“Is there a particular period in history that you prefer?”
“All of it. When I went to Eton and then Cambridge, I loved studying history. I was enthralled by the way history has a way of repeating itself.”
“It does?” she asked and scrunched her nose.
“Yes. It seems man does not learn from past mistakes. Of course, individual events are not repeated, but whole events seem to be. You see, empires and governments rise and fall over and over. All have similar reasons why—greed, power, and a thirst for freedom. Attacks on civilizations happen because someone possesses something the other wants. What makes history interesting is how these issues are dealt with, or how some civilizations die off completely. Then there are the stories of civilizations that makes you wonder if they ever really existed.”
“Do you hear that?”
“What?” he asked startled.
“The excitement in your voice.” They were both quiet for several minutes, each lost in their thoughts before Circe spoke again, “Reese, how far did you pursue your education?”
“As far as I possibly could. Why?”
She followed her intuition when she asked the next question, “How many people know this about you?”
“Cambridge and now you.”
“None of your family or friends?”
“It would be the last thing they would have expected from Wild Lord Taggart.”
“Perhaps it is time they come to know the real Lord Taggart and not the myth.”
“Oh, but my darling, it was not a myth.”
“It matters not. What does matter is that there is this whole other person inside you. A person you can be proud of.”
“And what good will it do me? I’ve worked so hard creating the wild image of myself that no one would be willing to have me educate their sons.”
“No one would have you do what?”
“Educate their sons,” he repeated.
Circe pushed up, turned, sat with her legs tucked under her, and studied her husband.
“What is it?” he asked curiously.
“Reese Taggart, did you not just hear what you said?”
He looked at her in confusion.
“You spoke of being an educator.”
“I spoke of people keeping me from doing that.”
“But surely someone would hire you.”
“It isn’t that easy.”
“Of course it is. Are you not knowledgeable in that area?”
“I am.”
“Then why should you not impart that knowledge to others?”
“I—”
“Yes?” she asked impertinently.
“There is no decision that needs to be made today, is there?” he asked, avoiding her question.
“No, you are right,” she said, sensing she should not push him any further today. “I am going to see if Ruth needs assistance with anything.”
“You are going to leave me alone?”
“For the time being. I am certain you will be fine.”
“I don’t know, the last time I was left alone thinking of you, I bloodied my lip.”
Circe narrowed her eyes at him trying to conjure a memory.
“The last night on the ship,” he said.
“You bloodied your own lip? However did you manage that?”
“Get a handkerchief out of the top drawer and I’ll show you.”
Circe did and returned, holding it out to him. “Here.”
“Sit at my hip. Now, give me your hand.” He enveloped his shaft with her hand and showed her exactly what he needed. She was not as quick with the handkerchief as he would have been.
“So that is what goes inside of me to make babies,” she said sounding very scientific.
He moaned in response, spent more of his seed, and pulled her down for a kiss. Spent he collapsed against the pillows and pulled her down with him. “That is what I did that night in my cabin, thinking of you. The first time—”
“First time?”
“Yes, the first time I groaned so loudly you heard me and came running to check on me.”
“Oh, dear,” she said, blushing.
“The second time, I bit my lip so hard I bloodied it so you couldn’t hear me.”
“Was it only those two times?”
“Hardly.”
For some reason, the thought that he had illicit thoughts about her thrilled her. “You could get dressed and come with me.”
“I suppose I could at that. I believe we need to do some cleaning up first.”
“Yes,” she muttered and walked over to the washstand.
He knew better than to laugh at the fact she was blushing, but the fact that she was new to all of this, and he was her teacher, brought him such irrevocable joy that he wanted to shout it from the rooftop. He stood up, nude, fully aware that she was looking her fill of him in the mirror. “Enjoying yourself?”
“I am beginning to,” she said with a sly grin.
He chased after her, making her squeal, and pulled her to him before kissing her passionately. “Are you absolutely certain you are too sore to explore one another some more?”
“Yes, now get dressed,” she swatted his chest playfully.
“Yes, lady wife, whatever you command.”
As soon as he was clean and decently dressed, they left their bedchamber hand-in-hand.
Chapter 23
“Here they are,” Ruth announced with a sly wink at Circe.
“We didna’ expect t’ see the two of ye for days,” Sean said.
“Weece!” Tally flung herself at Reese’s legs. He bent down, swung her up into the air, and caught her on the way back down. He repeated the action over and over making the little girl giggle uncontrollably.
“I do not plan on being a pampered wife. I want to help around here as much possible, inside the house and out. So, with that being said, is there anything I can help you with?” Circe asked Ruth. “And remember, I do not know how to cook.”
“All right. Well, then—”
“Willyouteachme?” Circe asked low and in a rush, making the question sound as if it were one word.
“What?”
“Will you teach me how to cook?” she asked again, softly, not wanting Reese to hear.
“Circe, the food I fix is very different from English fare.”
