Desiring Lady Caro (21 page)

Risher bobbed a curtsey. “Yes, my lady.”

“And, Risher, let us plan to leave even earlier than planned. I shall take my breakfast up here as well.”

“As you wish, my lady.”

Horatia dined alone and tried once more to read, yet after staring at the same page for an hour, she finally had to admit that she missed dining with John and exchanging interesting barbs with him. She wished she’d found out more about his life. Well, that was not to be, and she may as well get used to being without his company. He would not be around much longer. Tears pricked her eyes, and she blinked them back. What was happening to her?

 

G
ervais had finally decided Caro was well enough to take dinner in a regular parlor rather than in the small one next to their chamber. Though it was only a few doors down, at least it was a change. She glanced up from her soup to study her husband from under her lashes. Bathing with Gervais, kissing him, and touching him had been so easy and natural. He made it so. A smile tugged at her lips. She could not believe they’d made love in the tub.

When Nugent dressed her hair, she’d tsk-tsked over the tangles. But Caro could tell her dresser was happy for her. It had been just over three weeks since their small group had set out from Venice. She hadn’t wanted to go and, most particularly, had not wanted to be with Gervais. Yet he’d protected her, cajoled her out of her sullen moods, and taken care of her when she’d been so ill. The result being she was happy and rapidly falling in love. Not at all the same woman who’d left Venice, but who was she now? For so long she’d shut herself away and allowed hurt and fear to keep her captive. Thinking she’d never have any children of her own, her only outlet had been visiting the orphanage. Even now she could be carrying Gervais’s child. How would she know? Her mother had never explained anything, and, since Caro was still single, she’d heard no gossip of the type married women are privy to. She supposed she could ask Gervais, but he was a man. He probably wouldn’t know either.

“Caro?”

She focused her attention on him. “I’m sorry, I must have been woolgathering. Did you say something?”

A slight frown marred his countenance. “I asked if you’d like to leave in four days. That will have given everyone a solid week to rest, and we can take in some of the sights.”

She smiled. “Yes, that would be perfect. It will be nice just to be able to walk around without having to do anything.”

His face relaxed. “I agree. We’ll visit the café every day.”

The place he had found just for her. “May we take a whole chocolate torte with us when we go?”

Huntley leaned back in his chair and laughed. “If you wish, we’ll take two and hope we find more along the way.”

Her heart soared. This was exactly as it should be. Joking and laughing, each learning about the other. She felt absurdly young and hopeful. “And you can have your strudel.”

“Indeed.” He nodded toward her soup. “Do you not like it?”

The soup was a rich broth containing small round bits of something. “I do. What are these things floating in it?”

“Marrow, rolled and fried.”

She knew he wanted her to eat, and she was very hungry. The next course was roasted pork with sauerkraut and savory dumplings, accompanied by several removes. By the time they brought the cheese, she hardly had any room left. “I don’t know how I can eat another bite. Though I am determined to taste all the cheeses. I understand they are local.”

“Here, try this.” He handed her a piece of smooth, hard cheese with holes in it. “It has a nutty taste.”

She’d started watching what he ate, taking note of his likes and dislikes. It was time for her to begin acting like a wife and start taking care of their household, such as it was. Perhaps she could find a recipe for the apple strudel. By the end of dinner, she was replete and very tired. All she wanted to do was to climb into bed and sleep.

He stood and came round to her. “Come. You look exhausted.”

When she rose, he picked her up and she giggled. “Gervais, do you intend to carry me everywhere?”

“At least until you’ve regained your strength.”

He gazed down at her, and his eyes seemed to change from green to blue.

“Besides, I like having you in my arms.”

She held on tighter. “I enjoy it as well. Will you ring for Nugent?”

“No, I’ll attend you.” His deep voice caressed her. “Unless you have an objection?”

Caro’s heart fluttered. “No, you may do it. Though I think, this time, we should keep track of my hairpins.”

“I’ll have to buy you more,” her husband said, chagrined.

Caro tried to hide it, but in the short distance from their parlor to the bedchamber, she’d yawned twice, and fought to keep her eyes open.

His chest rumbled as he quietly chuckled. “You, my lady, need to sleep.”

Her brows drew together. That meant no more love making. “No, I’ll be fine. I can sleep later.”

