The Lady Gambles

by Carole Mortimer

  Dominic drew in a sharp breath, knowing that engaging in their usual verbal battle of wills was not going to help this already disastrous situation. And no matter what she might choose to think to the contrary, he had not brought her here with any intention of seducing her. The opposite, in fact. He had thought—hoped—that by removing her from Blackstone House, he would be removing her from his temptation. Instead of which he had merely exacerbated the situation by bringing Caro here and making love to her before he had even had chance to explain.

  ‘Caro, I acquired ownership of this house only this morning.’

  ‘Now who is being ridiculous?’

  Dominic knew, for all that Caro was putting such a brave face on things, that she had to be keenly feeling the loss of her innocence. ‘I can take you to the office of my lawyer, if you wish,’ he spoke gently. ‘I am sure he would be only too happy to show you today’s date upon the transfer of the deeds, if that will help to convince you I am telling you the truth?’

  Her chin rose. ‘You not only bought this house this morning but somehow managed to engage all those servants downstairs, too?’ A flush entered her cheeks as she obviously recalled the curious gazes of those servants earlier as he’d carried her through the entrance hall and up the stairs.

  An impulse he now deeply regretted when it had resulted in him taking Caro’s innocence… ‘They are, one and all, men and women already known to me. Men who served under me in the army, and their wives, whom I knew could be trusted to protect you,’ he admitted ruefully.

  Her eyes glittered, whether with anger or tears, Dominic was unsure. ‘Obviously they did not feel that protection was necessary when it applied to yourself!’

  ‘Caro—’

  ‘Do not touch me, Dominic!’ Her warning was accompanied by a step away from him, the knuckles on her fingers showing white as she tightly gripped the bedcover about her nakedness. ‘I believe, if this truly is to be my home for the immediate future, that I should like you to leave now.’

  No more so than Dominic wished to remove himself, he felt sure. At this moment, all he wanted to do was walk away from Brockle House and forget he had ever met Caro Morton. Forget especially that he had taken her innocence.

  ‘Perhaps on your way out you might ask for a bath and hot water to be brought up to me?’ Caro requested stiltedly as Dominic pulled on his pantaloons and shirt before sitting on the side of the bed to pull on his boots.

  Dominic inwardly winced at the thought of the soreness she must now be experiencing following their lovemaking. ‘Please believe me when I tell you I did not plan for what happened here this morning—’

  ‘Planned or otherwise, it is done now.’

  There was so much sadness in her tone, that if that knife had been available, then Dominic believed himself to be capable of plunging it into his own heart at that moment. ‘I cannot express how much I…regret what has happened.’

  Caro looked up at him searchingly, not sure whether she felt reassured by Dominic’s claim, or insulted by it. Their lovemaking had been a mistake, of course, a shocking error on both their parts. But even so… ‘I had not believed you could possibly insult to me more than you already have; I was obviously wrong.’ She turned her back on him to stare sightlessly out of the window into the square below. ‘I require the bath and hot water to be brought up to me now, if you please, Dominic.’

  Dominic stared at the proud set of Caro’s bare shoulders for several long seconds before bending to pick up the rest of his clothes from the floor. ‘I will call on you later this afternoon.’

  She turned sharply. ‘For what purpose?’

  Dominic’s heart sank at the suspicion he so easily read in her expression. ‘For the purpose of checking that you have not suffered any feelings of ill health from this morning’s…activity.’

  Caro gave a humourless snort. ‘As far as I am aware, we did not indulge in anything of an unnatural nature this morning.’

  A flush warmed the hardness of Dominic’s cheeks. ‘No, of course we did not.’

  ‘Then I fail to see why you might think I will suffer any ill health because of it?’

  ‘Damn it, Caro—’

  ‘I suppose if you think it more fitting, then I could perhaps swoon or have a fit of the vapours?’ she continued scathingly. ‘But only if you believe it absolutely necessary.’ Her nose wrinkled. ‘Personally, I have always believed that women who behave in that way, seemingly at the slightest provocation, to be complete ninnies.’

