The Cracksman's Kiss (6 page)

What would it be like to be treasured by the comté? Would he make love to me as the stranger did? Would he cater to my every whim and profess his love with trinkets and lovely words?

He favored her with a knowing grin. “I suspect you are wondering what it would be like to be treasured and treated like the desirable woman you are.”

Kassie swallowed.
How can he sense my thoughts?
“I am sure my husband treasures me in his own way,” she said, in a noble attempt to convince herself.

The comté stopped and drew her to him. “Does he treasure your thoughts or just your womb?”

Kassie gasped. “I am more than just a—a vessel to bear my husband’s heir,” she protested without conviction.

“You do not believe that any more than I, Kassandra,” he whispered.

She shivered as he ran his hands along the small of her back, drawing her to him. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked up at his face, shrouded in shadow. Then his lips were on hers. Kassie sighed, leaning toward him.
I should not let him kiss me.
With a low groan he wrapped his hand in her hair, crushing her to him, his kiss tender but demanding. His embrace was somehow familiar and safe, but strange and dangerous at the same time. Kassie shuddered as her body grew uncomfortably warm.

He pulled away
and whispered, “I had to see you again. I cannot forget you.”

Jerki
ng from her trance she pushed against his chest. “Let me go this instant!”

He released her with a groan. “I am sorry. I did not mean to—”

“Oh, my, God! I am disgraceful. The earl is right to keep me locked away in my room.” With a wail of dismay Kassie fled back to her room.

Chapter
Seven

The next morning Kassie huddled in bed trying to ignore the waves of nausea engulfing her. She deserved to be seasick. God was punishing her for being a loose and wanton woman. When she scrambled from the bed to hang over the chamber pot she promised she would be a better wife to the earl, if God would only ease her suffering. An hour later when she stumbled back to her bed, she swore there was no God.

Sally’s quick tread crossed the carpet. “My lady?”

“Go away,
” Kassie moaned, burying her head under the covers.

“I have the tea the comté promised you.”

“I do not want to hear about him, it is his fault I am sick. I am being punished by God for wanting him.”
Yes, it is all his fault … well not really.
Just this once might she blame him?

“I do not think your seasickness is a punishment from God,” Sally admonished.

“How do you know?” Kassie sniffled. “My father is a minister and he told me God punishes those who sin.”

“I do not think a kiss is that big a sin, surely God has other more important sins to demand repentance for,” Sally pointed out with a trace of humor in her voice.

“Are you making fun of me?” Kassie demanded.

“No. Why not sit up and try the cup of tea? The comté thought it might help. What can it hurt to try it?”

“Fine,” Kassie grumbled. She pushed the covers away, sat up and leaned back against the headboard. Sally handed her the cup. Kassie sniffed it.
It smells like spices.
She raised the cup to her lips and took a sip.
It tastes tart, but not too bad.
She braved a few more sips and waited for her stomach to rebel. It grumbled and rumbled but the tea stayed down.
Maybe the comté does know what he is talking about.

“Perhaps you can try some toast later.” Sally placed a plate of dry toast triangles on the bedside table.

Kassie nodded and then sipped her tea deep in thought. “I really liked being kissed by the comté. His kisses make me feel all … tingly, inside. Do you think that means I am immoral?”

Sally giggled. “Certainly not, I think you are sad and lonely. It must be awful to be married to one as old as the earl.” She paused, a slight blush staining her cheeks. “I think I would fall in love with the comté, too, if I were you. He is so handsome and kind.”

She shook her head, careful not to meet the maid’s gaze. “I am not in love with the comté. I hardly know him, besides, like it or not, I am married to the earl.”

“That does not mean you cannot be in love with someone else,” Sally pointed out.

“What good does it do one to love someone you know you cannot have? I would just be torturing myself by wanting him.”

“Many ladies have discreet romantic affairs whilst they are married,” Sally whispered.

She choked on her tea. “That is positively scandalous, Sally! I could not go sneaking around behind my husband’s back.”

“Not until you have given the earl his heir, I suppose, perhaps after that he would turn a blind eye.” Sally shrugged,
but the twinkle in her eye betrayed her true feelings.

