“Good evening, ladies,” Chester said with a bright smile.
The girls curtsied as the gentlemen bowed. Michelle looked at Leed expectantly.
The man’s blue eyes bore into hers with an intensity that would have made Becca blanch were she the recipient of that gaze. He cleared his throat. “Good evening, Lady Michelle.”
“Lord Leed, how nice to see you,” she answered softly, though the look in her eyes was almost a challenge.
Chester turned to Constance. “You look breathtaking this evening, Lady Constance.”
Constance blushed prettily and Becca caught the girl’s eye winking at her. Lord Roberts stared at Becca, unusually quiet. She put her hand on her husband’s arm and held tightly to him. Her gaze never wavered as she curtsied to Lords Roberts and Leed. Geoffrey patted her hand with his own, smiling down at her. She returned his smile and he couldn’t resist placing a kiss behind her ear.
Constance sighed audibly, drawing Chester’s attention. He looked at her questioningly, at which she blushed and turned her attention to brushing her hands over her skirt.
“So, Kane,” Leed began. “What do you have planned for us on the morrow?”
Roberts finally found his voice. “I say we go for a long ride,” he said brightly. “Perhaps we can convince the ladies to join us?”
“I think that would be splendid, Roberts.” Geoffrey turned to Becca. “I missed my wife’s presence miserably today.”
Becca nodded. “A ride would be just the thing. Don’t you think so, ladies?”
Michelle and Constance agreed, adding that they were certain Diane and Sarah would join them.
Geoffrey bent his head low to whisper in Becca’s ear. “I daresay it won’t be quite as enjoyable as our picnic, however.”
Becca blushed at that, her breath coming fast. The memory of the passion they had shared on that afternoon sent a shiver through her. He must have seen the recognition on her face for the grin on his was decidely wicked.
The others looked at him in open curiosity. Thankfully, the dinner bell sounded and Becca was spared any further embarrassment. Everyone headed into the dining room for the sumptuous feast that awaited them.
Much later, in the solitude of their bedroom, Becca sat at her vanity brushing her hair. Geoffrey had been very solicitous all evening, making her nearly forget their earlier disagreement. But she hadn’t forgotten it, and vowed once more to get her husband to share his concerns with her.
As if summoning him with her thoughts, Geoffrey emerged from his dressing room, clad only in his breeches. He saw that she still wore her chemise and petticoat. “Why aren’t you ready for bed, love?”
She set down her brush and turned to him. “I wish to speak to you about this afternoon.”
He stared at her for a moment. Finally, he nodded and leaned against the vanity, his arms crossed in front of him.
“I’m sorry I was cross with you. It wasn’t my intention. You happened upon us in the middle of our discussion.”
“Geoffrey,” she began deliberately. “That isn’t what I’m talking about. I’m hurt that once again you’re not sharing your concerns with me.”
He straightened and looked away from her. “Becca,” he said gruffly, “this doesn’t concern you.”
“If that were so, why can’t you tell me of it?”
He let out a breath. “Love, there seems to be more to the matter than just the missing funds.”
“Do you mean the notes?”
He looked at her sharply. “How did you find out about the notes?”
“Lord Roberts told me.”
When had Roberts told her of the notes? Had he been alone with her recently? He looked at her closely and she looked back at him, her eyes clear and guileless.
“Yes,” he went on. “The notes do present a vexing problem.”
She stood then, touching his arm lightly. “What is it? I can see the worry on your face.”
He wanted to tell her all of it, to unburden himself. He’d told her of the missing funds, and had felt better for sharing his concerns. But this business of an impostor, of someone deliberately running them down …. No. He wouldn’t put her in any more danger.
He gave her a small smile. “Please, Becca. Let me worry about this. I don’t want you involved.”
“But I want to be involved,” she said firmly. “I want you to be able to share your problems with me. Perhaps I could even help—”
“No!”
She flinched and he drew her into his arms. “I’m sorry, love,” he soothed. “I suppose I’m just a bit tired.”
