Taken by You (30 page)

“Where are you going, Morgan?” Jane asked, refusing to release his arm To my room, my lady. Then to Billingsgate to meet my first mate aboard the
Avenger.”

“You may escort me to my chamber,” Jane suggested coyly. “Since the queen hasn’t summoned me I’m free to do as I please.”

Finding no ready excuse, Morgan offered his arm, and they strolled off together. They had to pass Morgan’s chamber before arriving at Jane’s. When they reached Morgan’s chamber Jane stopped abruptly and dragged him toward the door.

“Show me your room, Morgan”

“I think I’d better…”

“That’s your problem, you think too much.”

Morgan groaned in dismay when Jane turned the knob and stepped inside. Morgan had no recourse but to follow. Was there no discouraging the hot little bitch? He’d had his fill of court intrigue and calculating women and wished himself aboard the
Avenger
instead of wasting his time playing court to a woman for whom he cared not a wit. Or in West Sussex with Luca, who managed quite nicely to dispel his boredom.

“This isn’t wise,” Morgan said in an effort to discourage Jane. “Think about your reputation.”

“Since when did a woman’s reputation matter to you?” Jane asked huskily. “We’re in the privacy of your room, there’s no one to stop us from enjoying one another. What better place than here and now? The queen expects us to wed, there’s no reason to wait.”

“Probably not,” Morgan allowed, “except that I’m pressed for time. I must leave very soon to meet with Mr. Crawford aboard the
Avenger.
There isn’t time to do us both justice. When I bed you I want to do it properly.” He stroked her breast, hoping his intimate caress would convince her of his sincerity.

His words seemed to pacify Jane, who writhed passionately against him. “When?” she asked breathlessly. “I can hardly wait. I want you to make me yours.”

Morgan nearly snorted in disgust. He thought about all the other men who had made Jane theirs. “Soon,” he promised with as much fervor as he could muster. It would be sooner man he liked if he allowed Queen Bess her way. Luca would be his past, and Lady Jane, his future.

“Kiss me good-bye,” Jane said, molding herself against the hard wall of his chest.

Morgan complied, aware that it was the only way to rid himself of Jane without a fuss. He really did need to meet with Stan and was anxious to be on his way. Lowering his head, his lips moved over hers, grimly aware that his kiss was tepid compared to what it would be if it were Luca in his arms.

“Are you lost, madam? Perhaps I can direct you to your room.”

Luca stopped abruptly. Distracted by her thoughts, she had nearly run headlong into a handsome courtier. “Oh, I am sorry, my lord. I did not see you.”

“These corridors are rather complex and confusing if one isn’t familiar with them. I don’t think we have met. I am Dennis Burke, Viscount Harley, at your service.” He executed a pretty bow. “And you are…?”

“Luca… Scott,” Luca said, stumbling over the name that was now hers by right of marriage.

“Good heavens! You’re Sir Morgan Scott’s Spanish bride. We were wondering when Scott was going to introduce his wife at court. I can understand his reluctance. You’re a rare beauty, my lady. I would guard you jealously were you mine. Let me escort you to your husband’s chamber. Or would you prefer looking for him in the Presence Chamber? Did you miss the ceremony? I don’t recall seeing you there earlier.”

“I would prefer to wait for Morgan in his chamber, my lord,” Luca said. “I am travel weary and not dressed properly to attend a grand function. My husband did not know I was coming to London.”

Luca thought Viscount Harley quite elegant, attired as he was in hose that hugged his shapely legs, satin pantaloons, and brocade doublet. He appeared courteous enough and harmless. She accepted his arm as he guided her through a maze of corridors.

“I’m betting your husband will be surprised to see you at Whitehall,” Harley said with disguised glee. Scott’s blatant affair with Lady Jane was common knowledge, and Harley wondered how the pirate would handle the situation. Queen Bess wanted to dissolve his marriage and bundle his Spanish bride off to Spain, freeing Morgan to wed the English heiress. Harley couldn’t wait to spread the word of Luca’s arrival among his cronies.

