If the Slipper Fits (35 page)

He cradled her face in his hands. “Annabelle,” he whispered. “My love.”

The swift beating of his heart against her breasts matched the wild rhythm of her own. Holding her gaze, he began to move in her, slowly at first and then faster. Each plunge of his hips drove her deeper into madness. Her lashes drifted shut as all of her awareness focused on the place where they were joined. Uttering throaty sounds of delight, she clung to him as her anchor. No longer could she form a coherent thought; there was only the dark intensity of ever-mounting pleasure. When the storm broke at last, she shuddered from a wave of white-hot ecstasy. She was dimly aware of Simon kissing her, whispering impassioned words of love. Then he gave one last powerful thrust and groaned in the throes of his own release.

In the aftermath, they lay closely entwined as their breathing slowed and their blood cooled. His face was buried in her hair, and the heavy weight of his body enhanced her sense of satisfaction. She felt as if the consummation of their love had been more binding than any vows spoken in church. Replete and happy, she could have drifted forever in the contentment of his arms.

He rolled onto his back and brought her with him so that she lay half sprawled over him. His lips touched her brow. Then they shared a smile that expressed their newfound knowledge of each other more deeply than words ever could.

“You have stars in your eyes,” he said.

“Perhaps because I’ve learned something, my lord.”

“And what might that be?”

“Now I know why the girls at the academy were warned against being alone with their suitors. Until I met you, I never understood just how tempting a man could be.”

He chuckled. “When our daughters come of age, they will not be allowed within a mile of any lusty young men.”

The notion of bearing his daughter or son filled Annabelle with joy. “Let us simply agree they will be well chaperoned. Else how will they ever become betrothed to the man of their dreams?”

Annabelle let her fingers drift over the solid muscles of his arm. As she caressed him, the sapphire on her finger glinted in the faint light.

Simon caught her hand and kissed it. “I never explained what this ring means, Annabelle. My grandmother was very special to me. She lived here at Castle Kevern, and it was to her that I went when I needed advice or a listening ear. Without her firm guidance, God only knows what sort of miscreant I might have become.”

“What of your own mother?”

He shrugged. “My parents had eyes only for George, who was much better behaved than I—at least in front of them. I was the one who caused trouble, and he knew just what to whisper to make me explode with anger in their presence.”

Simon spoke in a jesting tone, but Annabelle wasn’t fooled. She could imagine him as a child, lashing out to hide the pain of rejection. “Oh, darling, they should not have shunned you. Parents are supposed to love all their children, not just the favored heir.”

He looked away for a moment before returning his gaze to her. “Perhaps it made me the man that I am. I certainly would never have been so devoted to Grandmamma otherwise. I wanted you to have her ring because you remind me of her.”

Annabelle gave him a look from under her eyelashes. “Are you quite
sure
I remind you of your grandmother?”

Simon laughed softly as he fondled her bare bottom. “Minx. I was referring to your strength of character. She was outspoken just like you. It was because of her that I developed an appreciation for sassy, impertinent women.”

“What happened to her?” she asked quietly.

“She died while I was away in the military.” He paused, his face pensive. “When I left, I broke off all ties with my family. But she always seemed to know where I was stationed. She would write to me from time to time, entreating me to come home and make amends with my brother. Then the letters stopped.” A muscle worked in his jaw. “That played a part in why I’d decided to resign my commission. I returned to London, only to discover she’d died of old age the previous spring.”

“George never wrote to inform you?”

He shook his head, his expression hard. “We never spoke after he stole Diana out from under my nose. I despised them both for a long time. But now … now it all seems like a wasted effort. George and I were often rivals, but we were comrades, too. Maybe if I hadn’t been so stubborn, we might have mended fences. Then it was too late.”

It was wrong to think ill of the dead, but Annabelle heartily disapproved of George and Diana. “You couldn’t know they’d be killed in a tragic mishap—a carriage wreck, one of the servants told me.”

