‘Precisely, and for that reason alone you should have more control over his movements.’
‘I do realise the gravity of the situation. I admit I should have taken stronger action to keep him safe. I failed. You are right to put the blame on me. I knew my responsibilities and I should have taken better care of him. I have had so many commitments of late that I have neglected my duties. I should have honoured the pledge I made to Tipu.’ His voice was harsh with self-recrimination. ‘I promised him I would take care of Dhanu. I gave him my word and I broke it.’
Rosa found it somewhat satisfying that he experienced guilt, but it did not lessen her anger. ‘Yes, you did. Thank goodness Aunt Clara made me aware of the situation and I managed to bring him home. But I do not want to be put in a situation again when I might have to save his life. It is your responsibility to do that. He was entrusted to your care. You have an obligation to take care of him. He has been through a dreadful ordeal today. Thankfully he appears to be unhurt. But when I think what those two men who followed him from India might have done to him—well—it doesn’t bear thinking about.’
William’s eyes narrowed and his expression tightened. ‘How did Kapoor know where you were. What were they doing here?’
‘Dhanu encountered them in the park and ran from them. It was fortunate that someone who looks out for destitute children on the city’s streets found him and brought him to the institute. When he arrived he was a very frightened little boy. Indeed, he was so traumatised he could not speak. When my aunt told me a small Indian boy had been brought in I thought it could not possibly be Dhanu—I was horrified to find I was mistaken. Those men were watching the institute. They must have seen where he was taken. I shudder to think what might have happened had they got their hands on him.’
‘Thank God,’ he murmured hoarsely, overcome with emotion and putting a hand to his suddenly aching head. ‘Hopefully everything will be all right now.’
Looking at him now, seeing how affected he was by this whole sorry business and the death of his friend he had told her about, Rosa’s attitude softened. ‘Yes—yes it will,’ she uttered. ‘I—I am sorry to hear about your friend. You must feel his loss terribly.’
He nodded. ‘Something like that. He was a good man. He did not deserve to die the way he did.’
Two burly constables appeared. William gave them an account of what had happened. ‘I can rely on you see this man is put under lock and key?’
‘Aye, sir—we’ll see to it.’
After speaking to Beth, who was relieved the situation had been resolved with no one hurt, William and Rosa left the institute. He had almost reached the carriage when a haze appeared in front of his eyes and he stumbled.
He shook his head. What the devil was the matter with him? The night was dark and there was a haze that was thickening around him and voices came to him from down a long reverberating tunnel.
‘William? Are you all right?’ Rosa asked, having left the institute in his wake and seeing him sway and reach out to the wall for support.
He turned his head and looked at her. Suddenly there was something strange in his sensations and indescribably new. He seemed to be losing all identity. Trying to bring his mind back to the present he thought of the cut Kapoor’s knife had inflicted on his hand and cursed. The confusion, the giddiness—the knife must have been dipped in one of Kapoor’s concoctions. This was what Kapoor had been referring to when he had said—things happen. That had to be it. He shook his head to try and clear it, and looking through the haze he saw that Rosa was watching him closely, her eyes dark with concern. Her face swam before him and he heard her voice coming from somewhere a long way off.
‘William? Speak to me. Are you ill? What is wrong with you?’
‘Get me away from here, Rosa,’ he managed to gasp, his words slurred. ‘I don’t care how you do it—but for God’s sake get me to a bed. The knife—Kapoor’s knife—something on it... A drug, poison—God only knows what it was. It’s the only explanation I can think of. That damned Kapoor... I don’t want anyone to—to see me like this... Take me somewhere—anywhere—soon...’
‘A doctor. I must get a doctor to look at you.’
‘Just get me to a bed... I have to lie down.’
Rosa was incredulous, but she felt the urgency of the situation. Shouting for Archie to help her, the two of them managed to get him to the carriage and inside. It was a long way to Grosvenor Square, the distance not so great to her aunt’s house in Bloomsbury. In a state of indecision she looked at William. He suddenly became restless, pulling at his cravat as if it was too tight and muttering something unintelligible beneath his breath. The decision was made for her. On impulse she shouted to Archie to make for home.
