The Master Of Strathburn (31 page)

And then the door swung open to reveal Robert.

For a moment, he simply stood in the doorway, his deep blue eyes locked with hers and his face lit by such a heart-stopping grin, Jessie’s breath caught in her chest. She rose shakily from her seat, wanting with all her heart to rush over and throw her arms about him, but conscious of the presence of others, in this most formal of places, she restrained herself.

Instead she smoothed her skirts with her damp palms and waited, trying in vein to prevent Lady Strathburn’s poisonous observations and her own insecurities from infecting her thoughts again.

Even so, she couldn’t entirely push away the troubling question: did Robert really want her for his wife?

And if he didn’t want her, as much as it would disappoint Lord Strathburn, and perhaps even her own father, as much as it would pain her, she would walk away. Rather that, than stay and watch him tire of her as Lady Strathburn had predicted.

Jessie resolved that as soon as the opportunity arose for her and Robert to be alone, she would ask him how he really felt.

* * *

I’m free
.

A wave of pure elation hit Robert when he laid eyes on his father and Jessie. He had his family and the life he’d longed for, for more than a decade, back in his grasp. Swallowing back a surge of tears, he strode across the room toward his father and hugged him warmly before turning to Jessie.

My betrothed
. He raked his gaze over her, taking every beloved detail of her in. For a moment he considered throwing caution to the wind; his desire to take her in his arms and kiss her thoroughly was incredibly strong. But propriety won out—he had no desire to create a scene in front of the Lord Advocate and cause embarrassment for her—so he simply caught her hand and placed a soft kiss, on her fingertips. There would be plenty of time, indeed all the time in the world, to kiss and take pleasure with his soon-to-be wife.

When he lifted his head and met Jessie’s eyes again, he noted a fleeting look—was it diffidence or apprehension?—cross her features, before she smiled uncertainly back at him. God, he hoped she wasn’t having second thoughts about their betrothal.

Now that he was in love with her.

Love.

He was in love with Jessie Munroe. The realisation struck him like a lightning bolt from above. Grinning like an idiot, he shook hands with Lord Arniston and exchanged the required pleasantries with the Advocate’s secretary and his father, all the while revelling in the potent joy flowing through his veins, swelling his heart.

Jessie may be a little subdued right now, perhaps even a little unsure of him, but it wouldn’t be long before they were alone. Then he would chase all her doubts away—he had to—because gaining Jessie’s love in return was one campaign he definitely wanted to win.

The short carriage ride back to Auldgate Square was exquisite torture for Jessie. Ensconced in the far corner of the leather bench seat, opposite Lord Strathburn, she was in equal measures thrilled and dismayed to find Robert sitting close beside her. His large muscular frame seemed to fill the confined space in a most disconcerting way. She found herself blushing when she felt his muscular thigh press against her leg when the carriage rounded a sharp corner onto the Royal Mile—the contact brought to mind other lean, hard parts of Robert’s naked body and she had to fight the urge to squirm against the tight ache between her own thighs. It seemed her wanton self was back.

Thank God, both Robert and Lord Strathburn were deeply engaged in conversation about plans for a celebratory dinner that very evening at Strathburn House, and did not seem to notice her flustered state. Heavens, she needed to grasp some semblance of control around Robert. They weren’t in an isolated cave or an inn anymore—they were in polite society. She needed to behave with decorum, especially since she was suddenly unsure of his commitment to her.

She willed herself not to dwell on the countess’s pronouncements about Robert—the woman clearly had her own agenda and would like nothing more than to see them part ways.

But truth to tell, Robert’s actions when he had entered the Lord Advocate’s antechamber had confused her. He had looked happy to see her, and at first she had the impression that he was going to embrace her as he had his father. But in the end, all he’d done was simply kiss her hand as any gentleman of passing acquaintance would. Whilst she could hardly have expected him to greet her with a kiss in the Lord Advocate’s office, she wondered why he hadn’t displayed a little more affection than that cool perfunctory gesture.

Perhaps she was correct after all and he
was
having second thoughts. Perfectly understandable and better to know now, she told herself, trying to ignore the heavy feeling in her heart and the sudden prick of tears. She looked out the carriage window and tried to think about something, anything else.