“I just could not do it. What would Papa say?”

“He would not know.”

Before Kassie could think any more on the subject the connecting door to the earl’s bedchamber opened. She waved Sally to silence and listened to the
‘tap tap’ of his cane coming toward her room.

The earl shuffled into the bedchamber without knocking. Sally gave him a quick curtsy and hurried out. He came to stand by Kassie’s bedside. “Are you feeling any better this morning?”

“No, my lord. I do not think the sea agrees with me.”

“Hum,
” the earl said, taking a close look at her, “You shall have to endure another couple days of the sea yet.”

“Yes, my lord,” Kassie mumbled. She traced
the rim of her teacup with her fingertip to hide the shake of her hand.

“Your maid tells me she has been teaching you to sew to pass the time.”

Kassie nodded. It was best not to offer any details for she had no idea how the earl would feel about her activities.

“A lady does not sew, girl, she embroiders,” he said, sounding vexed. “If you must keep yourself occupied on this trip I shall endeavor to find you some proper embroidery materials. Perhaps that will keep you out of trouble.”

Kassie stifled the urge to tell him just what she thought of his ridiculous ideas. Oh, how she longed to protest his childish treatment. It would not do to prick his ire any further. Instead, she forced a stiff smile to her lips. “Thank you.”

The earl nodded, gave her a smug look, and left.

She breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back against her pillows. Reaching for a toast point, she popped a bit in her mouth, chewed, and swallowed. Her stomach rolled, but the toast stayed down. With a grin she picked up the plate and made quick work of the rest of it with a mental note to send a letter of thanks to the comté for recommending the ginger root tea.

Sally came back into the room with her sewing basket. “I thought since you learned the first stitch so quickly I would teach you another today.”

“The earl says a proper lady does not sew, she embroiders,” Kassie mimicked, making a face.

“We shall not tell him.” The maid perched on the edge of the bed and they spent the rest of the day sewing.

* * * *

Sally was settling a dinner tray across Kassie’s lap when there was a knock on the sitting room door. She hurried to open it.

A young sailor stood there. “Comté Ashton bade me deliver this to Lady Everton.” He held out a small package wrapped in plain brown paper.

Sally thanked him a
nd took it. She shut the door and hurried to the settee where Kassie sat and handed her the gift.

Kassie turned the article around in her hands.
“I wonder what it is.”

“There is only one way to find out,” Sally scolded. “Open it.”

Using the butter knife off her plate, Kassie slit the paper. Inside was an oriental box with tiny lotus blossoms carved into its surface. Grasping the clasp she lifted the lid. A tiny jade elephant lay nestled in the red velvet interior. “Oh, my,” Kassie breathed, picking up the delicate carving and turning it around in her hands to admire it. “It is beautiful! Have you ever seen anything so perfect?”

The maid gave her a puzzled look. “What is it?”

Kassie smiled. “It is an elephant; just like the one I saw when I boarded the ship. I wonder where the comté got it?”

Sally looked over her shoulder. “You best hide it somewhere so the earl does not see it.”

Kassie placed the tiny figurine back in its velvet cradle and hid the box in her accessory trunk with a smile. “I suppose I must send it back to him.”

“Why?” Sally frowned at her.

“I would not want the comté to think I was in favor of his pursuit. How would it look if I were to accept his gifts?”
The elephant is thoughtful… sweet even, if truth be told. Perhaps it will not hurt to keep the comté’s present, just this once.

Chapter
Eight

Despite the firm ground of Bath beneath her feet for two whole days Kassie was still sick to her stomach. How did one get seasi
ck on land she wondered?

The maid hurried into the room with a cup of ginger root tea. “We are almost out of tea, my lady.”

Kassie took the steaming cup with a grateful smile and crossed to the dressing table. Sitting, she sipped while the maid styled her hair. “Perhaps you could ask at the market for someone who sells it? The earl gave me a shilling to throw into the wishing well yesterday. He told me to pray for a babe when I tossed it, but I only pretended to and pocketed the coin. It seemed like such a waste.”