She relaxed against him. “I want you—”
“And I want you,” he said, his voice husky. “I want to feel your skin against mine. To taste you on my lips ….”
She lifted her head and all worry left his mind as their lips met. Her mouth opened up for him, welcoming his tongue. Rubbing his tongue with hers, she kissed him back with equal ardor. His lips left hers to trail along the soft skin of her neck. She sighed and leaned her head to the side as he nibbled her ear. He slowly removed her chemise, kissing the skin he was revealing. Finally, when she stood trembling before him, he removed his breeches and held her once more.
He carried her over to the bed and sat, cradling her in his arms. She placed her hands behind his neck, urging him to kiss her again. He obliged her, laying down on the bed and holding her on top of him. She moaned in the back of her throat, the little sound driving him on.
“Ah, Becca,” he groaned, running his hands over her. “Your skin is so soft.”
He moved out from under her. Before she could turn to face him, he began trailing hot kisses down her back. He brushed her hair out of the way, stroking and petting her as he’d done before. His lips caressed the back of her neck, making her shiver.
“Geoffrey,” she whispered.
“I love you, Becca.” He placed feather-light kisses all along her spine. “I love the way you respond to me.”
His hands caressed her bottom and moved between her legs. His fingers caressed the folds of her, making her wet. She moaned as his fingers delved inside and she was soon restless beneath him.
He brought his face to hers, kissing her cheek, her ear. “Are you ready for me, love?”
“Yes.” She breathed in answer.
He lifted her hips gently off the bed, her legs drawing up to rest on his knees. He slowly entered her from behind, moaning with the intense pleasure he felt. She sharply drew in a breath as they were completely joined.
“Oh, my!” She gasped in surprise.
“Shh …” he murmured. “Let me love you this way. I promise I’ll never hurt you.”
He began to move within her. She clutched at the sheets as their pleasure started to build. He brought his hands to hers, entwining their fingers. He held on tightly, starting to lose his control. Her little moans of pleasure drove him mad. His thrusts became harder, deeper. She cried out with her release, shuddering beneath him. With one final thrust, he joined her in fulfillment, shouting her name as his climax took him.
He rained kisses on her hair, her cheek, catching his breath. He turned her then, kissing her full on her lips. She wore a deep red blush over her smooth cheeks.
“Is something wrong?” he asked with a small smile.
“That …” she began in a whisper. “That isn’t ….”
“We’re married,” he assured her softly. “Anything we do with each other is perfectly all right.”
She nodded, her eyes huge.
“Did you like it, love?” he asked her.
She lowered her eyes and blushed again in answer. He grinned broadly and kissed her once more.
“Ah, Becca. How you please me.”
Without any more words, he wrapped his arms around her. He couldn’t let her know of the danger, or the dark turn his friends’ investigations took. No.
What had Roberts told her? And when?
She sighed as she slumbered and he pushed thoughts of danger, missing
funds, and charming rogues out of his mind and joined her in sleep.
* * * *
The next morning after breakfast, they set out for their ride. The party was of a good size, for all the young ladies agreed to come along. Geoffrey and Becca rode side-by-side, leaving the others to fall into their own order. Mostly the men rode together behind the ladies. It was a beautiful morning, with a nip of autumn in the air.
Much to Becca’s obvious surprise, Geoffrey led them to their familiar spot by the brook for the nooning meal. He smiled a secret smile at her and whispered that she was just so pretty when she blushed. Apparently unable to help it, she proceeded to accommodate him.
Not much later, the party returned to the main house. As the ladies readied themselves for tea time, the men promised to meet in Geoffrey’s study. Becca heard her husband make plans with Lord Chester and arched her brow at him. He caught the action, and shook his head at her slightly. Without another word to him, she took herself up to their chambers.
In Geoffrey’s study not fifteen minutes later, Lords Chester, Leed, and Roberts stood waiting patiently for the Earl of Kanewood to snap out of his reverie. He stood at the window, looking out over the grounds.
