“Speaking of engagements.” Landon sat up and leaned back against the bed’s headboard. “It is time we formally celebrate our union.”
Bronwyn’s back and shoulders stiffened. “We are to return to London?”
If he could see her expressive face, he’d know how best to answer. She jumped from the bed and spun to glare at him. “But I’m not ready. Lady Mary and I have barely begun.”
Bronwyn’s heaving chest, nipples pressed tightly against her shift, had his full attention. Her protests registered in the depths of his mind, but his body responded first. Blinking away his wayward thoughts, he hauled the tangled sheets up to his waist and smoothed out the material. “Not London.”
Bronwyn narrowed her eyes. Pleased she had freely expressed her opinions, albeit nonverbally, Landon ignored his body’s desire to haul her back to bed. “Archbroke has kindly invited us, the Network elders, and a few close friends, to convene at his country estate. We are expected to arrive by week's end.”
Head tilted, Bronwyn asked, “Are you sure my dad accepted the invitation?”
“Why wouldn’t he?”
“I’d not count on my dad agreeing to leave London to attend such an event.” She shook her head and padded over to a fallen pillow.
“But you’re his daughter…” The pillow hit him square in the chest.
Hands on her hips, Bronwyn said, “My dad is proud of me; of that I have no doubt. He fully supported the decision for us to marry, but he will not change his ways and hobnob with your lot.”
“My lot?” His papa was a second son; the likelihood of him inheriting the Hadfield title had been a distant possibility until Theo’s brother died four years past without having married or sired an heir. Who the bloody hell did she consider his lot? It certainly wasn’t the lords who lounged about White’s all day.
Bronwyn sighed and let her hands fall to her sides. “My dad is a tradesman and a loyal PORF supporter. He has sworn to protect and serve. He’ll not elevate himself above what he deems his appointed position.” His wife’s voice resolute. “Once my dad places the mark upon me, he’ll no longer view me as his daughter but as a PORF.” Bronwyn touched the harp upon her bracelet and blinked back tears.
Landon reached out for her and she padded closer to the bed.
Holding Bronwyn’s hand, he said, “When I asked you to marry me, I didn’t know of your ties to the Network. And since then, I’ve failed to take into consideration the full ramifications of our union.” He raised their joined hands and kissed the back of her hand. “I acted selfishly. I let my love for you blind me.”
Her mouth fell wide open. “Did you say you love me?”
How could she not know the depth of his feelings for her? Her dubious expression confirmed his failure to show Bronwyn how he felt. His breath caught in his throat, but he managed to eke out, “I did.” He wanted Bronwyn to return the sentiment, but she stood blinking as if his confession of love was the most befuddling thing she’d ever heard.
There was a scratch at the door, followed by Peyton’s harried voice. “Bronwyn. Blast it. I mean, my lady. Lady Mary is waiting in the morning room.”
They couldn’t dally any longer. “You’d best go get ready.” Landon kissed his dazed wife. “As soon as I’m decent, I’ll let your maid in to assist.” He turned Bronwyn by the shoulders and gave her rear a pat.
She took three steps forward before she swiveled back around and said, “I…I don’t…”
He couldn’t bear to hear the truth. Bronwyn didn’t love him. Landon interrupted his wife and said, “Mary hates to be kept waiting.”
A deep frown replaced Bronwyn’s confused features. Turning on her heel, Bronwyn strode to the connecting chamber without another word. Landon leaped from the bed and hastily donned his breeches and shirt.
Damnation.
He was no coward. He’d hear the truth now. Striding to the door, he opened it to reveal an overwrought Peyton wringing her hands.
Taking pity on the poor maid, he said, “Please inform Lady Mary that your mistress will be along shortly.” The maid bobbed and then rushed down the hall.
Landon leaned against the closed door and counted to thirty.
Always loved by those close to him, he had misconstrued Bronwyn’s enthusiastic responses to him as affection. The barrister in him needed to gain all the facts in order to determine how to move forward. If she didn’t care for him, he’d be patient. Perhaps over time, she could learn to love him. He pushed off the door and stood up straight. Taking a deep breath, he fortified himself for the worst. His sluggish feet dragged to the connecting changing chamber.
