Harnessed Passions (63 page)

Daniel's hands molded and caressed her,
burning a path of pure ecstasy across her flesh. Julia's moans
increased, her hips arching toward him, her delicate frame writhing
beneath his touch. She needed him; she couldn't deny it even if she
was forced to. She had wanted to feel his love making for so long,
she'd nearly forgotten how wonderful it could really be. Daniel
rolled to his back, pulling her along with him. Julia didn't want
to be played with; she wanted to have her urgent desires fulfilled
in a way only he knew. She sat up straddling his hips like a horse
and rubbing against him until he groaned his acceptance. He
couldn't hold back any longer, she had brought him to the point of
no return, he needed her now, more urgently than he had thought
possible.

Daniel rolled Julia to her back again, his
lips locking with hers, his strong thighs urging her legs to part
for him. Julia gasped and struggled as he pressed her down, pushing
at his chest. He leaned up on his elbows suddenly, staring into her
misty emerald eyes. This couldn't be happening; she wasn't going to
fight him after everything she'd just done to him was she? He
looked down at her and frowned. He wasn't willing to play any games
with her this time. She was going to make love to him and she was
going to allow him to the same, and she was damned well going to
like it!

"Daniel, there's something in the bed," she
argued, as he tried forcing her to hold still. Daniel understood
her sudden change in moods and felt like a heel, realizing she
wasn't denying him, she was merely in pain from whatever it was
grinding in her back. He rolled off of her and pulled the covers
back, searching for the intruder and pulling it out. Julia frowned,
looking at their golden intruder twinkling up at her in the soft
light. An earring! A woman's earring! And what's worse, she knew
exactly who it belonged to. She'd seen it worn before.

"What's this?" Daniel asked, looking at the
object as though it were a serpent with two heads. Julia growled
angrily, pushing away from him. She crawled off the bed, turning
her anger and hurt on him, glaring at him through emerald flames.
Daniel hadn't been prepared for her assault and stumbled from the
bed, bumping into the small night table and tipping the vase of
roses to the floor before he quickly joined them.

"How much did you say you missed me?" she
accused, pulling her gown back up across her bare breasts. Daniel
cursed openly as she struggled to stand, brushing the thorns from
the roses off his bare backside.

"What the hell's gotten into you?"

"You missed me so much Daniel you just had
to take another woman to bed while I was gone, was that it? And
here I thought you'd be happy I cut my trip short to come home to
you. I must really look like a fool. Tell me darling, did I
interrupt you with my telegram?"

"Now wait just one damn minute," Daniel
growled, grabbing her by the arm, keeping her from turning away
from him. "I don't know where the hell that thing came from and as
for missing you, I nearly came after that train and brought you
home before you were ten miles out of town."

"Why do I find that so damn hard to
believe?"

"I don't give a bloody damn in hell what you
believe. I did not take another woman to bed and if I had, do you
really think I'd be stupid enough to leave something like that
lying around for you to find?" Daniel grabbed his pants from where
he had tossed them on the floor and began tugging them up across
his hips.

"If you don't want to believe me than ask
Thompson, he'll tell you exactly who's been sleeping in this bed.
Better yet, why don't you ask Bridget? She knows everything that
goes on in the blasted house. She'll tell you every sorted detail
of what's happened since you left." Daniel turned, grabbed up his
discarded boots and shirt and headed for the door.

"If it makes any difference to you, I
ordered Bridget to make the bed up before I left for the train
station. Perhaps she dropped the damned thing when she was changing
the sheets." He opened the door and turned back, anger raging in
his eyes, his jaw firm and set and his knuckles white where his
hand gripped the door knob in a tight fist.

"By the way," he added softly, trying
desperately to keep his tone even. "Welcome home, Princess." Daniel
left the room and Julia, in a sea of dim emotions, confusion and
frustration. She sat at the vanity and laid her head in her hands,
she felt as though he'd just kicked her in the gut. How did these
things always seem to happen to them? One minute they were
embraced, eager to express their love and the next they were
yelling and fighting at each other. It was a wonder she'd even
gotten pregnant in the first place. Julia sighed. She hadn't had
the chance to tell him about the baby either. She was so angry
about finding Sharon's earring, she'd forgotten all about her good
news.

