The Wicked Baron (22 page)

Luke moaned softly as she applied her mouth to him. She heard his endearments, little words of instruction. Suddenly he was pulling her away, rolling her over on to her back. ‘No more for me,’ he murmured thickly. ‘We will finish this together.’

Luke’s mouth captured her lips again and once again his fingers slid down to find that magic spot. Her hips tilted up to meet him, welcoming his touch. He eased himself over her and she opened for him, eager now to receive him. She gave a little gasp as he entered her and he moved with slow, steady movements, stroking her gently. He watched her closely until she began to move with him. He restrained himself, curbing his own desires until she was gasping, her body arching, beyond her control. Carlotta threw back her head, her lips parted slightly as she clung to him, her fingers digging into his shoulders. Only then did Luke allow himself to give the final push, to drive into her, uttering her name as they clung together for a final moment of intense, shuddering ecstasy. They collapsed together on the rug, breathing heavily. The fire had died back to a golden, glowing mass, enveloping them in its comforting warmth. Luke rolled onto his back beside her. He reached for her hand, threading his fingers through hers.

‘I never expected anything so wonderful,’ he murmured.

‘Was I…did I please you?’

He raised himself on one elbow and looked into her eyes, his own glowing. ‘You were…magnificent.’

He kissed her, but when he broke away she chuckled. ‘I followed the paintings.’ She pointed to the walls.

‘The devil you did!’ Luke laughed and kissed her again. ‘Perhaps your father will paint these scenes in our bedroom at Darvell Manor. Would you object to that?’

‘If it is what you want, my lord.’

He ran a finger over her lips and trailed it gently down between her breasts. ‘No, I want only you, night after night!’ He grinned at her. ‘We must be married by special licence, as soon as possible. I cannot bear to sleep alone after this.’

She touched his cheek. ‘Nor I, my lord.’

He kissed her gently, his naked body hardening as it rested against hers. ‘You see the effect you have on me?’ he murmured, nibbling her ear. ‘After tonight your aunt and uncle will keep you well away from me.’

She put her hand down to caress him and felt a soaring elation as he responded to her touch. She drew him closer. ‘Then let us not waste a moment, my lord,’ she whispered.

O
n a bright, spring morning, Lord Darvell’s elegant travelling carriage swept through the gates of Malberry Court. Unable to contain herself, Carlotta leaned out of the window.

‘We should be able to see the house soon…There it is! Can you see it, Luke?’

‘I see something I like much better.’ He caught her around the waist and pulled her back.

She collapsed onto his lap, laughing. ‘Behave yourself, my lord.’

He kissed her, causing a bolt of excitement to shoot through her. Would she ever become immune to his touch? Carlotta hoped not.

‘How can I behave myself, my lady, when you look so adorable?’

Carlotta settled herself back beside him and made her voice suitably severe. ‘Well, you must try, Luke. Your brother will not think us respectable enough to be godparents for little James.’

Luke gave a mock scowl, but as the carriage pulled up at the steps of Malberry Court he jumped out and turned
to help her alight, every inch the respectable husband, as James came hurrying out to meet them.

‘You have made good time,’ he said, gripping his brother’s hand. He turned to greet Carlotta, kissing her cheek and giving her an admiring glance. ‘You are looking very well, my dear. Am I to take it my wicked brother is looking after you?’

‘Alas, sir, he abuses me quite dreadfully.’

‘Baggage!’ Luke grinned. ‘Tell me truthfully, James—does she look like a neglected wife?’

‘No. In fact, you both look very pleased with yourselves! Have you been to town yet?’

‘No. As you know we went to Rome directly after the wedding—my father-in-law wanted to show me off to all his relatives!’

‘And why not?’ declared Carlotta. ‘He is very proud of his new son—a baron, no less!’

Luke grinned at her and kissed her hand. ‘Since then we have been at Darvell Manor. I now take my responsibilities as a landowner very seriously.’

‘Aye, and about time, too! Come along in—Adele is in her room with the baby, but she has instructed me to bring you both to her.’

‘How is she?’ asked Carlotta as James led them through the hall.

‘In good health. You will remember I was a trifle anxious when she decided she would not have a wet nurse for the baby, but you will see that they are both thriving.’ He led them up the stairs and into the main bedchamber. ‘Here you are, my love, I have brought them straight up to you, as you see—they have not even had the chance to put off their coats.’

Adele was reclining on a daybed, wearing a blue satin wrap and gently rocking the cradle at her side. She smiled and held out her hands to them.

‘Carlotta, my love—and Luke! Come and see your little godson. Is he not beautiful?’

Luke glanced at the little bundle lying in the cradle and murmured indistinctly.

Carlotta met Adele’s eyes and giggled. ‘He is adorable,’ she said, pushing Luke out of the way. ‘I hope he is a good baby?’

‘He sleeps a great deal, but when he is awake he is very demanding, just like his father,’ replied Adele, her eyes twinkling. ‘And everyone says he has the Ainslowe look.’

‘Dashed if I can see it,’ muttered James. ‘We have had so many visitors I am beginning to wish we had turned the morning room into Adele’s bedchamber; Lord and Lady Broxted called on us yesterday and Mr and Mrs Price the day before that. They are on their way to town to order Julia’s bride clothes.’

‘Ah, yes, she marries Viscount Fairbridge this summer.’ Carlotta nodded. ‘I am glad; I think they are well suited.’ She paused. ‘And what news of Mr Woollatt?’

Adele’s eyes brimmed with merriment. ‘My spies tell me that his mama has found him a very suitable bride—excellent breeding, reasonable fortune and from a
very
respectable family.’

