Her Heart's Desire (6 page)

She continued exploring, inhaling the fresh air and relishing the peace and quiet. After New York City, it was like living in a different world, and she loved it. She didn’t want to wander too far, but as the gardens opened up onto the magnificent maze, she couldn’t resist going in.

She had read about the maze before arriving at Highcroft. She knew it was a complicated labyrinth leading to the center, where a gazebo with love seats waited for earnest explorers. She felt a pang of sadness, wishing she had someone who would love her and respect her, someone to share lovely things like this with. She thought of Mike and the two years they had spent together. She had been so happy. What had gone wrong? Why hadn’t she been enough for him?

Brushing sad thoughts aside, she entered the maze, checking her mobile for a strong signal, just in case she couldn’t find her way out again.

She wandered around the thick hedgerows, admiring the topiary and wishing it was summer. As she neared the middle, she stopped dead. There in the clearing was Marcus and a woman who was clearly not Felicity.

He was kissing her fervently, his hands under her coat, feeling her breasts. Marisa retreated behind the nearest hedge and watched. Marcus pushed the blonde back against a statue and pulled open her shirt, revealing her small, pert breasts. He kissed them all over and fondled them, then his hand went up under her skirt, and she parted her legs and moaned.

‘You like that, don’t you? What else do you want? Do you want to feel me inside you?’ Marcus demanded, his voice almost a growl.

‘Yes, I want you to fuck me. Do it to me right here,’ the blonde said as she turned around and held on to the statue, using the figure’s stony arms as a support.

Marcus pulled her skirt right up around her waist, exposing a peachy bum, and he tore her skimpy knickers down to her knees. She bent over, and he grabbed at her bum cheeks roughly. Going to his knees, he kissed the soft flesh before delving in between, and the blonde gasped and writhed as his tongue invaded her most secret places.

Marisa was shocked. It was like being on the set of a porn movie. She couldn’t believe Marcus could be so blatant. Her dislike of him intensified, and she turned away, feeling her blood boil. Another cheating bastard—were all men so disloyal? Marisa hurried to escape the maze before they finished. If they caught her, that could be
very
embarrassing.

She found her way out surprisingly fast, and she hurried to the house. She wondered who the blonde was and felt sorry for Felicity. She obviously loved Marcus. She would be devastated to know what her randy husband was up to in the maze. Well, Marisa sure wasn’t going to tell her. Some things are best kept to yourself.

* * * *

Marisa raced inside the house, darting for the stairs just as Felicity was making her way down.

‘Marisa, are you all right?’ Felicity asked as Marisa hurried past her.

Marisa was unable to meet the woman’s eyes after what she had just witnessed.

‘Oh, yes, just lost track of the time. I’ll be with you in a moment. I’m just putting some trousers on, it’s a bit chilly out,’ she called behind her.

‘Righty ho, see you out front,’ Felicity said.

They took Felicity’s Range Rover, and she chattered all the way to the village as she drove and chain-smoked. Marisa decided she was okay. Truth was she quite pitied her. Marcus was a real shit. She couldn’t believe he would screw someone else right there in the maze. Felicity could have seen them herself, how rotten.

Thoughts of Mike crept in again, and she pushed them away, instead envisaging the handsome face of Lord St. John, or
James,
as she longed
to call him.

They reached Marlow, a pretty little village on the banks of the River Thames. Marisa thought it was charming with its stone cottages, Tudor-style buildings, and quaint town center lined with pretty shops and flower pots. There were several expensive-looking boutiques, and they spent over an hour going from shop to shop trying on different outfits. While in a particularly chic one, Felicity picked out a stunning blue dress embellished with Swarovski crystals. I’m going to try this one on. Do you fancy anything?’

Marisa took a peep at one of the price tags and went weak at the knees. ‘Er, no, I’ll just wait here for you.’

‘Okay, see you in a moment,’ Felicity said, vanishing behind a heavy velvet curtain.

Marisa took a seat feeling very self-conscious in her JCPenney coat and Barneys’ sale boots. She flicked through a fashion magazine as she waited.

