subject.
William, however, did not take her cue to let it drop. He placed his hand on Lord Blackwood’s forearm. “You needn’t hide behind that poison anymore. Look around you, lad. Newgate is gone forever. You are home. A little work and this place will be back to its glory. Hell. That beautiful wife of yours should be enough of an incentive.”
Jessie flinched, wishing he’d left that little part off his speech. The poor, unsuspecting fellow had no idea he’d hit upon another sore spot. Curiously, Lord Blackwood hadn’t exposed her to his friend yet. William didn’t seem to have a clue that Lord Blackwood’s so-called wife was nothing but a scheming, money hungry cheat.
Lord Blackwood didn’t say a word but nodded silently to his friend. He turned to look at Jessie and raised an eyebrow. “Why are you wet?”
She tucked a damp curl behind her ear. “This was from the rain.”
“What part of the county were you in? There hasn’t been a dark cloud all day.”
Jessie tore off a piece from the bread loaf and dunked it in the stew in Lord Blackwood’s bowl. “If you must know, I went swimming.” She plopped the gravy soaked bread into her mouth.
“You swam alone?” Lord Blackwood asked.
“Alone, if you don’t count the small regiment passing by who joined me.” She helped herself to more bread and gravy. William was a far better cook than she.
Lord Blackwood gave her bottom a pinch. “Your jests are not to my liking.”
As she brazenly dipped another chunk of bread into his stew he seized her wrist and brought her fingers to his mouth and sucked the food from them.
“Change out of your wet things before you catch a fever, little witch,” he said.
Jessie brushed her hair one more time then set the brush atop the dressing table. She had donned her sheerest nightrail in hopes that Lord Blackwood would come. She could not believe how disappointed she felt. Apparently opium had held more of an attraction and he lay in a trance in his chambers. That thought made her more miserable. The moment she doused the candle, the door opened. The faint light coming from a hallway sconce revealed his impressive outline.
He had come after all. Her hands were shaking now. How ridiculous, she thought. And yet she was so relieved that he had come she nearly burst into tears. She’d promised herself not to get attached, and here she was practically swooning because he’d merely walked into the room. She stood completely still in the dark as he approached.
“My lord—”
He placed a silencing finger over her lips then walked behind her. She could feel the heat of his body as he pressed against her.
He wrapped a cloth of opaque silk around her eyes. “I am taking you to a secret place where I intend to have you until dawn.” She leaned back against his hard body. “It is quite warm tonight so you will have no need of this.” He unbuttoned her nightrail and slid it off her shoulders. It pooled around her bare feet.
She stood completely defenseless in front of her husband, a virtual stranger. With one movement he lifted her into his arms.
“But someone may see,” she said nervously.
“Everyone is asleep. And what if they do? I am merely carrying my naked and blindfolded wife off into the night.”
Jessie smiled. “Well, there is certainly nothing unseemly about that—so by all means, carry on.” She motioned in the direction where she thought the stairs might be and snuggled her face into his chest. He smelled of sandalwood soap. His heavy boots resounded on the wood flooring of the dining hall. The back door creaked open. The night air made her shiver.
“Not nearly as warm as you promised.” She nestled closer to his heat.
She was feeling very content in his arms when an insane thought popped into her mind. “You aren’t going to drop me in front of a large crowd of people you invited over to humiliate me?”
“Lady Blackwood, you are a very strange woman.”
They were quiet
William, however, did not take her cue to let it drop. He placed his hand on Lord Blackwood’s forearm. “You needn’t hide behind that poison anymore. Look around you, lad. Newgate is gone forever. You are home. A little work and this place will be back to its glory. Hell. That beautiful wife of yours should be enough of an incentive.”
Jessie flinched, wishing he’d left that little part off his speech. The poor, unsuspecting fellow had no idea he’d hit upon another sore spot. Curiously, Lord Blackwood hadn’t exposed her to his friend yet. William didn’t seem to have a clue that Lord Blackwood’s so-called wife was nothing but a scheming, money hungry cheat.
Lord Blackwood didn’t say a word but nodded silently to his friend. He turned to look at Jessie and raised an eyebrow. “Why are you wet?”
She tucked a damp curl behind her ear. “This was from the rain.”
“What part of the county were you in? There hasn’t been a dark cloud all day.”
Jessie tore off a piece from the bread loaf and dunked it in the stew in Lord Blackwood’s bowl. “If you must know, I went swimming.” She plopped the gravy soaked bread into her mouth.
“You swam alone?” Lord Blackwood asked.
“Alone, if you don’t count the small regiment passing by who joined me.” She helped herself to more bread and gravy. William was a far better cook than she.
Lord Blackwood gave her bottom a pinch. “Your jests are not to my liking.”
As she brazenly dipped another chunk of bread into his stew he seized her wrist and brought her fingers to his mouth and sucked the food from them.
“Change out of your wet things before you catch a fever, little witch,” he said.
Jessie brushed her hair one more time then set the brush atop the dressing table. She had donned her sheerest nightrail in hopes that Lord Blackwood would come. She could not believe how disappointed she felt. Apparently opium had held more of an attraction and he lay in a trance in his chambers. That thought made her more miserable. The moment she doused the candle, the door opened. The faint light coming from a hallway sconce revealed his impressive outline.
He had come after all. Her hands were shaking now. How ridiculous, she thought. And yet she was so relieved that he had come she nearly burst into tears. She’d promised herself not to get attached, and here she was practically swooning because he’d merely walked into the room. She stood completely still in the dark as he approached.
“My lord—”
He placed a silencing finger over her lips then walked behind her. She could feel the heat of his body as he pressed against her.
He wrapped a cloth of opaque silk around her eyes. “I am taking you to a secret place where I intend to have you until dawn.” She leaned back against his hard body. “It is quite warm tonight so you will have no need of this.” He unbuttoned her nightrail and slid it off her shoulders. It pooled around her bare feet.
She stood completely defenseless in front of her husband, a virtual stranger. With one movement he lifted her into his arms.
“But someone may see,” she said nervously.
“Everyone is asleep. And what if they do? I am merely carrying my naked and blindfolded wife off into the night.”
Jessie smiled. “Well, there is certainly nothing unseemly about that—so by all means, carry on.” She motioned in the direction where she thought the stairs might be and snuggled her face into his chest. He smelled of sandalwood soap. His heavy boots resounded on the wood flooring of the dining hall. The back door creaked open. The night air made her shiver.
“Not nearly as warm as you promised.” She nestled closer to his heat.
She was feeling very content in his arms when an insane thought popped into her mind. “You aren’t going to drop me in front of a large crowd of people you invited over to humiliate me?”
“Lady Blackwood, you are a very strange woman.”
They were quiet
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