Setting her down on a stool, he propped her up against his legs and started to untie her laces. “Later?”

“Yes.” She swayed, and he caught her. “After we—we . . .”

Placing his lips close to her ear, he murmured, “Make love?”

Caro fought sleep as her breathing deepened. “Yes, after that.”

“What if I promise to wake you up for it?” he asked.

Her gown and stays loosened. Gervais stood her up before pushing those garments, along with her chemise, down over her hips. “Very well. You won’t make me wait too long, will you?”

He lifted her out of her clothes and threw the bed-cover back. “It will seem like a very short time,” Gervais said as he laid her on the bed. “Sleep now, my darling.”

Caro let the words of endearment wrap around her. She truly was falling in love with him, but did he feel the same way? She couldn’t bear it if he didn’t return her affections.

Huntley gazed down at his wife’s slumbering form. He wished he knew how long it would take for her to come to love him. He stripped and climbed in next to her. She made soft noises of satisfaction as he drew her near. Holding her close, he cupped one bare breast and buried his face in her hair.
Oh, damn!
He’d forgotten to take down her hair. Careful not to wake her, he drew out all the pins and set them on the table next to the bed. Combing out the long tendrils with his fingers, he wished she would always leave it down.

The style she wore was flattering and very fashionable, but the idea of touching her curls whenever he wanted to appealed to him. He stopped. It would probably tempt other men as well. He wrapped a tendril around his fist. No, better she should have it up when they were out. He cupped her breast again. Perhaps he would buy her a fichu to cover more of her very fine bosom. In fact, he really needed to pay more attention to her gowns. Why had he never thought of all this before? Strange dreams of him whisking Caro away from lecherous men staring at her breasts and hair troubled him before he fell into a deep sleep.

Huntley awoke as he was protecting her, yet again, from some loose fish. After reassuring himself Caro was next to him, sleeping peacefully, he rubbed a hand over his face. His friend, Robert Beaumont, was right. Being in love was a damned uncomfortable feeling. How did his friends manage it? Well, maybe it was different for them. Except for Anna Rutherford, all his friends’ wives were older or had more experience than Caro—and Anna was well able to take care of herself.

But his Caro was fragile, and he needed to protect her. The curve of her jaw drew his lips to her slender neck, and his groin stirred as he kissed and nibbled his way to her breasts.

She turned into him and sighed. That was all the encouragement his shaft needed. Moving over her, he sucked her breasts. Caro’s sighs turned to moans as his fingers dipped into her hot, wet sheath. “Gervais.”

“Yes, my love.”

“I want you.”

As slowly as he could, he filled her and withdrew, wanting to show her how much she meant to him. She wrapped her legs around him and arched up, trying to hurry him. He entered her again and used long, slow strokes to increase her tension. Soon she was writhing beneath him and cried out. Not until then did he find his own release. Collapsing to her side, he held her tightly to him. If only he could tell her he loved her, all would be well.

Later, Caro awoke to find her breasts already swollen and her nipples hard. An ache that started between her legs swirled up and tightened. His lips were everywhere, pleasuring her, and the slow thrusting made her cry out. Holding on to him with her arms and legs, she tried to make him go faster.

Fire lanced through her and the flames engulfed her body. She shook and convulsed around him, and he was deeper than he’d been before. Gervais held her close as he thrust one last time and emptied himself into her.

She didn’t know who clung to whom; the beats of their hearts thumped together. Her head was buried in his neck as his was in hers. Caro thought she heard him tell her he loved her, but it was so faint, it must have been her imagination. If he would just love her, life would be perfect.

When she awoke again, the room was light. Gervais snored softly next to her. Reaching out, she touched his chest and ran her fingers through the soft brown hair. The flat disks of his nipples hardened under her touch. What would he do if she touched them with her tongue as he did to her? Choosing the one closest to her, she gave it a small lick. He tasted pleasantly of musk and salt.

When she touched it again, he groaned, and his hand covered her bottom, sending sparks through her. Applying herself more fully to the one nipple, she lightly pinched the other. This time, he lifted her so that she was on top of him.

Caro’s legs fell onto either side of his body as she straddled him and gazed into his eyes. “Didn’t you like it?”

“I liked it very much. This way you have access to both, if you choose.”

