“Nay.”
Big fat lie!
Renny groaned inwardly but she wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of letting him know that she was indeed irked.
“I want to apologize for my behavior yesterday. But you must put yourself in my position. It’s not everyday a person discovers that he’s in the presence of a witch. A beautiful one, I might add. But still, that was no excuse for getting foxed. And I do appreciate your brother’s help when I came around. He’s a very nice chap. And I am grateful that he was not ---”
“A warlock,” she finished his statement, without sopping to think before she spoke.
“Nay. I’m grateful that he wasn’t angry with me.”
“Oh,” she bit her bottom lip. She surely knew how to put her foot in her mouth, so she decided it was best not to say anything else and watch the scenery go by.
War realized that the moment Miss Renny opened the door before, she was so shocked that the healthy color that had glowed in her cheeks had drained from her face finding him at her doorsteps. He made her feel uncomfortable. He could laugh at that notion because he was not feeling totally relaxed knowing that she at any moment could use her magic on him again. He had pretended to believe her falsehood before. It did no good to do otherwise. War was glad she suggested they meet at public place.
He was hoping that this evening would be pleasant and he wanted to tell her that she looked quite charming in her rose colored gown. It was a nice contrast against her dark hair. And he wanted to compliment her on her lovely violet eyes, that reminded him of violet flowers in the spring. Her skin was not like many of London’s women, but tanned by the sun. But most of all, he wanted to taste those full lush lips again. Sitting across from her was maddening, watching the rise and fall of her breasts with every breath she took.
War decided that the woman had the right idea and he looked out the window for the remaining of the ride. Arriving at the Hotel, the coachman opened the door and he leaped out, then turned and took Miss Renny’s hand. Like before, when she took his arm, something electrifying jolted through his body. She gasped and quickly let go. There was no doubt in his mind that she felt it also, and the embryonic attraction between them pleased him.
Chapter Eleven
Renny clutched her reticule to her bosom trying to compose her erratic emotions that were in a tailspin from the contact of his hand. This idea of meeting him was becoming a bad idea more so by the minute, she mused. The count lifted his left brow when she quickly pulled her hand out of his as if she had done something wrong. He must have noticed her startled expression and an odd smile crossed his lips. Her escort then guided her into the hotel with his hand on her back and she wished he’d stop touching her. Thankfully the maî·tre' sat them quickly and within minutes a waiter came over to take their order. She wasn’t too sure she’d be able to swallow her food. Dammit, Pepper was right, she should have stayed home. She was toying with the idea of feigning a headache, but she’d not back out now.
“A bottle of your best wine,” said Anwar.
“Aye, sir,” bowed the waiter pouring water into their glasses and left.
“What’s your pleasure, Miss Renny?”
She took a moment to sip down some of the water. Feeling a little more at ease, at length she said, “Please order for me, I’m not a fussy eater. Anything you order will be fine.” He nodded and when the waiter returned with the red wine, he poured them a glass. Anwar ordered roast pork, glazed yams and a salad and she was happy with his selection. He then held up his glass for a toast.
“To a pleasant evening and a new start.”
“Clank!” she nodded.
“Tell me Miss Renny, why did you decide to be a detective?”
That was a touchy subject as far as she was concerned, she felt that he was fishing, leading up to their involvement, but she allowed herself a little sigh and answered anyway.
“My older brother, Victor, who is now happily married, was once involved with a married woman. In his defense,” she quickly added,” he was young and had no idea that their relationship was in appropriate, so to speak. One night the woman’s husband was murdered and Victor was accused of the crime. He was found unconscious by the police with a pepperbox in his hand. I knew he was innocent, and he told me that someone had knocked him out. While doing some snooping, I learned that the adulteress was looking for a cook, so I disguised myself as an old lady and got the position.”
The salad arrived and she continued. “To make a long story short, I put a spell on her.”
She saw no reaction on his handsome face; the man didn’t even blink.
I guess that should not have surprised me.
“What kind of a spell?” he asked.
“The spell caused her to go to the police and confess that she had done the terrible deed.” Renny laughed. “Boy, I would have loved to have seen the look on her face when she snapped out of the trance and discovered that she was in Scotland Yard. I like helping people and I do have the skills to snoop. More so than sitting around doing needlepoint and women things.”
