“Would you take a word of advice from me?” He watched Billy nod hesitantly.
“Stay well away from Brian and his friends. No matter how well you think you know them, people like that are not to be trusted. They will get you in trouble just because you are related to Kat. Please, Billy, if you have any respect for either Kat, or your mother, you must avoid Billy like the plague.”
Billy stared suspiciously at Jonathan for a moment. He didn’t want the man to think he could tell him what to do. Jonathan was rich and handsome and had no idea what Billy had to do just to be able to eat and provide food for his sister and mother. The differences between them were huge, even to Billy’s young eyes. Although Kat had given him a similar warning, it held a different meaning when it came from Jonathan.
Billy nodded but the dark frown on his face made it clear that he wasn’t happy about the decision. “Alright.” He didn’t spend all that much time with Brian anyway but, if it helped his mother and Kat, then he would do it. He thought of Kat’s tears the other night and felt sad that she was so upset.
“Lesson over for today,” Jonathan muttered. They both caught sight of Kat as she stalked down the driveway toward him. “If you take Percy back to his stable I am sure Jack will show you how to unsaddle him. Then I think it would be best if you head home.”
He didn’t wait to see if Billy would follow orders. With his gaze locked on Kat’s long, angry strides, he skirted around the horse he walked toward her.
“Good afternoon,” Jonathan murmured and planted himself firmly in front of Kat’s view of her brother.
“I thought I asked you not to encourage him to ride.”
“It is doing him no harm Kat. He is learning a new skill, that’s all.”
“But we cannot afford to purchase a riding horse. You really should not encourage him.” Kat found it incredibly hard to keep her impatience out of her voice. She was fiercely angry that he would over-ride her wishes with such high-handedness.
“Let’s go inside,” Jonathan urged. “I want to talk to you about reading to my uncle.”
“I am afraid I won’t be able to do it for a while,” Kat replied. She physically trembled with a mixture of temper and residual fear from Harrison’s visit. All the way over here her thoughts had wavered between her desire to give Jonathan a piece of her mind, to the horror of the sight of that bolt of cloth as it fell down the chimney. If it had fallen while the Excise men had been in her house, she would be in jail by now. They all would. The thought filled her with horror and a sense of urgency that she couldn’t define.
Once inside his study, Jonathan showed her to the chaise before the fireplace and sat beside her.
“Look, I know that you are annoyed with me for giving Billy another lesson but it really is a skill that will serve him well for the future. There is nothing wrong with it. I don’t expect anything in return and Percy needs the exercise. There is nobody on the estate who is small enough to ride him, so why not Billy?”
Kat couldn’t find argument with that and lapsed into silence.
Jonathan knew she wasn’t convinced. “Call it payment if you like, for the hours you have spent reading to Bruce. He enjoys that about as much as Billy enjoys riding Percy. So we can call it quits.”
Kat felt petty and churlish for having raised an objection in the first place. “I cannot read for your uncle for a while.” Kat stared into the fire. She hated to say the words. She enjoyed coming to the big house and loved reading to Jonathan’s uncle even more. It was going to be a wrench not to make her thrice weekly visits, but she had to keep some distance between herself and the man beside her, at least while he was in residence. Once he had gone then she wasn’t sure she wanted to come near the place because of the memories. At some point he would return with a wife in tow, then what? She would have to stop her visits at some point, especially if they did purchase a farm and moved away from the area.
She blanked out a small voice that reminded her that Jonathan had been the first person she had run to after the horrid near-miss with the bolt of cloth.
“What’s wrong, Kat?”
“Nothing. It is just that I have to help mother with the stall a bit more. Harrison called again this morning. Each time they call they destroy the house and it takes us half a day to put everything back. With that and running the stall it is taking its toll on mother. There simply isn’t the time to keep trailing over here. Not while Harrison is at large.”
“He is doing his job, Kat, that’s all.”
“I know but he never used to rip the house apart like he does now, or so frequently.”
“He is looking for the smuggled goods. It is his job to bring smugglers to justice and ensure their illegal cargo is confiscated, you should know that.” Jonathan studied her face closely but could detected nothing but disgust for Harrison in her gaze.
“I know,” Kat sighed. “We cannot stop it, I know that but while it is happening I cannot continue to read for your uncle.”
Jonathan wondered if she wanted to distance herself from him because she was involved with the smugglers he himself had said that he was going to help capture. Was she trying to hide her guilt? He wasn’t sure but he was damned well positive he would find out.
“What do you know about the smuggling, Kat? You and I both know it is happening,” he sighed and met her gaze. He didn’t tell her that he had seen it with his own eyes, but the confidence in his voice gave her pause to turn to stare at him.
It was on the tip of Kat’s tongue to tell him everything, but she eventually sighed and pushed to her feet. “I don’t know anything about smuggling,” she sighed.
“No, nobody does.” Jonathan grumbled. “But I am damned well going to find out who is involved and stop them.”
“Why? I mean, you are due to be moving on any day now. Why concern yourself with it? Surely you cannot be that bored?”
