Timeless Passion: 10 Historical Romances To Savor (288 page)

“Oh, beg pardon, mum, sir,” said Annie, backing out of the room. Electra jumped back from William and called for Annie to come back and clear the table. William chuckled as the maid clattered plates together and scuttled out of the room.

Electra pushed her chair back and standing up, took William’s hand and led him out of the room. “I have an idea. Let’s go for a picnic. Just you and I. Callum took me to a lovely spot at the back of the orchards, near the river, and I have wanted to go back there.”

William frowned, already shaking his head. Then he looked at Electra, raised his eyebrows, and smiled. “All right, let’s do it. Give me half an hour to speak to Callum while you get ready, and I’ll meet you out the back with the horses.”

• • •

They arrived at the picnic spot as the sun reached its zenith; the heat forcing them to seek the shade of the river trees. William removed his boots and hat, wiped his sweat-soaked brow with a scarf, and stretched out on his back, with arms behind his head and ankles crossed.

Electra also kicked off her shoes and removed the straw hat from her head. As she fanned her face with it, she absorbed the image of her husband. He seemed so completely relaxed and at peace. His agitation at Charlotte’s imminent arrival seemed to have left him for the moment. She ran her eyes over his strong, lean body, still unable to believe he was hers.

“I can feel your eyes and hear your thoughts, Mrs. Radcliffe. I would wager they aren’t the proper thoughts of a genteel lady,” he said, opening one eye.

Electra felt the heat in her cheeks at his uncanny prescience. “Don’t be ridiculous, Mr. Radcliffe. As if I would be interested in your sweaty, well-worn body. In fact,” she continued, lifting one eyebrow, “the cooling touch of the river is all that interests me at this moment.”

He jumped to his feet. “Then allow me to assist.”

Before she could stop him, he lifted her in his arms and ran down the bank of the river. She squealed in protest, pummelling his chest and demanding he put her down. But she already knew a dunking was inevitable.

They both landed with a splash in the shallows of the river, gasping at the cold and laughing at their behaviour. Electra wore only a riding skirt without the copious petticoats of her usual gowns. Even so, the river dragged at her clothing and impeded her movements. With a grunt of mock indignation, she pulled off her skirt and threw it up the bank. In response, William removed his breeches and shirt, throwing them on to the bank with her skirt. He then lunged at her, pulling her back into the water and, at the same time, unbuttoned her top.

“What do you think you are doing, Will?” she giggled, grasping the edges of her half-buttoned top.

“I am dressing you as nature intended,” he said pulling her hands away.

“Undressing, you mean.”

“Mmm, that too,” he muttered, tossing her blouse away.

Finally they were both naked in the water, her skin feeling like cool, wet silk against his. For some time they stood thigh deep in the shallows being gently buffeted by the pull of the river current, neither one wanting to break the peace that surrounded them with words or movement. Electra smiled as William’s fingers moved down her arm. He sank into the water and ran his hand from her ankle all the way up her body to her neck. She shivered as she watched the goose bumps rise in response to his touch. As his lips sought hers, the world closed in around them and they fell into the water, their bodies locked together.

In her wildest dreams, Electra never imagined she could engage in such shockingly, thrillingly, outrageous behaviour until William made it all seem so natural. She found her own nakedness no longer embarrassed her. Nor did the fact they were participating in the most intimate of actions outdoors for the world to see.

• • •

After their lovemaking, Electra fell back into the water with her legs wrapped around William’s waist, his hands gripping her knees. Behind her, like strands of floating seaweed, spread her long, red-gold curls. He watched her close her golden eyes and stretch out her arms, trusting him to keep her safe.

William’s body buzzed with desire as he enjoyed her almost ethereal form moving in the water. The close memory of her heat, mingled with the cold of the stream and her unapologetic passion, stirred him to want her again. He resisted, knowing she would be beside him tonight and would turn to him at his slightest touch, with a need matching his own. For now he would savour the image of her. An easy task, for with his eyes open or closed he saw only Electra.

