Sea of Desire (24 page)

“Don’t cry,” he whispered. “I didn’t mean to
hurt you.”

“You didn’t. I mean, not really. I just
didn’t expect...”

“Nor did I.” Jared tried to pull away, but
found her hands tighten on his shoulders.

“What... what’s wrong?”

“There’s nothing awry.” Jared lowered his
head, a brush of lips to convince her of his words, but the contact
lengthened, and heightened. Soon the probing of his tongue matched
the thrust of his body. There was no more barrier, nothing but the
smooth glide of flesh inside moist flesh.

Instinct took over, and Jared basked in the
heat they produced. She was so sensual, so willing, that he almost
forgot the proof of her inexperience.

Merideth clung to him, drowning in all the
sensations he awakened in her. It was overpowering.
He
was
overpowering. She rushed toward a precipice, a dark, almost
frightening precipice. Something in her shied away, warned her that
she shouldn’t explore. She should keep herself safe. But she knew,
in her heart she knew, it was already too late for that.

The waves of wonder hit her, tossing her
toward the dark spiral, dissolving her control. Her breath came in
shallow gasps and she cried out, unable to stop herself. It went on
and on, this whirl through the darkness, till an explosion of
bright lights shattered through her.

The captain’s groan echoed in her ear as he
collapsed, his body poker hot and searing. Merideth became vaguely
aware that he had shifted some of his weight to his elbows, but she
was too tired and replete to comment upon it. They seemed to float,
surrounded by the feather softness of the down comforter.

His voice was husky, his words tickled the
fine hairs curling about her ear. “Are you all right?”

Merideth didn’t remember ever being so all
right. But she didn’t want to talk, she didn’t want to think. The
captain obviously wasn’t going to allow her that luxury. When she
didn’t answer he shifted again, pulling away his marvelous weight
and allowing the night chill to creep over her naked body.

“Did I hurt you?”

Merideth thought she heard genuine concern in
his voice, a novelty in itself. She had evoked many emotions in the
captain since she’d met him, but concern was not one of them.
Without knowing why, she found she liked the idea. “I’m fine.
Perhaps a little tired.” Her last words were slurred by sleep as
her lashes drifted shut.

“That’s right. Just rest,” Jared whispered.
He settled onto the mattress beside her, cradling her head against
his shoulder. He was replete. He was comfortable. But he harbored
no thoughts of slumber for himself.

For an old man with gout, he could move
rather quickly.

Jared watched from the anteroom window as Dr.
Franklin bustled from the carriage. His flannel hat sat askew on
his head, and he used his walking stick to shoo servants from his
path as he climbed the stone stairs leading to the front door.

He was halfway across the marble great hall
before Jared’s voice stopped him.

“Ah, there you are, my boy.” Franklin
motioned Jared to his side. “Where is she? Where is Lady Merideth?
Did she come to any harm?”

“Nay. She is safe, asleep in her bed.” Jared
moved, blocking Franklin’s path when he started toward the stairs.
“She is fine, I tell you. But we need to talk.”

Jared watched as the worry left Franklin’s
eyes, to be replaced by a shrewdness that belied his backwoods
appearance.

“I suppose you’re right. But not here,”
Franklin said with a cursory look around the huge hall. “Follow
me.”

Franklin led them up the curved stairway and
down a series of portrait-lined hallways. “Are you certain she
wasn’t hurt? Word reached Madame d’Abbeville’s that your coach had
been attacked by highwaymen, and I came rushing home.”

“Because you suspected someone might harm
her.” Jared’s statement elicited nothing but a straightforward
stare from Franklin, so he reassured the older man again. “As I
said, she is safely asleep in her room. A room for which I have the
key.” Jared produced the brass key from his waistcoat. It shone
dully in the candlelight as he held out his palm for Franklin to
see.

Jared wondered how Franklin might view his
locking Lady Merideth in her room, but one look at the twinkling
eyes and Jared knew better.

“Good work, my boy. I knew you were the man
for the job.” He opened a door and motioned Jared into a small,
cluttered room. After lighting a candle from a sconce in the
hallway, Franklin shut the door. He placed the candlestick on a
drop-leaf table piled with stacks of parchment. Then he settled
into a delicately wrought chair that creaked under his weight.

Jared wasted no time getting to the point. “I
wish to know what’s going on. You send me after Lady Merideth
because you fear for her safety.” He paused, leaning toward
Franklin, his hands planted on the table separating them. “How did
you know a highwayman was going to attack the carriage?”

“I didn’t.” When he noticed Jared’s
skeptically raised brow, he continued. “Not for certain, anyway.
But I feared something might happen.” Franklin stood and moved
awkwardly toward the window. “There have been a series of...
accidents
.”

“Accidents?”

“I call them that for want of a better word.
At first I thought them just that. A runaway coach that barely
missed hitting her. A footpad who attacked as we walked along the
ramparts of the Quarter Bonne Nouvelle. They all seemed
coincidental. Even after I spoke with Merideth about it, she
assured me that the only person she had to fear was you. And you,
of course, were liberating English supplies on the channel.”

A pang of guilt shot through Jared. He had
indeed been the cause of fear in Merideth more than once. He opened
his mouth to explain, but Franklin waved his interruption
aside.

