His Wicked Kiss (41 page)

“I’m not going to let that happen,” he said quietly.

“No, I didn’t expect that you would,” Lord Arthur replied. “But be careful, Jack. It’s your neck on the line. You know, you mentioned your plan about taking over that rival firm in London, but it seems to me that now you’ve got an even better cover to help explain your presence in Town after all these years.”

Jack looked at him in question.

Arthur shrugged. “It is entirely appropriate that you should bring your young bride back to
England
to meet the whole family.”

At once, Jack shook his head. “I could never use her as a shield for my activities. I don’t want her anywhere near all of this.”

His uncle frowned, looking puzzled. “Well, what are you going to do with her, then?”

“I’m leaving her at the castle in
Ireland
,” he admitted in a low tone.

“I see. And is young Lady Jay aware of this?” he asked dubiously. “Because earlier I heard her speaking with your valet about some of the sights she so looked forward to seeing in
London
.”

Jack sent him an uneasy smile.

“Aha. You haven’t told her yet.”

“Not exactly.”

“I see. Well. First marital spat, dead ahead.”

Jack leaned closer, lowering his voice. “She’s not going to like it, of course, but she’s going to have to do as she’s told. I’m her husband now. She has no choice but to do as I say.”

Lord Arthur laughed at his assertion.

Jack frowned. “What? Why do you laugh?”

“No reason. After you’ve been married a month, we’ll talk again. But tell me, dear lad, why haven’t you told her your plans?”

He shifted warily in his chair. “I didn’t want to upset her.”

“Bull! It’s cowardice. Not that I blame you, of course,” he added as he sat back in his chair again. “I would rather fight the Grand Armada than an angry wife any day.”

“
Eden
will do as she’s told.”

“Does she usually?”

Jack thought it over for a whole five seconds. “No,” he announced, then he sighed. “Bloody hell.”

Lord Arthur chuckled and swirled the drink in his glass. A glimmer of roguery danced in his eyes. “If you think getting your wife to mind is difficult, wait until you have children.”

“You’re not helping matters.”

“If you ask me, she could be a great asset to you in
London
. Why don’t you want to bring her?”

“Because it’s dangerous!”

“For you, yes, but not for her. Not really.”

“How so?”

“The main threat is from government agents. English lawmen, Spanish spies. Both are beholden to the rule of law. You’re not dealing with thugs and criminals this time.
Spain
may dislike you, but we both know Spanish chivalry is such that women and children are off limits. Having
Eden
by your side in
London
would help to camouflage your activities.”

“I told you, I will not use my wife as a shield. I don’t need a woman’s protection.”

“But if she’s not in danger and
London
makes her happy, why not bring her? I hate to see the two of you at odds, as you soon will be, I fear. Are you worried she might say something indiscreet about your mission?”

Jack considered this, then shook his head. “No,” he admitted with frank honesty. “She’s naive on occasion, but with my life on the line, she’d never let herself blunder. She’s very loyal to me—almost protective, in her own little way.” A reluctant smile tugged at his lips.

“I see.” Lord Arthur frowned in suspicion. “Well, then. Your refusal to bring her along wouldn’t have anything to do with that Maura woman, would it?”

“No, no.”

“I know for a long time you wanted to make her sorry for what she did to you.”

“Well, that doesn’t really matter anymore.”

“So, what’s the problem, then?”

Jack stared at him in silence. Then he shook his head. “I don’t know.”

“I think you do. But, Jack, you’ve got to give
Eden
a chance to prove she will stand true by your side no matter what anyone has to say about you.”

“Even if the things they say are true?” he countered, then paused. “I don’t want to lose her, Arthur. I don’t think I could stand it.”

“Lock her up against her will the way you’re planning, and you may do just that.”

“It’s for the best.”

“For whom? For
Eden
or for you?”

Jack looked away impatiently.

“What are you afraid of?” his uncle asked in a low tone.

“You want to know? Fine!” he whispered angrily. “She’s so damned set on
London
and the ton. What if we get there and people won’t accept her because of me? Because she’s mine? I want her to be happy. I don’t want her to get hurt.”

“And you don’t want her to see the way they shamed you.”

He lowered his head. “No. I really don’t want her to see that at all. Is that so wrong? She’ll lose respect for me.” Head down, he looked at Arthur fiercely. “I will not permit her to be humiliated because of me.”

“Oh, I don’t know, Jack. She strikes me as a very strong girl, not the type to let the ton bully her. Besides, you already told her about your real father.”

“Yes. But it’s different when you see a thing for yourself.”

“Jack, it’s been a very long time since those days. You’re not that angry, powerless seventeen-year-old anymore. You’ve got fortune. Vast power. You’ve got twenty years of hard experience under your belt. Use it.”

The crisp tone in his uncle’s voice drew his attention up sharply. He eyed him with wary interest. “What do you mean?”

“If you want the ton to accept
Eden
, then
make
them accept you.”

“I never could before.”

“You never tried. You told them all to go to hell, remember?”

“Well.” His wry shrug was indeed an admission of guilt. “I don’t know.” He shook his head cynically. “What would you have me do, Uncle? Play the game? Bend the knee to Lady Jersey? Sue for vouchers to Almack’s? Gamble at the clubs, for God’s sake? Waste my afternoons driving in the park like a fop?”

