"Cassie, my darling, wake up." She mumbled something and then turned away from him, but Evan teased her awake, suckling at her breasts until she arched up and cried out, her body coming awake just as he had planned.
"Evan?" She pushed her hair out of her eyes and looked around the room where the fire still glowed and the candles still flickered but an easy peace had replaced the simmering tension of earlier. "What time is it?"
Laughing, he rolled them both over until she was straddling him. "Time for you to learn how to fuck me from on top," he teased, delighted when interest flared in her eyes. "I need you again, Cassie. In fact, I think I shall need you all bloody night."
"There is that much to teach me?" she asked with a laugh, though he noted that she stretched her body out languidly on top of his and did not protest when he shifted her hips so that her womanhood fit tightly against his cock.
"So very, very much," he sighed with delight as she ran her hands down over his chest, exploring him just as he had explored her earlier. "In fact, I think it might take the rest of the night to even show you the basics."
Something deep and dark flared in her eyes and once more, Evan was thankful he had taken the leap and made her his wife. "I cannot wait," she chuckled softly. "No, I am fairly certain that I cannot." And then she proceeded to show him exactly how eager she was for her next lesson in lovemaking.
Chapter Eleven
The next morning, Cassandra awoke to more of Evan's delightful kisses and she found herself laughing as he proceeded to kiss his way down her body and then back up to her mouth, all the while murmuring sweet, nonsensical words. Given Evan's temperament, this was not at all what she had expected, but she could not argue with how wonderful it felt to be adored - possibly even worshiped - in that manner. This was a side of her dragon that she had never expected she would see. In fact, she hadn't even really known that this part of him existed at all, but she was glad that it did. For this was the sort of man she could grow to care for deeply - though she already suspected that she was developing feelings for him.
If she was not developing tender feelings, she doubted that it would have been so easy for her to fall into bed with him last night after only a scant bit of convincing. And in truth, convincing her hadn't even been necessary. She had been more than ready. In fact, she likely would have allowed him to bed her sooner had he but asked.
Ever since their first night together, Evan had proved to Cassandra what a devoted husband he could be when he set his mind to the task, though given that she already knew he possessed a singular focus for many tasks, she wasn't surprised when he applied just as much energy to the business of wooing her, either.
Not that she needed to be wooed, either. She didn't. After all, they were already married. This little sojourn to the country was supposed to be nothing more than the opportunity to marry in private and then take some time to get to know each other a little better as husband and wife before rejoining the crush of Society. After that first night, yes, it had become something a little more - at least to Cassandra - but only because Evan had been enough of a gentleman to not rush her immediately into his bed. There had been no mention of wooing. Nor should there have been.
Yet last night as he slid his hands beneath her back so that he could grip her shoulders tightly as he feasted upon her breasts, wooing was precisely what his attentions felt like to Cassandra - and she was quickly coming to the realization that she didn't mind in the least. If anything, she craved more - more of Evan and more of his body. For a woman who had been hesitant about the marital bed, she was now completely enamored of it, and as one day slid into the next, she found that she was eager to learn all that he would teach her about the art of lovemaking.
For it was an art, she was discovering. The day that he had taken her to his library and shown her a collection of erotic books that depicted various ways a couple could make love, she understood immediately that he was not being crass. He was attempting to help her understand what could be between them, what he could offer her. In fact, if there was a depicted act he was not capable of performing - and those were admittedly few and far between - then he told her so. In sex as in all things, Evan was blunt and plain-spoken, just as he had always been from the very first moment she had met him.
Now, however, she saw that trait as charming rather than infuriating. It should worry her, she supposed, just how quickly her mind was changing on the subject of Evan, but she was enjoying their coupling far too much to truly let such a minor thing bother her.
On the fourth day after their first night together, Cassandra rose as she always did just as the dawn was breaking, but this time, she was alone. She always awoke with Evan beside her and this morning, she was a bit dismayed to discover that he wasn't there. Instead, he had left her a note asking her to meet him in the stables in an hour or so. He also requested that she leave her corset, stays, and drawers behind.
Naughty man. But she would not change a thing about him, either. She was enjoying this side of her new husband far too much.
Tossing back the bedcovers, Cassandra found she could not wait to discover what Evan had planned and quickly reached for her wrapper as she placed her bare feet on the frigid floor and headed for the bell pull to summon Mellisande. It would be a bit difficult to convince her rather stiff and proper maid that she did not need her usual undergarments, but she would do so - if only to see what sort of mischief Evan was about.
For surprisingly, he was mischievous. She hadn't known that about him. Nor had she known that he disliked carrots, enjoyed a fast horse and an even faster phaeton, had a taste for lemons, despised cheroots and cheap whiskey, and enjoyed a good glass of Scotch - though that last one she should have known, given their first fight in his study that long ago March day the previous year.