Jonathan’s brows lifted at the insult. “I am not doing this because I need something to while away the hours. I am doing this because I have a duty; a responsibility to ensure that everyone in the village is as safe as possible. Going out onto a wind-swept beach to battle the raging sea to smuggle illegal goods ashore is not keeping everyone safe. God in heaven, it is going to put everyone behind bars.”
“You have a reputation to uphold,” Kat snapped with a shake of her head. She knew that was what was behind his persistence. It wasn’t any concern for the villagers, but his need to distance himself from any illegal activity.
In part it was the truth. He did have a reputation to uphold, but it had nothing to do with the Earldom. It was his good character within the Star Elite he needed to protect.
“I need to ensure that everyone I hold dear is kept safe from harm. It has been known for the smuggled cargo to include smuggled people, especially French spies. You would do well to remember that, Kat, while you are keeping your secrets and protecting your friends.”
Kat turned to stare at him. Deep in her stomach she knew that he was aware of exactly what the village was up to. Did he know she was involved? Was he trying to warn her? Or was it some oblique reference in the hope that she would be fooled and tell him what he needed to know.
“I am keeping nobody’s secrets. If you know so much why do you continue to pester me and Billy? Why are you not out there doing something about it?”
“I am just trying to find out what I need to know before I decide the best course of action to take, Kat. I cannot stop Harrison from going about his duties, but I can and will stop the smuggling going on.”
“How?”
Jonathan merely smiled at her. He studied her carefully and knew that she was fully aware of the activities on the beach.
“If there is anything you think I should know, you know where to find me.” He replied instead. He refused to provide her with the information she needed, especially when she wouldn’t confide in him.
“What will you do if you find out there are smugglers in the village?” She paused by the door and
turned back to look at him. Her gaze was soft and almost sad as she looked at him. It made him frown in concern. Although she hadn’t said as much, he knew with certainty that she was aware of the smuggling but just wasn’t prepared to discuss it with him. Was it because she didn’t trust him? Or did she feel that she had to protect someone?
“They have to go to jail like every other smuggler up and down the coastline. Bentney on Sea is no different. A smuggler is a smuggler, Kat. They all have to be treated the same.”
Kat felt sick to her stomach and had to turn away from his careful scrutiny. She knew that if he pushed her, really pushed her, then she was likely to tell him everything, and she couldn’t bear him to know of her guilt.
It was bad enough that he might learn of her fall from grace, but to have him be the one who put her behind bars was unconscionable.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“Kat,” he waited until she turned back toward him. He moved to stand before her and stared down into her face. “There is nothing I won’t do to protect those I care about. I can help you, if only you trust me.” He kept his voice soft and his stance relaxed, even though every inch of him wanted to shake her until she started to talk.
She studied him and made no attempt to move away from the hand that cupped her cheek. It was folly to allow any further kisses, but she wanted to feel what it was like to be held by him just once more. Gentle warmth stole through her as she watched his head lower toward hers. The soft whisper of his breath stole over her lips a second before she was captured by him. No sooner had his lips landed on hers than his arms swept around her waist and drew her flush against his masculine length.
Her senses swam. She could feel every muscle and sinew beneath the clothing he wore. She felt consumed, enraptured and she couldn’t break free. With a sigh, she sank closer to his warmth instead and savoured the few precious moments she had with him.
Jonathan cupped her head in one large palm and angled his head to deepen the kiss the way he wanted to. He swallowed her soft gasp and eased her closer. His heart hammered in his throat. He wanted to plunder; to control, command and demand her complete surrender. She stood compliant in his arms, but a small part of him couldn’t help but wonder for how long. She was strong, determined and almost feisty. He had to capture her and make her his.
Slowly, as the minutes ticked past, she began to return his kisses. He knew that she was untried and was learning from his masterful command by the way in which she copied his movements. The sweep of her tongue against his almost undid him and he groaned softly at the white hot sensation that poured through him. His hand tightened in her hair as wave after wave of passion built.
Kat was lost to everything but he feel of his lips and his warm embrace. She couldn’t have stopped him even if she had wanted to, which she didn’t. Instead, she leaned into his embrace and tipped her head back.
“God, Kat,” Jonathan groaned as he peppered kisses down her neck. His body responded to her nearness with a swiftness that shocked him. He shifted uncomfortably in an attempt to ease the ache in his loins, and groaned at the feel of her as she moved against him. With any other woman he would have backed her toward the chaise and made use of the soft cushions. With Kat, he had no intention of rushing her into anything she wasn’t ready for. For some reason, he wanted to be noble and chivalrous with her, and wait until they were married before they gave in to the demands of their bodies – if he could last that long.
Rather than push him away as she knew she ought to, Kat ran her fingers through his soft hair. It tickled her fingers. She felt decidedly wanton for her behaviour but couldn’t think of regrets or anything other than the feel of his wonderfully soft lips as they rubbed so tantalisingly against hers. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest. She was certain he could feel it.
One large palm slid slowly down her side, over the indentation of her waist to settle on the sharp protrusion of her hip. She made no protest when his hand slid around her back, and continued downward to cup her rounded bottom. She didn’t think there was any space between them as it was, but he managed to pull her tighter against him until every breath he took felt like her own. She wasn’t sure where this was headed but couldn’t stop him. She wanted this as much as he did.