Julia felt hurt and angry and eager to find
the dark haired witch who kept coming between them and rip every
treacherous hair from her conniving little head. She hurried and
dressed again, pulling on a clean cotton gown before leaving the
room with its memories of the past few minutes, behind. She was
going to find Sharon Farnsworth and stuff that damned earring down
her delicate little throat!

She hurried down the stairs, but was cut
short when Louise called to her from the library. Julia drew a deep
breath and turned and stepped into the room; her eyes filled with
anger, her fists clenched with hatred.

Louise stared at her daughter with
disbelieving eyes. This wasn't the same woman who had been eagerly
waiting her reunion with her husband. Her hair hung down her back
and her face was flushed as she tightened her jaw.

"What on earth's the matter with you?" she
asked, hurrying to her daughter's side. "Daniel just stormed out of
here as though his tail was on fire and now you. What's going on?
Did you tell him about the baby?"

"No mother I didn't tell him about the
baby," Julia growled sarcastically. "As far as I'm concerned, he
can just wait and learn on his own. I don't care if he never finds
out."

"What the hell has gotten into you?"

"This has," she said, opening her hand and
showing the golden object to her mother. Louise frowned taking the
earring and inspecting it closely.

“
You’re upset over an
earring?" she asked with stunned amusement.

"It's not my earring mother. I found it in
my bed. It belongs to Sharon Farnsworth."

"You what? How the devil did it get in your
bed?"

"How the hell do you think it got there? She
left it there, no doubt after she and Daniel had..." Julia's throat
tightened up, unwilling to allow her to say the words that ripped
her heart in pieces.

"Oh Julia, you don't believe Daniel could
have taken her up there, do you? He loves you; he would never cheat
on you."

"Then how the hell did it get there? It
didn't exactly climb the stairs all by itself."

"Now you listen to me, young lady," Louise
scolded, holding her daughter by the shoulders. "Daniel is your
husband. He doesn't care two cents about that little tramp. If you
want to know how it got there, then start thinking rationally. You
know what a lying little tramp Sharon Farnsworth is, she'd sleep
with her own father if it meant she could cause some trouble. Why,
she's probably green with envy. Daniel's the only man in town who
hasn't visited her bed and it's no doubt driving her crazy. Not
that she wants him exactly, it's just the fact she can't have him,
that's irritating her."

"I don't know, mother," Julia sighed,
reality beginning to seep through her hurt and anger. "I want to
believe Daniel, but I just can't, and I can't very well hand it to
Sharon and say, 'here I found this, I hope you didn't miss it too
badly. Oh and by the way, would you please tell me how it got in my
bed'."

"Did it ever occur to you to ask around?
Perhaps somebody saw her do it or knows something about it."

"I'm afraid to ask,” Julia said with a deep
sigh. “I'm scared of what I'll find out." Louise hugged her
daughter knowing exactly how she felt.

"I know Daniel loves you," she told her.
"He'd never hurt you."

"Like father did you?" Louise lowered her
lashes, knowing at last Julia had indeed been aware of her father's
indiscretions all those years ago.

"Your father was different than Daniel,
sweetheart. We had problems for a long time. I didn't love Victor
when I married him; our fathers arranged for our union, but you and
Daniel have found each other and there's no way on earth he'd ever
hurt you the way your father did me. It took a long time before I
could trust Victor again; don't wait as long as I did to tell your
husband how much you love him." Julia sighed again; why were things
always so confusing when it came to her relationship? At first she
couldn’t wait to get back to him and now she didn’t care if she
ever set eyes on him again, and yet she felt guilty for not
believing him.

The sound of footsteps in the hall brought
the two women back to the present, making them aware they had
company. They turned and saw Thompson standing at the door, a
silver tray with Louise’s afternoon tea in his hand, a smile on his
aging face.

