by Trish Morey
She closed her eyes tightly, and bit her lip to keep from shouting out as he drew her nipple deep into his mouth. His hand slid over her hip, the curve of her thigh, to grasp the edge of her skirt. He crumpled it in his fist and dragged it up, up, slowly tracing the wool fabric over her sensitive skin. He didn’t stop until her legs were bare to him, the damp curls between her legs vulnerable.
Her thighs fell open in welcome and he knelt between them as he kissed her other breast. She felt the friction of his breeches against the soft silk of her stockings, the heat and iron strength of his erection.
As their mouths met again in desperate, artless need, Anna slid her hands down Rob’s back. Beneath the layers of his doublet and shirt she felt the ripple and shift of his lean muscles, the power of his shoulders as he braced himself above her. She traced the groove of his spine, the hollow of his back—his hard, taut buttocks.
‘Anna,’ he groaned as she explored the way he felt under her touch.
How strong he was, how beautiful. How she wanted him—more than she had ever wanted anything before. And he wanted her, too. She could feel that very well as she traced the length of his manhood under his velvet breeches. But the fear she had tried to banish rose up in her, cold, bringing her back to reality. They were in a jouncing carriage, nearing his friends’ home—this was no time for passion! No time to let herself go.
She eased him away from her and slowly pushed herself to sit straight on the seat. He went readily enough, though he turned his face away from her and she could hear the harsh rasp of his breath. Her head was still spinning, and she felt so light and giddy she feared she might faint. She shook her head hard to clear it, and smoothed her skirts back over her legs.
She tried to laugh. ‘I can’t meet your grand friends looking like this.’
Rob turned back to her to take her face between his hands, holding her as delicately as if she was a pearl set in gold, and gently kissed her lips. ‘You are beautiful, Anna. Never doubt that.’
Her heart ached at his words, and she feared she would start to cry. How overwhelming this day had been! How grand and strange, and most unsettling.
And it was not over yet.
‘I am sure Lord Edward will not think so when he sees such a slattern enter his fine house,’ she said. She reached for her discarded jacket and pulled it on over her wrinkled chemise. At least the fine grey wool was unmarred, and any creases could be blamed on travel. ‘Could you hand me my comb from the basket?’
Rob retrieved her travelling basket from beneath the seat and gave it to her in silence. He seemed to sense she couldn’t talk just yet—she had no words to express her feelings about what had just happened between them. She wasn’t even sure what those feelings were.
But she did know that very soon she would be faced with Rob’s grand friends and she would have to greet them properly.
As he sat down on the seat across from her, staring out of the window in silence, Anna tidied her hair and put on her hat. She smoothed the puffed sleeves of her jacket, the folds of her skirt and dabbed on some rosewater. Just as she finished her swift ablutions the carriage turned in to a pair of ornate iron gates, set in high brick walls and adorned with an elaborate crest. They had arrived.
The lane leading to the house was wide and neatly gravelled, meandering lazily past thick stands of trees and rolling meadows that offered enticing glimpses of distant ponds and columned temples. It was as vast and lovely as the park of any royal palace, and Anna couldn’t help but feel nervous as she studied it all. She was accustomed to grand courtiers, their manners and styles and expectations, but that was in the theatre, in her own world, where she knew how to conduct dealings with them.
This was their world, and she feared she had much to learn about it.
Rob, however, didn’t seem concerned at all. He buttoned his doublet and ran his hands through his hair to smooth back the tousled waves. And after such brief attentions, damn him, he looked more handsome than ever.
He glanced over at her, and some of her worries must have been written on her face for he gave her a reassuring smile.
‘Edward Hartley and his friends aren’t grand people, Anna,’ he said. ‘They just like to enjoy themselves and have a good time here in the country.’
‘Enjoy themselves wandering their grounds for hours and hours?’ she murmured. The lane turned, revealing the house just ahead. ‘Or maybe counting their chimneys and windows? That would surely take several days, at least.’
