by Kate Pearce
Jon glanced down at her as he opened the door and stepped into the street outside his mother’s house. “You don’t have to come with me.”
“You know I do,” Caroline grumbled as she walked alongside him. “I was going to suggest he offer you my job, and this won’t endear you to him.”
“That’s very kind of you, lass.” He sighed. “Because of my involvement with the unions and the Methodist Church I suspect my days at the mill are numbered. Having another job would be an answer to my prayers, but I can’t abandon everyone in Three Coins just for my own selfish benefit.”
He paused as they entered the square. “Look, that’s Mr. Fletcher from the locomotive company coming out of the dressmakers. He doesn’t look very happy does he?”
“As I mentioned, Captain Grafton is in a terrible mood,” Caroline repeated. “I doubt he will be very receptive to any proposal you have to make to him.”
To her surprise he grinned at her. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained lass. Come on.”
She followed him up the stairs only to discover that Ruby had returned from Mrs. Sims’ and was waiting for them outside Captain Grafton’s office, arms crossed over her chest in a very determined fashion.
“Are you intending to speak to Captain Grafton, Jon?” Ruby asked.
“Yes.” Jon glanced briefly at Caroline before smiling at Ruby.
“Then I will come with you. He hasn’t replied to the letter I sent, so this is a perfect opportunity to confront him.”
Caroline knocked on the door and opened it. “Captain Grafton? You have visitors.”
She stepped back and let Jon and Ruby pass into the office before closing the door and walking across the corridor to her own room. She had a resignation letter to write and plans to put into effect. Jon and Ruby were perfectly capable of dealing with Captain Grafton without her help, and the less she had to look at him, the easier her decision making would be.
Francis waited until Mr. Ford and Ruby took their seats before turning to his agent. “You should probably stay and listen to this.”
He then addressed Mr. Ford. “I had just asked Mr. O’Brien to go and find you.”
“Why’s that Captain?” Mr. Ford asked. “Did you think I’d help you talk your tenants out of their homes?”
Francis sighed. “No, I hoped that you might ask them to attend a meeting at the hall tonight.”
“You want to be beaten up again?” Mr. Ford shook his head. “Fair enough, but I can’t guarantee I’ll save you this time.”
“I want to tell them what’s going on.” Francis insisted.
“They know what’s going on. They’ve all been served with eviction notices.” Mr. Ford looked over at Daniel O’Brien. “He handed them out.”
“That’s one of the reasons why I returned,” Francis said. “It wasn’t supposed to happen quite like that.”
The skepticism on the two faces in front of him was unmistakable.
“I also wanted to thank you for your letter, Ruby,” Francis continued.
“The one you didn’t reply to?” Ruby asked.
“By the time I received it, I had already decided to come back to Millcastle. Please let it be known that I appreciate the thanks of the workers committee, and I don’t require repayment.”
“Caroline said you’d say that,” Ruby said.
“Mrs. Harding knows me well.”
Ruby fixed him with an intimidating stare. “She obviously knows you better than you know her. How on earth could you think she would betray your secrets to Jon?”
Francis blinked at her. “I beg your pardon?”
“You accused Caroline of telling Jon about the deal to sell Three Coins, but she didn’t.”
Mr. Ford cleared his throat. “Ruby is correct, Captain. I knew about the financial agreement from a worker at the bank. Mrs. Harding said nothing to me.”
“Which in my opinion was a mistake,” Ruby interjected. “But she is stupidly loyal to you, even though you don’t appreciate her at all.”
Francis glanced from Jon to Ruby. His dealings with them were not proceeding quite as he had expected or planned.
“Perhaps we might get back to the matter in hand? Will you at least attempt to get my tenants to the meeting hall tonight?” Francis asked. “They will hear something to their advantage.”
Mr. Ford eyed him dubiously. “I’d much rather you told me what’s what right now so that I have something to convince them with.”
“Won’t the mere fact that they can throw rotten eggs and stones at me entice them in?” Francis asked.
“Of course it will, but a few hard facts wouldn’t come amiss either.”
Francis beckoned to his agent. “Will you be so good as to get out the plans?” He waited until the paper was unfolded and covered the top of his desk. “Now, here is Three Coins…”
Chapter 16
“I don’t see why I have to attend this meeting,” Caroline carried on objecting even as Ruby and Ivy walked her across the square to the meeting hall. I have no desire to see Captain Grafton or hear him speak.”
Ruby squeezed her arm. “He wanted you to come.”
“And you do his bidding now? Last week you were wishing him to perdition.”
“Jon wanted you to come as well.”
Caroline sighed as they approached the open doorway. The hall was almost full, and the atmosphere wasn’t pleasant. Why Captain Grafton continued to invite possible death by confronting his tenants, Caroline would never know.
She’d left her resignation letter on his desk, but he hadn’t been back to his office. She pictured him at the George sitting by the fire, reading, biding his time before he stood up in front of a completely hostile crowd…
“Jon saved us seats.” Ruby took her hand and led her firmly up the side of the hall. “Come on. It’s almost time to start.”
