Timeless Passion: 10 Historical Romances To Savor (75 page)

“Miss Braden,” he urged, “
who
…”

His own words seemed to choke him. He met her gaze.

“
Rhianna
,” he begged, “please.”

She melted at the sound of her name from his lips and knew if there was anyone to trust, it was Thayne.

“Please don’t do anything rash,” she prefaced. “He was intoxicated and …”

“Desmond?”

Reluctantly, she nodded. “Yes.”

His nostrils flared. His eyes glowed with fiery rage. His hands clenched into fists. Thayne drew a deep breath.

“Soleil and Philippe left this morning for France. I should have gone with them!” she regretted.

“Absolutely you should
not
have gone with them,” he told her, maintaining a control Rhianna found impressive considering the emotions he could not hide. “Let us tell Lord Kingsley what has happened at once.”

Rhianna protested, “No, indeed. Even were I inclined to speak with Lord Kingsley on the subject, he is far too ill. It does not appear he has many days left.”

“Lord Kingsley is dying?” he asked, another facet of misery in his voice.

“He has been bedridden for days. Any moment may be his last.”

Thayne thought for a moment. “Come, let us go there together.”

Her eyes widened with fright. “I cannot.”

“You have my word,” he swore, “no one will harm you from this moment forward. I must see Lord Kingsley and you must get a change of clothes. After, I hope you will stay at Ravensleigh.”

Having previously felt there was no escape but to return to Kingsley Manor come what may, the prospect of staying in the safe arms of Ravensleigh was an overwhelming relief.

“What of Audra? I cannot leave her,” she told him, suddenly. “Not now. She is so afraid.”

“Your safety must come first,” Thayne insisted. “Perhaps,” he added, “she will come with us.”

Rhianna considered this. Perhaps Lord Kingsley himself would prefer that Audra not be around for his final moment. And Crispin would be an excellent distraction for her. Thayne’s generosity was the ultimate solution.

The idea was settled upon and Rhianna consented to go with Thayne to Kingsley Manor.

“Thank you,” she whispered, hardly knowing how Thayne’s hands had found themselves clasped around her own. “Although you are undoubtedly wishing you had never run into me, I do not know what I would have done, had I not run into you.”

“You would have found yourself at Ravensleigh, undoubtedly,” he told her. “You would have been safe. And,” he added, “I wouldn’t want you anywhere else.”

As he urged her toward the stairs, Rhianna hesitated.

“Lord Brighton,” she said, “you have been so kind, and your offer to stay at Ravensleigh is very generous. However, I hope you will do me one more favor.”

All attention, he quickly closed the gap that had threatened to grow between them.

“Name it.”

“Before ever I mount my horse, I beg you will promise to distract me from my thoughts on this ride of ours. I cannot be allowed to think of what has happened or I may just turn around and ride as far from Kingsley Manor as ever.”

Thayne’s urgent wish to depart was quickly abandoned and a softness of manner replaced the intensity that preceded it.

“Of course, I would be happy to be of such service,” he told her gently. “Now, let’s see,” he wondered aloud, “with what story or manner of speech shall I distract you?”

“Why do you not tell me,” she suggested, “what you were thinking of before you met me today and all the unpleasantness associated with me?”

“There is no unpleasantness associated with you,” he insisted.

This forced a faint smile from her lips. “Very well, that
accompanied
me,” she corrected.

This being more acceptable, he was able to reply without further hesitation. “I shall gladly tell you what I was thinking. I was thinking of the woman who has run away with my heart.”

This answer was not what she anticipated, and she found herself quite startled. If this was his way of distracting her from Desmond, then he had picked an excellent subject.
He could not mean you
, Rhianna told herself. Desmond’s words rang in her ears:
You are not the sort of girl men marry.

“Miss Leighart has a great deal to offer,” she stumbled, wishing she had somewhere to run and suspecting she had quite lived the worst day of her life — and it was just barely noon.

Thayne looked at her curiously before letting out a chuckle. “I was not thinking of
her
,” he replied.

“But you will marry her,” she said impulsively.

Rhianna regretted her words, but more than this, she regretted the truth of them. Even if she were the woman to run away with Thayne’s heart, she was certain Austine would be the woman to wear his name.

