Aurora watched his wrenching, powerful release in awe, exhilarated by her own power to make such a strong man so helpless.
Drained, limp, he slowly rolled onto his back. But it was a long moment before he opened his eyes. "It seems I owe the journal a debt of gratitude."
Aurora felt herself flush at the heated intensity of his gaze – and at his brazenness. He made no move to cover his nakedness. She was suddenly unaccountably embarrassed by her own wanton behavior. She looked away.
"You don't mean to turn shy, siren?" Nicholas murmured. "Not now, when it is my turn to pleasure you."
He took her hand and brought it to his lips, pressing a kiss into her palm. Aurora felt herself shudder at the intense heat that simple gesture aroused in her. Reluctantly, she drew her hand away. "I think perhaps I have been daring enough for one evening."
"There is only one trouble. A taste of you only makes me want more. I want to spend the rest of the night making love to you."
Her breath faltered. "You cannot."
"Why not?" He reached up, beneath her cloak, to caress her breast. She winced when he found the sensitive peaked nipple beneath the thin muslin of her gown. "You're highly aroused, Aurora. You want me. Your body is eager for release, for pleasure."
She couldn't reply. Her instinctive wariness had returned with a vengeance, along with the warning voice clamoring in her head, urging her to beware his sensual blandishments.
When she didn't answer, Nicholas sat up. Lifting his fingers to her lips, he brushed them with the lightest of pressure. Aurora shut her eyes as a dizzying wave of need rushed through her. Her desire for him was a physical ache, throbbing and urgent.
She feared the strength of that desire, and yet the simple truth was she couldn't deny herself the pleasure of his touch.
When he started to draw her into his arms, she stopped him with a hand on his chest. Glancing around, she realized how revealing the moonlit darkness was. Though largely concealed by willows, they were still too visible for Aurora's comfort. "Not here, Nicholas…"
"You're right. We should find a bed. Where do you want to go?"
She took a deep breath, throwing prudence and caution to the wind. "Take me home."
"Gladly."
With a faint smile, he rearranged his clothing and fastened the buttons of his various garments. Then getting to his feet, he held his hand down to her. She took it with trembling fingers.
Scooping up the blanket, Nicholas led her to the curricle and handed her up. When he settled himself beside her and took up the reins, he gave one last look at the shore of the shining lake.
"After this evening," he murmured without any trace of amusement, "I will never see this place in quite the same way."
Nor would she, Aurora thought. From this point forward, whenever she visited the park, she would always remember this moment with Nicholas.
They were mostly silent on their way home. Aurora felt her heart hammering in conflict as she questioned the wisdom of her decision. Inviting Nicholas into her bed was like unleashing a caged tiger: she was very likely to be wounded.
Already her emotions were greatly at risk. And becoming even more intimate with him would blatantly endanger the serenity she'd striven so hard to find.
Yet she had taken this course and would see it through to the conclusion. She only hoped that her calculations had been right. That once he claimed her as a conquest, he would abandon the chase. And that he would tire of his pursuit before she was too badly hurt.
When she reached home, however, worries about her plan were driven out of her head as they turned into the drive at the rear of the house. She could see lights blazing from many of the rooms.
"Something has happened," Aurora murmured, trying to stem her alarm.
The moment Nicholas drew the curricle to a halt, Aurora scrambled down and ran up the back steps. Nicholas's tiger, who had been waiting patiently for their return, came to hold the horses, leaving Nicholas to follow her inside the house.
She was met in the hallway by her butler, who looked as if he'd been roused from sleep. Danby wore a dressing gown over his nightshirt and a cap over his gray hair, while his elderly face sported a grave expression.
"My lady, is aught amiss? We were concerned for you when we could not find you anywhere in the house."
Aurora lifted her chin, determined to brazen out her actions. She had no reason to cower before her servants in shame. "I went for a drive. What has happened, Danby? Why is the entire household awake?"
"The Earl of March has arrived, my lady."