“At any rate, she nearly had me convinced
that they were just a series of accidents until one of the grooms
surprised an intruder in the stables.” Franklin settled back into
his chair. “The man was doing something to the saddle Merry used
for her everyday ride. The groom scared him away, then luckily
examined the saddle and found the cinch had been cut almost clear
through.”

“So she would have taken an ‘accidental’
spill.”

“Exactly.” Franklin peered through his
spectacles. “Possibly a fatal one.”

Jared grew tired of pacing and took the seat
across from Franklin. “What did Lady Merideth say when you told
her?”

“I didn’t.”

“But I don’t under—”

“I’m nearly convinced someone is trying to
kill our Merry,” Franklin interrupted. “I’m also confident she
doesn’t know who or why. I know you find that hard to believe.”
Ruffles fell away from his wrist as Franklin held up his hand. “But
I’ve come to know her very well, and I think she can be
trusted.”

Two hours ago Jared would have argued that
point vehemently. Now, after making love to her, he wasn’t certain
enough to offer any response.

“You probably think this the result of an old
man’s imagination, but—”

“Nay. I also believe someone is trying to
kill Lady Merideth.” As concisely as he could, Jared related the
experience with the highwayman.

“And he gave you neither name nor
reason?”

“He was killed before he could say anything
more.”

“Hmmm.” Franklin’s head sank into his neck
and he rubbed at his chin. “It’s obvious you’ll have to take her to
safety.”

“Me?” The words had been uttered so quietly
it took Jared a moment to appreciate what the older man was saying.
When he did, Jared’s surprise was evident. “I can’t protect
Merideth.”

“You did tonight.”

“Only by a stroke of dumb luck, I assure
you.” Jared tried to explain the situation logically. After all,
wasn’t Dr. Franklin known for his logic? “If there is a threat
against her life, perhaps the police—”

Franklin waved that suggestion away with a
swish of his hand. “They wouldn’t know where to begin. Besides,
Lady Merideth is British. You are the one to do it, my boy. Need I
remind you that you are the one who brought Merry here, thus
exposing her to this danger?”

A rush of guilt shot through Jared, but he
still countered Franklin’s argument. “She possessed information I
was sent to retrieve. Hell, she still possesses it.”

“Poppycock! Merry doesn’t know anything.”
Franklin’s expression sobered. “I want you to take her back to
Land’s End.”

“What of your diplomatic channels?”

“Nothing moves as slowly as diplomats. And we
haven’t the luxury of time.” Franklin pushed himself to his feet.
“I should think you’d feel some responsibility toward the
girl.”

Jared wanted to argue the point, but the
truth was, he
did
feel responsible for Merideth Banistar...
especially after tonight. He let out a gust of air, then leaned
back in his chair. “I suppose I can see her safely home.”

Franklin’s face brightened. The crinkles
around his eyes deepened. “That’s splendid. I knew I could count on
you.”

Jared hadn’t a clue as to why Dr. Franklin
felt that way, but he merely shrugged. He stood, and was almost to
the door of the small room when Franklin stopped him. “She isn’t
likely to go with you voluntarily.”

Jared turned. “Why is that?”

“I believe Merry still harbors a dislike for
you.”

If that were true, her actions earlier would
be difficult to explain. “I shall handle it.”

“Good. Now I believe I shall seek my bed,
knowing Merry is in safekeeping.”

Merideth jerked awake.

It only took a moment for her to remember
what she’d done in this bed, and to realize she was alone. She sat
up, brushing tangled hair from her eyes, her mind riddled with
disbelief.

Not about Captain Blackstone abandoning her.
She’d expected no less from him.

It was her own behavior that astounded her.
It had, almost from the moment she’d first seen him. This inability
to think... or behave rationally while in his presence.

Burying her face in her hands, Merideth tried
to tell herself it was the American’s fault. But though he had come
to her room, she knew there had been no force. She had wanted
him... wanted him to make real the dreams she’d had about him.

And now that he had, he was gone.

Telling herself she was pleased, at least
about that, Merideth slipped from the bed. The room was dark and
still, closed up. The stifling closeness was breeding a panic in
the pit of her stomach. Earlier, the captain’s appearance had kept
her from opening the doors that led onto the terrace. But now she
planned to rectify that.

She scooped the silk wrapper from the
gilt-front chifforobe and flung it around her body just as the
sound of a lock being turned came from her door.

Dual realization hit her. She’d been locked
in her room. And someone... someone with the key was entering.
After all that had happened tonight, she wasn’t surprised to see
Captain Blackstone standing in the doorway, silhouetted by the
light from the hall.

“You’re awake. Good,” was all he said as he
entered, carrying a branch of candles.

The light splashed into the room, filling all
but the deepest corners. Merideth’s wrapper hung open and she
hastily tied the sash, lifting her chin when she noticed the
captain’s steady appraisal.

“What...?” Merideth’s voice quivered and she
took a steadying breath. There was something about his hot, green
gaze that made her remember the feel of his mouth on her flesh.
“What are you doing here?”

The slight lift of his brows and quirk of his
lips told her he remembered it too. His words confirmed it. “I’d
have thought you would be expecting my return.”

He was so arrogant. So certain she would
succumb to him. And why not? Merideth chastised herself. She’d done
it quickly enough before.