They crawled up the bank and dozed on the picnic rug until their bodies and clothes had dried. A loud rumble, which William realised was his hungry stomach, woke him. He rolled onto his side and watched Electra sleep, his fingers lazily tracing the pebbled skin around her nipple. She was like a lazy cat as she stretched and yawned and then, shivering, tried to crawl away, toward the food.

His hunger forgotten, he grabbed her ankles. “Where do you think you’re going, my beauty?” He slid her across the rug toward him.

“I’m starving and all I can think of is Shi Liang’s pie,” she giggled, pushing his hands away and reaching for her clothes.

“Have mercy, wife. I have dire need of your body.”

She threw him a half sympathetic look and reached for the package of food. He took deep breaths with his hands cupped over his groin until the ache eased, still tempted to throw her back into the river and seduce her again. But the sight of her hungrily devouring Shi Liang’s kangaroo pie reminded him of his own hunger and he reached for a large slice. She leaned over and kissed him, leaving a taste of fatty pastry and herbs in his mouth. His body reacted immediately but he reminded himself she would be in his bed again tonight.

“Bugger waiting for tonight,” he burst out, grabbed her startled face in his and kissed her long and hard. She needed no further prompting and within seconds had shed her clothes again and was locked in his urgent embrace.

They finally stood to leave as the sun began to drop below the trees. They were bedraggled, mud splattered, and completely happy as they rode for home.

• • •

It took all Electra’s concentration to stay upright on the horse. Her eyes drooped and her shoulders slumped, loose with relaxation. A day of sun, food, water, and lovemaking had dissipated her anxieties and soothed the stress from her body. She anticipated a long night of dreamless sleep and wondered, as they approached the house, if she would even have the strength to eat dinner.

She groaned, reaching for William’s arm to point out the strange carriage in front of the house. “Oh, no, not visitors. I haven’t the strength for it.” She reached up to her turbulent curls, trying to bring some order but gave up, aware it would need more time than she had.

“Who would come at this time of evening? And look at my clothes, I’m filthy,” she grumbled as they dismounted.

William grabbed her about the waist and lifted her into the air as she squealed with delight, kicking at him to put her down. “That’s just how I like you, wild and dirty,” he laughed.

“You used to like your women washed and civilised,” said a soft, husky voice from the veranda.

William froze and the colour drained from his face as he turned toward the speaker. He lowered Electra to the ground.

“Well, darling, aren’t you going to introduce me to your little colonial playmate?”

He reached for Electra’s hand and pulled her close. “Charlotte, I’d like you to meet my wife, Electra. Electra, this is my father’s widow, Charlotte.”

Charlotte’s lips tightened into a thin line of disbelief. “Your wife? Interesting that you did not think her important enough to let your family know.”

“On the contrary, she was too important to do so.” He gave an appearance of calm but there was a distinct hardening of his eyes.

Electra looked up, shock at Charlotte’s sudden appearance rendering her speechless. Although the discussion was about her, neither of the speakers included her in the interaction. She stared, open-mouthed, at her nemesis, the woman who had haunted William for nine years, the woman she thought was no longer a threat. Charlotte was undoubtedly beautiful, irritatingly so, but there was a calculating, cold set to her face and eyes. Electra reminded herself to breathe and placed a comforting hand on her chest as if this would lessen the pounding of her heart. The shock gradually turned to anger. Anger at the pain and betrayal this woman had perpetrated on the man she loved. She glanced first at William, who had not moved toward the veranda, and met the woman’s eyes with her own.

Charlotte hesitated only a moment before picking up her skirts and running down the stairs.

“Darling Will, let’s not squabble. You know how precious you are to me,” she said, throwing her arms around him and holding him to her.

She then dabbed at her eyes and held out her hand to Electra. “And how lovely to meet you, my dear. I am sure we are going to be the best of friends.”

With her teeth clamped tight, Electra made the barest gesture of touching Charlotte’s hand. But before she could speak, Charlotte turned toward the house and called, “Isabele, come out and meet your stepbrother, William and his ah — wife.”

They all turned toward the front door as a child of about ten years of age stepped out. She had the glossy blue-black hair of her mother and her violet blue eyes, but there the similarities ceased. Her mouth was wide and generous like … like William’s. Obviously, William looked like his father.

