The Earl's Stolen Bride (Marriage by Deceit Book 4)

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  The footman opened the carriage door, and Orlando helped her down. He turned to the butler who rushed over to greet them. “Take those to the bedchamber,” Orlando said, motioning to the trunks on the carriage.

  She still couldn’t believe he’d taken the time to buy her so many clothes. They were all sorts of colors, too, but mostly bright and cheerful. He’d let her pick them all out. After years of her mother selecting her dresses, it was an adventure to finally get a chance to do it herself.

  And there had been so many, he’d needed to buy two large trunks. But he’d assured her she would need them for the long winter months. “By the time we get back to London, you’ll be bored of them and want more,” he’d commented when she protested he’d bought her too much.

  Now, Orlando slipped her hand around his arm and patted it. “Let me show you your estate, Lady Reddington.”

  Her face warmed at the way he called her by her new title. She liked it much better than Lady Hawkins, but then, she’d never been loved by Lord Hawkins. He had been pleasant enough. Kind and thoughtful, mindful to write to her every month. But Orlando wouldn’t have settled for writing to her. He was the type of husband who actually wanted to be with her.

  It was a thrilling experience. She had no idea a lady might be so well loved by her husband. It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him she had never been happier in her life, but he introduced her to the servants before she could do so. She greeted each one, hoping she could keep their names straight. She’d never been very good at names. But it was no matter. She’d recall their names soon enough. At the moment, she only had to remember Lois, who was going to be her lady’s maid until they returned to London.

  The first room he showed her was the drawing room. “I don’t keep my paints or canvases in here, but this is where I like to paint. The lighting is better than in any other room. The sunlight never comes directly in here, but it is well lit through the entire day.” He led her to the chair by the window overlooking the rolling pastures. “I’d like to paint you here. The scenery behind you will enhance your portrait.”

  “I thought you didn’t like to paint nature.”

  “I do. I just can’t do it from memory. I need to see it while I’m painting.”

  “That’s right. In all the excitement, I forgot.”

  He kissed her. “There’s a lot happening at once. Hopefully, things won’t be so hectic now that we’re here.”

  “I don’t mind it, Orlando. It’s been the best week of my life.”

  “Mine, too. But I guarantee you things will only get better.”

  He drew her into his arms and gave her a lingering kiss that nearly took her breath away.

  “I love you,” he whispered. “I know how ridiculous that sounds seeing that we really haven’t known each other that long, but it’s true. You are the most important person in my life.”

  “You are the most important person in mine, too, and I don’t mind adding that I love you as well.”

  “I’m glad.” He pulled away from her and kissed her hands. “I will do whatever you ask, whenever you ask. In the meantime, why don’t I show you the rest of the place?”

  She nodded and let him lead her out of the room.

  ***

  “Are you sure you want to paint me?” Chloe asked a week later.

  Orlando put down the easel and his paint set in the drawing room. “Of course, I do. You’ll be the most beautiful of all the ladies in my family.”

  She’d seen the many portraits in the room upstairs. She still couldn’t believe they went all the way back to 1560. He had a rich family history, something her father would envy if he knew.

  She ran her hand along the edge of the desk. Parchment and a quill rested neatly on top of it. She should write a missive, to let her family know she was all right. And yet, she hesitated. She ran off in such a hurry…and so soon after her first husband’s death. They wouldn’t be pleased.

  She closed her eyes and released her breath. At times, it was easy to forget them. She and Orlando were tucked away from the rest of the world. She wished it could always be this way.

  She felt a light caress on her cheek. Opening her eyes, she looked up into the eyes of the only gentleman she could ever love. What a whirlwind romance they shared.

  “I don’t want to ever wake up,” she whispered.

  With a chuckle, he asked, “Pardon?”

  “You and me.” She gestured to the room. “All of this. It’s like a dream, only better. Never in my deepest fantasies did I ever think love could be like this.”

  He smiled and took her in his arms. He lowered his head and kissed her, and she melted in his embrace. What could be better than true love’s kiss?

  “It’s better than I imagined, too,” he whispered. “It’s yet another reason why I want to paint you. Every time I look at it, I’ll have the pleasure of thinking back on this day.” He brushed the bottom of her chin with his finger. “I could look at you all day and still want to look at you some more.”

  Feeling a bit shy, she lowered her gaze and chuckled. “In that case, I better let you paint me.”

  He gave her waist a playful squeeze then gestured to the chair. “The roses outside the window will bring out the natural pink in your cheeks.”

  She nodded and went over to the chair. Sitting down, she asked, “Is there a certain way you want me to pose?”

  “Just relax and look toward me. This will take a while, so I want you to be comfortable.”

  “How long do you expect it to take?”

  “A couple days.”

  “That long?”

  “I want to make sure I get everything perfect. But don’t worry. I won’t have you sitting all day. I figure we’ll do it a little at a time, taking breaks here and there.”

  Well, that was a relief. While sitting was easy, she didn’t relish the idea of doing it all day. She smiled at him. “Is this good?”

  “Yes, but you don’t need to pose just yet. I still have to get all the paints ready.”