Archie helped him out of the carriage and walked him to the door. ‘Shall I come in with you, Miss Ingram?’
‘No—no, Archie, I’ll manage. He’s still upright and seems able to walk—if unsteadily, although for how long I cannot say. I don’t know what it is that’s made him like this. Fetch Doctor Walsh, will you—Aunt Clara’s doctor. Tell him it’s the Earl of Ashurst and that he needs urgent attention. It’s useless trying to talk sense to him while he’s in this state. When you’ve fetched the doctor go to Grosvenor Square and inform them Lord Ashurst is here and for them not to be concerned. I am sure he will feel much improved in the morning, although I suspect he’s going to have an enormous headache.’
Sick with dread, inside the house she did consider waking Mrs Loxley, the housekeeper, but her room was on another floor and at the back of the house. She was also a heavy sleeper—as was Dilys, who slept in the next room to Mrs Loxley. Her aunt and uncle were not expected back until the following afternoon. She turned to William, who was having to hold on the newel post to keep from falling over. Looking at his handsome face with his hair tumbling in disarray over his brow, at that moment she had no wish to dwell on what had made him so ill, or the sinister implications of it.
Time for that later, when she had got him to bed and the doctor had taken a look at him. Taking his arm she forced him to look at her. ‘William, can you understand me?’ He nodded, trying hard to concentrate on her face. ‘We have to get upstairs so come along. I will show you to a room.’
William tried to allay her fears by pushing himself away from the newel post and, with difficulty keeping his eyes focused, he gripped the balustrade as he followed her up the stairs. Opening the door to one of the guest bedrooms, Rosa crossed to the window and closed the curtains before lighting a couple of candles. Turning to William, who was about to collapse onto the bed, she helped him out of his jacket before turning down the bedcovers. He had the presence of mind to remove his cravat and open the neck of his shirt before dropping onto the sheets. She removed his boots and stood looking down at his face, the sweep of his long lashes as they rested against his cheeks, the little creases at the corners of his mouth, the black hair curling on his brow. There was nothing more she could do.
Thankfully Doctor Walsh came straight away. He lost no time in examining William, lifting his eyelids and feeling his pulse. William moaned, muttering incoherently. The doctor looked at the cut on his hand. With Rosa’s assistance he cleaned and dressed it. Seeming satisfied he stepped back.
‘I don’t think it’s poison—there’s no vomiting. I think it’s probably a narcotic of some kind. Hopefully he’ll sleep off the effects before morning. He should feel better by then—although his head will ache considerably.’ Picking up his bag he walked to the door.
‘Thank you for your time, Doctor Walsh. I’m most grateful.’
‘Not at all. If he gets any worse send for me. I’ll see myself out.’
Left alone with William, Rosa looked at his head resting against the pillows, his hair ruffled and his eyes closed. She was reluctant to leave him. Following all that had happened since finding Dhanu, all her senses were heightened and she was in a very s
trange mood.
As if he sensed her confusion, William’s eyes flickered open. Raising his arm, he took hold of her hand, pulling her down until she was sitting on the bed facing him.
‘Stay,’ he whispered, raising her hand to his lips. ‘Don’t leave me.’
His lips were soft on the back of her hand. She did not pull it away. His half-open eyes held hers like a magnet, drawing her to him and doing strange things. Suddenly she felt a throbbing heat creeping into her body and everything began to change. She was not immune to him. He was making her feel things she didn’t want to feel. An alarming, treacherous warmth was creeping through her body. Dazed by the confusing messages her body was sending to her brain, and afraid that if she didn’t withdraw her hand things could take a dangerous turn, she gently removed it from his grasp and rose. Once again his eyes flickered closed and he began to breathe deeply. In the partial darkness of the room she stood perfectly still, gazing down at him with trembling disquiet, mesmerised by the partial uncovering of his magnificent body. Her gaze caressed his strong shoulders, his open shirt revealing the upper part of his furred chest.
