Angel of Ash

by Law, Josephine

  It was long minutes later before the door to Hunter’s bedroom opened and everyone in the room, rushed forward, Ethan, as the head of the household first, looking worried, anxious and pain filled at once, as Marie stepped through the room. But it was her smile, tired but still there, that put the family at ease and she quietly pressed a finger to her lips, still smiling.

  “Well, it would seem as if Gabe has been blessed with a boy,” she whispered, before tears drew in her arms, falling like the dew. “Oh, Ethan,” she cried, as he pulled her into his arms and the men and Asher, sighed a collective sigh of relief. “He is simply beautiful, with your eyes, I might add,” she said, telling the occupants of the room the new child was hazel eyed.

  Angel felt relief and excitement of such joy burst through her she dared not utter one word or move, for fear of tears of happiness escaping her eyes. She stilled, instead, saying a small prayer of thank you and clasping her hands tightly, smiling widely, before turning towards Ethan and Marie. “Congratulations,” she said, laughing slightly from the sheer joy, another life created, born and Hunter well. “On the birth of your first grandchild and I pray, that he shall be the first of many.”

  And it was Asher, who got an unusual emotion in his body, a pain of something spreading throughout as he stared at Angel, eyes glowing and smile wide, congratulating his parents and for one fleeting moment he thought of Angel, upon the bed, eyes glowing and smiling widely at him as she presented him with his first son. He crushed the image before it had even time to develop fully, a shaky hand crossing over his brow as relief swept through his body. Not bloody likely, he thought, no, that life would not be committed to him. He had made a promise to himself long ago, marriage, children; it would never be for him. He would never sink into the pain of being chained to another; he would remain free and unfettered by a fish wife and bratty children. It was time he found himself another mistress, and the sooner, the better.

  The family was able to see the tired Hunter, exhausted husband and new member of the family as Gabe’s first daughter, Lauran was first presented to her brother, as she peered over the edge of her parents bed, her six year old eyes wide and smiling in pure amazement that the bundle that had once been in her step-mother’s stomach was now a fat baby with black hair and eyes that flickered opened, only occasionally.

  “Cute,” she said, smiling, poking him in the cheek and watching as he scrunched up his face and started crying, much like a small, stray kitten, while her mother shushed her even while laughing.

  The rest of the group laughed, also, the miracle of another generation, another life being born that gave them no small sense of amazement, and it was Asher who noticed that Angel had not entered the room, giving the family privacy as she stayed in the outer living room, alone.

  He left, quietly, everyone oohing over the child, who was an eight pound ball of fatness and chubby cheeks, and watched, from his vantage point, at Hunter’s door, as Angel sat, looking like a foreign queen, serenely, but he saw the tremble in her hands, which she clasped tightly upon her lap as he walked towards her, sitting down next to her and not speaking for more than two minutes, before finally deciding to break the silence.

  “They are naming the child, Ethan, after my father, and William, after Gabe’s father. Ethan William Montgomery,” he started, his fingers itching to hold her hand.

  “A good, solid name,” she returned, not yet meeting his eyes.

  “Why do you not visit the new mother and her son?” He asked.

  But he knew, they both knew. Angel felt like an intruder, a stranger in their midst, which is what she was to everyone except Hunter…and Asher. “I can wait,” she said, a soft smile drifting to her lips and Asher was mesmerized by the shape and curve of her seductively pink lips, wanting to press his against them, once more, hell, hundreds of more times. “Tell me, what does he look like?”

  “Like a fat turkey,” Asher said honestly while Angel widened her eyes in shocked amazement at his outspoken words as she tried vainly not to laugh.

  But it could not be helped as Asher stared at her with wide eyed innocence. “What? It is the truth.”

  “But that is your first nephew,” she cried. “You are supposed to rant about his masculine prowess, the handsomeness of his brow, the strength of his jaw.”

  “Looks more like a turkey’s neck, but who am I to judge, my own, dear mother has said that I came out looking much like a drowned cat.”

  And it was then they both laughed, sharing in the amusement of his words, the wonder of life and the newness of each other.