“It matters not to me. I do not know that Reese and I will ever be able to afford a cook, so I feel it is best that I know how.”
“All right,” Ruth replied.
“And will you give me a tour of the inside of the house?”
“Wouldn’t ye rather Reese show ye?”
Circe looked at her husband once more and a smile teased her lips. “I am afraid of what might happen if he shows me the rest of the house,” she confided to her friend.
Ruth burst into laughter causing Circe to blush furiously, and the men to look at the two women.
“What’s going on over there?” Reese asked good-naturedly.
“Ruth just said that she would show me the rest of the house.”
“I don’t mind doing that.”
Circe turned to Ruth and gave her an I told you so look. “You and Sean are busy talking, Ruth can show me around.”
“If you’re certain,” Reese said, looking somewhat disappointed.
“I am.” She gave him a secret smile before she followed Ruth out of the room. Bored with the men’s conversation, Tally trailed after the women. Circe stepped into the first room Ruth showed her. It was completely void of any furniture and there were no coverings of any sort over the windows. This was the same as every room they entered except for the bedchamber Ruth and Sean shared, the children’s room, Reese’s bedchamber, and the kitchen. “I do not understand,” she said. “Why are there so many empty rooms?”
“The first night Reese was here, he ended up sleeping on the floor because a family of mice had made their home in his mattress. Family is a kind word, really. I think it was more of a village.”
“He told me about that,” Circe said, laughing.
“Reese and Sean dragged nearly every piece of furniture out of the house and burned it. When desperate, mice will eat almost anything, and well, they left their mark around here.”
“I remember the huge fire on the beach. I found Reese down there watching a pile of furniture burn, poor man. With all that has been happening, I had completely forgotten about that. I guess I did not realize how destructive mice could be.” She looked around the large, empty room and sighed. “Well, I suppose I should be happy that there are no more rodents scurrying about.” The women stood in the last room and Tally slipped past them dancing around and singing a song she had made up. Circe smiled at the little girl.
“One day ye’ll have one of those,” Ruth said.
“I hope so.”
“Enjoy yer time with yer husband. Once the children come along, they’re always around.”
“Dance!” Tally yelled at her mother and Circe, certain the two women had forgotten about her.
“Not now, Tally,” Ruth admonished her daughter and gave Circe a look as if to say, See, this is what I was talkin’ ‘bout.
“Why not?” Circe countered and joined the young girl in a dance of her own making.
“What’s going on in here?” Reese asked, lounging against the door.
Circe came to a stop and almost doubled over in laughter. “Tally has been teaching me one of her dances.”
“Let’s teach Tally a new dance, shall we?”
“And what would that be?” Circe asked her husband as he approached her, her head cocked at a curious angle.
“How about a waltz?
“But that is—”
“Scandalous?”
“Yes,” she said a bit breathless, aching to feel his arms around her once more.
“Scandal be damned. We’re husband and wife now. Dance with me?” he asked.
“Yes,” she sighed.
Reese hummed the opening strands of a popular waltzing tune and at the appropriate time swept his wife into his arms. He led her around the room in a dizzying circle. Circe glanced at the doorway and saw Ruth wrapped up in Sean’s arms, swaying to the music.
“I have an idea, keep humming,” Circe instructed. She stepped away from him and approached the couple. “Where is the baby?”
“Still asleep.”
“Good, then you can join us for a bit.”
“But we don’t know this dance,” Ruth argued.
“It is easy. Come along.” She took their hands and pulled them into the room. She guided Ruth to Reese while she took control of Sean. It took no time at all for the couple to learn the steps and soon both couples were dancing with their respective spouses. The only difference was that Tally insisted upon dancing with her parents, so Sean held her while the couple waltzed. “I wonder how Little Sean will take it when his older sister forces him to dance with her,” Circe mused.
“Oh, I imagine he’ll go along with it for a while. Then he’ll realize it isn’t a game and will try to stay far away from her.”
“I imagine you are right.” The baby started crying from the other room, and the other couple excused themselves, taking their daughter with them despite her protests. “It looks as if the storm is passing.”
“O’Connor said we should be able to get back in the fields tomorrow. It’ll be sloppy, but we can’t delay anymore. What did you think about the house?”
“It is quite empty. I had forgotten about the mice that had taken up residence until Ruth reminded me.”
“We can purchase furniture, or I can see if some of the men are capable in that area.”
“No, I am fine with how it is.”
“Are you certain?”
“Yes,” she said as they continued to move around the room. “The men have more important things to do than to build me furniture, and the money needs to go towards getting the plantation operational once more. It will all come together in time.”
“You’re very understanding. Most wives would demand new furniture, perhaps even a new house.”
“I was not raised as most women; therefore, I do not think like they do,” she said with a shrug.
“Thank goodness for that.”
“Ruth is going to teach me how to cook,” she confessed.
“I didn’t marry you for your cooking skills.”
“No, you married me to save me from a horrible man. The least I can do is learn how to cook.”
