Just for a Night (13 page)

‘Oh!' she cried. ‘You mean it? You really mean it?'

‘Is this the body of a man who doesn't mean what he says?'

‘I mean about us getting married, silly.'

‘Of course I mean it. Would a peer of the realm lie to you?' He bent and began attacking the buttons of her shirt. Marina immediately found it hard to concentrate on anything but James's busy fingers, which were unhooking her bra in no time flat.

‘Are you saying lords don't lie?' she asked, rather breathlessly.

‘Not
this
lord.' The bra gone, he tipped her backwards again and started on the jeans.

‘I…I didn't think lords married girls like me.'

He laughed. ‘Wherever did you get such a crazy idea? Lords have been known to marry girls a lot more unsuitable than you, my darling Marina. At the turn of the century they went through a phase of marrying chorus girls and actresses—which, believe me, at that time were one rung above a woman of the streets. And then there was my own brother,' James went on as Marina's jeans joined the rest of her clothes. ‘He married one of the notorious Bingham girls.'

Marina's head jerked up to stare at him. ‘B-Bingham girls?' she croaked.

James took no notice of her horrified expression, his eyes focused on divesting her of her white lace panties while he raved on. ‘I suppose you haven't heard of the Binghams all the way over in Australia?

‘Their father was Sir Richard Bingham, knighted for his dubious contributions to trade and industry. An ambitious rogue if ever there was one. Still, he was filthy rich and spoiled his daughters rotten. A wild lot, the four of them, with little reputation left by the
time they reached puberty. But damned beautiful. I'll give them that. All of them with names beginning with J.

‘Joy, my brother's wife, was the youngest—though she was, in fact, a good few years older than Laurence. She had a twin sister who ran off with some stablehand barely a week before she was to marry some aging Italian count. Can't think what her name was. Jasmine? No, that was the eldest. And Janet was the middle girl. Oh, yes. It was Jocelyn.'

Marina gasped.

James pulled her up to his chest, their bodies already fused. ‘Yes, I know,' he rasped. ‘You take my breath away too. God, I've been thinking of nothing else but this since I woke this morning. Why do you think I was in such a black mood? And why do you think I avoided you like poison? One look at you and I was in agony. On top of that, I thought you were going to leave me and go back to Australia and marry that Shane person.'

‘Never,' she choked out, her head whirling.

‘We're going to have to get married soon, darling. I can't keep dragging you into boatsheds at inappropriate times. No, don't move. I can't bear it when you move. Oh, God, Marina. Yes, all right, move. Oh, my darling…my darling…'

‘Y
OU'RE
very quiet,' James said.

They were on their way back to London. William was busy negotiating the Sunday afternoon traffic, bumper to bumper in parts, and Rebecca was sound asleep again, with her head on a cushion in Marina's lap.

‘Are you having second thoughts about my proposal?' he asked quietly.

‘Are
you
?' she countered.

‘Not at all. And if you're worried about being accepted as my wife then don't be. As I said before, that kind of snobbery is dead and gone. You saw the way Mildred reacted when I told her. She was very pleased. And Talbot, I assure you, was more than pleased when I told him. He said you were a lovely lady and wished us every happiness.'

‘That's all very well, but what about Henry? I don't think Henry's going to be at
all
pleased.'

‘Henry will get used to the idea.'

‘Never in a million years. He had your life all mapped out, as the best Earl of Winterborne for a hundred years along with the perfect wife by your side. And it wasn't me,' she finished unhappily.

‘I don't think you know Henry as well as you think you do. One of the reasons he was all for Tiffany was
because Rebecca liked her so much. Once he realises Rebecca's as crazy about you as I am, then you will have a new champion, I assure you.

‘Frankly, I suspect you've already won the old coot over. I recognised the signs all last week. It was just his loyalty and liking for Tiffany that was getting in the way. After I explain Tiffany's change of heart, he'll feel free to grovel at your feet as I'm sure he would like to.'

‘Henry, grovel?' Marina exclaimed, though somewhat soothed and flattered by James's assertions. ‘Henry would never grovel.'

‘Smiling is Henry's way of grovelling. Once he starts smiling at you, you're in.'

‘He
did
almost smile at me once,' Marina remarked thoughtfully.

James bestowed a real smile on her. ‘See? What did I tell you? You have nothing to worry about.'

Except that I haven't told you yet I'm one of those notorious Bingham girls, Marina thought ruefully.

Rebecca was teary at the hospital.

‘You will come back?' she cried, clinging to Marina. ‘You really are going to marry Uncle James, aren't you?'

Marina hugged the child to her. ‘Wild horses won't keep me away from you, sweetie. Or your Uncle James.' And she glanced up at him through swimming eyes, before hugging the weeping little girl some more. ‘I'll be back before you know it. But I have to go home for a little while to sell my mother's house and collect some more clothes. I hardly have a thing
to wear, you know, and that's a dreadful thing in a lady's book. Much worse than having no hair.'