  “Asher?” Angel asked questioningly, her laugh dying upon her lips. Oh, why was he so handsome? She was sure, some other foolish woman would say that he was no more handsome than the rest of his brothers, but she begged to differ. Perhaps it was his unusual cat eyes, or his plump lower lip or the curls upon his head, but Asher was different, so utterly seductive, she felt as if every time he was near, her senses were drugged. And the smoldering glances he gave her, she wanted to fan herself cool.

  “Yes?” As he cocked his head, staring at her with those eyes that played havoc upon her senses.

  She wanted to beg him to look away, she herself should drop her eyes, but she could not, lulled into their brilliant depths, a knowing victim. “I beg your forgiveness for my harsh words of earlier, it was not the time nor place,” she said.

  “No, it was not, but it is I who should apologize, my…Angel,” he said, liking the way the words rolled off of his lips, ‘my Angel,’ even though he had been about to say, ‘my dear Ms. Barrett’. “I seem to take immense pleasure in teasing you,” he added, before placing one hand over a hand upon her lap, rubbing the smooth flesh with one thumb as it made delightful circles upon her golden skin.

  Angel could barely manage to think, not when he was so close, their knees nearly touching each other. Not when his flesh was touching hers. She knew that it was highly improper for him to touch her as such but could not bring herself to care. She looked away from his eyes, trying to collect her thoughts, trying to remember what he had been speaking about when she finally nodded, still not daring to look at him, because there, she saw the depths of his soul and knew it to be good, something he tried so hard to hide from her. “Alright,” she said softly before a voice was met at her back and she jumped in guilt, noticing that Asher did not remove his hand from hers, but laid still upon it, claiming her.

  “Ms. Barrett?” Caleb said behind the two, noticing the guilty flush upon Angel’s face and the possessive hand Asher placed upon hers. “Hunter wishes to see you,” he said and watched as she nodded, hurriedly standing up, but not before Asher clasped her hand in his, making her turn towards him before he gave her a warm smile.

  She did nothing in return, the exaggerated breathing, which neither brother missed, the only indication that she knew what Asher was about, before scurrying towards Hunters’ bedroom.

  Asher ignored Caleb who stared at him, instead, his eyes upon Angel’s swiftly retreating back.

  “Don’t do it, Asher,” Caleb warned him watching as his brother strode to the window, well away from the bedroom door, staring outside at the dark night.

  “Don’t do what?” Asher asked playing the innocent.

  “You know what I mean. She is an innocent,” Caleb started, not distracted by Asher’s snort of disbelief. “You think differently?” He asked.

  “I know differently.”

  “You have already bedded her?”

  “No.”

  “Then how do you know?”

  It was Asher’s turn to look at Caleb in exasperation. “Come, now, Caleb, the girl is twenty, had been without a father for nearly her entire life with no one to protect her. How innocent do you think she is?”

  “It is not my place to know, Ash. I do know this, that woman you have your sights upon, is Hunter’s best friend, a child hood sister who knows Hunter, perhaps better than we do ourselves. If you were to involve her in an affair, you also involve Hunter. And if
, no, when you break the romance, Hunter will also be involved. You have broken enough hearts, littering this side of the hemisphere. Leave her alone; let her enjoy her stay here, with our sister, unencumbered by your advances.”

  “Why do you care, Caleb? Is it perhaps, because you want her for yourself?” Asher accused.

  “It matters not-”

  Asher interjected. “The hell you say, I saw the lust filled looks you gave her, Caleb. You would play me the fool; make me stop so perhaps, you can start.”

  “You are the fool, Asher,” Caleb said, uttering it fiercely.

  But Asher’s thoughts, grew, an idea that would take form, shape in his mind and had not left him since he’d watched Caleb being introduced to Asher. “Perhaps, so,” he said. And then, now, serious. “You owe me a favor, Caleb,” Asher started, the both knew what favor Asher spoke of, years of a troubled past had not been left to rest, especially not when Asher wanted Angel, so much, to know the truth about her.