“Only if you insist.”
“I do. I also want to know what I can do to help outside of the house.”
“Circe, you don’t have to help. You are my wife and that earns you some freedom.”
She stumbled to a halt and pulled away from him, her hands fisted on her hips. “Reese Taggart, I will not be pampered. Windcrest Plantation now belongs to the both of us, and if it is going to be a success, I am going to help make it so.” She watched as he walked up to her, cupped her face with both hands, and kissed her possessively. Circe did not even fight him, but readily gave in to the heady sensation and his drugging kisses. When they finally broke apart and after she managed to get her breath, she asked, “What was that for?”
“For not being like other women. I cannot wait to thank your parents for raising you as they did,” he said.
“What about me? I was stubborn enough to follow their teachings despite society trying to force me to adhere to its beliefs.”
“Oh, believe me, you’ll receive your reward later,” he growled playfully before kissing her again, and then he picked her up and swung her in a circle. Her laughter filled the room and the house and brought a genuine smile to his face.
* * *
It was actually two days after the rain came to a stop that the men were able to get back into the fields, leaving the women behind. Ruth taught her how to make a basic, but edible, meal. She helped clean the rooms that were being used and watched over the children to allow Ruth some much needed rest everyday, which she took grudgingly. When the baby grew fussy, wanting to be fed, she would take him into his mother.
When they could, she and Ruth would take Tally outside to play in the courtyard or to the private beach. Circe enjoyed the friendship she was cultivating with Ruth, but she most looked forward to spending time with Reese when he came in from the fields each night.
The two women worked together to get the evening meal ready for the men who trudged home, exhausted. Reese and Sean would clean up and then join their wives at the table. Talk always surrounded the plantation and what had to be done next. The work was never ending. After the meal was eaten and the dishes cleaned, the couples retired to their respective bedchambers.
Each night, Reese made love to her, continuing to introduce her to the pleasures of marriage, but at the end of their first week together, his lovemaking seemed different. As if he were not as completely focused on her as he had been. When the same feeling continued several days in a row, Circe knew she could no longer ignore it. They were lying in each other’s arms when Circe asked, “Reese, is something wrong?”
“Why would you think that?” he countered, not really answering her question.
“You seem distant the past few nights, especially when we are…well…intimate.”
“I’m just tired. It feels like whatever success we have, there is ten times the amount still left to do. I don’t know that we’ll ever make this a profitable plantation.” The beat of drums could be heard in the far off distance. Reese must have felt her tense, because he pulled her closer.
“We can always return to England,” she offered.
“And what will I do there?”
“We have talked about you teaching.”
“No, you have talked about me teaching. Dammit, don’t you see, just because I’m married doesn’t mean anything to those people. I’m still Wild Lord Taggart with a reputation that people can’t and won’t forget. Besides, I may be married but it is to someone just as scandalous as I am. I am certain that will
help matters tremendously,” he said sarcastically.
Circe sat up and looked at her husband. “Reese Taggart, are you feeling sorry for yourself and bringing me into it?”
“No. Perhaps I’m just facing the truth for the first time in my life. Perhaps I’ll never be more than a walking scandal. Someone for people to talk about. Tell me, why did you agree to marry me?”
“Reese, you know why,” she said softly.
“That’s right. You’re just like Isabelle was—”
“Do not compare me to her.”
“Why not? You’re using me for what I can do for you. You didn’t want to marry me. I practically forced you into it. You married me for protection.”
“That is not the only reason,” she said slyly, as she straddled him.
“Oh, yes, how could I forget that I am to serve as your stud? To give you the children you always wanted. And you don’t want to be compared to her?”
“What is going on?” she asked, trying to move back to her side of the bed, but he refused to let her go.
“If you keep moving, I’ll show you exactly what’s going on.”
“Not like this Reese, please. I—”
“What Circe?” he asked seductively.
She wanted to tell him that she thought she was falling in love with him. That she had never been so happy in all of her life, but the way he was acting made her cautious. “Despite your behavior tonight, I still want you,” she said instead.
“And you’ll have me,” he replied, pulling her down for a passionate, mind-numbing kiss, as he thrust into her.
* * *
Reese slipped out of bed, leaving his sleeping wife behind. He dressed quietly so as not to disturb her. His head ached as if he had been on a drinking binge. He grabbed his boots and crept out of the room, glancing at Circe once more. After making his way to the kitchen, he sat down, and pulled on his boots. He stood and rummaged for some food and then headed outside.
The moon was still high in the sky, telling him that it was hours before daylight. His body was exhausted, but his mind would not shut down and allow him to sleep. He started towards the sugarcane field, but changed his mind. He decided he needed to be away from there for a while, so instead he walked to the beach. The tide was high, so he had to sit on some rocks. Reese sat and watched as wave after wave pounded the sand. He heard a crunching sound and spun around to see Circe standing at the top of the cliff.
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