‘Nothing's worse than having no hair!' Rebecca cried plaintively.

Marina pulled back and wiped the child's tears from her cheeks while she struggled to stop her own. ‘You're so right,' she agreed. ‘But in no time you'll have more hair than you'll know what to do with. And you'll be so well! Your Uncle James and I are going to take you home as soon as I get back, and you'll never have to come here again. Except perhaps for the odd check-up. But then I'll be with you, and I won't leave you alone for a second.'

Rebecca drew back to raise her big green eyes in the most heart-wrenching way. ‘Promise?'

‘Cross my heart.' Which she did with her finger.

The child threw her arms around her again. ‘Oh, Marina, I love you!'

‘And I love you too, darling. Now, let's get you undressed and into bed before I get into trouble from the sister. You wouldn't want to get me into trouble, would you?'

‘You're so good with her,' James complimented her on the drive back to the apartment. They were sitting together on the back seat of the Bentley. James's arm was around Marina's shoulder and her cheek was resting on his chest.

Marina bit her bottom lip. She was feeling awfully fragile. What on earth would they do if Rebecca was not better when she came back? What if the transplant
hadn't worked? What if the cancer returned with a vengeance?

Suddenly it all became too much for her. ‘Oh, James!' she cried, and buried her face in his chest, the tears which had threatened in the hospital room flowing down her cheeks.

‘Yes, I know,' he said quietly, holding her close and letting her cry. ‘But someone quite wonderful recently told me that we must have faith. We must believe. And I do believe, Marina. I believe it was no rare coincidence that your name popped out of that register. Your being sent over here to save Rebecca's life was a type of destiny. It had been written. I'm not sure how or why, but it was. Rebecca is going to get well. She is going to live as surely as we're going to get married and live happily ever after. I know it.'

‘Oh!' Marina gasped, and sat upright, wiping her tears away. ‘Oh, I just realised! I didn't before. I was worried you might not be happy about it, but now I see how silly I'm being, because it's me you love, not someone's daughter. Yet being that person's daughter is why this happened, why I was a near perfect match. Oh, James, darling, you're so right. It
was
written. It
was
!'

He cupped her face and stared deep into her eyes. ‘Marina, I don't have the foggiest clue what you're talking about.'

‘No, of course you don't. And I wouldn't have—yesterday. But today, in the boatshed, you said something and I realised.'

‘Realised what?'

‘That my being a near perfect match with Rebecca was not a coincidence. You see, I'm not a stranger who just happened to have the right blood and tissue type. I'm a relative!'

‘A
relative
?'

‘Yes, my mother's maiden name, James, was Bingham! Rebecca's maternal grandmother—Joy Bingham—was my mother's twin sister. My mother was Jocelyn Bingham.'

‘Good God!' he exclaimed. But then he laughed. ‘Marina, that's just so incredible!'

‘Yes, I know,' she said. ‘Just think! You ended up with one of the notorious Bingham girls.'

He grinned. ‘You mean one of those bad girls who married men for their money?'

‘My mother didn't!' Marina defended. ‘She married for love!'

‘So she did. Just like her darling daughter. You do love me, don't you?' he asked as he gathered her to him once more.

‘I love you so much,' she murmured, ‘that it's positively indecent.'

‘Mmm. Do you think you might sneak upstairs into my room tonight when Henry's asleep? I mean, if you're going to be away for three weeks, I'll need a little something to remember you by.'

‘Are you sure I can trust you out of my sight for that long?'

‘Are you sure I can trust you back there in sunny Australia with that Shane fellow?'

‘Yes.'

‘Give me your word.'

‘You have it.'

‘And you have mine.'

She sighed her contentment and snuggled into him.

‘One thing you must learn about us Marsden men,' James told her as he stroked her hair, ‘is that we have been notorious rakes down the years, but once we fall in love and marry it's for good. Nothing—and I mean nothing—will ever stop me loving you, Marina. That's the nature of
this
beast.'

‘I like the sound of that.'

‘We're just turning down the mews.'

Marina sat upright with a swift resurgence of nerves. ‘Oh, dear God. Henry!'

James chuckled. ‘Don't be afraid of Henry. He's a lamb in wolf's clothing.'

‘I…I just want him to approve of me.'

‘He
does
approve of you.'

‘No, he doesn't. I think he thinks I'm a hussy.'

James grinned. ‘You
are
a hussy.'

‘And
you're
a rake!'

‘See how well matched we are?'

‘Oh, you…you…'

He kissed her, then helped her out of the car. William was pretending not to have seen or heard a thing, but Marina thought she saw the corners of his mouth twitching. And his eyes were definitely laughing at them. She found some comfort in that, for at least William approved of her.

Henry was waiting in the foyer to give them a welcome so un-Henry-like that Marina was rendered speechless. He smiled rather smugly at James, then flummoxed Marina by actually hugging her.