He also had a dark sense of humor and could be incredibly possessive at times. He also possessed a tender heart that he kept hidden from most of the world, but she knew that it beat in his chest just the same, no matter how well he tried to pretend otherwise. She had seen proof of his tenderness the day he had moved Aunt Louisa out of the decrepit old dowager house she had occupied for so long. Cassandra also suspected her husband might be prone to jealousy, but she had no real proof of that, only a suspicion.
Evan also cared deeply about his family - or at least those he considered his family. His parents were gone and he was an only child. His uncle Moses had been the only real and tangible family he had left and then he, too, had gone and died, leaving Evan in charge of a dwindling Haddington family. Cassandra suspected that was why he treated Aunt Louisa with such care and concern. He had little family left and he was not about to allow those who remained to suffer in any way if he could prevent such a thing.
No, there was far more depth to her husband than she had ever suspected and she was enjoying this time away from Society to discover all of the different parts to his personality.
By the time Cassandra had dressed in her warmest riding habit, with only a little argument from Mellisande, the sun was already rising in the sky. After their night of shared passion, the sun had shone down upon this little corner of Somerset ever since. If Cassandra believed in signs - which she didn't - she would have said that the sunlight was a mark of good things to come. Instead, she just accepted the pleasant weather as her good fortune and knew that dryer conditions would make the trip back to London a bit easier.
The entire household would make the return trip to Town in a day or so, and packing had already begun. When they had departed Brambly Fields the first time, it had been in something of a rush and Evan had left instructions to have the remainder of their things packed for London when time allowed. Never had Cassandra thought they would return so soon, or that when she did, she would now be mistress of Brambly. Though secretly, she was glad that this was now her position and not some other woman's. Perhaps the jealous streak she suspected Evan of possessing ran through her as well. It would not be the first time she discovered she was more si
milar in temperament to her husband than she cared to admit.
When Cassandra reached the stables, Willis was waiting for her, Marigold already saddled and waiting as well. As the stable master helped her mount, he informed her that she was to ride out towards the old abbey and that Evan would meet her there. It was not lost on her that was the location she had hoped to explore the day she had encountered Evan in the stables during the rain and passion had flared between them. If nothing else, the man had an excellent memory.
Once out of the stable yard, she gave Marigold her head and allowed the mare to fly across the rapidly thawing fields, the wind whipping around them so hard that Cassandra could not conceal a laugh that bubbled up within her. It had been a very long time, if ever, since she had felt so free and she was relishing every moment of the experience.
At first, she did not notice Evan leaning up against the old stone wall of the abbey as she pulled Marigold to a stop, but she did hear his applause when the wind stopped rushing in her ears. Which for some reason made her ridiculously happy.
"Have I ever told you how bloody magnificent you are?" he asked as he finished clapping. "I do love a woman who can make an entrance."
"Hush," she scolded him lightly. "I was simply enjoying the day."
"You should do it more often, Cassie. The joy in your expression looks good on you." He reached up to help her down and she noticed that his eyes danced with merriment. Again, this was a side of Evan she had not seen before and the look on his face did something odd to her heart.
"You do know how to flatter a lady," she replied tartly, willing her heart to settle and for Evan to stop looking at her like she was utterly delectable.
He shrugged and slid a hand around her waist. "I know how to speak to my wife in the hope that she will allow me to undo this rather thick and annoying riding habit so that I might have my wicked way with her."
There was heat in his eyes, the same heat that had been there every night since he had first taken her to bed. It made her shiver and put all sorts of untoward thoughts into her head. Thoughts she had no business dwelling upon if this was to be strictly a business arrangement between them. Which it must be for the safety and sanity of all involved.
"How do you know that I won't allow you liberties anyway?" she teased back, attempting to keep her tone light but failing miserably when her voice turned thick and husky. "Especially when I rather like how you make me feel."
Evan's hand snaked out and caught her more firmly around the waist then. He pulled her close and brought his lips down hungrily upon hers, harsh and demanding and still full of the same passion he had shown her every night since she had allowed him into her bed.
"Keep that up, wench, and we will not get far today," he growled as he kissed along her jaw, scraping the tender flesh with his teeth. "I had planned to give you a tour of the abbey, but if you would rather..."
"A tour of the abbey?" That snagged Cassandra's attention and she shoved lightly at his chest. She was a bit surprised when he covered her hand with his. "Why did you not say so straight off? Had I known that I would have stripped naked the moment I arrived and let you have your way with me so we could get about exploring."
Evan made a harrumphing sound. "Temptress. You shall be the death of me." Though he did not sound as if he minded very much. Sighing, he pushed away from the wall completely, but he did not release her hand, instead linking their fingers together. "Very well. Let me give you the tour, shall I?"
Leading her into the church proper, Cassandra was surprised to find that it was not in nearly as bad of condition as most of the abbeys she had seen over the years - not that she had seen all that many, but still, there had been a few. This one still had its roof intact, ensuring that the weather was kept at bay. While it had clearly fallen into disuse, it was also not as dusty as she would have supposed, though Evan assured her that was only because it was cleaned twice a year at his uncle's request.
