Virginia Henley (36 page)

The two women sized each other up.

So this is the FitzGerald hussy who caught herself an English aristocrat and lived to bitterly regret it. No wonder-Joseph lost his head over her, then paid for it with his life. She has a rare beauty and no mistake, which Emerald has inherited, but Emerald has a sweetness about her this woman never possessed.

Amber was thinking,
She’s shrewd as well as capable and she certainly has no love for me, but that doesn’t matter. It is good for my daughter to have such a one in charge here.

“I’m extremely pleased to meet you, Mrs. Kennedy. Greystones must be a heavy responsibility.”

“Your daughter has brought sunshine and laughter back to this house after we despaired of ever having either again.”

Emerald flushed with pleasure. “Kate, you are too kind.”

“You have brought joy to Sean and Shamus. I won’t go so far as to say you have replaced Kathleen, that would be an impossibility, but you have filled a great void at Greystones.”

“Kate, would you find Nan FitzGerald? I’d like her to meet my mother.”

“She’s hiding in her chamber. It’d take a crowbar to pry her out of it.”

“Oh, well, never mind; you’ll meet her at dinner. And Tara’s here, do you remember her?”

Kate cut in with a sniff. “And who could ever forget her? The place is overrun with FitzGeralds. I’ll plenish the lavender chamber for your mother.” Kate nodded her head in lieu of a curtsy before she departed.

“I remember Aunt Tara with great affection, even though Kate Kennedy seems to have none for her.”

“Well, they think she’s doolally because she pretends to be a Celtic princess. But she’s not mad at all; she’s most wise.”

“She was the one who taught me all about herbs and their medicinal properties.”

“She’s only been here a week, but she’s completely taken over the stillroom.” Emerald wished they could get back to the personal conversation they had been sharing when they were interrupted. She wanted to learn all about her mother’s life, but hesitated to put questions to her, hoping instead she would volunteer the information. When Amber was not forthcoming, Emerald decided she would ask Sean when they were alone tonight.

“Come upstairs and make yourself comfortable. You simply have no idea how happy your visit has made me. If only Johnny were here!”

“Does he visit you?” Amber asked hopefully.

“He and Sean have business together. He’s been here once and he has written to me. I’m hoping he will become a regular visitor.”

Amber’s eyebrows elevated. “Either he has learned to stand up to his father or he has learned to be devious, as 1 did.”

“I think he learned to do a bit of both in order to survive. Apparently, Father gave up trying to make a sailor of him; he presently runs Father’s shipping business.”

“Ah,” Amber said, nodding wisely, “now I see why Sean O’Toole is cultivating him.”

Emerald flushed. She wanted to deny that Sean was merely using him, but she could not. “Johnny loves Ireland. He’s crazy about Maynooth.”

“That’s understandable, he always had a passion for horses. He probably belongs there.”

“We’ll ride over one day. You must be dying to see all the FitzGeralds again.”

“You go too fast, darling. Maynooth belongs to the Earl of Kildare. Perhaps he doesn’t want me there.”

Emerald tossed her curls and smiled her secret smile. “The earl wants what I want. I have him eating out of my hand.”

“Never mistake him for a gelding, Emerald. He is a stallion and I doubt you’ll ever tame him,” Amber warned.

“I don’t wish to tame him, Mother, I want him exactly as he is.”

Be careful what you wish for, Emerald. A wish that is granted can turn into your worst nightmare.

“I
cannot come down to dinner; I can’t face her,” Nan said miserably.

“You’re being ridiculous! My mother is kind and gentle. When she finds out that you love Johnny, she will adore you. No one will guess your secret, Nan, unless you arouse suspicion by hiding.”

When the two young women finally arrived in the dining room, Tara and Amber were having a lively conversation about the beneficial properties of spices. Sean, too, was awaiting them. He was a charming host, making the proper introductions, then seating them one by one. He put Amber on his right, Tara and Nan on his left, then sat Emerald opposite him, so that he could feast his eyes upon her.

With four Irish females in one room, three of whom enjoyed being the center of attention, the conversation was animated and filled with laughter. Even Nan contributed occasionally, though she blushed scarlet each time Amber’s warm eyes rested upon her.

Sean amused his guests without monopolizing the conversation, giving each lady his undivided attention when he spoke to her. Emerald found it difficult to tear her eyes from him. The snowy linen at his throat contrasted sharply with his swarthy skin, black hair, and pewter eyes. Excitement was mounting inside her until all she could think of was the
moment they would close their bedchamber door and be free to express how much they had missed each other.

Before the meal was over, Amber realized just how deeply in love her daughter was with the earl. She also knew that Sean O’Toole was by no means indifferent. Those dark eyes told her that in addition to a raging desire for Emerald, he felt possessive of her. And yet Amber could not rid herself of the suspicion that, rather than stealing her because he could not live without her, he had likely taken her for revenge against the Montagues.

Sean O’Toole had told her plainly that he would not be satisfied until he had heaped humiliation on his enemies in the eyes of the world and that he had the weapon in his hands.
Could that weapon be Emerald?

Amber’s gaze was drawn again and again to the dark, magnetic man at the head of the table. His revenge was nowhere near complete.
Justice
, he had called it. She wondered uneasily exactly what and whom his justice encompassed. Amber knew she must have a serious talk with Emerald. Not tonight, of course; Sean and Emerald’s longing for each other was so palpable, it saturated the very air.

Sean secretly watched Emerald, but as the meal progressed, he watched her openly. He knew he had done the right thing by reuniting her with her mother. Emerald was vibrant tonight, she glowed with happiness, and it brought him a measure of deep satisfaction that he was partly responsible for the joy she felt.