Luca did not reply to the handsome English lord’s remark. No one knew better than she the extent of Morgan’s temper. Her own temper could be just as formidable when provoked. And God knows Morgan had given her every reason to dislike the dissolute, licentious life he was living at court.

The corridors seemed endless, Luca thought, but Lord Harley appeared to know where he was going. He chatted excessively during their stroll expecting no reply and receiving none. Finally they stopped before a door, and Lord Harley released her arm with marked reluctance.

“Here we are, my lady. I do not think the door is locked, for ‘tis unnecessary here at Whitehall. Perhaps I will see you anon,” he murmured, raising her hand and kissing it with a flourish. Luca watched as he swaggered down the corridor, thinking him quite the dandy.

Luca considered knocking before entering Morgan’s chamber, but she decided there was no need. Morgan was probably still in the Presence Chamber paying court to his mistress. Besides, she was Morgan’s wife and had every right to enter his chamber at will. The door opened on silent hinges, and she stepped inside. The scene that met her eyes brought a gasp of dismay to her lips. The sound prompted the chamber’s occupants to spring apart.

“Who are you?” Jane asked, outraged at the intrusion. “How dare you enter Sir Scott’s chamber without knocking? I must speak with Her Majesty about having you evicted from Whitehall. You’re a brazen baggage.”

“Luca.” Morgan shuddered in awareness.

Dismissing Jane with a frosty glare, Luca’s gaze collided with Morgan’s. The silence between them stretched as Jane watched their reaction to one another with growing dismay. In that poignant silence, Luca saw Morgan’s expression change from fury, to stunned disbelief, to guarded pleasure.

“Who is this woman, Morgan?” Jane demanded to know.

Both Luca and Morgan seemed oblivious to Jane’s presence.

“Morgan, answer my question.” Jane had a sneaking suspicion who the dark beauty was and needed only Morgan’s confirmation.

Finally Morgan could ignore Jane no longer. “Leave us, Lady Jane.”

“What!” Jane’s rage was boundless. Turning to Luca, she boldly announced, “I am Morgan’s fiancée. What right do you have to intrude upon a private moment?”

Muttering in annoyance, Morgan realized how shamelessly vocal Jane was in her pursuit of him, not that he hadn’t known that all along. Until now he didn’t care enough to let it annoy him. Seeing Luca now drew him from polite boredom into stark awareness. It disgusted him that he had put up with Jane’s possessiveness all these months. Furthermore, he had conducted his days at court indiscreetly and carelessly. He had gambled, flirted, drunk excessively, and visited the most disreputable sorts of gentlemen’s clubs with careless disregard for the consequences. He had told himself he had fallen into dissolute ways in an ef fort to erase Luca from his mind and heart, but it hadn’t worked. And by some miracle Luca was here, and all he could think of was making love to her for long, blissful hours.

Tearing her gaze from Morgan, Luca turned to Jane, her eyes hostile with fury. “You may be Morgan’s fiancée, but I am his wife. If you do not leave immediately I will cut out your heart and feed it to the pigs.” As if to reinforce her threat, she stepped menacingly toward Jane. Jane gave a squawk of dismay and fled in terror for her life.

When they were alone, Luca rounded on Morgan in splendid rage. Morgan thought her anger daunting. “The same goes for you, Morgan. Your faithlessness is appalling. I will cut your heart out as easily as that of your mistress.”

Morgan struggled to contain his mirth but failed. Laughter rolled from his chest as he stared at Luca in astonishment. “I believe you would, my fiery little bride.” Then his amusement ended as quickly as it began. “What in bloody Hell are you doing in London? I left orders that you were to remain at Scott Hall.”

Luca sent him a disgruntled look. “Did you think I would stay there while you cavorted shamelessly at court with your mistress? If you plan on dissolving our marriage, Morgan, do it now, but do not shame me by conducting your scandalous affairs while we are still husband and wife.” She eyed him narrowly. “We still
are
husband and wife, are we not?”

“We are still married, Luca,” Morgan said quietly.

Luca relaxed visibly.

“You still haven’t told me what you are doing in London and how you got here. I’m amazed that Clyde Withers let you leave after I instructed him to keep you in West Sussex.”

