Love's Fiery Jewel (50 page)

"No, she has not. Do you suppose she has missed her
chance, Hiram?"

"Not if I know my wife, she hasn't," Hiram said
affectionately, slipping his arm around the still narrow
waist. Then turning to face Damien squarely, Hiram said
without equivocation, "You are a lucky man, Damien.
Amethyst is beautiful, intelligent, vivacious and she feels
damn good even in this old man's arms. She'll give you bright, handsome children, and you're a damned fool if
you let her slip out of your hands. She's a true jewel.
Marry the girl, damn it!"

Unable to suppress a laugh at his mentor's gruff
command, Damien smiled, turning to look again at
Amethyst's happily flushed expression as she supervised
the friendly squabbling of the two vying for her
attention. "You may rest assured, sir, that is the very
first order of business on my mind. I don't intend to allow
Amethyst to get away from me."

It was almost dark when Damien's carriage was again
moving in the direction of Philadelphia. Her expression
that of happy contentment, Amethyst was relaxed
against the seat, her eyes closed, her head rolling easily
with the movement of the coach. Grateful beyond words
to Gerard and Martin for their attentions to Amethyst,
and to Stephanie Morgan's kindness in making a point of
joining the happy threesome so she might lend her
support to the brave, pregnant girl, Damien made a
mental note to remember to send Stephanie flowers the
following day. The picnic had turned out well. Amethyst
was relaxed and easy in his presence, her smile quick and
spontaneous, a reflection of her state of mind, and
Damien was endlessly relieved. The night had turned
unexpectedly cooler, and leaning forward, Damien
pressed a light kiss against Amethyst's lips before
slipping his arm around her to draw her against his chest.
Smiling benevolently as her sleepy eyes opened inquiringly, Damien whispered against her cheek, "Rest
now, darling. I'll wake you when we arrive home."

Her heavy eyelids dropping obediently, Amethyst
relaxed against his chest as Damien held her gently,
possessively against him.

The torrid nightmare of Philadelphia in July with its
grueling heat and humidity was taking its toll. Accustomed to the tropical climate of Jamaica, Amethyst
had not expected to feel the heat so intensely, but her
ponderous body in the seventh month of pregnancy
seemed to hold the heat to the point of stifling her.
Taking to spending long hours each day soaking in a cool
bath, Amethyst found her defenses against the climate
practically nil. Becoming accustomed to coming home in
the middle of the day to the sight of his lovely, pregnant
mistress asleep in the small, copper tub, her head resting
against the high back as lavender scented water lapped
gently at her full breasts, Damien was still moved to
tenderness each time by her defenselessness. Time and
time again he had lifted her gently from the cool water to
wrap her dripping body in the light coverlet on the bed
in the hope that her restful sleep would continue.

Her stomach greatly distended, Amethyst was uncomfortable in all reclining positions, and rarely slept
through the night without waking. Her lagging energy
was reflected in her lack of appetite and she had begun
losing weight, her face and frame thinning considerably
as the mighty protrusion in front her continued to grow.
No longer able to restrain his fears for her health,
Damien accompanied her on her visit to Dr. Morgan,
only to sit in angry frustration as the doctor pronounced
Amethyst healthy, and recommended she get more sleep
and eat more regularly.

Thoroughly disgusted, Damien worriedly surveyed
Amethyst's pale face as the carriage returned home
through the stifling heat of the Philadelphia streets.
Striving to present a strong facade, Amethyst smiled in
his direction, the brave effort not fooling Damien for a
minute as he noted her rapidly paling color and the
heaviness of the black-fringed lids that drooped weakly over her glorious eyes.

Moving to the door of the carriage the moment it
stopped in front of their residence, Damien turned to
scoop Amethyst into his arms, ignoring her feeble
protests as he lifted her from the carriage and walked
quickly up the front steps. Barking gruff orders over his
shoulder to Mrs. Dobbs as he moved quickly up the steps
to their room, Damien kicked open the door and carried
Amethyst to the bed. Laying her gently on her side,
Damien began immediately to unbutton her dress.

