Seducing the Ruthless Rogue (41 page)

“I’m well aware of that, but how are you aware of that?”

“That ‘rubbish’ that you just talked about.
 
I read it.
 
And, if I were in the Americans’ position, I might have done the exact same thing.
 
Their men are being force to fight in a war that isn’t theirs to fight in.
 
Their trade is dying because they have no one to trade with, thus their economy is in danger of collapsing.
 
England is old and well established, America is not.
 
They are a fledgling country and something like this could destroy them before they’ve even spread their wings.”

“You’re rather brilliant, aren’t you?”

“Was this ever in question?”

“You have a smart mouth, too.”

“As I said, was this ever in question?”

Cassie felt his firm hands on her upper arms as he grabbed her and pulled her close.
 
She relished his hot, hard mouth grinding into hers, claiming her as his.

“Do you know what I’d like to do to your smart mouth?”

“What?” she asked breathlessly.

He bent and whispered in her ear, his warm breath tickling her.
 

She looked up into his eyes, her face flushed, and she said, “What are we waiting for?
 
Supper will wait.”
 
They raced each other up the stairs to their bedroom, and slammed and locked the door behind them.

***

The next few weeks passed in much the same fashion.
 
The only difference being there were no attempts on Mack’s life, nor anyone else’s.
 
There were no threatening letters.
 
Nothing.
 
It was as if nothing had ever happened.
 
Cassie would have thought they had imagined everything if not for the two notes tucked away with the maps and other documents beneath that loose floorboard hidden underneath the rug.
 
She still had not talked to her father.
 
She found she still harbored some resentment at the way he had manipulated her and Mack into marriage.
 
Mack had told her about his conversation with Papa, and how he had challenged Sir Graham into controlling her better.

Oh, that had been quite a row between the two of them.
 
If Cassie recalled, there had even been some heavy objects thrown at her faux Scottish brute, as she had started calling her husband.
 
She had called him many impolite names and threatened him within an inch of his life if he ever thought to control her.
 
Somehow the heated exchange had ended up with them in the bedroom behind a closed door, ripping each other’s clothes off.

That was definitely one thing Cassie could say about the two of them.
 
Sexually, they were extremely compatible, but that seemed to be all it was.
 
At least on his part.
 
On her part, well, she found she was falling in love with her taciturn husband, and she feared that most of all.
 
Mack was still the epitome of a military man.
 
Nothing touched his heart or soul.
 
It was his job to serve as protector of everyone.
 
The only thing he allowed himself to enjoy was their physical intimacy.
 
Even alcohol he limited to one mug of ale a day, if even that.
 

When she asked him why he didn’t partake of whisky or smuggled brandy like some men, he merely replied, “If we’re going to win this war, I must keep a clear head.
 
Besides, the last time I drank whisky I found myself betrothed.”

She stepped out of the rented hack and walked up the steps to the Hawkescliffe’s large house.
 
Cassie paid the driver.
 
“Please wait until I get inside, and then you may leave.”

“Yes’m,” he tugged his forelock.

Cassie walked up the path to the front door and used the door knocker.
 
The butler answered it and smiled when he saw her.

“Mrs. McKenzie, please come in.
 
Lady Hawkescliffe will be delighted to see you, I’m sure.
 
Please come this way.”

Cassie followed him into the parlor and took a seat on the settee to await Mikala.
 
She didn’t wait long before she heard her sister-in-law chattering with another woman.
 
Cassie looked and saw Mikala with her other sister-in-law, Lady Simmons.
 
Cassie shot to her feet and dropped into a curtsy.

“The next time she does that, I do believe I’ll strangle the chit,” Mikala said conspiratorially to the other woman.

“I hope she’s not doing it for my benefit.
 
I only like to make the women who were unkind to me curtsy like that,” Lady Simmons confided to Mikala.

“Indeed.
 
Cassie, you’re family now.
 
No need for curtsying, as if there was before.”

“But Lady Simmons and I…”

“Tessa,” the auburn haired beauty, said, gently laying a hand on Cassie’s arm.
 
“And, yes, we are family.”
 
She then hugged Cassie, startling her.
 
“Congratulations on your marriage.
 
You’ve quite a catch there.
 
I’ve been to a few parties since the event and let me tell you, there are plenty of women envious to the point of wishing you bodily harm.”

“Because of Mack?”

“Have you not looked at him lately?” Mikala asked.

“Well, yes,” Cassie found herself blushing.
 

“And?”

“He cuts a fine figure.”

“Cassie, do you forget I am married to the man who could almost be his twin?
 
He and Gabe are as handsome as sin.”

“Mikala, you’ve embarrassed her,” Tessa admonished.

“I’m sorry, Cassie.
 
I don’t always think before I speak.
 
It is a problem that I have, and most times I don’t care, but sometimes I overstep, especially with friends and family.”

“It’s all right.
 
I didn’t think I could get embarrassed.
 
Actually I came to ask for advice, but…”

“Oh, come, we love giving advice, don’t we, Tessa?”

“Mikala loves hatching schemes.
 
I listen.”

“Yes, mother,” Mikala stuck her tongue out at Tessa.

“Mikala, you would think you were a child sometimes instead of a woman grown expecting her second child.”

“Oh, hush.
 