“There was more to it than that.” He gazed bleakly at her. “George was always a daredevil. He was racing his carriage against a few other friends. Diana was at his side when the vehicle lost a wheel, went into a ditch, and overturned. I’ve often thought, what if I had sought him out when I was in London? Could I have prevented him from doing something so damnably foolish?”

Shock and sadness enveloped Annabelle. Wanting to ease his pain, she lovingly stroked his face. “It wasn’t your fault. It was an accident. But oh, how
could
they have taken such a chance when they had a young son who needed them?”

Simon closed his eyes briefly, turning his head to press a kiss into the palm of her hand. “Perhaps everything happens for a reason. You do realize, don’t you, that if they hadn’t died, I would never have met you?”

“Yes.” As she softly said that, Annabelle reflected on the strange twists that life had taken in leading them both to this moment. Then, hoping to ease his mood, she added, “Of course, I am obliged to point out that you resisted hiring me from the start. You tried to send me away.”

A faint grin lightened his face. “I sensed you were about to upset the well-oiled machinery of my life. And thank God you did. If not for you, I’d have remained a bitter old curmudgeon for the rest of my days.”

“And I would have been a dry old maid who’d never know the joys of falling in love and finding a real home.”

He brushed a tender kiss over her mouth. “I intend to give you the family you never had, Annabelle. In the meantime, however, you’ll have to be content with Nicholas and me.”

Even as his words inundated her in happiness, she realized something and sat up with a gasp. “Nicholas! Oh, Simon, I forgot completely that Elowen abandoned him. He’s all alone in the nursery.”

“He’ll be fine, my love.” Simon feathered his fingers over her breasts, then with a look of regret, withdrew his hand. “Now, as tempting as you are, we mustn’t linger. Tongues will be wagging already about our long absence.”

As they arose from the bed, Annabelle placed her hand on his chest. “Will you mind so very much if I don’t return to the ball? It’s late, and I’ve no wish to parry gossip after what we’ve shared tonight.”

A smile played at the corner of his mouth as he tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “You do have the aura of a woman who has been thoroughly loved.”

“And you look like a man who has been thoroughly satisfied. At least for the moment.”

Annabelle stood on tiptoe and their lips met in a stirring promise for the future. She wanted nothing more than to lie with him again, but knew he had a duty to his guests. So she poured all of her love into the kiss, letting him know exactly how much she would miss him.

When at last they drew apart, Simon had that concentrated look in his eyes. “We shall be married as soon as I can make the arrangements.”

She smiled sensually. “As you wish, my lord.”

They helped each other dress, pausing for brief caresses and fleeting kisses, until the whole process took twice as long as it ought. Since there would be guests spending the night, Simon checked the corridor to make certain no one would see them leaving his chamber together. Then they walked through the deserted passageway to the stairway that led to the nursery.

He handed her the candle. “Dream of me?”

“Always, my love.”

They kissed one last time. Weak-kneed, Annabelle leaned against the stone wall as he strode away and vanished around a corner. The faint lilt of music drifted from the ballroom downstairs. Supper would be over and people would be dancing again. If only she could have gone with him. Already she felt bereft, lonely.

But she could only imagine how she must look with half her hairpins gone and an expression of giddy happiness on her face. Better she should retreat to her chamber for now and not give the gossips more fodder. They would be clucking enough already.

Climbing the stairs, she entered the schoolroom. It looked as before, shadowed and serene. This had been her domain for the past two months, and yet now, she would be mistress of the castle as well. The reality of that had not yet taken hold in her mind.

Annabelle went straight to check on Nicholas. He was sound asleep in his bed, his breathing even, his pale lashes fanned on his sweet face. She straightened his covers. Simon was right, perhaps she did worry too much. But she couldn’t bear for anything to happen to the boy. Like Simon, Nicholas had become very dear to her. They were her family now and she was the luckiest woman in the world.

After quietly closing the door, she checked across the corridor to find Elowen’s room still empty. Annabelle had half a mind to go out and find the neglectful maid at the Samhain revels, then decided it could wait until the morning. At the moment she felt too happy to be giving anyone a stern lecture. Anyway, she’d be here now if Nicholas needed someone.

