’s hands in marriage. I am sure one of them would oblige. You are a handsome enough fellow, and I’m sure you have some money.”

Andrew and Simon caught each other
’s gaze. Merriment and something deeper passed between them. Was it love? Or lust? Rebecca did not know, but she knew in that moment that Andrew was going to be Simon’s friend for a very long time.

“
I think I can assure you, Charles, that I am not the type of man to wed.”

Charles looked at Simon as if he was seeing him for the first time. He opened his mouth to speak and then closed it. He looked from Andrew to Simon before nodding as if he had satisfied his own curiosity.

“Well, I owe you a favour if ever you need one.”

“
Done.” The two men got up and shook hands, slapping each other on the shoulder. “Damned fine idea of yours to talk this out, do you not think? I am surprised more people do not do it.”

Rebecca sighed with relief. At last, the whole sorry mess seemed to be sorted out—reasonably satisfactorily. As much as she still hated what the late
earl had done to her, she would never have found Daniel, and she would never have known the deep love that she now felt for the man sitting silently by her side, stroking his thumb up and down her fingers.

Chapter
Twenty-Five

Daniel leaned back on his chair and stretched the knots out of his muscles. He had been sitting for far too long. His eyes were dry from reading for lengthy spells
, and his fingers were covered in ink after a mishap with a broken nib. He suspected he was unsettled because Rebecca had forced the issue and stopped the possibility of a duel. There was nothing quite like pistols at dawn to get a man’s heart racing and his stomach churning. And now he had all this pent up energy and no idea what to do with it.

Speaking of Rebecca, he wondered where his pretty little wife was. He got up and shrugged on his coat before venturing out into the large hallway.

“Anderson, do you know where Lady Ramsey is?”

“
I believe she went for a walk, my lord. She said she may go down towards the loch.”

The loch, indeed. Perfect. He could go and surprise her. The weather was glorious
, and he was of a mind to take her to a secluded spot and tumble her, if she was willing.

He hardened inside his breeches at the very thought of Rebecca lying under him, he
r skirts pushed up to her waist and her booted feet resting on his buttocks as he drove into her.

Damn! He had to keep reminding himself to go slowly and not frighten her. He really did not want a repeat of the incident in the library when she panicked.

He hurried down the hill to the small loch, the sun beating down on him making him begin to sweat. He could take off his coat. She would hardly be scandalised by him wearing just shirt sleeves when she had, only that morning, had his erection in her mouth again, bringing him to yet another heart-stopping climax. But he chose to keep the garment on in case he met any gardeners on his travels.

She was standing on the tiny beach which ran into the loch, her bonnet
ribbons wrapped through the fingers on one hand and the hat fluttering about in the breeze. She could not see her other hand except that it was near her face. He hurried up to her, making no attempt to silence himself. He would hate to scare her.

“
Oh come now, Rebecca, you silly girl. Daniel will think you ugly if you arrive back at the house with red rimmed eyes and tear-stained cheeks,” she chided herself.

“
Daniel will always think you are beautiful, Rebecca,” he said quietly. What the hell was wrong with her? Had she hurt herself? Was it something to do with Newthorpe? Had she had words with Mrs McPhee?

He approached and turned her to look at him. He wanted to laugh. She did not look particularly attractive with her
red nose and bloodshot, watery eyes.

“
What has happened?” he asked, fear clenching at his gut.

“
My courses have come.”

“
Your courses?”

“
Yes. You know. A lady’s m…”

“
I know what courses are, my love, but why are you so upset?”

“
I thought I may be with child. And I hate to disappoint you.”

She could not look him in the eye
, and he knew it had nothing to do with embarrassment about her bodily functions. As she swiped at her nose with the heel of her hand, he reached for his handkerchief and offered it. She took it with a grateful smile.

After her comment when
Newthorpe had kidnapped her, she had said nothing more. He had wondered if she had been emotionally blackmailing her adversary or if she genuinely thought she may be pregnant. It now seemed that it had been the latter.

“
Your courses were late?” he asked gently. She sniffed and waved the hand with the handkerchief in it.

“
Just a couple of days, but I did hope. I am usually very regular.”

“
It could take a few months though. Hell, I knew a man who waited three years for his first babe.”

“
I know. I know it sounds silly, but I thought that maybe if I was carrying your child it would somehow be an end to what the late earl did to me.”

Daniel thought on this. Her body had been invaded by an unwelcome force. And now she hoped for something pure and innocent to grow inside her. It made a strange sort of sense to him
.

“
It makes perfect sense to me,” he fibbed. “But we should not expect too much too soon.”

“
I suppose you will now know absolutely that I am not carrying his bastard child,” she said bitterly. That stung. He should never have questioned her integrity over whether she was with child by Newthorpe.

“
From the day we arrived at Drumbane and you gave me your word that you were not with child, I believed you.” He spoke in measured, even tones. “I trust you, Rebecca, and I pray that one day you will fully trust me too.”

She looked up into his eyes
, and he could see it. The slight tinge of doubt. He should have been prepared but it still cut like a knife. God dammit. He was not Newthorpe. In that moment he resolved to earn that last tiny bit of trust from her.

****

It had been a long six days. Rebecca had offered to move to the countess’s bedchamber, but Daniel would not hear of it. The first night as pain had gripped her, as it did every month, Daniel had moved behind her and rubbed her stomach. The warmth of his body on her back and his hand on her belly easing the pain. She had apologised for the inconvenience, but he had laughed it away, even though his arousal was obvious—his hardness trapped between their bodies.