  Even in the midst of what Dominic considered, at best, to be an exceedingly awkward situation, he could not help but admire her courageous spirit. She truly was a woman like no other he had ever met. What had just happened between the two of them could certainly not be termed a mere ‘slight provocation’. In fact, Dominic felt sure that most women in her position would be either screaming obscenities at him or alternately demanding jewels and gowns, the latter as compensation for the loss of her innocence; Caro asked only for a bath and hot water in which she might bathe the soreness from her body.

  Dominic gave a rueful smile. ‘I, too, would prefer that you do not swoon or have a fit of the vapours.’ That smile faded as he looked at her searchingly. ‘You truly are unharmed from our encounter?’

  He knew himself to have been severely provoked when he’d returned to Blackstone House earlier and found Caro gone. Even more so when he’d arrived at Nick’s and found her happily engaged in conversation with Nicholas Brown—even now Dominic dreaded to think what might have befallen Caro if he had not been present when she had been foolish enough to suggest walking with him in the park! For her to then taunt him as she’d done regarding his own behaviour towards Brown had been more than Dominic’s already frayed nerves had been able tolerate.

  An intolerance that Caro had paid for with her innocence…

  ‘I am as comfortable as might be expected in the circumstances.’ Caro kept her chin proudly high even as she saw the way Dominic winced at her lack of assurances. In truth, it was her pride that now hurt more than her body.

  Caro eyed him uncertainly now from beneath her lashes, still so very aware of how handsome he looked with the darkness of his hair rakishly tousled, and his shirt hanging loosely over his pantaloons, the buttons still undone halfway down his chest and revealing the hard and muscled flesh beneath. Hard and muscled flesh that Caro now knew more intimately than she did her own…

  She gave a decisive shake of her head. ‘We were both in error earlier. Let that be an end to it.’

  Dominic continued to look at her searchingly for several long seconds. A scrutiny that Caro was determined to withstand without alerting him to how distressed she felt inside. And not by their lovemaking, as Dominic presumed, but because of the emotions which Caro feared had instigated her own part in that wild and wonderful lovemaking.

  He frowned. ‘I have your promise that you will stay well away from Nicholas Brown?’

  ‘Such a promise is completely unnecessary, I assure you.’ Caro’s brow creased with irritation that Dominic, after revealing to her that Brown was the person behind the attack on Lord Thorne and consequently was the excuse for her own incarceration in this house, could for one moment think she had any interest in ever meeting the villain again!

  Dominic wanted nothing more than to take Caro in his arms and smooth the frown from her brow and the shadows from her eyes. Even knowing of the physical discomfort she must now be suffering following their lovemaking, Dominic was not enough in control of his own emotions at that moment to be sure that he would be able to stop himself from making love to her fully if he were to touch her again.

  He was a man who had enjoyed his first physical encounter at the age of sixteen. And there had been many women since that first time with whom he had enjoyed the same physical release. It was disturbing to realise that almost making love with Caro had been completely unlike any of those previous encounters. More sensuous. More out of control. With the promise of being more wildly satisfying…
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  ‘Caro—’

  ‘Dominic!’ Her eyes flashed in warning as she turned to face him, the control she had been exerting over her own emotions obviously at an end. ‘In the past two days I have been caught up in the midst of a brawl, seen an innocent man beaten within an inch of his life, been deposited in your own household against my wishes, drunk tea with the man you assure me is responsible for that innocent man being beaten, been literally carried away and deposited in this house like a piece of unwanted baggage, before then being made love to. I should warn you, I am seriously in danger of resorting to behaving like that complete ninny I mentioned earlier, if you do not soon take your leave!’ Her voice quivered with emotion, an emotion she masked by crossing the room to ring for the maid.

  Still he hesitated. ‘I should also like your promise that you will not attempt to go out alone again, now that you are aware of the danger.’