"I am given to understand that the second or third Lord Berkshire had an affection for the abbess who ruled here and that ever since it has been written into the entailed portion of the estate that whoever is the marquess shall keep the place cleaned twice a year and in decent condition." Slowly he led her down the aisle between long rows of silent pews. "My parents were wed here, actually."
Cassandra ran a hand over one of the ornately carved pews, so very different from the Haddington family chapel where they had wed. The worn wood was smooth and dry beneath her hand and yet, it somehow seemed alive in its own, peculiar way. "I had no idea."
Evan sighed and shrugged. "Few do. My mother was Catholic, even though she claimed to have converted. In truth, she remained loyal to Rome until her dying day, though few outside of the immediate family knew of her allegiance. This place held special meaning to her." There was a distant look in his eyes Cassandra had never seen there before.
"You miss them." She laced her fingers tighter with his, cursing both her gloves and his to perdition for keeping them apart.
He seemed lost in thought for a long, silent moment as they strolled the aisles of the abandoned church. "I do. They were not perfect parents, but they were good people. Kind and loving. They are the reason I did not desire a love match for myself."
"How so?" The deep, unconditional love her own parents had shared was the very reason Cassandra had dreamed of falling hopelessly in love with the man she married.
Evan stopped just in front of the altar, the faint morning sun beginning to pour in through the rose window, bathing him in a wreath of colors, his now gray eyes reflecting the vibrant blues and rich reds of the stained glass above. "My father took a fever and died when I was ten, just as I was about to go off to Eton as all of the Haddington men before me had done. After that, I wanted to remain at home with my mother, at least for a time. Even at that tender age, I could see that she was not doing well, but my Uncle Moses insisted I see to my schooling. I remember that Aunt Louisa fought him on the issue, but in the end? She lost, just as she always did. And my mother? Well, she had no desire to go on without the man she had loved to distraction. Within a month, she was dead as well. As for me? Well, I think mostly because he felt sorry for me, I became my uncle's heir. I was already a baron, inheriting the title from my father, so I was learning how to run estates."
"Something your other cousins were not?" Cassandra guessed and was rewarded with a sharp nod from Evan.
"No, they were little better than hooligans, in truth, running wild as only young boys can. They did not have the burden of a title, either. I already did. Therefore, I was the logical choice. It seemed for the best at the time." He looked away. "However the truth was, I didn't want my uncle's title. Or to be named his heir. I didn't wish to be a baron either. I would have gladly given all of the wealth and titles back, if only I could have my parents returned to me, hale and hearty. I was ten, and I missed them so bloody much."
Reaching down, Cassandra stripped off their gloves so that she could take his hand again - only this time, bare skin to bare skin. "Evan, I am so sorry."
"The worst part was, in my heart, I knew that while my mother loved me, she did not love me as much as she loved my father. That I wasn't enough for her. If I had been, she would have stayed. Because I needed her and yet she left me. To be with him." He was attempting to be cold and dispassionate, but Cassandra could see the enormous hurt that still lay beneath the surface. "So I decided then and there that I would not marry for love. Love hurts and love destroys and I want no part of it."
His words were like a blow to Cassandra's heart and once more, she pushed down whatever these growing feelings inside of her were. They could not be love. She refused to let them be. If she was to keep Evan and keep him happy and satisfied for the duration of their agreement, she could not love him. She would not, not if it was the very last thing she did.
"Then have no fear, dragon," she assured him, desperate now for that teasing hunger he had shown her earlier. She would gladly trade that for this maudlin m
an now standing beside her. "For I am coming to know you too well to love you. Though I do find that I rather like you, if you don't mind me saying so." Then she nudged his side and, as he wasn't expecting it, he nearly toppled over.
"Minx," he chuckled, his good humor returning a bit. "Yes, I suppose it is all well and good if you like me. For I find that I am coming to like you as well." He took her hand again. "For a woman I wished to throttle a little less than a year ago, that is saying something, don't you think?"
"I do." Whirling around and pulling free of his grip, Cassandra headed for a side door that she suspected led to the abbey proper. "Actually, I think it is my delightful personality that has won you over."
"Or it could simply be that you are relentless when you desire something and you have worn me down." He followed her, the traces of his earlier melancholy slipping away. "And when we return to London, the Gray Ladies are yours. I did promise them to you, after all, and I am now free to do with them as I please."
"I shall hold you to that," she retorted, as she pushed open the door. "But for now? That tour if you please."
"Demanding chit," he grumbled, but he did so with a smile and he followed her out the door without another protest.
For the next hour or so, Evan showed Cassandra around the old abbey, allowing her to peek into rooms as she liked and explore at will. Though he had grown up here, this was a new experience for her and he wasn't about to diminish the joy she found in exploration.
He had meant what he said when she had first arrived earlier that morning. He liked the way joy looked on her face. She had known too little of joy and happiness in her life, first serving her father at Ivy Cottage after her mother had passed and then later when she had been used as a pawn in whatever mad schemes her aunt had in mind.
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