Too weak to make a stronger protest, Amethyst said
quietly, "Damien, it really isn't necessary for you to
assist me. Mary will take care of my needs."

Angry and frustrated with events over which he had no
control, Damien said through clenched teeth, "Kindly be
quiet, Amethyst, and save your breath. I don't intend
leaving for my appointment until I know you're fully
recovered."

"But nothing is wrong, Damien. I was merely feeling
the heat and..."

Turning her back to face him, Damien said in a low,
controlled voice, "I do not intend leaving here,
Amethyst, until your glance is again clear and you are
completely comfortable."

A small smile crossing her lips, Amethyst mumbled
softly, "Damien, your appointment may tire of waiting
several months, I'm afraid..."

His stern expression softening, Damien hesitated a
moment before lowering his head to touch her lips lightly
with his own. "You're such a clever little chit, aren't
you, darling?" he whispered, moments before turning her
firmly on her side and continuing to unbutton her dress.

Within moments she was undressed to her chemise,
her legs bared of the silk stockings that had seemed to
encase them in warmth, her delicate limbs exposed to the pitiful breeze that moved through the bedroom window.
Smiling gratefully, Amethyst was about to speak when a
clunking sound at the door drew both their eyes to Mary
as she struggled with the weight of two large buckets of
water. Quickly pushing aside the screen in the corner of
the room, Damien took the buckets from Mary's hands
and emptied them into the copper tub. Without a word,
Mary took the empty pails back and walked hastily
through the doorway to fill them again, in a routine that
had been repeated time and time again during the last
month.

Her brows drawing together in a frown, Amethyst
mumbled in a barely audible whisper, "I've become a
terrible nuisance in this household, I fear. Poor Mary has
been running herself ragged in response to my needs"

Turning, Damien said sharply, "Damn Mary! I don't
give a hoot how hard she has been working! She's well
paid for her services and will do well to cater to you when
you're not well!"

Her face showing the first sign of color as she flushed
at his remark, Amethyst replied with a trace of her old
hauteur, "But I'm not ill, and I do care about Mary!"

The appearance of the self-same personage at the door
with two more buckets of water forestalling her
continued reply, Amethyst waited until the process had
been repeated and Mary had again left the room before
continuing, "...and I will not have everyone treating
me like an invalid just because of a few weak spells."

Reaching the bed in a few brief strides, Damien knelt
beside her, his broad hands cupping her face gently as he
spoke. "Amethyst, darling, I will make this point clear to
you once and for all. I care about no one but you. You are
the uppermost thought on my mind each day, and I will
not allow you to suffer one moment's discomfort that I
can possibly spare you. So, darling," he whispered, a small smile softening the harshness of his words as he
continued to stroke her cheek, "...do not speak to me of
others when I can see only you... can think only of
you...

Another sound at the doorway turned Damien's head
in its direction as Mary again moved toward the tub with
the heavy buckets, and smiling despite himself, he said
gently, "Mary, that will be adequate. I'll ring the bell
should I feel the need for more water."

Nodding silently as she emptied the buckets into the
tub, Mary moved back through the doorway, closing the
door quietly behind her.

Quickly stripping off his shirt, Damien turned to lift
the hem of Amethyst's chemise.

Moving awkwardly, Amethyst struggled to complete
the task herself, mumbling under her breath, "I can do
that, Damien."

Waiting only a moment as Amethyst continued her
attempt to right herself on the bed without his help,
Damien finally muttered under his breath, "Damn it all,
Amethyst!" Gently raising her to a sitting position, he
pulled the chemise over her head and threw it on the
chair. Turning, he lifted her swiftly into his arms.

"Damien!" Her emphatic protest, showing the first
spark of spirit within the last hour, brought a wide smile
to Damien's face as he continued to hold her in his arms
with a pleased expression.

"I said I could undress myself, and I won't have you
treating me like a child!"

His clear eyes looking directly into hers, Damien said
softly, "You are mine, Amethyst. Mine to do with as I
will, and I will care for you and love you with or without
your consent, darling. And right now," advancing toward
the tub, his voice became more forceful as he neared the
copper convenience, "and now I'm going to bathe you!"