Felicity appeared, looking amazing. The dress hugged her slender curves. It was the perfect length for her, falling just on the calves, accentuating her long legs.

‘Marisa, be a dear and ask the assistant to bring me a size eight, this is gaping a little at the back.’

‘Oh, okay, just a min.’ Marisa walked over to the rail herself; she couldn’t find an eight, so she approached a pretty young woman who was busy arranging white roses in a crystal vase.

‘Excuse me. Can my friend have the blue dress in a size eight, please?’ Marisa asked.

‘I’ll just check the rail,’ she said.

‘I’ve already looked, there isn’t one there,’ Marisa said.

‘Oh, okay, I’ll just check in back if we have one in stock. I won’t be a moment.’

‘Marisa, Marisa!’ Felicity called out from the changing rooms.

Marisa walked back towards her, wondering what was wrong. Felicity poked her head out from behind the curtain.

‘Be a darling and ask her for a size seven in the Prada sandals, the ones with the three-inch heel, in black.’

‘Oh, okay, will do.’ Marisa was beginning to feel like she worked there herself.

The pretty assistant came back, holding another dress.

‘Here we are. I’ll take it through.’

Oh, that’s okay, I’ll take it, and can you get her a size seven in the three-inch Prada heel?’ Marisa said.

‘Very well,’ said the assistant, handing Marisa the dress. She went off to get the shoes.

‘Felicity, here’s your dress.’ Marisa handed it through the curtain.

‘Oh, thank you, you are a doll.’ She reached through and grabbed it.

‘Did you get the shoes, darling?’

‘The
assistant
is bringing them,’ Marisa said. She was starting to feel bored and just a little bit agitated that Felicity was treating her like her lady’s maid.

‘Look, Felicity, if it’s okay with you, I’m going to have a look in the newsagents. I will be back in five minutes. I don’t expect you will be done by then.’

‘No, dear, off you go. I will see you back here.’

Gee, thanks
, thought Marisa.

She left the shop and went next door to the newsagents, hoping to find something interesting to read. She browsed the magazines and picked out a Country Life magazine. On the cover was a beautiful, stately home, and as she read the article, Marisa learned it belonged to the Duke of Marlborough, no less, and it was called Blenheim Palace. She decided she would go and see it on her day off. Maybe she could use the staff car if it was available.

She bought the magazine and returned to the boutique just as Felicity was paying for her dress and shoes. Marisa was shocked to see the total rang up on the till. She couldn’t believe Felicity had just spent so much money on one outfit.

‘Oh, look here, Marisa,’ Felicity said, picking up a pair of gloves from a rail on the desk.

‘Why don’t you get these? I noticed you weren’t wearing any.’ Felicity handed the soft leather gloves to Marisa.

Marisa balked at the price tag and handed them straight back to her.

‘No, thanks, I have gloves at the house. I don’t need new ones.’

‘Oh, okay, that’s a shame. They are on sale and so pretty.’

Marisa smiled and shook her head.
I’m not spending a week’s wages on a pair of ridiculously overpriced mitts,
she thought.

She would never admit it to Felicity, of course, but she would never spend so much money on clothes, even if she was rich. There were children starving in the world, for God’s sake.

They took a break in the chocolate house tea rooms, and Marisa allowed herself a slice of mouthwatering chocolate gâteau.

‘Wow, that was delicious,’ she said, patting her stomach, feeling stuffed.

‘I know, they have the best cakes and pastries in Buckinghamshire,’ Felicity said between mouthfuls of chocolate fudge cake. Marisa was surprised to see her eating such a huge, calorie-laden treat. She wondered how she kept her figure so slim.

Every time she looked at Felicity, she cringed as she remembered the erotic show by the fire and Marcus’s most recent flagrant display in the maze. She wondered if Felicity knew he had a lover.

Upon returning to Highcroft, Marisa excused herself and decided to take a nap before dinner, figuring she had seen enough excitement for one day.

