My Fair Mistress (27 page)

But of course she does,
he realized.
I can see the truth in her eyes.

Leaning against him, she nodded. “Maris went walking in Hyde Park with her maid this morning. She said everything was fine, then suddenly Lord Middleton appeared on the path in front of her. He was quite pleasant at first and suggested he drive her home, but Maris refused. That’s when he grabbed her and tried to force her into his carriage. He told her she was going to marry him whether she wished or not, and if compromising her and taking her to Gretna was the only way, then so be it.”

A sick lump collected deep in his chest. “Did he hurt her?”

“Thank God, no. As providence would have it, Major Waring was riding past and saw her struggle. He came straight to her aid. Apparently words were exchanged and the two men nearly came to blows. With them standing in so public a location, the viscount was finally forced to retreat.”

St. George must be feeling truly desperate, Rafe thought, to have tried something like this with a girl of good family. Kidnapping, especially of an innocent young lady, was a serious offense, one even Society would not tolerate. Of course, if the blackguard had succeeded in his plan to force her to wed him, the Ton would likely have forgiven him, since he would have done the “right” thing by her in the end.

Thank heavens, poor young Maris had escaped with no lasting harm done. Rafe couldn’t have borne knowing he’d had a hand—even a peripheral one—in her ruin.

His heart squeezed out an extra beat, seeing the sheen of tears glistening in Julianna’s dark, velvety eyes.

“Oh Rafe,” she cried, “what if he’d taken her? What if he’d done something unspeakable? After she told me everything, I scolded her for going out into that park with only her maid. But I never thought to forbid her. Even knowing what he is, I never imagined he would attempt something like this.”

“
Shh,”
he hushed in a soft voice, brushing his lips across her cheek. “You could not have anticipated his actions and I don’t want to hear any more of such talk. Now, you told me yourself that she is safe and well. You will know to guard her in the future.”

She nodded and burrowed closer against his chest. “From now on, Harry and I have sworn not to let her out of our sight. And Major Waring will keep her safe. He went to challenge Middleton, by the way. I hope he puts a bullet through the monster.”

Rafe’s jaw tightened. “It’s unlikely a duel will ever take place. I strongly suspect St. George will go to ground. He may even leave Town. Dueling gains him nothing, and he has no use for the risk. His so-called honor is already besmirched by today’s attempt. No, if I don’t miss my guess, he’ll simply disappear.”

She sighed. “I suppose it is just as well. Maris would be devastated if the major came to harm.”

Setting her hands flat against his chest, Julianna shook off the worst of her distress and flashed her first smile since entering the room. “I did not tell you. Maris and Major Waring are to be married.”

“That seems rather sudden.”

Julianna shook her head and laughed. “Quite the contrary. Maris loves him and has been pining over him for weeks. Apparently after rescuing her, the shock drove the major to confess how much he loves her too. Misplaced pride over his lack of fortune made him withdraw his suit, as I suspected. Apparently Maris convinced him to change his mind. I believe she also pointed out that Middleton would no longer be interested in abducting her if she were already wed to another.”

“So she will be very amply protected.”

“Amply,” she agreed. “They’re already planning a short engagement. Once Maris is Mrs. William Waring, she will have nothing further to fear from the viscount.” Pausing, she frowned. “I only worry that he will attempt such an act with some other young girl.”

Bending his head, he gave her a kiss of reassurance. “Word will get around and parents will keep their daughters from him. He’ll have a much more difficult time than before, I assure you.”

And when my plan succeeds, St. George will find himself with far greater problems than running from scandal. Never fear,
he thought.
I will see to it he pays.

“You’ve had a shock today,” he said. “Would you rather I drive you home?”

Julianna shook her head and slid her arms around his neck. “Not unless you want me to go?”

He tightened his embrace. “What I want is to take you upstairs.”

“Then take me. We’ve already wasted half the day. Pray let us not squander the rest.”

With a playful growl, he swept her off her feet and into his arms.

Over the next couple of days, Rafe’s suspicions about Burton St. George proved correct. Vanishing like a wraith, the viscount fled the city, leaving a mountain of unpaid debts and a host of disgruntled creditors howling in his wake.

As for the major, Julianna told Rafe of Waring’s unsuccessful attempts to find the viscount and see honor satisfied. Apparently the major had called first at St. George’s townhouse. When he’d been informed the viscount was not at home, he’d forced his way inside to search, but to his disappointment discovered the servants had been telling him the truth—St. George was nowhere to be found.

Deciding to widen his search, the major next tried St. George’s haunts—his club, a few gaming hells, the theater, even the residence of the viscount’s latest mistress—but all to no avail. The following morning Waring returned once more to the viscount’s townhouse, only to discover the door knocker removed and the house closed up, the furniture looking ghostly, concealed beneath a multitude of white dust sheets.

Earlier today when Julianna arrived for their rendezvous, she had told Rafe she was relieved by St. George’s departure.

“With him gone,” she said, “he’ll be of no further threat to Maris. And once she weds, we can stop worrying. He will thankfully be out of our lives forever.”

Rafe had held his silence, knowing nothing involving St. George was ever that simple.

