Heart of the Diamond (26 page)

Blake glanced back to the black stallion nibbling on tufts of tender green grass. Apparently Nicole held no concern the horse would wander off as she had left the reins dangling, but Blake retrieved and tied the ends to a rusted bar protruding from the crumbling wall. He led Tarnish five paces further down the structure where the stacked stones began to curve and looped his reins over a second bar before tracing Nicole's steps.

A bird screeched a warning as Blake came to an opening in the edifice. Bracing his hand on the rotting wood of the doorframe, he glanced about inside of what appeared to be the ruins of an ancient tower. The disgruntled bird took flight with a noisy pumping of its wings. Blake could hear its complaints fade as he stepped over the threshold.

“Nicole?” No response. That prompted him to move further inside.

Slowly, Blake turned as his gaze scanned the monstrous squares of granite that still formed a circular enclosure, though a somewhat lopsided one. Part of the structure had fallen outward, but some of the walls leaned inward, creating dark shadows along their base. He stepped closer to the center where the light trickled down from the sky unhindered. The wooden ceiling had long since decayed away.

His boots sank into the spongy ground in places, and slipped on pieces of wood and stone in others. The wall ahead of him stood at least fifteen feet high with a narrow arched window half the way up.

“Welcome to Winterhaven.”

Blake spun toward the sound of the whispered words. “Nicole?”

Like a specter, she materialized from the gloom. “Who did you think? The lady of the castle?”

“Castle, is it? I had first thought it merely a pile of rocks. Now I see it must have been a medieval stronghold.”

She moved toward him, her steps sure and confident. Blake knew at once she had been here many times. “Winterhaven dates back to the Crusades, I believe. Once I went through some old journals in my father's library and found a mention of this place. It was built by my ancestor, Jasper Langley, to keep his family safe whilst he fought at the side of King Richard in the Holy Land.” She paused and absently twisted her fingers into the velvet of her skirt. “When he returned, his wife had been forced to turn over part of the land to the sheriff for taxes. Winterhaven stood on that land, but she and her children were allowed to stay for payment of rent, which was more and more land. Winterhaven now belongs to you, my lord.”

“I am not the evil sheriff.”

Nicole stepped closer and tipped her head back to look into his face. A tiny smile graced her lips. “Then you must be the warrior returning from battle, bone weary and disillusioned.”

He shrugged. “I ask only for my reward, fair lady.”

She shook her head. “You are nothing if not persistent. Very well, what reward do you seek?”

“A simple action on your part.” Blake took a step, and Nicole retreated. “A small prize indeed for a victorious soldier.”

The grin left her face and she continued to back away from him. Into the shadows they went, advancing, retreating, until Nicole backed up against the stone wall. He placed his hands against the rock at either side of her head, encasing her within the bands of his arms.

Did she think of her precious Teddy now? A long sliver of weak light came from the arched window at his back and slanted across her face. Beautiful, ethereal. Before this day was finished, she would think only of him.

“Have your words been stolen from you, maiden?” His voice sounded gruff in the sudden quiet.

Her gaze searched his face, confused. “Indeed they have. By a man I do not know. Is this the Earl of Diamond or a kinder, gentler man masquerading as the earl?”

Slowly, Blake bent his arms. He leaned closer to her. “There are many facets to a Diamond, my lady. Have you not realized that by now?”

She stared at his mouth. Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips. A wrenching grabbed his insides. Blake could wait no longer. Without warning he brought his mouth down on hers.

Sweet. Like sipping pure nectar.

He drank and drank. Blake had known many women, some experienced, some not. But this one. This one could be the end of him.

But he could not stop his feelings for her. Finally, he drew back. Nicole's eyes remained closed, her mouth slightly open. His starving gaze devoured every feature. He watched the frantic pulse at her neck, her breasts pressing against the fabric of her gown as she breathed. And he saw her hands clenched into small fists at her sides.

She would be his.

With a groan, Blake kissed her again. He forced her mouth to open beneath his. Perhaps he wanted her to be afraid. If she pushed him away, he would not force her to accept his attentions. And he could regain some balance, some control.

