To Marry a Marquess (20 page)

"Victoria, come here." He stepped closer to her, his eyes intent on her face.

She felt her defenses crumbling against his charms. He was going to kiss her, and if he did that, she might tell him about Wendover, thus putting William in danger. Or she might even tell him she loved him. And she could never do that.

She took a hesitant step back. "Stay away from me."

He halted, his hand fisting at his side. "I won't touch you. I only want to talk."

She shook her head and continued backing up. "I simply cannot marry you. You must see how disagreeable we are for one another." She lowered her voice. "You of all people know the scandal attached to my name."

His eyes widened as he watched her movements. "I fancy you may want to stay right where you are."

She stiffened. Anger pushed away any self-pity growing inside her. "You fancy? Let me remind you we are not man and wife."

"I am warning you, you best stop."

"And if I don't stop, what will you do?"

"I won't do a thing. In fact, you will do considerable damage by yourself. It would behoove me to point out that there exists a deep mud puddle directly behind you. Grandmother was saving that spot for a small pond, but since the storms the past few days, the pit has become a virtual lake."

"Oh, truly?" She choked out a laugh. "As if pigs fly and you have a heart."

"I did warn you." He drew in a calming breath as she took another step back, daring him to fib again.

"Worry not, my lord. You may take your leave and I will—"

Her words were smothered by a gasp of dismay as she plummeted into the pond of mud behind her.

The marquess's laugh rumbled in the air. "I do believe that pigs may actually fly."

Victoria seethed with annoyance as she slopped in the mud, trying to stand. But his next words were said with such conviction, she was caught off guard.

"Though it may seem foreign to you, Lady Victoria, I do have a heart."

She paused and looked up at him. The tenderness in his gaze caused her own heart to turn. She swallowed, ashamed of herself. "Well, perhaps you do after all."

He smiled, putting a booted foot beside her. "Give me your hand then, you little termagant."

She gave him her brightest smile. "Thank you, you are ever so"—the jerk of her arm pulled him in alongside her— "kind," she said with a hearty laugh when he slipped face down in the mud.

He came up spitting for air. He turned and grabbed her by the shoulders. Victoria gasped in surprise.

Gray eyes smoldered as they looked into hers. "Minx," he said softly. He rose, taking her into his arms, crushing his lips to hers in a kiss that staggered her senses.

A warm feeling curled around Victoria's heart as he drew her muddy body against his. Spirals of heat shot through her. She felt warm and safe. For a few moments, she wondered if she could trust this man with her life ... with her heart. She tightened her hold of him, never ever wanting to let go.

His mouth moved over hers hungrily. "Well, my little minx. Do I have a heart?"

She stared back, dumbfounded at the way he affected her.

But there was a childlike vulnerability in his eyes as he waited for her answer, and her heart became pudding in his hands.

"Hmmm." She plopped her hand over his chest, spattering more mud in his face. His eyes gave off a devilish twinkle, and she smiled. "Why goodness, my lord, it seems you do. And for some odd reason, it seems to be beating quite fast. Quite fast indeed."

With one hand, he pinned both of her hands to his chest. "Will you ever forgive me for my pompous attitude the night Nightham was killed and in the library just now?"

"I forgive you."

At that moment, she wanted to tell this man everything. But could she truly trust him? And even if she could, would she be putting his life in danger, too?

"There are questions, Victoria, questions that have plagued my mind ever since I met you."

Victoria knew the time had come. She closed her eyes and rested her head against his chest, knowing she would tell him everything about Nightham, Wendover, and the inn. She loved this man and could do nothing to stop it. She would have to trust him. What else could she do? The torment of keeping everything inside was eating at her soul, making her life miserable. "Ask me anything, and I will tell you all."

He drew her muddy palm to his lips and kissed each finger with such devotion her throat ached. "Ah, sweetheart. I hate to ask this, but I must know if you and Nightham—"

A high-pitched scream ripped through the air. Drake dropped her hands and looked up in horror, a dark shadow of fear falling over his eyes. "Margueretta." No sooner had he said his child's name than he was running toward the stream beyond Percy Hall.

Victoria hurried after the marquess, her gaze clung to a tree leaning precariously alongside the swollen stream.  Her stomach lurched at the sight of William and Margueretta perched on a high branch that was swung over the water.

Victoria took in the fragile condition of the extending branches, and she could hear the groan of the angry water as it rushed beneath the two children who were clutching to each
other in fear.

With a pang, she realized the tree could not support much weight, but it looked like the marquess was going to try to climb it anyway. "No!" she screamed.

Her firm command instantly drew his attention. He glanced over his shoulders, his face a mask of worry and fear. 

She hurried toward him.  “The branches will not hold your weight.”

