He was kissing her again, deeply, with a fierce hunger that matched her own, his arms locked on both sides of her like iron bars, his fingers threaded in her hair, holding her, controlling her. And his body was moving against her with a kind of urgency that she responded to, felt also, as the tension grew again, pulsed, and then finally exploded into blissful oblivion.
Moments later Anthony collapsed on her, his own climax draining him so completely that for a while he was too weak to even lift his head. Never had he experienced anything like it, and he was about to tell her so when he realized she was out cold. Whether she had fallen into exhausted slumber or had fainted, he didn’t know. He smiled, though, smoothing back the hair from her cheeks, inordinately pleased with himself and her.
He had the consuming urge to wake her, to start all over again, but he tamped it down, recalling the barrier he had felt that marked her a virgin. Reggie had said she was. Roslynn’s passionate responses disclaimed it. The truth filled him with an inexplicable pleasure. And although she hadn’t even seemed to notice the breach of her maidenhead, the loss demanded recovery. There was the morning. There was the rest of his life.
He shook his head, bemused. When had he become so bloody chivalrous?
Carefully he left the bed, drawing the covers up over her. Her languorous stretch and sigh made him smile. God, she was beautiful, and so alluring she made a man ache with wanting to know every inch of her. He promised himself he would. But for the
moment, he donned his robe, gathered up her clothes, and quietly left the room. There was her driver to dismiss, arrangements to be made—the lady wasn’t going anywhere.
R
oslynn came awake to the tickling of rose petals against her cheek. She opened her eyes, focused on the pink rose first with confusion knitting her brow, then saw the man behind it, smiling at her.
“Good morning, my dear. And it is, you know. The sun has decided to shine for our wedding.”
Roslynn groaned and turned over to bury her head in the pillow, unwilling to face the day and the consequences of her own actions. Hell’s teeth, what had she done? Nettie would have gone on to Silverley and would be out of her mind with worry, thinking their ruse had failed, that Geordie had grabbed her again. And her driver! How could she have forgotten leaving the fellow to wait for her? Granted, she had tipped him well, but not well enough to wait all night. He had probably gone off with her bag of clothes, which also contained most of her jewels and important papers, including her marriage contract. Drat those three brandies!
Amidst the mounting consequences running through her mind, Roslynn felt Anthony’s hand roving over her backside to the accompaniment of his chuckle. “If you really want to stay in bed—”
“Go away!” she mumbled into the pillow, furious with herself for feeling a thrill at his touch even in the face of her misery, and furious with him for sounding so cheerful.
“I don’t see what the problem is,” he said reasonably. “I have taken the tedious chore of decision mak
ing out of your hands. You are well and truly compromised, sweetheart.”
She swung around. “The devil you say. I felt no pain, only—”
He laughed as the blush spread across her cheeks and her mouth snapped shut. “I admit to a certain finesse, but I didn’t realize I was
that
skillful. I felt your maidenhead give way, dear girl.” He quirked a brow at her, his grin maddening. “Are you saying you didn’t?”
“Oh, be quiet and let me think!”
“What’s to think about? While you whiled the night away in sated slumber, I obtained a special license that will allow us to marry immediately without hying off to Gretna Green. I never realized until now how beneficial it is to hold the markers on men with influence.”
He seemed so bloody proud of himself she wanted to hit him. “I haven’t said I’ll marry you.”
“No, you haven’t. But you will.” He walked to the door, opened it, allowing the well-remembered butler to step into the room. “Lady Chadwick would like her clothes and some breakfast, Dobson. You are hungry, aren’t you, sweetheart? I always find I’m ravenous after a night of—”
The pillow hit him squarely in the face, and he had to choice back his laughter as he caught sight of his butler’s incredulous expression. “That will be all, Dobson.”
“Yes, yes, of course, sir. Very good, sir.”
The poor, embarrassed man couldn’t leave the chamber fast enough, but the moment the door had closed, Roslynn lit into Anthony with a fury. “You’re a bloody beast, a damnable swine! Why did you have to tell him my name?”
