Midnight Masquerade (34 page)

“Oh my dears, I’ll get you some luncheon right fast, Fredric come help me in the kitchen love.”

Watching the married couple disappear into the back, he reached over and grabbed the bottle of scotch and topped off his glass and nudged it towards her, “Here love.”

Taking his glass, she raised it to her ruby lips, “Mmmmm, perfect.”

“Do you know the entire town?” He asked jokingly as he tucked a dark curl behind her ear.

“The majority yes, like you, I’ve been frequenting this town since I was very young. I know all of the shopkeepers, and tradesmen in the area as I’m sure you do as well.”

Hearing the double wood doors open to the kitchen, he looked up to see the Avalon’s bringing them a hearty meal, sitting it down before them his stomach rumbled with hunger pains.

“Eat up dears! Oh Lady Amelia, I forgot to tell you. Did you hear of the Baroness Tridell’s death?”

Looking over at A
melia, he saw her face go white.

“What? No, when?” She asked dumbfounded.

“A few months ago, she died in birthing the Baron’s son. Very sad indeed, Baron Tridell came north weeks ago. He visits town regularly, maybe you’ll see him today. Keep him in your prayers my love.”

Nodding, Amelia looked down as Mrs. Avalon went to check on other tables with her husband in tow. Seeing Amelia caught in
an
emotional whirlwind, it was obvious the news of her
friend’s
death had upset her.

Running his hand down her back, “I’m sorry for the death of your friend Amelia.”

Looking up at him with blank eyes, “What? Oh, yes…very sad, she was very young.”

Never meeting neither Baron Tridell nor his wife, he had to agree it was very sad for a woman to lose her life birthing a child. Although much more uncommon than years ago, it did still happen occasionally.

“Are you going to eat Amelia?” He asked, worried over her sudden change in demeanor. It was obvious the news had upset her greatly; the light had gone out of her eyes and in its place was sadness.

Nodding, she picked up some raspberry tarts and popped one into her mouth followed by downing the rest of his scotch in one drink. Filling it back up, she took another long drag as she avoided his eyes.

Something wasn’t right.

Eating together in the secluded area of the inn, they drank the entire bottle of scotch quite quickly. He eventually brought her out of her foggy haze and put a smile back on her face. Paying their tab, and bidding goodbye to the Avalon’s and the other customers they knew personally they took their leave of the Black Swan inn hand in hand.

Walking out the front door, he and Amelia were rounding the corner towards the stable when he heard a deep male’s voice call out Amelia’s name.

“Amelia Elizabeth Somerset, be still my heart. The Somerset angel has returned to Scotland once again!”

Feeling her stop in her tracks, she let go of his hand and turned around towards the voice. A smile breaking on her beautiful face, and a twinkle in her eye that had him on edge.

“Rory.” She whispered, looking at the man as if he was a long lost lover.  He watched in a daze as his fiancée ran into the man’s waiting arms and hug
ged him tightly.

“Welcome home little one, we’ve all missed you! It’s been almost a year since I’ve seen your pretty face, what in the world have you been doing all this time my dear girl?”

Clenching his fists as the man spoke to Amelia with such a flirtatious tone, he watched Amelia step out of the man
’
s arms and look over her shoulder at him, nervously. Looking back at the man, she bowed her head, “I’m sorry for your loss, Mrs. Avalon just informed me of Laura’s passing.”

Putting together the puzzle, Alastair knew the man was Baron Tridell, Rory DeVos to be exact. Although he had never met the young man, he
knew who he was. Watching as DeV
os linked fingers with Amelia and look directly at him, he felt his blood run cold. It was obvious
to even the blind that Rory DeV
os had eyes for Amelia. Watching him touch his future wife made him want to snap the man’s neck. Trying to calm his nerves, he gave Amelia space, for now.

“Yes, very sad. She had such a zest for
life;
I would have never imagined birthing our son would have claimed her. Although she is gone, our child survived, such a sweet young boy. It is a shame he has no mother, but, alas it is all on God’s plans. Maybe I can right the mistakes of our past and fix that, eh?”

No longer content to sit back and watch the Baron flirt with Amelia, he slowly approached and caught the man’s eye.

Stepping away from Rory, Amelia followed the baron’s eyes directly behind her to where he now stood, only steps away.

“Rory, may I introduce you to…” She said nervously.

Cutting in, he stepped forward and extended
his hand, “Her fiancé, the Duke of Blackstone. Pleasure to finally meet you young man.” Squeezing the baron’s hand tightly he made his claim known.

“Fiancé?” The handsome baron asked, looking back at Amelia confused, “Your engaged to the Duke of Blackstone? When did this happen?”

The feeling of jealousy was something he had rarely ever experienced, he even joked with his male counterparts how women were the only ones who felt jealousy. Standing before both Rory and Amelia, it was clear there was more than what met the eye. Jealousy raged though his veins as he concealed it with graceful arrogance.

Slipping his hand around her slim waist, he brought her close and watched he
r search for the words to say.
Refusing to save her, he wanted her to answer the baron’s questions personally.

“Uh, I was his…I mean, we were engaged
weeks ago.” She sputtered.

Clearing his throat, he couldn’t deny jealous prompted his next words, “She will make a stunning Duchess o
f Blackstone don’t you agree DeV
os? We are actually here for our wedding, you are invited of course, I’ll make sure you get the details when we have them hammered out, right love?” He asked, looking down at
an
utterly shocked Amelia.

All she did was nod in agreement.

