More than Passion (31 page)

John walked slowly toward her, his eyes dark. “Becca, I’ll give you such pleasure.”

“John, please. You must stop this at once!”

He pressed himself against her, letting her feel the strength of his arousal. “Can you feel how much I want you?”

Becca couldn’t answer him, bile rising to choke her as she imagined what he’d do to her.

“Yes.” He reached out and caressed her cheek. “Such pleasure that I’ll have to place my hand over your mouth to keep your screams from alerting the staff.”

He did just that, covering her mouth with his hand. Suddenly, anger replaced her fear. She bit down hard on the fleshy part of his palm.

He let out a grunt of pain. “You bitch!” he hissed, raising a hand to strike her. He caught his movement, a sly smile on his face. “I knew there was fire underneath all that shyness. It’ll be my intense pleasure to bring it forth.”

With that, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her away from the door. He opened it and pulled her behind him, taking purposeful strides toward the stairs.

“John, please, don’t do this. Think of your brother!”

“Ah, Becca.” He smiled down at her as they reached the foyer. “I am thinking of him. In fact, I’ll be thinking of him as we make use of his bed. I’ve always wanted to try the esteemed earl’s magnificent four-poster at Kanewood but we’ll have to make do, won’t we?”

Becca grabbed onto the newel post as they rounded the steps, clinging for dear life. John looked back and clicked his tongue at her. He gave a sharp jerk and her fingers slipped off the polished wood. He took the steps two at a time, dragging Becca behind him.

They were halfway up the stairs when the front door burst open.

“Let go of her!” Geoffrey shouted.

Becca’s heart leapt at the sound of his voice, first with joy and then fear for whatever John had planned for her husband.

John turned. His eyes rounded in surprise, then narrowed with anger. “Ah, the Right Honourable Earl of Kanewood.” He sneered. “And his cohorts, Leed and Chester. Good afternoon, gentlemen.”

“I said, let her go,” Geoffrey said through clenched teeth.

He took a step toward the staircase, but John held up a hand to still him. “Oh, I shall. Eventually. Once I’m safely away from here.” He smiled slyly. “And once I tire of her.”

“You son-of-a-bitch,” Geoffrey growled. “Take her and I’ll kill you.”

“But where is the fourth to your little quartet?” John mused aloud as if Geoffrey hadn’t spoken. “Ah, Lord Roberts fell prey to Rebecca’s obvious charms and was banished from your sacred circle, is that it, Kane?”

“I know everything, John,” Geoffrey said.

John hugged Becca tightly to him. “Everything, brother?”

“The notes,” Geoffrey went on. “The carriage accident.”

“Ah, you found out about that, did you?” John smiled wickedly. “Poor, lonely Lady Brookdale. She was merely passable. Nothing like dear Becca here.”

“Were the notes not enough?” Geoffrey asked.

“No! I’d practiced your signature and those foolish solicitors had no suspicions, until you and your friends started sniffing around. I knew that particular trickle of funds would soon dry.”

Geoffrey gaped at his brother. “So you thought to kill me?”

John shrugged. “Had you been hit by that carriage, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. I would have the title and your lovely wife.” He grinned. “And your child, it appears. Fitting, for you almost raised mine as your own.”

Becca covered her belly in a protective motion. John would never touch this child.

John rubbed his lips over Becca’s cheek, his gaze pinned to Geoffrey’s reaction. She cringed at the contact.

“You’ve taught her well, Kane,” John said. “We had quite the time after you left Kanewood for London.”

Becca knew how jealous Geoffrey could be. Would he believe John’s lies? One look in her husband’s eyes told her all she needed to know. They held no anger toward her. He knew she had never betrayed him, would never betray him.

“Yes,” John continued. “She’s quite good. It’s a shame I can’t take the time to enjoy her charms just now.”

John withdrew a large knife from his pocket, wrapped one arm around Becca and pressed her back against him. Her breath froze in her lungs.

He let out a small laugh, turning the knife in the air. “Quite a wicked-looking instrument, don’t you think, fellows? If you know ‘everything,’ as you say, then you know just how unsavory the circles are in which I have been traveling.” He sighed dramatically. “Such items are a necessary evil.”

“Why, John?” Geoffrey asked. “Why did you do this?”

“Why?” John mocked. “I told you. I simply want what you have, Kane. The title, the estate, the money. I abhor crawling to your solicitors for funds to supplement the meager stipend father left for me.”

