“We will,” Jemma chimed in, only too happy to leave now that she didn’t fear Ben being taken from her. Their horses awaited outside where two grooms held the reins. Ben helped her into the saddle before grimacing as he pulled himself into his. They set off, this time skirting Lantic Bay and heading toward the cliffs. They stopped and dismounted when they reached the path where they met.
“It seems a lifetime ago I spied you in your beautiful bright skirts and tunic. I’ve never seen anything like them before. But as curious as I was about clothes, the enigmatic girl with the devilish smile had me tongue-tied.”
“Hardly. And you were the most handsome young man I’d ever met. All I wanted was a way to keep talking to you. I asked my father who you were when he came home. I said I spied all of you on the beach and wondered why someone my age was involved. I discovered you’re two years older than me and felt foolish. I assumed I amused you because you saw me as a child.”
Ben wrapped his arms around Jemma. “The only time I think about you and children in the same breath is when I imagine ours. I guessed you were a couple years younger than me, and I’d wished we were both older. Until my father warned me you’re a princess, I thought to seek you out each time I returned. Perhaps impress you enough to consider me.”
“The time we wasted with our misunderstanding.” Jemma sighed with regret. “You’d already impressed me, and I’d already considered you.”
“We were far too young, though. We couldn’t have made anything come of it except a prolonged courtship. We’re finally both of an age to consider marriage a wise endeavor. I know our families could have married us both off a couple years ago, but I don’t think your parents or mine were in a rush to see either of us go.”
“I know my parents weren’t, otherwise, they would have forced me to marry someone else.” Jemma tightened her arms around his neck. “I’ve never wanted to marry anyone else.”
“Neither have I.”
Jemma went onto her toes as their kiss grew just as heated as the ones they shared in the summerhouse. Ben’s hands cupped her backside, and just as her kisses drugged him earlier, they were his reprieve from his pain. They sank into each other, wishing to devour rather than taste. Ben’s left hand traveled up her ribs until he cupped her breast, massaging it as she moaned. Her hand trailed over his back and ribs until they found hisbuttocks. They couldn’t get close enough now that they knew what it was to indulge.
“Jemma, you stretch my resolve to leave you a maiden until it’s frayed to the last strand.”
“Do you think I feel any differently?” They shared another kiss that was abruptly interrupted.
“Get on with tossing her skirts. This waiting grows tiresome.”
Ben spun around, searching the darkness for the intruder. Before him stood a man close to his own age, with a dozen others behind him. He reached for the pistol he always carried at his lower back, but four muskets rose, the metal glimmering in the dark. He stood with his arms akimbo, entirely blocking Jemma from their sight. He felt her hand reach to his waist and withdraw the weapon. She did nothing more, the quiet night threatening to give away the sound if she cocked it.
“Who are you?” Ben demanded, his voice like steel.
“Just someone enjoying the show but growing bored with the foreplay.” The stranger flipped a coin toward Ben, who let it land at his feet. “Maybe that will spur things along. I hear Indians can couple for hours.”
Ben sensed Jemma’s anger radiating from her, but she didn’t move. He glared at the vulgar man, deciding how best to extricate them. But the man swaggered toward them.
“I recognize that hair. Your sister is the little bitch who refused me in my home.”
Ben lashed out without thought, his fist driving into the man’s throat, nearly crushing his windpipe. “You’re Zachary Windsor-Clive. You’re the bloody bastard who tried to rape my sister.”
The sound of the muskets preparing to fire stayed Ben from furthering his attack. He wouldn’t do more to endanger Jemma.
“I’m the Earl of Plymouth, you inbred twat.” Zachary gripped his throat as he signaled men to rush forward. Ben heardhis pistol’s hammer draw back. Jemma stepped around him, pointing the gun level with the Earl’s head.
“Call them off.” Jemma eased closer until the barrel pressed against Zachary’s temple. He waved back his men, but Jemma didn’t move until Ben reached up and covered her hand. She released the pistol immediately.
“You shall hang for this.”
“I doubt it. I’m on good terms with Lord Pencarrow. He has his own connections that will erase tonight from anyone’s memory.” He wouldn’t mention Theo or Raj unless it grew more dire than just having the muskets pointed at them.
“Not mine. Give me the gunpowder, and I will forget finding you kissing your whore or that you assaulted me.”
“What gunpowder? I’m not an East Indiaman.”
“Don’t play stupid. I know you have it here. I’ve been following your sister and her lover.” Clearly, he didn’t know since no shipments had arrived since Ben departed for Poole.
“My brother-in-law is an earl, one who seems prone to defending his wife. I doubt he will take well to what you’ve said about my sister or his cousin.” Ben pressed the end of the gun firmer against Zachary’s temple. “Leave.”
Ben stepped back but didn’t lower the gun. He knew Zachary was aware of how Raj felt about the Windsor-Clives and their business interests. He didn’t think Zachary was truly foolish enough to do anything.
But then the young earl proved him wrong. “Grab her.”
Half the men rushed forward. Jemma gathered her skirts and ran. She knew Ben was only one man. He would die before letting any of them take her, and then she would still be their victim. She knew the land between Lantic Bay and Polruan better than any of them, since she hadn’t recognized a single man. They weren’t the excisemen who frequented this length of Cornish coastline. She bolted toward a copse of trees and woundher way through them before dashing toward a path down to the beach. It was the same one Ben used to hide. She knew she would be out of sight since it was dark. She could likely hide only halfway down with no one being the wiser.
