Blood Lust (8 page)

Katherine didn’t realize he had untied the front of her blouse as it slid off her shoulder. The fires then raged in her stomach at the feel of him. She wasn’t expecting this, and felt helplessly out of her league.

“William. . .” she whispered, beginning to fight for any control that seemed to be escaping her grasp. Her body felt as though it was on fire. Her breasts throbbed, and liquid heat burned in that place between her legs.

He kissed her deeply, then lowered his head and took the nipple of her breast into his mouth. Fire scorched through her. His tongue gently played with the sensitive end, she arched forward as a sound escaped. She knew she should stop him, yet she could not find the strength. She was trembling all over, her head thrown back. She could feel his hardened arousal beneath her as he held her in his lap.

And if divine intervention interrupted, with someone pounding on the door.

“What the hell. . .?” It took a moment for William to end his amorous kisses and tear his mouth away from her burning flesh. When he did, a draft of cold air came over the place he had abandoned and with it an icy jolt of reality, ending her passion.

“Oh, God,” she whispered, her eyes going wide with horror at the knowledge of what they had done.

“Good God,” William swore, pulling her blouse into place, looking nearly as annoyed as she.

“It’s alright, my lady,” he said softly looking at her stricken face. “I won’t let them in.” He began adjusting his clothes, the bulge in his breeches a blatant reminder of what had nearly happened.

Katherine turned away, her face turning red, embarrassed.

She said nothing to William as he walked to the door and opened it. He started speaking to the stable boy, who was pointing toward the barn. Katherine saw a bay horse tied to the fence and a tall man standing in the shadows. He took a step back, out of sight before she glimpsed a portion of his face.

“I’ll be right back,” William told her. He stepped through the door, looking one last time at her and closed the door behind him. He left her in dishevel, her thoughts racing through her head, her body still warm from his touch.

Walking into the stables, William found Damien waiting in the cool shadows. Willing his pulse to slow, he pushed his hair out of his face. Cursing himself for looking like a man who had just been interrupted in the act of sexual mischief, hating himself for the way he behaved.

“And here I was worried about you being bored out here.” The sarcasm in Damien’s voice was not lost on William.

He shook his head, the earl of York missed little Obviously, he knew exactly what had been going on in the cottage.

“Boredom is the least of my worries,” William pulled his hand through his thick hair. “Thank God you arrived when you did.” He shook his head. “The fault is totally mine, not the lady’s. I never meant for this to occur.”

“I presume that to mean I arrived before you deflowered our pretty little lady.”

“The girl is still a maid.” He could not blot out the image of his hands on her soft breasts. If Damien hadn’t arrived when he did, she would not have been so.

“Good, as you’ve only one more day with her. I trust you’ll be able to keep control that much longer.”

“I can’t believe I behaved as I did. I knew I had changed, in more than one way since I left England. I didn’t know how much.” William sighed, remembering his blood lust that kept rising to the surface, getting harder and harder for him to control.

“Surely you weren’t going to take the girl by force.”

“Good God, no. Even I wouldn’t go that route,” William replied, his eyes widening.

Damien’s mouth curved slightly as he clapped his friend on the back. “Relax, my friend. The lady is a temptation to any man. Do not scold yourself for simply being a man.”

William smiled. “Her virtue will be safe with me. I’m glad this business is almost over.”

“That is why I have come. Benjamin received the communiqué which alerts him to the final hours before foreclosure. By tomorrow at midnight, Sussex Manor and it’s surrounding acreage will once more belong to you.”

William nodded his head with satisfaction. “What about the wedding? Have you heard anything?”

“I daresay it was priceless,” Damien chuckled. “When I arrived at Sussex Manor this morning, Benjamin was putting on his act thick. He was so grief-stricken to the fact that his betrothed had fallen into the hands of a robber while she was on her way to her wedding. The wedding would have to be postponed, but he was sparing no expense to find her.”

“He still plans on marrying her?” William frowned.

“If she will still have him. I doubt an heiress would be interested in allying herself with a poverty-stricken duke.”

“Then I shall see her returned safely to Sussex Manor the day after tomorrow. No need for her brother to worry any more.”

“If there is a problem, I’ll send word. However, I don’t expect any. As soon as the girl is home, you can meet me at my estate. From there we’ll continue to clear your name.”

William shook his friend’s hand. “Thank you Damien, I’ll never forget this.”

“My friend, we’ve just gotten started. I don’t envy you for the next two days though,” he said nodding toward the cottage.

William rolled his eyes. “You have no idea.”

Damien laughed, careful to keep his back to the windows as he swung up on his horse. “Take care of yourself. I’ll see you soon.”

William watched his friend ride away, then started back toward the cottage, taking a deep breath as he did. He expected Katherine to be locked away in the bedchamber, instead she sat quietly on the sofa, her eyes fixed on her book. He closed the door and crossed the room, standing in front of her, but she did not look up.

“I know you are angry.”

Katherine said nothing.

“I want you to know that I never intended to touch you. I never meant for any of that to happen. I apologize, Lady Katherine. I give you my word it will not happen again.”

She slowly lowered the book. “I did not expect to hear an apology coming from a bandit. This is quite unexpected.”

He realized how hard she was working on keeping control. “Your apology is quite gallant, however the fault was also mine. I behaved badly. I assure you it is not the way I act.”

“I may be jaded, and I may not always hold a woman in the highest regard, but I realize a maid when I see one. I should not have taken advantage of the situation.”

