Her words faded into the night’s air.
Within the darkness, within the stillness, he came to her side. He took her in his arms and laid down beside her in the bed they shared. He pulled her close and she accepted the comfort he offered. Time would swiftly dawn the morning. Oh, what she would have given to stop the hands of the clock from chiming.
Never in her life had she ever felt the all-encompassing feeling swelling in her heart. Outside the door lay a world in wait, but now at this moment, there was only the two of them.
“I won’t let you go, Eloise,” he whispered in her ear. “Don’t let go of me.”
“After losing Rosabel, I have not been afraid of much,” she said, grasping tighter to his arms. “But I’ve been so afraid…of losing you. It has been so long since I have felt anything. I didn’t want to, prayed not to. I told myself you would never understand my actions. I have lived my life feeling I don’t belong. I have tried to do the right thing, but nothing seems to have made sense…until you. Forgive me for not being honest with you…Now I have compromised your children.”
“Ssh…my love. You have done nothing to ask forgiveness. I regret only I could not have saved you for what you have endured. It angers me beyond measure.”
“You will never know what your words have done for me. I will hold them in my heart always. I want you to know that is how I feel. I want you to think of me with a fondness…”
“Fondness?” he questioned. “I feel a great deal more than a fondness for you. If you believe I’m going to allow you to simply withdraw from my life for some misplaced sense of sacrifice for the good of all, you are so wrong, my love.” He reached over to her and lifted her chin upward to look directly into her eyes. “We may have been strangers when we married, but in many ways I feel I have known you for all my life.
“My life was not complete before you. Whatever my life holds, you have to be there beside me. I won’t allow it to be otherwise. I can face the world knowing you love me, but I won’t last a day if you leave me. Noble intentions or not. Try as you might to deny it, you love me. I beg you, don’t let go of me. Admit that you do and live the rest of your life smothered in the shelter of the love we share. I love you for always.”
His eyes beseeched her, weakening her resolve. He was asking too much. She could not bear to lose him as she had lost Luc…as she had lost Rosabel…Her heart would not survive. Yet as she breathed, she could not bear not to love him.
She wanted nothing more than to have been left alone to live her life out with her memories. He had interfered with that. He had intruded into her world, forced her into feeling again, living again.
He kissed her. “You have bewitched me, my lady.”
His words rang in her ears. I love you for always. She wanted nothing more than to believe him. Searching his eyes, her heart surged with hope he spoke from his heart. She wrapped her arms around his neck and returned his kiss with an intense fervor exploding inside her.
Her resolve weakened and she exposed her heart. He demanded it. Here and now, she gave it to him without reservation, abandoning her fears. The barrier between them crumbled. No lies, only the acceptance of the truth of the need between two lost souls who had found each other. The void that had so long lived within her evaporated.
He reached through her remembrances, her pain and touched her heart. His arms pulled her closer to him. His kisses became ravenous and lit a fire that needed nothing more than his lips on hers to ignite. He embraced her, claimed her, and controlled her as his, and she gave him all she had—her heart and soul.
The passion built in a rush of fervored kisses and intimate caresses. He assaulted her with an overwhelming emotion that rushed through her, a warmth of sensations born with the confidence of lying in the arms of one who she loved and was loved in return.
His kisses told his intent to claim every part of her. He breathed against her lips. “Take it off. Everything. I want to see all of you.”
At that moment, she realized she had never changed into her nightdress. Neither had he. She fumbled with her buttons as he swung his shirt on the floor with an eagerness that bore his impatient desire. Soon, nothing separated their bodies. Her own deep, low pulse surged at the anticipation of what was to come.
His hands moved all over her, gentle and tender. She didn’t want to be treated as if she were a china doll. “I won’t break. Take me,” she urged him on, relinquishing all control.
He lifted himself on his arms and stared down at her. His gaze brought a heat that flamed. He said, “You’re beautiful.”
