‘For Christ’s sake, what were you thinking?’ Josh stood up. ‘No wonder Tess is avoiding me.’
‘I’m sorry,’ Shayla muttered. ‘I just wanted you to myself for a bit, now we’re finally, like, talking and stuff.’ She hung her head.
Josh took a deep breath, then walked round the table and pulled her up for a hug. ‘Idiot,’ he murmured. ‘We can still have time together no matter what happens.’ He pretended to knuckle the top of her head. ‘Just don’t pull stunts like that on me, okay?’
‘Okay. I promise.’ She smiled and a warm feeling spread inside Josh. He didn’t want to lose her either. She was precious – he’d never known how much before. But she had to learn that there were limits to what he’d put up with.
‘Good. I’ve got to go now. See you later.’
Josh tried to tamp down on his frustration as he drove up the long lane leading to Fred Williams’s farmhouse. He’d wanted to find Tess immediately to tell her about Shayla’s lies and sort things out between them, but he had an appointment with Fred and couldn’t let him down. The matter with Tess would have to wait. When he reached the Home Farm a measure of peace settled over him. The old-fashioned house, the huge barn and a series of neatly kept storage sheds and stables, all felt welcoming. There were no shadows here, nothing to disturb him. And the buildings looked to be in good repair and would be the perfect base for Merrick Court’s flock of sheep, although he’d need to build another barn probably as he wanted to double the number of animals Fred currently had. His plans were coming along and now he had to discuss them with Fred.
Mair came out the minute he’d parked his car. Small and round, she smelled of baking and gave him a wide smile. ‘Welcome, Josh, how lovely to see you again. Fred was ever so grateful for your help with the shearing. You should’ve let him pay you …’ She chattered on as she led him into the house. ‘Here, sit yourself down. You will have some tea and cake, won’t you?’
‘Yes, please.’ Josh definitely wasn’t averse to eating a piece of the newly baked cake whose aroma filled the cluttered farmhouse kitchen. He settled down at the table just as Fred came in from the sitting room to join them. Characteristically, the man got straight to the point.
‘Josh, welcome. So you’re looking to buy the Home Farm then? I’m glad you’ve decided to stay on.’
‘I thought I’d at least give it a try, but I haven’t told anyone else yet so can you keep it to yourselves, please?’ Josh didn’t want to tell Tess or Bryn until he’d sorted everything out. ‘And it all hinges on whether you’ll accept my offer for the farm. Without it, I won’t have enough land for what I want to do.’ Josh helped himself to a generous slice of the cake Mair passed around. She didn’t seem to have cut any small pieces, but that was fine by him. The moist carrot cake melted in his mouth, one of his favourites.
‘And what’s that then?’ Fred followed suit.
‘Sheep, lots of them. It’s what I know best, so the cattle would have to go. If you were to sell to me, I’d be willing to buy your existing flock and I’m aiming to double it for next year. I think the combined land of Merrick Court and Home Farm can sustain that number. Would you agree?’
Fred thought it over for a moment, then nodded. ‘I do. But you’ll need help. That’s a lot of work.’
‘Of course. I’ll hire some people and I’d need a foreman. I was thinking he could live in this house so he’s on site for any emergencies. And I’ll probably build another barn. There are cottages on the estate if needed for other workers.’
‘Sounds like a good plan.’
‘Perhaps you could advise me as to who’d be the best person for that job? You know the people hereabouts and I think a local man would be good.’
Fred rubbed his chin. ‘Well, there’s Pete who helped with the shearing. The fourth and youngest of the Powell boys, he is, so doesn’t have land of his own. The older brother bought out everyone else’s share when their da’ passed away. He’s a good man, experienced, steady.’
‘Okay. I’ll have a chat with him.’ Josh took a sip of his tea then looked Fred in the eye. ‘So what do you think, would you like to sell me this place? I’ve made an offer but I can raise it if you don’t think it’s enough. I’m not asking for any special favours.’ He thought briefly of Rosie and her demands, but he wasn’t like her.
Fred smiled and looked to Mair, who nodded. ‘Yes, it seems fitting somehow that Home Farm should go back where it came from, seeing as our son doesn’t want it. And your offer was fair, the estate agent said so.’ He stuck his hand out and they shook on it. ‘You’ve got yourself a deal.’