He shrugged, not in the least contrite over his deliberate ploy. “Just a little insurance, sweetheart. Dobson wouldn’t dream of spreading tales about the future Lady Malory. On the other hand…” He left the thought unfinished, but it wasn’t necessary to spell out these new consequences.
“You’re forgetting I dinna care if my reputation’s ruined here.”
“Now that’s not exactly true,” he replied smoothly, confidently. “You would care. You just don’t have your priorities in the right order at the moment.”
True, but irrelevant. She tried turning the tables on him. “I’m wondering why a mon like yourself would be wanting to marry so suddenly. Is it my fortune you’re interested in?”
“Good God, where did you get that idea?”
He seemed so surprised, she felt rather ashamed for having mentioned it but pointed out, “You’re a fourth son.”
“So I am. But you’re forgetting that I’m already aware of your unusual marriage contract, which, by the by, I’m quite willing to sign. You’re also forgetting the fact that we made love last night, Roslynn. You could at this moment be carrying my child.”
She glanced away, chewing on her lower lip. They had, and she could be. She had to tamp down the pleasure that thought gave her.
“What do you get out of this marriage, then?” she asked reasonably.
He came back to the bed on the side she was closest to. He pulled a piece of straw out of her hair and examined it, smiling. “You,” he said simply.
Her heart seemed to flip over. It was sounding too bloody good, so much so that she couldn’t seem to
remember what her objections were. This simply wouldn’t do.
She let out an exasperated sigh. “I canna think when I just wake up. You didna give me time to think last night either.” This in an accusing tone.
“You’re the one in the all-fired hurry, sweetheart. I’m only trying to accommodate you.”
Must
he point out things like that? “I need time to consider.”
“How much time?”
“I was going to Silverley. My abigail’s already gone there, so I still have to. If you’ll give me until this afternoon, I’ll have an answer for you. But I must tell you, Anthony, I can’t see myself marrying you.”
Abruptly, Roslynn found herself lifted up and kissed with a thoroughness that curled her toes. “Can’t you?”
She pushed away from him until he let her fall back on the bed. “You only prove that I canna think at all when I’m around you. I’ll be leaving now, if you’ll just get me my clothes. And what the devil were you doing by taking them away?”
“Just making sure you would still be here when I got back from obtaining the license.”
“Did you sleep…with me?”
He grinned at her hesitation. “My dear, I made love to you. Sleeping with you is rather beside the point after that, wouldn’t you say?”
She decided to say nothing more to that, regretting having brought up the subject at all. He could talk circles around her anyway.
“My clothes, Anthony?”
“Dobson is bringing them. And the portmanteau you left in your carriage is in my dressing room, if you need anything from it.”
Roslynn’s brows shot up. “You retrieved it? Thank heavens!”
“Good Lord, don’t tell me you were careless enough to leave something of value in a hired hack?”
She resented his censure. “I was upset when I came here,” she said tartly in her defense. “And more upset after I got here, if you’ll recall.”
“Quite so,” he conceded. “But you had better check to see that nothing is missing.”
“It was only the marriage contract I was worried about. It would take too long to have another drawn up.”
“Ah.” Anthony smiled, humor dancing in his cobalt eyes. “The infamous contract. You may as well leave it with me so I can get the reading of it out of the way.”
“And have you conveniently lose it? Not likely.”
“My dear girl, you really must try trusting me just a little. It really would make for a more agreeable relationship, don’t you think?” When she stubbornly refused to answer, he sighed. “Very well, have it your way.” But to give her a taste of her own distrust, he added, “You
will
be at Silverley when I show up, won’t you?”
Roslynn had the grace to blush. “Yes. You were kind enough to make the offer. I owe you an answer. But I’ll have no arguing over it. You must accept my decision, whatever it is.”
With a grin that lacked concurrence, Anthony left the room. The fact was, he trusted her at this point no more than she did him. He would have to have someone follow her to make sure she didn’t take off straight for Scotland. He needed someone to keep Warton away from Silverley while she was there too.
Couldn’t have them meeting again after he had blackened the fellow with such a walloping lie.
As for her coming up with the right answer, that didn’t worry him. Her cousin wasn’t the only one who could see them married one way or another.
“
I
don’t believe it! Tony asked you to marry him?