  Could Caro make Dominic such a promise? What choice did she have? The only place she wished to go was back to Shoreley Hall in Hampshire, where she might be with her sisters and lick her wounds in private. Something she most certainly could not do, now that she and Nicholas Brown had met, when it might also result in her taking the danger that man represented back home with her…

  In truth, what Caro most wanted at that moment was the privacy to sit down and cry. To scream and shout, if necessary. And after doing those things she needed the peace and quiet in which to come to terms with the loss of her innocence and the wantonness of her own behaviour this morning in Dominic’s arms.

  She gave a cool inclination of her head. ‘You have my promise. Now, do you not think your own time would not be better spent in dealing with Nicholas Brown, rather than in lingering here to extract superfluous promises from me?’

  Dominic’s eyes narrowed. ‘Superfluous?’

  She gave a tight smile. ‘Of course it is superfluous, when I so obviously have nowhere else of safety to go.’

  ‘Caro—’ Dominic broke off what he was going to say as, after a brief knock, a maid appeared in the doorway in answer to Caro’s ring. ‘Your mistress requires a bath and hot water,’ he instructed tightly. ‘Immediately,’ he added firmly as the maid seemed inclined to linger in order to satisfy her curiosity rather than be about her business. He waited until the woman had gone before turning back to Caro. ‘My advice is that once you have bathed you then rest quietly—’

  ‘Why is it, I wonder, Dominic, that when you offer advice it always has the sound and appearance of an order?’ Caro eyed him with exasperation.

  Dominic gave a weary sigh as he ran impatient fingers through his already tousled hair. ‘Caro, this situation is already difficult enough—could we not at least try to behave in a civilised manner towards each other?’

  Could they? Somehow Caro doubted that they could ever be completely civilised with each other; it seemed that whenever the two of them were together their emotions ran to extremes. Arrogance. Anger. Desire.

  She sighed heavily. ‘Perhaps when you return this afternoon our emotions will be less…fraught than they are now,’ she allowed distantly.

  Dominic certainly hoped that would be the case.

  But somehow he doubted it.

  Chapter Twelve

  ‘I am afraid I cannot accurately describe any of the four men who attacked me.’ Nathaniel Thorne lay propped up against the pillows in one of the bedchambers at his widowed Aunt Gertrude’s house, his expression regretful as he gazed across to where Dominic stood in front of one of the long picture windows.

  Dominic had been shocked by the worsening of his friend’s appearance when he arrived at Mrs Wilson’s home a few short minutes ago, and the elderly lady’s young companion showed him into Nathaniel’s bedchamber. His friend’s face was extremely pale except for the myriad of brightly coloured bruises and cuts that, although they were starting to heal, still looked vicious and painful. The bandage about Nathaniel’s broken ribs was visible at the unbuttoned collar of his loose white nightshirt.

  Nathaniel shook his head. ‘As I told you at the time, I had no sooner walked outside than I was set upon by those four men wielding knives, and fists that had the force of hammers. I was immediately too busy defending myself to take note of what any of them looked like.’ He grimaced at his oversight.

  In truth, Dominic had not held out much hope of Nathaniel being able to add any more light on this particular subject. Regrettably, his reasons for coming here were, in fact, as much self-interest as they were concern for Nathaniel. Much as he wished to assure himself of Osbourne’s well being, Dominic had been even more in need of a diversion from his own company!

  Having returned to Blackstone House earlier to bathe and change his clothes, Dominic had then found himself pacing his study, too restless, his thoughts too disturbed, for him to be able to even glance at the papers concerning estate business sitting on his desktop awaiting his attention.

  How could it be any other when all he could think about was Caro’s stolen innocence?

  ‘What is it, Dom?’ Nathaniel’s softly probing concern was the first indication he had that he might have actually groaned his self-disgust out loud.

  Dominic had believed, hoped, that he could talk to Nathaniel about his present dilemma with regard to Caro. Instead he had realised since coming here that, as close as the two men were, there was no way that he could confide his despicable deed to the other man. More importantly, that he could not speak about Caro in such a way with a third party. Even one of his closest friends.