Time seemed to stand still. She was conscious of her increased pulse rate—due to her nervousness and trepidation, no doubt—but what to make of the weakness in her legs and the warm, glowing feeling low in her belly she truly did not know.
As if he sensed her continued presence, William’s eyes again flickered open. With some difficulty they focused on the shape of the woman peering down at him. Her features were indistinct. Through his confused, drug-clouded mind his thoughts strained for clarity, but it was no use. Everything struck him as odd and his brain refused to register things. But the memory of a face he adored fluttered through the caverns of his mind like a butterfly and penetrated his torpor.
Somehow he managed to say, ‘Rosa...’
Surprised to hear him speak her name, she whispered, ‘Yes?’
His eyes gleamed bright. ‘I want to hold you.’
She stared at him, wanting so much for him to do just that. When he reached out his hand she felt something stir within her—something she had never felt before. A flicker, a leaping, a reaching out. She found herself moving towards him, slowly, her eyes fastened to his.
Through the lingering effects of the drug clouding his brain, William drew her once more onto the bed so that she was half sitting, half lying beside him.
‘Thank you for not leaving me,’ he uttered hoarsely.
The closeness of her body whetted his appetite, and with a surge of lust and desire he wanted her—wanted to fill his mouth with the taste of her and draw those inviting hips beneath him.
Rosa studied him in the dim light. He was staring at her, breathing hard and fast, and behind the haze and confusion she saw in his eyes, mirroring her own, was hot, burning desire. It shook her to the core of her being. She wanted to feel the broad expanse of his chest pressed to hers, to kiss again those beautifully moulded lips. Looking into his half-shuttered eyes, she found her gaze held in a wilful hungry vice of blue. They had a fixed, unnatural brightness and were without expression. She knew that somewhere in his fuddled mind he knew who she was, but he didn’t really see her. She shivered, but it was not from the cold. Suddenly she was warm—far too warm.
Something was happening to her. It was as if a spark had been lit that could not now be extinguished. A need was rising up inside her—a need to be close to this man, to wallow in the desire that had suddenly taken hold of her, to saturate herself in passion. Pulling her head down to his, he found her lips with his own, moving hungrily, twisting and demanding, warming her to the very core of her being. His tongue passed between her lips to probe and taste the honeyed sweetness within with a ferocity that drew a moan from her throat, breaking her resolve and lacerating her will, causing every one of her senses to erupt in a ball of flame.
Rosa knew she could not withstand his persuasive and unrelenting assault for long—and she knew what he was doing to her could be a prelude to other pleasures. At that moment she wanted to experience every one of them—and why shouldn’t she? Encouraged by his mouth and his caress, the thought took root and began to grow. Desire swept through her, warm and hungry, gathering force until it became a storm of passion. An inner voice inside her head said, This is wrong. It is not right—stop now before it is too late. And yet she could not pull away from the grip of whatever had her as its prisoner. Nor did she want to.
The thought of what she was about to do flashed through her mind, but she rejected it quickly. There had been no vows said between her and William and there never would be. She knew it was a sin for a woman to give herself to a man in carnal lust outside wedlock and that she must learn to exercise the strictest discipline over the demands of the flesh. She had always regarded her virginity as something infinitely precious, but she hadn’t realised that desire could be so powerful and all-consuming. The feelings she carried in her heart for William she could not put a name to, but he occupied her heart and mind. If she could just have this one night of happiness to remember, to savour and memorise in the years ahead, then surely God would forgive her this one weakness. She realised that in the cold light of dawn the pain of what she had done might be intolerable, but regardless of this and what came after, tonight she wanted to belong to him completely.
Shoving William’s arms away, she stood up, pulling off her clothes until she was completely naked. Seeming to sense what she was doing, William sat up and rid himself of his shirt. His trousers proved to be more of a problem, but with Rosa’s help he managed to remove them and flung them aside.
