He carried her to the bed, taking a brief moment to dry their flushed limbs with the soft towels piled there, then he fell back upon the mattress with her on top of him, her silky thighs straddling his hips. She gasped when he entered her, his body hard and aroused.
“How?” she asked breathlessly, her eyes wide as he began to move slowly within her, her pleasure building anew.
Garrett’s eyes burned into hers with a passion hardly sated.
“I will never have enough of you, Maddie Fraser,” he said vehemently. “Never.”
He pulled her to him and seized her lips, pouring out all his inexpressible love for her in his kiss. He would never give up until she believed in him. He would make her believe that he loved her!
Chapter 29
When Madeleine awoke the next morning she was alone in the huge bed, and for that she was more than grateful. She sat up slowly, her muscles somewhat sore. Her cheeks fired with shame at the rumpled condition of the bedding. She could not believe how easily she had surrendered to Garrett, their impassioned lovemaking carrying them far into the night.
“Love had nothing to do with it,” she said heatedly, throwing off the heavy tartan bedspread. “‘Twas lust, pure and simple.”
She swung her legs over the side of the bed, her gaze falling on the large wooden tub and her robe lying crumpled on the floor beside it. The telling scene only heightened her chagrin. She padded over and picked up the robe to shake it out. The apricot satin was stained from its unexpected soaking and probably ruined.
Serves ye right, she scolded herself, whisking the damp garment about her shoulders and hurrying to the door. All she wanted to do right now was get dressed, and her everyday clothes were in the other room.
Madeleine held her breath as she peered out into the silent hallway, finding it empty. She dashed to her chamber, her bare feet making little sound, and bolted the door once she was inside. She leaned against it, reveling in her familiar surroundings.
At least she would have some privacy this morning, she thought with relief. Once her things were moved into Garrett’s room, she would no longer have any excuse to seek the refuge of her chamber. And he would be coming and going as he pleased, whether she was dressing or not!
She jumped at the sudden knock on the door, darting away when the outer latch was rattled.
“Madeleine, are you in there?” Garrett’s deep voice called out to her. “Open the door.”
She swept back her tousled hair and moved reluctantly to the door, unbolting it and lifting the latch. She cracked it, peeking out at him warily.
“What are you doing?” he asked softly, pushing the door open a little wider with his shoulder. “I was thinking to wake you, but you weren’t in bed—”
“I came in here to change,” she interrupted him, meeting his probing eyes. “My everyday gowns are in this wardrobe.” She felt her heart beat faster as he smiled in understanding, but she tried to ignore it. “I was going to move them into our room” —she flushed at the intimate memories those two words provoked— “after I changed.”
“You might have to wait until later for that,” he replied. “Meg Blair and Kitty Dods are downstairs. They said you had asked them to come and help clean up the house.”
“Aye, that I did,” she said, remembering her brief encounter with Meg the day before. “If ye’ll have them wait for me in the dining room, Garrett, I’ll be there shortly.”
He nodded, glancing down at the steaming pitcher of water he was holding. “I brought this for you, but be careful. The water’s quite hot.”
Madeleine took the pitcher from him, her hands brushing against his. She started, shocked by their warmth when hers were so cold.
“Thank ye,” she said shakily, avoiding his eyes as she quickly shut the door. She sensed him lingering in the hall for a moment, and she found it difficult to breathe normally until his footsteps sounded on the side stairs.
How could he have such power over her? How could he unnerve her so easily, now more than ever? she wondered, walking to the washstand. Nothing had changed. He was King George’s spy, and she was his unwilling wife.
Not so unwilling, she mused darkly, setting down the heavy pitcher. Aye, that much had changed. Last evening her desire for him had blazed like a wildfire out of control, a fire she feared could easily flare again.
Och, dinna think of it! she bade herself, but her fingers trembled as she slid the robe from her shoulders. She tied back her hair, then poured the hot water into the washbasin and bent over it. She plunged in her hands to warm them, splashing her face again and again.
She bathed and dried herself quickly, shivering from head to toe, her breath hanging in the air like a misty vapor. It was plain she would have to light a fire in every fireplace from now on to ward off the evening chill. Glenis had always seen to that before—
Madeleine’s mouth drew into a tight line as she pulled a simple woolen gown from the wardrobe and dressed hurriedly.
Glenis was gone, never to return. The fireplaces were her responsibility now, as was everything in the household, including the kitchen. Meg and Kitty would probably agree to stay on and help her, yet it was her duty to see that things ran smoothly.
After all, she thought grimly as she stepped out into the hallway, she was no longer a brigand. She had to find something to keep herself busy until Garrett’s soldiers arrived from Fort Augustus. At least then she would be able to visit her kin in Farraline and around the valley.
She walked down the main staircase, thinking of the days that stretched ahead. What with her numerous household duties and paying calls in Strathherrick, she and Garrett would see very little of each other, except at night.
