He took her through the Whitehall gates and nodded to the guard. When they entered the building, they passed other guards, who allowed them to pass unchallenged. They climbed a staircase that led to the second floor and Velvet guessed that he was taking her to his private quarters. She shivered with anticipation, knowing they would soon be alone together.
He opened the unlocked door and ushered her into a handsomely furnished suite of rooms where his manservant had just finished lighting the candles in the wall sconces. “Thank you, Thomas.” After the servant departed, Montgomery took out a key and locked the door.
Velvet stood silently, her simmering anger her only defense against the irresistible attraction he aroused in her.
He removed his plumed hat, unbuckled his sword and laid them atop an oak chest. Then he turned to her and said, “So, let’s have it. I now grant you permission to speak.”
His words raised her anger from a simmer to a boil. She was so infuriated that she was momentarily speechless.
With a perfectly straight face, he prompted her, “You wish to apologize for all your unfounded, unworthy suspicions and beg me to forgive you. Let’s hear it, Velvet.”
She flew at him with clenched fists and smote him on the chest. “You arrogant monster! I hate, loathe and detest you!” She might as well have been battering the stones of Whitehall for all the impact her blows had on him.
He gazed down at her. “You are beautiful in your passion. The opposite of love is not hate, Velvet. It is indifference.” His mouth curved. “You are far from indifferent, sweetheart.”
“I am not your sweetheart!”
His smile reached his eyes. “Shall I show you that you are?”
She realized he was about to kiss her, and knew she would be lost if he did. Desperate to stop him, she voiced her thoughts. “Why did you allow me to make a fool of myself? When I accused you, why didn’t you confide in me?”
Confide in a woman?
The thought was incredible to him. His words were slightly more diplomatic. “Confide secret information that might put you in danger, and jeopardize the entire mission?” He took her wrap and led her to a chair. “It was imperative that I keep negotiations between George Monck and Charles Stuart confidential or the king would never have been restored to the throne.” His face softened and he slipped to his knees before her. “You should have trusted me, Velvet.”
Her anger began to melt in spite of her resolve.
He took her hands. “Wasn’t making a fool of yourself a small price to pay to have Charles crowned king?”
Now he was patronizing her, and she would take her revenge. “Oh, yes! I would pay any price, make any sacrifice, for Charles.” She said his name with adoration.
Montgomery’s face fell, as if she’d touched an old wound.
She felt satisfaction that she had the power to make him jealous. She laughed, her eyes sparkling with triumph. “I too can be a devil if you want to play games, Greysteel Montgomery.”
Somewhat relieved, he joined in her laughter. “You are an imp of Satan, Velvet Cavendish.”
Filled with confidence, she licked her lips. “Didn’t you bring me up here to ask me to become Velvet Montgomery?”
Will she wed me to secure her position at Court?
“Let me think. . . . Do I want you for wife or mistress?”
Her confidence faltered. They had already been lovers; what need did he have to marry her? She thought fleetingly of Bolsover, of the Elizabethan manor at Roehampton, of her position at the Royal Court and lastly about having Greysteel Montgomery for her husband. She wanted all of them and feared she was in danger of having none. Her saucy tongue came to her rescue and saved her from revealing her vulnerability.
“More to the point,” she drawled, “do I want you for husband or lover?”
“Only you can answer that, Velvet. I am sure you were taught the fine points to look for in a prized stud. Do you wish to inspect me?” He stripped off his coat and began to unbutton his shirt.
Her pulse began to race, and her blood heated. “There is no need for that. I’ve already experienced you as a lover.”
“And did I measure up, my lady?” he asked insolently, determined not to let her have the upper hand.
She blushed hotly and lowered her lashes. “Why are you treating me like a strumpet?”
Relenting, he gathered her into his arms. “Velvet, you could never be a strumpet! You are my sweetheart.” He dipped his head and feathered kisses into the bright curls at her temple.
She clung to him, desperately relieved that he had only been teasing her.
He is mad in love with me.
Confidence surged through her.
I have stolen his heart.
“Christian said that you are captain of the King’s Guard. Is it true?”
He smiled ruefully. “When Charles asked me, I felt duty bound to accept, at least until I’ve recruited an adequate number and whipped them into shape. Then I’ll consider turning command over to a successor. I have considerable property and business of my own to look after.”
“I’m sorry about your father, Greysteel.”
His arms tightened possessively. “Now that I’m an earl, I will need a wife. Will you marry me, Velvet?”
She smiled a secret smile.
I knew he brought me here tonight to ask me to marry him.
“Yes! I would love to become Velvet Montgomery.” She stood on tiptoe and offered her lips without reserve. He kissed her so thoroughly it made her dizzy.
“Velvet Montgomery, Countess of Eglinton,” he whispered against her lips, “the most beautiful lady at Court.”
“I can’t believe I’m marrying an earl.” She gazed up into his eyes, mesmerized by their compelling intensity. The very air seemed filled with magic and she felt as if she were floating in a sea of happiness. Then suddenly she remembered that he owned Bolsover Castle and some of the magic dissolved. Charles’s words came back to her:
To get it back in your family you will have to marry him and hope he deeds it to you as a wedding gift.
Velvet didn’t dare mention it for fear that Greysteel would suspect that was the reason she had agreed to marry him. Bolsover threatened to be a huge bone of contention between them unless she approached it delicately.
I’ll have to have him eating out of my hand before I can persuade him to bestow such a gift upon me.
Velvet thought of her great-grandmother Bess, who had been able to get anything she wanted from any man breathing.
She used her sensuality ferociously, and I must do the same.
She pressed her soft body against his hardness. Her tempting fingers began to finish the job of unbuttoning his shirt, and then her hands slipped inside to caress the slabs of muscle on his wide chest. “Why don’t you show me the bedchamber?”
