The Marquis' Mystical Witch (BookStrand Publishing Romance) (13 page)

“I plan to get that special license before I leave," Wulf said. "We will wed soon after my return. Plan to go to my country estate the day after our wedding.”

* * * *

Everything happened so fast. Thea found it difficult to believe they were starting a new life. And what would it hold for them? Hopefully she had chosen well.

The marquis could not be as terrible as Lord Akers. When he stared at her, as he was now with his reddish-gold eyes, heat ran through her body and an unfamiliar ache settled low in her abdomen. Fear and attraction held her captive.

“Who are our guests?” His mother’s cool, regal voice ended the spell binding them.

Wulf bowed. “You have met Miss Althea Beckett, Mother. May I introduce Miss Elvie Beckett, Miss Beckett’s sister?” Nodding his head to Elvie, he said, “My mother, Lady Radford.

Lady Radford did not attempt to hide her displeasure. Bringing her dangling glasses to her eyes she inspected each girl, and as though finding them lacking, turned to her son. “What is the meaning of this? I told you my feelings earlier.”

Wulf bowed his head to her, a mocking expression on his face. “And I told you mine. Miss Beckett and I are to marry in a few days, after I return from my visit out of town. She and her sister will reside here until the wedding with you as a most proper chaperone.”

“Even my presence will not stop the gossip.”

“It hardly matters. Once Miss Beckett is my wife, she will be as accepted as I am.”

“Which does not say much,” his mother responded.

“We plan to reside in the country. You may use the town house for as long as you wish.”

“Please,” Thea interrupted. “We do not want to be a problem. We can go to our grandmother’s.”

“No,” Wulf repeated, continuing to stare at his mother.

“What is going on?” Jane breezed in, smiling.

“Jane, would you take Miss Beckett and Miss Elvie upstairs to the Rose and Silver Lace rooms. Mother and I need to talk.”

“Oh, how wonderful to have company. Come.” She grabbed Thea’s hand to hurry them up the stairs.

Wulf motioned to his mother to join him in his study. Thea glanced back and saw his mother following him very reluctantly. She obviously did not approve of Thea as her future daughter-in-law.

Wulf lit several additional candles in his study to chase away the gloom caused from the inclement weather.

“Sit.” He went to a nearby oak cabinet and filled two glasses with brandy. “I am well aware of your fondness for this.” He handed one to his mother who still stood stiffly just inside the door.

He turned and walked to his desk, leaning against the front edge. “Now, say what you want, but you will not change my mind. You wished to see me wed and so I shall be.”

“To a penniless fortune hunter!”

“Versus a debutante with a dowry who would still be a fortune hunter? I did it your way the first time, Mother. Not this time.”

“Have you told her what you are?” A look of disgust crossed her face, and Wulf hid the flash of pain it always caused.

“I will tell her when the time is right.” He took a swallow of his brandy.

“Like your father told me on the day of your birth?” Her body visibly shaking, she collapsed into the nearby chair.

For a second, he caught a glimpse of pain in her face and voice. He sat his glass aside and went to her. Kneeling at her feet, he wrapped his hands around hers.

“I didn’t know. I thought you’d known from the time of your marriage,” he said softly.

Yanking her hands back, she took a deep swallow of the brandy. The tremble in her hand caused a trickle of liquid to fall on her gown.

“I hated him.”

“As you have me for all these years.”

“Yes.” She stood abruptly, almost knocking him to the floor.

He regained his balance and straightened, then watched her pace the room. Sparks flashed from her eyes, and her skirts swished around her rapidly moving body.

“I was glad when he died. I would wish for your death too if it meant an end to this madness.”

Realizing her words, her hand went to her mouth. “I didn’t mean that,” she said, her breath shuddering. “I only want it to stop.”

“No more than I.” Wulf tipped his glass and took another swallow enjoying the fiery heat that warmed his belly. But her words, hurled like daggers, left behind an icy chill that went to his bones.

Looking haggard and every day of her fifty-two years, she set the empty glass down and shuffled to the door. “Go, do what you must. I will be polite to your guests and look forward to the time when you all leave.” She started out, then stopped, her back to him. “I am sorry.” The words were so faint he was not sure he heard them. She closed the door and left him alone with his painful thoughts and memories.

At the soft knock on his door, he turned expecting to see Jane, but when he called out "enter", Thea cautiously walked inside.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you."

Her sweet scent brought all his nerves to attention. Hunger flashed and clawed at him.
Taste her, touch her.
The words pounded at him.

"What do you want?" His words came out more gruffly than he'd intended, and she stepped back.

"To thank you. Today could have been so terrible for me and my sister. I hope we haven't caused a problem between you and your mother."

"Don't worry," he tried to soften his tone. "Any problems were there before you and Miss Elvie entered this house. As I mentioned before, Garr will look out for you while I'm gone. If he needs help, my good friend, Lord Kenelm, will intervene."

She slowly moved closer until he thought he'd never survive the deep ache for her. Green eyes studied him. "Are you hurting?" She put out her hand, and he almost stumbled stepping back.

"I'm fine. Don't touch me please. Go and enjoy your visit with my sister." He motioned for her to leave. Startled, she hurried across the room and closed the door with a snap as she left. Instant regret slammed into him. Damn him and the wolf.

* * * *

Thea's short visit had taken only a few minutes. Yet time had seemed to stand still in his office. Of course, before she entered the room, she'd overheard his mother parting words. What had his mother meant by saying she was sorry? Apparently, she and her son didn't have a good relationship, and Thea hated causing more problems between them. She'd try to be especially pleasant to Lady Radford during their stay with her.