But Nicole's lips parted. Her palms flattened against his chest, then slipped upward to his shoulders. That gentle touch consumed him in a heat like none he had ever known. She moved her body against his.

He had not yet touched her with his hands, keeping her enclosed within the bands of his arms. Slowly, he wrapped one arm about her slender waist, jamming his fingers into the mass of silky hair at her neck to cup the back of her head with his other.

Her body fit against his perfectly, melding with him so closely he knew she must feel his arousal. He deepened their kiss, thrusting his tongue lightly into her mouth, then withdrawing it. Again. She stiffened. Blake thought she would pull away.

Nicole drew back, though he continued to hold her body against his, to rest his hand against the fragile column of her neck. With eyes shining, she searched his face, then touched her fingers to his mouth.

“Is this your reward, then, to prove the depth of my weakness?”

“My reward is the gift of your kiss freely given.” He kissed the tip of her nose.

A tear slipped from the corner of her eye. “It is an easy gift, my lord. I only wish . . . ”

Blake experienced a sharp twisting of his heart. She had not said the words, but he knew what she wanted. Something he would never give—could never give. Love.

“Do you know how lovely you are?”

Disappointment entered her gaze, then just as quickly went away. Nicole wrapped her arms tightly about his neck and held on, her face buried against his throat. Moments passed before she lifted her head and kissed him—urgently—passionately—until he felt the same desperation overwhelm him. No one would take her from him. No one. Desire consumed him until he knew he would do anything to keep this woman.

He pressed her against the stones. His hand slipped slowly along her neck past her throat down to cover one breast. Nicole arched into his hand. He stroked her gently until the nipple grew hard and pressed into his fingers through the cloth. He thrust his hips against the thickness of her skirts seeking the release hidden within.

Blake broke from her mouth to kiss his way along her fragile jawline to her ear. Her breath came in short gasps that inflamed him further. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. All he had to do was lift her skirts and her virginity would be gone. Taken while pressed against the cold stones of a crumbling tower. Like a serving wench.

He lifted his face from her neck. Her eyes were still closed, but tears streamed down her cheeks.

Good God, what kind of monster had he become? This was Langley's daughter. He should not care about her feelings, about her reputation. But he did.

He was a damn fool.

Control. Blake took a deep breath and stepped back. He kept his hold on Nicole long enough to steady her, then released her. Cheeks flushed, she swiped at her hair, then began to straighten her gown, all the while keeping her gaze averted.

“We had best get back. I understand there is to be a ball this evening,” he said with forced normalcy.

Nicole raised her chin and met his gaze squarely. “Will I see you there?”

He nodded, suddenly unable to speak for the knot in his throat. Damn it, he should explain his actions, but he did not know how. For too long he had done as he pleased without excuses, without explanations, without recriminations.

“I shall forget this occurred if you will.” Her voice trembled slightly.

She stared at him for a long moment, but still Blake did not speak. All she needed to hear from him was that he was sorry, that he wanted her desperately—just not like this.

He could not bring himself to utter the words. Blake saw her throat muscles contract. She nodded as though he had given her the answer she required. She swept past him.

Blake pressed his fists against the stones and lowered his head between his extended arms. Gradually, he became aware of the wind whistling softly through the crumbling tower past the emptiness of his soul. Over the moaning breeze he heard the sound of hoofbeats fade into the distance.

Silence. He leaned his head back to stare through the gaping ceiling of the fortress to the darkening sky.

She had gone.

And Blake knew he might have just made the biggest mistake of his life.

Blake paused in the double doorway of the Langley ballroom. He surveyed the crowd with a purposefully unconcerned air. The great hive of colorful bees hummed loudly in an effort to be heard over the lilting strains of the orchestra. It could have been one of those damnable crushes the
ton
so adored in London.

An enormous chandelier of sparkling crystal reflected light off the massive wall of etched glass across the room. His own guests intermingled with those belonging to the Langleys, though for the life of him Blake could not distinguish between them. Relations, Aunt Sophia had said.
My eye
, he thought disagreeably.