The heat of his naked body taunted the warmth of hers. He ravished her. Luscious caresses of her breasts led his tongue to tease her nipples, edging her pulse to the point of unbearable agony. She arched her body against him without restraint.
He touched, moving over her hips, thighs to the core of her. He slid his finger into her, slick, warm and inviting. He stroked her with firm, vigorous strokes. Her body quaked. She moaned with pleasure as wave after wave cascaded through her from his devastating caresses.
He eased over her body and mounted her before she had time to recover. He pressed into her and she faded into a daze of euphoria. Her throbbing burst as his release filled her and they merged together as one. Their union, so intense, shattered into a climax…a union of not only of a man and woman, but a binding of souls.
Lenister rolled over, taking her with him. His arms still wrapped around her, she lay across his chest. Stroking her head tenderly, he did not sleep. Instead, he talked to her of his home…their home.
She listened and pictured their home in her mind. A large house sitting within a meadow. A magnificent landscaped garden of multiple flowers, but the fragrance of roses. A pond where her husband planned to show their sons how to fish. Within the house, it would be a home filled with children’s voices and laughter…lots of laughter. And he would be there by her side, always by her side.
She pondered all within her heart. Clinging to the hope of forever, but knowing if this was their last night, she would cherish the moment she lived, truly lived. The reservations of what the next hours held were pushed back, replaced for the moment with the dream of the life they would share. She hugged tightly to the dream until the sunlight stole through the night and morning dawned.
Chapter Eleven
Lenister leaned back against the wall of the chamber they shared and watched Eloise finish dressing. She looked lovely, lovelier than he had ever seen her. She glowed in the morning light. Her eyes shone, reflecting the love they had shared. Oh, God, he couldn’t let her go.
As if she read his mind, she rose and walked to his side. She raised her head and kissed him. “I will be perfectly safe. It is not like I have not done this before, sneaking out of Paris. I will be fine. It is you who worries me.”
Ignoring her concern for him, his thought at the moment lay only with her. He slid his arm around her and embraced her. “Perhaps we should rethink our plan. You are sure that you know what to do?”
“Yes. I get into the carriage with Seamus. If we are questioned, I will say I do not feel well and you want me home. It is not hard to believe that you would do so, especially after your display last evening. I do not want you to worry about me,” she soothed him. “You have enough upon you. Your children come first. Our focus is on them. This is not difficult. I will simply ride out of Paris. There should not be any interference. We have all the proper paperwork.”
“It should suffice. It is only I don’t trust this Gairden. Marc Pierre says that the man is extremely ambitious. He feels there is an underlying unrest among the Tribunal. I suspect power plays are in place. We do not want to be placed in the middle.”
“I promise, my darling, I will behave.”
“Marc Pierre has sent word to Andre to meet up with us. We are going off course, taking longer to get to the coast, but it should be a safer route.”
“Gerard, I will be fine,” she repeated with patience. “You are the one who faces the
hardest obstacle, obtaining your children’s freedom. Know also, you can trust Marc Pierre. If he has given you his word, he will keep it. He is bluntly honest.”
With respect to her, Lenister would have to agree with his wife. Though, he held no illusions. Marc Pierre would be a deadly adversary otherwise.
“You will leave immediately after Marc Pierre and I depart. If any eyes are upon you, it is hoped there will not be enough time to halt your intent.”
She smiled at him as she tenderly caressed his face. “I will not hesitate. Concentrate upon your children. I will be waiting most impatiently for you.”
He wanted to say so much more, but was unable. He did not have control of his damn emotions. Instead, he leaned down and kissed her, uttering only the words that mattered. “I love you.”
“And I love you,” she said in a soft voice. Her eyes brimmed with tears.
He could take no more or he would never leave. He released her and walked out the door.
Eloise waited only for Seamus to knock and inform her the carriage was readied. She stood staring out the window at the courtyard. The part she played in the network had been easy compared to this. She had no desire to be separated from Lenister, but well understood the need.
