Netherby Halls (24 page)

She busied herself and the girls with cleaning up and
putting away their mugs while they watched the storm give way to a
lighter sky. As the rain subsided, leaving the afternoon sun to dry
up the huge puddles it had left behind outside, Sassy and her class
returned to their classroom. She put them to the task of
conversational French. This was heartily enjoyed as they teased one
another over the various mistakes each made, and the remainder of
their afternoon passed quite pleasantly.

Supper was a dull affair with Sallstone calling down
rebukes on nearly everyone’s head before she finally left them in
peace.

When Sassy finally retired to her room and, soon
afterwards, her bed, she sighed heavily, thankful the day was at an
end. She closed her eyes and suddenly was transported through time
and space. Her magic encased her in a cloud that was both soft and
warm, and then she saw him.

He stood in a dimly lit room, and they were alone.
Ah, yes, once again, she was in his bedroom. How could she know
what it looked like?

Was this her imagination fueled by her inner
magic?

He was clothed in ballroom attire: black velvet,
black breeches. His white cravat was tied fashionably; his
white-on-white waistcoat, detailed; his black, shiny hair billowed
about his handsome, irresistible face; and the sight of him thusly
drew on her need for him, a need she could not deny. She, unlike
he, was totally naked.

She should be embarrassed. She should feel awkward.
She didn’t.

She knew in this dream they were already lovers.
Wait, more than lovers. She knew it in her innermost heart.

He stood before her, staring at her breasts, reaching
for them, as he said, “Sassy, my own dear heart …” Then he
bent his head as she lifted hers, ready, so ready for his kiss.
When his lips parted hers and his tongue slowly met and made love
to her, she felt a surge of passion for more. So real—how could it
be so real?

His hand was on her breast. His body, no longer
covered by his clothing, was naked, and she noticed as she had not
in her other dreams that he sported an unusual tattoo on his bicep.
She knew what it was, as though he had told her at another time. It
was the secret sign of his warlock coven, a dagger crossed over
ancient runes.

She fingered it as his lips found her pert nipples
and he began to suckle there. Heat rushed through her body, melting
bones, and her knees turned into mush and gave way. She felt
herself meld and become one with him in that moment.

He lifted her and put her onto his bed, and she
stared at his manhood, big, hard, and throbbing. She felt like a
wanton woman. It felt wonderful and right.

“Mine,” he whispered into her ear and nibbled there
as he covered her body with his. “Mine,” he repeated as he put his
shaft between her legs.

Sassy awoke with a start and sat up. Her nipples were
hard, and she had to clench her thighs against the heat she felt
between them. This had been
her dream
—had she sent it to
him? So real, and she knew something else. Her magic was moving her
to a time when she would go to him and conclude her transition. It
was as though she did not have a choice!

~
Twenty ~

SASSY SKIPPED LUNCH and made her way outdoors. She
had not slept well and needed fresh air. She picked her way over
the puddles left still by the storm the day before and took a path
near the school’s long front drive.

She heard the sound of wheels and picked up her
skirts to hurry through the trees. She wanted to observe who it
was, though she knew already who it would be. Their eyes met.

His blue orbs glittered appreciatively, and the sight
of his face seemed actually to still the quiet ache that had been
nagging at her stomach all morning. She automatically, without
meaning to, allowed him a warm, inviting smile.

He reined in his team, and his eyes stroked her face
tenderly, bringing heat to her cheeks. He jumped down from his
phaeton, showing to perfection his athletic proportions. He lightly
said, “Walk them, lad,” as he put the reins in his tiger’s
hands.

“Sassy.” The sound of her name on his lips seemed to
stroke her sweetly, and she almost closed her eyes at the
sound.

His strides were hard and long, and the entire time
he kept his eyes on her face. When he reached her side, he took her
elbow. He led her back down the trail to a deer path off the main
footpath. Within a moment they were in the thick of the woods.

He didn’t try to speak to her. He didn’t wait for her
to find her voice. He simply pulled her into his arms, locked her
there as he bent her to receive his kiss.

