Angel of Ash (16 page)

Asher relaxed once she had fallen asleep, opening his eyes to stare at her briefly, memorizing every line of her face. She really was too beautiful for her own good, he thought to himself, studying her full lips and slightly flared heart shaped nostrils. He did not know what it was about her that called to him, so much, he knew he had hurt her feelings dreadfully at dinner, but to protect himself, he would have to. He could not allow himself to fall for her any more than he already had, and so, keeping her at a careful distance would protect his heart from her, even though he wasn’t sure how many smiles she could give him, how many times he would be able to stand staring at the pain in her eyes before he’d end the romance.

And end it he would, he could not afford to fall for Angel, not after what that bitch before her had did. He’d use Angel like he used all the women before her, the women that would surely come after her and damn everyone else.

Asher had planned on leaving for London soon, to give Caleb the chance to seduce her, but he knew his plans would change.

The thought angered him, as he thought of not only Caleb trying to seduce her, but also his cousin, Anthony, already fast known as following Asher’s footsteps with his devilishly handsome good looks. Asher would not warn Anthony away, not warn anyone away, he’d not even told Caleb what had occurred between Angel and he. No, of course not, even though she had been a virgin, Angel had been all too willing to lie with him. He suspected she’d do much the same with Caleb or Anthony, or even both.

He squelched the anger, resentment and jealousy he felt, instead turning away from her as he stared into the dimming fire, remembering the pain he’d felt, the pain that stayed with him constantly. No, he’d not be that young, stupid and innocent gullible fool as before. No woman, least of all this woman lying with him, would ever have him again.

Angel woke in her bed, remembering vaguely Asher carrying her to bed in the wee hours of the morning, leaving her there, with nary a bye your leave. She’d studied him from sleepy eyes, remembering her resolve to be sophisticated, to not allow Asher’s public demeanor towards her affect her so horribly as she’d had last night.

Waking early, she took a bath, thinking perhaps that Asher would join her, the door upon his side of the bathing room, unlocked, he didn’t however, and Angel listened in vain, waiting for the fall of his footsteps, but all was quiet from his side of the room.

Dressing, she made her way downstairs, breakfast ready, half of the family serving their selves at a buffet style table, and Angel joined the line, saying her good mornings and reiterating more than once that she felt truly rested after her long sleep.

Gabriel and his daughter, Lauran were eating and Maria engaged Angel into the conversation she was having with Lauran about her new brother. Angel noticed that Asher was not in the room and settled down, ignoring the many men in the room who gave her interested looks.

“
How do you like your new brother?” Maria was asking Lauran and Lauran smiled before eating a bite of fluffy eggs.

“
I will quite enjoy him as a brother,” she said, slowly, Hunter had described that Lauran had not talked for her first four years of life but at the age of four had started using complete sentences, nearly sending her father into an epileptic fit upon her first words. “He is very fat and very loud, however.”

The table laughed, Gabe ruffling his daughters silky red hair. “That he is, little one, you shall have to tell him what is proper.”

Lauran nodded, more interested in her breakfast, however, than the fat bundle of joy now upstairs with her mother. She turned towards Angel with interested eyes. “Ms. Barrett? Could you tell me about America? I read a book once about the many different Indians there, how they live in huts and villages and wear feathers in their heads and how the women carry their babies around in a caboose,” she said excitedly.

Angel nodded. “Right you are, Ms. Lauran, many of the Indians do live in villages, even though more and more they are moving farther towards the interior of the country-”

“
Why?” Lauran interrupted.

“
Because of the many different people moving into the country.” Angel did not want to get into the politics of that, however, especially with a six year old child. “They wear leather clothing, usually; the women wear pants with a long, leather dress that usually reaches their knees-”

“
Pants?” Lauran asked excitedly. “Oh my dear.”

“
Many of the women have long hair, very black and straight. It is seen as dishonor if a woman does not take care of her hair.”