Thea walked slowly upstairs on her way to join Elvie and Jane. Her reactions around the marquis surprised her. Every time she was near him, her body reacted in unfamiliar ways. A deep need to touch him, to be close, urged her to reach out, as she'd never done or thought to do to any other man.

"We've started here in the Rose room." Jane said, smiling as Thea came to the door. Everything was of the palest pink, from the cream-colored wallpaper covered in tiny rosebuds to the rose-colored bedspread and plush carpet. The oak furniture gave off a soft sheen. Thea loved the relaxing ambiance.

Through a connecting door, they entered the Silver Lace bedroom. Here, delicate wallpaper edged in real lace delighted both Thea and Elvie. The richness of the wall hangings and the silver and lace bedspread turned the larger room into something spectacular.

“Which room do you want?” Elvie asked, eyes shining as she moved around touching the furniture and the silky bed coverings.

Thea smiled. “Jane, don’t you agree this is the perfect room to fit my sister with her silver hair?”

Jane chuckled. “I was going to suggest that very thing.”

“Really?” Elvie pivoted with grace and happiness.

“Yes. For myself, I prefer the quiet calm of the Rose room.”

Elvie looked at her hard. “You aren’t just being nice and letting me have the best room?”

Thea shook her head no. Elvie squealed with joy and threw her arms around her sister. “As you can see,” Thea said to Jane, “it doesn’t take much to please her.”

A clearing of a throat stopped all the playfulness, and all three turned to see Lady Radford eyeing them.

“Your clothes will not do,” she said, looking at Althea and her sister. “Tomorrow, we will go to my mantua-maker. She can measure you both and have some dresses ready before you leave. The others can be sent to you.”

“We don’t need new clothes. What we have should be fine for the country,” Thea protested. She did not plan to be deeper in debt to Lord Radford. He was marrying her to save her from Lord Akers. That and giving Elvie a home was more than enough.

“You must maintain a certain appearance, as expected of a marquis’ wife. You will not bring shame on our family. We leave at ten.” With those words, she strode out, determination in every step.

Lady Radford's harsh words hurt, and the enormity of what Thea faced tightened her throat. Tears pooled in her eyes, and she blinked rapidly to stop them from falling. Lord Radford had rescued them from disaster. Thea wouldn't forget.

“Don’t worry. My brother can afford anything you need," Jane said. She squeezed Thea's hand. "He won’t care and we'll have fun shopping. Perhaps we might stop and have ices on our way home." Jane gave her a hug. "Come on." She motioned. "Let's go downstairs."

Elvie and Jane hurried down the steps together, giggling and chattering. If only Thea could be carefree and unburdened. She was once, when her parents were alive, but it seemed a lifetime ago. Fear that she might make an irrevocable wrong decision for Elvie and her weighed heavy. Would their parents be pleased with the ones she'd made? They'd want her to protect Elvie. With them both gone, there was no one to rely on but herself.

Thea wished Lord Radford had stayed here the next few days. She suspected he left to avoid any gossip. This left little time for them to become better acquainted before the wedding. She shivered at the thought of marrying a virtual stranger and being under his control. That Elvie trusted him comforted her some, and thus far everything he'd done helped them. Yet, they might be in grave danger if they were mistaken about him.

* * * *

Wulf stepped out of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s office, in Doctor’s Commons. Shadows cast across the building told him it was time to leave town. Night was not far away. His oldest and most trusted driver and Bailey would make the trip with him. He climbed into the closed carriage after telling the driver to stop by Jeffrey's on their way out of town. Bailey stepped in behind him.

Wulf leaned his head back against the cushioned seat, and closed his eyes. “I’m tired, Bailey. None of my research has gotten me any closer to the answer to my dilemma.”

“I know, my lord. And you have worked hard to find the cure.”

Wulf opened his eyes and stared at Bailey. “I am beginning to understand why father and grandfather accepted their wolf side. Why can’t I be more like them? I've always hated what I see as a curse on our family.”

Oh, there were some benefits. Wulf's keen eyesight and hearing was much better than the normal person’s. His father had used both those talents to stay ahead of competitors. On the other side of the coin, his father accepted his more savage side and relished in it, whereas Wulf had fought that part of himself for years.

Tonight though, he understood better how a man's determination might be worn down. He ached to get to his estate and make the change. All his mixed emotions clawed to get out. He'd relish the freedom to run through the woods. But, soon he'd marry a woman he already desired. He must keep a tight rein on himself when around her. It wouldn't be easy. An aching need tugged at his insides. In his mind’s eye, he saw her white throat, black-as-ink hair and changeable emerald eyes. What secrets did she hide?

The carriage slowed as they arrived at Jeffrey's. Wulf stepped out and knocked on his friend's door. He hoped Jeffrey was home. He had no time to go searching for him. With all the rush caused by today's occurrences, Wulf had little time to prepare properly for his trip outside the city.

"Lord Radford." Jeffrey's butler motioned for him to enter.

"I'd like to see Lord Kenelm."

"He's in his office. I'll announce you."

Wulf followed the butler down the corridor and waited until he was announced.

"Go right in, Lord Radford." The butler held the door and closed it as Wulf entered.

"I'm surprised to see you are still in town, Wulf."

"I hadn't planned to be but much has happened since this morning. I find myself betrothed, and I need to ask if you'll be available should my future wife and her sister need assistance."

"Certainly, but who is your fiancée?" Jeffrey walked over and poured glasses of whiskey for Wulf and himself.

"Lady Althea Rigby."

"I don't expect Lady Radford was too pleased with your choice."

Wulf ran a hand through his hair. "That's putting it mildly. I hate having to leave them. I know you must have more questions, but there's no time to explain how this all happened. I need to get to my estate. Tonight is the full moon. I'll come by and we'll talk when I return."