“Don’t hold back, Violet,” he murmured, his movements becoming even quicker. “Let it happen. Don’t be afraid to let go.”
She closed her eyes and let out a soft moan, all fear and anxiety pushed away from both her mind and her body as she gave into his ministrations. Her hips bucked of their own accord, and, with a soft scream, she felt herself shatter.
Something hot burst inside her, and she heard her husband groan aloud, suddenly holding himself still over her, his body taut with tension. She pushed her questions from her mind, forced herself not to start thinking, and simply enjoy the new sensations rolling through her body.
To her surprise, she found herself quite languid, growing tired after such a startling awakening. Joshua caught her mouth once more with his, before sliding out from her body and lying down beside her, tugging one of the blankets over them both.
“You are magnificent, my dear,” he murmured, his voice hot in her ear. “I do hope that you enjoyed yourself?”
“If enjoyed is the word to describe it,” Violet replied, quietly, feeling him shake as he laughed softly.
“I am glad of it, for I do not intend to leave it long before I come to your bed again,” he replied, wrapping one arm around her waist and settling his head on her shoulder, just above her breast. “I do care for you very much.”
Violet did not answer, her eyes slowly drifting closed as her body relaxed entirely, thinking that she had never felt as safe and as secure as she did now. She had made herself entirely vulnerable to him, shown him every part of her, and he had accepted such a gift with gratitude and understanding. Perhaps, after all of this, they might find a way forward together, into a marriage of love and affection.
* * *
The cold light of morning woke Violet sometime later, and, turning over to find her husband, she found the bed entirely empty.
He was gone.
10
Joshua ignored the deep stab of guilt that struck straight through him as he mounted his horse and turned its nose towards the gate. He was duty bound to keep his new wife safe, and that was precisely what he was doing. She did not need to know that her life was in danger, nor that the only reason he had married her so quickly was so that he might ensconce her in his country estate, keeping her well hidden from anyone involved.
It took him a good few hours and a couple of changes of horses before he was back in London, but still, the thought of his wife clung to his memory. He had greatly enjoyed showing her the pleasures that might be shared between husband and wife, and his promise to be true to her was one that he had not made without careful consideration. He was quite determined not to take a mistress, intending to share his bed with Violet, and with Violet alone. However, whether or not she would accept him after what he had done, he could not yet say.
In truth, one of the main reasons he had returned to his country estate, and to her, was simply to truly make her his own. There could be no reason to seek an annulment or any such thing now, not when they had shared a bed. She was tied to him, and he to her. But now, he was forced to return to London, almost as soon as she had fallen asleep, so that he could continue the investigation. Besides, should he be here in town, then the men involved in searching for Lady Harrington – or Lady Greville, that is -- would, most likely, continue to believe that she too was present in London.
He had tried to keep their wedding as quiet as possible following the initial announcement of their betrothal, only having the smallest of notices in the paper. He had begged Violet's mother to keep the news to herself for a few more days, until her daughter had recovered completely. He was not sure he had managed to convince her on that count, however, for the lady looked more than keen to share the wonderful news that her daughter was now married.
Joshua’s mouth thinned as he recalled the way the lady in question had, repeatedly, told him how grateful she was that he was ‘taking on’ her daughter. It was as though he were somehow relieving her of a heavy burden that she had been struggling to carry alone. He could not see Violet as a burden, despite his wife’s mother insisting that he was all kinds of good for wedding Violet. No, in truth, he was as taken with her as he had been that first night, finding that her courage and fortitude had not been dimmed, even with the carriage accident. She had managed to keep her poise as events unfolded around her, although he had seen the flicker in her eyes when he had promised her that he cared deeply for her.
That line had torn his heart asunder, knowing that he was telling her the biggest of untruths. In short, whilst he admired the lady — cared for her even — and was quite sure she would make him a wonderful wife, he certainly felt nothing akin to love just yet. As she had said repeatedly, he had only just met her. He had found her warm and willing under his caresses, and certainly had enjoyed kissing her, but there was no depth of feeling there. Joshua hoped that such a thing would come in time, but he had to admit that he had quite clearly overstated his emotions when he had promised Violet that he had a great deal of affection for her.
She had been right when she had assumed that the only reason he had kissed her in the gardens was to hide her identity from sight, but he had repeated to her, over and over, that her assumptions were, rather, incorrect. In short, he had done everything in his power to convince her that he felt more for her than he did, given that this appeared to be the only way to make her willing to wed him. He had not liked the slight sadness in her eyes as she had stood before the clergyman and made her vows, despite her mother’s beaming smile of happiness. It was as though she had resigned herself to the fact that she was to be wed, despite her own feelings on the matter. Had she not told him herself that she was something of a bluestocking, as though that was meant to push him away from her?
His body burned with embarrassment and anger as he recalled how his now mother-in-law had taken great pains to inform him -- after the ceremony of course -- of all of Violet’s ‘unladylike’ tendencies, and how she had even refused proposals in the past. Whether or not the lady’s intention had been to shame her daughter, he was not quite sure, but he had not liked a single word of their conversation, knowing that Violet was within earshot. Sympathy for his wife rose in his chest as he turned his horse through the private gates that would lead to his townhouse.
