Wicked Delights of a Bridal Bed (5 page)

Reining in their mounts near a graceful stand of beech and oak trees, he and Mallory paused to appreciate the natural beauty around them. Early-morning sunlight shone from above, the rays warm against her face as she closed her eyes to drink in sensation.

“Why don’t we stop here for a little while before turning back?” Adam suggested. Without waiting for her agreement, he leapt to the ground and came around to help her dismount.

After the briefest hesitation, she leaned forward to clutch his wide shoulders and let him swing her to the ground. The clean fragrance of shaving soap, starch, warm leather and man teased her nose at his closeness.

Releasing her, Adam returned to his horse to gather a blanket and a small wicker hamper. “I had Cook pack us a light repast. I assume you didn’t have time for much of a breakfast this morning.”

“Only tea,” she admitted, remembering the toast she’d left untouched on the tray Penny had brought to her room. Her stomach gave a painful squeeze, now clearly regretting that decision.

By mutual agreement, she and Adam chose a comfortable grassy spot with a light dappling of shade that was cast by one of the nearby trees. After helping spread out the blanket, she took a seat, reaching out briefly to arrange the long skirt of her riding habit so it didn’t take up too much room.

Adam joined her seconds later, dropping down near her side. “Let’s see what Cook sent along,” he said, opening the hamper. Reaching in, he began laying out the items. “Cheese, a soft sheep’s milk from the look of it, and biscuits. Scones with butter and honey. Two wedges of beef pie. A quarter of a cold chicken and…” He paused, digging into a far corner of the basket. “…two fresh peaches and pears. Oh, and there’s a flagon of small beer and a tin of milk as well.”

“Heavens. I thought you said it was a ‘light repast’!”

He grinned and passed her a linen napkin. “I believe Cook is concerned about you and may have overdone.”

Beneath her breath, she gave a light grumble.

His smile widened. “Eat what you want. There’s no requirement we finish all of this. So, how would you care to begin? Cheese on a biscuit or a wedge of this pie? It smells so good, it’s making my mouth water.”

“Cheese, I think, and maybe one of the scones,” she said. “And the ale is all yours by the way. I don’t care for it in the least.”

“That’s why we get on so well, Mal, since the idea of drinking milk for breakfast fairly curdles my stomach.” Closing his eyes, he stuck out his tongue and gave a mock shudder.

Without realizing, her lips started to curve upward with humor, then abruptly she stopped. With a scowl, she glanced away, biting into the crisp, cheese-covered biscuit she held in order to cover her discomfort. If Adam noticed her brief inner turmoil, he didn’t comment, apparently content to begin his own meal.

They ate in companionable silence, listening to the birds chirp in the trees and the occasional buzz of a honeybee as it droned from flower to flower in search of pollen. The sun was full now in the sky, the temperature rising as the hour progressed. Luckily a light breeze was blowing that kept the air from turning too hot, the weather just right for an alfresco meal.

To her surprise, she ate far more than she intended, finishing her biscuit and cheese, half a buttered scone, one of the peaches and two mouthfuls of chicken that Adam pressed her to try. She was more than well satisfied by the time she stopped, glad for the exercise the ride home would provide.

While Adam polished off the second wedge of beef pie and the last of the small beer, she began repacking the wicker hamper. As she did, a yawn caught her, one that was sharp enough to draw tears.

“Stars, I’m sleepy all of a sudden,” she confessed. “Too much breakfast.”

He cast her a knowing look. “Not enough sleep, I suspect.” Wiping his hands clean on a napkin, he placed a last couple of items she’d missed back in the hamper, then closed the top and set it aside. “Why don’t you lie down for a few minutes?”

“Oh, I’ll be all right,” she said, then just as quickly had to lift a hand to cover another sudden yawn.

Adam chuckled and shook his head. “Stretch out and close your eyes. It’s quiet here and comfortable.”

“We should be getting back.”

