A Rose Between the Thornes (11 page)

They changed tracks as Sophia skirted the formal gardens and shrubberies, keeping to little used areas of the park, until she came to a thick blackthorn hedge. It had grown more impenetrable than she recalled, and Sophia could only hope the old gateway she thought she remembered was where she hoped it was.

It was, and to her joy, not completely overgrown. The tangle of nettles and brambles around the hasp showed it hadn’t been opened for many a year, and that day would be no exception.

“Ah, Thunder my lad, now we will see if I’m as good a rider as I believe and you as excellent as I’m certain you are. The expression ‘you will have to carry me’ is oh so true. I’ll be your passenger, you do the work.” She let the animal see the obstacle. He shook his head as if to say he was happy, and why did she worry, and with a laugh, Sophia walked him away, so they could get a decent run before he jumped.

He soared over the gate as if it was a milk stool. Sophia leaned forward and patted his powerful neck.

“You are a star,” she told him. He whinnied his agreement softly, and she laughed. “Not long and I can, I hope, provide you with a comfortable stable and some hay.” Sophia took up the reins and directed him along a winding bridleway. This was her land, and even though she may not visit it as often or for as long as she preferred, she still knew every inch of it intimately. They rounded a bend and reached one of the streams that crossed her land to join the river that wound its way along her northern boundary. Sophia led Thunder to the edge and lengthened the reins to let him dip his head and drink. She would have liked to get down from his back, and loosen his girth, but wasn’t sure she would be able to remount if she did. There were no convenient logs around to stand on to give her the height she would need. He was a tall horse; she estimated over seventeen hands, and the stirrup cups too high for her to reach unaided.

Her weight seemed not to matter to the animal, who drank and put his head up again. They moved on.

Sophia decided to approach her house in a circuitous way, and stayed firmly in the trees until she was behind the stables. It would be folly to get this far and be seen looking like a hoyden, or accosted by anyone who had been asked to look out for her. She didn’t think for one minute her absence would not be noticed or acted upon. Whether the twins would come to Midwood she didn’t know, whether her staff would act on their say so, she rather thought was in doubt. It would depend on what tales they were fed. If they thought she was in danger, every last man would now be scouring the countryside. She needed to get to her chambers unseen, and call Mrs. Lodden for help. The kindly woman would aid and abet Sophia and ask no questions until later. It had always been thus.

Sophia dismounted and tied Thunder to a tree. He whickered and blew through his nostrils, before he dropped his head and began to graze. She leaned against him for a moment enjoying his soft warmth. Then Sophia straightened; she had things to do.

“I’ll be back soon,” she whispered in his ear. “Then it’s a proper stable for you.”

The horse whinnied, as if to agree with her.

“Why not give him his stable now?”

She whirled round, and screamed.

Chapter Seven

Jasper Thorne leaned against the tree trunk and enjoyed the way Sophia reacted. It gave him some satisfaction to know his suspicions had been correct, and she had found her way home. Arriving a scant ten minutes earlier, he had been about to rouse her household to ask if she was there when he’d heard the familiar whinny of Emperor, his favorite horse.

He’d followed the sound to see Sophia crooning in the animal’s ear. The rush of anger that flooded him surprised him with its vehemence. Jasper was annoyed, and disappointed that Sophia had chosen flight over talk, but if he was honest, he understood why she had acted as she did. He and his twin together could perhaps be a little overwhelming. But he had thought they would be able to talk together and come to an acceptable conclusion. He ignored the tiny voice that added, acceptable to him and Nat. The idea that Sophia might baulk at their wants was not to be born.

Now he waited to see what she would do next.

She glared and his cock twitched. She was magnificent in her anger. All he wanted to do was bend her over a convenient branch and fuck her until they could no longer stand. As he thought it was highly unlikely Sophia would agree to such treatment, he quelled his desire and waited.

“What in hades are you doing
here?
” she demanded. Her eyes shot arcs of fire at him, and under an old and ill-fitting jacket her breasts heaved. His fingers itched to discover what, if anything else, she wore other than that and a pair of disreputable pantaloons. He recognized neither.

“Language, Rose.” He watched her hands clench and unclench. He would wager she was grinding her teeth in an effort not to explode.