Chapter Sixteen
Bronwyn stood in the center of the changing chamber, hands clenched at her side, repeating the words Inhale, Exhale. He must think her a simpleton, standing next to him gaping like a fool. Every night he mumbled his love for her in his sleep, and she practiced her own admission. Only hours before, she had easily managed a confession of her love. She’d been rattled at having revealed her deep fear of being distanced from everything and everyone she knew, but that was no excuse for her idiotic behavior. Landon had whittled away her defenses. Her fear of appearing weak or ignorant had dissipated.
The colors of her dresses and gowns became a blur in front of her. Tears threatened to spill as she reached for her favorite sky-blue day dress. Thank goodness she was alone. Eyes closed, she inhaled and froze.
“Will you allow me the pleasure of assisting you?”
Landon’s deep voice reverberated through her body. She swiveled to face her husband, who stood on the threshold with his arms loosely crossed. His musky, woodsy smell radiated throughout the small space. His words were spoken casually but there was nothing blithe about the way his stare penetrated her.
She nodded. When he was an arm’s length away, she searched for a glimpse of his dimple. It was missing. She swallowed the knot of apprehension that had lodged in her throat and blurted, “Did you know I fancied you back when you were a barrister?”
“I hadn’t a clue.” Landon uncrossed his arms.
Clutching her hands together in front of her, Bronwyn said, “Remember the day you proposed, and you told me that I had remained in your thoughts?”
Landon took a step closer and settled his warm hands on her hips. “Aye, I recall that day vividly.”
Before she lost her nerve, she said, “Well, I confess, there hasn’t been a day since the first day I met you that I’ve not thought about you.”
Landon’s features softened a tad. “Is that so?”
She couldn’t tell if he was baiting her or teasing her. What was his purpose? Bronwyn answered, “Yes. But the man I fantasized about daily was a barrister driven to uphold the law. A man that I could work alongside.”
“You envisioned a partnership like your parents share.” The quizzical tilt of his brow, and the intensity of his gaze marked his words as a question rather than a statement. It was as if he was trying to read her mind. His lips slowly curved into a grin, and the irresistible dimple she desperately wanted to see appeared. He tucked a wayward lock of hair behind her ear. “You know, I’m the same man as I was before I inherited the title and the mark.”
“No. You’re not.” The man before her set her blood on fire. She placed a hand on his hip inches above the mark. “You are…”
He bent down and kissed her, sending her thoughts scattering. She snaked her arms about his waist and tilted her head as he trailed kisses along her neck. “I can’t think straight when you kiss me.”
“Don’t think.” Landon’s fingers dug into her bottom as he drew her closer. “What do you feel?”
She chuckled. “All of you at the moment.”
His arousal oddly reinforced his earlier statement of love. It wasn’t pure lust. The dense energy radiating from him was drenched with the emotion she now recognized as love.
Landon gave her a playful swat on the bottom, causing moisture to pool between her legs. She found she rather liked revealing
the rogue within him.
His hand rubbed away the sting.
What could she say to provoke him to repeat the action? “I’m not sure what to call these sensations that you cause within me.” She ran her hands up along the sides of his lean body, over his chest and his shoulders, until they came to rest behind his neck. “My body aches to be near you. I think about you constantly.”
He groaned as she raised up on her tiptoes, and her stomach grazed against his arousal.
Landon nipped the lobe of her ear. “What else?” Both his hands slid to her bottom.
With a slight hop, she wrapped her legs about his waist. “Take me to back to bed, and I’ll tell you all.”
Devilishly he raised an eyebrow and asked, “What about your lessons?”
“Why bother? You will merely set out to prove them pointless.”
He carried her out of the dressing chamber and paused by the door that led to the hallway. Landon whispered, “Make sure no one is out there to hear you.”
She released the latch, and through a sliver of a gap, she peered out into the hall.
Peyton swiveled as the door creaked open. Confused, her maid lifted her eyebrows. “My lady?”
