“Who would haveadministered the poison?”
“I was led to believe itwas Bonaparte’s acting sommelier,Marquisde Montholon. But I am notcertain.”
“Where is the marquisnow?”
“Somewhere on theContinent. No sense in going after him. He has powerful friends.You might not make it home.”
“I’ll leave it for historyto judge.” Jack led Arion along the road with Caindale hanging onbehind him. “Why involve yourself in this business? Was it allabout the money?”
“Some of it, but not all.Renard assured me Bonaparte was on the verge of escaping again. Ilost my eldest son in the Peninsular Wars. I have another. He’ssixteen years old and wants to join the army. I don’t want anotherwar.”
“Let’s hope we don’t getinto one for a while.”
Caindale sighed. “Indeed.”
~~~
Harry shut the door while Erina,unable to breathe, waited ramrod still in the center of the room.She loved him. So intensely, it was impossible to express it withwords. He took her hands, and drew her close, his brown eyesbrimming with tenderness and what she hoped was desire.
“First of all, Erina, Iwant to make it plain why I married you.”
She released a breath. “Why,Harry?”
“Because you are the mostinfuriatingly stubborn, the most deliciously attractive, the mostgenerous hearted woman I’ve ever met.” He put a finger to her lipsas she began to interrupt. “And because, my darling girl, I ammadly in love with you. And have been since that time in thestables when you introduced me to your horse.”
“Really?” she exclaimedjoyfully.
Harry groaned and wrapped his armstightly around her. “You make me feel alive, Erina. I wanted todraw you down in the hay back then. And every day since. Even whencrippled and stuck in my bed, the urge has never leftme.”
Shocked by his sudden ardor her skintingled, and her body warmed. She eased away to stare into his facewanting to be sure. “Then why didn’t you tell me? Why did you leadme to believe…?”
“I didn’t do any suchthing, my love. You were determined not to marry. Not me, at anyrate. I knew I could never change that stubborn mind of yours, so Iwaited. And it’s almost killed me.” A look of vulnerability enteredhis eyes. “Do you love me a bit, Erina?”
“Oh, Harry. I love you alot.” A soft gasp escaped her. “You mean everything tome.”
A wry, but indulgent glint appeared inhis eyes. “I had begun to hope you regarded me with more thanfondness, but I wasn’t sure. I know how you value yourfreedom.”
“But I don’t, not with you.I know you will be a fair husband. I want to be beside you,always!”
“My darling, passionategirl.”
His words became difficult to decipheras his soft lips sought hers. Harry cradled her face as he kissedher endlessly until her knees trembled. He took her hand and ledher over to the bed.
As she sat there, Harry removed theribbon from her hair tossing pins to the floor. Her heart throbbedwith joy and love for him. But what would the servants think? “Doesone do this in the daytime?”
“One does.”
He threaded her long auburn tressesthrough his fingers and raised a lock to his lips. “There arestrands of gold through the red, and it smells sosweet.”
He stepped away and began to removehis clothes. Coat, cravat, waistcoat, and shirt were tossed asidein a very un-Harry-like manner. Then he sat to remove his boots andstockings.
A heavy feeling settled in her stomachas she gazed at his bare chest. She slipped from the bed to tracethe puckered red scar on his shoulder. “Does this stillhurt?”
His arms slipped around her and hepulled her close. “I shan’t let you destroy the mood, Erina,” hesaid as he nudged her ear and pressed kisses over her throat. Hisfingers at her back worked at the Dorset buttons on her gown.Slipping it from her shoulders it pooled at her feet. She steppedout of it and stood in her petticoats while after kissing hershoulder he undid the laces of her stays. He continued to undressher with his usual efficiency, pausing to kiss parts of her as theywere revealed. Her breath quickened, and she held onto hisshoulder, his bare skin invitingly smooth beneath herfingers.
Harry stripped off his trousers andunderwear and drew her down onto the bed. How extraordinary to lieskin to skin with a man, her body aching for his touch.
He cradled her breasts in his handsand bent to kiss them. “Your beauty exceeds all my boyishimaginings.”
