“Of course I can,” Isobel was incredulous he could even ask. “I gave myself willingly to you. It was incredible. How could I not remember every second?”
“Because when we made love, I spent myself inside you,” Dominic declared harshly, raising his hands to cup her face. He needed her to understand the significance of their actions and the worry it caused him. “I didn’t want to leave you at all, much less carrying my baby. Whether you are moving within Ton circles or not, your life would have been very difficult had you discovered yourself with child while I was not there to marry you.” Gently, he leaned upwards and kissed her face. “My departure aside, when you are carrying my baby, I want to be here for every second of it. I hated to leave you at all. To leave not knowing what you would face while I was away disturbed me greatly. I dare not touch you that morning, because I was very much aware I would not have let you go again.”
Isobel felt tears pool in her eyes at his explanation. She was stunned at his next comment.
“If you remember the last time we made love.” He nodded towards the bed. “I spent myself inside you again.” Isobel stared at him steadily.
“You could most definitely be carrying my baby. Not that this time I have any intention of going anywhere.” Dominic placed a gentle kiss upon her startled lips. “You need to understand that neither are you.” He willed her to accept his need to protect her.
“A baby?” Isobel queried in wonder.
“Most definitely,” Dominic said with a smile. “There is no way you are going anywhere, baby or not. It would make both of our lives considerably easier if you were my wife, and we could set about making those three babies of ours.”
“Three?” Isobel whispered, considering the possibilities he was opening up to her.
“Maybe two?” Dominic queried huskily.
“Four.” Isobel placed a gentle kiss upon his.
Dominic drew back to consider her carefully, his manhood already growing. “Four?” At that moment, he would give her anything she desired.
“Most definitely four.”
“First you have to marry me though,” Dominic reasoned, carefully withholding the kisses she sought.
Isobel rested her head against his briefly. He still had not declared his feelings for her, if he had any, but she couldn’t find any argument with his reasoning. She was just as culpable as he. Whether he loved her or not, she loved him enough to be relatively certain she could achieve some level of happiness. But would it really be enough to know that he cared for her, but didn’t love her? She knew instinctively that it wouldn’t be but couldn’t bear living with anything less than all of him. Was she strong enough to hold out against his seductive persuasion?
“Marry me Isobel,” Dominic whispered, placing tender kisses along her jaw, knowing she was weighing matters up. Deciding on his; their future.
Isobel knew there were a lot of issues that needed to be ironed out but reluctantly acknowledged that her fate was sealed. “If you are absolutely certain this is the right course of action, then yes I shall be your wife.”
“Thank God,” Dominic’s heartfelt murmur was accompanied by a surge of elation he struggled to control. A huge weight suddenly lifted off his shoulders as he deepened the kiss and slowly eased her toward the vast expanse of bed behind him.
“My family will adore you,” Dominic declared some time later as they lay beneath the sheets, watching the crackling fire.
“I am not so sure. I cannot see myself moving within Ton circles. Nothing leaves me more discontent than having to spend my afternoons ‘doing the rounds’.”
“I don’t expect you to do anything that would make you so miserable, however as my wife there are certain estate duties you would be expected to undertake. Visit the various tenants, help to organise the annual harvest festival that kind of thing.”
“I should like that,” Isobel replied, considering how nice the house staff had been to her since her arrival.
“My family will laugh their backsides off,” Dominic declared ruefully after several moments of quiet contemplation.
“Because of me?” Isobel couldn’t hide the hurt in her voice.
“Oh, most definitely!” Dominic assured her with a rueful smile. “They will be inordinately pleased that you are strong willed enough to stand up to me, and don’t fall in with convention. My brothers, in particular will find it highly amusing that I have succumbed so easily to matrimony, much less appear to be in such a rush to set up the nursery!” Dominic mused with a small smile, feeling nothing but satisfaction at his predicament.
“You are a rogue,” Isobel murmured with a small shake of her head. “I doubt my wisdom at marrying someone like you. There is one thing I want to discuss.” Carefully, she eased from his arms to sit splendidly naked before him.
Focused on the delectable vision she made as she sat bathed in the soft glow of the fire, Dominic’s voice was vague, “Mistresses?”
The word fell between them, snapping Dominic out of his lecherous observation of her, “Mistresses?”
“Yes, Mistresses,” Isobel nodded decisively and tilted his head upwards until his eyes broke away from their very thorough investigation of her breasts, and their gazes met. “I won’t tolerate them.”
“My mistress?” Dominic frowned, wondering if he had missed something. “You want me to get rid of my mistress?”
“Yes. Most definitely,” Isobel replied as primly as possible given her unclothed state. She tutted, and sighed as his eyes began to once more roam over her. Her fingers were firm on his chin as she tilted his head back upwards with a frown. “You must get rid of her. I will not share you.”
“Share me,” Dominic repeated blankly, amazed at her audacity. “A gentleman’s erm -” he shifted a little uncomfortably. He wasn’t sure he wanted to discuss such matters with his future wife. “- requirements are a gentleman’s matter. Not something to be discussed with the wife.” He wondered briefly where that had come from; now he sounded like his father!
