Bargaining With a Rogue, page 20
“Lady Frances, may I ask you for the next dance?”
Her genuine smile changed slightly. Nash didn’t know if others could tell, but he could. Even the light in her eyes disappeared.
“Indeed, you may.” She looked at Nash and the spark in her eyes returned. “Lord Englewood, would you excuse me now?”
“Of course.” He bowed and watched her leave with the other man.
The evening seemed to drag after that. It reminded Nash of the last time they planned to meet after the ball. But this time would be different. He wouldn’t let anything stand in his way of protecting the woman he was madly in love with.
He danced with Frances one more time during the evening, but the music was much faster than he’d wanted. Still she smiled so wide that he could see most of her teeth. Stars snapped in her big, brown eyes, which in turn made him beam with happiness. Lord Calvin had also danced with her another time, but her smile wasn’t as lively as when she was with Nash.
He liked that. No...he loved that.
“I’m relieved to see you haven’t bowed out.”
The man’s voice behind Nash startled him. He jumped and turned to see who had said that to him. Frances’ father stood beside Nash, his hands linked behind him as he rocked back and forth on his heels. The grin on the older man’s face told the tale before the man could say anymore.
“Pardon me?” Nash asked, hesitantly, wondering if he really knew the reason behind the man’s statement.
“I’m happy to see you didn’t back off and let Lord Calvin win my daughter’s hand.”
Nash’s face grew warm from the compliment. It was good to know he had the father’s acceptance. “No, I’m not backing down.” He glanced across the dance floor to find Frances who was dancing with another man. “Your daughter is too special to lose.”
Chuckling, the duke slapped his hand on Nash’s shoulder. “It does my heart good to hear you say that. She deserves a man who will put her first in his life, and I believe that man is you.”
Narrowing his gaze, Nash studied the duke’s expression. Why was he saying this? He didn’t appear to be joking in the least. “Tell me, Your Grace, why do you feel this way? After all, you did practically force us to get married.”
The duke threw back his head and laughed heartily. “Oh, my boy. The truth is I was helping you along. I knew my daughter was interested in you, just as much as you were interested in her. When I followed you outside into the glade of trees, I was just giving your relationship a little nudge. Neither of you wanted to believe you had feelings for the other.”
Shaking his head, Nash chuckled. “You cunning old man...”
The duke laughed harder. “True, but it worked. Correct?”
“Yes, it worked.” Nash sighed as he folded his arms. “However, now I just need to convince your daughter that she loves me.”
“Do it soon.” The duke motioned his head toward Lord Calvin who stood against a wall, watching Frances. “Because I fear that she’ll think she’s still in love with Adam. Although, I really never believed she truly loved him.”
How odd that Frances’ father would say such a thing. But Nash was sure the father knew quite a bit about his daughter by this point in her life. “Well, Your Grace, I’ll do all I can to win her heart.”
The duke nodded once. “You’re nearly there.” He turned and walked away, chuckling softly.
Nash grinned. He hoped the old man was right.
Soon the time came when the duke ordered the butler to fetch their wraps. Nash kept his eyes on Frances, and she glanced around the room until their gazes met. She nodded, and he returned the gesture. Follow us, she mouthed, which made him give her another nod. Within minutes, the duke and his family left the party.
Nash didn’t wait more than five minutes before he hurried out to his horse and mounted. He followed, but at a distance. There was no way he was going to let Lord Stone touch Frances. He’d rather rip off the man’s head with his bare hands...and Nash wasn’t usually a violent man.
When Frances’ coach approached the drive to their estate, Nash slowed his horse and waited behind a large tree. He watched them exit the coach and enter the house.
Nash urged his horse closer before dismounting. He tied his horse to a tree and crept toward the west side of the manor. He glanced all around, wondering if he would see Lord Stone waiting. He almost hoped he spotted the man. Nash wouldn’t hold back. He’d love to use that insipid fool as his new punching bag.
Nash tried to find something to hide behind. He moved from one tree to the next, waiting, and watching. A good ten minutes passed, with nobody coming or leaving the manor. The small window in the door showed that the hall behind it was dark. But he kept his eyes on the door.
Finally, a light flickered in the window. Holding his breath, he waited for Frances to appear.
FRANCES COULDN’T BELIEVE how easily she was able to slip out of her room, down the stairs, and toward the west corridor without being spotted. It was as if leaving the house tonight was meant to happen.
This evening, she’d wondered if her father knew what she had planned. The way he bid her good night with a twinkle in his eyes while grinning like a fool made her curious to his actions. Did he know she’d be sneaking out tonight? If only he could do something about that wife of his and her nincompoop nephew, Frances wouldn’t have to leave the house in fear.
Just as she had done last time, she had changed her clothes so that she resembled a lad—even stuffing her long hair in the cap. She donned the same boy’s shirt and breeches.
She tiptoed down the hall, listening for any sounds, especially voices. But none were heard. Dare she hope that everything would continue to go smoothly? No, that would be ridiculous. Bad luck had been following her as of late.
Suddenly, the echo of a heeled shoe clicking against the hardwood floor broke the silence. Light began to brighten the area. Someone was coming her way. And fast!