“You had every advantage growing up as I did. Father provided well for you.”

“No, Father provided well for you! You got everything! The estate, the money, and Becca. And I—I get merely a pittance!

“Apparently, he knew more about your character than I.”

“Don’t goad me, Kane,” John said. “We wouldn’t want Becca’s silken skin to wear an ugly scar, now would we?”

He held the tip of the blade against her neck, applying only enough pressure to make her aware of the weapon’s placement. Geoffrey made another move toward the stairs.

“Don’t come any closer,” John warned.

A slight movement at the top of the stairs caught Becca’s eye. Without turning her head, she glanced up and saw Roberts poised there. He gave her a small nod of reassurance, holding up one finger. He then held up two, showing her he was counting off. When three fingers were in the air, Becca pushed John away from her with all of her might. At that precise moment, Roberts lunged at John, knocking him into the wall.

Becca stumbled, grabbing on to the railing to stop her fall. She clutched the railing as Roberts and John grappled on the stairs close to her, their feet fighting for purchase. John slipped, sending both of them crashing down to land hard on the marble floor. They were still then, Roberts sprawled on top of John.

Geoffrey bounded up the stairs, wrapping Becca in his arms. “Are you all right, love?” he rasped against her hair.

She took a mental inventory, and other than feeling jostled and bruised and frightened out of her mind, she felt fine. “I … I think so. Did Miles come for you?”

“Yes.” He hugged her gently. “I’m surrounded by loyal friends and staff, if not family.”

They looked down at the pair on the floor. A large pool of blood was spreading on the black and white marble. Two of Geoffrey’s loyal friends were jarred out of their stupor. Chester reached Roberts and John first, rolling Roberts onto his back. The blood seeped from a deep gash in his side. Chester removed his jacket and folded it. He held it tightly to the man’s side to stem the flow.

“Is it bad?” Geoffrey asked.

“I’m not sure,” Chester answered.

Roberts lifted his head and looked around, a crooked smile on his face. “Sorry about the mess,” he mumbled just before he passed out.

They turned their attention to Leed, who was crouched over John’s still form. Even from her vantage point, Becca could see that his head lay at an odd angle.

“Leed?” Geoffrey asked.

Leed pressed his fingers against John’s neck, searching for a pulse. He looked up at Geoffrey and Becca then, the unmistakable truth in his blue eyes.

Becca gasped and buried her head in Geoffrey’s chest. He rocked her gently. “I know he did horrible things, but—” he said, his voice thick. “God, he was still my brother.”

“I’m so sorry,” she said softly.

Geoffrey nodded as he stroked her hair. “As am I.”

Miles came upon the scene just then. “My lord, is everything …? Oh!”

“The doctor, Miles,” Geoffrey ordered. “And tell him to hurry.”

Dr. Morgan arrived and attended Lord Roberts. He saw him safely ensconced in one of Geoffrey’s guest rooms after heavily bandaging his side. Leed stayed at his friend’s bedside while Chester waited downstairs for the constable.

After seeing to his most critical patient, the doctor went down the hall to the earl’s chamber to look in on Becca. Geoffrey had removed her dress and insisted she climb into bed, tucking the covers tightly up under her chin.

“Geoffrey,” she began, “I tell you I’m fine.”

“Good afternoon, Lady Kanewood,” Dr. Morgan said, approaching the bed. “Life is certainly never dull when you’re in town.”

She smiled at the man, coming up to a sitting position and Geoffrey gently pushed her back down.

“Really, husband.”

“You must rest, Becca,” Geoffrey said. “Let Morgan have a look at you.”

The doctor nudged Geoffrey out of the way and stood by the bed. “How are you feeling?” he asked. “Any pain at all?”

She shook her head.

“Will her fall hurt the baby, Morgan?” Geoffrey asked.

“I didn’t fall, ” she insisted.

The doctor placed his hands on the covers, spanning her abdomen. He gently probed her belly, watching her closely. “Does that hurt?”

“No,” she answered.

“Any bleeding?”

“No.”

“Rest for a while.” He stood. “Everything seems fine to me. But please let me know if you have any discomfort.”

She smiled her thanks and watched Geoffrey accompany him to the door.

“I’ll check on her when I see to Lord Roberts tomorrow,” the doctor told him.

