In Rapture (Destined) (7 page)

Whatever
happened between them, Malinda would enter it with a practical mind. This man,
her husband, was a means to an end; nothing more, nothing less. His presence in
her life had prevented her from being forced into a position that would have
made her subservient to the rest of the world around her. At Wickford she had
power with her title, the power to change the life of those around her on a
basic whim, and there was quite a bit of good she could do in such a position.
Malinda would keep her chin up and treat this marriage like a business
transaction and perhaps, over time, she would learn to enjoy the companionship
he could offer. One thing was for sure, she would never risk losing her heart
to him. That would be far too dangerous for a woman of Lena.

Malinda
carefully slid his hand from her shoulder and inched slowly away from his body.
She exited the bed from the opposite side, shivering as her feet touched the
cold floor below. She shuffled quickly across the floor and went to the next
room to find suitable clothes for the day. Malinda planned to take Sophia on an
outdoor excursion today. She still did not know where the clothing had come
from, but she assumed the ladies of the house had seen the state of her
wardrobe and offered up a few of their garments. She would have to thank them
for their thoughtfulness. Malinda chose a white dress with sleeves that came up
to her elbows. It had a shorter skirt, making it easy to keep off the ground,
and since they would be outdoors for the better part of the day it seemed the
most practical. Malinda was hoping that Sophia would actually feel brave enough
to have Mule come along with them. The large dog would love spending the time
running around unrestrained in the outdoors.

When
Malinda reached the doorknob Grant’s voice interrupted her hasty departure. “Are
those the only clothes you own, Malinda?”

She
turned swiftly to face the man who was now sitting at the side of the bed, the
sheet covering his lap, barely covering the fact that he had in fact slept in
the nude. She was surprised she had not noticed earlier. “Actually, my clothing
seems to have disappeared. These few garments are on loan from the lovely women
in this household.”

“While
I am sure they had the best intentions, that clothing no longer befits your
station.”

“Well,
I’m sorry you feel that way. They are much like the clothes from my previous
life, my lord. I am most comfortable in them. I came from humble beginnings, my
lord. If this is a problem for you, perhaps you should have come to meet me
before you had another man proxy for you at your own wedding.” Not that it
could really be considered a wedding, at least not the wedding Malinda had
always hoped to have.

“Relax,
Malinda, I only meant to point out that we should rectify your wardrobe
situation as soon as possible. And call me Grant.”

“If
we are on the topic of wardrobes and you are feeling so generous, my lord—I
mean Grant—then perhaps we can discuss Sophia’s wardrobe as well.”

Grant’s
golden eyes narrowed on her. “And what do we need to discuss about that?”

“The
fact that her current clothing no longer fits her, the poor child! Her nursery
is a mausoleum, as is her bedroom. She is more afraid of the world around her
than any child should be at her age.” Malinda was desperate to keep her tone
controlled. She did not want to overstep her boundaries, but someone needed to
stand up for the girl’s rights. If it had to be Malinda, so be it.

“Excuse
me? Funds were set aside for those purchases. Her nursemaid was to be
responsible for them. And what is this you say about her nursery and bedroom?”

It
was clear to her that Grant was in shock at her outburst. He seemed genuinely
perturbed with her words. “Ms. Everheart has left the premises, as of yesterday
morning I believe. As for responsible, well, I am certain she is responsible
for quite a bit. I’m just not sure any of it is something she should have
bragging rights to. Come down to breakfast, my lord.”

“Grant.”

“I’m
sorry. Grant, please come down to breakfast. I’m sure Sophia would enjoy seeing
her father.” Malinda did not miss the haunted look that quickly covered his
face. She should hate him for his neglect, but it was clear to her that he had
never intended for Sophia to become what she was right now; a lost, lonely,
frightened child who felt much more like an orphan than a well-loved little
girl. “Are you coming?” She offered up the sweetest smile she could conjure and
waited for his response.

“I
will join you as soon as I finish my morning routine.”

Chapter 10

Grant
rose slowly from the bed, his thoughts racing, all of them settled on Malinda
Grier, or Timberlin, his unexpectedly beautiful wife. She was not at all what
he had thought she would be. He knew that she had come from humble beginnings
and, really, he desired someone uncomplicated that could take care of Sophia.
When he had met with the matchmaker, he had stressed the importance of finding
a woman capable of being a warm and loving mother to his four-year-old
daughter. He had specifically asked for a country girl, hoping that she would
not be a haunting beauty like his first wife. Her memory still tortured him to
this day. He pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind, knowing that he
could only punish himself so much longer for the last years of her life. One
day he hoped to put it completely behind him, but not until Seamus Finnigan was
made to pay for his sins against his family.

After
dressing in his dark brown trousers, a white woolen tunic, and his doeskin calf
boots, Grant inspected his image in the mirror. He ran his fingers through
the blond locks that waved furiously around his head. Even if his hair was
shorter it would still be difficult to tame into a more appealing style. He
stared decisively at the beard growing around his face. He had not been growing
it purposefully, he just had not cared about taking the time required for the
upkeep of his appearance. Why should he care what he looked like?

“Get
a grip, Grant. She’s already your wife.” The admonition left his mouth before
he could get control over his thoughts. The truth of the matter was that he was
nervous and he had not felt this way since he was a young lad, perhaps when he
had seen his Maria for the first time; but there was more to fear than just his
wife. What if Sophia was scared of him? It had been months, maybe even a year,
since he had last seen his daughter. When he had come back to meet with the
matchmaker her nursemaid had said she suffered with a small cold and
recommended that she stay in bed. He had never thought to question her further
about the situation.