“Congratulations, she will indeed make
a lovely wife, most lovely.” DeV
os offered, a bit bitterly for his liking.

“What did you name your son Rory?” Amelia asked out of the blue, starring right at the widowed baron awaiting his answer.

The dark haired baron focused on Amelia, his stance softened as he answ
ered her, “Winston Archibald DeV
os.”

Seeing her look at the ground, close to tears he knew he had to get her away from this man, something wasn’t right.

“Well my good man, it was a pleasure to see you. Feel free to call on us at Castle Blackstone at any time, I need to get my fiancée home before the rest of her family arrives tonight.”

“Yes, good to meet you Your Grace,
congratulations
again on your fine catch. I shall stop by soon,” looking directly at Amelia, he added, “I will count the moments until I see you again.”

“Goodbye Rory.” Amelia offered softly beside him.

Watching the dashing young baron walk away from them he wanted nothing more than to plow his fist into the man’s jaw. Rolling his neck, he felt tension and jealousy consume his body.

Closing his eyes he tried to regain control over his emotions, he needed to get the hell out of this town and away from people so he could question Amelia with the thousands of questions that where flying around his head at this very moment.

“Are you ready to head back?” He asked, trying to contain his attitude.

Simply nodding, she turned towards the stables as both of their mounts were brought around the corner. Not bothering to wait for him, Amelia mounted her horse and took off.

Steeling himself, he tossed a few coins at the grooms and mounted his horse and tore off after his lady as she galloped out of town and towards the setting sun. It was clear she was stunned by the announcement that the baroness had died, and equally shocked to come face to face with a man who obviously cared for her. The baron did not bother to hide his desire for Amelia; even after he found out she was engaged.

Catching up to his
lover was easy, she may have been riding a long legged stallion but his Zeus was the fastest horse he had ever owned.

Pulling up beside her he saw her wipe away tears off her face, refusing to look at him
as she rode hard towards his castle
. Deep into the woods they rode beside each other at a fast gallop, unsure of what to do or say, he reached over and took the reins out of her hands as she wept uncontrollably.

“Jesus Amelia, what in the hell is going on?” He asked, pulling their horses to a stop by the river.

Covering her face as she sobbed, she refused to speak.

“Do you love him?” He asked, the words left a bitter taste in his mouth. Watching her lower her hands, she looked up at him with sadness in her eyes.

“You do, don’t you?” He asked again, his heart pounding in his chest. Jealousy and rage lanced through his veins as he watched the woman he loved bow her head.

“I used to.” She whispered.

“You still do.” He snapped back, bitterness clear in his voice.

Shaking her head, “No.”

“Amelia, do not lie to me or yourself. I have
never
seen you act like that in my life, you love him.”

“I love
you
.” She sobbed, covering her face once again.

Reaching over, he lifted her out of the saddle and cradled her against his chest as he said the hardest words he’s ever
had to mutter, “tell me Lia, I know there is a story behind this…”

“He was my first love, I was young and hot headed. I refused to heed my father’s warnings, and I became engaged to Rory when I was fifteen, he was twenty. My father refused to give us his blessing, and sent me to live with Lady Juliet fo
r the summer in London hoping the
separation would kill my infatuation with him.”

Holding her tightly he closed his eyes and tried to remain calm as she answered his questions while she sobbed as if her heart was breaking.

“I came back to Scotland to find Rory married to another, Lady Laura. The months I had spent away hadn’t dampened my feelings for him, I had returned with the idea of running away to Gretna Green only to find the man I loved blissfully married to an Irish beauty.”

“He was a fool to not wait for you.” He offered, reeling in the fact that Amelia had been previously engaged and he had no idea. Yes, it was many years ago but he had never even heard a word of it from her brothers, or town gossips in all the years he knew the Somerset family.

“I need you.” She muttered.

“I’m right here angel.” Squeezing her tight he kissed the top of her head, alone in the deep woods they were stopped before a deep river
halfway to his home, on his land.

Looking up, she cupped his jaw, “No, I
need
you Alastair, I need you inside me right now.”

“Amelia,
let’s
get you back to the castle and I’ll gladly give in to your demands.”

“Right now, I need you right now. You told me I could have you whenever I wanted you and I want you right now.”

Unable to deny her anything, he slid off the saddle and carried her down by the river as he savagely kissed her tender lips. Running his hand up her skirt he found her center and sunk his fingers deep inside her wet core as she moaned against his lips.

“Yes, please…” she begged clinging to him tightly as he pushed up her skirts and backed her against a tree. Freeing his cock from his pants he brushed it against her tender folds until she begged for him.

“Alastair, please…”

Sinking inside her, he was not gentle. Burying himself deep inside her in one thrust she whimpered as he set a grueling pace. Pinned between him and a tree, she wrapped her legs around his waist and kissed him as he took his fill.
Overly rough with her, more than he had ever been
,
he didn’t feel bad at all as he pounded into his brunette lover. She had
hurt him, injured a part of his heart that he didn’t know was possible, and he wanted to punish her. No one had ever affected him like her, no one had a hold on his soul like she did, and on some level she was still in love with a man from her past.

Sinking his hand deep into her hair, he pulled her head back and growled into her ear as he buried himself deep,
“Scream my name angel, come for me little one, come on my big cock and tell me who you love.”

Feeling her tighten at his words, she sunk her hands into his hair and tugged him closer as she came undone all around him.

“I love you, oh my god Alastair, I love yo
u!” She screamed in blissful release.

“You. Are. Mine.” He growled, each word followed by a powerful thrust, sinking home both his seed and his claim on her.