“Where do you think you’re going dressed like that?” His voice sounded raspy.
“And it’s your concern because…”
“Because I’m your bloody husband, whether you like it or not, and I won’t have my wife ogled by every man that sees her.”
“Well, this is what I wear when I’ve trained Legend in the past, thought the shirt is new,” she added wickedly, “and I’ll continue to wear this to train him in the future. If you don’t care for this particular look on me, find me a jockey I approve of that will work with Legend and not against him or me.” She turned to walk out the door, and paused for a moment, “Oh, and one more thing.”
“What?” Liam snapped.
“I was just going to say you might not want to stand in front of that window. After all, you aren’t wearing any clothes, and what used to be quite a small problem has grown to be quite a substantial one,” she said, tongue-in-cheek. Megan smiled as she closed the door on him cursing. That had been the hardest thing for her to do, to walk away from him, especially when her body throbbed with desire, as did his, if one could go by physical appearances. But she needed some time to let her anger fade before she did or said something they would both regret. Although it might already be too late for that, she thought forlornly.
* * *
Liam did exactly as she had suggested, although there wasn’t anything to see now, since what first looked to be a promising morning had quickly faded with their fight. He first moved out of view of the window. Even though it was on the second floor, it was large and would give a significant view to someone passing by. Then he dressed and sent word for a horse to be readied for him. Upon exiting the house, he saw Megan riding Legend. Together the two of them would be unbeatable. A thought suddenly left him cold. If he wasn’t successful, he could envision Megan, her lithe body wearing her racing colors as she pretended to be the jockey.
“No, I’ll find someone she’ll approve of,” he muttered.
“My lord?” the stable lad who held his horse asked.
“Nothing. Thank you,” he nodded and quickly mounted Draco. Halfway down the lane he spotted a man dressed in livery riding towards the hunting lodge. “Can I help you?”
“Looking for Liam McTavish.”
“I’m Liam McTavish.”
“Here you are, sir.” The man handed over the sealed envelope, promptly turned his horse around, and rode away.
Liam turned over the envelope and saw his name scrawled across the front. On the back it was sealed with red wax and had the impression of a horse’s head. He tore open the envelope and took out the letter inside.
Mr. McTavish,
It has come to our attention that you are not the legal owner of the horse called Legend. Therefore, Legend has been disqualified from the last race, forfeiting his win. You have ten days to dispute this information we have received. If you choose to dispute this accusation, you will be expected to bring the appropriate documentation with you.
Sincerely,
William Rush
Secretary, The Jockey Club
“Bloody hell.” The hunt for a new jockey would have to wait. Liam turned the horse back to the house and tied him to a post while he ran inside. He found the letter Prinny had written and then his hand closed on the other packet of papers. He sat and composed a letter to Megan. Some would say he was being cowardly and perhaps they were right, but he needed her to not worry that he wouldn’t be coming back, and he knew she wouldn’t talk to him right now. He also knew she would be angry when he returned because he kept demanding she not leave, but here he was doing it again. Hopefully she would understand that he was doing it for their own good. Liam pushed the thought out of his mind and quickly blotted the letter. He ran it upstairs to the bedroom and propped it up on the table beside the messy bed.
He dug through the wardrobe that contained his things and took out his overcoat in case a storm came on. Liam also put some of the essential items he would need for an overnight trip in a saddlebag and carried both things out of the room. He passed a maid and nodded to her as he continued down the hall. Liam failed to see the look of disappointment the woman gave him.
* * *
At the end of the day, Megan entered the house exhausted. She walked into the study hoping to find her husband. There were some things she definitely wanted to say to him and then she promised herself they would move on. The room was empty as were all the other rooms. Her heart began to race and her palms grew sweaty. This can’t be happening again, she thought desperately.
She raced back downstairs and went in search of the servants. Megan heard muted talking before she entered the kitchen. When they saw her, they all gave her pitying looks. “Have any of you seen Lord Brookdale?” She watched as they all turned to look at one maid.
“Yes, my lady,” the young maid said.
“Where?”
“He left not very long after you went down to the horses.”
“Left? What do you mean?”
“I passed him in the hall on the way to straighten your bedchamber. He had his overcoat and saddlebags with him.”
“No,” Megan whispered, shaking her head. The maid’s words had her reeling. He wouldn’t do this to her again. He dared not do this to her again. She turned and raced up the stairs to their bedroom, crossed to his wardrobe, and tore open the doors. There were several empty hangers and she noticed some of his items were missing from the dresser. She looked at her bedside table thinking perhaps he had left her a note explaining why he had left, but there was nothing there. History was repeating itself. “No!” she yelled as she vowed to kill the coward the next time she laid eye on him, if she ever did.
* * *
Megan somehow pulled herself together enough to function, but barely. For the next week, she moved about in a daze. She spent the majority of her day working Legend and the new jockey, whom she had had to find and hire herself. The rest of the time she spent sitting and staring into space or sleeping. How was I foolish enough to let him into my life again? She questioned herself over and over. She refused to eat, even when Hamrick threatened to ban her from riding Legend until she did. Megan, in turn, threatened to fire Hamrick. After that, the old man remained silent, but watchful. He had never seen her in this foul of a mood before, and worried she might follow through on her threat.
