To Have and to Hold (46 page)

“Wench!”
 
Dominic growled drawing her down beside him
and taking his place between her thighs. A quick flick of his finger gave him
the answer he needed and within seconds he was buried deep inside her.
 
“Just don’t scream!”
 

“Why?”
 
Isobel murmured as delicious sensations
swirled around her.
 

 
“Because we have got half of the King’s
regiment stationed outside waiting for Rupert.
 
Unless you want them to interrupt at an inopportune moment to rescue a
damsel in distress, then you need to keep quiet.”
 
His stern words were betrayed by the laughing
twinkle in his roguish glare as he looked down at the lively sparkle in his
wife’s eyes before they closed on a sigh of rapture.

“Oh!”
 
Isobel murmured with a smile, all traces of
the melancholy from the night before seemingly vanished.
 
“Then we will just have to make sure you
don’t scream then, won’t we.”
 
She caught
a brief startled look on his features as she surged upwards, rolling him onto
his back before straddling him, all the while keeping him deep inside while she
began to move.
  
His laughing groan was
echoed with hers as they tried very hard not to make a sound.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

They were late
for breakfast.
 
By the time they entered
the room, everyone else had finished their meal and were conversing over
coffee, clearly wondering if the host and hostess would be making an
appearance.

“Please forgive
us for being so late.”
 
Dominic murmured,
as he drew out a chair for Isobel beside the head of the table.
 
She offered no further explanation as to why
they had been so tardy, but felt sure the soft blush in her cheeks and the
twinkle in Dominic’s eyes were all the explanation that was needed.

“Not to worry,
my dear.
 
You must have been exhausted
from the journey yesterday.”
 
Martha
murmured over her coffee.
 
“We have just
been sealing the arrangements for later, and have already delivered a note to
Rupert.”
 

“Excellent!”
 
Dominic added as he slid a huge plate of food
in front of his wife.
 

“Oh my,”
 
Isobel murmured weakly, as she gazed at the
huge pile of meat, cheese, fruit and bread piled so high, they threatened to
fall off her plate.
 
“I, erm...”

Ignoring her
hesitation, Dominic piled his own plate high and took a seat beside his
wife.
 
He was unaware of the shared
knowing look between the guests, his attention being firmly fixed upon his
wife.
 
Not only had the master of the
house rendered the footman useless by actually serving his wife, but he had
eschewed his rightful place at the head of the table to be able to sit close
beside her.
 

“Now all we have
to do is ensure everything is in order.
 
Absolutely nothing is to go wrong today.”
 
Dominic’s voice was firm as he glanced around
the table at his brothers.
 

“He will be
desperate when he discovers the indisputable evidence against him, of that we
can be certain.”
 
Hubert added with a
worried glance at Isobel and Martha.

“We needn’t
worry.
 
I will be ready for anything
Rupert might try.
 
He will pose no
further physical threat to anyone in this house.”
 
Dominic’s tone was deadly in its certainty.
“Have the troops been alerted to the plans?”
 

“Yes, the
Sergeant has them by the ready.
 
They are
stationed around the house and will be available when needed.”
 
While he had been busy keeping his wife
quiet, it appeared everyone else had been busy setting their plans into motion
Dominic mused, grateful for their willingness and enthusiasm.
  

“Whilst I don’t
condone you taking any direct action yourself should Rupert become violent, you
are working under my authority.
 
As such
you must do everything within your power to protect the ladies.”
 
Hubert was seated half way down the table and
glanced sternly towards Isobel.
 
“Of
course, it is imperative that the ladies don’t take any unnecessary risks.
 
Rupert will not take lightly to being
thwarted.”
 

Isobel waited
for Dominic to agree and relegate her to the rear of the house.
 
Suddenly her breakfast turned to dust upon
her plate, and she felt the melancholy settle around her again.
 

“What do you
want to do, Isobel?”
 
Dominic murmured
softly, aware of his wife’s thoughts.

Isobel’s head
snapped up and she looked in astonishment at her husband.
 
Was he really asking her?
 
Her eyes met and held his in steady
contemplation for several moments before her gaze softened and she blinked
tears away rapidly.
 
Keeping her eyes
upon his, she murmured softly.
 

“I need to be
there.”
 
She didn’t need to voice the
fact that she had demons to conquer and to do that she needed to face them
head-on.
 
“However, I should be glad if I
could sit apart, but as close to Edward, Sebastian, or you as possible without
putting myself at any risk.”

Dominic saw the
brief flicker of fear in his wife’s gaze and felt an immense pride at her
measured response.
 
It was going to cost
her dearly to face Rupert and DeLisle, however he had no choice but to stand
back and allow her to make her own decision on how best to deal with the
encounter. All he could do was watch, and wait.
 
And protect her with everything he had if things went wrong.
 

Isobel watched
as with a brisk nod, Dominic accepted her decision and agreed that he would
remain close to her, whilst Sebastian would be armed and remain by her
side.
 
Nobody would be allowed near her.

It didn’t sit
well with Dominic at all.
 
He would have
preferred her to remain in the Dowager suite, out of sight completely, but he
knew that in order to gain her trust, and their future, he had to allow her to
do this.
 

As silence
descended upon the table, Isobel became aware of the increasing tension amongst
the men.
 