In her husband’s arms, Bronwyn was inches higher than her natural height. Smiling, she said, “Please advise Lady Mary that Lord Hadfield has decided to stay abed today. Abiding by yesterday’s lesson, it is my duty to sit by his bedside and attend to his every whim.” She swallowed a yelp as her husband deliciously smacked her backside.
“Should we send for a physician?”
Her maid’s concerned frown evoked enough guilt within Bronwyn to answer solemnly, “No need. I’m certain he merely needs a few hours extra rest.”
Payton squinted downward and then gasped. Wide-eyed, she quickly bobbed and fled.
Her maid was an innocent. Whatever had she seen?
Landon chuckled, “I’ll expect that the entire staff will be aware that their master has hairy legs.”
Bronwyn burst out laughing as she shut the door, causing her husband’s engorged member to rub against her core. She wiggled and extracted a heated groan from the man she loved. She hadn’t managed to say the words out loud, but now that she had his attention for the rest of the day, she would ensure her husband learned how much he meant to her. As Landon carried her to the bed, she placed kisses along his jaw.
“Wife, behave. You and I are to finish our discussion first.” He released his hold on her.
As soon as her bottom touched the mattress, she scrambled under the covers. As Landon slid into bed, she snuggled along his side. Her hand came to rest upon his chest.
Peering up at him through her lashes, Bronwyn confessed, “It’s hard to define or express the rioting sensations that you cause within both my mind and body.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. Landon licked his lips. Whatever he was about to say, she sensed it was hard for him to convey. “Do you regret marrying me?”
Leaning up on her elbow, she shook her head adamantly. “No.” One hand on his cheek, she took a deep breath. “Eight years ago, I dreamed of being a barrister’s wife. Even then, I considered a union between us as a lofty, crazy wish. When you inherited the earldom, it became an impossibility. Then you became the head PORF, and I knew it was a hopeless fantasy.” She leaned over and placed her hand over his heart. “When you proposed, all that came to mind were the reasons I should not marry you.”
Landon covered her hand with his. “Then why did you agree?”
“Because I love you.” She dropped her mouth to his and infused the kiss with all the emotion she had kept bottled up.
Gasping for air, Landon drew back, “Did you say you love me?”
Her husband’s roles and responsibilities may have changed, but he was still a barrister at heart. She grinned and said, “I did, counsel, I did.”
Solving the puzzle of how to aid him as earl and PORF would have to wait. Today, she was going to indulge in marital relations until her husband was the one to tire first.
Chapter Seventeen
Exhausted, Landon laid the white strip of material that was once his cravat over his thigh and attempted to smooth out the wrinkles. Shaking his head, he wrapped it around his neck and tied a simple knot that Jacobs would find appalling. Since his wife’s declaration of love, the woman was tireless. He hoped his increased stamina was from the surge of invincibility he experienced when Bronwyn was close and not the clean country air. Landon eyed his wife as she readjusted her gown over her delectable breasts. Mindlessly, he grabbed his waistcoat that laid haphazardly on the opposite bench. It was still a two-day journey to London, but he could feel the weight of his responsibilities already encroaching upon him.
Jostled sideways as the coach turned off the dirt path, Landon begrudgingly shifted away from Bronwyn, whose cheeks blazed red as she hastily righted her coiffeur. He pulled back the coach window curtain. Archbroke’s manor was impressively well kept.
Squinting, Landon made out a familiar silhouette. “Theo is eagerly awaiting us. She’s bouncing on her toes like she used to when my family would visit hers at Hadfield Hall.”
Bronwyn huffed. “I’m certain Lady Archbroke would do no such thing. That would be breaking at least three of Mary’s rules.”
He leaned back and held the curtain open for his wife to see for herself that his highly respected cousin was indeed behaving like a child on Christmas morn. When she remained frozen at the window, Landon said, “I’m not one to tout when I’m correct…” He stopped mid-sentence as he took in Bronwyn’s strained features.
“The mansion is enormous. Significantly larger than Waterford’s castle. However am I to navigate such a monstrosity?”