Isabele hesitated and then slowly came down the stairs. When she reached William, she held out her hand. “How do you do. Shall I call you William or Uncle?”

“I’m not sure. Perhaps Uncle Will as I’m easily old enough to be your father.”

“We didn’t know you were married, we thought it would just be us.” She nodded, with a half curtsy to Electra but did not speak to her.

William frowned but did not address the statement and instead said, “I hope your trip was pleasant enough.”

Before the child could respond, Charlotte put the back of her hand against her forehead and groaned. “Oh, Will, it was terrible, just terrible. Awful cabins, dreadful food and … ,” she leaned over, “they even had convicts on board.” She shivered and pursed her lips. “I felt quite soiled by it all.”

At that statement, Electra found her tongue. “In that case you may want to go and wash your hands after touching mine.” A hot rage rose through her body. How dare this woman, who betrayed William mercilessly, and with his father no less, pass judgement on others.

“Whatever are you talking about, my dear?” drawled Charlotte.

William put his hand on Electra’s arm, his eyes narrowed in warning, but Electra would have none of it and shook his hand away.

“Why, the fact that I myself am a transported convict.”

Two things happened at once. Charlotte gasped and clutched her heart and Isabele’s eyes widened as she looked from her mother to Electra with glee.

William muttered, “You’ve done it now,” and moving forward, caught Charlotte as she swooned. As he manoeuvred her toward the stairs, Electra grasped the reins of her horse and stormed off toward the stables.

• • •

Electra paced the veranda. Each step matching the tick of the old clock in the entrance hall as she waited for her husband. William had assisted Charlotte to her room but had been with her for longer than it took to show her the bed. The child sat on a chair, sipping placidly on a cool drink. She seemed not at all concerned at her mother’s indisposition. Electra wondered at the true nature of their relationship.

William finally came out to the veranda and spoke first to Isabele. “You can stop worrying, your mother is fine now.” He seemed oblivious to Isabele’s disinterest. “She is going to rest and take supper in her room a little later. You may eat with her or you’re welcome to join Aunt Electra and myself.”

“I’d rather eat with you, Uncle Will,” she said without hesitation.

He pulled up a chair next to her and as they started to chat, Electra slipped away to wash and change for dinner.

• • •

It may have been a touch of jealousy, but Electra felt William was going out of his way to win Isabele’s favour. Of course, this thought led to thoughts of him wanting to win Charlotte’s favour through the child. She shook the thought away and turned back to the dinner conversation. But only for a moment. Another thought she could not erase was the statement the child made about her and Charlotte expecting there to be just the three of them. Obviously, Charlotte had a plan and the existence of a wife had scuttled her plan.

“No, I don’t think so, Isabele. Your mother may not like you dashing off on your first day here,” said William.

Electra realised she had missed most of the conversation and looked across at Isabele.

“I’m sorry, what is it you have been told you can’t do?”

“Uncle Will said I wasn’t to ask you to show me around the farm tomorrow in case mama did not agree.” She looked innocently over at Electra.

Electra could not resist a challenge, especially if it meant irritating Charlotte.

“Of course, I can show her around, Will. You will have work to do and that will allow Charlotte a nice rest day.”

“Oh goody, and can I ride a horse? I’ve done it before, but mama thinks a lady should sit in a carriage and not on a horse.”

“Heavens above, yes. You must ride a horse. Mustn’t she, Will? I shall have the stable boy organise a lovely, quiet pony,” said Electra, avoiding eye contact with her husband.

A pained expression crossed William’s face. It was obvious to Electra he was torn between pleasing her and not causing trouble with Charlotte. Good. Charlotte was his problem, not hers.

That night Electra moved to the far edge of the bed away from William. More than anything, she wanted him to reach out to her, gather her into the safety of his arms, and soothe her anxieties around Charlotte and the child. However, he did not attempt to touch her, but lay on his back for some time before turning to face the opposite wall. She spent a restless night imagining him leaving her for Charlotte. When she woke, he was already gone from their bed.