Seacrets (21 page)
Authors: Adrianna Wingate
Godsey had not noticed she was having this experience, he was jabbering on and on about fishin
g, hunting and farming these lands since he was a lad .
“
Wait Albert, I can take it from here. Thank you.” She said in an awkward tone .
Godsey got her meaning right off and replied,
“I'm happy ta have helped ya, lass.” He bobbed his cap and receded into the woods, back towards the main house.
As Maura approached the riverbank, she could not see Daniel anywhere.
A twinge of fear overtook her thoughts.
Did he grow tired of waiting for me to return?
Just as she was having that thought, Daniel grabbed her about the waist and swung her around to face him.
“
Looking for me, darlin'?” He winked and flashed his handsome smile.
“
Daniel, you frightened me. I thought you'd grown weary of waiting for me and gone.” Maura said with a pout.
“
A man would have to be a fool to grow weary of your beauty." His buttery tone lingered in her ears..
Maura blushed in response to his compliment.
"Oh surely you jest, Daniel, I'm not that which you make me ta be." With a stammer to her voice. She turned her back to him and began to wring her hands together not knowing what else to say. Finally a task presented itself that occupied her thoughts. “Here, Daniel, set this blanket out by the river’s edge and I'll bring the plates and utensils.”
Daniel placed the blanket a
bit further off to the side of the river bank, to be out of view of the main house.
Maura
, busy setting their places, hadn't noticed how far over they were, but she did comment, “What a grand spot for a picnic. This tree provides just the right amount of shade from the sun and other elements, Daniel, don’t you agree?”
The afternoon seemed to slip by faster than either of them wanted. Maura engaged Daniel in many topics of conversation from politics to theology. Daniel had never enjoyed spending time with a woman in this way, before.
He judged her intellect to be utterly stimulating and sexy, in a way that had nothing at all to do with sex. He had surprised himself. For the first time he was actually enjoying being with a woman for something other than carnal desires.
“
I think the reason this spot feels so special ta me is that it reminds me of my Dhaid and the times we spent fishin' on the river, back home, in Ireland...and swimmin’. I loved to swim.” She continued to reminisce. “My Father used to call me his little mermaid, because he said I practically lived in the water when I was girl." Maura continued, not taking a breath between sentences. “And when I wasn't on the river swimmin' and fishin', I was raisin’ cane with my mates...My Dhaid used to tell me I was more like a boy than a girl. He'd call me his little hell cat 'cause I was tougher than most o’ the boys in my village." She smiled with pride.
Daniel smile
d lazily in her direction and commented,"Oh, really were ya now, missy...were ya now missy...missy...missy."
Again, flashes of light and a tightness in her temples that caused her to rub the sides of her head for comfort.
Maura became afraid, all of a sudden. She kept hearing a man's voice, but not a man she could remember. It was like being in a dream state. She kept hearing it over and over...
So were ya now, missy.
Maura shook herself out of the haze she had slipped into.
“
Are ya remembering somethin', lass?” Daniel’s worried voice penetrated her thoughts.
"No
, I guess I spent too long out in the sun for my own good. It’s just a little sun headache", she lied. "Let's eat, before this wonderful meal turns bad from the day's heat."
Daniel let Maura continue jabbering on from one subject to the next without interjecting, as he was concentrating more on the shape of her mouth as she formed her words. How he longed to reach out and pull her to him. He would kiss the words from her lips.
Maura, all at once, realized Daniel had not uttered a word, for quite a while. “Daniel, ya are so quiet, again. Am I talkin' too much? I'd hate ta be thought of as rude, not allowin' ya a word inta the conversation.” Her question, so innocent, he knew she hadn't a clue he was undressing her with his eyes.
“
No, ya aren't rude.” He stated flatly. “Ya are a bright and intelligent young woman, and ya should be proud that ya are that.”
“
My, but that
is
a lovely compliment. Thank you Daniel, I don't know what ta say ta that.” Her eyes were cast downward towards her hands and she was wringing them again.
Daniel reached out and ran his hand over hers, "You're goin' ta wear the skin right off o'
your poor hands if ya keep rubbin' 'em like that."
The chill
of excitement ran up Maura's spine when he touched her hand.
He removed his hand from hers only to replace it under her chin, as he forced her to look up at him.
“Look ta me, lass.” He soothed her with his deep voice. “You've nothin' ta be afraid of with me. I'll not harm ya. I'm just wantin' ta kiss ya, is all." He leaned in, with his hand firmly holding her chin. He pulled her towards him and stopped just a whispers breadth away from her mouth. He gently brushed his lips across hers.
She could feel his warm breath in her mouth. It was intoxicating to her. She had to admit she liked the feelings he was
summoning within her.
Her breathing became increasingly shallow
from taking in too many breaths at once. She thought she would swoon from the exctement of the moment. She swallowed hard and said, "Daniel, I canna breathe." Her voice was ragged. Her pensive stare fixed on his mouth. Her mind told her she should put a stop to this at once, but her heart was pushing her onward.