“Lord Diamond, welcome.” Angelica slipped between two serving maids, her velvet-clad elegance a striking contrast to their tidy black uniforms. She paused next to Blake, holding out her hand. “I had nearly given up on you.”

Blake took her fingers lightly in his. “And miss all this? Never.”

With a distracted smile, the woman's green-eyed gaze searched the packed room, eventually coming to rest. Blake saw her watching a particularly large group in a far corner away from the dancers. Then he saw the focus of the circle—his fiancée, an exquisite flower in blue silk.

“I think our households have managed quite nicely thus far, since we did not expect this volume of people. You
were
as surprised as we, were you not?” Angelica inquired.

He stifled a chuckle at the lightly veiled hostility. “It seems my aunt, Lady Ransom, took it upon herself to send out an army of messengers with invitations over and above those requested by your husband. I asked that she procure a special marriage license as I felt no need for the presence of family members. Yet they are here. She was quite efficient, do you not agree?”

The corners of Angelica’s lips trembled. “I am certain I could not have been quite as expeditious.”

“That is my aunt, though she did have a strong plus in her favor. All of London would have run each other over to be the first to investigate a scandal.”

“Scandal? Whatever do you mean? I have been spreading the story of how Nicole wrote to Teddy in America and Teddy, learning that the two of you shared an interest in horses, suggested you correspond. Of course you did so and eventually you determined that as you were to be in England to take care of your father's estate, you must meet her in person. Your hopes were realized and you knew at once you had found the woman you would marry. Pressing business in America forces us to move up the wedding date as the two lovebirds did not wish to be apart any longer. Am I mistaken on any count?”

Blake nodded to a passing acquaintance whose name he could not recall. Admiration for Angelica’s savoir-faire rose to the forefront. “I am truly impressed at the depth of your understanding of the situation. I shall be certain no variations occur from my quarter. Have you thought to share this touching story with your daughter?”

Reflective, a little pensive, Angelica watched Nicole. Blake turned to see one of the men break away from the throng to lean over Nicole in an attempt to gain her attention. “I spoke with Nicole, my lord, but it is Theodore I worry about. Though Nicole said she would speak to him, I fear he will do whatever furthers his own interests.”

“And at the moment, his primary interest appears to be my fiancée.”

“It appears so.”

He furrowed his brow in irritation as Teddy captured Nicole's hand and brought it to his lips with a flourish. So much for his efforts earlier in the day to make her forget the popinjay. “It is much like having an adder for a pet. Will it protect you from your enemies, or will it turn and bite the hand of its master?”

Angelica's gaze searched his face with obvious concern. “I am hoping we can trust in his regard for Nicole.”

As Blake returned his attention to Nicole, he noted that she had spied him and waved one hand emphatically, her movements coming perilously close to blinding one of her admirers.

A spark of pride flickered inside him as she immediately excused herself to embark on the formidable journey through the crushing profusion of people to reach him. “If there is a woman alive able to reform a man, I believe it must be your Nicole.”

“She has always been filled with such trust. Somehow it leaves a person longing to live up to her every expectation. One is destined to fail.” A sadness trembled in Angelica's voice.

Blake glanced at her sharply, startled to find a sheen of tears welling up in her eyes. Never at ease in the presence of an emotional woman, he cleared his throat and hoped for divine guidance. “You care for her a great deal.”

With relief, Blake watched her rapidly blink the moisture away. “I love both of Jonathon's girls as much as my own Shelby, but Nicole has refused my every attempt to become closer. If I did not know better, I would almost believe she hated me long before she knew me. Sometimes, when I meet her eyes unexpectedly, there is such animosity . . . ”

“My lord! Angelica.” Nicole came to a breathless halt before them. Blake noted the subtle stiffening of her body as she looked at her stepmother. “I feared you had been kept away, Blake. Is this not the most wonderful party! Just think of it, they have all come in our honor.”