“Do you seriously think that?” he asked her.

Rhianna felt him looking upon her, but could not meet his eyes. The desire to flee to the temple’s stairs to end their conversation was overwhelming.

“I have no plans of marrying Miss Leighart, nor shall I ever,” he pledged. “I despise everything about the woman, her vanity firstly, not to mention her lack of every other feeling. Rhianna, you know as much. I’d sooner agree to burn in hell than marry Austine Leighart.”

With that, he put his arms about her waist and his black hair rested on her forehead as he gazed at her.

“Lord Brighton!”

“I am in love with
you
, Rhianna,” he told her, passionately. “I know this is not at all the right time to tell you, but you must know it and I can hold it back not a moment longer.”

Did she understand him correctly? Or, had the day so overwhelmed her she was now hallucinating?

“How can you? I have no title, no inheritance to speak of … I have … nothing …”

He covered her lips lightly with the tips of his fingers.

“If I was going to pursue such things, I would have done so by now,” he told her. “What I want in a wife is you.”

A wife.

“With the greatest of selfishness I have wanted you for myself, from the day you lay unconscious in my arms. From the moment I beheld you, I have loved you, with feelings acute and whole, feelings that have overtaken my every breath and thought and action. Every part of me, you have consumed.” He stroked her chin, as he continued, “I have suffered indescribably since that snowy night you left Ravensleigh, torn from me as flesh from bone. How I ached at the loss of you, Rhianna! If you could but know the half! The days, the hours, the minutes, all of them tormented me without mercy, to the end that I hardly believe I at last have you before me. And you speak of inheritance and titles? What is fortune and position in this world to the hope of gaining your affection?”

Rhianna searched his face — dare she absorb the sincerity in his eyes and the forthrightness in the contours of his brow? Even as he spoke each word, his honesty issued forth naturally, so much so, that despite being inclined to believe otherwise, she could have no doubt that his love for her was genuine.

“Your affection,” he continued, “is all I ask for in this world.”

“You have it,” she breathed.

Thayne’s lips exposed his white teeth in a beaming smile that matched her own.

“Will you marry me, Rhianna Braden?”

“I will,” she answered, elated. “Yes!”

Overjoyed, Thayne wasted no time in expressing his happiness. He leaned down and kissed his future bride with earnestness. Hardly could he contain his joy when at last he looked at her.

“Can this be real? Can I be so fortunate?” he asked blissfully. “Can this divine creature I see before me, in all her angelic glory, love this foolish, contemptible boy, who proved himself unworthy of her from the start?”

“With all my heart,” she confessed.

It was all she could say before Thayne’s lips silenced her from further exclamations. They moved against hers with passion and, taking her by the arms, he pulled Rhianna to him.

She winced.

It took everything he had to pull away from her. Thayne looked down at her torn sleeve and quickly eased his grip on her wounded flesh. Rhianna could see in his expression that Desmond had flashed through his mind and the fire returned to his eyes.

“It’s all right,” she told him gently.

He examined the marks on her arm closely before covering the open tear with his large, warm hand.

“Come,” he said, “let us go and get you changed.”

She nodded and, after Thayne stole a final, quick kiss, they descended the steps of the Roman temple and rode their horses to Kingsley Manor.

Chapter Nine

Kingsley Manor felt different to Rhianna as they approached. Once the home of her happiest thoughts, it stood brooding on the English countryside, a certain inhabitant poisoning it from the inside out. Her eyes darted from window to window, searching for Desmond. Would he be watching for her return?

Thayne and Rhianna moved toward the manor together, leaving their horses to the servants. Henry hurried to the door to greet them.

“Lord Brighton, Miss Braden,” he welcomed. “How fortunate you have arrived.”

“Hello, Henry,” Thayne returned, as they entered. Rhianna watched his eyes search the doorways, the staircase. “The house is awfully quiet this afternoon.”

“It is, sir, yes,” he acknowledged. Turning to Rhianna, he said, “Lord Kingsley has been especially anxious to speak with
you
, Miss Braden. There is no time to waste.”

“Anxious to speak with
me
?” she repeated.

“Yes, Miss. He has been asking for you vehemently this last hour. Very ill, I might add. Very ill.”