Daniel leaned in and gently placed a kiss on her slightly parted lips. He stopped for a moment to give her opportunity to withdraw. She did not withdraw. He could see she was breathless and entirely caught up in their heated embrace. He advanced a bit further, this time, tugging gently on her bottom lip as he withdrew from her.
His
kisses became more demanding. There was an unmistakable hunger in his manner, this time, as he slipped his tongue just inside her mouth. He let out a deep satisfied groan, low in the back of his throat.
Her eyes were still closed when he pulled away from her. Daniel knew he was winning this battle. He reached for her waist and nudged her a bit closer to him. He placed soft kisses to the side of her face, traling over to the soft part of her lower ear. He traced his tongue over her ear and down the length of her porcelain neck to just above her breast line, then reluctantly stopped. This was no easy task as his male urgings were trying their level best to push him past his good senses. But the truth of the matter was his opportunity to gain possession of her had slipped past them. He had to force himself to stop. He thought this was enough of a first lesson in love making...for now, anyway. He wanted her thinking about him all through the week. Then the next time he'd give her a lesson in lovemaking she'd never forget.
Kissing was g
ood enough for now. He knew he'd scorched her enough to come back to him for more. He wanted her to come to him, to beseech him to take her. Then he would know with absolute certainty she was ready for the next step in their relationship.
He pulled completely away from her now.
God help me. Am I a sadist?
He asked himself.
Why should I not just take her here and now and be done with it?
But he knew he wanted more... much more.
Maura was stunned and confused when suddenly he pulled from her and stood.
“Daniel, what is wrong? Did I do something wrong?"
She pleaded with him to give a reply.
He could see she was pouting. This pleased him. He had her exactly where he wanted her...wanting more. "No, darlin', ya did everything just right." He consoled her with his deep buttery tone. "I want things ta be right for ya, the first time we're together. I can wait for ya ta really be ready. Besides that, my brother will be out lookin’ for us anytime, now, and I wouldna want him to catch ya in yer altogether. Get my meaning?" He bent and gave her a quick sharp pat on her bottom. He held out his hand to assist her to stand and they began packing their basket and blanket and headed back to the main house.
Aiden and his family were already saying their good-byes and making plans for the following weeks visit. "Well now, look who's finally come up for air." Aiden said with a devilish grin on his face.
Maura's face went a deep shade of red. She was absolutely certain Aiden surmized what had take place between her and his brother.
Daniel leaned in close to Maura's ear and whispered, "The next lesson I'll be teachin' ya is how ta wear ya poker face." He squeezed her about the waist and kissed her atop her head.
"Oh you, all men are impossible." She jerked herself from his side and went to say her good-byes to Mary. "Thank you Mary for your gracious hospitality."
Then she turned to Daniel,
"And thank you kind sir for your gentleman-like company and, Uhem... conversation." She averted her gaze to the ground.
Assisting her into the carriage, he said, "Until I see you again, love." He took her hand in his and placed a delicate kiss upon it.
Mary about swooned right then and there.
Sally spoke out in surprise, "Oh my lord o'mighty, Mister Danny's got his self a girlfriend!"
Aiden rolled his eyes, flicked his crop to the backside of his horses and gave a quick "Giddyap", and off they went.
Maura could not take her eyes from Daniel. She looked back at him until she could no longer see the carriage road leading from the house. She became drowsy about half-way through the trip home. Her last coherent thoughts were of Daniel's inconceivable hot, romantic kisses. She drifted off into a peaceful slumber.
Daniel, however, was not having as easy and peaceful a time of it. He sat in his wingbacked leather chair, in the drawing room. He chugged brandy by the glass full, hoping to become thus inebriated and pass out. His altruism had left him with a familiar nagging feeling between his legs that would have to wait for the right time. He finally passed out in his chair.
Ӝ
Chapter Seventeen
It proved to be the longest week of her life. Maura busied herself with every chore imaginable to keep from going insane for Daniel's touch, his kiss, his passion.
She
was putting the finishing touches on the draperies in the children's classroom area. Colleen helped her hang them. She and Mick were regular visitors to the guest house, these days.
"Oh look Miss Maura, don't the draperies look lovely hangin' in the French archway?" Colleen stated with much pride. They both stood away from the French doors to evaluate their handy work, while little Mick payed them no mind at all. He was on the floor on all fours going around and around in a circle with his toy horse and soldier. "Yah. Yah! Giddyap." He mimicked the sound of horses galloping.
"Now Mick, lad, ya had better not spin quite so much on those trousers, your mum will be havin’ a fit if she has ta be mendin' those knees in ya pants again." Maura warned the tot, giving him a playful tousle of his thick mop of black hair.
"Hello, Maura?" Quinn was standing in the archway of the French doors. "Oh there ya be, the both of ya. I hope that ya are not botherin' Miss Maura, now. She's got a lot ta do to get ready for her big comin' out party, tomorrow night."