The workers committee, including Jon, and the Methodist minister were already established on the platform. There was no sign of Captain Grafton. Caroline spotted Jon’s mother in the crowd and received a small nod of recognition.
The minister opened the meeting with a prayer and a plea for tolerance that Caroline suspected wouldn’t count for much with the tenants of Three Coins. The door behind the dais opened, and Captain Grafton came out and mounted the steps to stand at the lectern. He wore a dark blue coat and his linen was a crisp white. He looked remarkably calm and was even faintly smiling.
“Good evening. I’m Captain Grafton.”
Caroline held her breath as he looked around the room like a king demanding obedience. Caroline was torn between admiring his bravery and lamenting his breathtaking arrogance.
“Most of you received eviction notices this past week. As you probably know, the area of Three Coins is being redeveloped to provide a locomotive station, a grand hotel, and a staging yard for the goods trains.”
“Because you bloody sold them the land,” someone shouted out.
“Yes I did.” Captain Grafton met the attack unflinchingly. “But with certain conditions.”
“That you clear out your tenants. We understand, Captain. You’re not the first landlord to turn out people who rent from him.”
There was a roar of agreement from the rest of the crowd.
“The eviction notices were sent out too early.” Captain Grafton easily raised his voice above the noise generations of privilege etched in his tone. “And not with my consent.”
Silence fell, and people started looking at each other in confusion.
“So, we don’t have to move?”
“In time, yes, but not until the land I was granted in exchange for Three Coins is properly developed.”
“Developed into what?” The same man asked.
“New housing.” Captain Grafton raised an eyebrow as if everyone around him was being stupid. “What else? As soon as the buildings are habitable, the original tenants of Three Coins will get first refusal on new lodgings.” He turned to the gentlemen sitting behind him. “The workers co
mmittee has all the details and will be assisting me and my agent Mr. O’Brien in this transfer.”
Another man stood up. “Where is this land?”
“It’s directly below the site of the new cotton mill Mr. Marsham is building, so less than half a mile from here.”
“And how high are you going to make the new rents?”
“If you take the same accommodation then your rent will remain the same for the first year.” Captain Grafton shrugged. “After that? Rents will rise in line with the local market.”
He briefly met Caroline’s startled gaze over the heads of the audience and then moved on. “Mr. O’Brien will also be aided by Mr. Ford in this matter. I assume you will trust him even if you do not trust me.”
He turned to the minister. “Perhaps you might lay the plans out on the dais so everyone can see for themselves?”
“I will, Captain Grafton.”
Caroline turned, and despite Ruby’s whispers, walked out of the hall into the dark night beyond. She was unlocking the back door of the dress shop when someone came up behind her.
“Why did you leave?”
She didn’t turn around as Captain Grafton followed her up the stairs.
“I heard what you had to say. It was most impressive.”
“And thus rather unlike me?”
“No.” She turned to look at him as she took off her bonnet and gloves. “It didn’t surprise me at all. You are rarely predictable.”
“What if I told you I did it for you?”
She went still and tried to read his face in the shadows of the corridor. “Why would you do that?”
“What if I wished to impress you?” He moved restlessly into his office and threw his hat and gloves onto the nearest chair.
“Choosing to stand up there in front of a roomful of aggrieved tenants was quite impressive,” she reluctantly allowed.
“The benefit of an English public school education—the ability to face down any baying mob of foreigners.” He half-smiled, all grace and lethal elegance. “I never thought it would come in handy in Millcastle of all places.”
He lit a candle from the embers of the fire and placed it on the corner of his desk before picking up the letter she’d left him and reading it through.
Caroline tensed as he looked up at her. “What if I don’t accept your resignation?”
“I’ll just leave anyway.”
“And go where?”
“Wherever I please.” She held his gaze. “You can hardly expect me to stay if you intend to live here yourself.”
“Why not?”
“Because you…” She tried to gather her thoughts and struggled mightily. “Because I—”
He came over to where she stood and looked down at her. “I don’t want you to leave.”
“I repaid my debt. You no longer have any right to tell me what to do.”
“But I want to.” He cupped her chin. “I want to be the only man in your life, the only one you smile at, and definitely the only one you fuck.”
“Then you are being unreasonable.” She tried to speak calmly, but it was hard when everything inside her wanted to yield to him and give him everything he demanded.
“I didn’t come back to sort out this mess with Three Coins. I came back for you.” His thumb grazed her mouth, and he wrapped an arm around her waist. “I tried to forget you in London, but no other woman felt right, and eventually I gave up even trying to pretend otherwise.”
Caroline stared into his amber eyes and whispered, “What exactly are you saying?”
A small frown appeared in his brow. “That I want you, dammit! I want all of it, all of you.”
“But I don’t want to be your mistress again.”
“Then what about being my wife?” He cleared his throat. “Good Lord, even hearing myself uttering those words makes me wonder if I’m right in the head.”
Caroline discovered a hysterical desire to laugh at the horror in his voice.