For a moment Aurora's heart seemed to stop. Geoffrey could not have called, for he had perished at sea nearly a year ago. Then she remembered that his ten-year-old brother, Harry, had inherited the title.
"Harry is here? In London?"
"Yes, my lady. He is currently in the kitchens. He was… er… hungry after his travels."
"His travels? What do you mean? Did his mother bring him?"
"No, my lady. Only young Lord March – "
Just then a blond-haired boy came bounding into the hall from the stairway that led to the kitchens. He was dressed in breeches and jacket, but his hair was mussed and his young face that looked so much like Geoffrey's was actually dirty.
"Rory, am I ever so glad to see you – " When he spied Nicholas, the boy came to a halt. Much to her surprise, his hands curled into fists, and he stood there glowering at Nicholas. "Who are you?" he demanded angrily.
"Harry," Aurora said sharply in protest. "Where are your manners?"
"I am Lady Aurora's cousin by marriage, Brandon Deverill," Nicholas said mildly.
"You have no right to be here!" the boy nearly growled.
"Harry, this gentleman is a guest in my house. You will mind your tongue."
Still scowling, he cast Aurora an accusing look. "You cannot have forgotten my brother already? It has been only a year since he died. One year exactly today."
Aurora winced. She hadn't remembered that today was the anniversary of the tragic shipwreck. "No," she said guiltily. "The date may have slipped my mind, but I could never forget Geoffrey."
"Then what is he doing here, calling at this time, of night?"
She took a measured breath. "You have no authority to ask such questions, my young lordling. Furthermore, as a relation, Nic – Mr. Deverill has every right to call here. Now it is your turn to give me some answers. What are you doing here in London? Especially at this hour of night?"
For the first time, Harry's scowl faded to uncertainty. "I've run away from home, Rory. Mama has become insufferable. Please, you must allow me to stay with you."
Chapter Fourteen
He touched me with startling tenderness, as if even my heart belonged to him .
"So tell me, Harry, how did you manage to find your way to London?" Aurora asked a short while later as she and Nicholas sat with the boy at the servants' table in the kitchen. To her exasperation, Nicholas had remained without invitation and simply made himself at home, and she hadn't wanted to argue with him in front of her unexpected young guest.
Harry looked up from munching on a meal of cold chicken and scones and apples. "The stage. It was ever so much fun. I rode on top first and then in the box. That was famous! The coachman let me take the reins, but only for a moment because some of the passengers complained about my driving."
"You traveled all the way from Sussex alone?" Aurora said, dismayed. "Don't you realize how dangerous that was? You could have been robbed or – "
"Oh, the stage was not dangerous in the least. It was only when I arrived at the posting inn that I almost landed in the briars. It was quite crowded, and I had to inquire about directions, and there were three fellows who looked like footpads. But when they tried to detain me, I showed them my fives and ran away."
Aurora shuddered to think what might have happened to a child alone at night on the London streets.
"I am not a complete gudgeon, Rory," he said when he saw her expression. "I c
an take care of myself. They stole my bundle, though." Harry suddenly looked glum. "It had my favorite ship in it."
"Ship?" Nicholas asked curiously.
The boy gave him a wary look, as if debating whether to trust him. "Admiral Nelson's flagship, the Victory. It was made of tin. My brother gave it to me." As if remembering Geoffrey, the boy suddenly sent Aurora an accusing look. "Danby did not want to let me in. He would not believe that I was Lord March, since I was in leading strings the last time he saw me. And you were not here to vouch for me."
She fought the urge to squirm, knowing she must look like a wanton. She had removed her cloak, and her hair was in disarray, tumbling down her back. "Does your mother know you've run away?" she asked, deliberately changing the subject.
Harry grinned impishly. "By now, she does. But I did leave her a note, telling her I intended to live with you."
"Harry, your mother will be frantic with worry."
"I know. That is why I ran away. She is in a quake all the time. She is smothering me, Rory. And this past week, it was even worse than usual, because Geoffrey passed on one year ago."