Panicked, she quickly opened the door to the nearest room and hid inside. Slowly, she closed the door, but not fully, praying it wouldn’t squeak and bring undue attention. Holding her breath, she peeked through the slit, trying to see who the person was.
Augusta! Frances should have known. The older woman unlocked the door that Frances would leave out of. Confused, she scrunched her forehead. This was the west door...not the east. Then again, Edgar was probably too stupid to really know the difference. Perhaps that was why she unlocked this door. Would she unlock all the doors? Frances rolled her eyes. Probably.
Augusta waited by the door, peering out the window. Frances’ heart hammered crazily. Please don’t spot Nash. Without a doubt, her trusted protector, Nash, was out there—somewhere—waiting for her. But if Augusta noticed him, the night would be ruined completely.
After what seemed like several minutes, Augusta stepped away from the door and headed back up the corridor. Frances expelled her breath.
Frances’ hands shook as she slowly pulled the door open. She glanced up the hall to make sure Augusta was well enough out of sight. Relief swept over her when darkness covered the corridor.
She took soft steps toward the door, her ears on high alert. She peeked out the window, but the half-moon’s brightness didn’t let her see much tonight.
Holding her breath, she turned the knob and slowly opened the door. A small wind blew from the thicket of trees nearby, rustling their leaves. A cricket—or two—chirped. Somewhere in the distance, a dog howled.
She crept outside, pulling the door behind her softly until it clicked. Shadows were everywhere. Dare she call out to Nash? No, that wouldn’t be wise. What if Edgar was somewhere close by?
Frances moved slowly away from the house, her gaze darting all around. She inhaled deeply, trying to detect Nash’s scent. His intoxicating smell was unlike anything she’d smelled before, and it would be branded in her memory forever. Unfortunately, the wind wouldn’t let her detect anything.
She didn’t dare stay by the house, just in case Edgar stumbled across her, so she stepped toward the stable located down the slope of the yard. As she passed some bushes, a rustle came from behind. Before she had time to react, a man’s hand clamped over her mouth.
Fear rushed through her. Edgar caught me!
NINETEEN
Frances struggled against the man’s strong grip. She tried to pull his hand away from her mouth, even as he dragged her behind some tall hedges.
“Frances, it’s me,” Nash whispered in her ear.
Relief swept over her and she relaxed. Slowly, he removed his hand over her mouth, and looked deep into her eyes.
“Edgar is out here. I saw him not too long ago.”
She nodded. “I was almost caught by Augusta when she unlocked the door. I thought they’d talked about Edgar going to the east door.”
“That’s where I saw him,” Nash explained. “However, we aren’t alone. There is another man out here.”
She hitched a breath as fear raced through her again. “Who is it?”
“I don’t know. I’ve just seen a shadow of a man.”
“Do you think he saw you?”
“I pray he hasn’t.”
She pulled her attention away from Nash and scanned this side of the yard. “You don’t believe he’s after me, do you?”
“That, I couldn’t say, but I think we need to be careful, just in case.”
She blew out a frustrated breath, turned, and buried her face against Nash’s chest. “Why can’t this just stop? I want a normal life again.”
“Don’t fret, my dear.” Nash kissed the top of her head. “I will protect you.”
Being close to him like this was so comforting. She never wanted to leave this man’s side. It was strange how quickly she’d thought of him as her protector. “I know you will.”
With her face against his chest, she could finally inhale his manly scent...the smell she loved. Smiling, she slid her arms around his waist, cuddling closer to him. Immediately, his arms wrapped around her, holding her next to him.
Frances loved this. She loved...him. Always, and completely. Her heart soared from the knowledge.
There, for a while, she thought she’d been in love with Adam, but now, after being with Nash for these past few weeks, she realized this was love. What she had with Adam had already disappeared from her heart, and her memory.
She released a quiet, pleasurable moan. “Nash, you are so wonderful,” she spoke her thoughts aloud.
His chest rumbled with a laugh. “Why did you say that?”
She tilted her head back to meet his gaze. “Because I feel so safe in your arms.”
A serious expression took over his face. “Then I shall never let you out of them.”
Her heart melted. How could it not? His words had always stirred such passion inside of her heart.
She dropped her gaze to his mouth, wanting to kiss him now, more than ever. Before she could change her mind, she leaned up and placed her lips against his. Groaning, he tightened his hold around her. He met her kisses with urgent ones of his own. Happiness grew inside of her. Why couldn’t it always be this way?
The padding of footsteps coming near them startled Frances, and she broke the kiss. Nash’s arms tightened a little more, ready to protect her at any moment. She couldn’t see through the small branches of the bushes, but she figured Nash could see better since he was taller, and could probably peek above the branches.
“Who is it?” she whispered.
“I...don’t know.”
“Can you not see him?”
“A little, but it’s not Stone. It’s not your brother, either. I honestly don’t know who it is.”
As the steps moved toward the house, Frances felt brave enough to raise her head and peek over the hedge. The man, wearing a top hat and long dark overcoat, hurried to the door. He tested the knob before entering.
Irritation shot through her. How dare that man enter her home uninvited? “I would like to know who he thinks he is...”
