“I see. Take care,Jack.”
“I wish you all the bestwith the determined Lady Erina.”
“Thanks. I feel I’m goingto need it.”
It was close to midnight, but Jackwasn’t tired. Apart from exercising Arion for a few hours beforeluncheon he’d done very little during the day. He’d been restless,eager to continue his search for Lord Butterstone’skiller.
He washed and stripped off his eveningclothes, slipped between the sheets and blew out the candle.Resting, he considered his trip to London.
Jack sensed Harry wasn’t sure himselfwhat lay behind his rash behavior. For him to squire an unmarriedlady about the countryside without her father’s permission wasbreathtaking in its recklessness. Even if he planned to marry her.Erina, a forceful young woman, had made it plain they weren’t towed. But even forceful young women could not make Harry dosomething he didn’t wish to do. If Harry disagreed he’d dig hisheels in, and you knew you might as well save your breath. He hadnever lost his temper to Jack’s knowledge but got his own way mostof the time by some means or other. It was a revelation to find himbending to Erina’s will as meek as a lamb. Curious, Jack wished toknow why she would risk her reputation to go to Ireland.
The door opened, and candlelightflooded in from the sconces in the corridor. For a moment, adelectable shape was highlighted before the door closed and theroom became dark.
Jack pushed back the covers andreached for the tinder box. He breathed in a familiar scent as ahand found his shoulder. “Don’t light the candle.”
He ran his hand down her arm and tookher wrist, then with an arm around her waist, leaned back on thebed taking the lady with him.
Ashley sighed. “I hope I am welcome?”she asked, half lying over him.
“Can’t youtell?”
She giggled softly. “I feel like ayoung girl.”
“Surprising in a woman inher dotage,” he said, as his hands cupped her perfectly youthfulderriere through her thin nightgown.
She laughed and reached up to touchhis hair. “We must talk.”
The room was midnight black, it wasimpossible to read her expression, but her voice told him what hewished to know. “And we will, I promise.” He peeled the fine lawnover her head and threw it on the floor. His lips found the softskin of her throat. He cradled her head in his hands and pressedkisses over her cheek and took her mouth.
She softly moaned and stroked herfingers through his hair. “I’ve thought of this allday.”
“As have I.” He enjoyed atactile investigation of her body. Without sight, his other sensescame to the fore. The smell of fragrant, aroused woman, theincredible softness and warmth of her skin, the shape of herdelicate bones beneath, the rise and fall of her breasts. Hergently rounded stomach, the damp warmth between her thighs. Whathad begun as a slow appreciation became a rampaging passion sendinghis blood thumping through his veins. He took her swiftly while shemoaned, her fingernails leaving a trail of sensation across hisback.
They lay quietly afterwards as he heldher, aware that she was silently crying. She mourned her father andperhaps Lambourne too. Jack frowned into the dark. Butterstonewould be avenged.
~~~
Harry sat up in bed. “Erina! What areyou doing here? Go away this instant!”
“Shush.” Erina opened hisbedroom door wider and slipped inside. “I have something I musttell you.”
He reached for his robe. “Couldn’t itwait until breakfast?”
“Impossible. We won’t bealone.” She perched on the end of the bed and arranged her greensilk dressing gown over her legs. “And I need to explain about ourjourney.”
Harry slipped from the bed, tightenedhis dressing gown belt, and sat on the sofa near the fireplace.“Dare I hope you’ve changed your mind?”
She eyed him for a minute. Histawny-brown hair was all tousled, rather endearingly. “I want toexplain my reason for going to Ireland. And if you prefer not totake me, Harry, you can put me on the stage.”
He smoothed his hair back. “You expectme to put you on the stage and go off home to confess all to myfather and yours?”
“Well, yes. I admit thatmight be difficult.”
“Difficult! Not quite theright word, is it? Shall we try impossible?”
Erina was getting a crick in her neck.She left the bed and came to sit beside him on the sofa. “Don’tshout. Someone might hear.”
He made a strangled noise in histhroat. “You woke me up to make this appallingly foolishsuggestion?”