“Language? Ha, my lord, you have heard nothing yet. Why are you hounding me? And where is your twin? Ready to creep up on me and use me as you both wish once more? Why am I not surprised. Go on then, I am but a poor defenseless woman. Older than you by many years, and ill-used.”

“What?” He could hardly believe his ears. Jasper covered the few yards between them and took her by the shoulders. “You truly believe we ill-used you?”

She leaned into him, and looked up at his face. Her lashes were damp.

“No,” Sophia sighed. “No, I cannot say that. I am angry, but you did not ill-use me. Well,” she paused. “I could say that to spank me was molestation. However that would also be a lie.”

“So why run?” He needed to know, even as he rejoiced at her response. What if their desires were abhorrent and she felt unable to say so? He had to understand. “Did we scare you? Disgust you?” He lowered his voice. “Arouse you? I need to know, love. You terrified us when we realized you had left. We wanted no more than to be with you, to talk about what we all wanted from our lives, hopefully together, but you ran. Are we such ogres?”

She was silent for so long, Jasper wondered if she had an answer for him. Eventually she shivered and sighed.

“I was scared. Not of you or Nathaniel,” she added hastily. “Of myself. Of what I felt.”

Jasper held her tight and nuzzled her head. “What did you feel, love?”

“Too much; it was too much. I should have been shocked, ashamed of my reactions. I wasn’t, I wanted it all. Oh, Jasper,” She was crying now, big gulping sobs that tore at his heart. “I was alive. When you touched me, spanked me, and you both filled me I knew I was home. Fulfilled, and with the two people I wanted to be with.”

Jasper rubbed her back in soft gentle circles, even as he itched to kiss her from head to toe, to mark her as his, and carry her home for Nat to do the same.

“So why run? We want that also.” He struggled to understand. “You are the person we have unconsciously been waiting for all our lives. Every thing we have ever done was but a prelude until we met you. Neither of us ever felt like we do with you. You are our completion.”

“Perhaps, but I am three and forty, Jasper, more than a dozen years older than you,” she said earnestly. “A recognized old maid, who resides with her wealthy niece. The ton would have a field day to find out either of you were interested in me, let alone both.” She pulled herself back a little. “I can not hurt either of you. It would hurt me too.”

“For that stupidity you deserve my hand on your arse. Nothing Nathaniel or I do will make the ton think any different of us, it is you we need to protect, and protect you we will. As for your age? I have heard the expression you are only as old as you feel, and my dear Rose, you will feel only us. Therefore...” He kissed her and her lips opened to let him deepen the caress. Their tongues met and the familiar surge of arousal filled him. He wanted, no needed more. Even the thought of Nat waiting patiently at their hunting lodge couldn’t stop him moving his hand to stroke her breasts over the jacket. She shuddered and her arms tightened on his back.

With reluctance Jasper broke the kiss. “Much as I want to strip you naked and sate myself in you, we need to talk first,” he said, once his breathing returned to normal. “And with Nat present as well. Will you let us pay our respects to you here later on today?”

Sophia shook her head, and he stared at her in disbelief.

No? She does not want to consider what we might have?

“I’m sorry then for disturbing you, my lady,” he said, hoping his disappointment didn’t show in his tone. “May I escort you home?”

“No, and give me time to breathe,” Sophia replied. “Also do not jump to conclusions, my lord, I was about to say to your request, no, because I will accompany you back to Blackthorn. What point is there to be here now? You have made sure my absence will not be missed for several days so why not enjoy them?” He must have looked as dumbstruck as he felt, because Sophia laughed. “It is Blackthorn Lodge is it not? Over towards Tanners? I was so sure that was where you took me.”

“Rose Sophia, you are a minx. When did you realize that?”

The satisfaction on her face was priceless. “Only as I reached the outskirts of Chantery. I saw the cottages and knew where I was. I will own I did not know straight away where I had been held immediately.”

“Dear Rose, you are so worthy, we are not. Will you give yourself to us?”

“Perhaps. But I need to talk to you both at once. So?”

“So,” he said and smiled. “Are you happy to return now?”