Hart Castle was a huge place, and despite its old title, conjuring up images of turrets and bare walls, it was built of gleaming new red brick and golden stone. The windows sparkled like diamonds in the daylight, a hundred watchful glass eyes surveying their approach. The drive led up to the front doors, sweeping past formal knotwork gardens and a tall maze, around a stone statue of Artemis and her bow. A few guests already strolled the pathways between the bright flowerbeds, their rich silks and plumed hats rivaling the blossoms for colour and shine.
Anna was suddenly quite glad to have the rich stage costumes packed away in her trunk. They would be a useful disguise.
As the carriage lurched to a halt the front doors swung open and Lord Edward Hartley appeared there. Unlike the garden strollers, he was dressed for the country in a brown doublet and tall, scarred leather boots. He waved at them as Rob bounded down onto the drive.
‘You’re here at last,’ Lord Edward said. ‘Elizabeth was saying we would perish of boredom before you arrived. Come and amuse us.’
‘Be quiet, Edward, or you’ll frighten my lady away,’ Rob said. ‘It took all my powers of persuasion to lure her away from London. I had to promise her a quiet time here at Hart Castle.’
He held out his hand to Anna, and she took one more deep breath before she reached out to take it. He helped her to alight, but her legs were still shaking from the long journey so that she had to hold on to his arm as she curtsied.
‘I can see very well why she was reluctant to leave London,’ Lord Edward said. He snatched her hand from Rob and bowed over it. ‘Her admirers must have been clinging to the back of the carriage as you left, I vow.’
Anna had to laugh at the silly, outrageous compliment, and the roguish grin on his handsome, aristocratic face. ‘And I can see why you and Master Alden are such friends. You are both ridiculous flatterers.’
‘You do wound me, Mistress Barrett,’ Edward cried. ‘I speak only the truth. And, as a teller of truth, I must say I don’t know how such an old reprobate as my friend here has persuaded you to come with him. You must tell me his secrets.’
‘Oh, my lord. I think both of you know far more about secrets than I ever could,’ Anna said.
Edward laughed and led her up the wide stone steps and through the open doors into the house, Rob trailing behind them. The entrance hall was richly panelled in polished dark wood, hung with tapestries, the floor an intricate pattern of white and black tiles. An elaborately carved staircase twisted up to the floors above, lit by a window of old stained glass at its turning. A suit of armour lurked in the corner, as if watching over all the comings and goings of the house.
A lady appeared at the top of the stairs and waved down at them. She was not very tall, and she was attractive rather than fashionably beautiful, with a heart-shaped face and dark brown hair drawn back under a pearl-embroidered cap. She wore a simple gown of blue velvet with an embroidered Spanish-style surcoat.
‘I’m quite sure the lady must be too tired for your teasing, Edward,’ she said, hurrying down the stairs. Her heeled shoes tapped against the gleaming wood. ‘It’s a long journey from London.’
Lord Edward’s face seemed to glow from within at the sight of her, and a gentle smile touched his carved lips as he went to her and took her hands in his. Anna watched the two of them with a sharp pang that was terribly like envy. They seemed to belong together, so perfectly fitting as they moved across the hall hand in hand.
‘Mistress Barrett, may I present Lady Elizabeth
Gilbert?’ Edward said.
As Anna curtsied and murmured, ‘Lady Elizabeth,’ the lady reached for her hand and laughed.
‘I have been so eager to meet you, Mistress Barrett,’ she said. ‘I visit the playhouse as often as I can—as does Edward, as I’m sure you have seen. He makes a peacock parade wherever he goes.’
Edward clasped his hand over his heart. ‘My love, you wound me. I am the soul of discretion.’
Elizabeth just shook her head. ‘The Queen does not love you for your discretion, I fear.’
‘Indeed we do know Lord Edward well at the White Heron,’ Anna said, looking between the pair with wonder. She had seldom seen such a couple, so very comfortable with each other, teasing and joking, unable to look away from one another. How was such a match even possible? A vague wisp of hope floated through her at the sight of a couple so genuinely happy with each other.
She glanced back at Rob, who also watched Edward and Elizabeth with a little smile on his face. He leaned against the stone stand of the armour, all lazy elegance. He also seemed to belong here, in this beautiful house with these people, and Anna at last started to feel at ease herself. Rob had drawn her out into the wide world again.
