A Scarlet Bride

by Sylvia McDaniel

  "I don't like being locked out," he announced cheerfully.

  He set the tray down on the table and poured the chocolate into cups. Looking up, he noticed her shuffling papers, laying what she'd written beneath a stack of loose documents. She glanced up, her gaze meeting his.

  "You are up rather early this morning. I thought you would sleep in," Alexandra said as she rose and walked toward him. Her blue riding skirt swayed enticingly with the rhythm of her hips.

  His eyes moved slowly up the length of her body, halting at the sight of her lips. Strawberry pink, ripe and full, ready for the picking. And he planned on tasting those lips this very day."This is a working plantation and I'm the boss. It's my job to get up early every morning."

  As he handed her the cup and saucer, his fingers brushed against her velvety soft skin. The smell of chocolate was rich and sweet, but nothing compared to the scent of lilacs that emanated from Alexandra.

  She lifted the cup to her lips and sipped her chocolate.

  "Another example of how little we know each other. I've risen early most of my life."

  "I'll keep that in mind," Connor said as he glanced around the room, noticing how she seemed to have settled in after he'd left last night. His eyes lingered on the stack of papers.

  "I thought you would be a latenight person, an early afternoon riser," she said.

  "I take my job very seriously since this is how I make our living. I don't have time to lollygag in bed. Though with the right woman ..."

  A blush tinted her cheeks, making them rosy. "Connor Manning, I'll ask you to please watch your tongue."

  He laughed.

  "You think very highly of yourself and your charms, Mr. Manning."

  "You play the blushing bride very well, my dear." He knew she had been married before and innocent she was not. Yet it did seem strange there was such a difference between her reputation and her perception of the world. She acted like an innocent who knew more than she should.

  "I've had experience with the state of marriage before, Mr. Manning."

  "I know, Alexandra. But you're married to me now. I'm your husband. So as I asked last night, call me Connor."

  She fidgeted in one of the Louis XV chairs upholstered in purple and gold cutvelvet and nodded. "I'm trying."

  "Don't give up," he said, handing her a plate. He proceeded to spoon the eggs onto her dish.

  She took a deep breath, the bodice of her riding gown, swelling. "Smells wonderful. I'm so glad we didn't have to sit through a formal occasion."

  "Did you have one with your last wedding?" he questioned, his eyes fixed on the pancakes he was dishing out. He wanted to look at her, but was afraid she could see his curiosity about her first marriage. There was so much he wanted to know, but was afraid to ask.

  "Yes. And it was quite a bore. The whole wedding was frightfully stiff, overdone, and very expensive. I much preferred our small quiet ceremony."

  Connor relaxed, relieved that she had been pleased with the arrangements. He and Aunt Clara had taken care of everything from the judge to the flowers. Alexandra had refused to participate in any of the planning. And though her father had wanted something more elaborate, Aunt Clara had convinced James that Connor was right. A quick, simple ceremony with a limited number of guests would kill gossip with due haste.

  He grinned. "I liked our wedding also. It was simple, cozy, and quite literally, the most requested invitation in town this year."

  Alexandra laughed, the sound uplifting and light. "I'm sure you're correct."

  She poured syrup over the pancakes, picked up her fork, and took a bite. A dribble of the sweet liquid beaded on her bottom lip, and Connor watched as she ran her tongue across. The thought of pouring syrup all over her body, then slowly licking the maple off sent his mind exploring the possibilities of pleasure. The sticky images were both exciting and forbidden, leaving him shifting uncomfortably to cover his reaction.

  He cleared his throat. "How are your pancakes?"

  "Actually, they're quite good."

  "Excellent. Leona will be pleased."

  They sat in comfortable silence, finishing their breakfast. Occasionally, Connor couldn't help but glance up and stare at Alexandra. They were married and this gorgeous woman was his wife. The blue riding habit she wore turned her green eyes emerald and made her mahogany hair shine like polished wood.

  She laid her empty dish and silverware back on the tray. "So are we going to eat all of our meals in my room?"