Now her courses were finished and she lay in bed, awaiting his ar
rival. She listened for the thud of his boots on the hallway floor, toying absentmindedly with her own nipple, her body filled with anticipation and need. The week had not been without its tender moments. He had refused to let her sleep before kissing her soundly and murmuring words of love in her ear. Two nights before, he had allowed her to use her hand to bring him relief. Once again making a point that he felt weak in his inability to last a week without her touch.

She smiled and told him that it made her feel needed and wanted
, and he had kissed her gently, stating that now he would rather die than live without her.

The door opened
, and she looked up into dark brown eyes which were filled with passion. She licked her dry lips and flicked her plait over her shoulder.

Daniel sat on the side of the bed and pulled off his boots before dropping his coat on the floor and lying down alongside her.

“Are you planning to tumble me with just the placket of your breeches undone, my lord?” she teased.

“
I doubt I can wait long enough even to undo the buttons,” he growled. She placed a hand on the placket and felt the need stab at her own sex as the hardness within told her he was more than ready to make good on his threat.

“
I would prefer to run my hand over your naked back and your buttocks and rub my breasts against the skin on your chest.” It was then that she noticed he had no neck cloth on. He had known that she struggled with the knot and had obviously put it in his coat pocket.

She toyed with the buttons on his waistcoat before popping them open and pushing the offending garment off his shoulders. The
n she undid the ties of his shirt.

He allowed her to undress him
, but the first touch of her skin against hers elicited a low moan from him. When his shirt was removed and she ran a hand smoothly from his shoulder, down his chest before circling his small rosy nipple, then tracing the thin train of hair down to his navel, the moan turned into something feral. Her own body ached for him, and she was well aware that he had a tenuous hold on his self-control.

When
she reached his waist, she curled her fingers under the fabric of his breeches, feeling her way around until she nudged the tip of his erection.

He threw his head back and cursed. The curse was music to her ears. She had no idea if other women
—widows and courtesans—had effected this reaction in him, and she did not care. She knew that from the day of her wedding until one of them died, she was the only one who would be allowed to try. The knowledge made her feel powerful.

He was hers and only hers
, and his body had been created for her pleasure.

He tugged on the ribbon at the
bottom of her plait before undoing it and allowing her hair to fall in a curled mane over her shoulders and down to her waist.

She shook her head, enjoying the lack of restriction, the sense of freedom. She wondered for a moment if he found it erotic when her hair tickled his body. Did his mouth water when she removed her nightgown, as she was doing now? Did he have an ache around his private area at the sight of
her? When he was engorged, it certainly looked sore but he derived so much pleasure, she was sure the ache could not be as bad as hers.

He was watching her, his eyes hooded and his long dark lashes brus
hing his cheek when he blinked. She leaned down and kissed one closed eye, then the other.

“
You are making it very difficult for me to go slow and control myself, my love,” he ground out, flexing his fingers before clenching his fists.

“
I do not recall asking you to go slowly, Daniel. I have been waiting for nearly half an hour for you, my mind full of the possibilities and the positions in which you might choose to bed me tonight. I am wet and ready for you.”

“
Devil take it!” He unbuttoned the placket of his britches and pulled the string of his drawers before lifting his hips and pulling both off in one swift movement. With no warning he had flipped her onto her back and mounted her, his thick length nudging her entrance. It had completely taken her breath away and she gave a shocked giggle. The fact he still wore his stockings further amused her. He frowned.

“
Are you all right?”

“
I am fine. Please kiss me.”

He slanted his mouth over hers and buried his hands underneath her back and shoulders,
pulling her flush against him. She curled her fingers into his hair, kissing him back as he slid his thick rod inside her. It was wonderful to feel joined to him completely again after a week of abstinence.

They seemed to fit perfectly and he groaned against her
tongue when she wrapped her legs around him, allowing him to slide even deeper. He seemed to sense what she needed tonight as he moved slowly in and out of her, caressing her tongue and lips with his, allowing her to taste the wine he had drunk at dinner.

The tension in his body betrayed his calm demeanour. His arm muscles bulged, his stomach was taut
and when he pulled back from the kiss to watch her, a thick vein corded down his neck.

Desire glittered in his dark eyes, which looked black in the candlelight. He circled his hips, grinding against the nerves that pushed her to climax. Slowly she ground back and his
lips lifted at the corners—turning his grim determined mouth into a feral grin.

He pushed deep and held still as he moved his
hand between them, finding the spot that made her groan in ecstasy. Hunger for that climax coursed through her as shots of desire bolted in all directions through her body. She arched her back and begged.

“
Please, Daniel. Oh God, please.” She expected a chuckle but instead the noise was more of a growl.

Again he pulled her against him and started to move, deep and hard, muttering something in her ear.

“God dammit…beautiful…love…come…Christ…wet…need.”

She clung on as the climax rolled up from her toes through her tense thighs and into her womb where it exploded, darkening her vision and causing little stars behind her eyelids. Still Daniel muttered words and thrust as she dug her fingernails into h
is smooth back. It was happening again. Just as light burst through her brain and her body shattered again, she was aware of his seed filling her and his yell of delight.

He held her still, in
an almost bruising hug while he moved his hips, more gently now—sliding in and out of her body. She had no strength left in her body as her full consciousness returned, and she did not protest when he dropped her back onto the mattress and collapsed on top of her.

She loved the feel of his body on top of her, even if he was rather heavy. Slowly she trailed her middle finger down and then back up his damp spine. When he grunted and tried to move, she shushed him and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. He would leave her body soon enough but somewhere along the line, Lord Daniel Ramsey, Viscount Ramsey, had found his way into her heart and she had learned to trust him implicitly.

She suspected that there would still be times that his touch would frighten or spook her, but she could learn to control that because in her heart of hearts, she knew that he would never hurt her.