‘But now we can come to know you, as well, Mistress Barrett!’ Elizabeth said. ‘I want to hear the secrets of a playhouse, and the secrets of Robert, as well. For all his wit, he is a great cipher to us.’
‘I fear I cannot help you with that, Lady Elizabeth,’ Anna said ruefully. ‘He is a cipher to me, as well.’
Rob’s brow arched, and Elizabeth laughed. She took Anna’s arm and whispered, ‘Then we must speculate about him between us. Come, I will show you to your chamber and leave Edward and Robert the dull task of going to look at the new stable.’
‘My love, I fear you only wish to be rid of us,’ Edward said.
‘Of course we do. Gentlemen are only in the way when ladies have confidences to share,’ Elizabeth said. ‘Now, run along. We will see you at dinner.’
As Edward and Rob turned back towards the doors Elizabeth led Anna up the staircase. Anna glanced down over the balustrade, but Rob had already vanished into the bright day outside.
‘Now, Mistress Barrett,’ Elizabeth said. ‘Tell me all about you and Rob Alden. I am so longing to hear he is tamed at last …’
CHAPTER TWELVE
ROB followed Edward out of the doors and back into the sunlit day, but his thoughts were with Anna as she went upstairs with Lady Elizabeth. Would she be all right on her own, in the midst of that vast house? Would she be nervous, or feel lost, or come to hate him for throwing her into the midst of these bright, brittle courtiers?
He had to laugh at himself for those worries—about Anna Barrett of all people. Surely she had never feared anything in her life? Especially not a pack of overdressed pleasure-seekers. He was turning soft-hearted towards her, and he couldn’t do that. He couldn’t afford to—not when he walked the tightrope of Walsingham’s task, dragging Anna with him. Below them both lay the waiting abyss, lined with flashing blades and snapping teeth. He did what he must for the work, but the guilt of involving Anna in his own chosen danger lay heavy on him.
If he was to save them both he needed all his hard, cold wits about him. So did Anna. She couldn’t gossip with Lady Elizabeth—who knew what she would hear?
Rob glanced at the upper windows of the house, sparkling like diamonds in the sun. He thought he glimpsed a pale face behind one of them, watching him, but then it vanished.
‘Don’t worry, Rob,’ Edward said. ‘Elizabeth will look after your lady.’
‘She’s not my lady,’ Rob protested. He hated the sudden smug touch of satisfaction those words gave—his lady, his Anna. No matter how easily those thoughts came to him.
‘Is she not?’ Edward said with a grin. ‘I’m sure Lord Maddingly will be glad of that. He arrives this evening, and Mistress Barrett seems just the sort of beauty he enjoys.’
Hot anger flooded through Rob, and he reached impulsively for the dagger at his belt. ‘He’d best keep his distance from her if he doesn’t want a blade at his poxy throat!’
Edward laughed. ‘A mere joke, Robert, I swear. But if she is not your lady you are doing a fair imitation of it. Are you up to some masquerade?’
‘I hardly know any longer.’ What was real and what was a counterfeit? He had lost his real self so long ago.
‘That sounds intriguing. I hope there’s a part for me in whatever you’re planning.’ Edward stopped to bow to one of the ladies in the garden who waved to him, a pretty blonde in yellow satin and gilded lace.
Rob recognised her—Lady Arabella Bowen, one of the Court ladies who lingered at the playhouse so often. She sent him secret notes and lacy garters, but that was as far as things had ever gone with that particular lady.
Thus far.
She waved to Rob, too, and covered her mouth as she giggled and blushed.
‘I have the feeling Lady Bowen would be glad to hear that you and Mistress Barrett are only travel companions, as well,’ Edward continued. ‘Elizabeth says she asked about you as soon as she arrived.’
‘There is no time for such things right now, I fear.’ Rob studied Lady Bowen as she cavorted among the flowers with her friends. She was pretty indeed, a fluffy Court sweetmeat, with an obvious liking for actors. But he felt strangely unmoved as he looked at her. He could see only Anna’s face now.
