Surrender (57 page)

was not going to be any simpler than going

forward.

This was ridiculous. She was appalled at

her inability to move. Shivering with cold,

pressed rigidly back against the stone wall,

Victoria closed her eyes and tried to think.

She certainly could not stand out here all

night. She opened her eyes and realized

that Lucas's window was open.

 
Lucas? Lucas, can you hear me?"

There was no immediate response and

her heart sank. The thought of having to

scream ignominiously for help until one of

the servants heard her was too mortifying

to even contemplate.

 
Lucas," she called, a bit more loudly this

time.
 
Lucas, are you in there? Damn you,

stone vale, this is all your fault. Wake up

and do something."

 
Hell and damnation," Lucas said,

appearing abruptly at the window.
 
I should

have guessed you'd try something like

this. What the devil do you think you're

doing?"

Relief poured through her.
 
I just came

out for a stroll, she muttered.
 
It would

seem I have a slight problem with heights."

 
Don't move. I'll come and fetch you."

 
I'm not going anywhere." She watched

as he put one bare leg over the windowsill

and stepped out onto the ledge.
 
Good

heavens, my lord, you're naked."

 
Sorry to offend your delicate sensi

bilities. Would you prefer I went back

inside and dressed first?"

No. No, don't you dare. Get me off

this horrible ledge before you do anything

else."

 
Yes, my lady. At your service, my lady.

So glad to be of some assistance, my lady.

Keep your voice down, my lady, or the

servants will really have something to talk

about in the morning."

She relaxed a little as his strong fingers

closed around her wrist.
 
How on earth did

you manage this earlier when you came to

my bedchamber?"

 
Be assured I didn't use this route

because I enjoy running about on ledges.

I used it because you'd shoved that

damned dressing table in front of the

door, remember? I take it the barricade

is still in place and that's why you're out

here?"

 
I fear that is precisely the case." She

followed him gratefully back to his open

window. A moment later she was standing

safely inside his bedchamber. She gave a

sigh of relief and brushed off her hands.

 
Thank you very much, Lucas. I do not

mind telling you, I was a trifle uneasy out

there."

 
And I don't mind telling you that I

was a trifle horrified to see you out there."

His hands closed around her shoulders in

a fierce grip.
 
I am, naturally, extremely

gratified by your enthusiasm for my bed,

but the next time you want to join me in

it, try knocking."

She scowled at him.
 
You are assuming

a great deal, my lord."

 
Am I? Are you telling me you were out

on that ledge because you were bored and

couldn't think of anything else to do for

the rest of the night except stroll from

window to window?"

It was no good. She could not possibly

deny that she had been attempting to

get to his bedchamber.
 
Do not tease

me, Lucas. This is humiliating enough

as it is."

His smile was slow and deeply sensual.

 
What is so humiliating about admitting

you enjoy what we find together in the

marriage bed, sweetheart?"

 
Tis not that. It is just that I have been

furious with you all day and now you are

no doubt jumping to the conclusion that

I am here because I wanted you to make

love to me."

 
Isn't that precisely why you're here?"

 
Yes, it is. But it doesn't mean that I

have changed my mind about anything

else, and of course you are bound to think

that I have. Or worse, you will conclude

that you can always bring me to heel by

taking me for a midnight adventure. It is

not that way at all."

He laughed softly.
 
There is nothing in

any of this to shame you, Vicky. But if it

will make you feel any less humiliated, I

promise not to conclude that your presence

here means I am permanently forgiven.

Will that do? Tomorrow we can go right

back to the battle lines you drew today, if

that is what you truly wish."

 
Lucas, you are incorrigible. You know

very well that things will be different

between us in the morning. How can

I possibly continue to give you the cold

shoulder tomorrow after you have made

love to me tonight?"

 
I don't know," he said, scooping her

up and settling her into his bed.
 
How

can you?"

She looked up at him through her lashes

as he came down beside her.
 
Maybe I

should be the one applying for a job in

your stables instead of Billy Simms. That

way, I could supplement the allowance you

intend to grant me."

He kissed her throat.
 
Did you risk life

and limb on that damned ledge just so

you could continue our argument or did

you come here so that I could make love

to you?"

Victoria relaxed and put her arms around

his neck.
 
I came here so that you could

fulfill your husbandly duties and make love

to me."

 
I rather thought so." His hand closed

over her breast and his mouth closed over

her lips.

Sometime later Victoria stirred sleepily

in the huge bed. She opened her eyes to

see Lucas at the window. He had one foot

out on the ledge.
 
Where in heaven's name

are you going?"

 
To shove that dressing table away from

your door. Do you want your maid to

know you felt obliged to barricade yourself

in your room tonight?"

 
No, of course, not. But be careful,

Lucas."

I'll be right back."

He vanished into the night and a couple

of minutes later Victoria heard the heavy

dressing table being shifted back into

its proper position. The connecting door

opened and Lucas sauntered back into his

own room, dusting off his hands. Victoria

glowered at him.

 
Now what have I done?" he demanded

as he slid back into bed beside her.

 
I don't see how you can be so casual

about wandering around naked."

 
Who will see? Except you, of course."

He grinned, throwing one leg over hers.

 
And you are every bit as naked as I

am."

 
Never mind." She paused.
 
Lucas, I

have something to say to you."

What would that be, my sweet?"

Victoria studied Lucas for a moment,

choosing her words.
 
About our argument."

 
Which one?"

 
The one about my money."

 
Can this discussion not wait until

breakfast? I'm exhausted. Running about

on horseback in the middle of the night,

rescuing ladies from window ledges, and

shoving heavy furniture around takes its

toll on a man of my years."

 
This is important, Lucas."

 
Very well, then, say it so that we can

both get some sleep."

 
I just wanted to say that I am sorry,

or at least somewhat sorry for most of the

nasty things I said to you during the course

of our discussion about money," Victoria

said very gravely.

 
Most of the nasty things? Not all of

them?"

 
No, not all of them, because I do not

feel that I was entirely in the wrong.

Nevertheless, I shouldn't have implied that

you are like every other husband who takes

control of his wife's money. The truth is,

you are quite different from any other man

I have ever met."

He touched the amber pendant where it

lay nestled between her breasts.
 
And you,

madam, are quite different from any other

woman I have ever met. Since you have

apologized for most of the nasty things you

said, I suppose the least I can do is revoke

my threat to put you on a limited quarterly

allowance."

 
Well, I should think so. Really, Lucas,

you can have had no notion of how

arrogant you sounded when you made

that horrid threat."

He laughed and pulled her down across

his chest.
 
I don't think you have any

notion of how arrogant you sound when

you set out to make me jump fences to

suit your whims."

 
I do no such thing."

 
Don't you?" His thumbs traced the line

of her cheek-bones.
 
You are constantly

testing me, Vicky, constantly pushing and

probing to see how far I will let you go

before I pull in the reins. And when I do

reach my limits and refuse to indulge you

in some manner, you retaliate by accusing

me of being a typical, untrustworthy,

domineering male who's only after his

wife's money."

She realized he was perfectly serious.

 
Lucas, that is not true."

 
I think it is true, sweetheart. And to be

quite honest, I don't entirely blame you.

You have good cause to be cautious about

placing your trust in me. But I do not like

it when you try to manipulate me."

She went still.
 
Is that how you see my

behavior? As an attempt to manage you?"

 
I think it is your way of proving to

yourself that you are not at my mercy,

that you can control me and therefore

the situation in which you find yourself.

It is a perfectly natural response on your