“I expect you’ll manage without much of an issue. It’s a fairly simple structure, similar to Hadfield Hall—both buildings are easy to commandeer.”
“Maybe for you. But it took me three days to memorize Waterford’s castle. I won’t tell you how many times I opened the door to the water closet, believing it be the door to our chambers.”
“Easy mistake. You were only two doors off. I made the same mistake myself when I first visited.” Landon chuckled.
The coach door opened. Eager to stretch his legs, Landon jumped out first. Holding out his hand for Bronwyn, he waited for her to exit. When she didn’t immediately appear, he stuck his head back into the vehicle.
“Are you going to remain in here all day?”
Bronwyn fiddled with her skirts. “No.”
“I promise Archbroke won’t bite.”
“It’s not Lord Archbroke. I’ve conversed with the man many a time at my dad’s store. It’s that I dearly want to impress Lady Archbroke and…”
He reached for Bronwyn’s hand. “Theo is the sweetest person I know, and she happens to be my favorite cousin.”
“I’m certain she is lovely, kind, and the epitome of what all ladies strive to be. But Lady Archbroke is highly regarded and holds an extraordinary place in the hearts of those in the Network—especially the women.”
The mix of awe and nervousness in Bronwyn’s voice was befuddling. “While I consider Theo an angel for having married Archbroke, she is no demi-god. She is human just like you and I. Shall we go meet our hosts before Theo has my head for making her wait?”
Bronwyn grinned and took his hand. “As you wish.”
He gave her a wink. “Perhaps after the introductions I shall show you the way to our chambers.”
Barely audible foot falls had Landon rolling his shoulders back and preparing himself to great his cousin.
“Landon!” Theo’s voice was mere inches away.
He instinctively hauled his wife to his side.
Theo looked down her nose at him, despite the fact he was at least twelve inches taller than her. “Why are the two of you dawdling?”
He swiveled around to find Theo flanked by Waterford and Mary, both with smirks on their faces. During the last leg of their trip, he had limited his attention
to kissing…though not all the kissing had occurred upon Bronwyn’s delightfully shaped lips that had curled into a smile.
Bronwyn stepped forward and curtsied. What was she doing? Theo should be the one paying respect to Bronwyn since she outranked Theo. Placing a hand under her elbow, he guided her to stand next to him, except he was barreled out of the way as Theo threw her arms about Bronwyn.
“Cousin!” Theo pulled back and grabbed his wife’s hands. “Welcome to the family. Aunt Henrietta and Christopher are not due to arrive until tomorrow. I selfishly wanted to spend the day with you.” Theo’s bright emerald green eyes landed on Landon. “She’s all mine for the day. You kept me waiting, and now you will pay.”
With a nod, Landon conceded. He was no fool—Theo was treated by both the Network and PORFs as queen, regardless of the rondure.
Theo led Bronwyn away. Separated from his wife by a few feet, and he already missed her.
A pebble hit him square in the middle of his back. Landon swiveled and caught the second one before it hit him in the chest. He stared at his cousin-in-law, Graham Drummond, Earl of Archbroke and Head of the Home Office, as he sauntered up the drive. Landon blinked twice. The man who the ton had once considered a dandy, as immaculate in appearance as his manor, now resembled a field hand with his hair disheveled and clad in sweaty breeches and lawn shirt.
Archbroke said, “About bloody time you came to relieve me of your duties. I’ve had little to no spare time to spend with Theo.”
“For which I believe Theo is thankful.”
“Hardly. The woman is in her second trimester and has regained her…” Archbroke blinked and then shut his mouth tight.
Since Landon’s proposal to Bronwyn, the woman had occupied his thoughts every moment. Love was incredibly distracting. If Archbroke was as preoccupied as Landon was with how to get his wife back into bed, Landon certainly did not want to hear whatever it was Archbroke was about to impart.
Archbroke came to stand next to him. Footmen scurried about unloading the numerous trunks both Mary and Bronwyn deemed necessary. Long gone were the days of traveling with a single travel bag and one other. Bronwyn was well worth the tradeoff.
Revealing a Rogue Page 11