Love's Fiery Jewel (43 page)

"Well, that was the first, and by far not the most
pleasurable, Amethyst!" Advancing slowly toward her,
Damien began unbuttoning his shirtfront, the familiar
glow in his eyes bringing a blush to Amethyst's cheek. "But the pleasures afforded our new circumstances will
far outweigh the discomfort of declaration, darling. I
promise you that."

Drifting gently from an unremembered dream, Amethyst slowly opened her eyes to the light of morning
streaming through the bedroom window. Warm, strong
arms wrapped around her seemed to sense her awakening, pulling her closer, as if to coax her back into the
quiet world from which she had just awakened. Lifting
her eyes, Amethyst saw that Damien still slept, the broad
planes of his face relaxed. A lock of heavy tawny hair lay
on his forehead, adding to his sleeping countenance an
air of youth and vulnerability which was so contrary to
the aura of assured self-possession he exuded when
awake. Assessing him further, Amethyst realized that
even in sleep, Damien's jaw retained the stubborn,
forceful look that stirred her anger, but his full, sensuous
lips evoked quite a different emotion, as a memory of the
wondrous delights they were capable of stirring within
her returned unbidden to mind.

Beginning to stir restlessly, Damien's hand moved
caressingly into her hair as he pulled her against his
chest. Her cheek resting comfortably against the fine
golden-brown mat of hair on the broad expanse,
Amethyst felt a short moment of warm tranquillty.
Damien had been a different man in the past week.
Beginning and ending each day lying beside him in his
arms, she had begun to see a new side of Damien Straith.
Loving and tender, he withheld no sign of affection,
touching and caressing her at every given opportunity,
startling those unaccustomed to his open displays into
open-mouthed amazement. Escorting her to Dr. Morgan's office earlier in the week, he had waited in the
anteroom for the doctor's summons at the conclusion of
her examination, his anxiety apparent when he met the older man's stern countenance.

His voice heavy with implied censure, the short,
balding Dr. Morgan had spoken quietly. "I assume I am
about to confirm a condition of which you are already
aware. Amethyst is a very healthy young woman who is
approximately three months pregnant. Since she has not
divulged the name of the father of her child to me, I can
only assume that you are he, Damien."

Obviously relieved, Damien smiled, a note of pride in
his voice as he took a few short steps to Amethyst's side
to lightly brush her lips with his before turning to
respond, "Yes, John, it is my child Amethyst carries, and
a beautiful boy he will be, too!"

A gray brow raised quizzically, Dr. Morgan said slowly,
"And it does not concern you that you have taken
advantage of an extremely young woman under your
protection and that this child was conceived outside the
bonds of holy matrimony?"

Damien's smile stiffening, he replied softly, "Will
Amethyst's unwed status prohibit you from attending
her, John?"

"Of course not!" Dr. Morgan's reply was slightly
indignant.

"Well, in that case, I will answer your question."
Damien's arm stealing warmly around Amethyst's
shoulders, he pulled her gently against his side, shooting
her a short look, the warmth of which brought a flush of
color to her white face. "I'm extremely happy about the
child, as happy as I am for the world to know that
Amethyst belongs to me. As for marriage, it is a mere
formality about which I have decided not to concern
myself at present."

"And Amethyst, does she not..."

"I think I have answered enough of your questions
now, John." Cutting the interview short with a smile that
negated the sharpness of his words, Damien had bid him goodbye, his mood unaffected by the older man's
criticism.

The following day Damien had returned from an earlymorning excursion, bursting unannounced into their
room to find Amethyst in her chemise as Mary attempted
to aid her in dressing. Dismissing the embarrassed young
woman, his eyes had moved warmly over Amethyst's
petite womanly presence. Her black shining curls, yet
undone, hung down her slender back, extending almost
to her waist as her winsome face looked expectantly to
his. The smooth line of her neck and shoulders, bared in
the abbreviated garment pleased his eye as he followed it
unerringly to the length of slender arms and small hands
that fluttered nervously. His eyes moved to the generous
swells of her breasts, exposed disturbingly in the low
neckline, noting with a growing tenderness that pregnancy only enhanced her womanly appeal. Her waist was
still narrow, only the slightest bulge beginning to show
beneath as Damien's eyes continued downward. Edged
lightly in delicate white lace, her chemise ended abruptly
atop slender thighs, exposing legs that were startlingly
long and willowy for a woman of her petite stature.
Following their slender length to the floor, he noted the
narrow-heeled shoes and dark stockings that extended
upward to be secured above the knee by narrow,
beribboned pink garters, and was barely able to suppress
the urge to slowly roll those silk stockings down her legs,
allowing his lips to follow their intimate course.