My
uncle Tony?”
“I know what you mean,” Roslynn said, considering Regina’s wide-eyed wonder rather amusing. “I find it difficult to believe myself.”
“But it’s so sudden…well, of course he knows your circumstances. It would have to be sudden, wouldn’t it, if he was going to get you? Oh, this is famous! Uncle Jason is going to just die! The whole family is. We never thought he’d do it, you know. Oh, it’s just wonderful!”
Whether it was wonderful or not was debatable, but Roslynn smiled, not wanting to put a damper on Regina’s obvious delight. She had made her decision on the long ride to Silverley, which was fortunate, because she hadn’t had a moment’s respite since she arrived. First Nettie had laid into her, deservedly, blistering her ears with a thorough scolding for her thoughtlessness. Then Regina had had to hear all about the abduction and the harrowing escape from Geordie firsthand, which Nettie had mentioned as their reason for the unexpected visit.
Now Roslynn had had to admit that Anthony would be here soon for her answer. That Regina hadn’t thought to ask what that answer would be was telling. Of course she would be prejudiced. She wouldn’t be able to understand how a woman might have doubts about marrying someone of Anthony’s good looks and wicked charm, even if he did have a rakehell past.
“Everyone will have to be notified,” Regina continued enthusiastically. “I’ll do that, if you like. And I’m sure you’ll want the wedding just as soon as the banns—”
“No banns, puss.” Anthony sauntered into the drawing room without warning. “You can let the family know that congratulations are in order, but I’ve already sent for the parson, inviting him to dinner, and afterward we’ll have a little ceremony. Is that quick enough to suit you, Roslynn?”
Forcing her to reveal her decision in this casual way, the moment he walked in, was not how Roslynn had imagined it. But he was looking directly at her, waiting for her confirmation or denial, and if she didn’t know better, she would have sworn he seemed different. Nervous, perhaps? Could her answer really be that important to him?
“Yes, those arrangements will do…but we have some things to discuss first.”
Anthony let out his breath slowly, a wide grin curling his lips. “By all means. Will you excuse us, puss?”
Regina jumped up and threw her arms around his neck. “Excuse you? I could clobber you! You never even let on.”
“And spoil the surprise?”
“Oh, it
is
wonderful, Tony,” she agreed happily. “And I can’t wait to tell Nicholas, so I’ll just run along.” She laughed here. “Before you throw me out.”
Anthony smiled fondly after her, delaying the moment he must face the music. He supposed he shouldn’t have put Roslynn on the spot like that. And her “things to discuss” had sounded too serious by far.
“I hope you’re not always going to be so high-handed?”
Roslynn’s voice could have cut through lead. Anthony spun about, offering a crooked grin.
“Never think so. I can be putty in the hands of the right woman.”
She wasn’t amused. If anything, her expression turned more frigid. “Sit down, Anthony. There are some things you’ll have to agree to before I’ll marry you.”
“Is this going to hurt?” When her eyes began to narrow, he sighed. “Very well, give me the worst of it.”
“I want a child.”
“Only one?”
Hell’s teeth, she wanted to throw something at him! Could he ever treat anything seriously?
“Actually, I would like at least three, but one will do for now,” she bit out.
“Well, this is cause for sitting down, isn’t it?” he said and joined her on the sofa. “Have you a preference for gender too? I mean, if it’s girls you want but we only have boys, I’m willing to keep on trying if you are.”
His tone might be jesting, but she had the feeling he actually meant it. “You don’t mind having children?”
“My dear girl, whatever made you think I would mind? After all, the mode of getting them has always been a favorite practice of mine.”
The blush spread clear to her roots. She glanced down at her hands, held tightly in her lap. She could feel his eyes smiling at her, amused by her embarrassment. Well, he hadn’t heard all of it yet.
Still avoiding his eyes, she said, “I’m glad you’re
being so reasonable about it, but I have another condition you must agree to that is rather unorthodox, though related in a way. Your mistress, or mistresses, as the case may be—”
His hand on her chin stopped her, turning her face to his. “This isn’t necessary, you know,” he said gently. “A gentleman always gives up his mistresses when he marries.”