The Duke's Defiant Bride (Brides of Mayfair Book 4)

by Michelle McMaster

  But what if they were, Carver couldn’t help but wonder?

  At any rate, he and Miss Reed were physically joined for the night, and that would be uncomfortable for all sorts of reasons.

  “Right, lads—show’s over. Off to bed with ye,” Hackett said gruffly, waving the men away. “I’ll help ye get settled, sir, if ye’d like.”

  “Thank you, Sergeant,” Carver replied, giving a nod. He indicated a spot on the ground. Juliet, however, didn’t look impressed.

  Carver used his free hand to grab his pack and drag it over. “You can use this as a pillow,” he said, and placed it where her head would lay. “I’ve got a little mound of grass here that will do quite well for me.”

  Awkwardly, with their bound wrists held aloft, Carver and Juliet sat on the ground, then lay themselves out beside each other. She silently took the blanket that Hackett handed to her, and pounded Carver’s pack into a softer configuration for her makeshift pillow. Hackett tossed Carver’s blanket at his feet and tipped his hat, turning to find his own spot for the night. The rest of the men were settling in nearby.

  He lay on his back, staring up at the starry curtain that draped across the sky, and heard his breathing begin to fall in rhythm with hers. Then he smelled the scent of her on the night breeze as it passed over him. Damn but it was going to be a long night. He was fooling himself if he thought he would get a wink of sleep.

  Her clothes rustled as she adjusted her position, her movement pulling slightly on his arm. She quickly lowered her hand and rested it beside his, between their bodies, on top of their blankets.

  He wondered what she was thinking about. Did his nearness arouse her as much as hers aroused him? He chuckled to himself. She was probably formulating a plan to untie herself during the night, and strangle him with the cord.

  “I’m glad you find the situation amusing, Captain,” she said, finally.

  “Actually, Miss Reed, I was laughing because I was trying to decide whether or not to say goodnight to you…and thinking that you were trying to decide how you’d unravel this rope from our wrists and use it to quietly strangle me.”

  “I hadn’t thought of that, but thank you for the suggestion,” she replied, sweetly.

  He chuckled again. “Goodnight, Miss Reed.”

  “Goodnight, Captain Adams.”

  * * *

  Juliet awoke to the morning songs of the birds in the trees. It must be just before dawn.

  As she lay there, something niggled at her. And it wasn’t the fact that the ground didn’t feel that hard beneath her. In fact, she felt more comfortable than she could remember.

  She slowly opened her eyes, and saw the wall of hard, masculine chest. An arm curled about her waist and held her close to his warm body.

  Juliet became instantly awake. Looking down, she was shocked to see herself cuddled close to Captain Adams. Had he pulled her into this position, or had she eased into it herself? And worse, how could she have slept so soundly in her enemy’s arms?

  She took a deep breath, unwillingly catching Carver’s masculine scent. Sacré Bleu, she would have to extricate herself from this intimate position before anyone saw them.

  Yet, another part of her wanted to remain exactly where she was, and bask in the warmth of the Englishman’s arms. However, she would rather die than let anyone know that.

  Juliet tried to shimmy away, but in sleep, Captain Adams’ response was to pull her closer against him.

  She heard the other men sluggishly beginning to stir. Damn! If she didn’t move quickly, someone would see her like this and her fierce reputation would be damaged beyond repair. She was Lady Blade, the deadly French spy, and she could not be seen cuddling, of all things, with the enemy!

  Damnation, why didn’t the oaf wake up?

  There was nothing else for it. All Juliet knew was she had to get her traitorous body away from Adams, for he was making her behave completely unlike herself. But there was more to it than that, and it didn’t simply amount to her intimate proximity to the handsome officer. Juliet was incredibly aroused by his touch. Upon waking, she’d had to fight the urge to snuggle closer in his arms—not away from him.

  The painful truth throbbed within her aching body. Her mouth desired nothing more than to open itself to his, to revel in the sensation of Captain Adams ravaging her willing lips and stoking the fires that burned just below the surface.

  She would not give in to such weakness.