‘I've just heard the wonderful news,' he announced, drawing back to stand with ramrod straightness once more. ‘First from Lady Tiffany, then from Mildred. I can't tell you how delighted I am, My Lord, that everything has worked out so well.'

‘Tiffany contacted you?' James asked.

‘Yes, My Lord. To reassure me, I think, that she too was happy about the situation. I must admit I
was
relieved. I have always greatly admired Lady Tiffany, but there is something about Miss Marina, here, which is so hard to resist.'

‘
Very
hard, Henry.'

‘I could see that last week, My Lord. I did feel for you, and the dilemma you were in. I hope you will forgive me,' he went on, looking decidedly sheepish, ‘but I…er…engaged in a little subterfuge myself in order to give you a push in the right direction.'

‘Really? What subterfuge, Henry?' James asked, frowning.

‘Yes, what subterfuge, Henry?' Marina echoed, intrigued.

‘The Bentley was not really in for service last Friday night,' he admitted.

James sucked in a sharp breath. ‘Are you saying your ordering that limousine was deliberate?'

‘I thought you and Miss Marina could do with some time alone together. Away from here, and in more…romantic…surroundings.'

‘Henry, you have genuinely shocked me!'

Me too, Marina thought.

‘I find that hard to believe, My Lord.' Henry was back to his po-faced best. ‘Being your valet over the
years has broadened my mind considerably in matters dealing with the opposite sex. I merely thought of what
you
might have done a little while back, when your mind was not clouded by feelings of duty.'

‘Yes, well, enough of past history, Henry,' James said briskly. ‘I think we should move on to the present. Mildred rang too, you said?'

‘Indeed, My Lord. She was beside herself with happiness for you and Miss Marina. She's so looking forward to Winterborne Hall being a family home again, with the patter of little feet to shake some dust off the portraits—especially those lining the staircase.' Henry's eyes twinkled in fond memory. ‘Remember how you used to slide down the banister, Jamie-boy?'

Marina stared at Henry. Why, James was right! Henry was just an old fraud, with his stiff upper lip and his stuffy old ways. Underneath that starchy façade he was just a big softie, not to mention a romantic.

‘My God, don't go telling Marina things like that, Henry!' James exclaimed, though laughingly. ‘I'm already having enough trouble maintaining her respect. Now she not only thinks I'm a rake, but a rascal as well!'

‘I think Henry's the rascal,' Marina said, and came forward to reach up and give him a kiss. ‘But a lovable rascal.'

Henry actually blushed. It was a sight to behold.

‘After James and I are married,' she said, ‘whenever we stay at Winterborne Hall you're coming with us, Henry. And not to the gatehouse, either. You will have a room near the nursery. Talbot and Mildred are
going to need all the help they can get once I start having babies.'

‘But I know nothing about babies, Miss Marina.'

‘Then you'll have to learn, Henry. Because I might have to have quite a few. Girls run in my family, and at least one boy is the order of the day, is it not? Now, I think we need one of your excellent pots of coffee, Henry.'

‘Yes, Miss Marina.'

Marina gave an exasperated sigh. ‘And no more of that Miss Marina stuff, either.'

Henry gave her request some thought before saying, ‘Yes, I suppose Miss Marina really won't be appropriate, under the circumstances. All right. Would you like something to eat with your coffee, My Lady?'

Marina groaned. But then she shook her head and laughed helplessly. ‘I give up. You both win. I'll be a good Roman.'

‘Roman?' Henry repeated blankly. ‘I'm sorry, My Lady, but I don't understand.'

Now James laughed. ‘Don't even try, Henry. Don't even try. Just lead on to the kitchen.

‘I must say I like the thought of our having lots of babies,' he whispered, after Henry had moved off. ‘Having Rebecca with me has definitely sparked my fathering instincts. And I don't really mind if you don't have a boy.'

‘Well, if I don't, then you can only blame yourself. It's actually the man who determines the sex of the child. But, knowing you, I'll have a boy straight away. In fact, it's quite possible that a little heir and Earl
might be already on the way. You didn't use any protection in the boatshed, and today is right in the middle of my cycle.'

‘Really?' he said eagerly.

‘James Marsden!' she chided. ‘Were you trying to make me pregnant on purpose?'

‘Er…'

‘Oh, James! You are worse than a rascal. You're a…a…'

‘A man desperately in love,' he finished for her fiercely. ‘Who doesn't want the woman he loves having any reason to change her mind.' He stopped and pulled her to him and kissed her soundly.

‘I have only one thing to add at this point in time,' he ground out when he let her come up for air.

‘What?' she asked breathlessly.

‘I hope Henry goes to bed early.'

‘You mean unshockable Henry?' Marina asked, smiling. ‘The one who sent us off in that boudoir on wheels? The same Henry who saw you through all your wild years?'

‘You're right!' James pronounced, and straightened his spine. ‘Henry?' he called out gruffly.