Roberts was the first to grow weary of the wait. “Kane, will you kindly tell us what is bothering you?”
Geoffrey turned to the viscount, eyeing him closely. “Rebecca knows of the notes, Roberts. Do you care to tell me how that can be?”
“I thought you told her, Kane,” he answered, bewildered. “If she were my wife—”
“What did you say?” Geoffrey cut in, his voice menacing.
“Gentlemen,” Chester said quickly. “Why don’t we review all that we know so far.”
Geoffrey shook his head and walked slowly over to where Roberts stood. “Pray continue, Roberts. What if Rebecca was you wife?”
Roberts bristled under Geoffrey’s piercing glare and straightened his shoulders. “Kane, you shouldn’t keep matters from your wife.”
Geoffrey’s eyes narrowed. “My wife is my concern, Roberts. You would do well to remember that.”
The two men stared at each other for a long moment, the tension in the room as thick as the evening fog in London.
Leed cleared his throat. “Kane,” he said, waiting for Geoffrey to respond. “Kane!” he repeated more forcefully.
“Yes?” Geoffrey answered, finally turning to the man.
“I think Chester is right.”
Geoffrey blinked at him, confused for a moment. He turned to Chester then, arching a brow in his direction.
“We need to review what we have learned thus far, Kane,” Chester repeated for him.
With a dismissive glance at Roberts, Geoffrey sat behind his desk. Chester and Leed sat in the chairs facing him while Roberts simply leaned against the wall, his arms crossed.
Chester went over what they had learned so far. Someone had been passing notes in Geoffrey’s name, pretending to be the earl. The notes went through quite a few hands before ending up on his solicitor’s desk, making them very difficult to trace. A few of the gaming houses in London were in possession of them for a short time, but their origin was, as yet, unknown. There had been no reason to look at them with suspicion however, as the handwriting looked quite like Geoffrey’s.
“Well, where the hell did they come from?”
Chester looked to Leed to elaborate.
“Kane, we suspect that the notes originated down by the waterfront. Games can always be found there and it stands to reason that someone could easily pass them at some of the more nefarious houses.”
Roberts nodded his agreement. “We need to go down there and find out if any of the scum can be bought. I should think a stout bottle of spirits would loosen a few tongues.”
Geoffrey rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “What of the carriage, Roberts? Any news there?”
Roberts shook his head. “I was only able to learn that the carriage may have been Lady Brookdale’s. When I return to London, I’ll call on the widow myself.”
“Turn on the charm, Roberts,” Chester instructed. “If she did lend the carriage to someone, we need to know.”
“Something doesn’t seem to add up,” Leed cut in, drawing the attention of the others. “What of the botched repairs to the estate? Could they be related to the notes?”
Geoffrey shrugged his shoulders. “They very well could be. I had no dealings with these supposed businesses before this, and the repairs were never completed—which is why I’ve been running ragged these past few weeks making sure that all those repairs were actually dealt with.”
“The repairs were paid for out of the Kanewood accounts, correct?” Leed asked.
“Yes.”
“Could they have been paid for as a matter of course?”
“The funds are usually allocated at the time the repairs are ordered, not completed.”
Leed looked off for a moment, lost in thought.
“Leed, what are you thinking?” Chester asked.
“I’m not sure what to think right now, Chester.” He faced Geoffrey. “Let me ponder it for a while, Kane?”
“Certainly, Leed.”
Silence fell over the room, the men each lost in their own thoughts.
“Well, gentlemen.” Roberts straightened away from the wall. “If you’re quite finished, I’d like to retire to my room.”
“Readying yourself for any lady in particular, Roberts?” Chester asked with a grin.
“Who is the lucky girl?” Leed asked.
Roberts grinned wickedly and said nothing. He couldn’t, however, seem to take Geoffrey’s eyes on him for more than a moment and hurriedly left the room.
Chapter 22
A few days passed. Becca was still hurt that Geoffrey wasn’t sharing his concerns, but she put it aside, loath to argue again. The men continued to hunt each morning while the ladies passed the time in pleasant conversation.