His lips parted hers, and his tongue gently waltzed
with her own, never letting go as it caressed hers. She tasted him,
and he tasted of sweet honey—delicious and familiar. She gave in to
his kiss and matched it with her own. Oddly enough, he pulled away
from their embrace, groaning as he set her aside.

He pulled her scarf from his pocket and handed it to
her. “You left this in my phaeton the other day.” His voice was low
and husky.

She cleared her throat. “Ah … thank you. How
kind to bring it back to me,” she managed.

“I am anything but kind, though I think you could
teach me to be,” he answered softly.

She laughed. “I think you are past the age of being
taught very much. You are what you are, and one of those things,
though you deny it,
is kind
.” She hesitated and added, “I
see it in your eyes.”

“And we see quite a bit more than meets the eye,
don’t we, Sassy Winthrop?”

“How is Mr. Lutterel? I haven’t heard a word from
Sophy and have been worrying a bit about them,” she asked, changing
the subject, wondering how she could speak so casually after his
kiss.

He frowned. “Odd. I thought Sophy said she sent you
round a note?” He waved this off and smiled as he put her hand
through his arm and led her away from the thick woods. “You will be
happy to learn that Percy and Sophia are to be wed.”

“Oh! Oh, I am so very happy,” Sassy exclaimed
sincerely. “Mr. Lutterel is precisely what Sophy needs to steady
her.” She eyed him. “Why do you look so sardonic?”

“Because, my sweet, Sophy’s mother has been posing a
problem. Luckily, Mr. Delleson is determined to stand by his
decision to accept the match and has silenced his wife by a posting
of the banns. Not much she can do, but still, Percy is my friend,
and I cannot help but wonder if he will find the entire situation
tiresome in the end.”

“Oh, no, not Percy. He has a very sweet nature. He
will do, and Mrs. Delleson will as well. She will come to love
Percy.”

“Well, she will have to or find her daughter dragging
Percy off to Gretna Green,” he said with a shake of his head.

“Oh no, she must not do that. It would ruin them
both,” cried Sassy. “No doubt Sophy is probably just trying to
worry her mother into accepting the match.”

“Who knows? Love is so foolish.” The marquis
sighed.

“Do you not believe in love?” Sassy asked in a small
voice. Had he not just kissed her as though he loved her? Had she
not been feeling ‘love’ from him?

“I am not certain women are capable of such a deep,
abiding emotion,” he said darkly.

“So a woman hurt you,” she said knowingly. “When, my
lord, in your youth?”

“I will allow you that, but you are naïve, my sweet
beauty. I base my opinion on the lies I have witnessed women who
say they love utter over and over again.”

“It isn’t I that is naïve,” Sassy said with
conviction. “’Tis you, my lord. Men lie as well, and all that lie
think they have good reason, but not all of us make a habit of
lying.”

“Do you want me to say what you want to hear?” he
demanded.

“What do you think I want to hear?” He looked puzzled
and angry, and Sassy frowned up at him, wondering what was at the
heart of this.

“That what I feel for you is love, unending love, not
just desire, not just lust, and that I will feel it forever,” he
said in a quiet tone. “But it is impossible—how can I promise what
is impossible? I don’t have a heart to give.”

She believed she had his measure. “Ah, of course, you
cannot promise such a thing, my lord. I quite understand.” And she
did. She was going to have to find a way to show him just what he
felt for her.

“And what of you? Do you kiss James Bankes the way
you do me? Do you hold out for a proposal of marriage? Just what is
in your mind?”

“
Faith
, my lord, must I be holding out?” she
shot back angrily.

“So hot, my beauty? Do I wrong thee? Yes, I rather
think I do. Your sex has left me a suspicious man.”

“I am sorry for it, my lord,” she said softly and
turned to leave him. “Think what you will of me, I no longer
care!”

He took hold of her then as though he was a man
driven. “No longer? Did you then … before I opened my foolish
mouth?”

“Until five seconds ago—for some reason that escapes
me now—yes, I did!” She frowned at him.

“But finding that it is all so impossible, you have
given up?” His tone was derisive.