“Don’t give me that guff,” Isobel snorted, refusing to be diverted by his pomposity. “A gentleman’s requirements, indeed!” She jumped to her feet ignoring her naked state, and glared down at him. “If you have any requirements, you should go to your wife, not travel to – wherever - and seek the arms and bed of another woman!”
Dominic rolled onto his back and folded his hands behind his head, a small smile of satisfaction on his face as his eyes wandered freely over her.
“What are you smiling at?” Hands on hips, Isobel peered haughtily down at him.
“Come here,” he demanded softly, holding his hand out.
“No, I won’t,” Isobel replied with a scowl. “I mean it. I won’t tolerate you keeping a mistress. You must get rid of her.” Isobel knew she was crossing the line demanding anything from him, after all he wasn’t her husband yet, but she really couldn’t bear the thought of him in another woman’s bed. She squeaked with surprise when he suddenly launched to his feet. Before she could move he was standing directly before her. Her nose was practically buried in his chest. She had to tip her head backwards to look up at him.
“I have had my fair share of lovers, it is fair to say,” he mused, placing his hands on his hips, mimicking her stance. “More than my fair share of lovers, if I am absolutely honest,” he admitted ruefully, and raised a finger as she tried to interrupt. “But I have never felt the need to take a mistress.” His fingers cupped the soft curve of her chin, tilting her face upwards for a quick kiss. “Nor do I intend to take one. Make no mistake, my darling -” his eyes were solemn as they met hers. “- I won’t share you either.”
Somewhat mollified, Isobel allowed him to pull her flush against his hardness.
“I don’t expect either of us to seek the arms and bed of any other,” Dominic said, capturing her lips in a silken caress.
“Sorry,” she offered huskily, several moments later, as her stomach rumbled loudly in the quiet of the room.
Dominic chuckle
d easing away from her. “Let us ring for dinner before you disappear on me. I am sure Peter will understand if we don’t dine with him this evening. Tonight it is just for us. We shall have a private celebration of our betrothal and make a few decisions on wedding arrangements. Tomorrow we shall make an announcement to Peter and the staff. I have a feeling the next couple of days will be extremely busy indeed.”
“A couple of days?” Isobel said weakly.
“We already have the special license. It arrived yesterday. There is no reason to delay,” Dominic’s voice was businesslike, Isobel thought with a small pang of discontent.
“You have already applied for a special license?”
She wasn’t sure if she should feel piqued at his arrogant expectancy that he could talk her around so easily.
“Don’t you want your family there?” She suddenly didn’t feel as at ease with her nakedness as she had a few moments ago, and quickly moved to gather a sheet from the bed, wrapping it securely around her with a shiver. He already seemed to have made significant plans and she wondered if he really needed her input.
“The roads are too bad to expect them to make the journey from Berkshire. My brothers will be here in a couple of days anyway as they are riding on horseback. My parents will be unable to get here for a couple of weeks,” Dominic said, sensing her disquiet. He carefully guided her back toward the bed, tucking them both between the cool sheets with a sigh. “I don’t want to wait another minute Isobel. I nearly lost you once. I won’t make the same mistake twice.”
It was far from the declaration of love she needed to banish her worries, but Isobel knew that for now it would have to suffice, although she couldn’t shake of the lingering disquiet. Placing a tender kiss upon his chest, she settled into sleep aware of the soft rumble of Dominic’s chest beneath her ear.
CHAPTER NINE
Two days later, Isobel was standing before the Vicar, watching Dominic slide a simple gold band on her finger.
“I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
It felt as though she were watching from a great distance when Dominic swept her into his arms, and kissed her soundly amid the raucous cheers of the assembled family members and staff. Within minutes they had all returned to the house for a magnificent banquet.
It was late when Isobel found herself alone in the master suite awaiting the arrival of her new husband. She and Dominic were now wed, and she was the new Lady Havistock. The enormity of the day’s events hit her. She sat on the window seat and stared blindly into the night sky.
As promised, Dominic’s brothers arrived yesterday amid much jocularity and back slapping. Isobel couldn’t help but be charmed by both Edward and Sebastian who had spent most of the time since their arrival teasing their elder brother about his impatience to get Isobel up the aisle. All three brothers were very much alike; all were tall, exceptionally handsome and extremely good natured, with a charismatic charm that seemed effortless to them. It was hard not to like them all.
Despite the willing acceptance of the new branch of her family, questions and doubts swirled and whirled in her mind in a chaotic jumble. She could almost convince herself that the looming threat of Rupert had disappeared. Almost. But she knew he was out there. Waiting. With a shiver, she braced her arms upon her knees and exhausted by the speed of the last few days, fell asleep.
It was dark outside and with no moonlight, difficult to see even the outline of the trees in the garden. She failed to notice the thin shadow of a man separate from the solid bulk of a tree beneath the window, and disappear into the distance.
She awoke some time later when Dominic gently swept her into his arms. Dressed in his shirt sleeves, Isobel blinked sleepily up at him as he carefully placed her upon the sheets.
