Always True to Her (Emerson Book 2) (18 page)

James did not know what to say. He didn’t want to
disappoint Colin and Ava, but he also did not want to give up the claim to the
land he’d fought so hard for. The land that he owned. The land that would
prosper or fail because of his efforts.

He cleared his throat and looked away, unable to
meet Colin’s hopeful expression.

“Anna is much improved,” he said finally. “Yet I
cannot think to remove her from this house. But if I do not continue on to
Portsmouth now, I might lose my last chance of proving my case. May I leave
her in your care while Irene and I travel onward?”

James made the mistake of looking at Colin before
his brother could hide his disappointment. But in an instant, his brother’s
façade was back in place. “Of course we’ll look after Anna. She’s family. I
daresay Jasper would claw all your soft spots if you were to try to remove
her.”

“I do not wish to leave her,” said James.

“Of course you don’t,” said Ava. “And I cannot
blame you for wanting to see this issue resolved. If you do not take this
chance to meet with your witness, the matter may never be settled and I would
hate to think of you tormented by regret. But please keep in mind that even if
you are victorious, there is nothing that says you must return. You could hire
someone to work the land for you, while you remain here at home. And before
you contradict me, James, this is your home. Not because it is the ancestral
home of countless generations of Emersons. But because we are here and we love
you.”

There was a moment of silence as Ava’s last words
hung in the air.

Colin broke it. “She loves you as a sister, James.
So don’t go getting any ideas.”

“Thank you for the clarification, Colin. Now, I
shall take my leave of you to spend some time with Anna.”

It was Anna’s last night on the cot. On the morrow,
she would return to Letty’s room, much to the relief of both girls. To
celebrate, Maude made a special dinner, then everyone retired to the sitting
room where Letty and Colin sang a series of duets. James and Irene read to her
that night until she fell asleep, then out of habit the two of them watched
over her for an hour. They finally made their way to the housekeeper’s suite.

James knew there was no longer any need for both of them
to sleep in that room. Anna was well enough to be moved back to Letty’s room
in the family quarters. With his bedchamber just down the hall, he would hear
if she needed him. But, he wanted to spend one more night with Irene in that
tiny bed.

There was no reason for Irene to continue to sleep
by his side. Except for the fact that he’d grown wholly dependent upon having
her there. The two of them had never discussed it after the first night. It
was simply their routine. He would allow her to retire first, so she could
change. He would do the same in his chamber in the family wing. Then he would
join her, where the bed would be turned down and she would be waiting.

When Anna was sick, he’d had no thought – or, to be
honest, only minimal thought – of seduction. Now that his daughter was on the
mend, everything was different.

They got into their usual position. The two of them
on their sides with her delicious backside pressed against him.

“I do not see why you must hold me so closely,” she
said. The words might be disheartening, if they hadn’t been said quite so
breathlessly.

“To keep you from falling off the bed, of course.”

“I think I can keep myself on the bed all by
myself.”

“But we do not know for sure. I’m sure Ava would
never forgive me if I allowed you to fall and crack open your head in her home.”

“You might want to keep that….thing away.”

“That ‘thing’ is minding its own business. Though
if you would like to make its acquaintance…”

“I would not!” she said.

“How disappointing.”

“Not for me, I can assure you.”

“You might be surprised. At any rate, we need to
talk and I fear we wouldn’t be able to do that if that ‘thing’ gets involved.
I would like to travel on to Portsmouth.”

“Anna cannot take the trip.”

“You are right. Colin and Ava have graciously offered
to care for her while I make the journey.”

“While you make the journey?” After a moment of
squirming, Irene was able to turn within his arms, so she was facing him. “Do
you think to leave me here?”

“They will not cast you out into the snow. Anna
would be thrilled to have you remain and I know my sisters and brother would
enjoy your visit.”

“And I have enjoyed getting to know them. But that
is not the point. I only came on this journey so that I might meet this Mr.
Adams myself. You cannot mean to meet with him without me.”

He sighed. “You still do not trust me?”

That stopped her for a moment. “I do trust you.
But my father and grandmother do not. Think how much better this will be for
you if I can bear witness.”

“But you are not even supposed to be here.”

That brought her up short. “Yes, well, I will just
have to find a way to explain it to them. The fact remains that I am your very
best hope of persuading them to see you are right in this matter.”

“We would be gone at least three days, perhaps
longer.”

“I will miss Anna, of course, but she will be well
looked after.”

“That is not my point. You and I will be alone for
three days and three nights.”

He could feel the stillness in her, followed by a
shiver. If she was that responsive to just the suggestion of intimacy, what would
she be like in the throes of passion?

“I know you are a gentleman,” she said shakily. “I
do not fear you.”

“You needn’t fear me. But you have good cause to
fear yourself. Who knows what ideas you may get when we are alone?”

“You’re quite certain of yourself.”

“No. I’m quite certain of you. For you see, Miss
Wallace, I do not believe you are immune to me, particularly in close
quarters. It wouldn’t take long for us to be in a very compromising position.
One you would have no desire to get out of.”

“Oh really?” she said. “Prove it.”

*

The moment the words were out of her mouth, Irene
regretted them. Well, regret wasn’t exactly the right word because ever since
they’d climbed into bed that night her body had been thrumming with passion.
With Anna on the mend, Irene had been thinking of this last night together for
most of the day. She hadn’t wanted it to pass without at least some passion
between them.

And truth be told, he wouldn’t even have to do that
much to have her panting in his arms.

She didn’t trust herself with him. Each night
they’d spent in that bed curled into each other, she’d had wanton thoughts. She’d
been wishing this interlude in the housekeeper’s suite could continue. That
James would give up all plans to move to America and settle into this charming
estate.

