Lord Deverill's Heir, Catherine Coulter [the best motivational books .TXT] 📗

“Very distressing,” Lady Ann said, about as distressed as her mare, Tulip, who was probably neighing with pleasure over her oats. She followed Paul into the front parlor, a cozy, light-filled room that she quite liked. It wasn’t an immense empty tomb like Evesham Abbey.

“I suppose I like your riding hat,” he said. “May I remove it for you?” He wanted to kiss her and he didn’t want to have to find his way around a pile of black velvet.

She nodded mutely, raising her face. He didn’t kiss her, but it was close. He pulled the narrow ribbons apart and lifted the hat from her head. After all his care, he couldn’t prevent tossing the hat on a nearby table. “Now, come sit down and tell me what new calamity brings you here.” Something had to have happened, he knew it. He supposed the kisses would have to wait. He sighed. “I’m fortified. No, you wouldn’t come here just to surprise me, would you?”

She gave him a delicious smile. “No, I am here just to see you. Well, I suppose I did have rather a loud argument with Justin over Arabella. I hadn’t meant to, but it happened. Then she even came into the chamber.

She was terrified of him, Paul, terrified. As for the earl, God knows what was in his mind. But you are right, you know, about all of it. He believes that she has betrayed him with the comte. But he wouldn’t tell me why exactly he believed it and that is what I wanted from him. But he wouldn’t tell me. However, I do know him well enough to realize that if he believes something so ridiculous then he must have a reason.” She sighed. “I wish he had confided in me.”

“I wonder if he has yet ordered that young man from Evesham Abbey. He should, you know. Then perhaps he and Arabella can get this wretched misunderstanding all straightened out.”

“I hate Evesham Abbey. Now it is even more cold and empty than before.

Even when people are walking around, it is still empty. God, I have hated that place forever.”

“Then you will live here with me.”

She looked startled, then laughed. She looked about the drawing room, loving every piece of furniture, each drapery, each small sculpture or drawing or painting that was here. “Would you really let me live here with you? You wouldn’t make me live somewhere else, somewhere you thought was grand enough for me?”

“No, you will be here, with me, and Mrs. Muldoon will bully both of us and love you, but like a mother would, not like I, who would be your husband and your lover. I know you enjoy this house, Ann. I also know that if it didn’t please you, you would tell me. Eventually, anyway.” She rose from the settee and skipped to where he sat. She eased herself down on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Yes,” she whispered against his ear, “I would tell you eventually if something displeased me.

However, right now, I cannot think of anything.” She kissed him. Lady Ann, that very proper, very beautiful woman he had loved since he had met her when she had just married the Earl of Stafford, nineteen years before. God was beneficent. “Oh yes,” he said into her mouth.

When she finally raised her head, she was breathing more quickly, her breasts were heaving a bit. He was so happy he thought he would burst with it. “I don’t suppose you want that tea, do you, Ann?”

“I forgot. If you would take me to Mrs. Muldoon’s kitchen and show me the tea, I will endeavor to make some for us. That is, if you would like some boring tea.”

“As opposed to what?”

“As opposed to me,” she said, and sank down against him again.

He didn’t want to make love to her here in the drawing room. No, he wanted her in his bed, where she would sleep every night for the rest of her life. He wanted her very badly. “Will you come with me, Ann?”

“To that wretched kitchen?”

“No, to my bed.”

She was stroking her soft palm over his cheek. “I believe I would even go to Talgarth Hall with you.”

“It’s love then,” he said, and rose, holding her tightly against him.

She was laughing. It was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard.

He took the worn carpet stairs two at a time, reminded fleetingly of the interminable years of nights he had walked weary and alone up these same stairs to his bedchamber. Soon, he would never walk them alone again.

A very replete hour later Lady Ann whispered against his neck, “I’m a loose woman. If you don’t marry me then I will have to cast myself into a ditch. All that guilt and remorse for my sins, you know.” He kissed her, but didn’t laugh. He was as serious as a man could be when he said, “You are prepared for the malicious gossip of our neighbors?” She hadn’t thought of it, but she knew it would happen. She thought about it now for all the time it deserved—about five seconds. “They can all go to the devil,” she said, and he was so startled that he did laugh then.

“And Arabella?” he said then.

“I’m not worried about her, at least with regard to us, Paul. Surely she’s guessed. Even Justin has. She is very fond of you. Why should she care if her dear mama finally finds happiness?” He wanted to tell her that it was very possible that she would hate him as much as she loved her father. But he didn’t know. Everything was strange now, nothing as it should be, except for them, he thought, kissing the tip of her nose. No, this was a perfect strangeness.

He helped her to dress. He found it very enjoyable, working all those little buttons back into their holes. They left his house together.

* * *

Lady Ann arrived at Evesham Abbey in barely