His
days had been filled with dark thoughts lately; thoughts of Maria and her
unexpected ending, thoughts of his child being raised in a home that had become
empty, thoughts of the war that had broken out between those that believed in
peace and those that craved too much power. His last thoughts were of the guilt
that ate at his soul. He had been so busy fighting the war raging across the
countryside that he had not been home long enough to spend any kind of quality
time with his daughter. Grant was sure his new wife would have something to say
about that as well, and it irked him that he might have to face even more
judgment in her eyes. Malinda seemed to be attached to his child already. He
should have been happy about this, and most of him was. It was the distaste in
her eyes when she spoke of how his daughter had been mistreated that sat heavily
on his shoulders. Malinda was right to look at him like that. He was her father.
Grant should have made more of an effort to be there for her, but having failed
to protect her mother he felt completely inept when it came to caring for his
child. He had done the only thing he knew how to do, protect what was his own
by preventing the Lair from spreading his evil across the land.

When
Grant made his way down to the dining room he found Malinda sitting next to a quiet
little girl. The breath he had just inhaled stuck in his chest when the blue
eyes of his child looked up at his. She was the spitting image of Maria, from
the top of her mousy brown hair down to the pink pouting lips. When he saw the
fear in her eyes he almost hesitated in his approach. He cleared his throat and
moved forward. “Good morning, Sophia.” He went to tousle the little girl’s
hair, but stopped when her wary eyes turned to fear.

Grant
nodded at Malinda and sat at the end of the table. He watched as the two ate
quietly and decided that perhaps now was not the best time to push a
relationship on either one of them. He let his eyes move across the room as he
took in all the changes that had happened since he had last eaten in the dining
room. When his eyes made it to the top of the fireplace and noticed the missing
painting, his heart skipped a beat for just a moment. “Where is the painting?”

Malinda
looked up at Grant and did her best to not sound intimidated by the gruff sound
of his voice. She let the question linger in the air. She gathered her courage
around her because Grant looked like a blustery bear. “That painting was
scaring Sophia. I had it taken down and put into storage. I’m sorry if this
upsets you, but I will not have it hanging anywhere that terrorizes my child.”

Malinda
could barely make out a smirk on his face when she finished her attempt at
being brave before him. She looked over to Sophia and saw her lips starting to
tremble. “There, there little one. Your father was just asking a question. He
did not mean to startle you. Perhaps if you smiled at her, Grant, she might
actually stop trembling.” She knew she may have crossed a line, but she was so
furious with this man. She hated the fear in Sophia’s eyes.

Grant
cleared his throat. “So what are your plans for the day?” He did his best to
smile at both of them, but his thoughts had turned dark again. Her rebuke
reminded him again of his failures. He would have to try harder to do right by
his child, but it would take time to make the changes he knew she required.

Malinda
put a hand on Sophia’s. “We are going to enjoy some time outdoors, I think.
Would you like to join us?” She felt the frightened grip on her hand. She
turned to Sophia and sent all the soothing energy she had into the child’s
hand. When mystified eyes looked up at her, she smiled down at Sophia.

“I
have things that I have to check on today. Make sure to stay within Wickford’s
walls. There are some miscreants in the countryside and our walls are well
protected.” Grant had not missed the terror on Sophia’s face. He would have to
follow Malinda’s lead with his own child, and while it irritated him that he
did not have the faintest clue where to begin with Sophia, at least it would
allow him to get a chance to know the woman he had married. He had thought that
marriage would be difficult to tolerate, that he would be married to some sow’s
ear and have to go through the motions of marriage. The fact that she
beautiful, coupled with the fact that she was a fierce champion for his child,
made him eager to pursue something much deeper with her. It might not be the
same relationship he’d had with Maria, but his eyes were opening to the
possibility and the bulge in his pants reminded him that there were many things
to pursue with her.

Malinda
could sense the hesitation in the air. It was clear that Grant felt guilty for
how Sophia had been raised, but he also looked uncomfortable in his own skin.
She would have to do her best to bring the father and daughter together, but
she had to make sure that Sophia trusted her first. It would take a little
time, but she was sure that she could manage it.

“Grant?”

“Yes,
Malinda?” His eyebrows rose questioningly.

“Will
we be able to go on a small trip soon?” Since he was being amenable, it was
time to test the waters. He had questioned her own wardrobe earlier, so perhaps
they would be able to find something for her and for Sophia.

“It
depends. Where did you have in mind?”

“Well,
Tir Marquette is not too far from here. From what I’ve heard from the ladies
here there are quite a few shops for clothing and things that we need in the
household.”

Grant
sighed loudly. “Well, I suppose, but only if Lady Sophia would like to go with
us.” He stifled a chuckle at the wide eyes that looked up at him. She
apparently was not used to being addressed by anyone. “I can clear some time in
my schedule for next week.”

A
big smile covered Malinda’s face. She hoped that a week would give her enough
time to make some great changes in Sophia’s life. “I think a week would be
perfect.” She pushed her chair from the table and stood up quickly, before her
nerve failed her. She went to kiss Grant on the cheek, but did not expect him
to turn his head. She felt his soft lips graze hers, and her heart skipped a
beat. She tried to turn away from him quickly, but the damage had already been
done. The blood coursed through her veins, and the images of the two of them
entwined raced through her mind. “Come on, Sophia…time to find Mule.”

Grant
watched Malinda and Sophia leaving the room, all the while wondering what or
who was this Mule.

Chapter 11

Malinda
found Mule waiting at the bottom of the stone steps when they exited the back door
of the manor. The large mastiff’s head rose slowly as if to gauge whether or
not he should come closer. Mule was well trained and he could sense Sophia’s
hesitation. He had always been good at reading when people were afraid of him
and had been extremely patient with the children around Tinley Faire. “Mule,
come.”