"It's not like what you think..."
She blurted without thinking and scurried down the trunk. She halted before him, looking up at him with racing mind, she couldn't decide what to say and how to begin.
"Leave."
He said without sparing her a glance, looking straight at the man standing in the middle of the bridge. She had seen his eyes burning with fury, but she never knew those eyes could look that horrendous. Like eyes of a wolf stalking its prey. She sidestepped past him and hurried away.
He had just arrived not so long ago, but he made it just in time to see her in the moment of surrender, her hands ceased to push and her body stopped resisting, before shaking in the devil's arms. He saw it all, though it lasted only a split second.
He almost could see her mouth opened wider and took Blackthorne's evil tongue inside and sucked it. He imagined it. Then she let Blackthorne's filthy hand touch her intimately, in the private part of her body.
He had a week in long private hours with her and he never touched her, he had but not in an intimate sort of way. Not that he wanted to, he didn't mean to go such lengths. And he thought she was worth his respect. Everytime he came near, she avoided him like a disease. But in less than half a day, Blackthorne had kissed her, and she allowed him. She let him claim her, tasting every drop of her sweet mouth without any resistance. She gave in to a stranger so easily. Foolish of him, to believe that she was different. She was just the same like all the women who shared her blood.
"Your Grace, what convenient timing."
Blackthorne gave a lazy smile without a nod or a bow, apparently this rake didn't care to show him the least of the damned formality.
"Find yourself another conquest, Blackthorne. That one is not available for the hunt. You will keep your distance away from her as far as you possibly can. Do you understand?"
A spark flashing in Blackthorne's eyes as they met his gaze.
"Very well, Your Grace. There's just one little problem,"
One corner of his mouth hitched up slightly higher in a mocking smile.
"I don't take orders from you."
Blackthorne made the challenge unmistakably clear in every word spilling out of his mouth.
"You unquestionably have deluded yourself if you think you can just walk in and lay claim to all that you please."
For all his life, Ashton had never felt as wild and bloodthirsty as this precise moment. He had assassinated many men in the past, without an urge to kill, without a lust for vengeance. He didn't take pleasure in doing it. But at this very moment, he had both the urge and lust in the most extreme intensity and he would take a great pleasure in shedding Blackthorne's filthy blood to the very last drop. Yet not even the slightest bit of the scorching emotion escaped his voice when he replied.
"I will forgive your impertinence as it appears you have yet to recognize that you are poaching on my preserve."
A few wasn't intimidated by him, and Blackthorne was one of them. He knew Blackthorne was not an easy opponent to outmaneuver, physically and mentally. And the last thing he wanted was to put his reputation on the line with an unreasonable duel in the residence of his fiancée's relatives. It took guile and cunning to completely secure her from this rakehell without making a spectacle.
"I see."
Blackthorne responded shortly as the absolute fact dawned on him. He had noticed at once that the girl and the duke knew each other. She staggered when she saw him and she defended herself immediately. She rushed toward him and stood still, waiting for his command. She obeyed him without hesitation. What kind of relationship did a girl from her station possibly have with a man like him?
"My apologies. Such a sweet tempting mischief she is."
Blackthorne sauntered leisurely past him, muttering casually.
"I don't mind a handover when you no longer want her..."
The day I give up her is the day I go to my grave.
The sudden thought came from the farthest, distant recesses of his mind as an answer. It struck him like a lightning. Ludicrous, he had seen it with his own eyes, she was a minx. She wasn't worth it. Moreover, she was nothing to him. Then why did he interfere with Blackthorne's amorous pursuit toward her? If she wanted a fling with that rogue, what did he care? She possibly had already slept with many men before. The very thought of it wreaked havoc in his mind, violent and uncontrollable like a sandstorm, assailing every bit of good senses in blinding blast of fury. He stared blankly at the empty bridge with one certain thing on his mind. He would not make a fool of himself wanting a wanton like her. Despite all that, he just couldn't let anyone else have her.
******
As she walked to the great house, Ava was feeling bad and uneasy all the way. How many of it had he seen? What would he think about her? The way he looked at her in Lord Blackthorne's arms reminded her of the old days, before everything changed. When he felt nothing for her but loathing and disgust. She shivered at the thought and began to regret her coincidental encounter with Lord Blackthorne. She shouldn't have gone to a secluded place alone, she shouldn't take his offer to help her pass through. However, he had no reason to be bothered. She was nothing to him and he was nothing to her. She didn't owe him any explanation. As for Lord Blackthorne...
She touched her lower lips with trembling fingers. Her lips still tingled from his kiss and she felt like the lingering sensation there would last forever. It was a kiss from the devil, yet it tasted like a stolen piece of heaven. Sinfully sweet, it was a kiss that could awaken the dead. It had been too long she forgot how it felt to be kissed. But as long as she remembered, she had never been kissed like that. A kiss that awakened an unknown passion within and made every bit of her nerve came to life. She shook her head to get rid of the lurid thoughts. Now more than ever, she had greater reason to keep her distance away from him. The Earl of Blackthorne was temptation incarnate.
*****
"Oh dear! I left my reticule in the music room!"
Lady Byrne sudden exclamation interrupted Ava's occupied mind. Just like the entire guests, they were attending an evening soirée in the ballroom.
"I hate to bother you, darling, but could you fetch it now?"
"Of course, my lady. Are you certain you left it there?"
"Yes, next to the harpsichord, I think."
Ava felt uncomfortable as she remembered the music room was quite far from the ballroom. It was not the distance that mattered, it was the situation of being alone in a secluded place. But she had no choice. She couldn't tell her recent encounter with Lord Blackthorne to the lady.