Hardly waiting for the door to close behind Mary,
Damien strode to Amethyst's side to snatch her into his
arms. Lowering his head, he kissed her slowly, thoroughly, his lips reawakening emotions so effectively
indulged only hours before. Reluctantly drawing his
mouth from hers, he noted the heat in her glance, felt the
trembling of her body held so intimately against his and
whispered softly as he slowly slid the straps from her shoulders, lowering the chemise to expose completely
her full, perfect breasts, "Amethyst, my darling, you are
my true treasure..."

Some time later as they lay sated in each other's arms,
Damien spoke in a deceivingly casual tone.

"Madame duMaurier will come to this house for your
fittings in the future, Amethyst. I talked to her this
morning and she will be happy to rearrange her schedule
to accommodate them."

Raising her eyes to his, Amethyst caught a fleeting
hardness in his expression which stirred her uneasiness
the moment before he smiled, his mouth moving to cover
hers warmly, possessively, once more.

Her present tranquillity slipping away at the recollection of that fleeting moment of implacability in his
expression, Amethyst stiffened. The arms holding her
tightened spontaneously, and raising her eyes, Amethyst
was startled to see Damien regarding her pensively.

"Damien! How long have you been awake?"

"Long enough to see you staring at me while you
thought I slept. What were you thinking, Amethyst?
Were you planning ways to escape me, perhaps?"

"Damien!" Disturbed by his question Amethyst drew
back instinctively, only to find Damien's arms would not
allow her recoil.

His voice a gentle reproof, he said lightly, "Don't
waste your time with thoughts of that nature, darling."

"I wasn't planning..."

"Good," he mumbled softly, punctuating his remarks
with light kisses which he rained on her upturned face,
"because I have a ravenous hunger for you that will not
be appeased, and you grow more delicious every day."
His short kisses turning into teasing bites, he nibbled
lightly at her ear, trailing his lips down her neck to nibble
gently at the delicate curve of her shoulder. Slowly slipping the coverlet away, he exposed her nakedness, a
familiar glow returning to his strange light eyes.
Reaching out, he cupped her breast with his hand,
lowering his head to fondle it gently with his lips.

Raising his eyes to hers, he said wonderingly, "Why is
it that I can't get my fill of you?" His hands moved
caressingly over her body as he spoke, delighting in the
silkiness of her skin beneath his palms, his emotional
plane heightening with the intoxicating intimacy. Suddenly unable to bear separation from her a moment
longer, he moved to cover her small body with his,
groaning softly as their flesh met. Supporting his weight
on his elbows, he cupped her face with his broad palms.

"You are so tiny beneath me," he whispered
wonderingly against her lips, "so fragile, and my hunger
for you so compelling that I sometimes fear I will devour
you in the madness you awake in me. Each indulgence of
my passion only seems to lead to a desire for more of you,
darling, more and more until all other thoughts are
driven from my mind in my abject obsession. If you
accuse me of practicing obeah on you, consider what this
witchcraft has done to me. I am consumed by the very
passion that enslaves us both. I can be satisfied with
nothing short of complete possession, and find my
dependence on this addiction growing with each passing
day. And I warn you now, my darling Amethyst. I can't
force you to bind yourself to me legally, but don't
entertain even the vaguest dreams of escape, because
there is no power on this earth that will succeed in
separating you from me while I still have breath left in
my body."

Her heart beating wildly in her breast, Amethyst
whispered against his lips, "But why do you submit to
this addiction, Damien? Would it not be better for us
both if you were free again to resume your former
life... and I, mine?"

It was long moments before Damien responded,
delaying his answer to drink deeply of the sweetness of
her mouth, revelling in those long moments at the
wonder of its innate splendor.