  Oh, right. While he set out the paints, she smoothed out the peach skirt of her dress. She bit her lower lip and glanced out the window. “Will my dress match the roses all right? I can change clothes.”

  “You’ll be lovely. Besides, not all the roses are pink. Some are white. The contrast is especially appealing, if you ask me. But more than that, the roses won’t be the main focus of the portrait. You will. I’ll be lucky to get two roses in.”

  She nodded and, after a moment, giggled.

  “Am I doing something funny?” he asked, glancing up from the table where he’d been laying out his paints.

  “No. It’s not you. I was just thinking if I were to paint you, I’d probably end up creating one great big splotch.” When she saw his eyebrow rise in surprise, she laughed again. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean you’re a splotch. You’re a very handsome gentleman. I just couldn’t do you justice, that’s all.”

  He chuckled. “Maybe I should teach you how to paint.”

  “Oh, I don’t know. I had a couple lessons, but they weren’t all that interesting.”

  “What were you trying to paint?”

  She had to think for a moment. It’d been so long ago she almost didn’t remember. But finally she did. “I had to paint an apple. My instructor wanted me to start on something simple.”

  “Well, there you have it. Your problem is that you weren’t asked to paint something interesting. If you found something that excites you, I’m sure you’d be more inclined to learn.”

  She considered his words and decided he was right. “While you make a good point, I don’t know if I’ll be any good.”

  He shrugged. “Who says it has to be about painting well? Why can’t you just paint for the simple joy of it?”

  “I suppose I could.”

  “Of course, you can. It can be a lot of fun. What we should do is find something you want to paint and paint it. Tell me, Chloe, what would you like to paint?”

  She scanned
the room and then turned her attention to outside the window. While he said she could pick anything she wanted, she still thought her best bet—at least since she was starting out—was to choose something that would be easy. “Um, I think I’ll try,” her gaze went back to the room, “the inkwell.”

  He set the brushes by the paints then looked over at the inkwell on his desk. “You like that?”

  “I do.” The inkwell had a bronze horseshoe with a crystal horseshoe cap and a square mahogany base. “It makes me think of you since it’s so masculine.”

  “Would you believe my mother made it for me?”

  “She did?”

  “After my favorite horse died, she took his shoe and made the inkwell so I could always have something to remember him by. But I don’t only think of the horse. I think of her, too.”

  “That’s a lovely story.” And it made her want to paint it all the more. “Were you close to your mother?”

  He nodded. “And my father. I had a good childhood. Some gentlemen complain about their upbringing, but I have none to make.”

  She lowered her gaze. She wished she could say the same about hers. And up until the time her parents arranged her marriage to Lord Hawkins, she would have agreed with Orlando. But in the time she’d been Lord Hawkins’ wife, she saw things the way they really were instead of how she’d wanted them to be. What an eye opening experience her first marriage had been.

  Swallowing, she lifted her gaze and watched as Orlando sat in front of his easel. “It’s nice you had such good parents.”

  He made eye contact with her and smiled. “They would have liked you. They used to tell me to wait for the best, and that’s exactly what you are.”

  “I wish they were alive so I could meet them.” Judging by how wonderful Orlando was, she had no doubt they were outstanding people.

  He went over to her and gave her a kiss then brushed her cheek with the pad of his thumb. “I’ll delight in having the honor of painting you.”

  Her face warmed at his words as much as it did from his touch. He returned to the easel and sat behind it.

  “How do you want me to sit?” she asked him.

  “How about this? Put your shoulders back, sit up a little straighter, look at me, and give a hint of a smile.”

  “A hint of a smile? You sure you don’t want a wide one?”

  “For some reason, none of my relatives seemed to ever fully smile. They only hinted at it. I suppose if they did offer a big smile, their mouth would be sore.” Then with a wink, he added, “Or maybe they were all afraid their faces would stay like that forever if they kept smiling like that.”

  She chuckled. “Oh, Orlando, that’s silly.”

  “It might be silly, but maybe it’s what they were thinking. You want to smile widely and see if it’s true?”

  Laughing harder, she shook her head. “I think I’ll offer a hint of a smile, as you suggested. I agree that it would make my mouth sore otherwise.”

  “I wouldn’t want your mouth getting sore. You might not feel like kissing me, and that’s the last thing I want to happen.”

  Amused at the playful way he wiggled his eyebrows, she settled into a comfortable pose so he could start painting.

  Chapter Seven

  “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Chloe said, her face turning a lovely shade of pink as she stepped into the water.

  Orlando smiled from where he stood, waist-deep in the lake. She had been reluctant to get into the water until he removed his clothes and got in to show her it was all right. But truth be told, he hadn’t minded watching her undress in front of him, each layer falling off her slowly, an action which only served to remind him of how much he’d be enjoying her that evening.

  There wasn’t anything more beautiful than her naked form. Yes, he’d seen her without clothes on in the candlelight of his bedchamber, but seeing her in the sunlight accentuated everything about her. And he had no qualms about watching her breasts which gently bounced or the dark patch of curls nestled between her legs.

  Most of all, he loved her curves, particularly at her waist and hips. It was a shame he couldn’t paint her without clothes on. She looked so much better without them. But such a painting wasn’t the thing he could put on the wall for his progeny to look at. No. He would have to sear this lovely sight into his memory.

