A Whisper of Desire (26 page)

Seeing that she was fine, he swore. “What the hell happened?”

“Priscilla attacked me.” The two men looked at her as if she'd gone mad. Clarence looked at Maitland and dashed back down the stairs to check.

“You're distraught. It was a man.”

She shook her head at Maitland. “No. She needed me dead.”

He helped her to a nearby chair. “Why on earth would she want you dead?”

“She didn't think it fair that she had to sacrifice her happiness if I didn't.”

“You're overwrought and not making sense.”

“I'm damaged too. You needed to be free to marry again and have children. I was supposed to sacrifice everything for you. Did you know that she forced your father to marry her? She did that because she knew you'd try to be honorable and marry her even when she had been exposed to syphilis. If you married her, there could never be children.” Marisa's eyes filled with tears. “She understood how important an heir was to you. As do I.”

Maitland was on his knees in front of her. He lifted her chin with his hand so she had to look him in the eye.

“We never know what life is going to throw at us. The day I compromised you, you thought yourself in love with Rutherford. Do you still love him?”

“No,” she said adamantly. “You know I love you.”

“So what you wanted, what you felt, who you loved, changed.” She pulled a funny face, knowing where he was going with this. “I may have started our relationship looking for a wife who could give me an heir. I might even have agreed to marry you partly because I needed a son, but our marriage has grown to encompass so much more.”

A tear began to trickle down her cheek.

“However, a wise man once told me everything changes in a man except his heartbeat.”

“Who said that?”

“Your brother, when he fell in love with Beatrice.”

He took her tiny hand and fervently pressed his lips to her palm. “I have the courage to believe in your love for me; please have the courage to believe in my love for you.”

She was chewing her bottom lip.

He pressed his point. “Does it hurt to know we cannot have children? Of course it does. It hurts like the devil, but I—
we
—will survive it. We are strong when we are together. What I wouldn't survive is losing
you.
”

She tried to speak, but he pressed a finger to her lips.

“I know this to be true, because I've almost lost you twice now. Christ, these past months you've aged me at least ten years.”

Her lips turned up in a small smile.

“We will have a wonderful life together, you and I, and I will cherish every day of it with you by my side.”

She threw her arms around his neck and he rocked her slowly until his knees began to really hurt.

He pulled her up. “Go to bed. I will have to help Clarence. The magistrate will have to be called and then we will have to come up with something to tell the girls in the morning.” Sadness for their loss engulfed him, but if their mother were going mad from her disease, at least they would be spared that. That's the only reason he could believe as to why Priscilla would try to kill Marisa.

The girls were now parentless, but as their guardian he'd ensure the girls never found out about what their mother had tried to do. They would see if it could be declared an accident. If her disease had begun to take hold and that is what made her do such a mad thing, he'd protect her memory from anyone knowing.

It was close to dawn when he slipped into Marisa's bed. She was fast asleep, curled on her side, her dark tresses spilling over the pillow and her face radiant in the early-morning light, making her look so young. His heart clenched in his chest. She was beautiful.

He ran a finger over her cheek. He hated how hurt she was at losing the ability to have children. He vowed to God that he would ensure her life was always happy.

She stirred and her eyes flickered open. “Have you only just made it to bed?” He nodded. “You must be exhausted.”

He snuggled closer, pushing his hips against her, showing her he was anything but tired. “I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you,” she said back, rubbing against him. “Make love to me.” And typically, she pulled her night rail over her head before he could do anything. “I've missed making love with you.”

He looked at the love shining out of her eyes and felt as raw and uncertain as a boy with his first love. She was his first love, for she made him forget anyone who'd come before her.

He groaned, not from pleasure but from his heart twisting in his chest. She would have let him divorce her if he'd wanted to. She loved him that much. He didn't deserve such love.

She must have seen a look that allowed her to read his thoughts, for she kissed him tenderly, letting her warm mouth linger against his as she ran her hands over his naked chest. He drank in her kisses and returned her caresses with increasing need.

“Are you sure you are fully healed?”

She rose up and urged him to lie back. “No, I'm not sure. But we can still give each other pleasure.”

“I don't want pleasure if it will hurt you or because you feel guilty.” Was the fact she couldn't give him children going to change how she treated him? He didn't want pity sex. He wanted the wild siren that usually demanded everything of him in bed.

“Silly. Your pleasure is my pleasure. You should know that by now. I love watching you. I love making you lose control.”