“There’s no rush. Besides, in your current state, you might fall asleep on Pansy and topple off.”

Hearing her name, the horse’s head came up. She gave a whinny and tossed her head up and down.

Adam laughed. “See? Pansy agrees. She thinks you should take a nap rather than taking the risk of injuring yourself on the ride home.”

“She thinks no such thing, and I wouldn’t topple off.”

Nod off, perhaps,
Mallory admitted to herself, as she fought a deep wave of weariness.

Lie down,
Adam had said. How incredibly tempting his suggestion was. And how incredibly easy too. All she had to do was stretch out on the blanket and close her eyes. Of course, doing so would be completely improper. Ladies didn’t go to sleep in the presence of gentlemen to whom they were not related. Then again, if she was concerned about the proprieties, she wouldn’t have ridden out alone with Adam at all. Or eaten breakfast with him out of doors with no one around for miles.

Realizing she was being foolish, she covered another yawn with her hand, then nodded, scooting lower on the blanket so she could lie back and still have room to rest her head on the blanket.

“Hold there,” he said, stopping her gently. “You’ll never get any rest wearing that hat.”

“Oh, I guess you’re right.” Blinking against her sleepiness, she reached up to tug free the pins that anchored the bonnet in place. But he stopped her again, setting her hands into her lap before reaching up to ease the pins from her hair.

Despite her tiredness, her heart pumped faster, blood beating in thick pulses as her eyes slid closed. She swayed, her body tingling, as his large hands moved tenderly around her head. His fingers brushed lightly over her temples and cheeks and the back of her head as he pulled out the pins. After lifting the hat away, he reached up to smooth her tresses.

“Sleep now, Mallory,” he murmured, cradling her against him as he eased both of them down to lie side by side on their backs.

She made some faint demur when he tucked her closer, angling her so that her head was pillowed on his shoulder. But she was too sleepy and wonderfully relaxed to care, knowing she was safe and secure in his arms. Letting go, she drifted into a deep slumber.

At her side, Adam was awake, his pulse pounding out a heavy, satisfying beat at the sheer pleasure of holding her so close. He was aroused as well, his shaft hard, his body throbbing with a gnawing, visceral ache. But the sexual need was a mere distraction compared to the sheer joy of lying with her as she slept. He smiled, reveling in the knowledge that she trusted him enough to let down her guard and forget her pain, even if only for a brief while.

Closing his eyes, he breathed in the sweet jasmine scent of her skin, wishing he could pull the rest of the pins from her hair so the thick mass would tumble like waves of dark silk over his chest. Not for the first time, he wondered what her hair looked like when it was down. Did the strands trail to the middle of her back or lower still?

Images flashed in his mind of her rising above him, her tresses falling forward to surround their faces while she kissed him and he kissed her back. They would be long and passionate, those kisses, sultry and seductive in a way neither of them would be able to resist or forget.

A sudden, intense throb in his groin brought him abruptly back to reality. Stifling a groan, he struggled to force the fantasy away. Once he had himself firmly under control, he angled his head to study her, smiling again to see her so deeply asleep. Unable to resist, he brushed his mouth against her cheek and forehead, her skin as smooth as satin beneath his lips.

With a sigh, she burrowed closer against him.

Swallowing a fresh groan, he stared up at the sky and let her sleep.

Chapter 5

E
ver so slowly, Mallory came awake.

At first she didn’t move, far too warm and contented to do more than float in that deliciously drowsy state that was halfway between wakefulness and sleep. Snuggling closer against her pillow, she let her mind drift, aware that she couldn’t recall the last time she’d slept so well or so peacefully.

Months, it seemed, or was it years?

She frowned at the question, then frowned again harder when she realized that her pillow was firmer than usual, nothing the least bit goose-feathery about it. Even odder was the sound it was making, a steady, rhythmic beat that was almost like a heart.

But a pillow doesn’t have a heart.