“That carriage mishap was no accident,” he muttered, throwing the reins to his groomsman as he climbed down from his horse and began to walk towards the house. “It is just as well she does not know how grievously in danger she is.” He did not want his wife to be fearful, and, in leaving her as abruptly as he had, he was quite sure she would have more than enough anger and upset to direct towards him, never thinking that she might still be in danger due to the murder she had witnessed. Once again, he had left a couple of his men to watch over Violet.
“You’re back early!”
"You're here early," Joshua retorted, seeing that Lord Taylor was not only seated at Joshua's study table but looked as though he had been there for some time. There was a glass half filled with whiskey, and the curtains were still drawn despite the fact it had been daylight for some hours now.
“I never left,” Taylor replied, sitting back in his chair and rubbing a hand over his face to hide his yawn. “Too much work to do.” Sitting up straighter, Taylor regarded Joshua with a slight frown on his face. “I thought you had intended to spend some time up there.”
Joshua shook his head and pulled back the curtains, allowing the light to stream in. “No, indeed. I went to ensure she was settled, that is all.”
A knowing look came into Taylor’s eyes. “And is she?”
“Is she what?”
Taylor grinned. “Settled?”
Joshua cleared his throat and looked away.
“You did not simply leave her with no explanation though, surely?” Taylor asked, sounding a little aghast.
Shrugging, Joshua attempted to turn his attention to the documents on the table, only for Taylor to ask his question again, even more emphatically.
“In truth, I did what I had to,” Joshua retorted, hating the guilt that was continuing to needle away at him. “She is bound to me now, and will remain up at Colemore whilst I sort out this dastardly mess down here.”
Taylor shook his head, his jaw firm and eyes dark. “That is not right, Greville. The lady cares for you.”
"She hardly knows me!" Joshua scoffed, echoing Violet’s words, but found that there was no mirth in Taylor's face.
"I have seen the way she looks at you," Taylor continued, quietly. "I was there at your hasty wedding and saw her affection for you in her eyes. I am astonished at your behavior towards her, Greville. That is not the man I thought you were."
Joshua found that he could not respond to this, surprised and a little taken aback by Taylor's judgment of him. He had never seen what Taylor had, evidently, seen in Violet's demeanor, which made him even more irritated.
“Have you breakfasted?” he asked, changing the subject entirely. “I could do with something to eat myself.”
Taylor looked as though he might say something more, only to stop, close his mouth and shake his head.
“Very good,” Joshua said, calmly, walking over to ring the bell. “Something for both of us then, and perhaps some coffee?”
Nodding, Taylor got up and walked towards the window, stretching and yawning widely, the tension slowly dissipating.
“And then perhaps, you can show me what you have found?”
“Of course,” came the reply. Relieved that the subject of his wife was, for the moment, dropped, Joshua began to leaf through the papers, studying each one.
* * *
Sometime later, Joshua rose to his feet and stretched out his back for a moment as he contemplated Taylor’s words. “So, in short, we have a possible lead.” Hope thrummed in his chest, making his heart lift with expectation.
“I believe so,” Taylor replied, sounding just as relieved as Joshua felt. “The man we captured at the ball, he was saying very little, but has, quite by accident, given us the name of the other man who was with him.”
“And we have a physical description of the man?”
“Yes, here,” Taylor replied, also getting up so as to stretch out his tired limbs. “I am quite sure we will be able to find him and arrest him.”
Shaking his head, Joshua grasped the parchment and let his eyes skim over the details. “No, we will not arrest him.”
“No?”
“No,” Joshua replied, emphatically. “We will seek him out, of course, but then we will trail him. We have to find out who the man behind all of this is.”
“And what Sir Whitby was meant to get for him,” Taylor murmured, wandering towards the window. “I do not like to think that it is someone within society who is behind all of this, Greville.”
Joshua had to agree. The leader of this covert group could easily have been at the very ball where the murder had taken place, making sure that he was seen by as great a number of people as possible. Such an appearance would ensure that, should anyone see the murder, the man in charge could claim a wonderful alibi, in order to distance himself away from any connection to such a dreadful act.
“We have captured one man, are narrowing in on the second, and we know they are led by a man named Roberts, who in turn is likely hired by someone within society. We will get to the bottom of it soon, I am quite sure,” Taylor commented, quietly. “I can feel it.”
“Can you?” Joshua replied, heavily. “In truth, I feel as though I am simply walking further into a quagmire.”
Lord Taylor chuckled, just as a tray with fresh coffee and a few small delicacies arrived, courtesy of the butler. Joshua breathed in the delicious aroma and poured for both himself and Taylor, adding a little cream as he preferred.
“What do you think of your new wife?” Taylor asked, turning the subject back to Violet. “She is quite a strong lady, by all accounts.”
