Cecilia's Claim (6 page)

"You?"
Never has such a small word been invested in
such scorn.

Philippe groaned. Now life was about to become so much more
complicated.

Chapter Four

Cecy could hardly believe her eyes.

 
"You."
She spat the word out, even as she tugged at her ties in a futile gesture. It
seemed they were made to withstand all efforts to undo them. "What are
you
doing here? You live in the wilds of
Dartmoor."

 
If Philippe was the last
man she wished to see, the man who had spoken ran a very close second. Goose
bumps ran up her spine. It would be difficult to separate her degree of
discomfort over each by a hairs breath for both worried and confused her. Caleb
Jefferies, Lord Haytor, the other man she would have been happy never to set
eyes on again stood beside her. She looked from one immobile face to the other.
Double trouble it seemed.

The tingle of arousal she had felt was firmly squashed; the time
for those intriguing ideas and actions was long gone. This was a time for
action. She pushed her foot back hard and had the satisfaction of hearing a
muffled yelp from Philippe.
Good, though
'tis a pity I couldn't reach his bollocks.
She swung the same foot in a
swift arc, letting it lift and angle towards Caleb. He either had lightning
reflexes, or was forewarned by her previous actions, because even as she moved,
he caught her ankle and jerked hard. Cecy had no time to react. She felt
herself falling and braced for the inevitable collision between her arse and
the stone floor. Her fall was stopped. Equally as fast, Caleb swung her into
his arms.

"No more violence
Cecy,
or I swear I
will be the one inflicting it. Not that I would call it violence, more
justified chastisement, and believe me you'd be begging for more." His
eyes glittered in the candlelight. "I also live here. If you remember, you
denied us so why should you know all our secrets. Do I take it you wish to
explore the pleasure of pain?"

That is where he is wrong. It
was no last time, it will be no again. Their ideas are too extreme. One of them
was enough. Two together
and
their ideas is way
beyond my orbit.
Why did she have a feeling she was kidding herself? She
shook her head, not wanting him to see how his words affected her.

"Now, do you behave? Or do we keep you?"

Trussed? Am I a goose for the
oven?
A goose certainly for venturing out so early.
She had no doubt
if she didn't give her word they would do as they threatened. Cecy took a deep
breath.

"I behave," she said in as even tone as she could
manage, and then her temper got the better of her. "However once this,
this whatever
it is, is over I suggest you watch your
bollocks. For if my brother does not blow them to smithereens, be sure I
will."

"Your brother," Caleb said in such a flat tone she was
both shocked and perturbed, "would be better served keeping you out of
trouble. Hang it Cecy, does he not know how dangerous this coast is? Well he
must do, for he has been sent here. But to bring you was foolhardy in the extreme.
There are people who would rejoice to have you as a bargaining tool. Does he
not realize this?"

All her anger left her.

"He realizes," she said quietly. "But it seems I
have blotted my copybook once too often for our brother and the ton's taste, and
I am no longer deemed acceptable to polite society."

 
She watched as Caleb's eyes
widened. Behind her the hold that Philippe had on her arm tightened to a point
of pain before it seemed he forced himself to relax.

"Elucidate." Caleb's voice was terse, but Cecy could
hear the underlying anger in it. "For what reason are you
ostracized?"

Ah here it
is,
the one thing I never thought to have to explain.

 
"It seems that certain
persons…identity unknown were observed leaving my home at an unacceptable hour.
This on-dit was about to circulate within the ton. With good fortune my
esteemed brother was able to scotch the rumors before they surfaced, but in his
usual inestimable manner decreed my absence would be appreciated. Combined with
my actions at Lady Gravesend's ball, and Almacks, I am considered to be beyond
the pale.
Hence my presence here."

"From the frying pan to the fire?"
Caleb said.
"No matter, we will protect you.
As far as we are able.
However Randall needs to take care."

The gall of the
man.
To say Randall needs to take
care. Does he think they do not? With Randall ready to blow their balls off if
they hurt me
? Cecy thought perhaps it would not be politic to mention that
fact.

"Randall is well able to take care of himself, and of me, if
in the unlikely scenario I am unable to do so myself." Cecy decided not to
mention the humiliating events of that morning. To be caught and abducted in
such an easy manner would not endear her to Randall. She could kick herself for
not thinking to carry her pistol, but then who would expect to be abducted in
such a manner? She was uneasily aware that her lack of a weapon would heap
admonishment from Randall upon her when he found out.

I should have remembered it.
Randall was posted here to foil smugglers. I should have been alert. I have no
one to blame but myself for his folly.
To her chagrin Cecy was well
aware that even if Randall returned to the house, her absence would not cause
immediate alarm because he was used to her habit of taking long rambles.
However if she hadn't returned by lunchtime,
then
he would worry. Cecy was not noted for missing meals; she
enjoyed her food too much.

She decided there was no further point in berating her fate, now
was the time to reconnoiter. She glanced around the room, to see it clearly for
the first time. No clock ticked out the minutes, and she had no idea how long
it was since she had blithely wandered along the foreshore. Tears filled her
eyes and she blinked rapidly. Crying was not helpful and not something she gave
into with ease. She decided it was time to change tactics.

"So gentlemen, what happens next?"

