THE CRY FOR FREEDOM (Winds of Betrayal) (22 page)

He reasoned in all probability his grandfather had fulfilled an obligation to a solider under his former commander. There was no other logical explanation. She said she was prepared to accept her inheritance which would push her well passed the age for a Season if she had been high born. Surly, his grandfather would not have ignored a need for a Season for the girl. Although, his grandfather had hired two soundly disreputable people to see to her welfare all these years.

An ache within him grew and with it the urge to have her. Scattered thoughts rambled through his mind. What harm would come if he seduced her? He could set her up in London. Take from his grandfather any worry about her welfare. He would protect her.

Good lord!
 He reprimanded himself. What had grabbed hold of him! 
Desire. Passion. Lust.
 He answered himself.

He needed to leave, ignore the war between body and mind. He had only to ease off the bed and regain his composure. This girl added too many complications to his life already.

Julian moved slightly, taking her hand off his chest. Then her head rose upward. Her long thick disheveled hair flattered her oval face. Her soft eyes focused upon him. For a moment he gazed into the lovely warm brown eyes. Then slowly without smiling at her, without a word, his head angled downward. His lips brushed hers.

It happened so quickly that his actions astonished him. This was not how it was suppose to be. His reaction. He had never been impulsive...never. Yet her face was barely an inch away from him. He pulled her to him. Giving her no time to contemplate his intent, he brushed his lips against hers again. He inhaled her scent and grew aware of the feel of her body. He pressed another kiss. For an instant he thought she would recoil. Instead of resisting, her hands gripped tight to his shirt in acceptance of what he had to offer.

The voice of caution ignored, he ravished her mouth, pushing her back against the mattress. He slanted his mouth across hers, pushing it open, using his tongue, turning seductive, beguiling, touching her tongue with his gently. His good arm pulled her closer into his encompassing embrace. Her body tensed to the intimacy he offered, then slowly eased, submitting freely to his desires. Her body instinctually arched toward him. A cry escaped her lips which delighted him.

He moved his lips to the side of her mouth, then brushed them against her eyelids, her cheekbones, the soft curve of her neck. He closed his mouth on her neck’s pulse. He became bolder, not resisting his urge toward satisfaction. He could give no reason for his actions, only he wanted her badly, lost in the delirium. He slid his hand up until he reached her breast.

Her body shuddered. No doubt she would have protested, but he clamped his mouth over hers. Slowly, slowly, he warned himself. He was moving too fast. His fingers fumbled for the ribbon to her gown while his lips kissed her again, demanding, aggressive in his pursuit.

Freeing the ties that bound, he slipped his hand beneath the fabric. He watched her eyes widened when he smoothen his palm over her breast, teasing her nipple with his thumb. He heard only gasps of pleasure while his hand worked to free the garment from her lovely skin.

Pushing back the material, his hand caught upon something. A gold chain. Pulling it up to his vision, he saw a medallion attached. His eye caught the gleam in the morning light. Suddenly, he pulled back up with the necklace in hand. He stared in disbelief. He couldn’t take his eyes off the medallion.

At first he took no notice of Alyce recoiling back from him, but she reached up and jerked her necklace from his hand. Pulling her gown back over her shoulders, she stared wide-eyed at him.

"It is mine!”

He would have none of that. He knew that necklace. His hand gripped her arm tightly, demanding loudly. “Where the hell did you get that medallion?”

“It is mine,” she repeated in a small voice. Her fingers clutched fervently to the chain.

He could well see she was shaking from fear of him he wasn’t certain. He backed away off the bed to the fireside. The fire had dwindled down to embers. The whole of his intent would not be served if he could not collect himself. Regaining a semblance of control, he turned back to her.

To his dismay, she had left the bed and huddled in the corner. Her hands trembling so that she couldn’t tie her ribbon back of the gown. 
Good Gawd! What had he almost done
! Running his fingers through his hair, he bent over to her, stilling the scream on her lips.

“I’m not going to harm you, Alyce. It is only the medallion.” He grimaced. He moved too fast and the wound pained him. “It was my brother’s. I know well the medallion. It has our coat of arms. Where did you get it? I have to know.”

She tried to turn away from him, but his hand reached under her chin lifting it upward. Suddenly she seemed impervious to his closeness and met his eyes.

“Lieutenant Roland gave it to me so his grandfather would know he had sent me. When he delivered me to Colonel Tolworthy, the Colonel wasn’t at Evermonde. The Lieutenant had no time to wait. He said he had to take care of a situation. He had promised my father he would make sure of my safety.”

“I don’t understand, Alyce. Your father, your safety?”

Tears streamed down her face. “Lieutenant Roland woke me in the middle of the night saying my father needed me to leave immediately. He took me to Evermonde then. I never saw my father again.”

“Lieutenant Roland? Lieutenant Roland Casvelyn you mean. You knew my brother, Alyce,” his voice trailed off. Comprehension dawned. “Alyce, who was your father?”

She shook her head and pushed away his hand on her chin while she scrambled back against the wall. Her eyes alit when a slight knock upon the door disturbed their conversation. Not waiting for an answer, the door swung open. Alyce rushed by him and into the arms of the newcomer.

“Charles!” she cried.

Julian recognized the man immediately. Dressed in a yellow-striped waistcoat with a row of huge silver buttons and a hunter green coat, the man appeared to have taken time to preen to look as he did at this moment. Julian’s first thought was of a peacock with his tail feathers all plumed out. The man stood as tall as Julian, but slender, far slighter in frame, far less intimidating.

“What could be so bad, moppet? I’m here now.”

Julian watched as Alyce’s face warmed to the endearment. She buried her face in his shoulder. The man looked up from their embrace.

“Lord Casvelyn. I understand thanks are in order for protecting my girl. I had only received the message late last night. Of course, I came as soon as I could.”