Standing alone with a flute of champagne, the Earl of Blackthorne inspected the large ballroom with his observant eyes. Ever since he stepped into the room, women competed for his attention. Some blinked slowly at him in subtle invitation, some flirted boldly with him, but he declined them all. At this moment, he wasn't interested to quench the burning needs with the ordinary and the mundane.Perusing the sea of faces, he found what he searched. The ballroom was full of lovely women, but he didn't need a magic mirror to tell who was the fairest of them all. Riveting his gaze on her, Blackthorne curled his fingers into fist in aching need.He was not accustomed to not getting what he wanted when women were concerned. Women of all ages and class hurled theirselves at him all the time. Whenever he needed one, women were always available, in a colossal amount that could surpass the king's harem, u
Walking alone in the hallway to the music room, Ava was on full alert. The music room was quite far from the ballroom. To fetch the reticule, she had to pass the corridor, dashed up the empty stairway in fear of unexpectedly being caught by Lord Blackthorne once again. Once she found the reticule in the music room, she took it and rushed downstairs. Her footsteps echoed in the walls. Dim and silent, the side of the building was completely empty as the entire guests were gathering at the ballroom. Not even a servant passed by. She wondered if someone could hear her scream from here.When she scurried along the long corridor, suddenly she glimpsed a figure standing in the shade of an alcove. The man stepped out immediately, barring her passage. She almost shrieked in shock, but his pewter locks made her recognized him at once. For a second she was thankful to find it wasn't the man she feared for, but the relief last no longer than a heartbeat. He shot a crudely i
Long past midnight, the sheet in the large bed was still perfectly neat and straight, for it remained as yet untouched. The occupant of the best and largest suite for guest in the mansion had spent the hours sitting by the window, looking at something in the distance. Ever since he saw her in the devil's arms, the sight was consuming his every waking thought. The image played over and over again through his restless mind with startling clarity, made him feel as though the vessels in his chest was going to explode.He stared out the window, in the direction of her room in the opposite building, the East Tower, where the upper servants were housed. Instead of window, each room had a small balcony overlooking the garden below. Every balcony in the second and third floor were dark, for all the inhabitants must be sleeping safe and sound at this hour. So was her room, but suddenly a little light flickered and spread over the balcony. He tensed on his seat, his senses
Ashton watched her room from the shadow in the darkest hour of the night, only to make sure she was not with somebody else. He couldn't tell whether she was waiting for the scoundrel or not. The question harrowed him the whole night. He went back to his room in the small hours, just one hour before sunrise, wondering if he started to lose his sanity. He acted like a man obsessed, a man possessed. He was restless and curious and furious at the same time. This emotion had completely taken over at the expense of everything else.***A few hours later, he sat idly on a bench in the garden with his sketchbook and pencil. The gentle morning breeze carried the stench of dewy grass and the heady perfume of roses to his nose as the birds fluttered and chirped above his head. Soft, vibrant rays of sunlight flooded over the landscape, lighting and warming every inch of the lawn. It was a bright, beautiful morning but his mood was as dark as the night.
"Be careful."He held her automatically. She stopped walking and frowned as if in pain."Are you alright?"She took hold of him with another hand, apparently it was painful for her."I think I sprained my right ankle.""Let me see."He led her to a stone bench nearby and sat her carefully, absently he placed his sketchbook on the bench next to her, then squatted down in front of her."May I?" he asked. She nodded in response.He took her injured ankle beneath her skirt and brought it to his inspection. He skimmed over her delicate ankle to find the twisted muscles. When his focus fully drawn to her ankle, Selene glanced at the sketchbook laid next to her.Ashton couldn't feel a twisted muscle in her ankle, it seemed perfectly fine.&nb
She got up and tried to make her way out of the row, but her petticoat made it difficult to move in the narrow passage. She was in the midst of the row and with the seats fully occupied, to get out of here seemed like an impossible task."Please sit down, Miss. You're blocking the view."An irritated voice came from behind, followed by mutterings of annoyance. She had no choice but to sit back. She set her body rigid and looked straight ahead. She would just ignore the earl during the show. She could feel that he was watching her intently. Under his silent observation, she became more and more restless."What do you want from me?"She asked impulsively."Forgiveness."Came his unexpected reply."I apologize. I made a terrible mistake yesterday. I promise it will never happen again."Had she misheard him? Was he apologizing to her? He looked like an unrepentant jerk. But, s
"Please, allow me to make amends for my careless behavior."The lady's gaze brushed her from head to toe and she felt even more inhibited."There's no need, My Lady."Struggling to conceal her discomfort, she managed to bring out a polite answer."That's very kind of you," The lady raised one brow."I haven't seen you before, Miss..?""I'm no miss, my lady. I'm just a humble lady's companion.""I am Lady Selene Wyndham, and you are?""Miss Ava Banks of Evergreen, Vermont."She performed a low curtsy, and for some reasons she couldn't bring herself to look at the lady. Suddenly she felt an absurd guilt and an urge to escape. What would the lady think of her if she knew her fiancé had had several clandestine meetings with her?"Vermont, what a coincidence. Darling~"The lady beckoned to someone standing a few feet away
Later that evening, she walked across the garden to return to her room in the East Tower. Lady Byrne decided to retire early this evening and she couldn't be more pleased about that. She didn't think she could endure another hour of polite and mundane conversation, pretending to be enthusiastic with the topic while her mind was in total chaos.This vacation had turned out to be a real disaster, her whole situation was distressing and there was nothing she wanted more than to leave this place, and put anything that happened here behind her. She spent every hour counting down the days until she could go home and return to her peaceful life, away from the haughty, insufferable men of aristocracy who thought they could buy anything in this world with their money and power.She rushed along the lovely garden path, glancing over her shoulder every now and then as to check if she was being followed. When she passed a darkened path, suddenly a stron