Nor were any of the pillows on her bed scented with a heady combination of clean perspiration and masculine warmth, with hints of horse, leather and shaving soap mixed in. Inhaling deeper, she detected another scent, faint but reassuringly familiar.

Inviting.

Delicious.

Adam.

Her eyelids popped open, and she sat straight up, her gaze locking on the watchful chocolate brown eyes of the man lying beside her. One hand flew to her chest, her fingers encountering the hard buttons and smooth braids that decorated the front of her riding habit. Memories of the morning came tumbling back—their early-morning ride, their out of doors breakfast and the sudden bout of weariness that had swept through her just as the time had arrived for them to ride home.

“Gracious,” she said on a breathy rush. “I guess I fell asleep.”

His mouth curved up at the corners. “You certainly did.”

“How long was I out?”

He leaned up on an elbow but made no further effort to rise. “Without consulting my watch, I can’t do more than hazard a guess, but I’d say about two hours.”

Her lips parted. “Two hours! Oh, you should never have let me sleep so long.”

“Why not? Clearly, you were tired, exhausted even, considering the fact that you slept like a stone.”

“Maybe so, but you ought to have awakened me regardless. It must be coming on eleven o’clock by now.”

This time he sat up, taking a moment to withdraw his pocket watch from his waistcoat. “It’s eleven twenty-four, so you weren’t too far off the mark.” Snapping the case closed again, he returned the gold watch to its pocket.

“We need to get back,” she said, rising to her knees so she could stand up, only to find her legs bound inside a mass of cloth. “I didn’t tell anyone but Penny that I was riding out with you this morning, and we’ll have been missed by now for sure.”

Before she could untangle herself from her voluminous skirts, he was on his feet and reaching a hand down to her. Deciding it would be faster and easier simply to accept his assistance, she laid her palm in his and let him pull her up. Once she was steady, she beat at a pair of wrinkles in her riding habit. “We should leave,” she said.

“Not without this,” he reminded, leaning down to retrieve her forgotten hat. “Truly, there’s no need for worry. Claire is fully aware that you’re with me.”

She froze. “Claire knows? You told her? When?”

“Last night after you retired for the evening. I’m certain Edward knows as well. If there had been any objection, he would have been in the stables at first light.”

“Oh! Oh,” she said again, tension sliding out of her shoulders as she realized he was right. Still, there were a few of the guests, Claire’s parents, for one, who might not approve. Then again, the earl and countess probably assumed she was spending the morning in her room. And even if they did not, she had every right to be with Adam if she wished. She’d known him since she was a child; he was as much a constant in her life as her family.

“So,” he said, reaching out to smooth a couple of stray locks of hair into place, tucking one behind her ear as if she were still that child. “You’ll come riding with me again tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow? Early again, do you mean?”

“If you don’t mind leaving the house before everyone else is stirring.”

“But won’t your absence be noted? I’m sure Ned must have some hunting excursions planned for the gentlemen. It’s grouse season, after all. You’ve probably missed the first outing already.”

“I’d much rather come riding with you than shoot a brace of birds. The rest of the men can claim my share. Believe me, I won’t mind since I’ve never been all that keen for blood sports, even if I am ruthless enough to dine on the results.”

“You’re not ruthless, only practical.”

He gave her a wry look. “There are many who would not agree. But since you believe me to be practical, I must tell you that it only makes sense for you to ride out with me again on the morrow. After all,” he continued in a persuasive tone, “your reasons for coming along today remain unchanged. The party continues on, in tandem with all the activities and entertainments planned for the guests. Who knows, mayhap your cousin Wilhelmina will decide to direct the company in a play. As I recall, she adores theatricals. I’m sure she would delight in finding a part for you.”

Mallory folded her arms over her chest. “Then she will have to offer that part to another lady. I have no interest in stage acting at the moment.”

“I’m sure you do not. But only think how much easier it will be to avoid all such entanglements if you are out of the house with me?”