  Soon, she was standing in front of him.

  He brought her into his arms and kissed her, not at all shy about pressing his arousal against her soft abdomen. And more than that particular thrill was the way her breasts pressed against his chest. Though he ended the kiss, he kept her in his arms and smiled. “You have to admit, the water feels good on a day like this.”

  “It does,” she whispered. “Though it’s a bit chilly.”

  “I don’t know. I feel warm with you in my arms.”

  She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck then pulled him in for another kiss, and this time, the kiss was longer. With a soft moan, he ran his tongue along her lower lip, and she allowed him into her mouth.

  It hadn’t been his intention to immediately get into the whole thing of kissing her. He’d planned to swim with her first. But she had a strange effect on him. She was so wonderfully passionate, responding to him so naturally, as if they’d always belonged together, that it was easy to get distracted.

  When their kiss ended, he caressed her cheek. “How did I get so lucky to have you in my life?”

  “I was about to ask you the same thing.”

  His smile widened, and he took her by the hand to lead her into the deeper part of the lake. “Do you know how to swim?”

  “This is my first time in anything larger than a tub.”

  “I’ll take that as a no.”

  “It was a no, silly.”

  Amused at her response, he chuckled. “I knew you had a delightful sense of humor. And,” he added before she could reply, “I also knew you’d enjoy coming down to this lake on hot summer days for a swim. Few things make you feel as alive as swimming without anything on.”

  “Well, I admit it feels strange to not be wearing anything in so much water.”

  “You’ll get used to it.” He stopped when the water reached his chest. “You won’t be swimming today. Today, I want you to get comfortable with the water.”

  She shot him a wicked smile. “I think you just wanted to get me out here so I’d have to take off my clothes in front of you.”

  “That is certainly a benefit. But you will learn to swim. Here’s what I mean by swimming.” He let go of her hand and swam a short ways down the lake then returned to her. “Soon, you’ll be able to do that.”

  “It looks like a pleasurable activity.”

  “It is. Growing up, the only thing that kept me away from here was when it was cold. In the summer, I used to come down here every day, even when it was raining.”

  “You came here when it rained?”

  “Yes. Every day I had some free time to spare. Besides you, swimming’s my favorite pastime.”

  “Isn’t there something else that’s also your favorite pastime?” she teased as she closed the distance between them.

  When she touched his shaft, he sharply inhaled. She’d only touched him there once before, and that was the other night in bed when she guided him into her. It felt just as good now as it had then.

  “I admit I enjoy lovemaking immensely.” He cupped her breasts in his hands and brushed her nipples with his thumbs, pleased when they hardened. “I might even have to admit I enjoy it more than swimming.”

  With a giggle, she outlined his erect penis with her fingers, the action a bit on the timid side but incredibly sensual all the same. “I enjoy it as well,” she whispered. “You have a fascinating body.”

  “You do, too.”

  She looked up at him with a hint of mischief in her eyes. “Are you curious about what it’d be like to make love in this lake?”

  “The lake isn’t a good place for making love,” he said, even though his
thickening arousal argued with him.

  He wasn’t the only one who noticed the contradiction because she replied, “I think you’d like to.” For emphasis, she slid her hand down his shaft and brought it back up.

  A low moan escaped his lips. She was getting surprisingly bold in her actions, and while part of it excited him, another part made him apprehensive. She wasn’t a lady of ill repute whose sole purpose was to provide a gentleman pleasure. She was his wife—his virginal wife—who needed to be treated with great care and tenderness. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her like he had on their wedding night.

  “As tempting as it is,” he said, taking her hands into his so he wouldn’t get further distracted, “we’re better off waiting until we get to my bedchamber.”

  “You want to wait until we’re at your bedchamber?”

  Forcing aside the disappointment in her voice, he brought her into his arms and kissed her. “Or your bedchamber. We haven’t been to your bed yet.”

  “Who says we have to do it in bed? I’m sure there are other places we can enjoy each other.”

  He let out an uneasy chuckle. “What’s wrong with the bed?”

  “Well, nothing’s wrong with it. I was just thinking it might be fun to try something different sometime.”

  “We will. But right now, let’s focus on getting you used to the water.” He led her to a deeper part of the lake. “We should take advantage of the day.”

  “You’re right. Unlike you, I don’t want to come out here when it’s raining.”

  Glad she hadn’t pressed the issue of lovemaking, he turned his attention to teaching her how to float in the water.

  ***

  Two hours later, Chloe and Orlando were on their way back to the manor, laughing and having a wonderful time, when her gaze went to the familiar carriage in front of the manor. Her steps slowed on the grassy path. Oh dear. Of all the things her parents could do, she hadn’t once thought they’d come all the way out here.

  “What’s wrong?” Orlando asked, his hand resting on the small of her back.

  “My parents are here,” she replied, wishing she didn’t have to say the words. She was a married lady, and yet, she felt like a little girl who’d been caught sneaking off to do something she had no right to be doing. She gestured to the carriage still a ways off from where they were. “I-I’m afraid they aren’t going to be happy.”