Not wanting to get Withers in trouble, Luca declared, “Mr. Withers had nothing to do with my being in London. I found my own transportation.”

Dismayed, Morgan’s mouth gaped open. “Bloody Hell, woman. do you realize the danger you exposed yourself to by traveling unescorted? Whatever possessed you to leave?”

“Rumors travel rather fast, and servants do gossip. Did you think I wouldn’t hear about your licentious behavior at court? Why didn’t you write me, Morgan? I’ve heard nothing directly from you since you left Scott Hall.”

Morgan’s hungry gaze literally devoured Luca. He was happy that she had reached London safely, but he was still angry at her for traveling alone. Just thinking about the danger she could have encountered made him shudder in dread. She risked all manner of mishaps, particularly since she was a stranger to England. That she made it to Whitehall safely spoke volumes about her courage and resourcefulness.

“I’ve kept in touch through Withers and Forsythe. Did they not inform you when my messages arrived?”

“Withers was good enough to inform me, but I would have preferred a personal message. You deliberately left me in the country so you could act the libertine at court. I thought your mistress quite amusing.”

Morgan flushed, unable to deny Luca’s charges. He deserved Luca’s resentment. But to his credit he hadn’t actually made Jane his mistress. He had hoped the old adage “Out of sight, out of mind” would apply to Luca once he had left her disrupting influence, but it hadn’t worked that way. Prolonged absence made him realize how desperately he wanted Luca. Lady Jane, with her pallid English beauty, couldn’t begin to compare to his vibrant wife. Luca moved him in mysterious ways. There was something deep and disturbing about her; something indescribably tempting.

He needed her.

Having her alone in his room made him tremble with anticipation.

“I have no mistress,” he said truthfully.

Luca snorted derisively. “Regardless of what you think, I’m no fool. I saw you and Lady Jane earlier when you entered the Presence Chamber from God only knows where. Only a blind man would not notice your shameless state of disarray. It was obvious you had been engaged in an illicit affair. And what about just now, when I walked into your chamber and saw the lady in your arms? You looked as if you were ready to toss her skirts over her head and have at her.”

“Think what you like, Luca, but I’m telling the truth. I’ve not bedded Jane or any other woman since I met you. I’m not proud of my celibate state, or the fact that none of the court ladies appealed to me. As long as I’m being honest I may as well admit that you are the source of my misery. I can’t stop thinking about you long enough to bed another woman. I should punish you for coming to London without my permission, but I suddenly find myself hungry for the taste of your kisses. I want you. I want to be inside you. surrounded by you. And God help me, I don’t want this feeling to stop.”

Luca opened her mouth to hurl a stinging retort, but Morgan halted it effortlessly by pulling her into his arms and seizing her lips with frantic urgency. The hot sweep of his tongue across the seam of her lips sent a jolt of raw pleasure surging through her veins. She had yearned for this for so long that her emotions were raw and exposed. His touch was like magic, rendering her vulnerable to his erotic seduction. She melted against him and opened her mouth to him. Despite his lies about his numerous infidelities, Luca was helpless to resist the man she loved more than life.

Morgan’s kiss deepened, his tongue dueling with hers in a passionate exchange that left Luca breathless. She moaned beneath her breath when he sucked her tongue into his mouth and ravished it thoroughly, roughly, grasping her bottom and pulling her more solidly against the hardening cradle of his loins. With senseless abandon she gave herself up to his bruising kiss, thick with the taste of his hunger and mindless desire. With deliberate slowness he mated his mouth with hers, thrusting deeply with his tongue while he caressed her breasts.

Luca submitted to his passion, letting it surround her in a bright. shimmering haze. She felt giddy with the scent of his arousal, strong and tangy and infinitely male. He had unleashed some primitive impulse deep within her, and she ground her hips against him in wanton response. This wasn’t mere lust; this madness went deeper, was more enduring. What she felt for Morgan was love, the kind that happened only once in a lifetime.

“Witch,” Morgan muttered as he worked frantically to release the ties at the back of her dress. “Sultry witch.” The sweet taste of her surrender excited him beyond endurance.