But that was proving to be very difficult when Jessie was acutely aware of Robert’s every movement and every glance her way. She risked her own glance at him. If only he wasn’t so handsome. That was part of the problem. Even in a crumpled shirt and mud splattered buckskin breeks, with a three-day growth of whiskers, he looked darkly attractive. Her eyes lingered on his jawline and she recalled how his bristles had felt beneath her fingers and against her cheek when he had kissed her this very morning—when he had called her
‘my love’
.

And that was the other problem—her memories of being in his arms, his caresses were all too vivid. Her eyes strayed to his lips, wide and firm, curved now in that crooked grin of his that never failed to make her breath catch.

Dear Lord, she must speak with him. She needed to know if she really was his love, or had he just uttered the endearment in a moment of desperate passion when he believed he was going to be executed. It was too difficult to be this close to him, feeling the way she did and to not know if he really, truly felt the same way.

‘Jessie, we’re at Strathburn House.’ Robert’s voice broke through her musings and she started. She noticed with some surprise that Lord Strathburn had already started to climb out of the carriage with the assistance of one of the footmen.

‘I … ah yes … thank you,’ she murmured, finding it difficult to meet Robert’s gaze. Instead she busied herself with gathering her skirts in preparation for alighting from the carriage, hoping he wouldn’t notice how desperately edgy and self-conscious she suddenly felt.

The sooner they spoke in private the better.

* * *

Robert frowned. Jessie seemed unusually quiet and distracted. Again he wondered if she was having doubts about their betrothal. Was it too confronting a reality for her now that he had been released?

Perhaps his desire to wed her—and take her to his bed—was greater than what she felt for him. He resolved to be more careful with her, to court her as a gentleman should rather than continue to chase her like a rutting stag.

Mindful of his new resolve, Robert gently curled his hand around Jessie’s elbow and helped her negotiate the carriage steps. He noted that she was still limping slightly but he resisted the impulse to sweep her into his arms and carry her inside. However, once they gained the entrance hall, he paused and caught one of Jessie’s hands between his. He couldn’t bear this awkward silence. Why, she wouldn’t even look at him. ‘Jessie lass,’ he prompted softly. ‘Is everything all right?’

She lifted her chin and met his gaze with what seemed to be some effort. There were purple shadows, like bruises beneath her eyes and her smile seemed brittle. ‘Aye, milord,’ she replied, her tone too formal for his liking. ‘I am verra tired, that is all.’

‘I see.’ Perhaps everything that had transpired over the last few days was just catching up with her—her injuries, the long journey, the constant threat of danger. She must be exhausted. Nevertheless, Robert was still torn between the urge to kiss away her reserve and the need to take care with her. ‘I am aware that I must appear quite the ruffian at present,’ he said in a low voice meant only for her. ‘Perhaps we can agree to meet later, after you have rested and I have had a chance to tidy myself up. I think we should discuss how we are both to … proceed with this situation we find ourselves in. Do you agree?’

Jessie nodded and, to his relief, smiled back at him. There was little chance to say more because all at once there seemed to be a swarm of people gathering in the entrance hall to greet them—his father and stepmother and a line of the Strathburn House staff.

All, besides Lady Strathburn, were beaming with undisguised pleasure at him and Jessie. ‘My lady, it has been too long,’ Robert greeted his stepmother smoothly, briefly bowing over her extended hand. ‘You are looking well.’

‘As charming as ever I see,’ she replied archly, her gaze flicking past him to settle on Jessie. It was a narrow, menacing look.
An intimidating look.

Wariness pinpricked its way along Robert’s spine. What the devil was his stepmother playing at? He tried to catch Jessie’s eye, but she had cast her gaze downwards to the floor. Her hands twisted at her waist. Something was going on between the two of them, he was certain of it. And he suspected that it might have something to do with Jessie’s sudden reticence.

He returned his attention to Lady Strathburn. ‘I trust that I may be installed in my old chambers, my lady?’