Caught up in her thoughts, she glanced back at the door. She would have thought Seamus would have already come to retrieve her for their journey. Perhaps she was supposed to have met Seamus at the foot of the stairs. She could wait no longer. She eased out the door into the hall. Glancing around in both directions, she saw no sign of Seamus.
With a caution that comes from living a life of deceit, she began to descend the staircase. Something was wrong. She could feel it. Then she saw it. Her heart jumped and began thumping wildly. Her concern stood in the entrance, barring Seamus from entering—Giarden.
Her mind raced. She had no choice. Her heart in her throat, she stepped forward. Quickly composing herself, she greeted the man. “Good morn, Citizen Giarden. I hope you are not here to see my husband. I’m afraid he has already departed. Quite anxious to plead for his children.”
"It is not an issue." Giarden smiled broadly at her. "It is you I have come to see, Citizeness Ashwin. I was only thus explaining to your bodyguard that I have come to extend an invitation to you."
"Oh, Citizen Gairden, I do so appreciate you thinking of me, but did not Seamus tell you that I'm to leave this morning?" Eloise asked sweetly, but the whole of her being shuddered from within. "I'm not feeling well. My husband believes it will be best for my health if I depart for England. He wants only to concentrate upon his dear children caught in this awful predicament. I am sure you understand."
"Better than you may imagine," he said. Doing little to conceal his amusement at her attempt to leave Paris, he completely dismissed her intent to leave for England. "It is of little matter. You must have made a miraculous recovery, for you look the epitome of health to me. Come. I have something I want to show you."
Citizen Giarden walked to her side and grasped her elbow. Her first instinct was to resist, but she caught Seamus' eyes. This was no place for a confrontation. Instead, she tried to take a step back, but his grip refrained her.
"Please, Citizen Giarden, I promised my husband I would not add to his troubles. Perhaps when I return..."
Citizen Giarden's eyes gleamed; his lips tilted upward. "Perhaps I know exactly what your husband has planned, not an unexpected reaction. But it is quite unnecessary. Do you not think, Citizeness Ashwin?"
"I do not understand. Please release me. My husband will be angry with me if I do not..."
"Au contraire!" He laughed. "I beg to differ. I believe he would greatly benefit from this venture. I have come to take you to visit his children. You can even bring your husband's man with you."
Eloise stared at the man with suspicion, but she readily understood a request such as Gairden’s was not to be denied. She didn't know what game he was playing, but she couldn't afford not to play along.
Eloise sat across from Citizen Giarden in the carriage her husband had prepared for her departure. A nauseating feeling encompassed her, but she was determined Giarden would never detect her nervousness.
True to his word, Seamus sat beside Citizen Giarden, although his weapon had been confiscated. He would not be much of a threat unarmed, but Eloise took comfort with his presence.
She had yet to discover Citizen Giarden's motive. Patience, she told herself, it would come. Until then, she would smile and banter with the man.
Eloise kept her focus on the sights outside the carriage. She shuddered as the carriage passed the courthouse where the Tribunal held trials against the enemies of the Republic. Though it was trepidation that gripped her as they approached their destination, La Force prison. She took in a deep breath. She had no desire to go into the prison. Panic swelled within her. Her legs weakened exiting the carriage. She hoped she would not expose her fear to Gairden, who offered his arm to escort her up the flight of stairs.
She paused at the foot of the steps of the prison. Gairden patted her hand. “Do not be afraid, Citizeness Ashwin. You act as if you are in danger of staying. I assure you that is not the case. You have no reason to be fearful. Do you?”
“Of course not!” Eloise replied indignantly. She refrained herself from jerking her arm back. “It is only I have heard so many rumors. It is only natural for one to feel this way. In truth, if not for the promise of seeing my husband’s children, I would not make the effort. The sight of the condemned frightens me. Should it not?”
