the woods, she found the road. Once their pace slowed, Jessie reached back to secure the baskets to the side of the saddle. Blood trickled down her fingers. She shook off the cape and examined the wound. As she’d expected, it hadn’t penetrated her arm. The pain had not been severe enough for that. Rivulets of blood dripped from where the bullet had grazed her.
The house was eerily quiet as Jessie climbed the unlit stairwell to her room. She crept with mouse-like steps through the hall so as not to disturb Lord Blackwood.
Once inside her room, she started a fire and quickly removed her blood soaked garments. Using this morning’s soapy water, Jessie rinsed her arm. After shedding her chemise, she took a plaster from the dressing room cabinet. Pressing it against the shallow wound, she walked over to the fire to warm her skin. She reached for the poker and bent forward to push the largest log back into the heart of the fire.
“Perfect.” The disturbingly deep voice came from a dark recess of the room.
Jessie froze in place for a moment then used her arms to shield her nakedness before turning to face him. She could make out only his silhouette sitting relaxed in her chair. His long legs were stretched out in front of him crossed at the ankles. His hands were clasped behind his head.
“Lord Blackwood I didn’t expect you to be—”
“Conscious?” He supplied the word. “I reduced my dosage. I intend to experience every inch of you to the fullest.”
“Such self-control,” she responded sarcastically.
“Control has nothing to do with it. I have no intention of controlling myself tonight.” He motioned for her to turn around.
She had just missed having a bullet lodged in her back. Parading naked before her husband, no matter how intimidating he was, should not cause her much anguish, yet her entire body shivered. She twirled on her heels, hardly giving him a chance to view her.
“Where have you been, wife ?” The last word was said with such disdain it was painful to hear.
Jessie struggled to appear nonchalant. “I’ve been visiting friends,” she replied. “Friends?” he asked.
He made it sound like an accusation. She was to blame for this demeanor. She should never have provoked him with that carnal story about the plowmen.
“It was very convenient of you to disrobe, since I intend to take full advantage of my husbandly rights tonight and for at least a month.”
“A month?” she asked. So that was all the time she had to secure a future. If she weren’t successful surely she would find herself in no better situation than Lucy.
“I’m sure I will tire of you by then.”
“I’ve no doubt your unsavory habits will overtake you again and lessen your need for me. Then you will want to be rid of me sooner.” Again her mouth was putting her in peril. Thirty days would decrease to a fortnight if she didn’t hold her tongue. Her slim hope that Lord Blackwood would be more decent than the other Braddock men was quickly shrinking.
“I’ll worry about my habits. You worry about fulfilling your wifely commitments.
Come closer, woman. I want to see you,” he growled.
She hesitated for a moment then willed herself forward. She could see him clearly now. She stared down at her husband’s face, the face of a stranger. His lids were heavy as he looked up at her through a thick curtain of black lashes. His scrutiny of her was merciless. Rather than feeling afraid, her breath quickened with a sudden need to be touched. He leaned over and pried away the hand still clamped over the wound. Only an angry pink line remained.
“What is it your friends do to you?” he asked.
“Anything they want,” she said in a wanton tone, instantly forgetting that he was not a man to goad.
“Let me see that circlet on your ankle,” he demanded.
Balancing on one foot she brought up her knee. He leaned forward, took hold of her foot and set it on his thigh. She felt awkward and exposed. The leg that
The house was eerily quiet as Jessie climbed the unlit stairwell to her room. She crept with mouse-like steps through the hall so as not to disturb Lord Blackwood.
Once inside her room, she started a fire and quickly removed her blood soaked garments. Using this morning’s soapy water, Jessie rinsed her arm. After shedding her chemise, she took a plaster from the dressing room cabinet. Pressing it against the shallow wound, she walked over to the fire to warm her skin. She reached for the poker and bent forward to push the largest log back into the heart of the fire.
“Perfect.” The disturbingly deep voice came from a dark recess of the room.
Jessie froze in place for a moment then used her arms to shield her nakedness before turning to face him. She could make out only his silhouette sitting relaxed in her chair. His long legs were stretched out in front of him crossed at the ankles. His hands were clasped behind his head.
“Lord Blackwood I didn’t expect you to be—”
“Conscious?” He supplied the word. “I reduced my dosage. I intend to experience every inch of you to the fullest.”
“Such self-control,” she responded sarcastically.
“Control has nothing to do with it. I have no intention of controlling myself tonight.” He motioned for her to turn around.
She had just missed having a bullet lodged in her back. Parading naked before her husband, no matter how intimidating he was, should not cause her much anguish, yet her entire body shivered. She twirled on her heels, hardly giving him a chance to view her.
“Where have you been, wife ?” The last word was said with such disdain it was painful to hear.
Jessie struggled to appear nonchalant. “I’ve been visiting friends,” she replied. “Friends?” he asked.
He made it sound like an accusation. She was to blame for this demeanor. She should never have provoked him with that carnal story about the plowmen.
“It was very convenient of you to disrobe, since I intend to take full advantage of my husbandly rights tonight and for at least a month.”
“A month?” she asked. So that was all the time she had to secure a future. If she weren’t successful surely she would find herself in no better situation than Lucy.
“I’m sure I will tire of you by then.”
“I’ve no doubt your unsavory habits will overtake you again and lessen your need for me. Then you will want to be rid of me sooner.” Again her mouth was putting her in peril. Thirty days would decrease to a fortnight if she didn’t hold her tongue. Her slim hope that Lord Blackwood would be more decent than the other Braddock men was quickly shrinking.
“I’ll worry about my habits. You worry about fulfilling your wifely commitments.
Come closer, woman. I want to see you,” he growled.
She hesitated for a moment then willed herself forward. She could see him clearly now. She stared down at her husband’s face, the face of a stranger. His lids were heavy as he looked up at her through a thick curtain of black lashes. His scrutiny of her was merciless. Rather than feeling afraid, her breath quickened with a sudden need to be touched. He leaned over and pried away the hand still clamped over the wound. Only an angry pink line remained.
“What is it your friends do to you?” he asked.
“Anything they want,” she said in a wanton tone, instantly forgetting that he was not a man to goad.
“Let me see that circlet on your ankle,” he demanded.
Balancing on one foot she brought up her knee. He leaned forward, took hold of her foot and set it on his thigh. She felt awkward and exposed. The leg that
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