by Alexia Praks
“Chris, that is enough,” Merrick said.
Christine wasn’t listening, however. All she knew was that she wanted to kick this woman out, and so she dragged Maria to the door. Maria refused to leave and held tightly onto the doorframe, trying to stay inside. The two bodies were pulling each other back and forth. Their tug-of-war was endless.
Merrick had had enough. He decided to straighten things out. With two long strides, he reached them. He took hold of their hands and broke the contact. He said to Christine, “Enough is enough, Chris.” He shoved her hand away and led Maria out into the corridor.
Maria smiled. Aye, she had gotten the upper hand all right.
“Go now. I need to deal with this ward of mine. I will see you tonight,” he said. As he turned, he caught Christine looking at them. He stalked to the door and jerked it open. Christine backed away, feeling very alarmed at the look he was giving her.
“I told you I do not tolerate disobedience,” he stated coldly.
She blinked.
He slowly moved toward his pitiful prey. He had had enough for one morning. He realized that his ward was stubborn. And this ward also needed a good spanking on the backside that was far too long overdue. And who better to do it than himself?
His eyes flashed a dark flame of teal blue.
Christine caught her breath. She saw the flame inside his eyes, and her heart did a somersault in response. She bit her lower lip, wondering what she should do.
She took a step back.
He noted that step.
She took another step back and turned her head to see the open bedroom door, the exit.
Merrick narrowed his eyes.
Christine took a deep breath and dashed toward the exit.
She took two strides when a pair of strong hands gripped painfully about her arms and jerked her backward. Her back collided against the wall of his massive, hard chest. She struggled and fought with all her might against the giant man who had captured her.
Merrick’s grip tightened as she fought harder. He pulled her body against the strong length of him. He lowered his hand down to her knees, jerked her light weight up into his arms, and carried her toward the bedroom.
She tried to make him put her down by drumming her fists against his shoulder. “Put me down, put me down. Put me down right this instant. You hear me?” she cried in his arms.
Merrick ignored the cry. Once he got to the side of the bed, he threw her on it. She looked up then and saw him staring at her. He looked furious. She knew that something awful was coming, and she had no power to stop it. Lord, he was going to whip her like Mr. Brad had done. Suddenly, she was so scared, tears brewed in her eyes.
Merrick’s eyes narrowed as she scrambled to the other side of the bed. He lowered his hands toward her. She shifted backward to avoid them. He caught her arm and jerked her to him. She hit his bare chest.
“Don’t even try, brat. It’s time you learnt your lesson,” he said.
“No, Merrick, please. I’m sorry.” She sobbed, tears spilling down her red cheeks.
He made her lay across his knee. Christine fought back, but he was stronger, and in a split second, he had her on his knees. She was lying facedown on the pillow. The entire length of her body was downward.
Merrick positioned her properly on his lap, and then he placed his hands on the buttocks.
Christine closed her eyes. She bit her lips, and tears kept streaming down her cheeks.
Merrick let his palm fly down with strong force, and it slapped against the soft bottom. Christine squeezed her eyes shut. Merrick lifted his hand up and let it fly down again. He did it repeatedly. He counted ten hits, and then he stopped. He lifted her up to a sitting position.
Christine’s backside was very sore. Her pride, too, was very sore, and she hated him even more.
It wasn’t fair, she thought. All her actions were to protect him against those women, and what did he do to her? He punished her for her care for him.
“I hate you,” she yelled at him. She didn’t even think what consequences her action might cause. She literally jumped on him and caught Merrick off guard so that he fell back on the bed. Both her legs were on either side of his waist. With her hands fisted, she attacked him. With all her might and with all her anger she hit his chest, his face, and his shoulders. She hit him everywhere.
All that Merrick could do at the surprise assault was shield himself. Then suddenly he, too, was enraged. Damned if he’d let a mere boy beat him. He seized both of her hands, stopping her from hitting him. He hooked one of his legs over hers and flipped her body below him.