He had been good for her; there was no comparison between this ravishing woman who spoke and laughed with passion and the pale pathetic girl he had spirited away from London. He admitted that Emerald had been good for him too. She was generous in her love for him, holding nothing back, and he knew she had helped to heal his more superficial wounds. They had been equally good for each other; he
could never have regrets for their time together. It was as close to perfect as anything could ever be in this life.

Amber spoke to him. He gave her his immediate attention. “Forgive me, I was distracted.” Their eyes met, clearly revealing their thoughts to each other.

“If you will excuse me, Tara has promised to show me the stillroom.”

Tara spoke too. “This could take hours, so we will bid you good-night.”

Even Nan murmured, “I need a book from the library.”

Sean grinned unabashedly at Emerald. “The FitzGerald females are conspiring so that we can be alone.”

“Are we that transparent?” Amber smiled.

“Are
we?”
Sean laughed.

    
A
s they ascended the stairs Sean slipped his arm about Emerald. “You look well. How is your morning sickness, sweetheart?”

“It is much improved,” she assured him, basking in his tender concern.

Emerald went straight to the window and threw back the curtains that Kate must have drawn. “Darling, thank you, thank you, thank you for bringing my mother. You have made me blissful; my happiness is now complete! Oh, I feel so alive tonight, like the sea!”

He lifted her in his arms for the sheer pleasure of holding her. “I thought you were afraid of the sea,” he teased.

“Only when you’re out there—but it’s as if you conquered it and you are come back to me and I’ll never fear it again!” She twined her arms about his neck. “When you are with me, I fear nothing and no one in the world.”

He bent his head to taste her. “It has little to do with me, and everything to do with the confident woman you have become.” He kissed her ear, then traced the tip of his tongue down her throat, setting her all ashiver. “Let me
light the fire before I undress you. I don’t want you to catch cold.”

“It’s so lovely to be surrounded by your tender concern for me. I’m the luckiest woman alive. Did you miss me?”

“I more than missed you, I craved you, my blood hungered for you, and now that we’re here alone, I want to intoxicate you with my passion.” He took the pillows from the bed and tossed them before the fire he had just lit, anticipating another fire he was about to kindle. He lifted a glass flacon from beside the bed. “Is this some love potion Tara has brewed you?”

Emerald lifted her skirts, warming her legs at the fire and allowing him a tantalizing glimpse of creamy thighs and a riot of tiny black curls. “No, it’s rose and almond oil to prevent stretch marks and keep my skin beautiful for you.”

“Then it is indeed a love potion. I am about to anoint you, but let me warn you, beloved, my hands will steal your reason. When I am done, I will own you body and soul.”

As he stalked toward her she threw him a provocative look from beneath her lashes. Didn’t he know he already owned every particle of her being? He removed the soft wool gown, followed by her undergarments, then gently pushed her back to lie naked among the pillows. His eyes, dark with passion, roamed over her at their leisure, caressing, adoring, worshiping her flesh; his piercing gaze promising to bring her total and absolute pleasure.

He poured the perfumed oil into his palm and warmed it at the fire. Its fragrance stole to her, then enveloped her senses as his hands made initial contact with her body. He began at her throat, then drew his palms downward to caress her heart. Next, he cupped her shoulders, then glided down her arms, holding back from anointing her breasts until she was breathless with anticipation. When his firm hands did cover her breasts, spiraling in circles, she began to tingle and throb with pleasure.

“Mmm, that feels absolutely heavenly.” She stretched her arms above her head, bringing the tips of her hardening breasts close to his mouth as he bent over her. His tongue shot out to flick her rosebud nipples and she cried out at the delicious sensation it evoked.

Sean’s hands moved over her rib cage, then onto her soft belly, rubbing, circling, massaging, until she began to arch her mons in arousal. With oil-slick fingertips he traced the delicate folds beneath the silky black tendrils, outlining her cleft with featherlike strokes. Then his possessive fingers pressed her open so he could slide one inside.

Slowly, he advanced and withdrew the long finger until she made a love sound that told him she wanted more. Then he thrust two fingers into her silken sheath. She was so burning hot inside, it felt as if he had thrust his fingers into the flames of the fire! As he brought her to climax, his dark eyes watched each flicker of excited enjoyment, every shudder of sensual release.

Sean poured more oil and began again at her toes. He gave her a foot massage, then drew his hands up her legs in long, firm strokes. By the time he reached her silken thighs, Emerald was tossing and writhing once more as the delicious sensations of arousal rippled up inside her. As the firelight turned her body to molten gold, he watched her as long as he could, then, all his resistance gone, he dipped his dark head to tease her, to please her.

His tongue delved and danced, licking, tasting, swirling, plunging, until her moans turned to sharp cries. She lay wantonly sprawled before him, eyes closed, limp from his lavish loving, yet every inch of her skin so sensitized, she knew the moment he touched her again she would be instantly riven with need.

When she lifted sultry eyelids, she saw that he had finally removed his clothes. As he knelt before her, naked, she reached out avid fingers to encircle his engorged manhood.
“You’ve loved me twice, why don’t you take your own pleasure?” she whispered.

“You’ve pleasured me twice,” he murmured. “Watching your enchantment, knowing I alone can do this to you, wildly excites me.” He turned her over then and began his ministrations all over again. The powerful strokes down the entire length of her back made her skin feel sinuously smooth. His lips traced tiny kisses down her spine. “You are like warm satin. I’ve had a recurring erotic dream about you for years, Beauty. Your back is the only thing that is exposed to me. I know it is you by your glorious cloud of hair. I vow you have the most exciting back on earth.”

Sean’s hands took total possession of her derrière. His fingers slipped into the cleft between her bottom cheeks, working their devilish magic. When she arched her bum, he slipped a possessive finger inside her and circled the tip about her woman’s center.