Angel of Ash (9 page)

Angel did not like the tone of his voice as if he were secretly amused with her naivety and closed her lips sharply. She did not like to be on the receiving end of such condescension and not especially after his gentle teasing of before. Wary of further words he would say, Angel dropped her eyes back to her lap, slightly hurt and bit into her apple again, even though she was far from hungry. As a novice in lover’s affairs she floundered dismally in the deep end of ignorance and therefore had no remark to say that would not allow him to further peek into her sea of innocence and inexperience.

Asher regretted his terse words immediately when he saw her face drop in hurt. But, oh, how well she played the innocent. He had known a woman like her before, who played a sweet virgin so convincingly until she’d gotten him into her clutches, and how could he have thought that Angel was different, even for a moment. No, women were all the same, conniving and deceitful; Angel was no different from the many other women he had crossed paths with. She played her innocence very well, he knew that with a flick of his hand, he could have her do his bidding, panting and moaning in his mouth, but chose not to, he would see this game of hers played out and know she would lose in the end, and he would win the spoils.

But Asher was also not a man prone to apologize for his actions, so he made no excuse for the words he spoke, instead pretending to ignore her hurt face, pushing the emotions down within him that would rear up as they had once did so very long ago. Those emotions had done him no good then, except show him for the green fool he had once been a long, time ago. He’d not play the vulnerable fool for another such as she. Instead, feeling self-righteous at his thoughts, he turned away from Angel, his gaze upon the passing countryside which was lightning up every minute that passed, as Angel, no longer pretending to be hungry, sat the apple next to her and stared out of her own window, not understanding how the light mood of moments earlier had become so dark and how the mild mannered and teasing Asher had caustic.

The tense silence lasted for more than ten minutes, before Angel, who was mild mannered and considerate, could stand it no longer, peace being her venue of choice which she well knew how to deal with, how to keep her soul still and peaceful when the world around her was stormy and violent. “Do you think perhaps the weather will hold out?” She asked Asher turning towards him who was still gazing out the window.

He heard her but pretended not to and waited for her to call his name before turning towards her with an air of hovering aloofness. “Yes?” He asked, cocking one brow as if in mild annoyance.

Angel did not understand why he was in such a disagreeable mood and could understand even less why she was so affected by his moods. She wanted nothing more than to get him to smile, to laugh again as he once had and to even tease her, even though she knew it was best to not. “The weather, Asher, do you think it will rain? My father told me that England gets a dismal pour of rain throughout the year. Is this true, in America, Boston, it shines a lot; New York was no different, although it was awfully cold during the winter. I don’t like the cold, I love spring, when the flowers bloom and the rain has stopped, signaling another year of renewal.”
“Then you have come to the wrong country if you wish to escape the rain and the cold.” He spoke no other words, turning away from her once more to stare outside.

Angel’s words failed to make him speak companionably towards her, so she tried once again. “What is your favorite time of year?” She asked.

“
I have no favorite time of the year, the days, weeks and months are all the same.”
“Oh, no, truly, Asher, everyone has a favorite time of the year. I believe farmers are during the winter, that way they do not have to toil so hard. And shopkeepers during the spring because more people are in need of their wares. And reverends during the summer because of the many marriages to take place.”

“
Angel you are an idealistic and utterly naïve,” he commented bitterly, taking delight in those words he threw at her. “Is that how all Americans think, such as yourself, so simplistic? No, farmers toil just as hard in the winter as they do in the summer, their work is never finished and they gain no rest until their day of death. Shopkeepers must constantly utilize their wits throughout the year to get people to buy their wares or they shall be out of house and business and reverends care little when couples marry as long as they do marry and save themselves the embarrassment of having illegitimate children.”

Angel floundered, instead of turning once more biddable, Asher became caustic tongued and almost hateful, something she had come across very few people in her life, namely, Lair, being the only one who willingly hurt with his words. Instantly, her defenses came up and she rankled beneath his censure. “Perhaps I am idealistic; I see nothing wrong with believing the best in people. And perhaps I am naïve and perhaps I am even simplistic but that should not give you cause to hold me in such low esteem, sir, I do not deserve your censure and if you cannot talk to me in a like manner as I talk to you than I will no longer attempt to engage you in conversation.”

They met eyes, feline meeting a stormy cloud. “Oh, the little kitten has claws, after all?” He asked, once again, making her feel small, no more than two feet tall, a child being reprimanded. “Your first show of emotion…other than outright passion, that is,” he commented snidely.

“
How dare you!” She breathed hotly, totally shocked at how ugly his words had become, as if accusing her of doing things she had no knowledge of. He belittled her when just hours ago he’d held her face, like a precious jewel in his hands. “Why have you turned so mean tempered?” She asked, feeling at a loss for words, her own emotions in an upheaval and finding it so hard to believe she had shared her first kiss with this man so short of a time before. Instantly, she grew vulnerable, withdrawing herself, emotionally, from his abuse, retreating inside herself as she had did often, in her youth, mainly to hide from the pain of hurt she could not dare escape from.

Turning once more towards her window, she crossed her legs, placing one hand in her lap, the other elbow, supported by said hand and fisted hand pressed tightly against her cheek as she bit back the sting of tears now coming to her eyes. She thought of the time she had spent with her father and suddenly missed him so dreadfully she wished herself home this very minute all the while blinking back hot tears.

Asher knew he was being an ass but refused to feel anything for the silly tears she tried so valiantly not to shed. He could not help this part of him, grown colder and more distrustful over the years that hurt the many people he came in contact with. And yet, unlike the many times before when his acidic words caused many a female to leak tears, this time he felt disgust at himself and wanted the time to return to the easy going manner the two had exchanged earlier. But so many years of being one way made it hard for Asher to want to change, not when that one way had protected him vastly in the past. Not quite apologizing, he tried for truce instead, Angel not realizing the great effort it took him. “Upon the countryside, it does not rain as much and is usually quite sunny, during the late spring to early fall. That is where Gabriel’s, and my own family’s estate happen to belong, you’ll not see a more beautiful place.”