Christine panicked when she felt his body on top of hers. She closed her eyes and savored the beautiful feeling of having him on top of her. Then she was angry with herself for having such feelings. She started to hit him again furiously.
Merrick tried to control the thrashing girl below him. He pushed his body hard against hers, holding her down to try to keep her still. The harder he pushed the stronger she fought. Then he saw the tears streaming down her cheeks. Her lips were bright red. She was shaking her head from side to side, sobbing at the same time.
An overwhelming feeling swelled up inside his chest. He didn’t know what came over him. He thrust his head down, and savagely, he took her lips with his.
He pressed his lips hard against her. He was hot with wanting. His hand came up to her head, holding her there, pulling her up to him, wanting her closer. His other hand came to her arm, squeezing it hard and tight against his body. He pressed his tongue against her closed lips, wanting them to open.
Christine was shocked into stillness. Lord, but she had never felt anything like this before. It hurt, it was pure savage, and it was so wonderful.
Merrick pushed his tongue against her closed lips, licking them and urging them to open. When she still had her lips sealed shut, his mouth trailed down to the nape of her neck. He kissed and licked her, sucking her soft flesh. He was greedy; it was like he had been hungry for a century, starving for the very feast of her flesh.
Christine’s head spun, and her stomach felt hollow. The feeling was overwhelming—such an ecstasy that she had never known before, and she moaned.
“Oh, Merrick, I don’t understand,” she whispered.
Merrick froze. He pushed himself up and stared down at her below him. He moved off the bed and turned away. He was disgusted with himself for the way he had been acting.
My God, he was making love to a boy. Was he mad? Nay, he was a monster!
Christine stared up at the man standing with his back to her. She could see his strong muscles rippling angrily against one another. She sat up, breathless.
“Merrick?” she whispered.
Merrick shut his eyes. God, he hated himself. This emotional disease had just eaten him alive, and it had made him act. God, he hated himself. What had he done?
“Merrick?” she said again for she was at a loss. She wanted to understand, and she wanted reassurance. She got up from the bed and moved toward him.
All that Merrick could think at that moment was how much of a monster he was. He had just taken advantage of his own ward.
“Merrick?”
“My God, Chris, leave now,” he shouted.
“But, Merrick, I—”
“I said leave now, Chris! Now! Get out!” he shouted, still not turning. He couldn’t possibly look at her. For looking at her would only make him think of how much like an animal he really was.
Christine stepped back. Fear enveloped her. He wanted her to go away and never return. Fine, he didn’t want her anymore. Then she wouldn’t stay and burden him. She turned and ran out of the room.
Merrick still didn’t turn for the result of his actions was still there on that bed. It would stay in his mind for a very long time. He stood there, staring out into his vast estate, but seeing nothing. At last, he realized that he still had guests downstairs. He turned and put on the shirt he had abandoned when Maria had come in. He saw the bed. It was a
mess.
What had he done?
He was so deep in thought that he didn’t hear the knock at the door.
“My lord?”
He jerked back to reality. He turned to see the housekeeper at the door.
“I’m sorry, my lord, but I did knock.”
“It’s all right,” he said. “I should be going down now. Is it luncheon yet, Mrs. Ross?”
“Aye, my lord. The guests are waiting downstairs,” she told him.
“Hmm.” He reached for his black coat and put it on. Once he was done, he walked out the door.
ELEVEN
Merrick sat between Amelia and Miss Green. He smiled tightly and nodded his head at whatever tales they managed to narrate. Though he nodded his head, raised his brows, and smirked at what he thought was supposed to be funny, his mind was elsewhere. He worried about where his ward had run off to, though he masked it well. He had told Jacob to go to the cottage and see if his ward was there, but the youth was nowhere to be found.
From the other side of the drawing room, Anne frowned at Amelia talking to Merrick. She stood up and strolled to them.