Geoffrey nodded and closed the door behind him. He crossed back to the bed to sit beside her, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips. “I told you all would be fine, Becca.”

She clicked her tongue at him.

* * * *

Geoffrey had a tray brought up to his chamber and took his meal with Becca, pleased to see that her appetite had returned. He tried to keep her mind off what had happened earlier that day, but Becca wasn’t to be put off. With her meal nearly finished, she once more questioned her husband.

“What did the constable say?” she asked.

“Chester took care of it for now.” He set the tray aside and chose his words carefully. “But the authorities will be by to speak with you tomorrow.”

“With me?”

“Yes, love. Chester told them what happened, but they need to know of John’s behavior toward you.”

“Geoffrey,” she said in a small voice. “I don’t know if I can tell them. Some of the things he said ….”

“It’ll be all right,” he soothed. “I’ll be with you.”

“You will, won’t you?”

“Always.”

She threw her arms around his neck and squeezed with all of her might. “I love you.”

“Becca,” he began, his throat tight. “When John held that knife to you—”

“Don’t speak of it.”

He nodded and stroked her back.

She pulled back to favor him with a small smile. “Hold me, Geoffrey,” she requested, her voice husky.

He lowered her to the bed and wrapped her in his arms. “I’ll never let you go.”

Chapter 31

The next morning, Lords Leed and Chester arrived in time for breakfast and found Geoffrey alone in the breakfast room.

“Where is Rebecca, Kane?” Chester asked.

“She’s all right, I hope,” Leed added.

“Yes, she’s fine,” Geoffrey answered. “I wanted her to rest.”

“Oh, I’ll wager she wasn’t pleased with that request.” Chester laughed.

“You know my wife well, Chester,” Geoffrey said with a smile. “I daresay by this afternoon, she’ll be ready to throttle me.”

“And what of Roberts?” Leed asked.

“Morgan is with him now,” Geoffrey told him.

Leaving his friends to their breakfast, he took himself upstairs to check on Becca’s hero. Dr. Morgan met him in the hall outside the guest room door.

“How is Roberts faring, Morgan?” Geoffrey asked.

“He seems to be doing quite well.” He smiled. “It appears Lord Roberts is as stubborn as you are, Kane.”

Geoffrey simply nodded.

“I thought to check on Lady Kanewood if I may.”

“Yes, please do,” Geoffrey said, letting the man by before knocking on the guest room door.

“Come in,” Roberts said from within.

Geoffrey opened the door and took in Roberts’s appearance. Except for a slight lack of color in his face, the viscount seemed his old self.

“How are you feeling, Roberts?”

“Hale and hearty!” His grin faltered at Geoffrey’s raised eyebrow. “A bit weak, I’m afraid.”

Geoffrey nodded and crossed to the bed. He pulled a chair over and sat. “Roberts, I haven’t thanked you for what you did yesterday,” he began awkwardly.

“Kane, I only did what anyone would have.”

“No. I know that you took the risk because of your regard for Rebecca. I daresay I never imagined I’d be grateful for those feelings.”

“I’d have done it regardless of my feelings.” Roberts looked him straight in the eye. “I’d have done it for you.”

Geoffrey weighed the man’s words carefully. He extended his hand to his friend. Roberts grinned broadly and took the forgiveness offered.

They were sharing a bit of laughter when Leed and Chester strode into the room.

Chester looked at them and smiled. “Well, you seem on the mend, Roberts.”

“Quite.” He smiled back.

Leed threw a glance down the hall, then arched a brow at Geoffrey. “I see you chose the guest room farthest from your chamber, Kane. Coincidence?”

“Never mind,” Geoffrey answered.

“Perhaps we’ll duck down the hall and visit with Rebecca,” Chester said.

“Not without me, you won’t.” Geoffrey laughed.

He bade farewell to Roberts and left his friends to their visit. Becca was dressed and ready when Geoffrey entered the room. She turned to him and his breath caught. She wore a beautiful dress of indigo blue, her eyes appearing a deep green. Her hair curled about her face. Her beauty still amazed him after all this time. He remembered himself finally, and the instructions he’d left her. 

“Why are you out of bed?”

“Before Dr. Morgan left, he proclaimed me perfectly fit.”

Geoffrey crossed to her. “He got the ‘perfect’ part correct.”

He kissed her gently, running his hands over her back. He sighed and rested his chin on the top of her head.