and left a bitter aftertaste in his mouth. He fought down nausea, and he fought back tears of bitter hatred and remorse. After a time, he spoke.
“Randy is due to arrive soon. It would be best if you were gone.”
“Are you ashamed of me, Jonathon? Goodness, Randy has known of our love for all of these years. I doubt that he would be shocked to find us together,” she answered.
Jonathon recalled a warning Randy had given him before he left for the voyage that eventually took him to London and Emily. Oh, Emily. He squeezed his eyes shut trying not to think of the pain she would feel knowing about this encounter. She must never know. But Randy knew that Deidre still had feelings for Jonathon, and had warned him to be careful when he returned. Neither of them had known at that point that he would return with Emily and ignite the fury that Deidre had just avenged.
“No, he would not be shocked, but he would be enraged. You see, he is very protective of Emily, and could harm us for this indiscretion,” Jonathon answered.
“So you are trying to protect me? See, you do love me,” she laughed.
“You had best dress and be on your way,” Jonathon urged.
Deidre sat up and looked at him.
“Do not forget this, Jonathon, our time together. I will return so we can make love again.”
“Deidre, we did not — ”
She pressed her fingers against his lips.
“Be careful what you say, Jonathon. We want your baby to be safe, do we not?” The sweetness of her voice did not match the hardness of her eyes.
“Just to be sure you remember our time together, I will give you a souvenir,” she chuckled. Jonathon looked at her quizzically, then his eyes widened in pain as she raked her nails down his chest across the recent wounds inflicted by the British. Droplets of blood beaded on the still-healing scars. Jonathon looked at his chest and then at Deidre in disbelief.
“I do not suppose you would want dear Emily to see those lover’s wounds, now would you, Jonathon?” She laughed as she rose from the bed.
• • •
Emily lay back and let the sun warm her face, slip down to her throat and along the rise of her breasts like a lover caressing a beloved. She lounged in a chaise on the veranda sometimes looking out at the gardens, sometimes closing her eyes and reliving the feel of Jonathon’s embrace. A smile played on her lips, and memories caused her to flush with warmth. Seeing Jonathon had been wonderful, but her desire to be with him again was not sated. She longed for Andrew to arrive in his carriage and take her once again to the arms of her husband.
“Your dreams must be very pleasant if your smile is any indication.”
Emily jumped, startled at Deidre’s words. She opened her eyes shading them against the sun that set Deidre in a dark silhouette. Drowsy with daydreaming and slower with the weight of her baby, Emily gently sat up. Deidre moved to a nearby chair inching it closer to Emily.
“Tell me what you were thinking about, Emily. You looked positively enraptured,” Deidre said.
Emily flushed again at her memories as well as at the need to dissemble.
“I was simply enjoying the sun, Deidre,” she answered.
“Oh, I do not think it was solely the sun that warmed you, my dear,” Deidre chuckled.
Emily looked down at her hands searching for another topic of conversation. This one was entirely too dangerous. Of all the people she wished to hide her knowledge from, Deidre was second only to the British. While Deidre seemed to be genuinely grateful for being allowed to remain at Brentwood Manor, something deep inside Emily prevented her from trusting the woman entirely.
“Did you hear that David’s niece will be arriving at Brentwood Manor soon? David’s brother Edward is quite concerned for her safety in Boston,” Emily said.
Deidre stared at Emily for a long moment before she replied.
“Yes, Joanna informed me of this yesterday. How very thoughtful of you to be so concerned for this young woman
“Randy is due to arrive soon. It would be best if you were gone.”
“Are you ashamed of me, Jonathon? Goodness, Randy has known of our love for all of these years. I doubt that he would be shocked to find us together,” she answered.
Jonathon recalled a warning Randy had given him before he left for the voyage that eventually took him to London and Emily. Oh, Emily. He squeezed his eyes shut trying not to think of the pain she would feel knowing about this encounter. She must never know. But Randy knew that Deidre still had feelings for Jonathon, and had warned him to be careful when he returned. Neither of them had known at that point that he would return with Emily and ignite the fury that Deidre had just avenged.
“No, he would not be shocked, but he would be enraged. You see, he is very protective of Emily, and could harm us for this indiscretion,” Jonathon answered.
“So you are trying to protect me? See, you do love me,” she laughed.
“You had best dress and be on your way,” Jonathon urged.
Deidre sat up and looked at him.
“Do not forget this, Jonathon, our time together. I will return so we can make love again.”
“Deidre, we did not — ”
She pressed her fingers against his lips.
“Be careful what you say, Jonathon. We want your baby to be safe, do we not?” The sweetness of her voice did not match the hardness of her eyes.
“Just to be sure you remember our time together, I will give you a souvenir,” she chuckled. Jonathon looked at her quizzically, then his eyes widened in pain as she raked her nails down his chest across the recent wounds inflicted by the British. Droplets of blood beaded on the still-healing scars. Jonathon looked at his chest and then at Deidre in disbelief.
“I do not suppose you would want dear Emily to see those lover’s wounds, now would you, Jonathon?” She laughed as she rose from the bed.
• • •
Emily lay back and let the sun warm her face, slip down to her throat and along the rise of her breasts like a lover caressing a beloved. She lounged in a chaise on the veranda sometimes looking out at the gardens, sometimes closing her eyes and reliving the feel of Jonathon’s embrace. A smile played on her lips, and memories caused her to flush with warmth. Seeing Jonathon had been wonderful, but her desire to be with him again was not sated. She longed for Andrew to arrive in his carriage and take her once again to the arms of her husband.
“Your dreams must be very pleasant if your smile is any indication.”
Emily jumped, startled at Deidre’s words. She opened her eyes shading them against the sun that set Deidre in a dark silhouette. Drowsy with daydreaming and slower with the weight of her baby, Emily gently sat up. Deidre moved to a nearby chair inching it closer to Emily.
“Tell me what you were thinking about, Emily. You looked positively enraptured,” Deidre said.
Emily flushed again at her memories as well as at the need to dissemble.
“I was simply enjoying the sun, Deidre,” she answered.
“Oh, I do not think it was solely the sun that warmed you, my dear,” Deidre chuckled.
Emily looked down at her hands searching for another topic of conversation. This one was entirely too dangerous. Of all the people she wished to hide her knowledge from, Deidre was second only to the British. While Deidre seemed to be genuinely grateful for being allowed to remain at Brentwood Manor, something deep inside Emily prevented her from trusting the woman entirely.
“Did you hear that David’s niece will be arriving at Brentwood Manor soon? David’s brother Edward is quite concerned for her safety in Boston,” Emily said.
Deidre stared at Emily for a long moment before she replied.
“Yes, Joanna informed me of this yesterday. How very thoughtful of you to be so concerned for this young woman
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