Isobel watched him as he moved. He looked at her steadily while he removed his clothing but there was no tender smile or gentle teasing. His face was solemn, stern even. A small muscle ticked in his jaw; something that only happened when he was angry or withholding something.
“What’s wrong?” Isobel asked, watching as Dominic moved towards the window, looking outside briefly before closing the shutters.
Dominic shook his head. “Nothing,” he said, returning to the bed.
Isobel pulled away slightly averting her face from his kiss instead leaning backwards to meet his gaze steadily.
“I will tell you in the morning. It is nothing to worry about,” he added, knowing if he didn’t offer her any reassurances, she would badger him until he told her everything. He knew her well enough to know that distraction was the key. “We will discuss it in the morning. It is our wedding night. Everything else can wait.” With that he rolled her backwards, and gave her no further opportunity to question him further.
Sunlight was streaming through the open shutters when Dominic pried his eyes open the following morning. Instinctively, he moved to curl around his wife. God that sounded good, he thought to himself as he rolled over. He found himself smiling smugly as his questing hands found warm flesh. Resisting flesh. With a frown, his eyes popped open. His gaze locked with her steady periwinkle stare. He waited only to frown again when she didn’t move or speak, only returned his steady regard.
With a sigh he blinked away the last vestiges of sleep. He knew she was waiting.
“I don’t want to start our marriage on a lie.” Dominic heaved himself up to prop himself up against the pillows. When she remained quiet and unmoving, he continued. “Rupert knows you are here.” He watched as her only movement was the slow closing of her eyes.
Isobel felt her stomach lurch with a familiar sickening dread as Dominic spoke. She knew it was inevitable that at some point Rupert would re-appear. He wasn’t one to take defeat lightly and would want retribution, such was his nasty nature. However Isobel hadn’t expected it to be so soon, especially given the inclement weather.
“Where is he?” Her voice was almost too calm.
“He is in a house near here, about two miles out of Town. He is there with DeLisle,” Dominic said, seeing no reason why she shouldn’t know, especially now. Still, he hated how pale her cheeks had gone and wrapped her securely in his arms.
“I promise you here and now my darling, neither man will get anywhere near you. Not only would they have to get through me, but they would have to get through Peter, my brothers and the house staff. They are not so bold, foolhardy or clever to consider it.”
“But I cannot remain here a prisoner. At some point, I need to go outside, if only to walk the gardens.” Isobel battled to control the rising fear.
“You shall do so without fear. But one cannot ignore the hard fact that things are likely to get worse before they get better. At some point, there will be a confrontation with Rupert or DeLisle, if not with both. I don’t want you ignorant of that fact. You shouldn’t fear being alone or moving freely around the house should you want to. However, you cannot take any risks.” Dominic could feel the slight tremor that swept through her as she curled against him. “You are my wife. It is my job to protect you now, and I shall do so.” Or die trying, he thought to himself hoping it didn’t come to that. Wisely, he kept that last thought to himself.
He knew that if he wanted to gain Isobel’s trust, he had to take her into his confidence. To lead by example and hope she trusted him enough to tell him everything about her evasion of Rupert and the help she received.
“We know that Rupert is mired in debt,” Dominic said, staring at the ceiling. “He has no property to speak of, and more billets and i.o.us around London than anyone I have ever heard of. His creditors are now getting anxious to have their money back. I think that is part of the reason he has taken to the countryside, and removed himself from the City and the threat.”
“What about DeLisle? Why is he sticking so close to Rupert if he owes money? Surely, there is a risk to him being associated with significant unpaid debts.” From where Isobel rested her head against Dominic’s broad chest, she could hear the steady, reassurin
g thump of his heartbeat.
“We can only assume that Rupert also owes DeLisle money.” Dominic began to run his fingers absently through her hair as he talked. The rhythmic motion of his fingers running through the silken strands soothed them both. “If he did, he clearly expected to use you to pay his debts.”
“Me,” Isobel whispered, closing her eyes against the prospect.
“We understand from Kitty that you were supposedly betrothed to DeLisle, so we can only assume there was a monetary agreement between the two men.”
“That makes DeLisle angry that he hasn’t got what he is owed.” Isobel frowned and closed her eyes against the memory of DeLisle’s lascivious gaze rose in her mind.
“Rupert is desperate,” Dominic added his voice tinged with menace. “Needless to say, both men are dangerous.”
Dominic slid his fingers through her hair and tugged her head upwards until she was leaning over him.
“I need you to be strong and trust me. To do so will bring you peace, I promise you.” Dominic’s steady green eyes locked with hers silently asking for her trust. “Rupert has to be brought down, darling. Peter has already set about plans in London and has men working on the matter; men who worked with us on the smuggling operation. We fought with them in the War. They are the best in the business.”
Dominic needed her to feel reassured but knew he had also unsettled her by telling her as much as he had. “Rupert’s days are definitely numbered. DeLisle’s too, if we can find anything to stick on him.” Dominic drew her down for a lingering kiss. “By telling us everything -” he paused to make sure she understood his meaning. “- you will be giving us vital information that will help us to plan his downfall effectively. We may also be able to pass information back to those working to help us which could speed things up a bit.”
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