  Juliet gathered her strength and sprang to her feet, yanking Carver’s wrist along with hers. “Time to get up, Captain!”

  He stared up at her from where he lay, fully awake, yet he made no move to rise to his feet. He just lay there looking at her with those penetrating green eyes, his blond hair gorgeously tousled from sleep. His wrist, of course, was still attached to hers, so his arm extended straight up into the air as if it were a perfectly natural thing to do most mornings.

  “You seem anxious to greet the day,” he said, looking slightly amused.

  “If you must know, I must answer a call of nature, Captain,” she replied, curtly. It was as good an excuse as any.

  He grinned at her and sat up. “Why so cross this morning. Miss Reed?” he asked, getting to his feet. “Did you not sleep well? I certainly did. I had the most distracting dreams.”

  Juliet opened her mouth to reply, then closed it, for she knew what he was hinting at. If she admitted to sleeping well and comfortably in her enemy’s arms, how would it make her look? However, if she said she’d slept fitfully—being so close to the handsome, muscular English soldier—that would also make her appear weak. She was damned if she did and damned if she didn’t.

  “Well, we are awake now,” she replied, changing the subject. “And my call of nature has now become more of a yell.”

  “Now that you mention it, I too must answer a call. We’ll go together. Kill two birds with one stone. And don’t worry, I’ll be a perfect gentleman.”

  Captain Adams had been a perfect gentleman as they slept beside each other last night, and where had that gotten her? She’d still woken up in the man’s arms, wanting him to make love to her.

  Adams motioned for Private Wilkins to untie them.

  Finally, they were free of each other.

  Adams picked up his pistol and waved it towards the bushes. “After you.”

  As she walked, Juliet absent-mindedly rubbed the skin of her wrist where the cord had been, and thought ahead to the coming night. Would she and Captain Adams be tied together each and every night on their journey? And if so, what would she do if her body reached out to his for comfort in the wee hours of the night?

  Like catching the scent of a coming battle, Juliet couldn’t shake the feeling that such an event was inevitable between them.

  And if so, it could change everything.

  Chapter 10

  In the baking midday heat, Carver viewed the little Spanish village through his spyglass and wiped the sweat from his brow.

  “Well, there’s Ocampo, lads, right where we left it before.” He closed the glass and re-sheathed it in his belt. “We’ll secure billets for the night, and purchase provisions in the town.”

  “Will we be staying in Ocampo, sir?” Pitt asked. “Might be a bit dangerous if word has spread that we’re officially missing from camp.”

  “My thoughts exactly, Lieutenant. There’s a farm nearby where I’ve billeted before. They should be able to provide shelter for the night. Let’s march, lads.”

  Carver waited for the men to pass by and took his place at Juliet’s side. Instead of looking straight ahead and ignoring him, her gaze met his. In the bright daylight, her eyes sparkled and the sun danced in her thick chestnut hair, highlighting touches of copper here and there. He had the urge to liberate her tresses from the thick braid that hung down her back, and run his fingers through the silky soft waves.

  She turned her attention toward the road, but Carver kept his eyes on her for a few minutes longer. It had been nice to wake up nex
t to her that morning, and find that his throat hadn’t been slit. Even better was finding her curvaceous body snuggled tightly against his. For a moment or two, he found himself pretending they were lovers, waking slowly after a night of passionate love-making.

  And it would be passionate with Lady Blade, of that Carver was more than certain.

  Though she seemed unaware, he had awakened before she had and lay there listening to her breathe, enjoying the warmth of her body so close to his. In his dreams, he had made love to her wildly, openly, surprising himself with the force of his need for her.

  In the dream, it had been hot and wicked, and unbelievably satisfying. Juliet had touched his body like no other woman ever had, possessively, skilfully, making him moan and throw his head back as she tortured him with her mouth and tongue.

  She had slid on top of his body, kissing his mouth, his neck, his chest, her long wavy hair falling around them and brushing across his skin. Then she had slid herself onto him, and he groaned at the deliciousness of her. Each time he thrust himself into Juliet’s silky depths, she met him wildly, openly, pursuing her own passion as no other woman ever had. And when they came together, shuddering and spent, Carver knew he’d come home.