“Yes, Jack. Play the game. You might surprise yourself.”

“But I don’t want to!”

“Why?”

“I don’t know—it would seem an admission of defeat.”

“How?”

“I let those people know quite clearly when I left that I didn’t give a damn for their amusements or their shallow little lives.”

“Ah, and to reverse yourself now though twenty years have passed would be a blow to your pride.”

“Damned right! Uncle—you have no room to talk on this subject. You’ve been an exile even longer than me.”

“Aye, I know the cost of having too much pride even better than you do, Jack. I only want you to be happy.”

“
Eden
makes me happy.”

“Then if you are wise, you will make
her
happy.” Arthur watched him with a canny smile. “What you want is beside the point. What does
Eden
want? If you love her, that is the only question that matters.”

Jack fell silent, staring down into his glass.

“It’s all very simple, you see,” Arthur murmured. “
Buy
the ton’s affection with your gold, and give it to your beautiful young bride as a wedding gift.”

Heaving a sigh, Jack leaned his cheek on his fist and scowled at him.

* * *

Many hours later, Jack awoke in the pearl-gray half light before dawn to the vision of his sweet young wife sleeping on her stomach beside him, her auburn tresses cast across her cheek, the delicate fan of her long lashes gently lowered, her expression that of sublime peace.

The soft sound of her breathing had become as familiar to him as the lulling song of the sea.

As awareness filtered back into his waking mind, luscious memories of the night before stirred his blood.

Their wedding night.

He lifted his head off his pillow, staring at her. As he came up onto his elbows, still a bit groggy with waking, it stunned him anew to remember that today he was a married man. Even more shocking, indeed, slightly terrifying was the knowledge that he was in love.

Yesterday, he had told her so. He had not expected the words to come out, but they had.

I love you.

Gazing at her now, his little Lady Jay, he knew they were the truest words he’d ever uttered.

His faint smile as he watched her was full of doting tenderness.
So, this is happiness
. The whole sensation was rather strange and new—and perhaps a bit frightening, as well. This utterly odd desire to stay with a woman made him a little uneasy; he was afraid of how much he had already come to care. His deepening passion for her was intemperate; it seemed inevitable that the rug would be pulled out from under him at any time.

Jack’s smile slowly faded. He knew that the wedding had been tinged with sadness for her because of Victor’s absence, but it had been bittersweet for him, as well, knowing that soon they must part.

His thoughts wandered back to his conversation with his uncle, but he would not be swayed. Already he did not like letting
Eden
out of his sight, and the thought of a six-month separation made him heartsick.

Beyond their separation, for him, there was nothing but grave danger and the highest of stakes.

He still hadn’t told her that he’d be leaving her in
Ireland
for the duration. He was afraid of how she’d react—and he was perplexed that he should be afraid. Cowardice was not in his nature.

Restless with it all preying on his mind, he got up and crossed the sleeping cabin, naked. He went about his morning ablutions deep in thought, but was bemused to find that his reflection in the mirror looked the same as any other day.

Inwardly, he felt like a different man. A man, he thought grimly, who might have thought twice about risking everything to help this noble cause.

When he had accepted this mission, he had done so with single-minded determination, having no wife to worry about, no possibility of a child on the way. He had had no attachments, nothing to lose but his worldly goods and, of course, his life, but this had caused him no particular worry, considering all the brushes with death he had escaped before.

Now everything was different, and, admittedly, he was feeling torn. A part of him longed to walk away from the mission just so he could stay with her and gorge himself on this love that he had been starved for all his life. No one had ever loved him before, not like this, and he simply dreaded doing or saying one wrong thing that would take her love away from him. It was more precious to him than gold, but it felt as fragile as a flower.

This was why he could not speak to her yet about their impending separation, he thought as he got dressed. Though guilt raked him over the coals for keeping his true intentions hidden from
Eden
, he knew the revelation would change everything between them. Perhaps it
was
cowardice, worthy of his shame, but he had never experienced love like this before and he could not bear to ruin it with the truth.

Not yet.

He wanted to feel it, revel in it, soak it in, and make the dream last for as long as it could before he must go—possibly to his death.

Buttoning his shirtsleeves about his wrists, he returned to stand beside the bed, where he watched her sleep and brooded on his highly sensible notion of keeping her out of harm’s way while he went to complete his mission.

Just off the coast of
Ireland
now, they would go ashore in a few hours and arrive at the castle today.

Eden
must have sensed his study, for at that moment her lashes fluttered, and she began to wake. As Jack watched her with a fierce but gentle protectiveness surging in his chest, he came to a decision.

Rather than simply escorting her to the castle and dropping her off, he could surely take a few days to spend with her there while he summoned the men he intended to recruit. He could use this time to strengthen, aye, to cement the bond between them before he must sail away. After all, there was no rush to tell her what was really happening. Was there?

The right moment would present itself, he was sure of it. It was hard news but she’d take it in stride, the way she always did. At least that was what he wanted to believe.

“Good morning, husband,” she greeted him in a scratchy purr. The sheet slipped down over her slim body as she indulged in a big stretch full of feline satisfaction.

“Good morning, wife,” he replied in a husky tone. Jack set his knee on the edge of the bed, leaned down slowly, and kissed the valley between her bare breasts. He smiled like a drunkard as she wrapped her arms around him, and then pulled him back into bed with a mischievous laugh.