"She would be understandably upset," Aurora said patiently. "You are her only child now, Harry – "
"I know. Mama is muttonheaded when it comes to Geoff. But she raises a dust if I even leave the house! She means to keep me in leading strings till I am full grown, Rory. It is ever so plaguey."
Aurora frowned. "Where did you learn such vulgar cant?"
"From Tom, the groundskeeper. Do you mean to ring a peal over me, Rory? If so, then go ahead, but I shan't go home again, so there is no use trying to make me. If you will not let me live with you, I will just have to find someone else who will take me in."
Aurora hesitated to answer. She was eager to help Harry, not only because she was extremely fond of him, but also because she wanted to appease her guilt. She had neglected the boy dreadfully this past year. He'd lost a brother he idolized and then had been forced to endure his mama's protective smothering. Lady March was not generally the scatterbrained sort, but she had been devastated at her elder son's death and was determined that nothing would befall her younger son. Aurora could well understand why Harry would finally rebel and seek refuge with someone he considered a friend. Yet she didn't want to encourage or abet his rebellion.
Before she could express her reservations, however, Harry spoke again.
"It will not be for long, for I mean to join the navy and fight the Frogs, like Geoffrey."
"You mean to do what?"
"I am going to run away to sea. I want to have real adventures, but Mama will never let me. She will not even permit me to fish in our own streams. I cannot go near water because she is afraid I will drown like Geoffrey did."
"I know something about running off to sea," Nicholas interjected mildly.
"You do?" Harry's look became interested. "You sound like a Colonial."
"I am American. But I have some experience with the British navy. There are numerous sailors on my ships who were impressed illegally by your country and forced to serve."
"You are a ship's captain?" His eyes lit up.
"Not a captain. Owner. I have a fleet of merchant ships."
"A fleet! That is capital!"
Nicholas smiled. "If you knew the hardships you would face in your navy, you would not want to join, believe me. The life of a tar is remarkably unpleasant compared to the one you're accustomed to. You would do much better to apprentice in the merchant marine."
Aurora gave Nicholas a quelling look, annoyed that he would encourage the boy in such wild fantasies. "Harry is going to join neither."
Harry's jaw set mutinously as he clutched his drumstick. "I am, Rory."
Nicholas shook his head. "Well, this is not the way to go about it. Not only would you distress your mother, but you are ill-prepared to begin your venture. I'll wager you don't even have a letter of introduction."
"I must have a letter?"
"If you want to be more than a scullery, you do. You need someone in a position of authority to vouchsafe your character, and you will need money to outfit your sea chest."
"I have money. I am quite rich."
"Then instead of becoming a tar, you might consider buying your own ship and becoming the employer. Trust me, that would be far more agreeable than swabbing decks from morning till night."
Harry grinned broadly, obviously keen on this new idea.
Nicholas returned a slow grin of his own. Watching his irresistible smile, Aurora felt a knife of longing twist inside her. She should have known he could relate to a rebellious boy. The encounter gave her a glimpse of what Nicholas must have been like at that age. And yet she was dismayed to see him using his ruthless charm to wrap Harry around his thumb.
Waving the drumstick, the boy went off on another fantasy. "If I had my own ship, I could go to France and spy on the Frogs, like Geoffrey."
"What do you mean, like Geoffrey?" Aurora asked.
"He was on a secret mission when his yacht sank – " Harry glanced around him surreptitiously. "Oh, I should not have said that. Geoffrey made me promise not to tell."
Aurora put no credence in Harry's comment. She could not possibly conceive of bookish Geoffrey dashing off to France to spy. Perhaps Harry simply had concocted that tale to give meaning to his brother's senseless death at sea.
Evidently he was even more in need of a friend than she first suspected.
There was no question that she would be that friend. She felt a strong duty toward the boy. Harry had been underfoot much of the time when he was growing up, even when Geoffrey was officially courting her. Harry was horse mad and had wanted any excuse to visit the Eversley stables. And he had trusted her judgment in horseflesh more than his brother's. She, rather than Geoffrey, had chosen his first pony.
