Blood Lust (11 page)

The second she thought of him, she felt herself blushing. Memories of their tryst came to her, his hard, deep kisses and visions of his hands on her breasts came flooding back into her memory banks. She had prayed for these images to leave her, but instead each night she found herself tossing and turning, wishing instead that she could see him once more. She also wished he would ride to her defense as he had the night he had stolen her.

She sighed. She was going to have to marry and soon. It certainly couldn’t be to an outlaw, or even a displaced nobleman. William could not save her, no matter how handsome a man he was. She had to find a wealthy, suitable husband who didn’t need her dowry. Her search she thought would begin at the costume ball.

Of course she would have to be subtle in her efforts. Her objective was to lay to rest the wagging tongues. With Benjamin’s assistance, even grudging as it was, the gossip would soon end. The Season would begin in earnest soon. Perhaps there would be a new face among the suitors seeking the hand of a wealthy heiress. Perhaps if she were lucky she would find him. Perhaps someday it would turn to true love.

Her lady’s maid hurried in carrying her costume for the ball. It was the only thing that remained to be packed for the journey.

She hoped this beautiful gown would help her in the work she had to do at Sussex Manor. She smiled thinking how disappointed the duke would be that she wasn’t the one footing the bill. Pity the poor woman who would be as she didn’t doubt that the duke would soon be gaining a wife.

She would be in medieval dress, as a young maid for the ball, in a deep purple velvet top. A gold girdle had been fashioned for her waist, a small jeweled dagger fell off it, although the blade’s jewels had been replaced with those made of past. Her hair would be loose in the medieval style of an unmarried woman.

A noise in the hall diverted her attention from the costume.

“The carriage awaits us. It is well past the time we should be leaving,” she heard Thomas say.

Katherine rushed to the tope of the stairs. “I am ready. I won’t be but another minute.

They were on the road quickly, headed toward Sussex Manor. The past week had been particularly cold, but a breath of spring weather had set in. Blue sky rose above the fields, a warm sun filtered through the branches of the trees.

Their rooms were ready at the inn in spite of leaving late. They arrived well after dark. In the morning they resumed their journey.

Sussex Manor grew closer and as it did Katherine began to fret. Her mind kept returning to the day she had traveled down this same road and had been abducted.

Surely he wouldn’t dare come again. But she found herself wanting him to do just that. She hoped he would ride out of the woods, force her out of the carriage and sweep her onto the front of his saddle.

This was not all lost on Thomas, catching several of her nervous glances out the window. “You need not worry. This time the outlaw will not find us unprepared. We are ready for him, should he appear. This time the coachy is armed.” He grinned with satisfaction.

“Armed?” she asked.

“Yes, that is correct. Should this bandit try again, he will face the wrong end of a pistol.”

She stared at her brother. She didn’t want him killed, she merely had hoped to see him again. She said a silent prayer. She was amazed that Thomas had taken such an action, amazed that he even remembered the prior trip. But that was how the outcome of his accident was, one minute he was lucid and the next he couldn’t remember where he was.

Sitting on the edge of her seat, Katherine looked at the trees on the side of the road and tried to control her racing heart.

In the end her worry was for nothing. William did not appear again, and their journey to Sussex Manor was uneventful. Apparently the bandit had forgotten all about them. She vowed to herself that she would forget him too.

Music filled the halls and magnificent rooms of Sussex Manor. Benjamin Spencer stood alone for a moment, enjoying the brief respite from his guests, and his intended.

He caught a glimpse of her in the flickering light of one of the hundreds of golden sconces that lined the ballroom. She was dancing, her hair gleaming like polished wood. Benjamin gritted his teeth so hard a pain shot through his jaw. The sight of her infuriated him. He had been so careful to maintain his image of wealth. How had she discovered the truth? Where had she been on those days before the wedding?

Benjamin straightened up his black velvet beret. He was dressed as a tudor nobleman, complete with slashed, full-sleeved over jacket, a silver brocaded waistcoat, white stockings and of course a silver embroidered codpiece.

He smiled, thinking of the time period he emulated. He wished he could wack off the head of that bitch, Katherine. Good luck and good riddance, he thought as he watched her dance with another. His attention shifted to a far more interesting object.

A woman he had seen a few times before, a girl in first blush, a slender blond woman, attending her first Season. Her father was well known on matters of finance, even holding the ear of the king. Sir Paul Stanwick had been, over the years wildly successful in his business dealings. He had focused his attentions in recent years in turning his successes into a large fortune. Stanwick had wealth and power and he had just one daughter, Elizabeth, who was only eighteen and would inherit all his vast holdings.

Benjamin had heard rumors recently that the girl and her fortune were up for sale. At that time he was not interested, but now with the loss of his bride and his looming ruin, he was forced to reconsider.

He took a pinch of snuff as he studied the young girl. He could not say he found her lacking in beauty. She was not as vibrant as Katherine, but she held her own. The past week he had gone to London and had a secret meeting with her father. Sir Paul was beside himself at the notion of his daughter wed to a duke.

A tentative agreement had been reached, including that she came with a kingly dowry and a provision that marriage to Elizabeth would make the duke of Sussex heir to the vast Stanwick fortune. However, there was one catch, Elizabeth had to agree.

Benjamin smiled as he caught her dancing with the earl of Batton, a handsome, wealthy man, who had finally decided to enter the marriage mart. He was in need of an heir, and by the end of the Season, he meant to see that problem resolved.

Benjamin frowned as he did not want the earl anywhere near Elizabeth. The man had a bad reputation as far as the ladies went. Benjamin would see that the earl understood that she was taken, even though Elizabeth was unaware of this. As soon as he rid himself of Katherine, he would turn his charms on Elizabeth Stanwick.