Lowering her gently into the cool water, Damien saw
the short flash of annoyance that moved across
Amethyst's face as she insisted quietly, "I can bathe
myself, thank you."

Startled by a short bark of laughter, Amethyst raised
her eyes to Damien's amused expression as he kneeled
beside the tub.

"Alright, my lady." His tone reflecting almost
complete surrender, he said softly, "I'll yield. But I fully
intend to stay right here so I may enjoy the result of your
labors. After all, I can't allow you to spoil all my fun,
darling."

Looking directly into his face for long seconds,
Amethyst suddenly raised her eyes in an expression of
resignation, shaking her head simultaneously as she
grumbled under her breath, "Is it any wonder that I have
lost all modesty?"

Pleased to see her spirit returning, Damien bent to
whisper softly into her ear, "Yes, darling, but look at all
you have gained..."

Refusing to respond, Amethyst deliberately picked up
the cloth and began soaping her arm, her head firmly
diverted, to Damien's deep amusement.

"Miss Amethyst... Miss Amethyst."

The sound of Mary's voice cut into her unscheduled
nap. Blinking rapidly, Amethyst finally awakened enough
to respond.

"What is it, Mary? Is something wrong?"

"No, but a number of boxes have been delivered from
Madame duMaurier and I wanted to know if you wanted
me to bring them in to you."

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Amethyst
mumbled under her breath, "I don't remember ordering
anything from Madame..." and suddenly realizing Mary still awaited her response, she raised her voice.
"Yes, Mary, please bring them in."

Laboriously pulling herself to a sitting position,
Amethyst adjusted her gown, raising her eyes to stare
open-mouthed as Mary brought in four large boxes and
placed them on the chaise. Smiling, she turned back
toward the door, her round face cheerful. "I'll get the
rest of them, Miss Amethyst."

"The rest of them!"

Slipping her small feet into the slippers beside her bed,
Amethyst walked slowly to the chaise, stopping to pick up
a pair of scissors from the dressing table as she did.
Snipping the cord efficiently, Amethyst raised the lid and
lifted the tissue, her eyes widening at the magnificent
pink gown lying beneath. Lifting it gingerly from the box,
she ran her eyes over the sheer, delicate fabric, noticing
immediately that the garment was cut to her former
proportions, the waist small and fitted.

Dropping it back inside the box, Amethyst uncovered
the second, the third, and then the fourth boxes, finding
in each a similar airy confection in various pastels and
styles, all of which were cut in her former size.

"What's all this about?" Mumbling under her breath
as Mary entered carrying another batch of boxes,
Amethyst shook her head, about to mutter another
surprised exclamation as Damien walked through the
doorway behind Mary.

"I see you've opened some of the boxes already. How
do you like the frocks, Amethyst?"

"They're lovely, Damien, but you must realize that
none of them will fit me."

Laughing at her confused expression, Damien bent to
brush her lips with his. "Not now, of course, but after
you've had the child they should fit very well. I asked
Madame duMaurier to use her expertise in judging just how much of that bulge will remain, and, as you can see,
she feels you'll lose most of it when the child is
delivered."

"But Damien, I will have the child in September.
These fabrics are really not suited to fall weather, you
know." Shaking her head again, Amethyst said softly, "I
really don't know what Madame must have been thinking
to make up so extensive a collection of gowns in fabrics so
unsuited to the fall climate."

"She probably thought you would be spending fall in
Jamaica, darling, because that's what I told her when I
ordered your wardrobe."

"Jamaica! Damien, I don't understand." Her heart
beginning to hammer rapidly, Amethyst's face paled.
Was he already intending to send her home as soon as the
child was born? Were these gowns a consolation gift to a
dismissed mistress? What of their child? He hadn't
mentioned the child was to leave with her...

Raising his hand to her pale cheek, Damien said softly,
"What's wrong, darling? I thought you'd be happy to
sail with me on the Sally's next trip. I've already arranged
to remain in Kingston for a few months so you may have
the child there. Dr. Martens is a capable man and I
thought you'd like to have Tillie with you when the time
comes."