And as Angel spoke, the table was enraptured with her speech, which was informative and amusing at once, as Angel recounted her first meeting with her fathers’ Native American friends, who’d pursed their lips in disapproval at her dress and the upkeep of her hair.

Asher walked in the dining room, his family and Gabe’s listening in rapt attention to Angel’s stories of home.

“
Uncle Asher! Uncle Asher!” Lauran yelled, unladylike as she scooted from her seat to fly towards Asher who lifted her in the air, before settling her down in his arms. “Where have you been?” Lauran demanded, pouting as she frowned at him, poking out her lip. “You said that you would take me riding with you this morning.”

“
I would have, if a certain someone wasn’t still soundly asleep in her bed. You promised me you would be up at precisely six in the morning and waiting for me outside your door. Well, it was with much surprise that I still found you quite abed and quite asleep.”

Lauran laughed, ducking her head in shame. “You should have awoken me, uncle,” she returned, sticking out her tongue out him which he pretended to grab and she laughed, wiggling out of his arms before running back to her father.

The table laughed at her exuberance, Angel along with the rest of them, feeling verily silly that she had let her heart catch in her throat upon one look at him, but she did so much better than last eve. Turning away from him when he spared her not a look and finishing the rest of her breakfast.

It was Anthony and Jane who asked her to join them for a light picnic outside, and Angel readily agreed, knowing nothing would come of her mooning after Asher in morose. Instead, she joined Jane in her room, as Jane, blond with Gabe’s emerald green eyes and an inch shorter than Love, showed her the newest dress which her mother had commissioned for her.

The gown, ice blue, was particularly stunning as the two young women studied the intricate sewing and beading, Jane with a blush upon her cheeks as she whispered to Angel she was hoping a certain one of Hunter’s brothers would notice her.

Angel’s ears perked up. “Why they are all quite handsome, are they not? Which one has caught your eye?”

Jane stared wide eyed at Angel, before finally whispering. “Do you promise not to tell, Ms. Barrett? Please, I will simply burst if I don’t tell anyone.”

“
Of course, your secret is safe with me,” Angel said.

As Jane smiled, before dramatically falling to her bed, her arms outstretched. “Oh, it is Asher, he is so handsome!” She cried in passion. “Have you never seen one such as he? His cat eyes…and his dimples, every time I see them, I wish he would flash them towards me. Isn’t he just scrumptious?”

Angel snorted, Oh, God. “Yes, simply scrumptious,” she agreed readily, sitting upon the edge of Jane’s bed.

“
I have visions of our marriage, you know,” she said. “I will look simply stunning in my white gown as he waits for me, smiling, his dimples deep and I have eyes for no other man.”

Angel had the same vision herself, but she would never tell.

“
And after during the banquet, we dance and dance and dance, even though I have heard Asher does not dance. However, for me, he does so and we make a stunning couple upon the floor.”
Both women sighed romantically, before Angel shook her head of such thoughts. It was not meant to be, something inside her knew that Asher would never offer her marriage, never give him her heart and so she would simply enjoy the nights that they would spend together and hope her heart could survive the pain which she knew was to come.

“
Do you think he likes me?” Jane asked, sitting up and turning towards Love. “He is so much less open than his brothers, oh; I have heard rumors of a woman he used to love, a long time ago.”

“
You have? What happened?”

Jane dropped her voice a few octaves, a dramatic stage whisper. “Oh, you can never say you heard this from me, but I have on good account of my brother, who is fast friends with Anthony, Asher’s closest cousin, that this woman jilted Asher, even though he proclaimed his love for her. She instead turned towards Caleb, because he was the heir and Asher was only the spare. The wedding was canceled, the very day of the wedding, and months later it was said she died a tragic death, even though no one knows the why, except Asher. Anthony said that Asher has not been the same since and that is why he leaves so many broken hearts littered upon the shore.”

