Blood Lust (7 page)

“And I am the one who grows tired of your attempts to escape.” He unsteadily rose to his feet and helped her up.

“Hear me and hear me well, my lady, try another stunt like this and I will not be held accountable for what may happen. I promise you I will not be so forgiving next time.” He looked at her intently. “Do I make myself clear? Do we understand each other?”

She stood there for a few minutes, saying nothing, then easing herself away she finally replied, “There is a simple way to end this you know. You could just let me go.”

“I will when the time is right.”

“And just when will that be? Once the time for my wedding has come and gone?”

He glared down at her. “Exactly.”

“What?”

“Believe me, one day you will thank me.”

“Thank you? Are you mad?”

He ignored her ranting. “It’s cold in here.” He bent and pulled the knife he carried in his boot out, brought the blade up and sliced through the thong binding their wrists together.

Foraging through the logs beside the hearth, he stacked them carefully atop the coals, using the billows to rekindle the last of the embers into flame. “A fire will be welcome.”

“You are incorrigible!” She turned away from him and marched toward the stairs. William tried not to notice how her hair floated down her back. And he tried most of all not to think of how her breast had felt in his hand.

As she stepped inside the upstairs room, she slammed the door with all her might. William was glad that he had slept so long, he wouldn’t be getting much sleep. He glanced toward her door at the top of the stairs as he sat in front of the stairs.

Benjamin smiled effortlessly at the Viscount Lanier and his well fleshed wife, Mary as they walked into the entry.

“So good of you to come. Horrible journey, what with the roads so muddy.”

“I wouldn’t have missed it.” He winked at Benjamin. “Tempting little she devil you’ve snared. I had hoped for a match between her and my son, but I daresay he hadn’t much of a chance against a man of your standing.”

Benjamin smiled politely at the couple. “I am quite fortunate. I look forward to seeing you at supper.” He turned toward the butler. “Please show his lordship and his lady to their rooms. I’m sure after such a journey they wish to refresh themselves.”

The butler bowed his head toward the guests, and the viscount and his entourage of servants were ushered away, allowing Benjamin a chance to escape.

He headed straight for his study, where his friend Frederick stood waiting like a naughty school boy in front of the duke’s desk. Benjamin closed the door hard and watched him cringe.

“Where is she? You said that you would find her. You promised me that you would find her and you have failed.”

Frederick hung his head as he spoke. “We’ve scoured the countryside for her, but we haven’t found a trace of her.”

Anger coursed through Benjamin’s body, but he kept it under control. “He must have taken her further than anyone of you thought.”

“Yes, we believed he would stay close by so he could collect the ransom.”

“Obviously, he didn’t, did he?”

“No.”

“Day after tomorrow is the day of the wedding. By tomorrow evening the house will be full of guests. What do you suggest I tell them?”

Frederick shrugged his shoulders. “Perhaps the truth?”

“The truth! What is the truth? That she was taken by force or that if this wedding does not take place I shall be ruined?”

“I didn’t mean that truth.”

“I am sure you didn’t. Now, you get back out there and find her. Now! Her brother is becoming a problem and a note arrived this morning from the solicitor in London who represents the holder of the note on this estate. If we don’t act soon, the mortgage will be foreclosed and I will be facing poverty.”

Frederick looked hard at Benjamin. “I’ll find her.”

“Then do it!” When Benjamin said nothing more, Frederick turned away and headed toward the door.

Benjamin watched him go. For reasons he didn’t even quite understand, Frederick was the one man he confided in. He said things to him he said to no one else. Perhaps it was the knowledge that the man knew his tongue could be cut out of his head before he could talk.

He was worried about the disappearance of his intended. He needed her plentiful dowry to save him.

Benjamin paced while cursing the bandit who had taken her, cursing Frederick for not finding her, cursing the twist of fate that had forced him to mortgage the house and the merciless holder of the note.

He shook his fisted hand, wishing he didn’t have to face his guests. By the day after tomorrow the wealthiest members of the land would be here. He had spared no expense to impress them, his creditors more than happy to assist and his debts held off by the rumors of a fortune that would soon fall into his hands.

And Katherine? What of her? As long as she was breathing, he would marry her. He would redeem his estate, get her with child and leave her to repine in the country.

He would spend his time in the city, use her fortune to rebuild his own and his power would be such as it was when his father was alive. He put on a smile and returned to his guests.

Chapter Five

The next two days passed. Today was the day of her wedding to Benjamin. Katherine wondered what he had told their guests, how he explained why she had not arrived and that there would be no marriage.

Failing to escape, she failed to return in time to marry the duke. All that morning she felt the weight of defeat on her shoulders. The bandit lurked outside, careful to stay away from her wrath. The only person to enter the cottage was the stable boy who came to empty the chamber pots and deliver food. He said nothing, but his manner made it clear his loyalty was with the man outside.

She watched as he descended the stairs, having tidied up the bedchamber. He averted his eyes away from her.

“Are you a friend of William’s?”

He looked at her closely. “Are you speaking of his lordship?”

“Yes.”

“I do as he says. He pays me, but that is all.” he replied easing toward the door.

“It’s very pretty out here isn’t it?”

“It’s terribly co. . .He stopped cold. He eyed her warily. “Don’t be trying your tricks on me. His lordship warned me you might try to.”

“What else did he tell you? Did he tell you that he abducted me, that I’m being held against my will?”

The boy slipped toward the door. “You should do what his lordship tells you. You’re his woman. It ain’t no business of mine.”