Sally smiled. “You are very clever.” She grew serious fo
r a moment. “When was your last monthly flow?”

She ticked off the weeks in her head. “It has been a little ov
er four weeks now. I suppose it has been delayed because I have been ill. Why do you ask?”

The
maid stared at her with a thoughtful expression for a moment. “Is it possible your queasy stomach could be the result of already being with child?”

Kassie
almost dropped her cup, sloshing the hot tea over her hand in her clumsiness. She blew on the burned flesh to cool the pain while Sally ran to dip a cloth in the cold water from the pitcher in the bathing room.
Could I be carrying the earl’s child?
She stared at her reflection in the mirror. She looked tired and drawn, attesting to the fact she was not sleeping well.
Does
being with child cause one to sleep as uneasily as I have for the last few weeks?

When the maid
came back and placed the cool cloth on her scalded hand Kassie sighed. “I do not believe it is possible that my sickness is the result of being with child, after all, morning sickness does not continue all day and into the night or they would call it day sickness.”

Sally shook her head. “When my mama was carrying my brother she was sick all day.”

“I suppose it is possible, but surely I would have had morning sickness weeks ago since it has been three months since the earl has visited my bed.”

“I am not sure, my lady, perhaps you should have the earl
summon a physician and consult him?”

It was as if butterflies danced in her stomach.
Can I really be with child? The earl
would be so pleased and I will have a child to dote upon.
Her excitement grew as she imagined a chubby faced child running through the quiet halls of the earl’s mansion. She placed a hand on her flat stomach. Could there be even now a tiny child growing within? Without waiting for Sally to finish her hair, Kassie sprang from the stool and ran in search of her husband. Flushed and breathless she almost reached the bottom of the stairs when the earl hobbled passed.

He gave her a cross look when he spotted her, his snowy w
hite brows coming to an ominous point. “How many times must I tell you not to bound down the stairs in such an undignified manner, girl?”

She slowed, forcing herself to a more sedate pace
down the remaining two steps, hard pressed to hide her grin and too happy to be brought low by his scolding. “I need to speak with you my lord, right now, if you please. It is important.”

The earl scowled at her. “I am sure whatever is on your mind could have waited until you
made a more ladylike decent.”

“I am sorry, my lord, I was sure you would want to hear my news right away.”

He snorted and shook his head. “Well, what is it then?”

Kassie paused, not sure exactly how to say what was on her mind
in a delicate way.

He frowned at her reluctance. “Spit it out, girl!”

“It has come to my attention, well, I may be with child, my lord.”

His eyebrows rose to attention and
then gave her a twisted grimace which might pass for a smile before bellowing, “Bernard.”

The butler came on the run from down the hallway. “Yes, my lord?”

The earl tucked her hand in the crook of his arm. “Bernard, summon a physician right away so I may confirm Lady Everton’s good news.”

Bernard cast a doubtful look her way and hurried to do as he was bid.

The earl escorted Kassie back up the stairs. “Now tell me girl, why do you think you are with child?”

“Well, my lord, you are aware I was poorly on the ship.
However, since we have been on solid land these past two days I have felt no better. My maid claims I might have what they call morning sickness.” She hugged the idea of a child tight in her heart.

The earl nodded. When they reached Kassie’s room he u
shered her inside. “I want Lady Everton to rest in bed until the physician gets here. Go get her a breakfast tray. She is not to be running up and down the stairs,” he lectured the maid. When Sally nodded and left, the earl patted Kassie’s hand. “Do as you are told like a good girl and get back into bed. I will send the physician straight up when he arrives.” He favored her with another of his odd twisted smiles and left the room.

She climbed into bed and hugged herself.
Finally, I have pleased him.

* * * *

Kassie settled back against the pillows with a joyous smile as the physician repacked his medical bag. She looked up as the earl entered the room.

“Well?” he prompted the younger man.

The doctor smiled. “Congratulations, my lord. Lady Everton is indeed with child. Everything looks just fine. She should rest, do light exercise, and get plenty of fresh air every day. If all goes well she should deliver a fine healthy infant approximately eight months from now.”