Angel could fast and well understand if what Jane spoke was true, why he now felt as if he could not allow himself to fall in love. She would have to ask Hunter, because the gossip that Jane spoke, well true from what Hunter had tried to warn her of. Angel nodded her acceptance of Jane’s words, it did not sound far from what should be the truth and would describe Asher’s behavior towards her. “Oh, that is a very sad story,” she said.

Jane nodded. “I have heard of bets upon the ladies, but you can never tell my mother, I have heard such things, she would have fits.”

“
What type of bets?”

“
Who will he bed next?”

“
Oh,” Angel said her cheeks aflame. “Oh.”

Jane blushed too. “They say he is that wonderful…of a lover, but promise me you shall never tell another soul what I speak to you, Ms. Barrett, I just feel so comfortable in your presence.”

Angel nodded; her secret would be kept safe. “Of course not, Jane, it shall be our secret.” She said, before the two began speaking of other subjects before finally getting ready for the picnic.

They were joined by more than what Angel had first thought, not only Anthony, but also Caleb and Michael, one of the twins, as they rode horses to the secluded glen Angel had found yesterday, settling on large, thick blankets as the outing enjoyed their selves, Angel feeling young and happy, as she pushed thoughts of Asher to the side, instead enjoying herself along with the companionable people who saw to it that she would enjoy every minute of her day here. It was with great surprise and merriment that Michael took out a small violin and the women took turns dancing with each of the men, their hair flying wildly about as she ended up with Anthony who touched her more than what was proper, but because she was enjoying herself so much Angel said nothing, smiling in pleasure at the music and the company. Finally, as they settled back down, Angel turned towards Anthony who was speaking towards her.

“
I have ear that you have family, an aunt,” Anthony said, interrupting Caleb as he had been speaking to Angel.

Angel nodded. “Yes, my father’s sister, I am actually going to see her tomorrow, Ethan and Maria will escort me there, they shall return and I shall stay for another day, the duchess promising she herself will bring me back.”

“
I have heard of the work she has undertaken and it was her and the duke who helped to abolish slavery here.” Jane commented.

Angel nodded. “Yes, I hope she will only like me, I have yet to speak with her personally.”

It was Anthony who said: “Like you, why Ms. Barrett, everyone falls under your spell, present company not excluded, she will love you as we all do.”

And Angel could say nothing at his overly flirtatious word, simply nodding before once again speaking to Jane.

When the sun had well made its way back down, the group walked back to the estate, leading their horses, Jane and Angel off to the side, away from the men. “Ignore, Anthony, he must be the biggest flirt this side of the ocean.”

Angel laughed. “So I have correctly presumed.”

But Jane did not laugh. “Do take him at his word, Angel, my brother, tells me something disturbing and you should make care around him, do not find yourself alone with him. Oh, he will not do anything untoward, but he might try to claim a kiss from you which would make Gabe and Ethan and Anthony’s father very mad for trying to take advantage of you, as you are their guest.”

Angel nodded, why if they would get mad at Anthony about an innocent kiss, she could not imagine how they would react to her and Asher’s romantic involvement. “I shall take care, my lady and thank you for the warning.”

Jane nodded and Angel changed the subject to the weather, a safe topic, since both women wanted the weather to stay as clear as possible, but even as they spoke, a sharp wind started, blowing their fashionable hats, which they tried vainly to hold onto as Caleb turned towards them.

“
I shall lead your horses, ladies, please, do make your way inside, before you get caught in what looks to be an upcoming storm,” he said, and even as he spoke, large splatters of rain hit the grouping, Angel and Jane giving Caleb and Michael their reigns as they lifted their skirts, laughing and knowing they would be well soaked by the time they made it to the estate.

They were, but the two didn’t care, making a delightful picture for the passing strangers who happened to glance upon them as the maids ushered them in the house, fussing over their ruined dresses, as Angel said goodbye to Jane at the top of the stairs, her heart stopping in her throat as she noticed Asher making his way towards her.