Lessons of Love (36 page)

“
Cole
... she
’
s gone, we
’
ve been searching for hours. There aren
’
t enough words to tell you how sorry I am. Gregor must have
conspired with Thomas the cook. Our breakfast was drugged. I
’
m sorry,
Cole
. I
’
ve let you down in the worst possible way. I
’
ve come to check on Celia but will leave immediate
ly again to resume my search.”

“
Jonathan, Gregor
’
s tricks and the extent of his be
trayal know no bounds. I don
’
t blame you for this. I
’
m glad to see you here actually. I was told you were missing. Celia,
are you well? Were you hurt?”

“
No, Monsieur. I was unconscious and Gregor tried to take me, but the Mistress caught up to us. She was
so brave Monsieur. She shot at him and made him drop me. Her bullet missed, but his, his did not. Miss
Jolie
was shot in the arm, Monsieur
,
and she fell, hitting her head. I didn
’
t know what to do. I rode back here to get help. I
’
m sorry Monsieur, but I c
ould not fight him alone.”

“
You did what was best Celia otherwise he would have you both.”
Cole
was interrupted by more of the searchers. They all looked exhausted and disheartened. He turned, hopeful of news, but their expressions left no doubt that they
’
d found no trace of
Jolie
. “
Do any of you have news for me? At le
ast give me
a place to start.”

“
We lost his scent west of here in the woods at the river bank, Sir. He must be riding in it. There are so man
y c
reeks and offshoots. H
e
’
s staying in t
he water
so
the dogs
have a hard time
track
ing
him. I
’
m afraid
he
’
s planned his crime well.”

“
I want you men to get a few hours rest and start out again at dawn. Jonathan, you
’
re staying here to guard Celia. Gregor is fool enough to try and come back for her. Where
’
s Thom
as?”

“
Jolie
stabbed him when she escaped, Monsieur. He
’
s in the cellar, wounded and chained up.”
Cole
’
s eyes lit up a bit at this piece of news. His
Jolie
was certainly a little spitfire. “
Good for her. Let him rot. I
’
ll deal with him later. I
’
m heading o
ut as soon
as a fresh horse is saddled.”

“
Let me come with you
Cole
.”
The need to help, to rectify what he saw as a huge breach of trust and responsibility shone in Jonathan
’
s eyes
,
but
Cole
shook his head.

“
No, you
’
re staying with Celia. I trust you to k
eep
her safe.
She needs you here.”

“
Cole
...”

“
No damn it! Stop arguing with me and let me find my wife. Take Celia into the house.”
Cole
turned his back on Jonathan so he wouldn
’
t have to see the man
’
s hurt expression. It was the right decision. Jonathan
was needed here. Who knew what Gregor had planned for them.
Kidnaping
Jolie
might only be the beginning.

Jonathan watched him go, then felt Celia
’
s hand on his arm. He looked down at her, a scowl on his face, but it melted with one look in her eyes. Her
gaze was filled with such love and trust, that he couldn
’
t hold on to the hurt
Cole
’
s dismissal had caused.

“
He trusts you Jonathan. That
’
s why he wants you here. Please don
’
t take it to heart. This doesn
’
t mean Monsieur
Jameson
doesn
’
t believe in you en
ough to find Miss
Jolie
. Maybe he needs to be alone. There is a great worry on his shoulders and a fear in his heart.”
Jonathan pulled her into his arms and Celia didn
’
t resist, loving the feel of his strength around her. She rested her head on his shoulde
r, and timidly slip
ped her arms around his waist.

“
Ah
,
my wise sweet Celia. You make me feel better with your simple words. Let
’
s get you inside. Have you slept?”
Celia shook her head, sleep had been impossible. “
Well you can sleep now.
Cole
will find
Jol
ie
, and I will guard you with my life, love. I swear you will be safe.”
Jonathan took her arm and led her in the house and up to
Jolie
’
s rooms. He paused before the door looking at her worriedly. “
Would you like to sleep in your own chambers, Celia? Will b
eing here distress you?”

“
No, I want to feel close to
Jolie
. She won
’
t mind. I know she would understand my need.”
They entered the sitting room and Jonathan securely locked the door. Celia simply stood in the middle of the room, seemingly lost. He went t
o her and pulled her close again and she melted against him a
s sobs began to rack h
er body,
t
he surge of emotions rushing through her were tremendous. He held her in an iron grip and stroked her back and hair, trying desperately to soothe her, rubbing smal
l circles and patting her gently as he kissed her brow and whispered sweet words in her ear. His heart
was
pounding in his chest
all the while. Her
tears cut deep into his heart.

Celia pressed her hands against his chest, feeling the strength that lay wit
hin, then slipped h
er arms around his neck and tilt
ed her mouth up, seeking his lips. Jonathan paused in his movements, unsure how to react. He wanted her fiercely but she was so fragile. Now wasn
’
t the time. “
I need
you t
o comfort me, Jonathan.”

“
Celia,
you are frightened.”