Her barb must have hit a nerve because this time his eyes grew cool. Maybe, she shouldn’t have brought up his insult, but the memory was poignant.
The meal came and they proceeded to eat in silence. Halfway through Anwar said, “Likely, you have helped many but in my case, you didn’t. I would appreciate it if you would go see the Vanderbilt’s and tell them that you made a mistake.”
The air seemed to be sucked from her lungs and her fork clanked against the dish. Renny answered cautiously, “And why pray tell would I do that?”
“Because you tarnished my reputation. Gossipmongers are like locusts and the ton is brutal. If you do not, I will,” he stated flatly.
He was treading on dangerous ground. She allowed his threat to hang in the air between them for a moment before she replied, “And what about my reputation? My business would be ruined. Nay, I do not think so. And it will be your word against mine.”
The count chuckled completely void of humor and wiped his mouth with the cloth napkin. “I was hoping that you would be civil about this matter. I guess I’ll have to take matters into my own hands and teach you a lesson. ”
A big dose of exasperation was in his tone but he looked to calm to suit her. Like the calm before a storm. She gulped, reading the ire in his eyes and before he could reply, she snapped her fingers. Renny was not about to take any chances. Her decision was instantaneous; he and the people in the room all froze, becoming statues.
So he thought he could take me to dinner and reprimand me in public, thinking I’d not rebel! Ha!
Renny had it with him! If anyone was going to receive a lessen it was going to be him! She’d show the count that she was not a weak female to be reckoned with. The roast pork and glazed yams made there way down his white shirt. The salad plastered itself against his face and the wine found refuge in his lap.
Good, job well done!
Renny realized too late that she had congratulated herself too soon because the frozen expression on his face turned to anger.
Oh, no! Damn, my magic didn’t hold.
Frightened by the fire in his eyes, she jumped out of the chair and turned to run. She didn’t see the desert card and fell face first into the chocolate cake. Sputtering, she wiped the frosting out of her eyes and then she was quickly spun around, facing her opponent. Then the count did something she would never have expected in a million years. He threw back his head and laughed like a fool. Now she was even more scared. He’d gone completely loco and she was at a loss as to what to do.
“Pardon my cliché but you have finally gotten your just deserts.”
War wanted to strangle the beautiful witch but he also wanted to ravish her. He would start by licking off the chocolate on her face. But not here.
“Miss Renny, I suggest you undo what you did.”
She nodded and snapped her fingers. Both were as clean and pristine as when they entered, which disapp
ointed him. He so wanted to enjoy having his cake and eat it too. And then everything went back to normal, as if nothing had happened. No one but he knew that they had been in a state of suspension.
War took her hand and he felt her pulse quicken as he gently pulled her to the lobby and rang the bell for the clerk. When the man in his neat uniform answered, he gave the clerk money to pay for the diner and booked a room. He heard the woman gasp but she said not a word. He was certain that she didn’t want to cause a scene because she knew that her magic didn’t work on him. But she did try to resist as he pulled her up the flight of stairs.
Once in the room, she was no longer docile and War didn’t expect any less of her.
She turned on him looking as if she might explode.
Chapter Twelve
Renny was spitting mad at the count and herself for letting him control her emotions. And she was also irked because that damn man can’t be put under her spell! And she had to admit to herself that because her magic didn’t work on him, that angered her the most. And on top of everything else, never had she been foiled, made a fool of by her own trickery. She wanted to scream, but she was so choked up with rage, she felt her blood boil through her veins. Ohhh!
“Your temper is adequate protection but I suggest you calm down before the top of your head explodes. You may have the right to be upset with me but---”
“Upset, you say?!” she growled. “You obnoxious beast! You’re lucky I cannot cast a spell on you because I’d send you to the moon! And how dare you drag me up here? If you think you can make me see the error of my ways, you’re wasting my time and yours! This is very improper, to say the least!”
The count merely raised that damn, annoying brow again and folded his arms.
Silence greeted her words for a few seconds before he threatened, “Lady, what I plan to do to you is not going to be proper.”
“W-what do y-you man?” Renny backed up, now more frightened than angry, because she definitely knew what he meant. She felt as if her heart had been catapulted down into her belly. “Nay!” The protest burst from her tight throat.
