Innocence (15 page)

Lisa nodded hesitantly. “Lord Marsden has offered me his protection.”

“Is that what he’s calling it?” The older woman shook her head. “Is there nowhere else you can go, Miss Brown? Could you not stay with friends?”

Lisa thought of John, Helen, and their families, but she had been warned not to contact them and didn’t know what they could do if she did. They were halfway across the country, and she imagined they had their hands full with Lord Copeland as their new master.

“No. There’s nowhere else.”
 

The housekeeper sighed. “Well, there’s nothing to be done. I’ve always considered the marquis an honourable man. We can only hope he’ll do the right thing by you, whatever that may be.”
 

Her words left Lisa with an unsettled feeling in her stomach, but she remained silent.
 

“To clarify his lordship’s instructions,” Mrs Donaldson continued. “Your breakfast will be brought to you in your room at nine, as Lord Marsden thought you might appreciate the opportunity to
lie in
of a morning.”
 

The housekeeper’s tone and expression let Lisa know exactly what she thought of this new development.

“Excepting tomorrow morning, when you are to
rest and recuperate
, Stephens will come to escort you to the marquis’s study at eleven. Depending on the
demands
Lord Marsden places on your time, you may take your luncheon with the other servants and then spend your afternoons working with Chef Peters. You are to rest after supper and be available to
spend time
with his lordship in the evenings. Do you have any questions?”

Lisa shook her head, disconcerted by the odd emphasis the woman kept putting on her words. There was nothing to fear, she told herself when Mrs Donaldson left her to unpack, Nathaniel was merely doing her a kindness having her moved to these lovely rooms. His motivation was to keep her safe,
not
that she had been in any imminent danger sharing a room with Ruth and Sally.
 

Not bothering with the dressing room other than to find a secure hiding place for her mother’s pearls, Lisa placed her few garments in a dresser in the bedroom. When she had finished unpacking, a task of mere minutes, she changed into her nightgown and climbed into the enormous bed.
 

Sleep was a long time coming.

After Stephens delivered her breakfast at nine, Lisa spent the morning in the library with the taciturn footman standing guard in the hallway. It was ridiculous. Nathaniel was taking his promise of protection too far, and she would have to convince him she didn’t need an escort. After Owen’s banishment, and especially once word spread of her new status, it was highly unlikely anyone would bother her. As long as Lord Copeland didn’t decide to visit, she should be quite safe. Although explaining to Nathaniel her need to keep hidden without giving away the reason why was going to be a challenge.

Lisa took her lunch with the staff, but found it an uncomfortable affair. After being the subject of more than a few snide comments, she questioned her decision to return to the kitchen. Fortunately, Sally and Ruth seemed unaffected, though they were impatient to hear her version of events, having learned all they could from Sam.

“Tell us
everything
,” Sally said, pulling her aside as soon as the meal was finished. “Sam said the brute hurt yer arm, but it don’t
look
broken.”

“Just bruised,” Lisa assured them. “But Lord Marsden insisted I be seen by a doctor, and then we had dinner at the inn.”
 

“Did he
force
himself upon ye?” Ruth asked.

“Oh, for ’eaven’s sake.” Sally rolled her eyes before turning to her young friend. “Ye need to get it through yer ’ead that not all men are monsters. Ye like Ben, don’t ye? He wouldn’t ’arm a fly.”

“But he’s not a lord.” Ruth shuddered.

“Lord Marsden would never force me to do anything, and he certainly didn’t harm me.” Lisa wondered, not for the first time, what had happened to the girl to make her so fearful. “He did
kiss
me during the carriage ride home, but I enjoyed it very much,” she admitted shyly.

“Wot, that’s it?” Sally put her hands on her hips. “Ye didn’t do the deed at the inn?”

Lisa blushed, though it was the mysterious
deed
she wished to find out about when Ruth wasn’t around to be upset by the topic.
 

“That doesn’t sound too bad,” Ruth said, revealing an unexpectedly romantic side. “Lord Marsden riding to the rescue on his great stallion, taking care of ye, and then givin’ ye a sweet kiss.”
 

Deciding not to mention how far beyond
sweet
the kiss had gone, Lisa giggled at Ruth’s description. It sounded like something out of an adventure novel, not that she’d had the chance to read very many. Such stories weren’t included in the education of refined young ladies, nor was anything of great value, she had concluded bitterly since being forced to flee her home and go into hiding. Before she had a chance to speak with Sally alone, they were discovered, the two maids hustled on their way by an irate Mrs Donaldson.

“I’ll not have you corrupting the other girls,” she scolded.

Unsure how to defend herself, Lisa was certain of one thing. Nathaniel’s belief that servants did not have reputations to worry about was clearly incorrect, as hers seemed to be in very poor form.

To her relief, Chef Peters was pleased with the truffles, and they were soon caught up in the excitement of preparing the evening meal. Amongst numerous other courses, the menu included Nathaniel’s requested dishes: roast quail with cream of truffle sauce and the blueberry flan with cognac he had pointed out from the French journal.
 

Dinner for the household was served at seven. By eight their efforts were rewarded when requests were given to the serving staff to pass on compliments to the chef for the exquisite delicacies. Even Lady Cahill sent her compliments, an almost unheard of occurrence. Although, Lisa imagined Eleanor would have choked on her dessert if she had known who was on the receiving end of her praise.

