Surrender (44 page)

Lucas thought.
 
Where were you planning

to walk?"

 
I am not certain. I had not really

thought about it."

He considered quickly, trying to re

member what he had seen during the

past few days as he had ridden over

his lands.
 
There is an empty cottage

not far from here. I believe it belonged

to the gamekeeper back in the days when

stone vale had a gamekeeper. Why don't

we walk there and back?"

 
All right." She fell silent.

 
It is a lovely night, is it not?"

 
I find it rather chilly," she told him

distantly.

 
Yes," Lucas agreed thinking swiftly.

There was some old firewood stacked

outside the cottage, he recalled. Too bad

he had not ordered the place cleaned

yesterday when he'd examined it. He

stumbled slightly over a nonexistent stone

and stifled a small groan.

 
What is the matter with you?" Victoria

asked, frowning in annoyance.

 
Nothing important. My leg is acting up

a bit tonight." He tried to sound stoic and

brave.

 
Really, Lucas, I should think you would

have learned by now not to go about in

the cold night air when it is paining

you."

 
You are undoubtedly correct about that,

madam. But you seem to favor running

about at night and that leaves me with

little choice but to accompany you."

 
You should have gone after an heiress

who is not fond of this sort of sport," she

told him.
 
The Perfect Miss Pilkington

would have done nicely for you."

 
Do you think so? I admit she was

on Jessica Atherton's list, but somehow

I could not seem to work up much

enthusiasm. There was something a bit

boring about the prospect of being married

to Miss Pilkington. As you and Annabella

said, she was a bit too much like Lady

Atherton."

Victoria retreated deeper into the hood

of her cloak until her voice was muffled.

 
You are right on that account. If you

think Lady Atherton has grown somewhat

dull over the years, you should see Miss

Pilkington. Do not mistake me. She is very

nice but she's only nineteen and she told

me herself, she believes she may have a

religious calling."

 
I see. We would not have suited each

other at all. I cannot imagine taking her

to a gaming hell. Nor can I envision

her using a walking stick on a brothel

butler."

 
On the other hand, she probably

wouldn't have given you any trouble. I

am certain she would have made a most

dutiful wife. Speaking of duty
 
."

He sighed.
 
Yes?"

 
Lady Atherton did warn me that I must

be prepared to do mine and provide you

with an heir."

I wouldn't mind throttling Lady Atherton."

 
She was only trying to help. After all,

you did ask her to assist you in finding

an heiress."

 
You need not remind me."

 
Lucas?" Victoria asked shyly.

 
Hmmm?"

 
Lady Atherton pointed out that if I

thought doing my duty was going to be

difficult for me, I should only consider how

very hard it was going to be on you to have

to pretend some degree of affection in the

marital bed."

 
God damn it to hell and back." Lucas

came to a halt and swung her around

to face him. He glared down at her

incredulously.
 
You cannot tell me you

believed her? After that night we spent

together at the inn?"

She faced him staunchly, her eyes

glittering within the shadow of the cloak.

 
I have learned from both my mother and

my aunt that men do not seem to have

any great degree of difficulty pretending

that sort of physical affection when it suits

them."

 
Men are not the only ones who can

manage the trick," Lucas muttered, and

then added ruthlessly,
 
Some would say I

have good cause to question the depths of

your feelings that night."

Anger flashed in her gaze.
 
How dare

you question my feelings that night? I was

painfully honest with you about the depth

of my emotions, as I recall."

He shrugged.
 
If your feelings ran as

deep as you imply, I doubt you could

have buried them so quickly afterward."

 
I buried them quickly because I felt

ill-used. Damn you, I had no choice but

to suppress my foolish affection. I feel

nothing but humiliation whenever I recall

my actions that cursed night."

 
I must say you have done an excellent

job of suppressing your feelings. One would

never guess you ever held me in anything

but complete dislike."

 
Yes, well, that is certainly
  
She broke

off as he stumbled and winced.
 
What's

wrong now?" she demanded impatiently.

 
I told you, my leg is troubling me

somewhat this evening."

 
There are times, Lucas, when you

display very little common sense." She

took his arm to steady him.
 
I suppose

we ought to return to the house before

you take a bad fall."

 
I don't believe I can make it that far.

The cottage is closer. If I could just rest

inside it for a while, I am certain I will

be all right."

 
Very well," she muttered irritably.
 
Here,

you had better let me assist you."

Thank you, Vicky. You are very kind."

Leaning rather heavily on her, Lucas

allowed himself to be assisted into the

dark confines of the small gamekeeper's

cottage.

Strategy.

Lucas settled himself on the floor of the

cottage, his arm propped on one up-drawn

knee, his sore leg stretched out straight.

He watched cheerfully as Victoria busied

herself building a fire. She had refused to

allow him to carry the wood, insisting he

rest, instead.

 
This is a pleasant little place, is it not?"

she asked, glancing about as the fire she

had just built blazed into existence and

revealed the interior of the cottage.
 
It

looks like someone has lived here fairly

recently. The chimney is clear and the

floor is not nearly as dusty as one would

expect."

 
I wouldn't be surprised if some evicted

tenant took up residence here until we

arrived. My uncle was extremely prone to

evictions."

 
A nasty man."

Bear in mind that I descend from a

slightly different branch of the family," he

pointed out.

Instead of smiling, she took that very

seriously.
 
We are certainly not responsible

for the actions of other members of our

family. Here, let me rub your leg for

you."

Lucas did not protest. His mind was on

fire with images of what had happened the

first time she had rubbed his throbbing leg.

 
Thank you. I would appreciate it."

She folded her cloak on the floor and

knelt on it. Keeping her eyes focused on

his leg, she went to work, massaging

gently. Lucas groaned at the first touch

of her hands.

 
Am I hurting you?"

 
No. That feels wonderful." He closed

his eyes and leaned his head back against

the wall.
 
You can have no idea."

 
It must have been terrible."

Lucas opened his eyes and studied his

wife.
 
What must have been terrible?"

 
That day when you were wounded."

 
I will admit it was not the highlight

of my life. A little higher, please. Yes.

Right there. Thank you." Her hand was

mere inches from his groin. He wondered

how she could be unaware of the rapidly

growing bulge in his snug breeches.
 
That

fire feels good,"

Lucas?" There was a short, poignant

pause.

Lucas saw the intent look on Victoria's

face.
 
Yes?"

 
Did you love her very much?"

He closed his eyes again as he struggled

to follow her train of thought.
 
Who?"

 
Lady Atherton, of course."

 
Oh, her. Well, I must have thought I

did at the time, else why would I have

bothered to ask her to marry me?"

 
Why, indeed?" Victoria muttered.

 
But looking back on it, I find it hard

to believe I was that much of an idiot."

 
She still loves you."

 
She loves the idea of suffering from a

star-crossed love and the feeling of being a

gallant martyr to duty far more than she'll

ever love any man. I do not envy Lord

Atherton one bit." Atherton's bed must be

a very cold one, Lucas thought.

 
Forgive me, my lord," Victoria said

wryly,
 
but that is a remarkably perceptive

comment for a man."

He opened one eye.
 
You think women

are the only ones who can make remarkably

perceptive comments?"

 
Well, no, but
 
."

He closed his eye.
 
Some of us males

are capable of learning from our mistakes

and of gaining a measure of perception in

the process."

Is that right?"

Lucas inhaled sharply.
 
Ah, Vicky, could

you possibly go a bit easier on that portion

of my leg? Perhaps if you moved your

hands a bit higher?"

 
Like this?" She slid her fingers up his

thigh a few more inches.

Lucas did not trust himself to speak. Her

touch was now so intimate he was afraid