She wanted to snuggle in bed and bask in the memories of Simon’s lovemaking. Never in her life had she imagined such joy could exist between a man and a woman. All of the poetry, the sonnets, the verses she had read over the years suddenly made sense to her. In those lines, love had not been exaggerated for literary effect as she’d always believed. If anything, the reality of it was more beautiful and exhilarating than mere words could ever express.

A smile on her face, Annabelle opened the door to her bedchamber and placed the candlestick on the washstand. She stood in front of the little mirror, wishing there was more light so that she could tell if her outward appearance had changed as much as she felt changed inside.

As she peered closer, something moved in the mirror. A distorted face appeared behind her. The visage of a devil.

Horror flashed through her. Even as she opened her mouth to scream, a hand clamped a smelly cloth over her mouth and nose.

Chapter 26

Shortly after entering the ballroom, Simon was astounded to come face-to-face with the one person he had never expected to see at the party. She had been on the original guest list, but had sent her regrets due to a prior engagement.

Smiling, he kissed her on the cheek. “Clarissa! What a delight to have you here.”

Lady Milford looked agelessly slender and serene in a gown of plum silk. A diamond aigrette decorated her upswept black hair. She had hardly changed since the days when she had been a dear friend of his grandmother’s. “There you are, Simon. You’re looking quite well.”

If only she knew how invigorated he felt—and why. “When did you arrive?” he asked. “Did I somehow miss you? There was quite the crush of people in the receiving line.”

“No, I fear I was hopelessly late. Supper was already in progress.”

“You traveled through the dark to join us?” he asked in surprise. “As much as I welcome your company, I would never have wished for you to take such a risk on these winding roads.”

“My coachman is quite proficient. Besides, I needed to be here as swiftly as possible.” On that enigmatic statement, she curled her gloved fingers into the crook of his elbow. “Do let us stroll to a quieter spot.”

Intrigued, Simon guided her on a route that skirted the edge of the crowd. He nodded coolly to a few people, not wanting to encourage conversation with anyone else. It was clear that Lady Milford had something important on her mind—and that was fine with him because he had momentous news for her, too.

Simon could scarcely keep from grinning like a besotted fool. He had begun the evening uncertain if Annabelle could ever forgive him for his reprehensible plan to make her his mistress. But things had turned out even more spectacularly than he had dared to hope. She loved him, and never in his life had he been happier.

Lady Milford stopped by a night-darkened window, far from the throng of dancers at the other end of the chamber. “This will do,” she said.

Simon noted the serious look on her face. “I must say you’re being quite mysterious tonight,” he said. “I hope you plan to enlighten me.”

“First I must know, where is Miss Quinn?”

“Asleep in her bed, I presume.”

“I had hoped she would still be here at the ball,” Lady Milford said with a moue of regret. “However, perhaps it’s for the best. It caused quite a stir when both of you vanished from the ball. And for nearly two hours!”

“Please be assured I did nothing to dishonor her.” That was the absolute truth. He loved Annabelle with all his heart and soul, and their physical joining had been an expression of their mutual devotion. There was no force on earth that could stop him from marrying her.

At that moment, Simon spotted Ludlow’s stooped figure shuffling toward them from across the room. The ancient retainer raised a gnarled hand in a beckoning wave as if he wanted to speak to Simon.

Good God. What if the old fellow had been up to the bedchamber and had seen the evidence of lovemaking? He might very well make a bawdy allusion to it in front of Lady Milford. It would confirm her suspicions when Simon was determined to guard Annabelle’s privacy.

Lady Milford was already eyeing him sharply. “Tell me the truth, Simon.
Are
you dallying with her? I won’t stand by while you heap shame on such a fine, decent woman.”

“You’ve no cause for concern, I promise you.” He placed his hands on her dainty shoulders. “In fact, I’ll let you in on a secret. Tonight, Annabelle consented to be my wife. We’re going to be married.”

A misty light entered Lady Milford’s violet eyes. Her mouth softened in a warm smile; then she leaned up on tiptoe and gave him a peck on the cheek. “Well! That is the
most
wonderful news! I can scarcely believe it.”