‘Phew,’ Marisa let out a long sigh and made for the sanctuary of her room. Once inside, she lay down on the beautiful bed and swept her arm across the delicate silk quilt, relishing the softness of the plump feather pillows and the luxurious Egyptian cotton pillowcases against her cheek. She drifted off with thoughts of Lord St. John, cakes, and sex on her mind—a heady concoction.

* * * *

‘Please, kiss me, kiss me now,’ she said breathlessly as James St. John gazed into her eyes, his blue eyes dancing as though mocking her, as though he knew the strength of the effect he had on her.

‘You’re mine, my beautiful, sexy, American darling,’ he whispered as he trailed gentle kisses along her neck, causing her to writhe in passion, her heart beating so fast she felt as though it would explode.

She gasped, struggling for breath as he slowly undid her shirt with his elegant, sexy fingers, and all the while his eyes never left hers. He stroked the swell of her breast and caressed the nipple through the sheer fabric of her pretty lace bra.

His head bent and his tongue snaked out, licking the nipple gently, his eyes penetrating hers, she felt herself swooning. Her heart raced, as heat rose up from the tips of her toes to the top of her head as he sucked gently on one nipple then the other.

He groaned deeply as he sucked gently, making her feel wild and wanton, his hardness pressed against her groin as she wriggled, thrusting herself up to him, crying out as he pressed himself into her. She caressed his face and held on tightly as his lips covered hers...

‘What the—huh?’ Marisa mumbled as she woke with a start upon hearing a loud knocking at her door
.

Feeling disoriented, she roused herself from her sexy dream. The persistent knocking continued, and she leapt off the bed to open the door. Mrs. Reed was standing there.

‘I wondered if you would be coming down for dinner, Miss Lowell. Mrs. Rose is ready to serve up now.’

‘Oh, God, yes, I’m sorry, I fell asleep. I’ll be right down.’

Mrs. Reed glowered at her, and Marisa was quite taken aback.

‘Please make sure this doesn’t happen again. We have a routine here at Highcroft, and I expect everyone to adhere to it. There are
no
twenty-four hour diners here, Miss Lowell.’

How nasty
, thought Marisa. She could see Mrs. Reed had taken a strong dislike to her, but why?

When she reached the dining room, she was surprised to find Marcus sitting there alone.

‘Hi, Marcus, is it just us?’ She felt awkward being alone with him; she wondered if he was aware she had twice witnessed his naughty shenanigans.

‘Hello, Marisa. Yes, Felicity has retired early, and James is still up in London, of course.’ He gave a slow, lazy grin as his eyes travelled all over her body. She wished she was dressed a little more conservatively. The thin fabric of her jersey dress suddenly felt insufficient. She felt as though it was revealing every detail of her figure and was probably turning him on.

‘You’re a very attractive woman, Marisa, if you don’t mind me saying so.’ He continued to undress her with his eyes, and she felt her cheeks heat.

‘Oh, I—’ she murmured, feeling tongue-tied.

‘Don’t be embarrassed. I’m not hitting on you. Isn’t that what you Americans say? Rather a strange way to verbalize your attraction. I much prefer our version of seduction. If I were to seduce you, Marisa, you would be left in no doubt of my intentions.’

Marisa didn’t know where to look. She felt very uncomfortable. She could imagine him pouncing on her at any moment; she wanted to turn around and walk out but felt that would be a little dramatic, even for an
American,
so she took a seat at the table.

He stood and walked slowly around the table as her heart hammered in alarm. He placed his hand on her chair and leaned in, whispering, ‘If you ever feel lonely, let me know.’

With that, he left the room, and Marisa let out a huge sigh of relief. She wished Felicity was there. Anything was better than being alone with Marcus.

She ate quickly, anxious to get back to the sanctuary of her room. She took a hot bath and tried to relax. Thoughts of James consumed her, and she felt excited remembering her erotic dream. How she longed to know what it felt like to be kissed by him, his soft lips on hers, those amazing eyes watching her as they made love. She stepped out of the bath and froze as a shadow flitted across the room. She grabbed her robe and wrapped it tightly around her.