Now, with Julianna dozing in his arms, Rafe skimmed his gaze over her lovely features and wondered what he should do.

I’ve put her in danger,
he realized. Without question, St. George bore a grudge against Maris Davies and her family, Julianna included. If he should ever chance to discover her involvement with Rafe…

A shudder ran through him at the thought.

So far he and Julianna had managed to keep their affair secret, but one small slip, one tiny mistake, and everything could unravel in dangerous ways. Already, the two of them were growing careless. Despite having a sound reason, he’d broken the rules by going to Julianna’s home and spending the night in her bed. Without much convincing, he knew he could be coaxed into doing it again.

His blood quickened at the idea of having her next to him at night, all night. Every night.

I’ve let her get too close,
he realized.

If he were prudent, he would cut his ties now, before he fell irrevocably under her spell. Besides, their parting was inevitable, was it not?

London was already turning steamy and oppressive with the heat of summer—only a little more than a month remained of their original agreement. Once the Season came to an end, she would do as the rest of the Ton and retreat into the country. He, on the other hand, would remain in London, going about his days much as he had always done, his affair with Julianna Hawthorne nothing more than an enjoyable memory.

So why did he want more of her instead of less? Why wasn’t he ready to let her go despite all his arguments to the contrary?

If not for St. George, he knew he would keep seeing Julianna. He might even have considered asking her to continue their affair once the six months were through. But so long as he and Julianna were together, the chance existed that St. George might find out about them, no matter how unlikely that chance might be.

It was a possibility he could not ignore.

In Pamela’s case, he’d had no way of knowing how vicious St. George could be. This time he was under no such delusions. If the viscount thought for an instant that he could harm him through Julianna, the blackguard would not hesitate to use her in any heinous manner he chose.

Closing his eyes, he rubbed a hand over his jaw. For Julianna’s sake, he knew he must put an end to their liaison.

Although he’d broken off relationships with women in the past, this time would be different, because Julianna was different. Of all the women he’d known, she was unique.

Special.

The kind of woman who would be impossible to ever forget.

And as peculiar as it might seem considering the calculated nature of their original agreement, they now shared a bond.

Which left him with a dilemma.

Judging by the undiluted strength of her passion for him, he did not believe she was any more inclined to end their affair than he. Which meant that being honest with her about his concerns over St. George would not be enough to convince her they must sever their connection. Knowing Julianna, she would argue and try to persuade him that he was being too extreme.

“Middleton has left Town,” she would say. “He won’t find out about us. But if it will ease your worries, we will both be more careful. I promise I will take every precaution and make doubly sure I am not followed.”

But she couldn’t guarantee her own safety, and neither could he. Of paramount importance was keeping Julianna safe. If he had to tell her a lie to force her to go, then lie he would.

But Christ,
he realized,
cutting her out of my life is going to be hard, one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.

To protect her, though, he would do what must be done.

Beside him she stirred, making a throaty little purr of contentment that never failed to rouse his desire. Her lashes fluttered open, her beautiful dark eyes lifting to meet his own. Slow and lazy, her lips curved into a smile.

He tried to smile back but failed.

Tipping her head to one side, she arched a brow. “What is it? You look troubled.”

Scolding himself for letting his emotions show so plainly, he made a second attempt, managing the smile this time. “Just thinking, sweeting. Nothing over which you need be concerned.”

Leaning up, she rested her forearms on his chest, causing the tips of her bare breasts to brush against his skin. He hardened instantly at her touch, his body throbbing with desire.

So little time,
he thought,
so damned little time.

Clamping a hand around the back of her head, he pulled her over him and plundered her mouth with a kiss that knew no bounds. She let out a muffled murmur of surprise, then began to kiss him back, matching his ardor with an eagerness of her own.

Racing his hands over her lush flesh, he traced each curve, memorized every sensation, storing them away as if to keep something warm for all the nights to come. Then he could no longer wait, could not bear to be separate from her a moment more.

Without preamble he positioned himself and thrust inside her, clasping her hips tightly as he drove himself as high and deep as he could go. When his penetration still wasn’t enough, when his senses screamed out for more, he rolled her onto her back and plunged deeper, harder.

Her pleasured moans played like music in his ears, her hands delicate as the finest silk as they stroked over his heated, sensitized flesh. Soon, he felt the familiar contraction of her inner muscles squeezing around him as her body crested to release. And though his body urged him to take his pleasure as well, he held back, prolonging the moment, determined to make each sensation last as long as it possibly could.

He brought her to climax twice more, leaving her weak and overwhelmed as she drifted on a sea of bliss. Finally he could wait no longer. Letting his body override his mind, he claimed his own satisfaction, her name a prayer on his lips.

Lying above her, her sweet scent all around him, he wondered how he was ever going to bear her loss.

Chapter Fifteen

T
HE NEXT FEW days passed by in a flurry of activity. Maris was giddy in love and delirious over plans for her wedding, every third word out of her mouth William-this or William-that. And it was obvious Major Waring felt the same about Maris, now that his reservations had been overcome. Every time he gazed at her, love shone from his eyes bright as stars.