  He’d reached up to brush away the damp strands of hair that snaked along the side of her face. And Juliet smiled. She had smiled the most beautiful, contented smile. At him.

  When he woke, he’d found the very same woman of his dreams cradled in his arms like a lover. Perhaps his dreams weren’t so far-fetched after all. If only the delectable little thing would take down her guard and allow herself to be a woman—only that—not a soldier or a spy, at war more with herself than with the world around her. If she did that only for one day, she might surprise herself at what she would find.

  Juliet walked slightly ahead of him, and Carver’s gaze was distracted by the sway of her curvaceous hips. Those damn snug cavalry breeches curved around her backside like a glove. Heaven forbid what would happen to the world if all women began wearing such things!

  He let out a sigh. Where was his head? Juliet Reed was many things—an experienced soldier, a talented spy, and an incredibly beautiful woman. But Carver had to keep his senses where Lady Blade was concerned, or risk making a costly error in command of this mission.

  “Is this the right way, Captain?” Sergeant Hackett asked, pointing to an overgrown road that branched off the main one.

  “You should remember, Hackett, you were with me the last time we visited the Chavez farm.”

  Hackett smiled and winked at Carver. “Oh, I remember, sir. I remember those nice girls who made us breakfast and washed our clothes, among other things.”

  “There are women there, sir?” Tanner piped up. The other men quickly gathered around as if they were waiting to hear news the war might be over.

  “Women?” MacAuly whispered, his eyes bright.

  “Two daughters, MacAuly,” Carver answered, stopping the march. “And you’re not to touch them, nor you, Tanner, nor Wilkins, either. Is that clear?”

  “What about Sergeant Hackett, sir? You didn’t say anythin’ about him, not to mention Mr. Pitt,” Tanner said, looking put out.

  “Sergeant Hackett knows better, and Lieutenant Pitt is too much of a gentleman to even consider taking advantage of young Spanish ladies, or any other ladies for that matter. Isn’t that right, Mr. Pitt?”

  “Of course, sir,” Pitt replied, shocked. “You know I am betrothed back home in London, to Miss Lydia Carstairs, the eldest daughter of General Wallingford Carstairs. I assure you, I shall treat these ladies as I would hope my dear Lydia would be treated in the same situation.”

  “Thank you, Lieutenant. I’ll trust you to set the example,” Carver replied.

  They turned down the narrow road, and Carver brought up the rear again, Juliet at his side.

  “Now, what were those girls’ names, sir?” Hackett asked over his shoulder. “Beatriz and…”

  “Esperanza,” Carver answered.

  “That’s right, Captain, Esperanza!” Hackett replied. “A handsome woman, that Esperanza. Hair as black as a raven’s wing, eyes as green as emeralds, and lips—”

  “That’s enough, Hackett,” Carver warned.

  “Come to think of it, sir, didn’t she have a fancy for ye, now?” Hackett mentioned.

  “Not that I knew of, Hackett.”

  “But she was always mendin’ your uniform and preparin’ special meals for ye, sir. Wasn’t she?”

  “She mended everyone’s uniforms and cooked the same meals for everyone, as I recollect,” Carver replied. “Besides, her father always watched his daughters like a hawk. Hopefully, he’ll still be there to make sure you rogues mind your manners. If you don’t, he’ll surely kill you.”

  “Ye wouldn’t let ’im kill us, now would ye, Captain Adams?” Tanner asked, looking worried.

  Carver remained silent.

  “Would ye, Captain?” Wilkins asked, his eyes wide.

  “No lads,” Carver said, flatly. “I’d help him.”

  Hackett chuckled, but the rest of the men stayed quiet. Good. Perhaps he’d put the fear of God into them. They’d need it to keep their hands off Esperanza and Beatriz. That is, if the family was still there.

  As they came over the hill, Carver saw the old stone house nestled in the trees below. The two-story structure looked much the same as it had eight months before, when he, Hackett and a few other men had stayed there on a small reconnaissance mission. A large barn stood nearby, also made of stone, where they’d hopefully be spending the night.