Watching her reactions he was satisfied when she gave him a small nod even though her eyes were still upon the passing landscape.

Settling back in his seat he kept quiet refusing to say more when what he had just said was more than enough. She should know now that he was not upset with her and waited for her to strike up a conversation once more.

And Asher waited in vain. He turned towards her, thirty minutes later and found her still stubbornly staring outside, refusing to acknowledge his presence even when he kept shifting upon his seat and scratching his throat. Irritated, he sullenly placed his boots upon the seat next to her, noticing with no small satisfaction that she did not even flinch or notice his boots which was within half a foot of her blue dress. He crossed his arms across his chest and stared at her beneath hooded eyes, taking in the delicately curve of her cheek, the fullness of her lips which were closed and the motions of her eyes as she kept her gaze upon interesting habitat of an English countryside.

It upset him that she spoke not when he longed for the sound of her voice and hated himself for this weakness he was exuding for her, privately of course, but to Asher he felt as if he were blowing trumpets to announce to the whole world that he wanted this lone, small foreign and exotic looking woman for his private collection.

But if she refused to speak, so too did Asher and he placed his head back upon his seat, closing his eyes and pretended to ignore her just as well as she was ignoring him.

Angel nearly sighed with relief when she felt Asher’s hot gaze finally melt away. Taking a small breath, she hesitantly peeked towards him and noticed with bated breath that his eyes were closed and he looked to be resting. Taking her fill of him, she studied the curls upon his hair, his hairline, the shape of his forehead, the slant of his nose, the length of his lashes and the curve of his lip.

“
Do you have your fill?” He asked, opening his eyes to catch hers while she shook with embarrassment before turning away once more.

“
The kitten has sheathed her claws, I see,” he replied, no longer mean, but this time, once more teasing her in a gentle way. “I do not mind you gazing upon me, it makes me feel…wanted,” he replied wickedly and laughed outright when she blushed furiously before harrumphing and turning away once more without saying one word.

He’d teased her too much and so, Angel, refused to allow him to bait her any more, she would ignore him as best as she could for the entire trip which she prayed would be short, to say the least. It didn’t keep her thoughts from drifting however; into wondering what he was thinking and trying to understand his many shifting moods. She’d not been around someone who had such mood swings.

The early years with her mother had been wonderful; her mother had worked hard but always had a kind word, gentle hand and a loving word for her only daughter. The days with Lair had been hard, but she’d known what to expect soon from living there and Lair’s mood had stayed much the same, an insane man with the need to hurt others. But the time afterwards with her father had nearly erased all the pain of Lair’s tortured soul and knowing both her and Hunter had escaped his horrible clutches and moved on. And her father, surely the Lord God had created the perfect man, certainly her father grew upset every once and again, like all people, but he was generally an agreeable person, and she’d taken her temperament after him, so she was not well under prepared for the tenacious mood swings of this man before her whom she’d given her first kiss to.

After two more hours of uncomfortable silence with nothing except the noises of the carriage, the neighing of horses and the muffled speech of the outriders amongst each other, Angel finally fell into an uncomfortable sleep, her head resting upon her raised hands lying against the side of the carriage.

Asher sighed wearily, himself tired from trying to ignore the tension in the enclosed carriage. Suddenly, he wished more than anything, to lay her head upon her shoulder and decided to do just that, easing onto the seat next to her and gently pulling her into his arms, noticing the drying tears upon her cheeks that tugged at his heart which he pushed down once more, knowing that to give her an ounce of him would be the end of it all.

Instead, he held her lightly in his arms, as she snuggled closer to his side, still asleep and trying to get comfortable, before she finally found a spot that suited her and settled into a deep sleep.

He could think of no place at this moment in which he would rather be, holding her close to him, studying the curls which tried so hard to escape from her bun. Her hair wasn’t just originally black as he’d first thought, but also showed signs of mahogany, reds and dark browns. He expertly pulled her pins out with his free hand, allowing the curls to tumble down her back and which satisfied him to no extent, before he to eased back into the seat, and pretending no longer, eased into a satisfying sleep.

The sky had darkened, the carriage wheels slowing as the horses realized how close they were to their destination, after more hours in the carriage, and three stops to feed the horses and allow the men and Angel to eat and take nature breaks, Asher was within moments of seeing his sister. Back in his seat after he’d laid Angel down upon her seat and covered her with a blanket, he gently shook her awake, knowing she needed time to hurriedly refresh herself before greeting his and Gabriel’s family.

“
Angel,” He said gently, shaking her arm, keeping himself from caressing the length. “Ms. Angel, wake up, we have arrived,” he said again and watched as she yawned into her hand, before stretching, unaware of how his eyes followed her every move.

Angel opened bleary eyes before they finally focused on Asher who shook her gently, feeling embarrassed at him finding her in such a personal position she hurriedly sat up, staring with surprise at the blanket upon her lap, the darkening sky and her hair loosed from its’ pins.

“
We are within moments of arriving,” Asher said and watched as her eyes opened excitedly, making her forget the turmoil surrounding her as Asher opened his hands, her hair pins in his large palms, and smiling at her like a hesitant boy. “I took them out, to make you more comfortable as you slept,” he merely said and gently pulled her palm upward when she made no motions and placed the pins in her hand. “I would try to pin it up for you but I never tried to undertake such a happening and seeing as how I am only talented at taking them down.”