“You have bludgeoned me into submission,” he teased. “Your hands are formidable weapons, my love. First they beat me; then they seduce me.” He picked her up and carried her into the adjoining room. Then he allowed her body to slide down his until her feet touched the floor beside the wide curtained bed. He encouraged her to remove his shirt and groaned as she kissed his flat bronze nipple, then worried it with her teeth.
Velvet ached to have him undress her. She wanted him to worship her body with kisses. Desire coiled inside her, making her belly taut with need. She lifted her mouth to his, inviting his tongue to plunder her. When he plunged inside she moaned and writhed against him.
Greysteel undid the silver ribbons and unfastened her bodice. He cupped her breasts with his palms, teasing her nipples with his thumbs. Then he dipped his head and sucked the tiny fruit into his mouth as if it were a ripe cherry.
Velvet arched her breast into his hot mouth, panting with arousal. “Take me to bed,” she whispered breathlessly.
He raised his head and his compelling grey eyes looked directly into hers. “You shock me, mistress.”
Seductively, she laughed up at him, convinced he was teasing her, and vowed to tease him back unmercifully.
He removed his hands from her lush breasts, closed the bodice of her gown and began to fasten the silver ribbons.
She swayed toward him. “What are you doing?”
He steadied her, then picked up his shirt and proceeded to put it on. “I have no intention of taking you to bed until we are married, Velvet.”
Her eyes flashed dangerously. “You bedded me before!”
“Aye, and after I let you have your way with me, you suddenly changed your mind and spurned me. I have more good sense than to let that happen again.”
She opened her mouth to refute such an outrageous accusation, but before she could speak, his mouth took possession of hers in a demanding kiss. She melted against him, yielding her will to his. He had warned her long ago that he would be in control, and she realized she wanted him no other way.
“Come.” He led her into the other chamber, donned his coat and buckled on his sword.
Her heart and her body cried out in protest. She whispered, “Greysteel, I don’t want to go back to Bishopsgate.”
His grey eyes gleamed with victory. “I’m not taking you back to Bishopsgate, my sweetheart. I’m taking you down to the chapel so we can be married. I have no intention of letting you escape again.”
“Tonight? Are you sure we can be married tonight?”
“Very sure.” He grinned. “I’ve made the arrangements.”
“You devil!” She ran to the mirror, intent on restoring order to her disheveled hair and gown.
He came up behind her and slipped his arms around her.
“Velvet, you look radiant and lovely, as always.”
“I’m going to be a countess. I have to look perfect!”
Chapter Sixteen
V
elvet’s eyes were drawn to the beautiful statues of angels that stood guard in the Queen’s Chapel at Whitehall. Greysteel led her to the altar draped in cloth of gold, and the Anglican priest who officiated at the king’s services stepped forward.
“Holy matrimony is not to be taken unadvisedly, lightly or wantonly,” he admonished, “but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly and in the fear of God.
“Matrimony was ordained for the hallowing of the union betwixt man and woman; for the procreation of children to be brought up in the fear and nurture of the Lord; and for the mutual society, help and comfort that the one ought to have of the other, in both prosperity and adversity.
“Robert Greysteel Montgomery, wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?”
“I will.” His voice rumbled like thunder around the chapel.
“Elizabeth Cavendish, wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou obey him, and serve him, love, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?”
Velvet raised her eyes to the angel whose face resembled her mother’s.
Montgomery is noble and strong. I vow he will protect you and always keep you safe, my darling.
“I will.” Her voice was tremulous.
I’m lying.... I know I won’t always obey him.
Greysteel heard her promise.
Will you truly love me, Velvet?
The priest did not ask who gave her to be married. Earlier, Montgomery had produced the legal betrothal signed by Newcastle.
They held hands and gave each other their troth for better, for worse; for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish; till death did they part.
Then, magically, Greysteel slipped a tiny gold ring on her finger. “With this ring I thee wed, with my body I thee honor, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.”
Velvet did not deceive herself. Montgomery’s properties were all in his name. Bolsover Castle was his unless and until he made her a gift of it.
“Forasmuch as Robert and Elizabeth have consented together in holy wedlock, I pronounce that they be man and wife together.”
Greysteel placed a chaste kiss on her forehead, and the priest led the way to the vestry, where the newlyweds signed the register. A man and a woman stood waiting to sign as witnesses. Velvet recognized the man as Greysteel’s servant, Thomas.
The woman curtsied. “Congratulations, yer lordship.”
Greysteel smiled down at Velvet. “This lady is one of Whitehall’s incomparable cooks, who befriended me when I first came to London. As always her service is invaluable.”
Velvet thanked her and Thomas. Then Greysteel seized her hand and whisked her away, back up to their own suite of rooms. She became breathless climbing the stairs at the pace he set, so he swept her into his arms and carried her up the final flight. He didn’t set her feet down until he had carried her across their threshold. Then he firmly locked the door and removed his coat and his sword.
Suddenly, she felt shy, and when her husband took her into his arms, she blushed profusely. “I feel all prim and proper—I don’t know what has come over me.”
“That’s easily explained. When I married you, I turned a precocious, saucy baggage into a lady . . .
Lady Montgomery.
”
Her shyness vanished instantly. She moved against him, tempting his manhood. “I’ll let you decide. Do you want me to act like a wife or a mistress tonight,
Lord Montgomery?
”
He cupped her bottom and squeezed. ʺBoth . . . tonight and every night. Variety is the spice of life. Do you want me to make love as your husband or your lover?”
She licked her lips, pretending it was a difficult choice. “Let’s start with the earl.... I’ve never had an earl before.”
Greysteel didn’t give her time to ache to be undressed. He began the ritual immediately. “This will always be my favorite gown. I must remove it before I ruin it.”