One evening after dinner, the gentlemen and ladies separated, as was the custom. In the parlor, Becca tried to follow the ladies’ conversations, but she couldn’t take her mind off Geoffrey. What was troubling him? She excused herself from the room, thinking to breach custom and interrupt her husband. Keeping quiet on the matter had taken its toll on her. She needed to talk with him. She was being a fool. With a sigh, she turned to return to the parlor.
“Rebecca,” Lord Roberts said, startling her.
She gasped in surprise. She quickly regained her composure and stepped back from him. “Good evening, Lord Roberts.”
“What are you about if I may inquire?”
“I was just …,” she trailed off. “Never mind.”
“Just what?” he asked with a smile.
Becca returned his smile and shrugged. “Roberts, what do you know of …? I shouldn’t ask you.”
“Rebecca, are you wondering about Kane’s troubles?”
She stared at him as guilt slashed through her. Finally, she nodded. “Can you tell me about them?”
Without another word, he led her into the library. He closed the door quietly and crossed over to where she stood.
“What can you tell me of Geoffrey’s worries?” she asked. “He says it is nothing, but I know something is wrong. I keep finding him closeted with you or Lord Leed or Lord Chester.”
He smiled crookedly at her. “You didn’t come in here with me to discuss your husband’s problems, did you, Rebecca?”
“Yes, of course I did.”
“No.” He shook his head. “You wish to be alone with me.”
“I wish to know how I can help my husband.”
“Rebecca,” he said in a husky voice, “you have feelings for me, don’t you?”
She gasped. “Roberts, I don’t have—”
“Don’t try to deny it, Rebecca,” Roberts said smoothly. “I saw the notes you made in your study.”
“Notes?”
“Your list? Ah, you found matches for both Leed and Chester. But why couldn’t you find one for my most exce
llent self?”
She pulled back from him. “That list was a bit of fun, Roberts.”
“You couldn’t match anyone to me because you have feelings for me yourself.”
“Nonsense!” She turned to go, but he grasped her arm.
“I felt it, Rebecca.” He brought his face close to hers. “I felt it in the kiss we shared in the garden.”
She was frozen, words of denial stuck in her throat. “Lord Roberts, I—”
Roberts brought his lips to her neck. He nuzzled her skin, his hands on her waist now. “Rebecca,” he murmured.
She regained her senses and placed her hands on his shoulders to push him away.
“Take your hands off my wife.”
Roberts lifted his head and stepped back from her. Becca flicked her gaze toward the doorway, shocked at the fierce scowl on Geoffrey’s face.
“Kane,” Roberts started. “This isn’t—”
“Isn’t what, Roberts?” Geoffrey growled. “Pray, enlighten me.”
Roberts turned his back to Becca, standing between her and Geoffrey.
Geoffrey’s eyes narrowed to slits. “Don’t think to protect my wife from me.”
“Kane, none of this is her fault.”
“Get out. You’ll leave Kanewood at first light.”
With a worried glance toward Becca, Roberts took his leave. Geoffrey closed his eyes, his lips a thin line.
“Geoffrey, I—” she began.
He held up a hand to silence her and she honored his request.
After a long minute, he opened his eyes. “Tell me, Becca,” he said, his voice thick. “Tell me you did nothing to invite this.”
Once again, she couldn’t find her voice. She’d never seen him so angry. She could only stare at him, dumb. To her horror, he seemed to take her silence as an admission of guilt. He turned away from her, bracing his hands on the writing desk, and hung his head.
“Geoffrey, please.”
She reached out to touch his shoulder and he flinched at the slight contact.
“Take yourself upstairs, Becca. I can’t bear to look at you now.”
Becca felt tears burning in her eyes as she did what he asked. She walked slowly out of the room, bound for their chambers. Geoffrey obviously believed she’d encouraged Lord Roberts’s attentions. Had she? No. Any attraction between them was completely in Roberts’s mind. She loved her husband and would never want another man to touch her.
More than Passion Page 17