She said, “Excuse me, but I do hope you two ladies haven’t bored the earl here. Oh dear, I see that you have already. Well, now, come along, my lord, you will help me turn the pages while I play the pianoforte.” She pulled him up.
Merrick stood, nodded toward the two women, and left.
“I am very glad I’ve saved you from boredom,” Anne said and laughed. He gave her a smile that did not reach his eyes.
Anne sat on the settee and then started to play the pianoforte while Merrick turned the pages.
“I must say, brother, your daughter plays beautifully,” Mr. Wilson said. Lord Queensbury looked at his brother and nodded his head.
Mr. Wilson crossed his legs, and his head swayed from side to side in tune with the music. Lord Queensbury stared down at his shoes, not listening or paying any attention to his surroundings. He was lost in thought.
“Your daughter plays the piano beautifully, Lady Queensbury,” Mrs. McNaught said and gave a hearty, loud laugh that caused Lord Queensbury to jump and blink, snapping his mind back to reality.
Anne’s hand fluttered over the keys, and she lost her tune. The sound was so horrible and deafening that it caused everybody else to stop talking and look at one another. The room was silent when Mrs. Ross came in. She looked wildly around the drawing room. She spotted Merrick standing near the pianoforte and hastily moved to him. Merrick frowned at the worried expression Mrs. Ross was wearing on her plump face.
“What’s amiss, Mrs. Ross?” he asked quietly.
“My lord, it is best we talk outside,” the housekeeper said.
He nodded and led her out the room.
“My lord, the problem concerns Master Chris. I haven’t seen him since this morning. He did not come to luncheon. I am so concerned that I feel I must notify you immediately, sir.”
Merrick stared hard at the polished floor.
“Should I sound the alarm to search for Master Chris, sir?”
Merrick turned and walked toward the door. He stared at it but did not see it. “Nay, Mrs. Ross. Wait a while longer. Perhaps he will turn up eventually,” he said.
“Very well, my lord,” she said and took her leave.
Merrick returned to the drawing room where everything seemed back to normal. The guests remained for another hour. For Merrick, however, every second seemed an eternity. When the guests had retired, Maximilian stopped him at the door.
“Merrick, about Chris,” he began.
“What about him?”
“I heard the servants talking. You banished him back to the cottage. Merrick, the boy has suffered enough. He doesn’t need your cruelty to deepen his suffering.” Max slapped his friend’s shoulder and walked to the door.
Merrick shook his head. It seemed this ward of his had been able to charm the household servants, including the superior Mrs. Ross, to have made them worry about his absence. Now it seemed Lord Devil, with his rakehell’s heart of stone, was under his ward’s magic, too.
Max paused at the door and said, “Don’t make a mistake, Merrick,” and left.
Merrick glared at the closed door. He stormed up the stairs to his room. He was staring down at the doorknob to his bedroom when something flashed into his mind. He turned to look at the door to Maria’s room down the hallway. He walked to it, and, hesitantly, he knocked.
The door opened instantly. Kate bade him to enter.
As he walked in, he saw Maria strolling toward him. She was dressed in an almost transparent negligee. Her arms were wide open in welcome.
“Ah, Merrick, you have come,” she greeted him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She kissed him softly on the lips.
Merrick stared down at her, and slowly his hands came up to her arms. He unwrapped them from his neck and set them down on her sides.
Maria’s smile faded.
“Not tonight,” he said and turned to go.
Maria stalked after him and caught his arm. “Merrick, you need me.”
“Nay, Maria,” he said and removed her hand from his arm. He walked out the door and closed it quietly behind him. He went back to his room and sat on the edge of the bed. He sat in that position for a long time, and then he got up and walked toward the window, staring out into the darkness.
Darn it, he didn’t care anymore. This waiting hurt.
He turned and dashed out the door. He took the stairs three at a time, ran out of the Hall, and went to the stables. There, he saddled Starlight, and in seconds he was on his stallion and gone, out of the stables and into the darkness like a black knight off to save his lover.