Let Cassie tell us what’s wrong.
 
You can listen, and I’ll hatch a diabolical plan.”

“I give up.
 
Cassie, what’s the matter?”

Tessa’s kind heart and lilting Scottish voice, so like her husband’s accent soothed her nerves.
 
“First of all, Mack would strangle me if he knew I had come to the two of you about this, so this can go no further.”

“I understand,” the two women said in unison.

“I really don’t know how to say this.
 
You see, Mack and I, well in the bedroom, well not just the bedroom…” she broke off and blushed.

“You haven’t consummated your vows?”

“No, no, I mean, yes, we have,” she said, flustered.
 
She stood and paced the room, finding it helped ease her nervousness.
 
Then she saw the door to the parlor stood open.
 
She quickly crossed the room and shut it before returning to the other two women.
 

“Have you not reached fulfillment with Mack?”

“Kala,” Tessa put her head in her hands and shook it.

“What?
 
No, I mean, yes.
 
Mack makes certain…”
 
She stopped.
 
“I can’t believe I’m telling the two of you these things.
 
I should go.”

“Oh, no, you don’t,” Mikala jumped up, grabbed her arm, and dragged her back.
 
“You can pace all you want, but my interest is so piqued right now, you have to tell us what’s wrong.”

Cassie looked at the two women, as they intently stared at her.
 
She fisted her hands at her side, and took a deep breath.
 
“It’s just the act.”

“Oh,” both women said in unison.

“That’s precisely how I feel.”

“Are you certain?” Tessa asked.

Cassie nodded and to her dismay, she felt tears fill her eyes.
 
What in bloody hell is this about?
She sniffed and swiped at the salty liquid that started to roll down her cheeks.
 
“Look at me.
 
I never cry.
 
Not since my mother died.
 
Not when I was facing an unwanted marriage.
 
What’s wrong with me?”

“Perhaps you’re falling in love,” Tessa offered hesitantly.

“With Mack?
 
I highly doubt that.
 
Oh, I care about the ruthless rogue, but
love him
?
 
He is irritating and tyrannical.
 
He is always trying to order me about.
 
Why he tried to order me to quit…” she trailed off.

“Quit what?” Mikala asked, scooting to the edge of her seat.

“Nothing,” Cassie muttered.

“Cassie, you’re no fun.”

“Mikala, stop it,” Tessa tried to reign in her sister-in-law.

“I’ll tell you, but it can only be between us.”
 
She waited until both women nodded their agreement.
 
“I am C.E. Jones.”

“Who?”

“C.E. Jones.
 
I use that name to write editorial pieces in
The Times
.
 
They tend to be about treatment of soldiers’ families and the poor.”

“I’ve read few of those,” Mikala said.
 
“They were excellent.”

“I’m sorry, with twins, I haven’t much time,” Tessa shrugged.

“That’s all right, I don’t expect everyone to read them.
 
Anyway, Mack has told me I cannot write them anymore.”

“But you are continuing on, aren’t you?” Mikala asked.

“Are there still poor in England?”

“Mack does deserve you, Cassie dear,” Mikala giggled.

“Why do you say that?”

“Well, Mack can be a bit stubborn in his own right.
 
He doesn’t like to be ordered about either.
 
I hear Gabe forever talking about how Mack has angered this person or that person.
 
I just find it a bit funny is all.”

“Back to the problem at hand,” Tessa tried to get the women back on topic.
 
“Cassie, you believe there is no way the feelings you have could be love?”

“No,” she began pacing.
 
“Well, I don’t think so.
 
Perhaps.
 
Oh, I don’t know,” she stomped her foot.
 
“It was so much easier when I ransacked his house and laid him out flat on his back.”

“You did what?” Mikala asked, a smile spread across her face.

“Mikala, it isn’t important right now.
 
Can’t you see that Cassie is truly upset?”

“Oh, all right.
 
Go on, Cassie.”

“What else is there?
 
I don’t know how I feel.
 
I just know that, while I find I enjoy sexual congress with my husband, I’m beginning to feel…used,” she finally said.
 
“At first, I was fine with the act.
 
It was new and exciting.
 
I had only ever read things in scientific texts, and what they had to say, well let’s just say that the actual act is amazingly better.
 
But something has changed over the weeks.”

“Your feelings have become involved,” Tessa said.

“Yes.”

“And his are not,” Mikala surmised.

“Not other than lust.”

“What is it you want from him, Cassie?” Tessa asked earnestly.

“I want him to hold me. Sometimes it would be nice if that is all we did.
 
We have agreed that there are no secrets and no lies between us.
 
We talk, but only about the present and the past.
 
Never do we talk about the future.
 
It is like it is taboo.
 
The only thing he has said is he is going to prove to me that I’m beautiful, and he promises to be faithful.”

“Oh, Cassie, for a man like Mack who has to live in the here and now, that says so much.
 
I don’t think you quite understand your husband.
 
Mack’s position is dangerous.
 
He has so many decisions he has to make that affect the future of the entire country,” Mikala said.

“Yes, I know.”

“Think about all the agents he has as well.
 
All the men and women he is responsible for.
 
Imagine for a moment what it is like when one of them never returns from an assignment.
 
What that does to him.
 
There is something else you should know,” Mikala continued.