She stared toward the window. “Who was that man? The hour of the wedding is past. Did he have the ransom note?”

“No ransom note was sent. It wasn’t the reason you were taken.”

“Then it is time for me to go home.”

Nodding, he said, “The day after tomorrow I will see you are safely returned to Sussex Manor. I’m sure your brother is still there and will be eager to see you.”

“The day after tomorrow?”

“You have my word.”

Looking at him, assessing him, not sure whether to believe him or not. “I have seen your face. Are you not concerned that I will not tell them who you are?”

He smiled at her. “Who am I?”

“Why you are. . .you are a tall, brawny highwayman. Your point is well taken.”

“Katherine?”

“Yes?”

“There is something you should know about your future husband.”

“And what might that be?” she asked, eyeing him warily.

“The duke is nearly impoverished. Even Sussex Manor does not belong to him.”

“What!” She sprang to her feet. “That is absurd!”

“I am sorry. You may have your people verify what I am telling you, but you’ll find it is the truth.”

“I don’t believe you. The duke is a very wealthy man.”

“There was a time when he was. I’m afraid that is not so now. He was marrying you for your money. He needed it to prop up his interests.”

Her face turned white in disbelief. “Dear God.”

“None of his endeavors produced any return. In business he is an utter failure. If you marry him, you will be risking your fortune in the hands of a man who most likely will see it ruined.”

She sat back down on the sofa, her face even white than before. “I cannot believe it.” She shook her head and began to laugh, thinking of Benjamin, the marriage that she thought would have saved her.

William watched as her laughter turned into tears. The duke was marrying her for her money! She started laughing even harder. She was laughing so hard she could no longer see for the tears.

“Stop it,” William said, but she only laughed harder. “Stop it, I said!” He jerked her off the sofa, and startled her into silence.

“Ah, Katherine. . .” William pulled her into his arms and held her against his chest. “He didn’t deserve you.”

She cried even harder, sliding her arms around his neck, clinging to him.

“It’s all right,” he said. “You’ll find someone else to marry, and he’ll be a far better man.”

She listened to him, but it was his touch and the gentle tone in his voice that seeped through her despair.

The tightness in her throat began to ease and the tears dried up. Slowly she eased herself away.

“I’m sorry. It wasn’t just the duke and my failed marriage plans. It was a bit of everything.”

He wiped the tears from her cheeks with his fingers. “It’s all right. You’ll be home soon and you’ll be able to put this all behind you.”

Katherine nodded, however, she ached with the knowledge of all she had lost. Everything wouldn’t be all right. Unless she found another man to marry, one with money enough to clear her estate’s debts, it would never be all right. She fought the urge to cry. She wished more than ever that she could go home.

Chapter Six

The last two days passed slowly and without incident. William thought that perhaps he should have told Katherine the truth about Benjamin from the start of this ordeal. But then, she probably would not have believed him, at least in the beginning.

But she knew the truth now, at least part of it, and she seemed to believe him. She had accepted his promise that he would take her to Sussex Manor and promised she would stay in the cottage until the day they were to leave.

Their truce in place, he gave her more freedom by letting her go outside to get some fresh air and enjoy the sunshine. She seemed happier, watching deer in the meadow or walking beside the brook that flowed next to the cottage.

She had resigned herself to making the best of the last few days and seemed determined to make the most of it, enjoying the country before returning to the structured life she faced at home.

William himself relaxed a little, letting his guard down a little more than he should have. Once as he finished chopping wood, he looked at the low hanging sun and realized that she had been gone for more than an hour. He set off to find her, worried she might have run away after all, his mind racing as he tried to decide which route she might have taken.

He found her to his great relief in the stable.

“There you are.” Approaching the stall where he spotted her, he leaned his elbows on the top rail and looked down at her. “I thought you might have decided to leave.”

She sat cross-legged in the fresh straw, where two puppies snuggled contently in her lap.

Katherine looked at him, unruffled by the light edge to his voice. “I took you at your word that you would see me home. I gave you mine in return. I do not break my promises.”

Somehow he knew that she would not break her promise. He relaxed now, enjoying the way she looked sitting there with the puppies. “I see you have some new friends.”

She smiled. “Aren’t they beautiful?”

He said nothing, finding it difficult to concentrate, finding her a sight to look at.

“Do you like dogs, my lord?” Her voice brought him back to reality.

“Yes, yes I do,” he replied.

She set the puppies gently in the straw and rose to her feet, holding one of the puppies carefully as she walked toward him. “Would you like to hold him?”

He almost said no, but instead found himself reaching for the puppy. The puppy was small enough to fit in one of William’s hands. It felt soft and warm and smelled of milk.

He found himself smiling. “Perhaps you could take him with you.”

She shook her head sadly. “I don’t think I should. I must settle this business with the duke and then there is my brother to consider. He has become forgetful. Taking care of him takes a great deal of time. Even on his good days I worry about him. He hates what has happened to him and there is nothing I can do to fix it.”

“What of your mother and father?” he asked.

“My mother died when I was six. Father died three years ago. He wasn’t a very good father. He was not around much.”

William, stroking the puppy told her, “My father was the most unbelievable man I’ve known. He was smart, strong and honest. He was demanding though, but he was also giving.”

The memory was painful. When he looked down Katherine was staring at him with a look of compassion. He handed the puppy back to her, uncomfortable for having told her something so intimate. “It is getting late and it is starting to get cold. We’ll be leaving early in the morning, so we better go back in now.”