It was late afternoon during the second week of Liam’s absence when Hamrick tried to put his foot down. “You can’t keep on like this. If you don’t hurt yourself, you’re going to injure Legend.”
“I wouldn’t do that.”
“You’re well on your way,” he argued. “You’re pushing him too hard. He’s ready for the next race. It’s you I’m worried about.”
“Don’t.”
“I’ll put Legend up.”
“No, I’ll do it. You go on.” She saw him hesitate. “Go,” she ordered, pointing towards his sleeping quarters. She led Legend into the stable and brushed him down. Megan put him in his stall and gave him his ration of food before she moved onto Belle’s stall. “How’s my girl?” she cooed. The mare nuzzled her mistress in response. “Are you going to have a foal, my love?” Megan asked the horse, stroking her velvety nose. Lady Belle had been bred to a former racing stallion several weeks ago, and Megan was anxiously waiting to see if it took. The horses began to paw in their stables and whinny. “What’s the matter, loves?” She heard a crunch behind her and turned in time to see an object coming towards her. Megan tried to duck, but was unsuccessful.
Chapter 16
Liam cautiously rode up the drive. He hoped the letter he left would calm Megan, but he knew she would still be angry that he left in the middle of an argument. He also hoped the surprise he had for her would help his cause.
“How’re you doing, little man?” Liam asked the dark-haired boy perched in front of him.
“Good, sir. When will I see Mam?” he asked. He turned his head and looked at the big man behind him.
“Soon, I promise. She’
ll be so excited to see you. She’s missed you.”
“I didn’t like Uncle John and Aunt Beatrice. They made me stay in my room all day, studying. I never played like I did with Mam.”
“I know, son. Maybe we shouldn’t tell her all that when you first see her.”
“Why not?”
“Well, it might make her angry, and we don’t want that to happen now, do we?”
“No,” the little boy shook his head. “I don’t like it when Mam’s angry.”
They rounded a dogleg in the drive and the little boy pointed and exclaimed, “Look, fire!”
“Bloody hell!” Liam held Paddy tighter and spurred Draco to move faster. He thought he caught a glimpse of someone running from the back of the stables into the trees, but he was too far away to make out clearly who it was. About twenty yards from the barn he could feel the heat coming off of the building and drew Draco to a halt. A maid ran up since all the men were busy forming a bucket line. “Do not let him out of your sight,” he ordered the woman. “Paddy, I’m only going to say this once. You stay with her, do you understand?”
“Yes, sir,” the boy nodded. Liam could see the flame’s reflections dancing in the worried boy’s eyes.
“Good.” He dismounted and dug through his saddlebags. He pulled out his large coat. Liam tore off his superfine waistcoat, weskit, and cravat before shrugging into his overcoat. He ran to the opening of the barn and plowed into Hamrick. “Where’s Meg?”
“I haven’t seen her.”
Liam turned to the last footman in the fire line and dunked all of his clothing into the bucket, then split the items between himself and Hamrick. The two men ran into the stable together. Liam took a moment to look around. Flames were licking up two sides of the structure. Soon the entire building would be engulfed. The meager fire line they had would be nothing against this. They could only hope it would begin raining to help extinguish the fire before it spread. Liam shook himself and moved to the mare. He wrapped the wet cravat around her head to cover her eyes, then grabbed her halter. He quickly unlocked her stall and led her from the burning stable.
Liam and Hamrick went in several more times. Once for the carriage horses and then for some of the trunks that had racing tack stored in them. When the old man would have gone in again, Liam halted his progress. “Nothing is worth your life, old man. That building’s too far gone.” He looked around the yard and back to where the maid stood with the boy. There was still no sign of his wife. “Megan should be here,” he said.
“Aye,” the older man agreed.
“She hasn’t left has she?”
“Nay. She’s been right miserable since you up and disappeared, but no she hasn’t left. She was going to groom Legend last I saw. I was going to do it, but she sent me on my way.”
“There was someone running from the stable as I rode up.”
“You don’t think…” Hamrick began.
“I don’t know, but I’m not risking her life.” Liam ran over to two footmen. “Go to the house and check every room for Lady Brookdale. Split up. Go, go, go!” he ordered. He then took a bucket of water and poured over himself, soaking his coat and pants. He soaked the clothing he held once more. “Hamrick, I’m going into the barn. If they come back and have found her, wave this in the doorway. I’ll look that direction ever few minutes.”
“Aye.”
Liam made his way through the falling debris to where the rest of the chests stood lined against the wall. There were only three of them. He opened one after another, but found that none of them contained Megan. At the moment he opened the last one, he heard an ominous snap from above and he looked up to see the loft shift precariously. He dove for the stalls just as it collapsed where he had been standing, sending sparks and debris into the air.