Rosa’s hair tumbled down to her waist and her heart was pounding in her breast. Carried away by desire she lay beside him. Coming into contact with his flesh, she relaxed against him with the familiarity of the most successful courtesan, little realising the devastating effect her naked body had on him. He was vital and strong, all rippling sinews.
With desire burning fiercely in his veins, William held her to him, his arms strong and protective, his lips claiming hers. They were sweet and moist and parted eagerly beneath his own. Sliding his tongue between them, his arms tightening possessively around her, he groaned and his long-starved passions flared. Their bodies bent in the ardour of their embrace. The kisses became fierce and stirring, devouring and all-consuming.
‘You are wanton, my love—and how perfect you are. I must have you.’
‘Shh...’ Rosa whispered against his lips in the warmest tone, thankful for the shadows that covered them both. Her body was burning and she wanted more of him. ‘Don’t talk.’
When she felt the bold, insistent pressure of his body she realised that the reckless path she had chosen was where she wished to go. He cupped her breast in his hand. She had never been touched like this by a man before and the feel of his hand almost melted her bones. It was when her thigh brushed the scorching heat of his manhood, throbbing with life, that she was shockingly made aware of her innocence.
Suddenly primeval fear mixed with the awesome pleasure of his body. Less sure of herself, she felt fear take over and panic set in. She shouldn’t be doing this. It was wrong—totally wrong. She felt her body tightening, and she felt cold, as though her blood had turned to ice. She wanted to cry out, to tell him to stop and push him away, but having lost his sense of reality, with his mind reeling and filled with the scent of her, his lips were on her demanding more.
In desperation she tore herself free and rolled away from him. How could she possibly give herself over to him in his drugged state, when he would be unable to remember anything of what he had done? But, not to be cheated out of what he desired and what he believed she wanted to give, he laughed and pulled her back with a strength she had not thought possible. Her body was pale and lustrous, his hand moving up her calf warm, encircling her knee, then spreading and caressing her aching thighs. Sensing her capitulation, his ardour increased and he kissed and caressed her with a
hunger he saw no reason to control. Covering her with his body, growing more purposeful, his hungering lips were insistent. With his mouth against her flesh his tongue teased the soft peak of her breast, his hand spreading, caressing the soft flesh of her inner thigh that began to tingle and to glow.
Like magic her fear was gone. Incapable of reason and drowning in a flood of pleasure, she felt her body respond as if she were another person. And though her mind told her this was wrong, lost in that wild and beautiful madness, her female body told her mind to go to the devil. Her body became alive with pleasure, unfolding like the petals of an exotic flower. Never in her imagination had she experienced anything so erotic as this. There was nothing she wanted more than to let herself go. What was happening to her? What was he doing to her? Every fibre, every pulse, every bone and muscle in her body came alive. All her senses became heightened and focused on William and what he was doing until nothing else mattered. A shuddering excitement swept through her and the strength ebbed from her limbs as his lips travelled over her flat belly, hips and thighs. She strained beneath him. They were entwined—and a burning pain exploded in her loins as the delicate softness was penetrated. She cried out softly and for a moment he stilled, locking his gaze with hers, until her body eased around him.
Joined with him in the most intimate way imaginable, crushed beneath his strength and able to feel the beat of his heart against her breast, Rosa became aware of a sense of fullness as he plunged deep within her. With lips and bodies merged in a fiery fusion, she gasped. His hungering mouth searched her lips and he kissed her with a slow thoroughness, savouring each moment of pleasure before beginning to move. And then she felt something new and incredible as she began to respond to his inner heat.
Never would she have believed that she could feel such fierce pleasure, nor that she could respond so brazenly as she yielded, giving all her desire and passion, as if an ancient, primitive force were controlling her, driving her on. Operating wholly on instinct since her wits had flown long since, she craned her neck back and her fingers laced through his thick hair as she abandoned herself to his lips, his hands. They were no longer two separate entities, but one being. Then his control shattered and, as though he were seeking a much-needed release for his mind and body, he claimed her fully, filling her with an urgent desire until he collapsed completely, his shuddering release over.
A Vow for an Heiress Page 19