  Connor smiled. "Sounds promising, but no, I thought we'd have a picnic for lunch, and then tonight we'll have an intimate supper downstairs in the dining room."

  Alexandra raised her brows at him and changed the subject. "Are we still going riding?"

  "Yes," he replied pulling out his pocket watch. "Say in fifteen minutes?"

  Connor strode around the Louis XV table and stopped before Alexandra. He reached down and lifted her hand, pulling her up to face him. As he gazed at her, she stared back at him, watching him with an expectant look on her face.

  He turned her palm up and placed the key that locked the door to her room within her warm palm. "Against my better judgment, I'm giving you this key. I would advise you not to lock me out."

  Alexandra raised her chin, her green eyes flashing defiantly. "Who else would I bolt my doors against?"

  Her words irritated him, but he took a deep breath and resolved to remain calm. He vowed to keep his promise from the night before, to give his wife time to adjust to their marriage, while he actively pursued her. "You may keep me from your bed, but do not lock me out."

  Her hand closed around the key. "As long as you understand my bed is forbidden."

  He couldn't help but smile. In some ways she was such an innocent. "I promise you'll be sleeping alone. But sooner or later, you'll ask me into your bed."

  "I doubt that very much."

  She turned to walk away, and he gripped her arm, stopping her. "Is that the proper way to thank your husband?"

  She glanced back at him, a suspicious look on her face. "Whatever do you mean?"

  "I deserve a thankyou kiss, particularly since I never received a goodmorning kiss."

  Shaking her head, she took two steps and politely kissed him on the cheek. "Is that better?"

  "No."

  Alexandra smiled. "I kissed you, just like you asked."

  It was obvious the kiss was intended to irritate him. But he wasn't about to let her get away with such a blatant show of vexation.4 'It shows promise, but as your husband, I prefer my kisses more like this."

  He pulled her into his arms, his lips covering hers, refusing to let her speak, to utter the word no.

  At first touch, she was stiff and unyielding. But then he plied his mouth over hers, stroking the sensitive curve of her lips, teasing the tip of her tongue. Slowly she relaxed. Her breathing increased as she reluctantly wound her arms around his neck.

  Alexandra tasted of maple syrup, and the image of licking the sticky liquid from her body made him moan. All he wanted to do was bury himself deep within this woman and find a release for the passion she evoked. His hands sought her buttocks through the fullness of her riding skirt, pulling her up against the hardness between his thighs.

  Her body stiffened, and against his will, he unwillingly released her.

  Taking a deep breath to calm the rapid pace of his heart and cool his hardened body, he said, "I'll meet you in the stables in fifteen minutes."

  Feeling that he had made a little progress with Alexandra, he beat a hasty retreat. But sometime during that kiss, he had lost control.

  God help him if the woman ever found out what she did to him, for he would never have the upper hand again. Yet, he knew the cool Mrs. Manning was not immune to him either. That thought made him smile and he looked forward to the day.

  ***

  Alexandra made her way down the steps of the big house. A cool breeze lingered across her skin, the smell of roses from the garden wafting through the air. She
strolled the short distance to the barn, the sound of Connor's deep baritone voice giving instructions to the stable hands to saddle their mounts drawing her closer.

  Just as she walked up to the stables, Connor led two horses out of the barn, saddled and ready.

  "You did come," he exclaimed.

  She raised her brows. "Was there ever a doubt?"

  "Well, yes. You did seem reluctant after I kissed you. I thought perhaps once I gave you the key, you'd lock yourself in your room for the next thirty years."

  "What in heaven's name for?"

  "To avoid me."

  She chuckled. "I'm not afraid of you."

  "Good." His eyes danced with humor.

  Alexandra quickly interjected, "But neither do I trust you."

  Connor laughed as he walked toward her.

  He handed her the reins of a brown mare with white markings on its legs and nose. The quarter horse gently nuzzled her hand, searching for sugar.

  "My dear, I'd like you to meet Queen Anne. A wedding present from me to you."