He shifted and looked to the doorway hopeful Hamrick would be there waving the damn cloth, but he wasn’t. The space remained empty. “Dammit, Meg, where are you?” he yelled into the hot air. A sound drifted to him. Was that a cough? “Meg, answer me! Where are you?” Silence, except for the snapping and popping of the fire. He looked at the door once more, still no one. She had to be in here.
Liam got to his hands and knees staying low to the floor in an attempt to remain below the smoke. He searched each stalls including the ones they had removed horses from. In the back of an empty stall in the far corner of the barn is where he found her. She had been tied up, gagged, and hay had been thrown over her. The side of her face was swelling, but never had she looked so good to him. Her eyes widened when she saw him hovering over her.
Liam was unwilling to fight with the knots, and they were running out of time. He quickly swept aside some of the hay that had caught fire in the stall. Liam reached into his boot and pulled out a knife. He used it to slice through the ropes that held her hands and feet immobile. Liam replaced the knife and quickly placed the wet superfine over her head. He stood, helped her to stand, then unceremoniously threw her over his shoulder. He ran out of the stable just as one side collapsed in on itself. A loud hissing indicated the rain they needed had finally arrived and was falling on the burning wood.
Liam put Megan down, removed the superfine from her head, and dropped it on the ground. He worked on her bindings as he began asking questions. “What happened? Why were you alone? Why didn’t you allow Hamrick to help you? Are you all right?”
Once he freed her hands, he watched her rub her wrists bringing them back to painful life. Liam tugged the piece of cloth from her mouth and let it fall about her neck like a necklace. The side of her face was scraped and bloody, and looked like she might have some splinters imbedded in her cheek.
“Legend?” she asked warily.
“Both he and Lady Belle are safe.” He took a step towards her, his arms opened wide, but he was not expecting what happened next. Megan made a fist and punched him in the eye. It stung and would more than likely be black and blue and swollen tomorrow.
“What in bloody hell was that for? I know I took a few days longer than I thought.”
“A few days longer? You’ve been gone almost a bloody fortnight! You left me!”
“Aye, but I was coming back.” He tried to pry the eye open, but was unsuccessful.
“Sure you were. That’s convenient to say now.”
“I left you a bloody note.”
“No, you didn’t!”
“I did. I knew you needed some time to deal with all we had spoken of. I had business I needed to attend to. It seemed the best for everyone.”
“I don’t believe you. I didn’t find any note.”
“I left it on the table beside your bed.”
“There was nothing there.”
“I’m telling you, I wrote you a bloody note! If I were leaving I would have taken everything, not just a few things to get me by. Have you thought about that?” She remained silent. “No, because whatever you say, you still have not forgiven me for leaving five years ago. I can’t go back and change time, and while I was gone I decided that I wouldn’t. Every decision and every event we each lived through happened to us for some reason or another. I fully believe that.”
“I wish I could believe that as much as you do.”
“I wish you could, too. I’ll move my things back into my room.”
“No, don’t,” she made to grab for him and started to fall, forgetting her ankles were still bound.
Liam caught her and swung her up into his arms. Surely the servants were wondering about their sanity as they stood out in the rain like a pair of fools instead of going inside where it was warm and dry. He felt her fingers run through his wet hair and cup the nape of his neck. She leaned forward, and he felt her rain-wet lips against his.
“I was so scared you weren’t coming back and that this time it would be forever,” she admitted.
“I’m afraid I’m yours, whether you want me or not. Scars, nightmares, and all.”
“I’ll take you,” she whispered against his lips.
“Let’s go
inside. I have a surprise for you,” he said, kissing her deeply before pulling away. He carried her inside and put her down inside the servant’s entrance. He watched her bend over and untie the bindings around her ankles. She was wearing those form-fitting breeches again, and now they were damp from the rain, outlining even more of her delicious curves. He felt his body responding. He watched her stand and turn around. He felt her press herself against him and wrap her arms around his waist. Liam knew she could feel the hard ridge of his manhood pressing into her tummy.
“Is this my present?” She asked, pressing closer to him.
If he had not seen the little boy enter the hall, he would have taken her against the wall then and there. Instead he grabbed her hips and gently moved her backwards. He cleared his throat and said, “Look behind you.”
* * *
Megan looked up and saw the strain in Liam’s face as he pushed her backwards. He wanted her, she could tell. He had been gone for well over a week, knowing full well he was coming back to her, and had expected her to know it too. He still could not open the eye she had punched him in. She knew she should feel bad about that, but somehow she couldn’t.
“Go ahead, look,” he said.
She kept a hold of one of his hands, refusing to let go of him, afraid he might disappear once more. What she saw had her sucking in her breath. “No, he can’t be real,” she whispered in disbelief.
“He’s very real,” Liam promised.
“Mam, don’t you remember me?” the little boy in front of her asked. He looked worried and scared all at once.
“Of course, I remember you, I just…”
“Don’t you want me?”
“Desperately, but…”
“He’s ours, Meg,” Liam whispered in her ear. “I’ll explain everything later, but go and greet your son.”
Enticing the Weary Warrior Page 19