"No, darling. I'm afraid I find the joy of you so
complete and compelling that it overrules any negative
aspects it may also entail." Lifting his eyes to exert the
power of their light, transparent depths, Damien held
Amethyst's glance with his. His voice a low, hypnotic
whisper, he whispered, "Do you find yourself possessed
by my obeah, Amethyst, helpless against its will? And so
you will stay, my darling, until my own possession is
relieved." His mouth covering hers again, Damien
pressed apart the soft lips so pliant beneath his, his mind
acknowledging solemnly even as the wild singing of
passion began to race through his veins, "I will use
superstition to hold her if I must, will use her fear against
her if I can.. .will do any and all to keep her, for this
damned willful little, beauty is my life ...my love...
and without her is...nothing."

Her slender hands moving nervously against her sides,
Amethyst stood beside Damien in the entrance to
Oeller's Tavern, her cape still wrapped securely about
her. The luxurious garment bore a wide hood that framed
her exquisite face dramatically with ermine, and turning,
Damien hesitated a moment to drink in her beauty before
slipping it from her shoulders. Her mind racing wildly,
Amethyst was unaware of Damien's appreciative glance.
Their first social outing since her changed circumstances, Amethyst had anticipated the gala Winter Ball
with an apprehension that had not diminished with time.
Even Damien's gift of the extravagant ermine-trimmed
cape did nothing to deter her mind from its path of
apprehension. This night had been a long time in coming
and she was certain Damien would make full use of the opportunity to fix his possession of her in the minds of
those present. Not that any extra effort would have to be
expended to announce his claim for now that all
pretense of guardianship had been dropped, his proprietary attitude was all too apparent. Extremely selfconscious, Amethyst was aware that Damien's possessiveness sang out in his warm glance as it rested
unalteringly on her person, and his propensity to touch
her with small, caressing gestures. But having had ample
time to prepare herself for the evening that was now upon
her, she found that anxiety had still managed to secure a
hold on her emotions.

Nagging relentlessly at the back of her mind was the
suspicion that Armand Beauchamps would also be
present at the ball. Although she had had no communication with Armand since her last fitting at Madame
duMaurier's establishment, Madame had hinted casualty
just the day before that Monsieur Beauchamps missed
their conversations sorely and was anxious to see her
again. Pretending disinterest, Amethyst had not pursued
the subject, but her apprehension had heightened. She
was not certain what Damien would do if Armand did
attend and attempted to speak to her. His temperament
was far too volatile to gauge accurately.

Walking sedately beside Damien as they approached
the Assembly Room, Amethyst was thankful for one
thing at least. She had not been able to wear the sapphire
silk that Damien had ordered expressly for the occasion.
Memories connected with the gown so similar to it which
she had worn in Kingston would have been strong
enough to completely subdue her confidence. She could
not have been more pleased when Madame duMaurier
had delivered the completed garment, only to find the
waistline a bit too tight for comfort. Raising her thin
brow expressively, Madame had refrained from comment
while still managing to convey her thoughts. Her face coloring, Amethyst had reminded herself it was the first
and probably one of the milder reactions she could expect
when her condition became more apparent. Encouraged
that despite the negligible widening of her waist, her
condition was not yet obvious, Amethyst wore instead a
fashionable white watered silk gown in the new polonaise
style.

Fashioned with a round neckline, the bodice was
dramatically stark, devoid of all ornamentation except a
fine spray of exquisite pink silk flowers which curled
gracefully at one shoulder. The sleeves, tight to the
elbow, were bordered in a narrow pink satin ribbon
before flaring out in wide diaphanous tiers that swayed
gently with her movement. The decolletage was daring,
dipping low into the bosom, the bodice continuing to a
moderately pointed waistline. An overskirt of the same
delicate silk was pulled back over the hips on both sides of
the skirt in decorative festoons, exposing an underskirt
extending as far as her slender ankles, where a narrow
row of pink satin ribbon bordered the pleated hemline of
the gown. Delicate pink silk roses peeked from their
position tucked beneath the festooned tiers of the
overskirt, in graceful complement to those on her slender
shoulder.