Merrick raced his stallion furiously along the quiet road. He urged his stallion faster, riding through the darkness. He was concentrating so hard on finding Christine that he didn’t even notice the chill creeping upon him, making his skin cold to the touch. He was riding along one of the smaller roads now. He kept his head low, his eyes alert, watching out for highwaymen and Christine at the same time. Then his eyes spotted something, a small, dark figure moving ever so slowly. He slowed his stallion so that he could get a better look. It was just a slight shadow, but he knew that figure so well, even from this far a distance, that his heart raced.
Hold on, Chris, I’m coming to take you home.
With determination, he urged his horse to go faster. He was so consumed with relief that he didn’t notice his eyes were misting with tears.
Christine watched as the rider and stallion galloped toward her. From this far away, she didn’t know who the rider was. It could be anybody, but the one person that she was afraid of the most was a highwayman. Panic seized her. She turned to run. She sprinted along the road as fast as her tired legs could carry her.
Merrick frowned when he saw the little figure running away from him. Then he forced his stallion to go even faster.
Christine’s heart fluttered as she heard the clip-clop of horse’s hooves coming closer. She shut her eyes. She didn’t want to die. That was what she had heard highwaymen did when you didn’t have anything valuable to give them—they killed you for the sheer pleasure of it. With the image of death hanging heavily on her mind, she forced herself to run even faster. She could feel both the master and horse getting closer to her, looming over her, wanting to run her down. She chanced a quick glance and realized with horror that the dark figure was nearly by her side. She couldn’t look up at the man and see him clearly for the feeling of him so close to her frightened her.
Christine felt the slight touch of the dark highwayman’s hand on her arm. She furiously hit it away and sprinted faster.
Merrick lowered himself again and tried to get hold of her arm. Again, she pushed him away. Merrick had had enough. This time he lowered his arm down, grabbed her left arm, and roughly pulled her toward the horse.
She panicked even more when her arm was caught. Instinctively, she hit him with her free hand. Merrick held on to her eve
n tighter. He gripped her arm and slowed his horse down. Once he knew she couldn’t go anywhere, he reached down, put his arm about her waist, and in one smooth motion, he scooped her up in his arms and settled her in front of him.
He turned the horse around and started in the opposite direction.
She was caught, and now the man would kill her. Now she’d never see Merrick again. No, she didn’t want to die. She wanted to see Merrick again. Angry at the unfairness of life, she started to hit the man. She punched him in the chest, in the face, and she bit him on his shoulder with her small teeth. She thought she heard him telling her to stop, but she couldn’t because she didn’t want to die.
Merrick tried to stop this little crazy cat who was going to injure him any minute now if he didn’t stop the assault. He halted Starlight, and with both his hands he caught her arms. He held her body tightly against him.
“Chris. It’s Merrick, Chris!” he shouted.
“No, no, no. I don’t want to die. No!” she screamed.
“Chris, stop. It’s Merrick,” he shouted and cupped her face. He tightened his fingers and thumb around her small chin to stop her shaking her head.
“Chris, stop!” he commanded.
Christine heard that stern command and stopped, staring at his strong, handsome face only inches from hers. The face she saw in the moonlight was like an answer to her prayers. She was so happy she didn’t know she was crying. Her feelings of relief overwhelmed her so much that she threw herself at him and hugged him hard.
“Oh, Merrick, you came back for me. I was so scared,” she cried, wrapping her arms tighter around his neck, never wanting to let him go.
He wrapped his arms about her small waist, holding her close to him. His chest felt tight, but there was a sense of fulfillment as well.
“I’m here now, and I won’t let you go again,” he said.
When at last she looked up at him, she smiled and dried her tears with her sleeves.
“I’m sorry, Merrick, I didn’t mean to make you mad,” she said.
Merrick looked at the person who seemed to have affected him in so many ways. “It’s all right, Chris, I’m no longer angry. Now it’s time to go home.”