The passion roared to life between them. Tongues duelled and mated; arms captured and hands roamed freely over flesh that ached with the desire that burned to life and consumed them both.
Despite his best intentions, Jonathan began to step her backward until her legs nudged the edge of the chaise. He was about to lie her down when there was a discrete knock on the door.
For one brief moment, he wondered if he could get away with ignoring it, but when the knock sounded again, he wrenched his mouth away from hers with a low groan. He buried his face in the curve of her neck and held her still when she tried to move away.
Kat felt as though someone had just poured a bucket of ice cold water over her. She stared at the empty room behind him blankly for several moments and willed her flesh to cool. Stunned silence settled over them for a moment as each of them tried to contain the passion that had flared so brightly, and with such devastating effect. Kat knew that whatever happened next, she would never be the same again after that and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Another knock on the door made her pull away from him. When he tried to tighten his hold and keep her near him, she grabbed hold of his arms and drew them away from her body while she stepped back. Kat swallowed. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him. Embarrassed colour flooded her cheeks. She tried not to think about what had just happened but she wasn’t sure what to do next. What was she expected to do? How did one handle such a situation like this? Did she say thank you? Sorry? Or did she just meekly leave? She wanted to turn on her heel and run for her life, but she also wanted to stay and find out what he really wanted from her.
A more persistent knock on the door jolted him into movement and he turned away from her. One hand ran through his hair in frustration. His gaze was apologetic when he did turn to look at her but the sight of her as she stood almost lost and forlorn while bathed in the gentle glow of the fire, immediately made him want to sweep her into his arms again.
“Are you alright?” His voice was soft and gentle. She looked so befuddled that he wanted to smile at the effect his kisses had had on her, but he didn’t want her to think that he was laughing at her.
Kat stared at him. She wasn’t sure what to think. She couldn’t exactly tell him off. After all, she had made no attempt to stop him and had returned his kisses with a fervency that matched his. Unable to find the right words she needed, she nodded briskly and kept quiet.
Jonathan cursed and watched as the door suddenly swung open and Rupert stalked into the room, a dark scowl on his face.
“Come in,” Jonathan drawled, and threw an apologetic look at Kat. “Hello, Rupert.”
“We wondered if you had passed out or something,” Rupert drawled as he glanced at Kat. Jonathan watched Stephen enter close behind and, while he was vastly relieved that reinforcements had arrived, he wished their timing had been better.
He could sense that Kat was about to flee, and motioned toward her. “Kat please let me introduce you to my associates. This is Rupert and that is Stephen.” He made no attempt to give titles or surnames, a fact that was not lost on Kat who studied him for a moment. What did she call them? Sir? Your lordships?
She felt shame wash over her at the reminder of her lowly status and smiled almost awkwardly as Rupert wandered over and bowed almost officiously over her hand.
“Rupert Samuels, ma’am, at your service.” He kissed the back of her hand as though she was a lady at a social occasion.
Kat stared at him for a moment and watched as he was rudely pushed aside and was replaced by Stephen, who smiled gently at her.
“Ignore Jonathan’s rudeness. He is always grumpy at tea time. My name is Stephen Montague.” He too bowed over her hand and kissed the back of it as though she w
as a regal princess.
“Pleased to meet you both,” she replied softly. She didn’t see Jonathan amble up to stand beside her and jumped when his hand touched her back. “I am sorry, I was just about to leave,” she stammered.
“We need to talk, Kat,” Jonathan growled quietly.
“Another time. I really must go.” She smiled at Rupert and Stephen and turned away. She could feel all three men watch her as she left but couldn’t bring herself to turn around.
“Are you off to the tavern tonight?”
Kat stopped by the door and shook her head. “Not tonight. It is my night off.” She glanced at the latest arrivals and bade them a quite goodbye before she closed the door behind her.
The walk home was forgotten by the time she reached her own front door. She let herself in and savoured the silence for a moment. Her mother and Billy were off out somewhere and that afforded her the quiet time she needed to gather her scattered wits about her.
In all of her life, she had never once stopped to consider that emotions like the ones she had experienced with Jonathan were even possible, much less would happen to her. She had never once stopped to think she was capable of them, especially with someone like him. He was an enigma and there were so many things she didn’t know about him that she knew she could spend the rest of her life with him and still be asking him questions.
She quickly closed that thought off and disappeared upstairs to her room. Silence settled about her as she closed the door behind her and lay on the bed to wonder who the new arrivals were.
Whoever they were, whatever they were in Bentney on Sea for, she suspected that they would take Jonathan with them when they left.
Rupert slumped on the chair before the fire and studied Jonathan. From the look of him, he had been either standing on a cliff top being buffeted by the non-existent sea breezes today, or he and the delicious looking Kat had been doing a lot more than chatting. Despite her being the most beautiful woman Rupert had seen in some time, she was by all appearances one of the villagers, so what the hell was Jonathan doing?
My Lord Deceived Page 18