His eyes were greener this morning and, for the first time, she noticed stubble on his face.

“In fact”—he grinned—“I’m yours to explore.”

Lowering her lashes, she smiled. “Hmm, that sounds like a fascinating invitation.”

She pushed herself down toward his legs until something soft rode up against her derrière.

Reaching behind, she touched it, surprised that anything on Huntley could be so soft.

His voice was a low rumble. “If you keep playing with that, your explorations will be much shorter.”

While she was trying to decide which of her options to choose, Maufe called through the door.

“My lord, there is a matter with one of the carriages that needs to be settled if we are to leave soon.”

Gervais flopped his head back onto the pillows. “Devil take them.”

Disappointed but determined not to show it, she said, “We have this afternoon and this evening.”

A wicked gleam came into his eyes. “If you don’t mind taking me hard and fast, we also have this morning.”

Suddenly she was on her back, and he loomed over her.

Her voice squeaked. “If I do mind?”

“Then we have this afternoon and this evening.”

He lowered himself so that his chest barely touched her breasts. The now welcome ache started between her legs. His hard shaft rode near the apex of her thighs. His muscles stood out, tensed. For a moment she’d been afraid, but he waited, and her dread subsided. It was her decision to make. “Show me hard and fast.”

 

“My lord,” Collins asked, “are you listening to me?”

Huntley jerked his head up and brought his mind back from the vision of Caro’s sultry smile as she’d welcomed him into her earlier.

He brought his attention back to the coach. “Yes, the wheel. It has a slight crack and needs to be replaced.”

“As I was saying,” his groom continued, “we must get it taken care of before we leave, and they’re going to charge us extra to get it done in time.”

“Then do it,” Huntley said. “Just don’t let them rob us.”

“No, my lord.” Collins raised his brows. “But if we need to find you to-day?”

“I’m taking her ladyship to see the sights,” Huntley replied. “We’ll be back by dinner. Pay what you must. I’m not going to make a mad dash to Ulm, and we need to be on our way.”

His groom nodded. “Yes, my lord.”

Huntley had bought larger, heavier horses for the trip through the Alps. “You’re happy with the horses?”

“I am,” Collins said. “They’re what we need right now.”

“Good. Is there anything else?”

“No, my lord.”

His groom had his hands stuck in his pockets and was looking down at the ground.

Now what was going on? “Out with it.”

“Well, my lord, it’s just that I’ve met a woman, and I’d like to marry her and have her come with us.”

“You decided this all in a week?” he asked, amazed.

A flush infused his groom’s face, and Collins scratched his head. “Not exactly. You remember we came through here on our way to Italy?”

Aha, this was making more sense. “I take it you met her then?”

“Yes, my lord, I did.”

“I’m the last person to stand in the way of your joy. How soon can you be married?” He could not very well object to any of his servants wanting the same happiness he hoped to find with Caro.

His groom’s weathered face cracked a smile. “We can slip the noose this afternoon. If it wouldn’t be too much trouble, we’d like you to be there.”

“Very well, I still need to bathe and change. Send word where and when, and her ladyship and I will be there. Order a parlor for a celebration.” Collins had been with Huntley since he’d sat his first pony. They would celebrate his groom’s wedding properly.

“No need to do that, my lord. Her family has a tavern with a back room.”

A tavern wench? Huntley raised a brow, and Collins hurried to reassure him. “It’s respectable, what they call a
Gasthaus
. As is her family. I wouldn’t marry no light skirt. My mam wouldn’t be happy if I did.”

“Very well.”

Huntley turned to go, but his groom said, “She was in service when she was younger.”

He stopped and took a moment to curb his impatience to be off. This was his last day in Innsbruck with Caro. “I’m sure we’ll find a position for her.” He softened his tone. “She’ll be made welcome. You know she will.”

Collins’s lips tilted up, and he looked relieved. “Thank you, my lord. That’s what I told her.”

“I shall speak to her ladyship before we go out.” Huntley strode out of the carriage yard and through the back of the hotel, taking the stairs two at a time. They should have done their sightseeing yesterday or the day before, but he’d been afraid she was still too weak. He only hoped she could make the trip without suffering. He’d remain in Innsbruck longer, but it was almost the middle of November and the snow wouldn’t hold off forever.