‘My friend, there is always time for such things,’ Edward said. ‘Except for men like me, whose hearts have been entirely claimed. If you are not in the same situation …’
‘I am not.’ Not yet—and never, if he guarded himself as well as he had in the past. If he kept his armour in place. Even as he knew Anna would hate him after, and that knowledge pained him as nothing else could.
‘Then Lady Bowen might be a fine distraction from your work.’ Edward led Rob down a winding path that twisted around the house to the meadows and fields that rolled away into the distance. Once they were alone by the decorative lake, with no one to overhear, he said, ‘Speaking of work, Rob, what progress have you made?’
‘Walsingham believes he is closing in on the plotters,’ Rob said. The plotters—including Anna’s own father. He scooped up a flat stone from the ground and sent it skimming hard into the water. ‘He still seeks their leader, and I think he does not yet know the essence of their plot. Only that they work for Spain.’
‘Always Spain,’ Edward said. ‘Even when we defeat them we are not rid of them. But perhaps some of our guests will know information of help to us.’
‘Which guests are you thinking of?’
‘Ah, we shall have to discover that later, won’t we?’ Edward pointed to the crest of a distant hill, where a dark grey stone wall snaked its way through the lush green. ‘Beyond that border lies Thomas Sheldon’s new estate, which he bought after the downfall of the unfortunate Carringtons.’
‘Sheldon lives there now?’ Rob said in surprise. ‘And you have not yet run him off?’
‘It amuses me to watch him squirm so close by,’ Edward said, his eyes narrowed as he studied that wall. ‘And his days are numbered now. He has many interesting visitors—and I have many watchers along the road to make note of them. He grows careless. With these comings and goings, and the papers Elizabeth’s enterprising niece snatched for us, he will soon be done.’
‘And you think he has something to do with these new Spanish plotters?’
‘The Spanish have gold, and lots of it. Of course Sheldon will deal with them. I will show you the papers later. I’m eager to see what you think of them.’
‘Will we have to break into his house to search for more evidence?’ Rob asked. House-breaking was not his favourite activity—it lacked the quick, sharp action of a fight, the satisfaction of meeting an enemy face to face. But sometimes it was the only way to accomplish a goal.
‘No need,’ Edward said. ‘He will be at the ball here at Hart Castle a few nights hence. Perhaps the lady who is not your lad
y might care to dance with him? She seems very observant, even if she is here with you.’
Rob stared hard at the hillside, imagining Anna in Sheldon’s fat arms, the villain braying down at her as he stared at her bodice. It made that hot fury return, stronger than ever.
He had never felt so possessive of a woman before—so protective. He could never do his task—clear her father, be rid of Walsingham—if he spent every moment waiting to skewer any man who looked at her, who wished to do her harm.
Especially when he feared he would be the first one to hurt her.
He shrugged, feigning indifference. ‘You must ask her yourself, Edward. I told you—she is not my lady.’
‘I do hope you will be comfortable here, Mistress Barrett,’ Lady Elizabeth said as she bustled around the bedchamber. She fluffed a cushion on a chair and opened the window to let in the fresh country breeze.
Anna carefully laid her hat and gloves on a small carved table, staring around her at the room that was larger than the first floor of her father’s house. An immense dark wood bed, etched with images of fruit, flowers and fantastical birds, was hung with deep green curtains and spread with an embroidered counterpane that matched the cushions of the cross-backed chairs by the fireplace. Large clothes chests lined the walls, which displayed a valuable oval looking glass and portraits of sumptuously garbed Hartleys. Her own luggage looked small and puny next to such furnishings.
‘Oh, yes,’ Anna murmured. ‘I dare say I will be comfortable enough here.’
‘If you have need of anything at all you need only ring for it, or ask me. My own apartment is across the corridor.’ Lady Elizabeth suddenly hurried over to clasp Anna’s hands in hers, a happy smile on her face. ‘I am so very glad you’ve come here with Robert! He has never brought a lady to one of our parties before.’
Startled by such a fine lady’s gesture of friendship, Anna managed to smile back. What a strange house this Hart Castle was! She was starting to feel as if she had tumbled down into a new, strange land, and Rob was her only anchor.