She pushed on his chest again, and he lay back, happy to let his siren take the lead as usual.

She drew the covers back and knelt over him, looking him over with such longing his member grew even harder. Pressing her lips against his bare chest, she kissed his entire body, slowly, deliberately sweeping her hair over him as she moved lower.

It had been so many weeks since he'd experienced her sensual touch that he began to tremble. This was likely to be over very quickly if he didn't rein in his desire.

Her caresses felt like silk, every nerve ending was on fire. Her touch wasn't hesitant but was filled with poignancy and was incredibly erotic at the same time.

He jerked when Marisa swirled her tongue over the sensitive area of his inner thighs. Her lips teased him, hovering over his erection, he could feel her hot breath on his tip, and he groaned.

His hips rose on their own accord as she attended him, licking, stroking, driving him out of his mind. When she took him fully into her mouth he cried out, such was the pleasure. He rose up on his elbows so he could watch her love him with her mouth. The sight of him sliding between her sweet lips had his sacs drawing taut. He wouldn't last long.

He sat up and pulled her round so she was straddling him backward. He positioned her over his face, and as she suckled him deep into her throat, he lapped at her nectar, stroking between her wet folds, finding her little bud. His fingers entered her while he pleasured her with his tongue. Her moans vibrated down the length of him as she sucked harder, took him deeper.

Their cries grew, and he couldn't help driving up into her mouth while his tongue lapped faster. This was heaven. His heart pounded in a wild rhythm. He could feel the desperate longing screaming from both of them.

They pleasured each other with fierce tenderness, the pain of loss forgotten, as the firestorm overcame them. They moved together, faster and faster, each suckling the other, using their mouths to give the other pleasure.

Her inner muscles clamped around his fingers, he felt her shudders, and he shattered. They came together, cresting the swells of pleasure that seemed to plow through them over and over.

When finally the rapture diminished, Marisa clambered over him to lie, trembling, in Maitland's arms. She lay against his warm, powerful body, listening to the force of his thundering heart.

He loved her.

The truth was in his touch, his voice, his eyes, and she placed her hand on his chest, his heart.

A serene peace washed over her. His love was easing the pain of all she had lost. All he had lost.

Even though they hadn't made love in the conventional sense, what they shared was still exquisite, with a sharp newness about it…a heightened sweetness and caring. They had given solace to each other.

They lay in each other's arms as the morning dawned. A new day for a new beginning.

“I will avenge you.” His spoken vow left her in no doubt that he was serious.

Fear crept in, but she simply squeezed his hand. “I just want to be able to live in peace with you. I don't want to have to look over our shoulders all the time.”

“I promise to give you that and so much more, my love.”

“Just promise me you'll be careful. You can't lose me, so it goes without saying that I can't lose you either.”

His jaw tightened. “I have to be there when we catch her.”

She stared at him for a long moment before nodding.

“Trust me,” he said quietly. “I won't do anything foolish.”

“Go to sleep,” she told him as she rose to dress. “We have two small girls who need you and me more than ever today. I'll see what is happening below while you try to get some rest.”

He closed his eyes and fell asleep, vowing all would be well from now on.

“Your Grace, we were not expecting you today,” a worried-looking Mr. Donovan said with a gasp as she swept into the orphanage, Clarence following in her wake.

That was exactly why she was here, for an unannounced inspection.

This was the third home on her list. The first two orphanages for girls had passed muster, just. A few changes had to happen at the first home. The nurse had an opium problem and had to go. While she was not aggressive toward the girls, she could not be relied upon. What if there was a fire while she was in dreamland?

Luckily, nothing worse had been found. Marisa had sent the nurse to a home in Brighton that dealt with ladies' tendencies for overindulgence in opiates and alcohol.

This would be the first inspection of this particular boys' home. Turning to Mr. Donovan, she said, “Mr. Homeward,” and nodded at Clarence. Clarence and Simon did not remember their last name, so they had chosen the name Homeward. “He will inspect the premises. Please have the boys present themselves in the schoolroom in half an hour. I'd like to speak with you and the staff in the front room now, if you please.”

Mr. Donovan tried to hide his annoyance at a woman walking in and ordering him about. The flash of anger was quickly replaced with an aggrieved wide-eyed smile. “I'm sure your request can be met; however, Mrs. Barker will need to stay with the young ones in the nursery.”