‘Excellent, thank you. I’ve got to sell some property I own in New Zealand, but hopefully that shouldn’t take long, then we can finalise things. Do you mind waiting a month or two?’
‘Not at all,’ Mair chimed in. ‘That’ll give us time to sort everything out for our future. Find somewhere to move to and clear out this place. Forty years is a long time to live in one house; we’ve got a lot of things we won’t need.’
Josh knew it would be a wrench for them to leave, so he smiled and said, ‘You’re welcome to stay up at the Court any time. I think I can find you a bedroom or twenty somewhere.’
Fred and Mair laughed. ‘We might just take you up on that.’
‘But remember, let’s keep this to ourselves for now, okay?’ Josh didn’t want to jinx the deal by having anyone know about it until it was done.
‘You’ve got our word.’
Merrick Court, 18th July 2016
Tess blinked through a curtain of water and realised that her expression was fixed into a smile of joy. She was sitting on the floor of her shower with her back against the wall, water streaming down onto her head and body. She’d gone into some kind of trance just from the sound of the water and her legs must have given way. This was getting ridiculous.
But what did it matter? Rhys had married her.
‘No, not me – Arabella,’ she hissed at herself and stood up, reaching for the soap. The memory was clear in her mind even now, the ceremony itself distinct even though she didn’t recall much else.
The strong emotions, the pure love she’d felt, that was all there, running riot in her veins. One thing was crystal clear – Arabella and Rhys had lived for the moment, grasped what happiness they could while there was still time, and Tess knew she should do the same.
She’d been keeping Josh at arm’s length, avoiding him as much as possible. It was just too difficult to be around him and not throw herself into his arms, craving those amazing kisses. Shayla’s words had stopped her, but she couldn’t deny the strong attraction between them. Why hadn’t Josh mentioned the woman waiting for him in New Zealand? Maybe he wasn’t as serious about her as Shayla had made out?
Tess would have to ask, because she wanted Josh. Badly. And if Shayla was wrong, it was time to take a chance on happiness.
‘Okay, she is so grounded. For the next ten years at least.’
‘What? Who?’ Tess had come into the knot garden to continue the work there and found Josh waiting for her. He was standing with his arms crossed over his chest, but he was smiling so she assumed he was joking.
‘Shayla! She told you a pack of lies, didn’t she? About someone called Pam? She confessed.’
‘Well, yes, but … Lies?’
‘Too bloody right. It isn’t true, any of it. There’s no such person. She made it up.’
Tess blinked. ‘Pam doesn’t exist?’
‘Nope. Never met anyone by that name and I’m definitely not marrying her. The little ratbag … I came this close to putting her on the next flight home.’ Josh held up his thumb and forefinger to show a millimetre’s space between them, but his green eyes were shooting sparks of amusement so Tess knew he wasn’t really angry. Or not any more. ‘Honestly, kids!’
‘Oh.’ Tess was almost giddy with relief, but then another thought struck her. ‘Did she get the name wrong? I mean, do you have anyone waiting for you in New Zealand? I … I sho
uld have asked before, I guess.’
‘No, no one.’ He stepped closer. ‘Is this the only reason you’ve been keeping me at arm’s length? Seriously, I wouldn’t pull a stunt like that. I’m a one-woman-at-a-time kind of man.’
‘Uhm, yes. She kind of made me doubt you … and myself.’ Tess looked away. She should have just challenged him about it instead of letting the girl’s words fester.
‘Well, no more, okay? I swear, I don’t have any ladies waiting for me anywhere. And as for Shay, she was just scared of losing me to you.’
‘Okay.’ Tess was shaking, whether with relief or something else, she wasn’t sure. In the next moment she found herself swept into a fierce embrace behind a clump of bushes, kissed so thoroughly her legs turned to mush. She was glad Josh’s arms were around her or she might have had to sit down. She put a hand on his chest and could feel his heart going ballistic. Her own was just as bad.
‘This is crazy. We’re acting like a couple of naughty teenagers.’
He laughed. ‘I know, right? But the real teenagers around here seem to be everywhere and they’ve caused enough damage. Now I just want you to myself for five seconds!’