“Bait? You speak in riddles, and I wish with all my
heart I did not dream of you … dream of you still …”
Realizing what she had uttered she gasped and turned to run.
However, he was quick to grab her and lock her in his embrace, his
lips silencing her sobs as he covered her mouth with quick, easy
kisses before once again parting her lips to taste her tongue.

His kiss turned tender in spite of the burning lust
that hung between them. She gave herself up to him, to his
tenderness, to the promise of more, so much more that she sensed in
his heart.

The feel of his wild, strong body against hers was
torture, forbidding logic to enter the moment. She knew she was his
for the taking, right then, right there in the woods, against a
tree, on the pine needles—
anywhere!

“This,” he whispered in a harsh, anguished voice, “is
what you and I are meant for together—this!”

The words were like a slap. She pushed with all her
might against him and said, “No, you callous man—no!” She yanked
out of his hold and ran, but in her frenzy to get away caught her
foot on a vine and went down, hard, knocking her head on a
rock.

She saw stars and for a moment thought that was all
she could see, stars swirling around a dark universe, until she
heard his voice.

* * *

The marquis was both dazed and shaken by the enormity
of what he felt. He didn’t want to be in love. He rejected the
notion that he was irreversibly and totally in love with Sassy
Winthrop. Yet, she was his mate. He knew it in his soul, in spite
of watching his father and mother’s unhappy union. They had not
been true mates, but Sassy … was meant for him!

He needed to embrace her and take her for his own. As
she ran off, he started after her and with a suddenly skipping
heartbeat saw her fall and go down. She appeared unconscious!

He went to her and dropped to his knees, calling her
name and feeling as though his heart would not regain its regular
beat until she—
and she opened her eyes
. Her hand fluttered
in front of her face. “Oh … oh … dear,” she said,
sounding embarrassed.

His arm slipped under her, and he said in a voice he
did not recognize as his own, “Hush, darling, you have had a fall.
Shall I carry you? Are you up to allowing me to lift you?”

“No, no, please. If … if you help me to my
feet … I can walk.”

He did indeed, help her, and she looked at herself
with dismay. “Oh, no, I have muddied my clothes.” She sighed over
it and avoided his glance.

“Come, I’ll take you to the back door, and you can
hurry up to your room and change,” the marquis told her, happy to
find her green eyes bright and even defiant as she looked back at
him.

“Yes—I know the door, and you cannot drive me up to
the school with me looking like this,” she objected.

As he took out his handkerchief and wiped a smudge of
mud from her pert nose, it occurred to him that not only did he
love her, he adored her. What was all the confusion about? Fear?
Was he so afraid to take her for his own? Why when everything about
her reached some nerve inside him and soothed it, smoothed it, and
made it hers?

“Very well. I understand, but you can walk? You
haven’t hurt your ankle?”

“No, no, I am fine … just dirty.” She glanced at
him and gave him a rueful smile.

He laughed and flicked her chin. “Very well, then. I
shall keep your headmistress busy until you fly to your room,
eh?”

“Oh, that would be very good. At the moment, I think
she would use any excuse to get rid of me.”

“Would she? Why?”

“Oh, a bit of a story there, but I had better hurry
now.”

“Right then. I’ll be there before you. Mind now,
stick to the woods and then use the back door, while I go straight
to her office.”

“Yes, yes, thank you, my lord.”

“Justin, I have a need to hear you call me Justin,”
he answered.

“Justin, then,” she said softly before running
off.

He watched her leave and then hurried down the
footpath, across the courtyard, and to the front door.

Molly arrived to show him in and lead him to the Miss
Sallstone’s anteroom, where he only had to wait a moment before a
welcoming call from the headmistress allowed him entry.

~
Twenty-one ~

“GOOD AFTERNOON, MY lord,” the headmistress said,
leaning back against her high-backed chair and gazing at him
questioningly.

He made his bow, dropped his hat and gloves on a
nearby chair, and said softly, “It is now, fair charmer, it is now,
for I have missed you.”

“Have you?” she answered, displaying that she would
not easily be taken in.