‘Sounds exceedingly dull,’ said Luke. ‘But then Woollatt is a very dull dog.’ He pulled Carlotta into his arms. ‘You are much better off with me, you know.’

Carlotta blushed, then giggled as James grimaced at this open display of affection. A snuffling cry from the cradle brought their attention back to the baby. Adele
began to rock the cradle again and James moved over to gaze at his son.

‘I was very much afraid I should not see this day,’ he said, reaching down to stroke the sleeping baby’s fat cheek. ‘When the gig overturned, I was afraid I should lose you both.’

Adele reached out her hand, smiling fondly at him. ‘You knew when we married that I come from tough yeoman stock, my love. It would take more than a little tumble to hurt me.’

‘Nevertheless, I was never closer to doing a man harm than when I found out it was Reed who tampered with that wheel. I am glad he was sentenced to hard labour—any lesser punishment and I should have been tempted to take the law into my own hands.’ He scowled at the memory.

‘And Mattingwood—is he still awaiting transportation?’ asked Luke. ‘He was the bigger villain; Reed was working on his orders, after all.’

‘He was transported for life soon after you left for the Continent.’

They were silent for a moment, then little James set up a cry and broke the spell. With infinite care, James lifted the baby and handed him to Adele, who rocked him gently in her arms until he settled back to sleep. James watched them for a few moments, then turned back to his brother.

‘And is Durini to paint Darvell Manor for you?

‘Devil a bit! He is far too busy. They have taken a house in Brighton for the summer; he is working at a certain royal palace at present.’ His laughing eyes flickered towards Carlotta. ‘However, he has promised me that he will paint our new bathhouse. Which reminds me, James…we would like to make use of yours while we are here—I want to teach Carlotta to swim.’

It was said blandly, but Carlotta felt Adele’s eyes upon her and could not prevent the blush stealing into her cheeks.

‘What an excellent idea. Once the baby is weaned, I think we should do the same, James. I believe the exercise would be very beneficial.’

‘Well, perhaps, perhaps,’ said James, looking flustered. ‘We shall have to wait and see.’

‘You know, my love, I am quite as aware as Carlotta of the wall paintings in the bathhouse,’ said Adele, choosing a bonbon from the little dish on the table beside her. ‘We peeped into the warm room, you see, when we were walking in the grounds last summer.’

‘You never told me that!’

‘No, well, I thought you would be too shocked. However, Carlotta is a married lady now, and Julia almost a wife, so I doubt if there is any harm done.’

‘Quite the contrary,’ murmured Luke, casting another wicked glance at Carlotta, who blushed to the roots of her hair. She was relieved when James suggested they should leave Adele to rest, and they were shown to their own guest room.

‘James is quite the family man now,’ observed Luke when they were alone. ‘Marriage undoubtedly agrees with him.’

He watched Carlotta untie the ribbons of her bonnet and toss it aside, swiftly followed by her pelisse. As she stood with the light from the window behind her, he could see the curves of her body outlined through the thin muslin of her gown.

‘And what do you think of the state, my lord, now that you have had several months to sample it?’

He held out his arms and immediately she walked into them.

‘I think it agrees with me, too.’ He put his arms around
her. Looking down into the dark eyes that gazed so trustingly up into his own, he felt his heart tighten—she was so damned irresistible. ‘No, it is not marriage,’ he said slowly, ‘it is
you
that agrees with me,
cara
.’

His mouth slid over hers and she responded immediately, her lips softening and her body leaning into him, arousing the desire that was never far away. He swept her up into his arms and carried her over to the bed.

‘Luke! We have only just arrived.’

‘No one will disturb us. I have locked the door.’

‘But will not James be expecting us?’ Her voice sounded husky, breathless—a sign that she wanted him, too.

‘No, love. He was going back to sit with Adele. We need not appear again until the dinner hour.’ He tugged gently at the ribbons securing her bodice. ‘You will be wanting to change your gown…’

They undressed each other slowly, taking pleasure in arousing each other in the ways they had learned during the passionate days and nights since their marriage.

‘With my body, I thee worship,’
Luke murmured as they continued with their sensual rituals until they reached the final, fulfilling climax, clinging together as their passion spilled over, a great wave of blinding, gasping exhilaration that left them both exhausted.

The spring day was coming to a close, the light fading. Soon they would be summoned to the dinner table. Luke raised himself on one elbow and looked at Carlotta. She was curled on her side, her hand cradling her cheek. He leaned over and kissed her.

‘It is time to get up,
cara
. Your maid will be banging on the door soon.’

A sleepy chuckle greeted his words. ‘She knows better than that.’ She sat up and reached for her wrap.

He heard her sigh. ‘Carlotta? What is it?’

‘I was thinking of Adele, and her fortune. I brought you so little…’

‘You cannot call your uncle’s ten thousand pounds a paltry sum!’

‘No, but he insisted upon so much of it being tied up in settlements and jointures.’

‘And quite rightly so. He is protecting you from the Wicked Baron.’

‘Were you ever really wicked?’

He grinned and pulled her back on to the bed. ‘No. I was more…. wild. But I am tamed now.’

‘Not completely, I hope.’

‘No, love, not completely.’

She wound her arms about his neck, sighing again, but this time with contentment. ‘I am so fortunate, so—so blessed—to have a man like you, who loves me so much. It is the best feeling in the world to be so beloved.’

Luke’s heart swelled at these words. He held her even tighter. ‘And I intend that you shall continue to feel beloved,’ he murmured as he prepared to kiss her again. ‘For ever.’

ISBN: 978-1-4268-3148-5

THE WICKED BARON

Copyright © 2009 by Sarah Mallory

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