  A dog barked in the distance, then came running up the road toward them.

  “Paco!” Carver called, hoping the dog would remember him. The big, black dog ran straight for him, barking ferociously. For a moment, Carver thought he would attack. But the animal stopped and wagged his tail, then came trotting over to Carver like an old friend.

  Carver held out the back of his hand and Paco sniffed it with his big black nose. The dog’s tongue licked Carver’s fingers in welcome. Carver rubbed Paco’s head and was rewarded with a look of pure love from the mutt.

  “Lads, meet Paco, the dog,” Carver said.

  The men held out their hands to the mongrel, and he treated them to the same licking and tail-wagging that he had shown Carver. When Juliet reached out to him, Paco barked once, and walked back and forth in front of her, before sniffing her hand and letting her pet him.

  “He seems a little suspicious of you, Miss Reed.” Carver said, crossing his arms. “Now, I wonder why that would be?”

  Juliet looked up, continuing to scratch the dog’s ears. “I sometimes have that effect on men, Captain. Remember the first time you saw me?”

  Carver chuckled. “How could I forget? If I remember correctly, I was very suspicious, myself.”

  Juliet made no reply.

  “Paco!” A woman’s voice called from down the hill.

  Paco turned and raced down the road back to the farmhouse. Well, Carver thought, Paco was nothing if not fleet of foot.

  “Follow that dog, lads,” Carver ordered.

  “Let’s hope we get the same reception as we did before,” Hackett said, grinning.

  The other men chuckled, and the group walked down the dusty hill. It would be nice to have a bath, and to wash his uniform, Carver thought.

  A woman stood next to the farmhouse. She raised her hand to shield her eyes from the glaring sun, and watched the group approach. It looked like Beatriz, the younger sister. He wondered where the father, Cesar was. And Esperanza….

  “Beatriz,” Carver called, raising his hand in greeting.

  “Captain Adams?” the girl replied in heavily accented English. “Esperanza! Captain Adams has returned.”

  Carver halted the group and reached a hand out to Beatriz in greeting. He raised her hand toward his lips, but did not kiss it, as was the custom. “Your servant, ma’am. And where is your lovely sister?”

  “She is coming,” Beatriz said. She r
eached up a dainty hand to smooth her black hair into its bun and turned her head toward the door, and then pointed at it. “Here she is.”

  Carver’s eyes went to the doorway, and the woman standing in it. Her hands rested on womanly hips beneath a flouncing black skirt, an open-necked white cotton blouse showed an ample bosom, and piercing, bright green eyes met his with taunting appreciation.

  “Carver Adams,” Esperanza said, finally. “I was wondering when you’d come back to me.”

  Chapter 11

  Juliet regarded the woman in the doorway, and thought she seemed like a panther lounging in a tree, ready to pounce. Her flashing green eyes and golden skin added to the exotic beauty which turned most soldiers into blithering idiots.

  “And I thought you might not remember me, Esperanza,” Captain Adams said, approaching the woman and taking her hand as he had done the sister’s.

  “How could I forget you, Carver?” she replied, her mouth curving into a grin. “How could any woman?”

  The men chuckled, nervously.

  “Esperanza,” Carver said, “I wonder if you might be able to put us up for the night—the barn will do. We’re on our way to Villarosa, transporting a French prisoner.” He motioned to Juliet.

  Esperanza’s eyes turned hard when they met Juliet’s. “She’s French?”

  “I’m half-French, and half-English,” Juliet replied. She would not let this Spanish peasant try to intimidate her. “I fight for the Emperor.”

  “Right now, my father fights with the rebels in the mountains against your Emperor,” Esperanza said. “And yet, if Papa was here, he would offer hospitality to whoever might seek it at our door. I will do the same. What is your name?”

  “Juliet Reed,” she answered, coolly.

  “Well, Juliet Reed,” Esperanza replied, “I welcome you to our home. Though we might fight on different sides of this war today, tomorrow we might wake up in a new world, where we are friends, and the wars of men are all but forgotten.”