‘Is that how long it’s going to take?’ Tess teased. ‘In that case, I’m not sure it’ll be worth it.’
‘Why you …’ He kissed her again, fiercely, punishingly. ‘You’ll be the one who won’t last more than five seconds. Just you wait.’
Tess smiled. ‘That’s a dare, if ever I heard one. You’ll have to prove it.’ She looked up at those amazing eyes, seeing her own desire reflected in their depths. ‘Come to my room tonight? Louis won’t be here – he’s going back to his school this afternoon for some leaving ceremony or something – so let’s hope Shayla sleeps like a log. Although her room is at the other end of the house, thank goodness.’ She stood on tiptoe and bit his bottom lip, softly, gently. ‘I’ll be waiting.’
Josh stared at her, his eyes shining now as if she’d given him the most amazing treasure. ‘Seriously? You’re inviting me to … tonight?’
‘Well, yes. I don’t fancy a tumble in the grass. There may be ants.’ She laughed at his expression. ‘What? You didn’t think a woman could take the initiative? Or have you been teasing me and you don’t actually want to sleep with me at all? You’re just trying to drive me insane with lust.’
Josh pulled her close, his hands on her bum pushing her against him. ‘Does that feel like I’m not willing?’ he whispered, caressing her neck with his mouth. ‘I’ve been waiting weeks for this, for you. Wild horses won’t keep me away tonight, I can promise you that. And I don’t just want to sleep with you, I want to make love to you.’
Tess shivered with anticipation. The evidence of his desire was hard to ignore. ‘I believe you. But maybe we’d better try to concentrate on something else until then? If those pesky teenagers come and look for us right now, you’ll be in trouble.’
He let go of her with a sigh and pushed his unruly hair out of his eyes. ‘Yeah, you’re right. I wish that fountain was working; I could do with a cold shower. Let’s get started on those paving stones. Maybe hard labour will help, although just being next to you is going to be tough.’ He shook his head. ‘Come on. I’ll try to get a grip.’
Chapter Thirty-Two
Merrick Court, 18th July 2016
Tess was pacing her bedroom. How long would it be before Josh arrived? And did she have time to change once more? She’d debated what to wear for hours, unsure what he’d be expecting. She wasn’t used to playing the seductress and hadn’t wanted to tempt anyone into her bed for a very long time. In the end, she’d settled for a pretty bra and knickers set in black lace, with a thin kimono style bathrobe on top. Men were supposed to like feminine underwear, weren’t they? Or was that just a cliché?
‘Decisions, decisions.’ She was probably over-thinking it.
Vincent lifted his head and growled softly, but this changed swiftly to tail-thumping on the floor. Tess went to the door and saw Josh coming up the stairs, his smile when he caught sight of her making her blood fizz.
‘Hey, you,’ he said and bent to give her a quick kiss, before greeting Vincent who’d come over to sniff him. ‘Good boy. You didn’t bark, eh?’ Satisfied that there was no threat to his mistress, the dog padded back to his bed and went to sleep. Josh turned to Tess and looked her up and down. ‘Silk. Nice. Do I get to undo the belt?’
He moved to stand close to her and when she nodded he tugged at the belt until it came away, allowing her robe to fall open. Josh drew in a sharp breath. ‘Even better,’ he murmured, trailing a couple of fingers along the top of one breast. Tess shivered.
‘I wasn’t quite sure how to dress for the occasion. I see you dressed up,’ she joked. He was wearing tracksuit bottoms and a T-shirt, but his feet were bare.
‘Camouflage,’ he said. ‘If Shay sees me going back to my room early in the morning I’ll pretend I’ve been for a run. And they’re easy to take off, should you wish to.’ His grin was infectious and Tess smiled back, relaxing a bit.
‘I can’t imagine why I’d want to do that,’ she murmured, putting both hands on his hard chest and running them downwards.
He pulled her close then and kissed her, slowly, languorously as if he was memorising the taste and feel of her. He stroked her back, pushing the silk robe off her shoulders so he was touching her naked skin, and cupped her bottom, rubbing his thumbs in lazy circles that sent shafts of desire streaking through her.