“Shhh,” Nash said. “Lower your voice. Stone could still be out here somewhere.”
“But who was that man, and why did he go inside?”
“That, my precious, is an excellent question. But do you want to follow him in just to see where he’s going?”
Sighing, she shook her head. “Of course, not. That would be ridiculous—and defeat the purpose of hiding from Edgar.” She frowned, glaring at the house. “I pray Father will find the man, or perhaps one of the servants will see him.”
“Yes, let’s hope that is what happens.”
Silence crept upon them, but the night sounds were louder this time. Did that mean they were free to leave their hiding spot? She sure hoped so.
“I think we should go now,” Nash whispered.
Smiling, she turned her head to look at him. Had he just read her mind? “Yes, I think we should.”
“So you don’t want me to go inside to see who that man was?”
“No, I’ll let the staff take care of him. Right now, I have only one thing on my mind.” She slid her hand slowly up his chest. “I want to get out of here so that Edgar doesn’t see me.”
Nash grinned wide. “Your wish is my command, my precious.”
Feeling like a night thief, she held Nash’s hand as they ran to a tree, hiding behind the large trunk before darting to another tree. Each time they stopped, he looked around the area, seeing if anyone had noticed them.
Finally, they reached his horse. Nash mounted first before lifting her and setting her on his lap. At first, it was quite uncomfortable, but as he slid an arm around her, holding her against his chest, he urged the horse into a trot, and she realized this position was perfect. She wouldn’t have it any other way.
During the ride, she kept looking over Nash’s shoulder to see if anyone was following. From what she could tell, they were alone on the road. The farther away from the house they rode, the easier she breathed.
She rested her head back against Nash’s muscular chest. The pound of his heartbeat soothed her fears. Not only was she worried about Edgar, and about the strange man who’d entered her house, but now she thought about what would happen once they reached Nash’s home. They had hinted about what they wanted to happen a few days ago. Even though so much had happened in the last two days, she still wanted to be with him. Intimately. She felt he wanted the same. So would he turn her fantasies into a reality for her tonight?
His manor came into view and the rhythm of her heart quickened. He led the horse toward a new structure. Even in the shadows, she could tell what it was.
Gasping, she sat up straight. “Nash! You have a new stable.”
He chuckled as he stopped his horse inside. “Indeed, I do. I still need to paint it, but at least it’s erect and can give my horses a place to call home.”
“Oh, it’s beautiful.”
He dismounted first before reaching up to lift her off the horse. She wrapped her arms around his neck, staring into his shadowed eyes. He smiled so lovingly.
“Actually, you are the one who is beautiful,” he said before dropping a kiss on her nose before setting her on her feet.
Nash quickly removed the saddle and bridle before walking his horse into the stall. He turned back to her and took her hand in his, leading them toward the manor.
“Nash? Are your sisters here?”
“No,” he said, looking down at her. “They were so upset by the fire, they decided to stay with their cousins for a while.”
“Then...we will have all the privacy we need,” she whispered as her voice shook.
Was she scared, or was it that she just looked forward to their intimacy? Either way, she trusted Nash. She knew he wouldn’t hurt her. So far, he’d been so very tender with her, and she knew he wouldn’t change that aspect of his manners.
She just hoped she would have the courage to continue what they had planned. After all, she was still very innocent in a lot of things.
Inside the house, a few lamps were on in the hall. He took one as he started up the stairs. Her heart jumped in her throat, and her limbs began to tremble. Inwardly, she cursed her body’s weak reaction.
He glanced down at her and smiled. He lifted her hand and brought it to his mouth, kissing her knuckles. “My precious, you are safe now.”
She nodded. “I know. I’m exactly where I want to be...with you.”
Another small lamp was lit in the corridor where the bedchambers were located. Three doors stood on each side of the hall. Which one was his? The wait was nearly killing her.
He stopped in front of the last door on the right, turned and faced her. “Are you ready?”
She swallowed the lump size cotton ball that must have been lodged in her throat. “Y-yes.”
He bent his head and captured her lips. She threw her arms around his neck, participating fully in the passionate kiss. He must have set the lamp down because both of his hands were on her, circling her waist as he pressed her against the wall.
They kissed this way for the longest time, and she wondered if he would ever take her inside his room. Did she need to be the one who suggested a more comfortable place to go in order to continue this moment?
His lips moved away from hers and trailed over her cheek and to her ear. Lightly, he suckled her lobe, bringing goosebumps over her flesh. He then kissed down her neck, to the collar of the boy’s shirt she wore. Chills ran rapid over her, warming her body very quickly.
Nash pulled away and looked at her. His breathing was as heavy as hers. He stroked her cheek before moving away from her to open the door.
Finally! She tried not to grin too wide. He picked up the small lamp before taking her hand and pulling her into the room.
She glanced around...and stalled. This wasn’t his room. There was nothing that indicated a man slept here. Not even his scent lingered. This looked more like a guest room.
He set the lamp on the bed stand before turning to look at her. “I hope this room is to your satisfaction.”
Disappointment washed over her. Deep down inside she knew he didn’t have any intentions of being intimate with her tonight.