Final decisions made, it was
calculated Rupert would be calling sometime within the hour.
 
A missive had been sent in Peter’s hand
requesting an audience.
 
Hints had been
made that Dominic had reluctantly agreed he had no further claim upon his wife
and was prepared to negotiate for a divorce, subject to adequately negotiated
terms.
 
With the scent of money blowing
in the breeze, there was no doubt Rupert, and DeLisle, would respond
quickly.
 
Until he or they showed up all
they had to do was wait.

“Are you
alright?”
 
Dominic questioned softy as he
eyed Isobel’s pale complexion.
 
Manvers
left to answer the heavy thumping at the front door.
 
Tension within the drawing room immediately
rose several notches as everyone took their places.

Isobel nodded
her head and gave him a wavering smile.
 
She wasn’t alright at all, but had to do this.
  

Dominic dropped
down to his knees before her. “You can stop with Martha, you know.
 
In fact, I think I would feel considerably
easier if you would do so.
 
There is no
need for you to face him, darling.”
 
He
placed a tender hand upon her firmly clasped ones, sighing deeply at the
coldness of her fingers.

“I need to
Dominic.
 
I need to be able to face this
down.
 
Face him.
 
Then I can set about forgetting him, and
everything he has put us through.”
 
Isobel looked down at their hands and slowly unclenched her painfully
stiff fingers until she was holding hands with Dominic.
 
Immediately, warmth and comfort swept through
her.
 
His solid reassurance quickly eased
her fear and nerves and she began to feel stronger.

Several seconds
ticked by as Isobel clasped his hand before slowly nodding and pushing away
from the chair to stand beside Dominic in front of the hearth in their
pre-arranged position.
 
Despite the
towering presence of Sebastian and Edward on the other side of her, Rupert’s
arrival still had the ability to make her stomach drop to her knees.

It had been
agreed that the two officers who were to protect Isobel would be hidden behind
a screen near to the large bank of windows.
 
A few minutes after Rupert’s entrance, Hubert would enter with the
evidence of his crimes.
 
The remainder of
the Sergeant’s men would be stationed outside of the window and doorway, poised
to assist should it be necessary.
 
They
would transport the newly arrested prisoners to separate gaols at Derby and
Lincoln to await trial.

“Nothing will
happen to you, I promise.
 
You are
perfectly safe, my darling but I want you to promise me that you won’t leave my
side.”
 
Dominic murmured in a voice hard
with intent.
 
“I promise to keep you
safe.”
 

Ignoring the
presence of the other people in the room he briefly rested his forehead against
hers and pressed a quick kiss upon her lips.
 
“Come on, let’s get this over.
 
Then we can get on with the rest of our lives.”
 

Hand clasped
firmly in his, Isobel turned to see smirking Rupert
appear
in the doorway study, followed by a smug DeLisle.
 
Arrogance personified, Rupert swaggered into
the room to stand before them in front of the fireplace.
 
Without waiting for invitation, DeLisle took
one of the high backed chairs beside him.
 
His feral gaze raked her from head to toe and he smirked with insolent
lechery at her.
 
Isobel shuddered with
revulsion at the lecherous smile on his cadaverous face and was inherently glad
for her husband’s solid strength beside her.

“Isobel.”
 
Rupert’s gaze was cold and dispassionate as
they swept over her possessively.
 
Isobel
didn’t bother acknowledging either man and instead moved towards the chair
besides the far wall.
 
Once seated, she
became aware of the presence of the two men stationed behind the screen mere
feet away, and felt warmly reassured by the solid bulk of Sebastian as he sat
beside her with an encouraging wink.
 
Edward moved to stand beside Dominic in front of the fire, closest to
Isobel.
 
Peter was beside the window,
watching proceedings carefully.
 
Everyone
was in place.

“Lord
Tavistock
.”
 
Rupert
murmured mockingly with a quick bow.
 

“You claim to be
married to my wife.”
 
Dominic murmured
without preamble eyeing the squalid little man with disdain he made no attempt
to disguise.
 
Resting a casual arm upon
the mantle, he turned a scornful gaze upon the new arrivals.
 
Despite the casual pose, Dominic was armed
and ready for anything Rupert or DeLisle could throw at him.
 
The scabbard tucked away snugly in his boot
was mere inches away.
 
His sword hidden
beside the hearth would be in his hand within a heartbeat.
 
He just hoped the idiotic little man would be
arrogant enough to make a threatening move.
 

He studied the
shorter man carefully and was fully aware of the knife carried within the
hidden pocket of his waistcoat.
 
There
was also an intriguing bulge within his boot that Dominic surmised was a second
knife of some sort.
 
Making a mental note
to relieve him of both the first chance he got, he watched the smug smile sweep
over Rupert face and felt the wild urge to punch it off of him.

“I don’t claim
to be married to Isobel.
 
I am.
 
Despite what she claims, we were wed.
 
You have seen the certificate for yourself.
 
You are a fool if you believe her lies.”
 
DeLisle’s voice was contemptuous as he
flicked a spiteful glance at Isobel.

“Did you really
think I would just accept your claim without questioning the validity?”
 
Dominic saw the venom in the look DeLisle had
given Isobel and fought to keep hold of his temper.
 
“With a reputation such as yours, one would
be foolhardy indeed to believe anything you claim without thoroughly
investigating first.”