His mouth became more demanding and he walked her over to the nearest wall, pushing her up against it while reaching for the clasp on her bra. He made short work of taking it off, his fingers stroking her breasts, touching, teasing, making desire pool in her stomach and lower.
Tess wanted to touch him too and tugged at his T-shirt, pushing it up and over his head. He was so beautiful, so perfect, the hard ridges of his chest and abdomen covered with silky tanned skin and a dusting of dark hair. She traced the outline of his tattoo with her fingertips, resolved to ask him about it later, then kissed his shoulder and neck. He smelled clean and citrusy, but all male. Gorgeous. His hair was soft, but messy as always, and she ran her fingers through it, pulling him down for more delicious kisses. Then she allowed her hands to roam further down, across his stomach and to the waistband of those tracksuit trousers, where she hesitated.
Josh stopped kissing her for a moment and looked down at her with a teasing smile. ‘You’re not shy, are you? I thought you were going to seduce me. I’m all yours.’
‘How about we seduce each other?’ She dared to dip her fingers inside his waistband and caressed the tip of him which was straining to escape confinement. She pulled his trousers down a bit and took the whole length of him into her hand. ‘Like this?’
He sucked in a harsh breath. ‘Good idea. But if you’re going to do that, you may have been right about the five seconds.’
He backed them up until they fell onto the bed, then took charge again. His mouth and fingers were everywhere, stroking, licking, caressing, and Tess thought she would explode any second. ‘Josh, please …’
‘Do I need protection?’ he whispered.
‘No, I’ve got it covered. Just … yes! Oh, God …’
She’d barely said the words before he was inside her, his strokes deeper and harder, while his fingers continued to caress her. Tess felt herself dissolve into a giant explosion of pleasure and cried out his name. Josh soon followed, before slowing down, the aftershocks making them both quiver uncontrollably.
‘Jesus,’ he muttered as he collapsed beside her and pulled her to lie with her head on his chest. ‘That was intense! In the best possible way.’ When she looked up, he kissed her tenderly. ‘You are one amazing woman, Tess!’
‘You weren’t so bad yourself. In fact, I think you’re pretty much perfect.’
The smile and kiss he gave her promised that she hadn’t seen anything yet.
Raglan Castle, 7th August 1646
The mighty stone foundatio
ns shook as ‘Roaring Meg’, an enormous mortar with the fattest barrel Rhys had ever seen, sent yet another cannonball their way. Dust and stone splinters rained down on a few unfortunates and there were screams of agony from others, with people running in search of cover. The siege surely couldn’t last much longer, but the marquis gave no sign of wanting to surrender yet.
Damn the old man. Had he no thought for the women and children in here? For Arabella? Rhys knew it was fatal to think too much about the woman he loved as he could lose his concentration, but he wanted to stay alive now, more than ever before.
He wanted to grow old with Arabella, not fight in this infernal war.
They were still making short forays out of the castle, but he’d sensed that the men were becoming disheartened and the bravado was forced. The capture of Major Price and many others dampened the spirits of those left behind considerably. No one believed they could win any longer and no matter how many enemy soldiers they killed, more arrived daily.
Even worse was that Colonel Morgan had brought with him an engineer by the name of Hooper, who was rumoured to be very skilful at his job. He’d begun by building a battery from which the enemy managed to disable quite a few of the defenders’ cannon, which was a blow. Bad news arrived as well when they were reliably informed that Goodrich Castle had been taken on or around the last day of July and had surrendered to the enemy.
‘So we’re the last to stand,’ Rhys had muttered to his friend Matthew.
‘Save Pendennis down in Cornwall, I believe. And maybe Harlech? At least I haven’t heard as how they’ve fallen yet.’
The situation seemed truly hopeless and still the marquis continued defiant.
The month of August saw the arrival in the Leaguer field of General Fairfax himself and he seemed to galvanise the Parliamentarians into even more action.
‘Damn it all, they’re digging all the time.’ Rhys and Matthew were on guard duty at the highest point of the castle, on top of the Great Tower, where they had uninterrupted views of the surrounding area. There was no doubt the enemy’s siege works were coming ever closer, the efficient Hooper bringing up mortar batteries, heavy cannon, to within sixty yards of the defensive walls. ‘We cannot possibly withstand this.’
The Velvet Cloak of Moonlight Page 29