“Of course.” She would check the nursery herself. “I shall tell her she may stay upstairs, as I'm heading to the nursery now. Please gather the staff and wait for me in the front room.”

With that, she dismissed the man. Upon turning, she noted that Clarence had already gone toward the schoolroom, where she could hear the excited chatter of children. That was a good sign. Happy chatter usually meant a well-run home.

If anything untoward were happening here, Clarence would sniff it out. Most children instinctively knew Clarence had once been one of them.

In little more than an hour the orphanage had been given the all-clear. Mr. Donovan presented her with a list of repairs that needed to be done, and she handed it on to Clarence.

The pull to go back and spend another hour in the nursery caused a dull ache in her chest. However, she had two young girls waiting for her at home. Penelope and Antonia were waiting for her to take them to the park for a row on the pond. The pain inside eased somewhat.

Christian and Serena were hosting a dinner tonight so the men could go over their lists. They were down to only ten names. She chewed her bottom lip as the carriage rattled back toward Kenwood House. Isobel's stepmother was still on the list, and, even worse, Marisa thought Isobel was falling in love with Arend. He had been very attentive to Isobel, and she doubted his motives were genuine. Arend could be such a bastard.

Speaking of love. She gave a little chuckle. Hadley was in for a surprise this evening. Marisa had told Serena, Beatrice, and Portia about Lady Evangeline and her seeming obsession with Hadley.

Marisa sought Lady Evangeline out at a ball last week and hadn't expected to like her so much. When she explained what had happened between her and Hadley, Marisa roused the other Libertine Scholars' wives, and it was agreed to invite Lady Evangeline to dinner tonight. And seat her next to Hadley.

Lady Evangeline had told them such a sad tale, and she'd declared that she had come to London to win Hadley's heart once more.

Marisa couldn't wait to see how happy Hadley would be to see Lady Evangeline and listen to her story. She was sure he would forgive her.

Lovers reunited, how wonderful, especially as Lady Evangeline was rich as Croesus. Hadley, being a second son, even of a duke, was always in need of funds.

Maitland had muttered something about ladies interfering, but what was there for Hadley to be upset about? She was sure Hadley would be very happy to see his first love and hear her pitiful tale.

A few hours later, Marisa sat back and relaxed as Maitland rowed the girls and her across the pond in Hyde Park. The pond was like glass. The only ripples were from Maitland's oars. The girls sat in the middle of the rowboat, giggling and running their fingers through the water as they leaned over opposite sides.

Both Penelope and Antonia were coping well with their mother's “accident.” The first few nights after Priscilla's death Marisa had slept in the girls' room with them, but after a few weeks the tears were now flowing less often and they tried bravely to deal with their loss. Simon and Clarence helped them by talking about how they coped with losing their own mother.

Marisa wanted the boys to be honest with the girls. There was no point hiding the realities of life from them. The poverty the boys had to overcome shocked the two girls and made them realize they were luckier than most.

She and Maitland made the girls their priority over the coming weeks, spending as much time with them as possible, given their intensified hunt for the villainess.

She looked at her husband as he both rowed and conversed with Penelope. He was so handsome, especially as a smile was now permanently on his face when they were together. Penelope had the look of a Spencer, especially around the eyes. Antonia was very much like her mother, being that she had a different father.

“When can we go home to The Vyne?” Antonia suddenly asked.

Marisa smiled warily. “I'm not sure. Do you not like London?”

“I miss my friends and my pony.”

She noted the look of sadness in the wee girl's eyes. “And your mother, I suspect?”

Antonia's tears began to flow. “Yes. I have miniatures of her in my room at The Vyne. There are no paintings of her here. I want to see her face. I feel like I'm losing her all over again.”

Marisa looked over the little girl's head at Maitland. They couldn't leave just now. Not until their enemy had been dealt with.

“I promise we'll go to The Vyne soon. Your brother has some business in London that can't wait. How about I send a missive to The Vyne and ask then to send you the miniatures of your mother and we transport your ponies here too?”

Antonia's tears dried and a smile returned. “Would you? Thank you,” she said, and sighed.

Out of the blue, Penelope asked, “Maitland is our brother. What does that make you?”

“I'm Auntie Marisa.” Because of De Palma, she was destined to only ever be an aunt. Her stomach clenched and she saw the sadness flicker in Maitland's eyes.

They had explained to the girls that they would live with them. They were Maitland's sisters and his family.