  “I owe you a favor, I promised you a long, long time, ago,” Caleb returned, staring dejectedly out the window. “Damn her,” he whispered quietly.

  “I ask now of this favor,” Asher said. “I wish to see, Love, as she really is, as I know she is, Caleb. Woo her, brother, I wish to see if her head is turned by promises of your fortune and title and standing.”

  “Don’t ask such a thing.”

  Asher grew angered. “Don’t you dare, Caleb. I have never asked anything from you, not since. Do this one thing.”

  “She is an innocent.”

  “And I tell you she is not. If, if she goes along with the game, I will then know, she is nothing, just like that bitch before her.”

  “And if she doesn’t? If she does not fall for me?”

  Asher smiled, coldly, calculating. “Then I’ll make her my mistress. Either way, brother, one of us will have the little beauty; her sex will be the spoils of the winner.”

  “Damn you, Asher, she is not an object.”

  “Oh, I differ, Caleb. I differ. She will reside here for three months and I shall even do the gentlemanly thing and allowing you to go first with the young ms. I will leave return in two weeks. I wish to be kept abreast upon the status of our little game.”

  “You won’t like the outcome.”

  “I’ll be the judge of that.”

  Asher turned, wallowing in self-pity for one brief minute before turning back to Caleb, smiling, “You shall see, Caleb, my brother, everything shall work out for the best.”

  “Never.”

  Chapter 4

  Angel left Hunter’s room, the family tired as it was now turning two in the morning. Hunter was already more than half asleep as she cuddled her son closer to her, while Gabe escorted Angel through the doors.

  “I believe we have not had a proper introduction, Ms. Barrett,” Gabe began as Angel nodded, curtsying.

  “Sir,” she said.

  “No, don’t, we are family; call me Gabe as the rest of the family.”

  “Yes, thank you, if only you shall call me, Angel,” she returned as he escorted her down the hallway and to the guest’s floor.

  “This is your room, tomorrow shall be a busy day, feel free to roam the house and visit as you see fit, my home, our home is now your home, and you do not know how much I appreciate everything you have done for my wife, during her…time, in America.”

  Angel nodded. “We both helped each other, sir, we both did, Hunter has a piece of me in her heart and I have a piece of her, forged together by a shared past and hope for a wonderful future.”

  And it was Gabe, who smiled, even though tired, yes, the future looked wonderfully bright, especially since the birth of his son. “Yes, you are correct, now, please, do get some rest,” he said and Angel nodded, opening the door to her room and saying good night before closing and locking the door behind her.

  Her trunks were in the room, the clothing already hung upon the hangars in the wardrobe, all except her personally locked trunks, the key upon her dress pocket, hidden within the folds of her purse.

  Gifts for Hunter, the baby, Lauran and Gabriel in them, she would give them the gifts soon, but now, extremely tired, Angel hastily unbuttoned her dress, yawning, even though she’d had a long nap during the coach ride here. But three weeks aboard a ship and then a two days travel to Hunter’s estate, had made her body come crashing down, and wearily she fell into bed, too tired to place a dressing gown on, and in nothing but her thin linen shift and drawers, she fell onto the soft, large bed, half hidden behind drawn curtains, asleep almost instantly.

  Memories of her mother’s death awakened Angel less than one hour later, it was all of three o’clock, she sat up in her bed, sweat covering her body in a light sheen, breathing heavily as she tried valiantly to erase the memories from her mind, with a startled sob, she quickly muffled, Angel unleashed tears that always threatened to show, no matter how strong she tried to be. Her mother had died so many years ago, but the wounds were still so fresh.

  Easing back into the bed, she pulled the covers over her lithe form, tears falling from her eye as she sobbed quietly.

  Asher hadn’t been able to sleep, after the house had settled, he’d made his way to the library, searching the large room for a book, and unable to find any that interested him, he’d made his way back upstairs, the guest floor and paused, hearing the soft sounds of crying.

  He knew that voice, was drawn to that voice, soft, beautiful, even her cries were unbelievably aching, it would haunt him to his dying days he was sure, as he paused outside her door, which was cracked open.