The earl’s smiled faded
. He face stiffened into a stony mask of anger. “Are you sure you have calculated right, young man? Is it not customary for a child to be born nine months or so after conception?”

The doctor looked puzzled for a moment. “Yes, my lord, yo
u are quite right. Eight months from now would be February. I expect the child to arrive the last week in February. If you will excuse me now, I have another patient to attend.”

The earl nodded and Bernard escorted the doctor from the room.

Kassie froze at the look of contempt on the earl’s face.
Oh God! The child I
carry is not the earl’s.
There was no other answer, and she had lain with no man except her husband, other than the night the mysterious stranger visited her bed.

“Well?” the earl snarled. “What explanation do you have for
this miracle, girl? I have not lain with you these three months past and yet you are only one month pregnant.”

Kassie watched in horror as the earl advanced on her in fury.

“Well?” he spat, his face turning an alarming shade of red.

She flinched and shrank back against the pillows when
he slammed his cane down on the bedside table.

“Have you nothing to say?”

“I am so sorry, my lord.” What could she say? The frantic beating of her heart sounded in her own mind, almost drowning out all rational thought.
There is no truth that can save me from
his wrath, none that he will believe anyway, for I hardly believe it…

“Sorry?” His face twisted into a frightening sneer as he leaned ov
er and grabbed her by the hair. “Who have you spread your legs for, girl?”

Kassie sobbed in pain as he twisted the hair in his hand. “I do not know, my lord.”

“You will tell me who the father of your bastard is so I may have the whore-son killed!”

“I do not know!” Terror clawed at her insides. What was he going to do to her?

The earl let go of her hair as if burned. “I gave you my name, a title, a position higher than you could have ever hoped for and you betrayed me!” He placed a hand over his heart as if mortally wounded by her unfaithful act.

“I did not mean for it to happen, my lord. It was dark and I
did not see his face.” Covering her face with her hands she sobbed in mortification.

“What are you talking about girl?”

Dropping her hands she took a deep wavering breath. “It happened the night your Egyptian artifact was stolen. I awoke, and he was in my bedchamber. It was dark, and I could not see his face.”

He gawked at her with an incredulous expression. “You shared your bed with a thief?”

“Please,” Kassie pleaded. “Please believe me; I did not want it to happen.”

“Are you telling me the thief who stole my artifact rap
ed you? Why did you not cry for help? Why did you not tell me sooner?”

“I-I was ashamed. I was afraid to tell you,” Kassie wailed, desperat
e for him to accept her story.

The earl stared at her for a moment. “I do not know whether to
believe your tale or not. Until I decide what to do about this you will remain locked in your room.”

Kassie nodded, unable to decide if she should be grateful he
at least had not beaten her or cast her out of his house. The idea of being locked away was almost as frightening. The earl left and true to his word the key scraped in the lock. She tossed back the covers and wandered over to the window.

From here she could see the changing huts bordering the hot springs. If
she was locked in her room for the remainder of their stay she would not get to sample the waters. She had so looked forward to the experience. If her husband cast her out of his house where would she go? Her father would not welcome her home carrying a bastard in her belly. Even if she were carrying the earl’s child she doubted she would be welcome when there were already so many other mouths to feed. With no money and nowhere to go what was she to do? The comté had been so kind to her, would he help her? She decided even if he offered to help she could not bear to tell him of her scandalous behavior. The only thing left to do was throw herself on the earl’s mercy. Kassie leaned her forehead against the window pane, silent tears trickling down her cheeks. Relying on her husband’s mercy did not seem to be the most promising option at this moment.

She spun around when the key scraped in the lock. The door opened and Sally hurried in
with a basket. Bernard shut the door behind her, the snick of the lock evidence the earl did not intend to renege on his promise.

“Why is the door locked, my lady?”

“I am not allowed to leave my room, Sally. The earl is angry with me. I am to stay locked away until he has decided what is to become of me.”

Sally frowned. “Why would he be angry? If you were wrong
about being with child, it was an honest mistake.”

Kassie looked down at her hands as tears overcame h
er, rolling down her cheeks and dripping to the carpet. “I am with child, Sally. The problem is it is not the earl’s.”