‘As you wish,’ she replied coolly. ‘I shall send Gordon up to make it ready for you. Although I’m afraid most of your possessions and all of your clothes were removed long ago.’ She ran her eyes over his dishevelled state of dress, her distaste openly apparent.

‘No matter.’ Robert turned to his father. The sight of him standing so tall, his eyes alight with pride and joy, brought a lump to Robert’s throat. ‘Father, perhaps I could presume on your generosity and borrow MacGowan and your carriage for a short while to rectify the sorry state of my appearance,’ he said in a voice thick with emotion. Although he was reluctant to leave both Jessie and his father, he had a number of matters that he needed to attend to, including visiting Leith Docks where
The Phoenix
was moored. Whilst there, he would be able to collect several trunks of his possessions as well as invite Drummond to tonight’s dinner.

His father patted him on the shoulder. ‘Of course, my son. Whatever you require, it will be made so. I shall see you when you return.’

Once his father and stepmother had quit the vestibule—in opposite directions to each other—and the servants had begun to disperse to attend to their various duties, Robert turned to find that Jessie had started to climb the stairs, making good on her escape—from him.

‘Jessie,’ he called, striding toward her. Unease twisted in his belly. He couldn’t let her go, not when there was this strange undercurrent of tension vibrating between them. He did not like this subdued version of Jessie—something was definitely wrong. The conversation he had intended to have with her later, he needed to have right now. And despite his previous resolution to play the gentleman, he was determined to take whatever measures necessary to see the spark in her eyes again. The warm spark that flared just for him.

She halted on the bottom step and turned, one elegant hand on the newel post. He approached her slowly as he might a frightened deer, stopped before her, close, but not touching. Instead, he trapped her gaze. He could have sworn she was holding her breath.

He began without preamble. ‘I wouldn’t believe a word that my spiteful witch of a stepmother says about anything, especially if it’s to do with us.’

Jessie’s eyes widened and she visibly exhaled. ‘I … how did you know?’ she breathed.

Robert’s mouth quirked slightly. ‘My stepmother is renowned for her self-serving ways,
mo ghaoil
. I suspect she would go to great lengths to maintain her influence, and Simon’s, in this family. And that may include trying to sabotage our union. She views us both as threats—I have returned and replaced Simon as the heir apparent and you, you will soon be Lady Lochrose and in time, the next Countess of Strathburn. I imagine she has intimated that my interest in you is passing?’

Jessie nodded, flushing slightly.
At last a reaction from her
. He had been right.

‘Aye.’ Uncertainty clouded her usually clear brown eyes as she continued. ‘But truth be told, I couldna blame you if that was the case, Robert. It is no’ like you have been given much choice in the matter of our hand-fasting. It was, as I recall, verra much a
fait accompli
. Now that you have gained yer freedom and I … I am no longer in any danger—I would understand if you needed to take some time to reconsider …’

There was no chance of that, not when Robert’s heart beat solely for the woman before him. He slowly reached out and took her hand from the newel post, and brought it to his chest. With his other hand, he gently brushed her cheek with the back of his fingers. ‘I know exactly how I feel about our situation, Jessie. But what I’d really like to know, is how do you feel?’

Jessie’s breath caught and her gaze dropped to Robert’s mouth. ‘I think … no, I know …’ Her voice was edged with a deliciousness breathlessness. ‘I want you … I want you to kiss me.’

Thank God.
At last Robert could claim Jessie in exactly the way he’d longed for since his release. Cradling her delicate face between his hands, he angled his mouth over hers and drank deeply of the honeyed warmth within. Jessie’s response was everything he’d dreamed of—she took everything he gave her, every caress of his lips, every stroke of his tongue. And she teased him and aroused him in return. She wanted him—there was no doubt in his mind that she had been waiting for this moment just as much as he had.
Yes, Jessie, you are mine
. He felt it in every fibre of his being, to the very depths of his soul.
Yes
.

Desire flared, dark and intense and without thinking, he pressed her against the banister rail, and cupped one of her breasts. She whimpered and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself into his palm; even through the layers of her clothing he could feel the impudent press of her nipple. When she instinctively pushed her hips against him, his already half-aroused cock stiffened further. God, he wanted more. So much more. But now was not the time.