“Indeed she is,” Joshua replied, fervently. “She has already coped with a great deal, although she is not aware that the incident with her carriage was deliberate.”
“It is just as well you were near to the window and saw her,” Taylor replied. “I do wish we had caught whomever it was trying to set it alight, however.”
Joshua nodded, grimly. The driver had been able to give them an excellent description of the man who had caused the upset but had not seen who, exactly, had set the carriage on fire. He had only been able to mention a few street urchins running around the place, but that was neither here nor there, given that they were commonplace.
The description of the instigator led Joshua to believe that it was the same man who had entered the ball in an attempt to find Lady Harrington, the one they had been unable to capture. Slowly, a small smile spread across his face, bringing a brightness to his eyes. They were getting closer, albeit with agonizing slowness. They would get there in the end— he had to believe it.
“Do you admire your wife, then?” Taylor asked, drawing his attention back.
“Admire her?” Joshua repeated, thinking hard for a moment. “Yes, I suppose I do. She is strong and full of courage. Even standing up in society and choosing to forge your own path takes a certain amount of bravery and I cannot help but admire that.”
"That is just as well," Taylor replied, with a slight note of humor in his voice. "For a carriage has just drawn up and I do believe that your dear wife, the one you so admire, is sitting inside."
11
Violet climbed out of the carriage and surveyed her husband's London home, seeing the small twitch of the curtains in the room above her. Her anger mounted with every step as she made her way inside, practically flinging her bonnet and gloves at the butler but then, realizing that his employer’s actions weren’t his fault, quickly apologized.
“Where is he?” she grated, seeing the surprise written all over his face.
“The – the study, I believe, my lady,” the butler stammered, taking a small step back. “I might announce you….?”
She did not allow him to do so, walking away directly towards the study. Joshua was not about to get off lightly with what he had done.
It had only taken her an hour after waking to discover that her husband had quit their country home, having evidently had his fill of her – or worse, branding himself on her so that she would have no doubt of her belonging to him. She had wept for a few minutes, in sadness, in frustration, the sickening feeling in her stomach growing as she realized that he had well and truly played her.
He had determined what she had wanted in a marriage and then used it to tie her to him. She had fallen for his words of affection with barely a moment's hesitation, and he had taken advantage of her need for such a thing. How easily she had given herself to him, how quickly he had managed to worm his way into her heart! She had felt like an utter fool to have been so gullible but with such a feeling came the intention to let her husband know that she was not the kind of woman to be so poorly treated.
Joshua, as he had asked her to call him, in all of his carefully thought out plans had made but one mistake. He had spoken to his steward about his intention to return to town almost immediately, citing some work or other. The steward had barely been able to withstand the force of her anger and had, eventually, told her what he knew. The carriage had been readied less than half an hour after the steward had left, and now Violet found herself back in London, ready to take on the brute that called himself her husband.
Throwing the door of the study open, she stalked in, completely ignoring the presence of Lord Taylor, who was sitting back in his chair with an inexplicable look of enjoyment on his face.
“How dare you?” Violet bit out, rounding the table and coming face to face with her husband, who had risen from his chair when she burst into the room. “You arrogant, ignorant cur!” Her hand met his cheek with such force that she surprised even herself, although her anger and upset did not dim in the least. Her cheeks burned as she recalled how he had kissed her and shown her all manner of new thi
ngs, and how much she had enjoyed them. How dare he treat her with such disdain!
Joshua looked both shocked and horrified, his hand going to the reddening mark on his face. His mouth worked, but no sound came out, and Violet felt her hands ball into fists as he stared at her.
“Did you really think you could treat me in such a way?” she continued, her voice low and filled with rage. “That I would meekly wait for you to return to take your pleasure whenever the thought took you?”
“No, I – ”
“You did not mean a single word of what you spoke to me, did you?” she whispered, her eyes burning with a sudden sheen of hot tears. “You care nothing for me.”
Lord Taylor cleared his throat and got to his feet. “Now there, I must correct you, Lady Greville. I know that Greville thinks quite highly of you. He said so just before you arrived.”
Ignoring him completely, Violet kept her eyes trained on her husband, who was still staring at her in abject shock. She lifted one eyebrow, waiting for him to respond.
“I do care for you,” he said, stepping back from her. “Although perhaps not as much as I said.” His head dropped and he spread his hands in front of him. “I am sorry to have decorated the truth, but it was not done in order to hurt you.”
“Yet you have,” Violet replied, pain twisting itself around her heart. “Whether you meant to or not, my lord.”
“It was meant to keep you safe,” her husband protested, now lifting his eyes to hers. “And I was in need of a wife, and you appeared to be quite the right fit for a man like me.”
For a moment, Violet could not speak, hearing herself described as almost an object that would fit neatly into her husband's life. It was as though she were a book that would slot into the others he kept on his shelf. Her shoulders slumped, the anger that had fired her blood slowly cooling as she stepped back and sat down in a nearby chair, suddenly feeling very weak.
Searching Hearts Box Set: Books 1-5 Page 20