"Welcome back, Miss Julia," he said
cheerfully, stepping into the room and setting the tray down on the
table.

"Thank you," Julia answered, looking at her
mother who nudged her arm.

"Ask Thompson," she whispered. "He would
know what’s been going on around here while we’ve been gone."

"Mother," she scolded softly, staring at the
man who straightened up from his task to stand tall and proud in
front of her.

"I do know," he said, assuring both women he
had heard more than they had thought. Julia lowered her lashes. She
didn't feel very comfortable asking this man if he'd spied on her
husband while she was gone.

"That Farnsworth woman was here after Mr.
Brownin' left ta pick ya up," he said, not waiting for the
questions to start. "She was powerful put out when he left and
didn't notice her standin' there wavin' at him. He was too excited
about ya'all comin' home early."

"How long did she stay?" Louise asked,
allowing Julia time to collect her thoughts.

"I don't rightly know, ma'am," he answered,
keeping his eyes level with hers. "After I told her where Mr.
Brownin' had gone, she got right snippy and I left her standin'
here. When I came back, she was gone."

"Did anybody see her leave?" Julia asked,
thinking of that woman sneaking around her house.

"I don't rightly know, Miss, but ya can ask
Bridget. She knows everythin' goin' on 'round here." Julia squared
her shoulders and turned quickly, heading in the direction of the
kitchen. She was going to get to the bottom of this and she was
going straight to the one person who could supply her with the
information she required.

Julia found Bridget and Mrs. Lester busy
preparing the evening meal. The aroma that filled the heated
confines of the kitchen welcomed her home, though she was far from
eager to acknowledge it. She was on a mission and was determined to
get some answers before her baby was old enough to start
school.

She drew a deep breath to steady her nerves
then decided to take a slow approach to her task. She took a carrot
stick off the plate on the counter and sat down at the table,
exchanging polite conversation with Mrs. Lester. She told her all
about their trip and the many parties and balls her Aunt Lena had
taken them to. She glanced to Bridget on several occasions to make
certain she was listening; she wanted her full attention when the
time came and didn’t want to have to search for her if she decided
to leave.

"How have things been around here?" Julia
hoped Bridget would be the one to answer, but instead Mrs. Lester
chimed in detailing the days and their events as best as she could
recall.

"Oh, by the way Bridget," Julia began
several minutes later, taking control of the situation and
addressing the woman who would personally decide the fate of her
marriage. "I'd like you to change the sheets on my bed if you have
the time. I'm certain Daniel didn't think to ask you."

"But I already have ma'am," the young maid
reported with a shocked expression and a soft grunt of drudgery.
"Mr. Brownin’ asked me to make up yer bed before he left fer the
train station. I promise, there are clean sheets on it."

"Oh? Well, I suppose he
just forgot to mention it." Julia hoped she wouldn't be called out
on her lie; praying Daniel hadn't mentioned anything to the two
women before he left the house. Then she remembered how Louise had
described his departure,
as though his tail
was on fire
. It was doubtful he said two
words to anyone before storming out the door in his fit of
anger.

"By the way, I found this upstairs." Julia
opened her hand to reveal the earring she had clenched tightly in
her palm; so tightly in fact, it had left an imprint on her
delicate skin. "I was wondering if it was yours." The redhead took
the object and looked at it with envious interest, inspecting it
with eyes that shone brightly with greed before handing it back to
her employer.

"No ma'am," Bridget answered in a tone
filled with regret. "I ain’t got pierced ears."

"Hum. I wonder who owns it then." Julia
toyed with the golden bobble, fighting the urge to shout her
frustration to the walls. "I was certain you would know who it
belonged to."

"It might be Miss Farnsworth's,” Bridget
continued. “She's been here of’en ‘nough. Made a real pest a
herself, that’s fer sure." Mrs. Lester cleared her throat, warning
the girl to keep her mouth shut about the woman and her frequent
visits.