Message? Of course, the message he had sent from Alyce to her friend. She must have conveyed to this man, Lord Charles Tregilgas, Marquess of Rotheward, heir to the Duke of Arungdon.

“Lord Tregilgas,” Julian replied. “Obviously it has been a long night. It is good to see Alyce has a friend, but I’m afraid we are waiting for the magistrate to relay our tale about last night’s adventure. Then I’m escorting Miss Rufford to my grandfather, Colonel Tolworthy.”

“Obviously,” Lord Tregilgas smiled a broad, knowing smile. He tilted his head a tad. “I believe there may be a slight adjustment. I will take Alyce back with me to London. I’m sure you will understand it is for the best.”

“From what I understand Grandfather is her guardian…”

“I take it you do not know all, Lord Casvelyn,” he pointed up his finger to a man behind him. “Leopold, pray take Alyce down to the room where we found dear sweet Aunt Emma who seemed so distressed at having lost Alyce in the night.”

“Oh, Charles, I don’t want to leave you. It has been truly awful these last few weeks. The cottage…tonight…,” she glanced over at Julian. Her face flamed red. “In truth, I owe Lord Casvelyn. He saved me. Charles, did you know…”

“I’m certain I can ascertain what his actions were,” Charles bent down and kissed the top of her head. “Now, do be good if you want to go with me. I have brought you a couple of travel gowns that are exquisite. Change and I will be down. I have all set to leave.”

“Lord Tregilgas, I must object!” Julian interjected. His patience had worn thin by night's adventure and the scene in front of him.

“Go and be a good girl, Alyce,” Lord Tregilgas said, pushing her out the door. He held up his hand as if to give pause to Julian. Watching her leave with reluctance, Lord Tregilgas closed the door and turned to Julian. “I do not want you to think that I’m not deeply appreciative of your efforts to protect Alyce, but I want you to be aware of the circumstances. It is evident to me that you may not have been informed.”

“Than quickly explain yourself.”

“Lord Casvelyn, the fact that you need to be aware of is Alyce’s heritage. Her name isn’t Rufford, but Hythe. Her name is Mary Alyce Hythe, George Hythe’s daughter. Now do you understand?” Lord Tregilgas stepped back toward the door. With his hand on the door knob, he said, “I assume you will not have any issue with me taking her into London now.”

Seductive Secrets
is a free ebook! 

Coming in February, 2013—
Broken Legacy
, Book Two, Secret Lives Series!

BROKEN LEGACY

Lord Gerard Lenister needed the lady…after their meeting, he wanted her.

For seventeen years Lady Eloise Granville lived in France thinking herself a bastard. Not until her life was threatened did her father cross the English Channel to reclaim her as his legitimate daughter. Now four years later a revolution roars its ugly head in France. Rumors abound of Lady Eloise’s life before her emergence in England…rumors that link her to the notorious leaders of the French Revolution.

Lord Gerard Lenister knows well the whispered connections Lady Eloise has across the Channel and the disdain that Society holds for the lady. It matters little to him. He could have cared less if she was the incarnation of a she-devil. He would marry Jezebel herself if she helped him on his mission. He is that desperate…but soon he discovers that Lady Eloise is not what she seems.

SEDUCTIVE LIES
by Colleen Connally

Book Three, Secret Lives Series

Coming Late 2013

SHADOWS OF THE PAST
by Carrie James Haynes

Book One, Whispers of a Legend Series

FREE eBook!

Whispers of a Legend saga: Kela Calledwdele was born with a destiny, a Euchoun with only one purpose in life...to protect. Torn between two worlds, Kela soon discovers she is the hope of both. Now she must find the courage to face the destiny fate has dictated to her.

Kela has always known what path in life she would follow. She was born a Euchoun. Half Witheleghean, a passive peaceful race where magic runs freely and the other half, Sordarin, a valiant warrior race of hawkmen who rule the sky, she knows well her parents gave the ultimate sacrifice to give her a chance to live. Yet, in so doing, they have left Kela unprepared to face the dangers that await her. Her instincts are to protect and in this she does, but in so doing it leads her into a world where she knows not whom to trust. In time her power matures and grows stronger when she bonds with a Sordarin warrior, Cono. She learns well why she holds the power. An evil as no other before, Asmeodai, has emerged but all is not what it seems as a dark cloak encompasses her family. Betrayal, distrust, treachery leaves Kela alone. She is torn by her desire for Cono and the purpose, the path, she has been given to follow. And when another emerges within her world, one who seemly wants only to help her along her path, she is pulled further away from her Sordarin.

Shadows of the Past, Book One of the Whispers of a Legend is the first in nine installments of the saga. It is a journey of a young woman’s battle to embrace her destiny. Whispers of a Legend follows Kela along this conflicting path, where as a young woman unsure of her ability and her confidence in facing the challenges before her to where she emerges as a strong leader who learns to lean upon her own strength, to stand not behind, but side by side with her warrior.

The legend, they say, is whispered within the winds along the magnificent Preda Mountain Range, the words and deeds never to be forgotten of the Time of the Nuxvenom.

Little children sing to the glory of the Sordarins. Young lads praise their heroes of the past with dreams of following within their footsteps. Old men bask in the deeds of another time, a time when the Sordarins crushed the impending threat and once more Scarladin was safe.

The mighty Sordarins, rulers of the sky! The people look high up in the clouds and see their warriors soaring under the sun and know they are safe and secure in their world; they never to have to worry about the threat of the Arachnideans or the dreaded Asmeodai, the ones whose quest seeks only to destroy all the Sordarins have ever known!

The Sordarins have slept well over the years secure in their knowledge the Great One watches over them, knowing that the legends hold a mighty warrior will emerge if threatened again, born with a destiny only to defend their world.