“His woman! Is that what he told you, that lying. . .” The boy ignored her as if she wasn’t there, and went out the door, closing it behind him.

She was right. The young boy’s loyalty were to the man outside. His loyalty could not be bought.

It still didn’t help her dilemma. She glanced at the clock and noticed it was three in the afternoon. She would have been married by now. And then if she were she’d be frantic with worry over the wedding night she faced with Benjamin Spencer.

His cool demeanor was unsettling, and none of his advances had stirred her, for she would have done her duty. It was part of her bargain, a price she would have paid to save her home and her family.

Sitting restlessly on the sofa, Katherine picked up the book she had been trying to read. The words on the pages were a blur. Suddenly she threw the book on the floor in a burst of anger.

Damn him! If she didn’t marry the duke how was she and Thomas to live?

They were nearly out of money. They were behind on almost everything, including the servants wages and there wasn’t much left in the house to sell and still keep up the charade.

Glancing out the window she saw her captor in the distance, exercising his horse. Why did he want to stop her wedding? What could her marriage to the duke possibly have to do with him?

Frustrated because no answers came to her, she flounced off the sofa, picked up her book from where it had fallen and noticed that the flagstone beneath it had been knocked loose. She looked closer. It had been purposely set in the floor that way. It had never firmly mortared into place. She moved the book and began to dig the stone out, wondering what was beneath it.

She lifted the heavy rock free and spotted a small leather pouch that had been stashed there. It jingled of coins when she lifted it, but it was the weapon lying in the hole that caught her attention.

Excitement pulsed through her. Carefully, she picked up the old blunderbuss, carefully lifting it out of its hiding place, unwrapping it from the protective cloth that covered it.

Her fingers touched the worn, polished wood. The piece had been well cared for. It was primed and ready to fire. Whoever had put it there had meant to be prepared for any threat.

She hurried to the window and saw her captor leading his horse to the barn. He could return any moment. She lifted the weapon once more, assessing the weight of it. It appeared opportunity had come to her and she couldn’t ignore it. Still, she could hardly shoot him. . .

Katherine bit her lip as the door opened and William walked in. He was carrying an armload of wood for the fire. There was no way to hide the gun now, no way to postpone the action she was about to take. She forced the hammer back, needing both her hands to do it, raised the heavy blunderbuss, aiming it directly at William’s chest.

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“What the hell. . .?” He dropped his load of wood, the logs rolling everywhere.

“All I want to do is leave. It’s all I’ve ever wanted. But you force me to do this. Step away from the door and let me out.”

“Put the gun down before someone gets hurt.” A muscle twitched in his face.

“You are the one who will be hurt,” she said, thinking that in a few moments he would be out of her life for good. “I repeat, step away from the door and let me pass.” Her heart raced. The gun shook in her hands and she tried to tighten her hold on it to steady it.

She wouldn’t pull the trigger, but he didn’t know that. She hoped she was convincing.

He moved toward her. “I’m tired of your games my lady, put the gun down.”

She looked toward the door, which was still open. “I can’t do that.” She began to circle around him, making her way to the door. When she glanced at him, she saw the hard look of fury in his face. His cheek twitched and she felt a glimmer of fear rush through her.

“Please, William, get out of the way.”

He made no effort to move. “I have told you time and time again that I will not hurt you. In a few more days I will release you, but you refuse to listen. You’ve drugged me, hit me over the head and now you threaten to shoot me. I’m warning you my lady, put the gun down, now, or you won’t like the outcome.”

“You seem to have forgotten, my lord. I am the one holding the gun.”

“And I am the one who will haul you over my knee and thrash you if you don’t do as I say.”

Katherine tried to survey the situation. The look on his face was not good. If he caught her he would beat her. Would he risk his life to stop her?

“The gun, my lady.”

Pointing the gun in his direction, she bolted past him toward the door. It was simply too tempting. A harsh growl and a hand snaked out of nowhere. It knocked the barrel upward so fast it discharged. Katherine screamed as plaster and wood fell down on their heads. A muscled forearm wrapped around her waist and he dragged her against him.

“I warned you,” he bellowed, hauling her toward a chair, sinking down on the edge and hauling her across his legs.

“Let me go, let me go!” But he ignored her. She felt his hand smack her bottom three times, each time carrying the force of his temper. Then he jerked her around to face him.

Katherine opened her mouth to unleash her wrath upon him, but his hard look stopped her. Their eyes met. A vein in the side of his neck pulsed angrily.

“Good God woman!” He caught her chin between his fingers, just before his mouth crushed down on hers.

Stunned, then awareness of his firm lips over hers, the soft-hard feel of them, their warmth, the way they took possession. A soft gasp allowed his tongue inside and he claimed it as if it belonged to him.

The room seemed to be a blur. William’s hands sank into her hair as he dragged her toward him, taking the ribbon that was holding her hair back out, spilling it loose.

His mouth continued its journey and a feeling of warmth swept through her. Her heart was pounding inside her chest. Beneath her blouse, her breasts began to swell.

William deepened the kiss, delving with his tongue, making her feel weak. Her hands lifted up to his shoulders, her fingers digging into his muscles, clinging as if his strength were the only thing holding her up.

“William. . .” she whispered when his mouth left hers, moving down her throat, and across her shoulders.

“Good God woman. . .” He was kissing her again, the hand that had been at her waist was moving upward until he cupped her breast. She moved toward him, breathless. Her nipple stiffened beneath his hand. She pressed against his hand wanting more.