  Gabriel, Nathaniel, and Dominic had always been as close as brothers, but even so, Dominic knew that he could not reveal to one of those friends what had taken place at Brockle House that morning. Osbourne, quite rightly, could not help but consider the taking of Caro’s innocence as being beneath contempt. The same contempt, in fact, that Dominic now felt towards himself…

  The truth of it was that he had been suffused with feelings of helplessness when he’d discovered Caro had gone from Blackstone House this morning, but instead of feeling relieved when he found her at Nick’s, he had instead been filled with anger to see her calmly sitting drinking tea with Nicholas Brown. So much so that Dominic had completely lost control of the situation once they’d reached Brockle House.

  How Caro must now hate and despise him—

  ‘Dom?’

  He closed his eyes briefly before focusing on Osbourne. ‘I believe it is time I left; I have no doubt tired you enough for one day,’ he dismissed briskly as he stepped forwards into the bedchamber, ready to take his leave. ‘Is there anything I might bring to make you more comfortable?’

  Nathaniel winced. ‘No, as usual my Aunt Gertrude appears to have everything well in hand.’

  Dominic smiled slightly at his friend’s affectionate irony. ‘I did not see her when I arrived earlier.’

  ‘She has been persuaded to go out visiting this morning.’ The relief could be heard in Osbourne’s tone. ‘Between her over-attentiveness, and her companion’s sharp tongue, I am not sure I will last out the week!’

  Dominic would not have thought the quiet and gracious young lady who had shown him up to Osbourne’s bedchamber capable of being sharp-tongued. ‘I am sure you will manage, Nate.’

  ‘I wish I had the same confidence.’ His friend gave a shake of his head. ‘Of all things, my aunt is talking of removing me to the country to convalesce once I am well enough to travel.’

  The idea had merit, Dominic decided after only the briefest of considerations. Nathaniel would be removed from danger, at least, if he were safely guarded by the formidable Mrs Wilson at her country home. ‘It sounds a reasonable plan to me.’

  ‘It is not at all reasonable!’ Nathaniel glared. ‘The Season has barely begun and Aunt Gertrude is intending to subject me to the boredom of the country when I am in no condition to protest.’

  ‘No hardship, surely, when she is also removing you from the avaricious sphere of all those marriage-minded mamas?’ Dominic reasoned drily.


  ‘As I have reached the age of eight and twenty without as yet falling foul of those marriage-minded mamas, I am reasonably optimistic that I will have no trouble continuing to resist the allure of their beautiful daughters.’ Osbourne eyed Dominic curiously. ‘Speaking of which… Was I hallucinating, due to the beating I had just taken, or did your angel accompany us home in your carriage two evenings ago?’

  Dominic stiffened. ‘My angel?’

  He knew to whom Nathaniel referred, of course; although the last time he had seen Caro, she had, quite rightly, presented him with all the warmth of a porcelain statue…

  ‘You know exactly to whom I am referring, Dom,’ Nathaniel prodded ruthlessly.

  Exactly, yes. ‘Do I?’

  ‘Do you have any idea how boring it is just lying here with nothing to do but think?’ Nathaniel’s scowl was disgruntled to say the least.

  ‘If you must think, then perhaps you should give consideration to Gabriel’s future rather than my own?’ Dominic attempted to change the subject.

  Osbourne brightened slightly. ‘He should be arriving in England very shortly.’

  Dominic shrugged. ‘But with the intention of travelling immediately to Shoreley Hall, remember.’ Fortunately. If informed, Gabriel would definitely have had something to say about the situation Dominic found himself in. ‘I—’

  ‘I am sure we are very grateful for the frequency of your visits, Blackstone, but the physician has assured me that my nephew is in need of rest rather than excessive conversation.’ An officious Mrs Wilson bustled forcefully into the bedchamber to begin enthusiastically plumping up the pillows beneath Osbourne’s head, obviously now returned from her visiting, and not at all pleased that Dominic was once again disturbing her nephew in his sickbed.

  Dominic gave her a polite bow. ‘I assure you I am just as concerned for Osbourne’s welfare as you obviously are, ma’am. In fact, I was about to take my leave when you came in.’