The marquis sent his particular thanks to the new pastry chef for fulfilling his special request in a timely and delicious manner. It was another example of his thoughtfulness, and Lisa was beaming when she left the kitchens. She was disappointed she’d not had the chance to catch Sally alone—Mrs Donaldson determined to keep them apart—but tried not to worry. She would just have to ask Nathaniel her questions, though her shoulders hunched at the thought. Most of them were about how he made her feel and what, exactly, were the “outrageous” things he planned on doing to her. If more kissing was involved, her compliance was guaranteed.
 

After standing for so long, Lisa’s feet were tired, and she removed her shoes as soon as she entered the bedroom. Wondering what to do next, she looked around, surprised to see that nightclothes had been laid out on the huge bed, a note laying beside them.

Chapter 13

Seduction

Lisa stared at the garments, the letter from Nathaniel clutched in her trembling fingers.
 

The instructions were simple enough. She was to dress in the negligee set provided, wear her hair down, and present herself to Nathaniel in his bedroom at nine o’clock. It was what would happen
after
she arrived that caused her apprehension.

She ran her fingers over the silky, white garments, a nightgown and matching robe that held nothing in common with the ones she typically wore other than the colour. The material was sheer, and the style would surely reveal more than it covered. Backing up, she sat on the edge of an upholstered chair, wondering what he expected of her.

It was one thing to say the rules no longer applied now that “her reputation was ruined,” but Lisa had been raised to behave modestly and listen to the dictates of her conscience. Holding her feelings to her breast like a talisman, as if her love for Nathaniel negated all else, was a foolhardy protection. They weren’t betrothed, not that it was a possibility. Peers of the realm did not wed daughters of untitled, ex-military officers, no matter how highly decorated.
 

Lisa didn’t imagine they took them as their mistresses either.
 

Groaning, she held her head in her hands, not knowing what to do. She had never felt this way before, this sweet longing that overpowered her senses, common and otherwise.
 

A noise from the doorway brought her to her feet. Nathaniel stood in the entrance to her bedchamber dressed in silky black trousers that hung low on his hips. His matching black shirt was unbuttoned part way down his chest, the sleeves rolled back to reveal his forearms.

He was without doubt the most handsome man Lisa had ever seen, but he did not look pleased.

“It’s after nine o’clock, Lisa. I’m not accustomed to being kept waiting.”

“I’m sorry, my lord.” Her voice shook, and his expression softened.
 

“It’s all right. There’s no need to be afraid.”
 

He crossed the room, and she stepped back, stumbling against the chair. Reaching out to steady her, his right hand took hold of her left, the other coming to rest at her waist. The position reminded Lisa of a waltz, something she would never do with Nathaniel, and tears pricked at her eyes.
 

“What is it?” he asked.

“I can’t do this.”
 

“This?” He glanced towards the bed. “You can’t wear the negligee I chose for you?”

“They’re indecent.”
 

He chuckled. “You wouldn’t have had to wear them for long. I was planning on taking them off you as soon as possible.”

Lisa’s mouth dropped open as she grappled with the idea of being
naked
before Nathaniel. Did that mean he’d be naked also? The thought was intriguing, and disturbing, and caused her stomach to flutter.

“Ah, Lisa, you really are an innocent.” The hand at her waist tightened, as he drew her against his chest. “I can’t, for the life of me, fathom how your father managed it. You grew up in a
public inn
, for heaven’s sake.”
 

It took the last vestiges of ingrained morality Lisa possessed to form the words that came out of her mouth. “I mean, I can’t be with you, like this.”

Nathaniel’s eyebrows disappeared beneath the hair that swept across his forehead.

“You’re refusing me?”
 

The feel of his long lean body pressing against hers did very strange things to parts of her body she dared not think about. But she held firm.
 

“It’s not right.”

“Not right?” He sounded more amused than annoyed.

“We’re not
married
.” Her eyes lowered, the heat radiating from her face so intense she felt as if she were aflame.

“Married.” Nathaniel let go of her and stepped back. “Lisa, we discussed this. You’re a commoner. Surely you must realise marriage between us is out of the question.”

“I know. It’s just . . . I’m not your typical commoner. I had different expectations for my future.”

“I’ll say,” he muttered. “Regardless of the way you were raised, you need to face the reality of your
current
situation. You are penniless, orphaned, and without support or guardianship. I’m offering you my
protection
. I’ll keep you safe from the blackguards and rogues who won’t care about your sensitivities or gaining your permission before they have their way with you.” Encircling her wrists with his hands, he gave them a shake. “They will
force
you, Lisa . . . hurt you.”

“And you won’t?” Her voice trembled.
 

“You know I’d never force you, but I can’t resist you either.”

Lisa flinched at his harsh tone, and he sighed. The feel of his arms when he pulled her into his embrace was enticing, but her conscience wasn’t ready to surrender just yet.

“What if I
were
to refuse your protection?” she asked, her words muffled against his chest.

“Do you honestly believe that’s an option? That I could let you leave knowing what would become of you?”

“Leave?” She looked up to meet his anguished expression. “Couldn’t I just stay here until I found somewhere else to go?”