Her feet were kicked from under her, and she felt somewhat light
headed as Philippe—she assumed it was he—lifted her over his shoulder. How he
managed whilst they were still bound she had no idea, but with her hands and
one of his firmly squashed between them Cecy was helpless to do anything other
than allow herself to be carried. To where she didn't know, but a very
unromantic rumble from her tummy, made her hope it was to where she would be
fed.

Before she got her wits about her and realized her legs weren't
fastened a firm hand gripped her ankles and Caleb spoke in a humorous voice.

"I remember your predilection for using your feet."

Argh, the bastard
to remember that.
I need to be less
aware of them and more aware of my situation.

"Although," he continued, "Then it was for
pleasure. Now I fear it would be for something else." His fingers caressed
the soft skin around her slender joint, and Cecy shivered as his touch sent tingles
of pleasure through her.

If his hands on my ankles can
make my curls damp, what would his fingers elsewhere do to me once more?
It seemed her
senses hadn't forgotten the delight of his touch any more than her memory had.

His laugh did nothing to help dampen her excitement. Deep and
rumbling, it increased the shards of pleasure that bombarded her. How
could
she be so excited by so little?
Was she so easily pleased? Her juices increased and Cecy squirmed against
Philippe. The sharp tap to her behind did nothing to quench the heat that
filled her; quite the opposite.

Is it that I am a sad person
to enjoy the sting of his hand so? How can this excite me when their
suggestions all those months ago did not
? But she wondered, had those
suggestions been truly abhorrent, or was it the fear of the unknown that had
her denying any relationship with them?

She lifted her head to see here they were going, just to have it
pushed down again in a firm and dominant manner.

"Stop that." She froze in mid move.

"You'll smack your head.
 
That is not the part of your anatomy that would enjoy a spank, believe
me there is time and enough for that. When…" Caleb's voice petered out.

"When?"
She couldn't help the gush of juice that
dampened her thighs. Her voice was uneven and her pulse jumped as if it was a
flea in a circus.

Her query seemed destined to remain unanswered. A loud and
repeated knock echoed throughout the house.

"Hellfire and damnation."
Philippe had the knots
holding them together undone almost before he set her down. "Here,"
She found herself thrust at Caleb without ceremony. "You do as you think
fit. I need to sort other things. Get her out of sight for all our sakes. Do as
you must. I'll stall them."

He didn't say who they were, but by the tone of his voice, Cecy guessed
they weren't paying a friendly visit. The atmosphere was heavy. Cecy could only
describe it a malevolent, and knew deep down, she was scared. Of whom or what,
she had no idea.

"What now?" To her disgust her voice shook. Caleb didn't
offer any assurances. "I hide you and hope to hell I can get you away
without your presence being noted. Come on." He pressed the ornate carving
beside the fireplace, and pushed at the paneling.

Cecilia felt no surprise as it opened and a dark space appeared
behind it. To have seen the Whist Hounds of Dartmoor appear from within it
would not have surprised her.

The hammering of fists on wood sounded louder.

"Move."
She was through the gap and inside a tiny room
with Caleb pressed tight to her arse before she had time to agree or not.

Chapter Five

Caleb closed the secret door behind them, and
grit
his teeth as his cock did a flag up a flagpole impression and then sprang to
attention. Try as he might to resist he had to press tight up to Cecilia for a
brief second, before he put his mouth close to her ear.

"We need to be quiet. Although we have long decided this is
as soundproof as can be, there is no need to push our luck. Philippe will stall
for as long as he is able, but I need to get you away from here. Nod if you
understand." He held her head in a light grip until he was aware it moved
up and down.

The relief he felt consumed him. The next few minutes were going
to be difficult enough with Cecilia's acceptance of their circumstances.
Without it, he would have very little hope of succeeding in effecting a safe
getaway for her. Caleb put his finger over her lips. The hairs on his arms
stood on edge, as almost without volition her tongue pushed between her lips
and touched his digit in a soft swirl. If only he had time to take up her
unconscious invitation. Instead he gave himself a brief taste of what he hoped
was for the future and pressed his cock tight up against her arse. She
wriggled, and let him rest there before he reluctantly broke the connection.
Time to give his cock full rein later if… He stopped his speculation.
If was a very little word with a very big meaning and that
connotation he daren't speculate upon.

Without speaking he held her around her waist and moved them
forward. Caleb knew the room and stairs that led from it like the back of his
hand. It had been his playroom, his bolt hole, and then his escape route for
more years than he liked to remember. His grandfather had been firm but fair
with everyone, not just him, and had warned Caleb there were many who did not
subscribe to his way of thinking. Grandpapa Blevins had made sure a young Caleb
was able to leave the manor as and when was needed. With a similar route at
Moor Sentinel House Caleb was reasonably sure he could keep Cecy safe and well
hidden. As they reached the bottom of the staircase he led her along another
corridor until they came to a low door.

"This takes us to the top of the hill." His voice was
not much above a whisper. "We'll need to go over it, to where I have
horses stabled. Then we'll get you away from here." He felt her stir, and
once more placed his palm over her mouth.

"Cecy, just for once, don't argue, let me take you to safety,
and then explain. Please."

She sighed, and her breath feathered over his skin like a soft and
gentle breeze. "It seems I must, but then my lord I want explanations. And
they had best be good, or I will make you wish your cock had never ever perked
up in my presence."

The inference is that it will
never get the chance to do so in any shape or form again if my explanation does
not hold water.