  Alexandra stared in shock at the beautiful horse. She glanced at Connor, and was stunned by the sincerity reflecting from his eyes.

  "You bought me a gift," she murmured in shock. Her hand reached out slowly and rubbed the horse's neck. "She's lovely. But I can't accept her."

  "Why not?"

  She couldn't help but notice the perfect height of the horse, her exceptional markings. She was truly a class animal. A very expensive horse.

  "I... don't know," she stammered. But she did. She did not want to be beholden to Connor for anything. Yet the horse was superior. A more perfect wedding gift he could not have bought. "I didn't get you anything."

  "I wanted Queen Anne to be a surprise," he said, his blue eyes twinkling with delight.

  Connor appeared sincere, even excited at giving her this gift.

  "Keep her," Connor urged. "She's yours."

  She had wanted to own her own horse again, ever since the day Gordon had sold her favorite mare without warning. Rubbing her hand down the mare's nose, Alexandra could not resist the lovely animal. Why shouldn't she have something she enjoyed while she was here?

  "Thank you," she said softly, rubbing her head against the animal's neck.

  Connor touched the horse's flank. "Then you'll keep her?"

  "Yes. Oh, yes."

  "Good, let's go for our ride."

  Connor assisted Alexandra into the sidesaddle, and she spread her skirt across her legs. He mounted a black stallion and turned the animal away from the stable. Side by side, they trotted their steeds across the yard.

  "You really shouldn't have done this," she said, her hand rubbing the mare's neck absently.

  He glanced over and smiled at her, his lips parted just enough to reveal his even white teeth. "I thought a horse would be a fitting gift for me to give you, considering that's what we discussed the night we met."

  Alexandra glanced warily at him. "You realize though the horse was a thoughtful gift, this changes nothing between us."

  He turned his gaze upon her, as if to reassure her that he knew nothing was different. "I know."

  But already Alexandra could feel her resolve softening just a little. No wonder he was capable of seduction. It would be hard to resist his smiling face and carefree laughter. If she wasn't careful, how long before he charmed his way into her heart? The thought frightened her, and yet left her intrigued at the same time. She would have to be on guard every moment.

  They rode along in silence past the house and rolling fields of cotton. Queen Anne's gait was a fitting description of her name. Regal and proud, the horse and Alexandra seemed to mesh almost immediately. With a gentle tug on the reins, the mare obeyed her mistress's every command. Alexandra felt almost giddy with the gift of the animal. Without knowing it, Connor had touched on one of her secret desires.

  In a flat field surrounded by pines and elm trees, Connor pulled his horse to a halt. He pointed to a flat section of land that lay barren. "This is die valley where I'm going to build the new barns that will hold the foals Queen Anne will produce, along with the other new mares I hope to buy soon."

  "When will that be?" Alexandra asked.

  "Soon, I hope. Very soon." His gaze was warmer than the noonday sun, his voice confident.

  What was keeping Connor from building his bams now? Certainly the plantation had enough working capital to build necessary buildings.

  Yet the morning light had revealed the paint peeling off the barns, the porch sagging. The inside of the house needed a good cleaning and new furnishings. Mind you, the furniture was quality woodwork, but the carpets were worn, the drapery faded, and the cushions needed replacing.

  Alexandra knew in the next several days she planned on organizing a cleaning with the servants that would make the house sparkle and shine. But her curiosity was aroused at the lack of maintenance around the plantation. Connor did not strike her as being slovenly or ill equipped to handle his responsibilities.

  Continuing, as they rode, he pointed out fields of rice, cotton, and indigo, the principle crops of River Bend. Alexandra couldn't help but notice that when he spoke of the land, his voice was strong and sure, his pride obvious. She'd never seen him so expressive, and this new facet of the man surprised her.

  They rode until they reached the Ashley River, then stopped to let their horses rest and have a drink. Connor helped Alexandra alight from Queen Anne, his hands reaching up to finger at her waist. The smell of leather emanated from him, and he held her longer than necessary.