She scowled, thinking of all the additional hours that remained in each day. “Unfortunately, we cannot be gone from dawn till dusk.”

“No,” he agreed, “but long enough to put you out of sight and hopefully out of mind when it comes to any schemes that may arise.”

She narrowed her eyes, noting the ever-present twinkle in his gaze. “Why do I have the feeling you are manipulating me again?” she said.

He laid a palm against his chest. “Why, you wound me, sweetheart. I am merely attempting to help.”

And so he was.

“So you’ll come, then?” he said.

She hesitated only a moment before she nodded. “I’ll come.”

“Good.” He smiled. “Oh, and Mallory.”

“Yes?”

“You’ve my permission to fall asleep in my arms anytime you like. I rather enjoyed acting as your pillow today.”

Warmth rose in her cheeks. “Then I shall be sure to stay awake tomorrow.”

“Here now, don’t make promises you may not be able to keep.” Giving her a wink, he set her hat on her head, then began the careful task of pinning it into place.

He and Mallory rode back, left their horses at the stable, then walked to the house, all without encountering any of the guests. Once inside, they met Croft, who informed them that the gentlemen were indeed out hunting, while the ladies had settled on the idea of picking wildflowers in one of the nearby woods. Everyone would be returning sometime in the next hour in order to rest and change their attire for nuncheon.

“I’d best be off to my room then,” Mallory told Adam as soon as they were alone again. “If I time things right, perhaps I can plead a headache and skip the meal.”

“You’ll do nothing of the sort. Have your maid help you into an afternoon gown, and I’ll see you in the dining room.”

Her strawberry pink lips parted in clear surprise. “In the dining room! But I don’t want to join the others. We agreed.”

“We did no such thing.”

“Of course we did. You promised.” Her brow furrowed. “Whose side are you on anyway?”

“Your stomach’s, that’s whose,” he retorted, taking her arm to lead her up the stairs. “I may be helping you avoid wildflower expeditions and the like, but you need to eat.” She opened her mouth again to utter a retort, but he stopped her. “Now, no more arguing. Go on and enjoy a couple of hours’ rest and solitude. I shall see you for the midday meal.”

Hurt shimmered in her gaze, as she shook off his hold. “I thought you understood.”

“I do,” he said, his tone gentling. “Better than you might realize.”

Casting him another look that was a mixture of anger and betrayal, she spun on her heels and hurried away, her dark blue skirts trailing behind her. He watched until she reached the end of the corridor and disappeared from view.

“You’re dealing with her surprisingly well,” Edward Byron, Duke of Clybourne, commented as he stepped out of a nearby room. “Better than the rest of us have this past year, I’ll confess.”

“Your Grace,” Adam said, turning toward Mallory’s tall, powerful, dark-haired brother. “I didn’t realize you were home. I assumed you were out hunting with the others.”

Edward shook his head. “I let Cade and Jack do the honors for me today. There were several matters on the estate I deemed more important than playing host this morning.”

“Estate matters should take precedence, particularly since there’ll still be plenty of game birds left to catch tomorrow,” Adam agreed.

The corners of the duke’s mouth turned up in clear agreement. “Exactly. From what I understand, you’re doing quite a bit of estate work yourself these days. How are the improvements coming on Gresham Park?”

“They’ve really just begun in earnest, but so far, everything is going well.”

Edward studied him for a moment. “You’ll have to tell me more of the details. I would be most interested to hear.”

Adam inclined his head, knowing he would enjoy the discussion with a man of the duke’s insight, experience and intelligence.

“Are you certain, however, that you can afford to be away from home just now considering the improvements you’re undertaking at Gresham Park?” Edward asked. “Like the game birds, there’ll be other years and other parties for you to attend here at Braebourne.”

He met the duke’s keen blue gaze. “Much as I appreciate your and the duchess’s hospitality, it’s not the party that’s drawn me here.”

Edward gave a sage nod. “No, I didn’t think it was. She’s still fragile yet, but then you know that.”