His eyes narrowed. “Aye, my love. Before I finish with you tonight, it will be you who will be put under my spell.” His taunt was silky smooth and as he walked forward, his low, seductive voice affected her good sense. The count kept coming closer when he stopped, so did her heart.
Without any rhyme or reason, she suddenly wanted so desperately to be in his arms. To feel joy inside from his touch. This was maddening, she was so confused.
“Look, Miss Renny, you’re fighting a losing cause. You want me as much as I want you, so stop fighting the attraction and let me kiss you.”
“Nay, you’re …” Her refusal withered on her lips the moment his mouth covered hers. There were a wealth of words needing to be said, but Anwar was right, though she wouldn’t admit to it. Not verbally. Renny wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into his hard body, his mouth worked across hers in a relentless demanding way. She moaned and too late she realized that she had given herself away. When he broke the kiss, her eyes fluttered open. Wouldn’t you know it, that arrogant man was grinning at her knowingly.
“Don’t look so smug, War. It was just a kiss.”
But oh, what a kiss!
“My beautiful witch, you do not lie very well,” he said in a husky whisper and kissed her neck; the thrill went straight to her knees. She was in a trance, Renny hadn’t realized that War had unbuttoned her dress until she felt his hot mouth on a nipple. The thrill was so electrifying, her knees buckled and she scarcely dared to breath.
“Oh, War, I’m under your spell, and never release me.” The words had somehow tumbled out.
He chuckled lightly. “My love, I have just begun.”
Within minutes, they were naked, and he told her that she was beautiful. “So are you,” she returned the compliment, at which he stated that men are not beautiful. She begged to differ and he in turn said that she was a maddeningly quarrelsome woman and kissed her to end their foolish banter.
War lifted Renny and placed her in the middle of the oversized bed. When he joined her, she quickly curled into the curve of his body. He had never wanted to make love to a woman as much as he wanted her. If anyone was under a spell that night, it was surely him. He played homage to every inch of her body until Renny begged for him to take her. She gasped when he lowered his body over her, but opened up for him. He tried as long as possible not to release his seed, but she was so hot. When he exploded, she cried out along with him.
The first thing he said was, “Did it hurt much?”
She laughed. “Is that all you can say? What about asking, was it as wonderful for you as it was for me? And no, it didn’t hurt much.”
“Sorry,” he mumbled.
She push back a lock of his damp hair and smiled. “War, it was wonderful.”
He hugged her tighter. “Honey, I don’t want you to do any detective work when we’re married.”
“Sorry but you can’t tell me what to…What d-did you s-say?” she sputtered.
He tapped her upturned nose. “I said no more snooping and no more witchcraft when were…”
She sat straight up. “What makes you think that I’ll marry you?”
“You love me.”
“I do not!”
“Of course you do. You just proved it.”
“Nay, I do not!” Her voice came out in a high pitch.
Well, that was a pleasant trip around the block.
“Do I have to prove it again?”
“Maybe you do,” she replied smugly, carefully sidestepping his challenge.
Renny hated it when people proved her wrong but this time she didn‘t mind at all. She loved War with all her heart and by morning, she proved it three more times. Four days later, they were wed and nine months after, she delivered a beautiful baby girl.
Epilogue
“Mommy, I want to be a witch like you.”
“Hush, don’t let your papa hear you. You know how he feels about magic.”
“But mama,” her three year old daughter pouted.
What goes around comes around, Renny thought. It seemed as if only yesterday she was having the same argument with her mother, and now she sounded just like her.
“Ybeth, you can’t help being a witch, but you can control your witchcraft. Now, my mother forbade me to practice but I did anyway, although my magic wasn’t very strong. Your uncles, as you know are powerful warlocks, but even they have to be careful. If I help you, you have to promise never to use it on your little brother, Victor or any family member. Use it if necessary, but be careful.”
Her daughter clapped. “Aye, mama, I’ll be careful and papa will never know.”
Renny hated to keep this from her husband, but it’s better that the child learn the proper way to cast spells.
“Squawk! You can’t be serious, Kido?”
“Hey Pepper, wouldn’t you like to be a beautiful peacock?” asked Ybeth.
The raven groaned. “Here we go again!”
They End…We hope!
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