“They are not condemned, only prisoners, Citizeness Ashwin,” he corrected Eloise. "Each will be given a fair trial."
“I meant…”
“I understand exactly what you meant,” he answered abruptly. “Come. I will make this as quick for you as possible.”
Eloise thought better than responding. Instead, she walked steadily inside La Force prison.
They entered into a large stone hall with every footstep, every sound echoed. Immediately, a horrible foulness encompassed her senses.
Wasting no time, Giarden escorted her down a hallway to the entrance into the holding cells. He released her arm to register their visit with a gendarme sitting behind a desk in front of a heavily guarded doorway. Until that time, Seamus had walked quietly behind her, but Giarden turned to her husband's friend.
"I'm afraid I must ask you to wait for us here. I assure you we will not be long," Giarden ordered Seamus as another gendarme opened the entryway into the prison cells.
Eloise almost protested, but refrained. She had no choice. Giarden stood before her and gestured her to enter inside the opened door and follow the two guards. She lowered her head and stepped into the darkness. She jumped when the huge wooden door closed behind her. Slowly, her eyes adjusted to the dim light.
Giarden returned to her side. Eloise took no notice of much as she was escorted down the dark and filthy corridor. Her heart raced wildly. It took all her demeanor to keep her composure, for a fleeting thought encompassed her that Giarden had discovered that she was the White Rose. She mustered all her resolve and continued onward.
She concentrated on each step she took. She passed many a door. Doors clanged open. Noises—ungodly noises to her ears—resonated all around her, cries and pleas from the prisoners to those who entered their jailed quarters.
Through the dismal light, she climbed the narrow spiral stairs behind Gairden. Before her, a large door flung open. Gairden stood at the door, awaiting her entrance. Slowly, she edged toward the opening.
Eloise moved as if she were in another’s body when she entered. Her eyes surveyed the chamber. The eyes of the occupants stared back at her. Reproachful and accusing stares greeted her in the unreality of her circumstances. She felt their hatred of Gairden and herself for being with him.
The chamber was crowded with both sexes. The men sat around a table, playing chess; others leaned against the walls or chairs. Women, elegant and delicate in their manner, sat embroidering, reading, and
writing. In that moment when their eyes fell upon her, they looked as living ghosts caught in the essence of their imprisonment.
In the corner of the chamber, a group of young children sat drawing on the dirt floor. It was there that Gairden led her. Her breath was taken away as their young faces, unaware of the significance of her presence, smiled up at her. One young boy, no more than five or six, jumped up and grabbed her hand.
“Don’t be afraid,” he said in a voice she was certain he had heard others use. The child's little face, covered by dark ringlets let grown wild trickled down in his large dark eyes, grinned widely. “You can sit with me.”
Eloise’s eyes teared as she knelt to the little man. Quickly, she was assaulted by an older boy, much taller. He slid between the young child and Eloise. His arms widened around the younger one. The older boy didn’t utter a word but his eyes burned into her. Those eyes—she knew those eyes…
Eloise glanced up at Gairden, his eyes cocked in a smug expression. He waved his hands in front of him. “Citizeness Ashwin, meet young Darcy Ralston.” He slung back his arm to where a young girl, dressed in a simple gown, stood. The girl was a pretty petite thing. Her hair, unruly and uncombed, fell down her back. “And his sister, Catherine.”
A woman suddenly appeared, wringing her hands together, the most beautiful woman Eloise had ever laid eyes on. The woman was tiny, petite, with the largest, light blue eyes; her hair was as a sunflower. Even in the hellhole she lived, she moved with elegance. It could only be Miranda.
“I believe more proper introductions are in order, Citizeness Ashwin. Before you are the children that your husband fathered.” Gairden pulled back the older boy and reached for the girl. A cry escaped the girl, her eyes frightened beyond measure. “Children, your father’s new bride.”
Broken Legacy (Secret Lives Series) Page 14