"Oh my goodness, Quinn, I had completely forgotten about that. I somehow had the dates mixed up. I thought that ya had said the gathering was planned for two weeks from last.” Maura tried to recall, at the same time, slipping another more important inquiry into the conversation. She cleared her throat and then asked Quinn, "Will Aiden's family be attendin', as well?"
"Yes Maura, Daniel will be coming up for the weekend, as, well." Quinn teased.
Maura blushed at being caught asking about Daniel. "Would ya mind terribly if I begged off from dinner this evenin’? I'll just have something light here...a cup of tea and a biscuit, mayhap. I've got a lot of planning ta do so that I will be ready and presentable when Daniel arrives tomorrow evening."
Quinn immediatelt took noticed Maura was suddenly alive with excitement.
She was wi
shing her relationship with Aiden was in it's new lustful stages, at times, but then again she felt thankful she didn't have to go through all the first time primping and preening. She and Aiden were at a comfortable stage in their relationship.
Make no mistake about it
, she told herself,
We still have a lot of passion
. Quinn unconsciously began to fan herself. If they weren't careful, Mick would soon be having a little brother to run circles around instead of that toy horse.
"Quinn... Quinny, did ya hear me about dinner?" Maura's voice broke into Quinn’s daydream.
"Oh surein' that 'twould be just fine." Quinn blushed a bit herself, Maura noticed.
"Those Hargendon boys know how ta bring out the wickedness in a lass, do they not?" Maura playfully squeezed Quinn’s forearm and winked.
"Quinn, can I ask ya somthin'?" Maura herded the children out to the courtyard to shield them from hearing their conversation.
"Of course, Maura, what is it?"
"Well I think I'm fallin' for Daniel. Ya know, in love? I'm having all sorts of feelings for him and I'm thinkin' that I want our relationship to be more than just friendship, but I'm scared." Quinn listened intently to her friend.
"The last two encounters we’ve shared alone have gotten, well, quite bawdy.” Maura began to fan herself. "Daniel is such a gentleman that he said he wants me ta be really ready. What think you of that?" Maura swallowed hard.
Both women sat clasping hands together on the divan.
Quinn s
poke to Maura as an older sister might, giving her advice. Her voice was calm and soothing. "Look Maura I can only speak for his brother Aiden, but how I feel is that the honor that courses through his veins also courses through Daniel's. Follow ya heart, lass, and ya canna go wrong."
"But what if I give myself ta him and then when he gets what he's after, he leaves me. Where am I then?" Primarily reasoning with herself, it mattered not what anyone else’s advice or opinion would be. She already knew she was going to do whatever her heart told her to do.
"Maura, child, when the time is right you'll be knowin' it." Quinn patted Maura on the back of her hand, and then stood in preparation to leave. “Look, you've got plenty o' plannin' ta do and I've got a dinner ta set out for my family. I'll see ya in the mornin', lass."
Quinn shouted out to the child
ren. The sky had suddenly turned dark gray and the wind whipped up out of nowhere. "Hurray up the both of ya. Looks ta be shapin’ up ta be quite a storm, we may just make it back ta the house before it really hits. Maura are ya sure you'll be alright down here by ya self?" After assuring her she'd be fine, Quinn ran up the wooded pathway to the main house.
They were gone only a few minutes when the storm began to pick up. A strong gust of wind blew hard against the draperies on the French doors. The heavy tiebacks were being strewn about, by the wind, and continued to smash up against the glass with a vengeance. Maura feared the panes of glass would shatter. She motioned toward the French doors.
Just then an immense clap of thunder, followed by an explosive flash of lightening, startled Maura caus
ing her to remain frozen. Maura thought her eyes were playing tricks with her. The lightening seemed to cast down upon a shadowy figure in the archway.
Her brea
th was caught in her throat and she was unable to move. She let out one shrill scream and scrunched her eyes shut tight.
One at a time she opened her eyes. The figure disappeared from sight. Maura breathed a great sigh of relief. She thought, "Oh you silly fool. It was just the lightening playing tricks with your eyes." Maura hesitantly moved toward the French doors, grabbing at the door knobs, pulling the glass doors shut and fumbled to lock them. She raised her arms to grasp the tabs at the top of the draperies, when a second hard clap of thunder and sharp flash of lightening exposed the same shadowy figure further away from the guest house. Maura was certain there was someone, lurking about, but who? Again, she scrunched her eyes tight. Then clutching the draperies in her fists, she yanked them shut. Her heart pounded with intense fear.
After, what seemed like an eternity, the thunder storm appeared to have passed by to the
north.
All Maura hear
d was the faint rumblings of thunder way off in the distance. She was still grasping tight to the draperies.
She loosened her grip a bit and peeked out through a small opening.
The figure was gone again. Had she imagined she'd seen someone? She stepped away from the doors and slowly backed up until she could feel the edge of the divan against the back of her legs. She lowered herself down to a sitting position with the help of the curved arm of the overstuffed divan and sat down on the edge of the seat and stared pensively at the closed draperies, praying she was just imagining ghosts in a storm.