  He released her and hesitantly stepped away. The blue of his eyes matched the morning sky, making her heart flutter in her chest.

  "So what do you think of River Bend?"

  "It's big. I never realized you had so many acres."

  "I have more than enough land to care for." He gazed out at the fields of cotton, edged with massive trees that fined the bank of the river. "Come walk with me down to the water's edge."

  He took her hand and led her toward the sound of water. The Ashley River gurgled along at a meandering pace. A dilapidated dock protruded from the bank, briefly impeding its progress.

  She held back as he stepped onto the dock. He turned around and glanced at her curiously, tugging on her hand. "Come on."

  Alexandra swallowed. "It doesn't look sturdy."

  "It's not going to collapse. It's very sturdy."

  They stepped out onto the wooden structure, and Alexandra feared it would disintegrate beneath them and they would tumble into the river. She tensed.

  "This is where we ship our crops from. When the cotton comes in, we load it onto the boats from the dock, then it's transported down to the harbor, where it's sold to the mills," he said with pride.

  "You really love this land, don't you?" she said, somewhat taken a back at this new aspect of Connor she'd just witnessed.

  "It's all I know. I can't imagine doing anything else."

  The warmth of Connor's smile felt like sunshine on her face. He pulled out his pocket watch and glanced at the time.

  ''We have just enough time to ride to my favorite place. At noon, Nate is to meet us at the swimming hole with our lunch."

  Alexandra raised her brows. "Swimming? I hope you hadn't planned on the two of us going in the water."

  Connor laughed. "Not today. But someday ..."

  They walked back to the horses and he lifted Alexandra up into the saddle. She glanced down at him, and decided to let him know not to make any such plans. "Someday will never come," she said.

  He glanced at her. "Why not?"

  "I don't swim."

  "Everyone swims nowadays."

  "I don't swim. Water terrifies me."

  "Hmm. That explains your reluctance to walk on the dock." He paused. "I could teach you to swim."

  "I could show you how to drown."

  Connor smiled, his lips full and inviting, and her heart skipped a beat. He mounted his horse and they continued on their way. The morning had been
more than what she had expected from a man like Connor. He had been genuine and filled with pride about his home, and she couldn't help but like him. She couldn't help but be attracted to him. If only they had met years ago, when she was capable of love. But her heart would never love again.

  Connor finally pulled his stallion to a halt beneath the largest live oak tree Alexandra had ever seen. Nestled at the trunk was a picnic basket laden with food.

  "Good Lord. This tree appears to touch the sky."

  "It's been here at least a hundred years," Connor acknowledged. "My greatgreatgrandfather mentioned it in his journal. The swimming hole is just beyond those pine trees. There's a rope where you can swing out over the water and then drop below."

  "Thank you, but I don't think I'll be swinging anywhere."

  Alexandra waited until Connor came around to help her dismount. She placed her hands on the tops of his shoulders, her face inches from his own. He lifted her as if she weighed next to nothing before setting her on the ground. She was trapped between the horse and Connor.

  "Riding with you this morning has given me quite an appetite," he said, his voice low as his eyes sought hers. He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek, his lips warm against her skin.

  Alexandra made to push him away with her hand. She'd experienced his kind of hunger before. The man could starve before she'd quench his passion. "Then it's good Nate has brought our food."

  Connor stepped out of her way, bending slightly at the waist in a bow as she moved past him. "Though my soul hungers for a different kind of nourishment."

  With a quick glance back, Alexandra smiled at him. "I doubt you're famished."

  "Absolutely starving for you," he said, his look filled with promise of sweet satisfaction.

  She shook her head at him and took a calming breath, trying to slow her rapid heart. "Sometimes I can't help but wonder how many women must have fallen for your seductive lines."

  "Not nearly as many as you think."

  Alexandra spread out a blanket and laid a tablecloth on top, chattering away like a nervous little bird. "I know men consider women to be of lesser intelligence, but I believe we are just as capable. Then I see women acting like fools over men and I'm simply amazed at their lack of selfrespect."