The girl would agree to the marriage and soon. He smiled to himself at the thought. He would see to it that she had no choice. He had made one mistake, he would not make another in Elizabeth. Perhaps once his position was secure again, he would settle the score with Katherine.

Katherine forced herself to smile. She was sick to death of her dance partner. All he had done was ogle her breasts in the most obnoxious manner. Benjamin thank goodness had played his part well for the better half of the evening, dancing with her, making it known that they were still a couple, that nothing was out of sync with their relationship. His attentions had saved her from the earl’s advances for a while, but now the duke had strayed.

“You look warm, my dear,” the earl said, studying the flush in her cheeks from their latest round of dancing. “Perhaps a moment on the terrace would be of some help.”

“No! I’m sorry, my lord, but I fear I cannot. I’ve promised this dance to another. I’m sure that my partner will be arriving at any moment.”

Turning to walk away, in hopes to escape him, she was abruptly halted by the broad, angular body blocking her.

“As you said, my lady,” came the voice she remembered so well. “I believe we are partnered for this next dance.”

Her heart started beating faster, thumping harder in her chest. It couldn’t be him. He couldn’t be here. He was masked and wigged, but she had no doubt of who he was.

“My lady?” He bowed deeply, then tipped his hand, motioning toward the dance floor.

“Why yes, I believe this dance is yours, my lord.” It was hard for her to draw a breath. He was dressed in those of a calvary officer. A mask covered the top half of his face, but even the mask couldn’t hide those brilliant eyes or the effect they had on her.

She accepted his hand as he held it out, engulfing her fingers, their warmth and strength reminding her of the daunting force he represented. She let him guide her onto the dance floor, her legs trembling.

She suddenly realized how much she had missed him since the day he left her in the meadow. She had thought of him often.

Katherine gazed nervously around the other dancers crushing them together on the dance floor. It was dangerous for him to be there Someone might recognize him and he might be arrested. Even a penniless nobleman was not immune to the law.

She tried to keep her attention on the music and the dance, which seemed to go on forever. He moved with grace that she had noticed in him before. She boldly studied him, the way his breeches outlined his powerful thighs, the way the fabric encased the sizeable bulge of his sex, making her cheeks grow warm. She glanced away, but not before she caught his arrogant, roguish smile.

Once the dance ended, he took her hand and led her off the dance floor and on to the terrace overlooking the garden. Spring was in the air and this evening was cool, but not cold. But perhaps it was the heat flowing through her that kept her warm.

She let him draw her into the shadows of the terrace, turning to face him, speaking to him for the first time since he appeared.

“Have you lost your mind William? This is the last place you should come!”

“I came to see you. I thought perhaps you missed me,” he said, shrugging his shoulders beneath his scarlet uniform.

“Miss you? Me? You are a arrogant. . .” His firm arm slid around her waist cutting off her words. He dragged her against him, the hot moist crush of his lips upon hers. He kissed her with unwavering force, forcing her lips to part before the assault of his tongue.

Her stomach gave way and her head began to spin. He pulled her tighter in his arms, her lips tingled and pleasure rolled through her.

“William,” she whispered, kissing him back, sliding her arms around his neck. My God, she was behaving like a fool, but she could not stop herself.

William deepened the kiss, exploring the inside of her mouth, his hands roving across her back, circling her waist, then sliding lower to cup her behind and pull her even closer to him. His sex was hard, warning her to beware, but his kiss was so ravishing, so consuming, she found herself pressing against him.

It was William who pulled away. “You are still betrothed to the duke. I don’t think he would appreciate the kiss we have just shared.”

She was amazed by her own words as she fought to catch her breath. “His grace and I have already agreed to part ways. I only wait for a suitable time to satisfy the gossips.”

“I had hoped you would be smart enough to end it,” he replied, some of the tension drained from his well muscled shoulders.

She had no choice but to end it. She needed money as badly as the duke did. “Why did you come tonight, William?”

“To see you of course.” There was more to it than that. She could read it in his eyes. “It was worth it, my lady.”

She shouldn’t of kissed him. She should regret it, however she did not. “I’ll never be a duchess now.”

“Do you care?”

She shook her head. “Not in the least. As a matter of fact I owe you a debt of gratitude. Marriage to the duke would have been hellish. I don’t know how I missed seeing him for who he really is.”

“Benjamin is a man of many faces. It is not surprising you were taken in.”

“You sound as though you know him quite well.”

“I thought I knew him, but I was wrong. It was a costly mistake I shall not make again.”

“How did you not think that by coming here tonight I would sound the alarm and tell him you were my abductor?”

He smiled that devilish smile at her. “The thought had occurred to me, but I felt that knowing the truth about him would keep you silent.”

She had thought of him, endlessly. It had not made the least bit of difference. She had to marry for money, she had to find a man who could save her family from ruin.

She loathed to admit it, but William and she traveled the very same road, in truth they were not so very different.

“I have to go in,” she said, wishing she didn’t have to. “Will I see you again?”

He shook his head. “I don’t think so. It wouldn’t be the sensible thing to do. I should not have come.”

She reached up and touched his cheek. “I am glad you came tonight.” She thought for a moment he would kiss her again, but he did not.

“Good-bye, my lady.”

“Good-bye William. Take care of yourself.” He turned away from her and she watched him disappear over the terrace and into the darkness of the garden. In seconds he was gone and Katherine felt suddenly empty. She fought to keep back the tears. It was wrong to feel this way, such a powerful attraction to a man she hardly knew. His kisses and the memory of him haunted her until a chill overtook her and forced her back inside the house. Even then she could not forget him.