“Then please forget you said it. I promise I’ll never tell a soul.” She attempted to ease out of his arms. “I’m rather tired, actually, and I have a lot of packing to do, so I’ll wish you good night.”
“You are not going anywhere.” He tightened his grip. “Now that I’ve said the words, I realize I mean them. Will you consent to be my wife?”
“I’ll have to think about it.” This time she managed to push him away, but only because he yielded. She headed for the door, taking the candle with her and leaving him in the dark. “Good night.”
She was smiling when she reached her bedroom door, and not at all surprised when he doggedly followed her inside.
“Caroline…”
She let down her hair and eased out the kinks with her fingers before taking off the jacket that matched her skirt. Joy coalesced inside her and she barely managed to contain it as Captain Grafton stayed by the door, his gaze fixed on her in a most gratifying manner.
“Tell me what you want,” he said hoarsely.
She sashayed toward him and presented him with her back. “Could you possibly help me with my laces?”
“Of course, but—”
“Thank you.”
She let out her breath as the corset loosened, removed her petticoats, and stepped out of her drawers leaving her in just her shift. His breathing was ragged in the quietness of the room.
“You can leave now,” Caroline suggested demurely.
“You know damn well I’m not going anywhere.” He ripped off his cravat and started on the buttons of his waistcoat. “If I can’t be inside you very shortly, I fear I might die.”
She went over to the bed and sat on the edge watching him strip to reveal the body she’d been dreaming about in all its lean thoroughbred glory. She almost sighed with delight but was determined not to give him too much encouragement. Having him at her mercy was far too much fun.
He strode over to her, his cock already hard, and dropped to his knees, spreading her thighs with his shoulders.
The first touch of his tongue on her core almost made her gasp. She’d missed him. She’d missed this.
“God…” he breathed against her most tender flesh. “The taste of you.”
He continued licking and arousing her until her fingers tangled in his hair urging him on, holding him in place as she took her pleasure from his talented mouth.
With a muffled curse, he rose to his feet, climbed onto the bed, and lay on his back.
“Take me.”
Caroline looked down at him and considered her choices before crawling over and straddling his thighs. Her breasts swung gently just above his face, and he eased forward to suck and tease her nipples.
“Take me inside you.” He cupped his cock with one hand bringing it away from his stomach. “Ride me, own me.”
“Own you?” Caroline asked.
“If you marry me, I’ll be yours.” His golden eyes met hers unflinchingly. “I’m not a good man, you know that, but if you agree to be my wife, I promise never to look at another woman.”
“Look?” Caroline raised her eyebrows. “I can’t imagine you not looking, but touching? I’d probably kill you.”
“And I’d deserve it.” He hesitated. “Will you please fuck me? I can’t think properly when I’m half-crazed with lust.”
“But I don’t want to ‘fuck’,” Caroline said softly. “Surely there is more to what we do together than that?”
“You know there is.” He swallowed hard. “I’ve never felt like this before.”
She leaned down to kiss his mouth and raised her hips to allow him to slide deep inside her. They both groaned as Caroline came around his stiff shaft, and he wrapped his arm around her waist drawing her upright.
Being on top of him, owning him was rather thrilling, even if she did feel a little exposed. The worshipful expression on his face as he guided her to rise and fall around his cock was worth every hint of embarrassment and soon forgotten in the driving need to come as he played with her, teasing yet another cl
imax out of her before she fell forward against his chest.
Even as she gasped his name he rolled her over and thrust into her so powerfully that the bedframe creaked in protest. She wrapped her arms and legs around him and held on, his anchor in the storm, her everything.
“God…” Francis came so hard he almost passed out, but he couldn’t stop pounding into her until he had nothing left to give. He eased away, and she followed like she was part of him until he drew her into his arms and held her close.
It took a while for his heartbeat to slow down and his breathing to return to normal. He stroked her now tangled hair, and she nuzzled his throat.
“So will you marry me?” She bit his neck, and he winced. “Good Lord, woman.”
“Don’t spoil it,” she murmured. “I need to sleep.”
He kissed the top of her head. “Only if you give me permission to wake you up later and make love to you again.”
She sighed against his skin. “Oh, that’s much nicer.”
“Making love?” He considered the words. “Well that is what we do in our own unique fashion, isn’t it?”
“When we’re not fighting.”
“Ah, but fighting leads to more lovemaking when we make up.” He closed his eyes as an unaccustomed sense of peace flooded through him. “And, by the way, seeing as you did not protect yourself, if you are now carrying my child, you will marry me because you have morals even if I don’t.”
“Francis…”
“Yes, Caroline?”
“You are a horrible man.”
He smiled into the darkness. “I know.”
He woke up much later when a patch of light stole through the curtains and landed right on his face. It took him a few puzzled moments to work out where he was, and then he smiled. He was in Caroline Harding’s bed, and everything was right with his world. His tenants would be rehoused, the building of the station would make him even richer, and soon he would have a wife.
He sat up noting the disorder of the bed and the scent of their lovemaking. True to his promise he had woken Caroline twice, and she’d been more than happy to accommodate his desires.