“Good heavens,” she cried. “I shall go at once.”

“Shall I fetch a doctor?” insisted Thayne.

Henry thanked him. “Dr. Logan, as well as Mr. Weathersby and Miss Kingsley, are at his bedside as we speak.”

“Are Lady Kingsley and Lord Desmond Kingsley not also with him?” he pressed, slyly.

Henry shook his head and appeared to glance around him before speaking further. When he did, his voice was low and guarded.

“Lord Desmond Kingsley has gone out and Lady Kingsley was … er … dismissed from him.”

With this last, Henry rendered their small circle speechless. The Kingsleys’ marriage was not a close one, to be sure, but would Guilford dismiss his wife from his bedside at such an hour?

Looking as if he had said too much, Henry immediately invited Rhianna to follow him directly to Guilford Kingsley.

“Lord Brighton, may I offer you the comfort of the drawing room? Undoubtedly, Dr. Logan, Mr. Weathersby, and Miss Kingsley will join you there momentarily.”

“Not at all, Henry. I will have to insist on joining you in escorting my fiancée to Lord Kingsley’s chambers. If it is his desire to speak privately with Miss Braden at that point, he may do so.”

Henry’s eyebrows rose infinitesimally, but he said nothing. He nodded his assent and hastily led them upstairs. There, a group of servants were gathered in the hall outside Guilford’s bedroom, whispering and waiting for news. Undeniably, they were aware he was asking for Rhianna and they eyed her curiously.

Henry knocked on the door and entered. “Miss Braden and Lord Brighton,” he announced.

Henry stepped to the side and Thayne followed Rhianna into the room. The door was closed behind them.

The atmosphere was grim. Guilford lay in a large, white bed that made him look small in comparison, pillows propping his shoulders at a slight incline. His face was ashen and his body frail. Beside him, Dr. Logan and Weathersby spoke in hushed, somber tones.

Audra, kneeling beside the bed, raised her red, swollen eyes to them, leaving a stain of tears on her father’s sheets. At the sight of Rhianna, she ran to her and buried her face in the folds of her governess’s skirt, her sobs so weakened from the extended strain she made no sound. Rhianna’s arms swiftly enfolded her, her fingers stroking the girl’s tousled blond hair, and she wondered how long Audra had been stationed here without rest or refreshment.

Rhianna then met Guilford’s gaze. “Lord Kingsley,” she called sadly, his feeble condition cutting her to the core, “I’m so sorry I was not here sooner.”

“Rhianna.” He smiled wider and drew a long, deep breath. “Please.”

Perhaps it was the circumstances, but that he called her thus did not give her any pause. In fact, it seemed the most natural thing in the world.

He gestured to a seat beside him that only moments previous had belonged to Dr. Logan. Thayne was already beside him, on bended knee.

“What can we get you?” he asked Guilford, attentively.

“A moment with Miss Braden, if you please,” he answered, patting Thayne’s hand that had found its resting place upon his shoulder.

Lord Kingsley’s gaze was yet upon her and would not be diverted. Thayne looked to Dr. Logan, who read the question in his eyes.

“There is no immediate danger in removing the child,” the doctor answered.

Thayne nodded dutifully and rose to his feet as Dr. Logan and Weathersby retreated to the hall.

“I shall be just outside this door,” he told Rhianna. Then, leaning toward Audra, he petitioned, “Why do we not see if Katie can get you something to eat?”

Her head turned to him slowly, her lips quivering. Audra involuntarily tightened her hands around the strands of material she held in her grip. Thayne gently brushed his fingers against her wet eyelashes and patted her damp cheek compassionately.

“At least to drink, Audra,” Rhianna supplicated. “You can come right back.”

Thayne held out his hand to her. She accepted it and silently allowed him to lead her out the door. He closed it quietly behind them.

Rhianna quickly took her seat at Guilford’s side. Lord Kingsley in the last few weeks was reduced to nearly half the physical man he had been. She had put on a brave face with Audra nearby, but the tears welled up in her absence. Leaning toward him sorrowfully, a flood of memories flashed through her mind of happier times: when he met her in France to escort her to England, when he offered her a position as Audra’s governess, when he insisted she attend the ball, and when he prepared to host a visit from the Vallières …