But now her thoughts were focused on being pressed
against him and trying to feign indifference.

They were on their sides, facing each other, their
legs entwined. Not purposely, of course. It was just due to a lack of space.
She tried not to look into his eyes, but she was powerless against it. They
were so dark, but flooded her with warmth.

He brought one finger to her lips, tracing first the
top, then the bottom.

“Your lips are so smooth,” he said.

“I do not think….” She realized he’d tricked her
into parting them as his finger pressed just slightly past her lips.

His finger pressed gently into her mouth. Just the
tip. Nothing else. She was afraid to protest, lest he take the opportunity to
venture further in. Though she wasn’t sure what would be pleasurable in such
an act for him.

Her lips closed around his finger, as if drawn
there. She suckled him just a bit and was rewarded with his indrawn hiss. She
smiled, while still keeping her lips about his finger. She drew it in a bit
further and nibbled on the tip, eliciting yet another reaction.

She grinned. “I thought the purpose of this
exercise was to show my susceptibility to you and not the other way around.”

He grinned ruefully back. “So did I. But I always
find it best when both parties enjoy themselves.”

And with that, he removed his finger from her mouth
and began to slowly draw it down her body. He followed the line of her neck,
then the curve of her collarbone.

“Was this your best imitation of a governess’s
nightrail? An embroidered collar and the finest silk?”

She could barely think with him touching her, yet he
expected her to speak. “I did not think anyone would have cause to see me in
my nightclothes, James. And how would you know what a governess wears to bed?”
At his slow grin, she quickly added. “Never mind! I do not wish to know how
you came by the knowledge. I can only assume there was some degree of
wickedness involved.”

“One can only hope,” said James as he undid first
one button, then the next.

Irene knew she should object. But he would only use
that as proof that she was affected by his touch. Which she most assuredly
was. However, she would not lose this easily. She had more pride than that.
Furthermore, he was looking at her as if he expected her to call a halt to the
proceedings. She would not back down this easily. It would be too
embarrassing.

“Do you want me to stop?” he asked, as he lightly
moved his finger back and forth, just inches above her breasts.

“Do as you like. But I may fall asleep. Pray do
not take it too personally. It has been a long day.”

He cocked an eyebrow, then moved his hand inside her
nightrail, brushing her bare breast.

She was instantly aflame and wondered how she would
continue breathing. She felt his touch in every inch of her. She could not
prevent the soft moan that escaped her. Surely he would now stop and declare
himself the victor of her dare. She looked up, expecting to see him gloating,
only to discover that his gaze was wholly focused on her breast, which was, she
was mortified to see, completely uncovered.

There was no trace of gloating in him. Indeed, for
someone who undoubtedly saw naked breasts on a frequent, if not daily, basis,
he seemed gratifyingly fascinated by hers.

Then, still holding her breast, he looked behind
him. “I need more candlelight.”

“What?” she squeaked. “But I am unclothed.”

“Precisely. That is why I need more light. Perhaps
if we put both of the candles over here and elevated them I could see better.”

“Absolutely not!”

“But you’re so beautiful just from what I can see
now. I can only imagine how you’ll look with more light. I can’t wait to see
this view in the morning, though I can’t believe I must wait that long for a
proper look.”

“The morning! A proper look! I can assure you
there would be nothing proper about such a look.” She also realized there was
certainly nothing proper about his touching her there at night, though she did
nothing to move his hand. Perhaps, he would be shamed into moving it all on
his own accord.

“You cannot believe that love making is only done in
the dark. Especially with a woman as beautiful as you.”

“Making love? Who said anything about making love?
And you would do that in the morning?”

“Morning, noon, teatime, night. And any other time
of day. I daresay that if I were your husband…”

“We know that shall never happen…”

“Of course not. This is only an example. If I were
your husband, I would make it a point to make love to you with such frequency
that there would not be a time of day or night in which we had not been
amorously involved.”

She tried to push his hand back to his side of the
bed. Unfortunately, she tried to do this with her breast.

She was not successful. He only started fondling
her more.

“Would you not like to see me in the light of day?”
he asked.

More than anything
.
Her mind was flooded with images of what his muscular chest and arms would look
like. She’d never seen any man without his shirt. She had, on occasion, seen
workers with their shirtsleeves rolled up and their forearms bared. She’d been
fascinated by the hair, the expanse of muscle. She could only imagine what
James’s arms and torso looked like.

As for below that…

“Are you quite well, Miss Wallace?” asked James with
just a trace of amusement. “You seem to have let your mind wander. And it
appears you like the destination to which it has gone.”

“Stuff and nonsense,” she said breathlessly. “I was
only thinking of the journey ahead of us. We shall have to pack. And I must
think of a new disguise, since I can hardly pretend to be Anna’s governess when
she will not be with us.”

“So is that what has brought such a delightful flush
to your cheeks and…” Here the insolent man looked at her breast. “…other
parts of you?”

“My other parts are certainly no concern of yours.
Now if you will kindly remove your hand from my person, then we can finally get
to sleep.”

“I will reluctantly remove my hand from your
beautiful person, though I highly doubt you shall sleep.” He kissed her
lightly. “But then, neither will I. And you still insist on accompanying me,
knowing what danger lies ahead?”

“I do,” she said, feeling bereft when his hand left
her. “Now, do be a good boy and give me some peace.” She turned away from
him, feeling colder than she’d been in a long while. But fortunately once she
was turned away, he pulled her back against him.

She waited to see if he would make another move to
touch her, for which she would certainly upbraid him. Probably. But when he
didn’t, she went about trying to fall asleep, only to find the wretch was
right. It was extraordinarily difficult.

How was she going to get through the upcoming journey
without throwing herself at him?

She spent the next hour trying to figure that out
before sleep finally claimed her.