“I cannot stand here and watch them be swept away!”  He grabbed for the tree trunk.

“NO!” Victoria tugged on his arm.  “Let me go.  I’m lighter.  I have a better chance of reaching them.”

The expression in his gaze told her he understood, but honor would not let her go.  “I will not have you lost as well. You are still ailing from your fall from the horse."

"Please, Drake, you know I can climb. I have climbed trees all my life. I have a few bruises from the fall, but nothing else. I'm much better now. Let me go."

Chapter Thirteen

"H
urry up, Vicki!" William's cry bit into the wind. "The branch is breaking!"

An eerie crack made Victoria shudder. There was not much time. She slammed her hand against Drake's chest and yanked at his wet shirt. "Do you want to be a dead hero? Do you want your child to be an orphan? You might break that branch. Both children would fall. You cannot save then both. You would have to choose. Please! Let me go instead!'

Margueretta's wails echoed eerily in the wind. Drake's entire body stiffened.

Victoria grabbed him with both hands. "I can do it. I climbed down that tree at the inn. I can climb up one just as well."

His jaw hardened like steel. The wind picked up again sending the branches rustling with a ghostly howl.

"For heaven’s sake, make up your mind! Any minute that branch will break!"

"Get up there then!" Two strong hands circled Victoria's waist, giving her muddy skirts a lift. "You best not fall or you will have me to deal with. I am going for that special license."

She looked back and smiled. "You are an impulsive man, Lord Drakefield."

Two gray eyes flickered with a caress that felt like a thousand rays of a summer's sun, warming her, giving her strength to do what she had to do. Her gaze suddenly
rose
toward the children. "William. Do not move!"

"Botheration! Where do you think I would be going at a time like this?" he said, drowning out Margueretta's sobs. "Me ship's sunk in that roaring sea."

He pointed to the thrashing water beneath them. Logs and branches peeked out above the flowing stream. A strong wind whooshed against the branches, teasing their strength.

Victoria knew there was not much time.

"Take the princess out first," William said, his lips trembling. "She is afeared."

Victoria's mouth ran dry at the sound of alarm in William's voice. She inched forward, watching her brave little cousin slip his arm around Margueretta.

"All right, princess," Victoria said. "Give me your hand."

Margueretta continued to weep as William tried to push her toward Victoria. The branch gave another eerie crack.

By this time, a crowd of servants had gathered and huddled around the tree.

Standing beside the gnarled trunk, Drake cursed, clenching his fists. "Poppet! Take Victoria's hand!"

The little girl sniffed. "I don't want to fall."

"Come on, poppet. Take Victoria's hand and I will catch you."

Margueretta bit her lip and reached for Victoria.

"Just a little more. Come on, honey."

The branch dipped and swayed over the water. A tense hush fell over the crowd. Finally, one hand clasped into another, and Victoria dragged the girl to her breast.

Drake put out his hands just as a hard wind cut through the trees. "Drop her! Hurry!"

Victoria leaned forward and released Margueretta into her father's hands. The marquess passed her off to one of the servants who headed toward the house.

Victoria felt her breath catch. The branch was ready to break. She could feel it bending beneath her.
Oh, God, help me get to William.

"All right, me pirate,” she called. "Just a bit more. Give me your hand."

"No," William cried in anguish. "Too far! The branch is breaking, Vicki! Go back!"

"Don't be a goose, William!" Victoria hoisted herself up further onto the branch. The sound of the rushing water filled her ears. Her bare hands scraped against the bark, and she spared a glance below. The bulging stream raced wildly, throwing sticks, logs, anything in its path. But she vowed it would not be her little cousin.

"Vicki, stay back!" She heard his whimpers and couldn't have loved the boy more than at that very moment.

"William, if you don't grab my hand, I will have frog legs for dinner and send your mighty Captain Whitie out into the forest to fend for himself! There are wolves and foxes that love to eat little mice! You hear me, young man!"

William's eyes widened in horror, then he immediately glanced down at the angry stream, his face turning white.

Coming to a monumental decision, he inched toward her. "You will not! I won't allow it!"

Seconds later William's hand slipped into Victoria's, and for an instant, she closed her eyes in prayer. When she opened them, two wide blue eyes peered back at her.

"Aw, Vicki, you would not truly do that, would you? Have frog legs and send Whitie away to be eaten?"

She pulled him close, hot tears slipping down her cheeks. "No, William. I would never do that. Time to go."

She quickly lowered him as far as she could, then dropped him into Drake's waiting hands. The marquess looked up at her and smiled. "Now, come here, my girl. We have not finished our business."

Victoria smiled back, and she knew she was powerless to resist this man. She loved him. "Close your eyes and I will be beside you in thirty seconds, my lord."