She had always thought of him as a younger brother, and he would have been her brother by marriage had not fate so callously intervened. Moreover, she well knew what it was like to want to escape a domineering parent. So despite her qualms about abetting his rebellion, she would allow Harry to remain with her for now. At least until she could persuade him to give up his nonsense about running off to sea in search of adventure.
When he yawned hugely, Aurora realized he was exhausted. "You should be in bed," she said gently. "I'm certain we can sort this out in the morning."
"You won't send me home?"
"Not immediately, although I shall write your mother directly in the morning and let her know you have arrived safely, and ask her permission to let you stay with me for a visit."
"You are a grand sport, Rory!" Getting up from the table, he ran around to her side and threw his arms around her neck.
Aurora couldn't help but smile. "Did you say you had lost your clothing? We shall have to find you a suitable nightshirt."
Danby, who was hovering discreetly just outside the door, appeared as if summoned. Aurora extricated herself from the boy's bear hug. "Would you please see Lord March settled in the green bedchamber, Danby?"
"As you wish, my lady."
When Harry started to follow the butler, Aurora stopped him. "One moment, my young lordling. I believe you owe Mr. Deverill an apology."
Harry turned to Nicholas with reluctant contrition. "I am very sorry if I was rude, sir. Will you please forgive me?"
"You're forgiven," Nicholas said easily.
"And if I promise to behave, will you tell me about your ships?"
Nicholas smiled. "I would be happy to."
"Thank you." Harry glanced at Aurora. "He is not as bad as I feared, Rory."
When the boy was gone, Aurora felt Nicholas's gaze settle on her.
"He calls you Rory?"
"Harry could not pronounce my name when he was young, so I have always been Rory to him. I apologize for his earlier outburst. He really is a delightful boy."
"I can see that." Nicholas paused. "You handled him well. You would make a good mother."
Their eyes met, and she wo
ndered if he was thinking the same thought she was. What would their children have been like had their marriage been real and lasting?
Mentally Aurora chastised herself. She would be a fool to let herself dream of a true union with Nicholas. He wasn't the kind of man to give his heart to one woman. Love was a game to him, an adventure. He would satisfy a woman's carnal desires beyond her wildest imaginings, she had absolutely no doubt. But he would feel nothing deeper.
And with no stronger emotions to bind him, how long would it be before his restless urge to roam overtook him? Before the siren call of danger lured him from her side? Before he left her alone and heartbroken?
No, Aurora reminded herself as an ache of sadness twisted in her chest. There was no possibility of having children with Nicholas…
She suddenly caught her breath, remembering the unfinished matter between them. Nicholas was here, in her kitchen, because she had invited him to share her bed. Sweet heaven…
All at once the moment was filled with a new kind of tension. When his eyes caressed her, Aurora shifted in her seat, uneasy under his dark perusal.
Her resolve to keep him at a distance had nearly shattered this evening. She was suddenly grateful Harry had arrived when he had. Although he presented a problem – and was another unexpected male in her life – he had saved her from making a dreadful mistake.
"I think you should go," she murmured, her voice suddenly hoarse.
"You didn't feel that way an hour ago."
"An hour ago I was suffering from a touch of moon madness. And I did not know Harry would run away from home and seek refuge here."
"So you mean to hide behind him." It was not a question. "To use him as a convenient excuse to deny the desire you feel for me."
"No, Nicholas – "
"Yes. You're fooling yourself, Aurora. Deceiving yourself about what you really want."
"That isn't true. I was inexcusably rash this evening – " Aurora shook her head. "I have to think of my responsibilities. I have a duty toward Harry. His brother is gone, and Geoffrey would have wanted me to watch over him."
When Nicholas stared at her steadily, she added defensively, "It would be disloyal to Geoffrey's memory for me to be intimate with you tonight. I should never have forgotten that today is the anniversary of his death. It was unforgivable of me."
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