“What will happen when you have children of your own? Will we be forgotten?” Penelope asked anxiously, looking between Maitland and her.

Marisa couldn't help it. Her hand went to her stomach. “The accident I had means I cannot have children. You are my family,” she said softly.

The two little girls looked at her and then at Maitland, who had stopped rowing.

Antonia, being the eldest, understood what this meant. “But you won't have a son.” She looked at her brother. “Mother always said you needed a son to pass the title to.”

“Passing on a title means little if you lose the one you love,” Maitland explained. “I almost lost Marisa, and that would have devastated me more than not being able to have a son.”

Marisa couldn't help it. Her eyes began to fill with tears at the love and emotion evident in his words.

Antonia clambered over the seat to sit next to her. She put her arms around her waist. “You can't have children, and we have no mother.” She stayed silent for a moment, hugging Marisa tightly. “We are perfect for each other. We can pretend that you are our new mother and you can pretend we are your children. Then all of us won't be so sad.”

Marisa kissed the top of Antonia's head. “I'd like that, if you are sure?” She looked at Penelope.

Penelope beamed a smile. “Mother would like that too. She wouldn't want us lonely, or you either. She loved us all too much to see any of us so sad.”

Maitland started rowing again. “You're quite right, Penelope. Priscilla had a generous heart and wanted what was best for you and me. She would be proud of both of you.”

Once back on dry land, the girls skipped ahead as they walked back through the park.

“Are you all right?” Maitland asked. “You're very quiet.” He patted her hand where it rested on his arm.

“Some days I forget what I've lost—
we've
lost—but then it hits me like a cannonball. I'm worried that one day, when we are old and gray, you might regret your choice.”

Maitland swung her round to face him and bent and kissed her, in public, for all to see.

“I'll regret nothing. You are my life, my love, and if I get to be old and gray with you by my side, I'll count myself the luckiest man alive.”

And because Marisa knew he never lied, she suddenly realized his words were true. She pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I love you.”

His stunning smile lit up her insides.

She slipped her hand into his and they resumed their walk, following the girls who were now hers to care for and love.

A little ball of loss eased as she surveyed her new family and felt the warmth, strength, and devotion of the man at her side.

All in all, she was a very lucky woman.

At the window of another townhouse in the fashionable district of Mayfair, a woman stood at a window, watching the carriage below. She turned from the sight on the street below and fed her corgi, Vindicta, a sweetmeat. The little dog was getting far too fat. She'd have to deny him in future.

“Well, my little furry friend. I may not have been able to destroy the Duke of Lyttleton, but we have achieved far more than that. My partner in crime tells me we have ensured his line dies with him. His wife cannot have children.”

She laughed gaily.

She'd failed with the first three Libertine Scholars, but now she'd tasted victory and she was even more determined to up the stakes.

Perhaps she should wait until Lord Fullerton and Baron Labourd married, and then replicate this situation, ensuring they remained childless too.

No, she could be waiting forever for the baron to marry, and time was running out. Besides, her plan for the baron was well under way.

The Libertine Scholars were getting too close. One thing these men were not was stupid, especially her dark and dangerous baron.

As time was of the essence, she'd decided to go after the remaining two Libertine Scholars simultaneously.

Hadley wouldn't even be a challenge. A bullet through his head was all she'd decided to do to him. The
ton
wouldn't even miss him, as he was a second son, but his fellow Libertine Scholars would mourn him terribly. Once she killed him, she'd better have Arend in her clutches too, because all hell would unleash.

She'd decided to kill Hadley outright, because, of all the Claymore children, he was the only one to look like his father. His father had been a monster.

She'd hoped that his inclusion in her revenge would somehow mean the Libertine Scholars would take longer to understand who their enemy might be. She'd hoped they would not ascertain she was after them because of something their fathers did. After all, Hadley was a second son. But they had seen past this. They understood her reasoning.

Hadley looked like his father, while his brother, the Duke of Claymore, took after his mother. Killing Hadley would wipe out any who looked like her abuser. That is what she wanted.

She looked at the discarded missive she'd just read, and smiled. Her plan was working. Lady Isobel would be the key for taking down the darkly delicious Arend, and that would be her finale. The climax of her years of seeking and wanting revenge.

Of all the Libertine Scholars, the baron had to die last because his father was the bitterest betrayal.

And thanks to Lady Isobel Thompson, she would be the one to deliver the bullet.