  He was a fool, what was he doing here, this was the very height of impropriety, Asher knew it as thus, but he couldn’t leave even if he had wanted to. He eased the door open softly, soft moonlight showing, covering the bed which dominated the room in silvers and grays, allowing him to see the small shape upon the bed, the stifled sobs which she tried in vain to muffle. He closed the door, the small click barely making any noise.

  He didn’t speak, walking quietly to where she reposed, until he was at the foot of her bed, next to the edge. His voice caught in his throat, damn his soul, he hated the way she made him feel. “Angel?” He spoke her name quietly in the hushed night. He couldn’t bear to hear her cry. “Angel?” He said again.

  The crying stopped, a hushed and surprised noise quietly issuing from her mouth. “Asher, Asher, what are you doing?” She asked staring at him in the darkness.

  But she knew, she knew, she wanted him so much, as he walked closer to where she lay on the edge of the bed, her eyes wide and tears drying upon her face.

  “I heard your cries,” He whispered, her long curly black hair upon the silk coverlet, his hand ached to touch it.

  “Please, sir,” she began and did not know what she wished of him. Yes, she knew, she wanted him she wanted him to stay and comfort her. There was something about Asher that drew her towards him, like a moth to a flame, she knew perhaps, that he could hurt her, that he was dangerous to her very being, but still, she could not help but be entranced by him, his looks, his power, and his heat.

  He sat upon the bed, reverently touching her hair, stroking it softly as he stared into her wide eyes, her lashes wet and spiky. “I wish that you would confide in me, my lady,” he began. “I do not want you to cry during your time here,” he said.

  She breathed in shakily. “Please, sir, do not think you owe me such service. I cry over a past that cannot be changed…that still, haunts me sometimes.”

  “And will you confide in me and tell me what hurts you so much?”

  But she couldn’t, couldn’t tell him the truth at least. “I am homesick, Asher,” she whispered, his hands still upon her head, lulling her into peace, she felt so safe with him, now at this minute. “I miss my father, dreadfully, my home. It is stupid, I know, but I’ve had only a short time with him, I didn’t think I would miss them so horribly.”

  Asher nodded. “Do not feel ashamed at your feelings, my Angel, it is understandable
,” he admitted, his voice stilling at her beauty, he’d never seen one as beautiful as her before, it still struck him, nearly robbing his senses blind, even two days in her presence.

  Angel nodded, remembering there kisses and then remembering the hurtful words he said to her later. Would he turn upon her like he did, before, it might be worth finding out, if he kissed her again, such as he did before, her body longed for the kisses he’d given her, already aching and missing what he freely gave. And perhaps, here in England, so far away, she would give in to the dictates of her life in America. Perhaps here, she would have her love affair, with Asher, remembering that upon sleeping, his eyes had eased her into the darkness.

  But what would one such as he, do with her, she was innocent, the first kiss she had ever been given had been by him. Would he even want her? She wished so, she decided right then, she would not regret her time here, she would be with Asher, she would live for the days here, because once home again, once back in America, she would become the staid proper female, once again and she would keep these months here in London pressed to her heart forevermore.

  “Asher,” she said quietly, free with her heart, her lips, her emotions, undeceiving, wanting him so badly it was a physical ache within her. “Please, don’t leave,” she said, blushing but still meeting his eyes.

  “You do not know what you ask,” Asher returned, staring at her with hungry eyes.

  But, oh, she did, she did not want to be left alone, not ever again, not when he was here, for her, with her. “Yes, I do, please,” she said, reaching out with one hand to touch his cheek, his lips, stilling there, hesitantly caressing the soft skin. “I do.”

  And Asher could stand it no longer, he moaned, moving her hand away from his lips and clasping it tightly in his, bringing his lips to hers, pulling her up slightly where she wrapped her arms around his neck, knowingly, pressing her tightly to him, to her aching breasts, knowing he could ease the pain which her body was unearthing. “Don’t leave me,” she said as his lips moved away from hers, pressing into the soft skin of her neck.