“
Yes I am, terrified, but not of you. I need you to hold me. Have I... have I misread you? I
’
m sorry.”
She blushed and tried to pull away but Jonathan held her tight and brought his lips down on hers. The kiss was feather soft, gentle
and full of love and Celia responded with her heart. She parted her lips, offering him her sweet mouth and Jonathan took it, seeking, tasting, loving her. His body responded and he pulled back, frightened
by the intensity of his need.

“
Celia we shouldn
’
t
. You
’
re not ready.”

“
I know what I feel and what I want Jonathan. Do you feel the same for me
?”

His response was to crush
her to him with all the fierce desire that he had held bottled up for months. His kiss was passionate and demanding, seeking to ig
nite the flame inside her that he had sensed on so many nights. Celia abandoned herself to him and clung to Jonathan as he explored her mouth and caused a mysterious warmth to spread through her. His hard chest pressing against her breasts gave her tingle
s
of pleasure never before experienced. Jonathan ran his hands down her back, caressing the hollow then moving lower, pressing her even closer, completing the joining of their bodies in their tight embrace. Celia could feel his hard maleness and it both fr
i
ghtened and excited her.

Jonathan moaned deep in his throat, and Celia hesitantly let her hands wander over his back daring to dip them lower and then quickly pulling them back up, embarrassed by her boldness. His body was so hard and strong. It comfort
ed her, driving away her fears. Celia's passion was building and she knew that this time she wasn't going to let Jonathan go. They needed each other. They were both afraid. Wed or not, Celia needed
him to love her like a
woman.

Jonathan moaned again deep
in his throat. He was losing all control and he had to stop himself. He couldn't do this to her, not when they weren
’
t married. He had vowed to himself that he would wait, that he would ask her soon and he meant to hold to it. Jonathan felt Celia's hands
as they hesitantly explored his back. He tensed when he felt them briefly run over his buttocks. The heat of her touch was driving him wild. Gone was the shy maiden. She had been replaced by a woman who was deeply in love an
d needed to be loved in return.

"Celia …
we should wait." His blood was pounding and he could barely stand to stop kissing her in order to speak. She answered him by shaking her head and tilting it back for another kiss. She was enchanting to behold, innocent yet taken over by budding
desire.

"Celia." She gave a little cry in her throat and shook her head in frustration, loving the feelings that were racing through her yet wanting something mor
e that she didn't understand.

"Jonathan, I am frightene
d and I need you to love
me."

"Do
you not want
to wait until we can be wed?"

"I need you to hold me and make my fears disappear. I need …
I need you to love me like a woman instead of treating me like a maiden. I love you with all my heart and will happily become your wife. Nothing coul
d bring me more joy, but righ
t now I need you to love me."

Jonathan groaned and scooped her into his arms. The decision was made. He gently placed her upon the bed and kneeled at her side, looking deeply into her emerald green eyes. All he saw in them wa
s certainty and desire. It was all he needed. He slowly undid the buttons of her gown and raised it over her head. The sight of her dressed in only her thin silky underclothes caused him to draw in his breath
,
and quickly unfasten the ribbons and hooks. Soo
n Celia lay bare before him, the soft light of the oil lamp casting a golden glow upon her skin. She was trembling with a mixture of fear and desire and Jonathan quickly shed his own
cloth
ing and lay beside her.

"Are you s
ure my love? I can stop this."

His voice shook as he asked her, fearing her answer. Celia simply looked up at him with eyes full of love and nodded her head. She timidly reached for him and gasp
ed
when he pulled her close, his naked flesh seared her skin. Wrapping her in his arms he b
egan to make love to her as he ha
d so many nights in his dreams.

Holding her quietly after they had made love Jonathan nuzzled her temple and rained kisses upon her face. He didn't have to ask if she was still glad they
had made love. Her shining eyes, flushed skin, and lazy smile were answer enough. He had wanted to wait until he had made her his wife, but they would soon be joined in the eyes of the law. Their hearts, minds, and souls had been bound together tonight a
n
d that bond would never be broken. Jonathan lay there in the stillness, stroking her back as Celia finally drifted into a troubled sleep. He lay awake, listening for trouble, worrying about
Jolie
, and keeping Celia
’
s nightmares at bay.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

As
Cole
searched and Celia and Jonathan made love, Gregor watched over
Jolie
with an ever increasing foul mood. She hadn
’
t regained consciousness and to make matters worse, it seemed as if her wound was becoming infected. The telltale sheen of sweat from a fe
ver glistened on her skin and she had begun to mumble and cry out in her sleep. Little bitch hadn
’
t even woken up long enough for him to have some fun. Well now there was nothing to be done about it. The whole venture would be an entire loss if he didn
’
t
g
et her to Lily
’
s and sold before she really took sick and died. If he couldn
’
t have her, he damn well was going to sell her into a life of sexual slavery. Both the money and knowledge of her suffering would help ease the fury over his inability to rape an
d
abuse her.