Sophia nodded. “If Thunder is able?”

Jasper was confused. “Thunder?”

Sophia reddened and giggled. “Your horse. I had no idea of his name, but as I left I heard thunder. It seemed apt.”

Now he understood. “He is called Emperor. Although perhaps Thunder is as good. Whichever, he is my pride and joy. He will be able to carry you for many a more mile, fear not.”

Sophia nodded. “Then let us go. I have no need to alert my staff. They do not know I am here. You purported to be Lodden? My factor,” she added. “whom I was meant to believe had contacted me?”

Jasper knew he reddened. “I could think of no better way to get you to where we needed you,” he said. “Now it is time for explanations.” He whistled and the horse Sophia had been riding pricked up his ears. “It will take us but an hour to get back to Nat. Can you ride?”

To his relief she nodded. “Throw me up, and let us go.” Amused at her dictatorial manner he did as she asked.

“However, love, do not expect me to be always so accepting of your demands,” Jasper said as they retraced her steps. “This time, it is all fair, another perhaps not. I may defer to Nat, and perchance to you, but always remember I am the dominant.”

For several minutes Sophia was silent. Jasper let the horses pick their way through the undergrowth and awaited her reply. When it came he was surprised.

“And this matters how?” she asked him. “I have always realized you need to dictate and demand. Nat also, but to a lesser degree. It matters not to me, except to say, I understand.”

He could have kissed her senseless.

***

Nat was pacing the hall of the lodge when Jasper escorted Sophia inside. His eyebrows rose when he saw how she was dressed, and after a startled, relieved glance at Jasper, who did his best to reassure his twin all was well, burst our laughing. Sophia huffed.

“Thank you, ‘tis good to see how you admire my attire. Let me tell you, I was very relieved to find something that covered me more than a bathing robe, beautiful as it was.”

Nathaniel looked contrite. Jasper didn’t believe for one second he was.

“Shall we find somewhere more congenial to talk?” he suggested. “No, not in our rooms, tempting as the thought is,” he added. “If we go there none of our minds will be on the subject we need to discuss.”

“Well,” Nat said. “That would not be strictly true. But my thoughts would be on what we could do and when, not if we will and how.”

Jasper nodded. He knew fine well if they returned to their chambers with Sophia, there would be little talk, but a lot of action. Talk
had
to come first. “Let us sit in the study. I assume the fire is still in?” he asked Nathaniel.

“Of course. Mrs. Cathkins is ready to make breakfast if we ask her. I have told her to wait until we call. Instead I have sandwiches and ale. Oh and hot chocolate for you love, though how hot it now is I do not know.”

Jasper took Sophia’s arm and encouraged her to follow Nathaniel into the study. He really must reunite her with her clothes, but not until they had talked. He led her to a big leather chair. The study was well equipped for sitting, drinking, and browsing. Not for dalliance. No chaise or love seats. Just large, simple, comfortable chairs around the fire and a big oak table next to a couple of bookcases and cupboards. To call it a study was perhaps a misnomer, especially as the house was not meant for studying, unless it was the form of horses or how well the local hunt had fared.

“Now,” Jasper began once they had all enjoyed the hearty beef sandwiches and drank their fill. “Let’s talk. Rose, why did you run?”

***

Sophia put down her empty mug, and sat forward. The jacket was scratching the sensitive skin of her breasts, and she was uncomfortable. Nevertheless there was no way she could take it off without exposing herself. The fact both men had seen a lot more of her body earlier was immaterial. This was now, and Sophia had no intention of baring herself. She wriggled to try and ease the chafing. Jasper’s eyes narrowed.

“One moment.” He stood up and left the room.

Nathaniel didn’t speak, but Sophia was very aware of his gaze on her.

“Well,” she said when the silence stretched to screaming point. “Do you not wish to say anything?”

“Do you want me to ring for more chocolate?”

“And let your housekeeper see me? Dressed like this? The country would be abuzz within days. I think perhaps not.”

“Our staff is ever discrete, Rose. So, if you are sufficed, we will wait for Jas.”

It was lucky, Sophia thought, that Jasper returned at that point. Over his arm he carried a plain grey dress, and a warm shawl which she recognized.