“I do.”

“My sister’s been through a lot. I won’t have her hurt any further.”

Adam’s jaw tightened. “She won’t be. Believe me, I would kill anyone who ever hurt Mallory.”

“Yes, I rather expect you would. She thinks of you as a friend, though, so you would do well to have a care.”

“Where she’s concerned, I am always careful. And though I see no reason why I should have to say it, my intentions toward her are strictly honorable.”

“I know that. If they weren’t, you’d never have gotten within ten yards of her.”

Adam squared his shoulders, he and Clybourne fully aware that if he’d decided to pursue Mallory years ago, nothing—not even her powerful family—could have stopped him from having her.

The duke gave a wry smile. “Truth is, I like you, Gresham. We all do, the entire family. As for Mallory, she’s always held you in particular esteem, in many ways I believe she sees you as her seventh brother.”

The reminder rankled. “I am
not
her brother.”

“No, you aren’t.”

“Are you warning me off?”

“Not at all. Only suggesting you go slowly.”

Adam barked out a laugh. “Considering the number of years I’ve known her, I don’t think I could go any more slowly.”

Edward narrowed his eyes as if a missing puzzle piece had just clicked into place.

“I’m taking her riding again tomorrow,” Adam stated. “I trust you have no objection.”

The duke sighed. “Actually, I think it’s an excellent plan. I’ve seen more life in her these past two days since you arrived than I have in the last fourteen months. She’s been like a ghost up till now, floating around this house as if she were invisible, or as though she wished she were.”

Pausing, Edward twisted the emerald signet ring around on his little finger. “That little disagreement I overheard between the pair of you…for a moment she seemed like the old Mallory again. She had a spark, a fire that’s been absent too long. Do what you will to bring her all the way back. Just have a care while you’re about it.”

“As I said, I am always careful with Mallory. She means the world to me.”

“As she does to me.” Taking out his pocket watch, Edward flipped open the gold case. “I think there’s enough time for a drink before nuncheon. Come have a glass of wine, and you can tell me about Gresham Park and your plans for it.”

Relaxing suddenly, Adam smiled. “Now that would be my pleasure.”

Closing her bedchamber door on a near slam, Mallory stalked toward her dressing room, unbuttoning the front fastenings on the bodice of her riding habit as she went. Yanking off the close-fitting jacket, she tossed the garment onto a nearby chair, then went to work on the skirt. The tiny mother-of-pearl buttons at her waist presented a far more difficult task since they were located at the small of her back. Unwilling to wait for her maid’s assistance, she reached behind herself and stretched, twisted and contorted until the buttons finally came free. The heavy skirt billowed past her hips to land in a dark blue puddle on the floor.

Stepping clear, she walked toward the washstand. Only then did she catch a glimpse of herself in the mirror and note the irritating fact that her hat was still pinned to her head.

Blast it all!

Reaching up, she began ripping out the pins Adam had done such an excellent job of applying, heat rising in her cheeks at the memory.

How dare he order me about,
she thought. Telling her to rest and change and come down to nuncheon like a good girl. From the way he talked, she was the veriest child, fomenting some immature rebellion instead of mourning a loss of the most grievous kind.

Michael would never have behaved like such an insensitive, overbearing bully,
she thought.
He wouldn’t have made me do things I do not wish to do, then use the excuse of its being for my own good. He—”

Abruptly she stopped, a sheen of moisture gathering in her eyes. Laying down the pins in her hand, she slowly pulled off her hat, the dyed dark feathers bobbing in a way that reminded her of those worn by the horses in a funeral cortege.

How could she have forgotten him for even an instant? she wondered as she sank into a nearby chair. How could Michael have been so far from her thoughts today when he was with her constantly? But for the first time since his death, hours had passed without Michael in them. Instead, she’d thought only of Adam today, the strength of his personality and the diversion provided by their outing driving everything else away.