Only an Earl Will Do (22 page)

Looking forward again she didn’t see the gentleman step in front of her in time and, with an almighty
oomph
, she hit a wall of muscle. The familiar comforting tones whispered against her ear made relief swamp her, and her knees threatened to crumble.

She wrapped her arms tight about his waist and sobbed.

Henry
.

The click of a pistol at her side stopped the brutish John in his tracks and, for the first time in two days, Elizabeth’s heart raced a steady beat of reprieve. She tightened her hold on Henry and welcomed his supportive hand that wrapped about her back and held her tight.

“Move in any direction and I promise ye it will be ye last action ever made upon this earth,” Henry said, his tone laced with deadly intent.

Elizabeth shuffled behind to allow him to concentrate on the burly John and Lord Riddledale, who, leaning out of the carriage door, still held his bleeding nose with a handkerchief.

The sound of another gun preparing to shoot clicked near them, and she looked to her left, her jaw falling open at the sight of her sister, Victoria, clad in men’s clothing and looking all the more comfortable for it holding a steady pistol at Lord Riddledale’s head.

John didn’t dare move, but his eyes narrowed in contemplation, no doubt wondering if he could chance it and make a run for freedom.

“That warning goes for you as well, Lord Riddledale,” Josh said, coming up from the opposite direction.

“I haven’t committed any crime. Your sister came with me willingly to marry me in private.”

“Well,” her brother drawled, “I’m sure the magistrate will think differently. Victoria saw your brute kidnap Elizabeth on my property. You, my lord, are henceforth penniless, as I call in all your debts, which I know you’re unable to pay. You are ruined, in every way possible. I hope you enjoy debtor’s prison or even Newgate; either would pacify me.”

At that moment, the town magistrate, a large rotund man, ran into the mêlée, guards following close on his heels. He profusely apologized for the misdemeanor that had befallen the Duke of Penworth’s family and had the disgraced Lord Riddledale and his brute John taken away without further ado.

Elizabeth watched with loathing as the man who’d caused so many troubles for her was led away, his shouts of denial and undying love echoing off the walls of Gretna’s shops.

Turning away, she looked up at Henry and was rewarded with an explicit oath. She stepped back instinctively before he tore off his cravat and placed it against her chin.

“Let me have a look,” Victoria said, pulling the bandage away a little.

“Is it bad?” Elizabeth asked, ignoring the sting their prodding caused.

“It’s a nasty cut, but I don’t think it needs stitching. Come, we will check into an inn, clean it up, and have a better look.”

Elizabeth met Henry’s eyes, deep pools of concern that twisted her heart. “You go ahead with Josh. I wish to speak to Lord Muir for a moment.”

Josh nodded, taking Victoria’s arm. A smile quirked her brother’s lips, and Elizabeth wondered what had happened between the two men to bring them about to be so accepting, friendly even, when they were usually at odds.

“Are ye well, lass? He didn’t harm ye in—”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “He didn’t touch me at all. How is it that you’re here?”

Henry relayed how he’d traveled to Dunsleigh to call on her and was confronted with the house in uproar over her kidnapping. Elizabeth stifled a giggle at the image of everyone planning a counterattack against Lord Riddledale.

“Thank you for coming to save me.” She looked at him, fixing his shirt where his cravat had been. “For what were you coming to Dunsleigh?”

Henry ran a finger down her cheek, careful not to hurt her wound. His warm breath mingled with hers and for one wicked moment, Elizabeth thought he might kiss her on the street. Instead, he leaned down and kissed her cheek, the gesture as soft as silk, but his eyes remained guarded, giving her no hint to his thoughts. He stepped back, and Elizabeth felt the loss of his contact deep inside her soul.

“I traveled to Dunsleigh to beg forgiveness, to ask ye to forget all that I said, and marry me. I’m sorry, lass, for everything. I was shocked and upset, and I should’ve come sooner, but I’ve been a stubborn fool.”

Elizabeth clasped his hands. “We need to talk, Henry, but not here. Later…” She swallowed her nerves. “Will you meet me later? Alone?”

Elizabeth caught the flicker of heat in his gaze that only she’d ever been privy to, and her nerves disappeared. Thoughts of what they’d done together when alone bombarded her mind, and for a moment her attention snapped to his lips. How she wished to kiss him, to feel him against her, to seduce him.

“Where?” Henry asked, his husky voice sending her pulse to race.

“I’ll come to your room tonight. I’ll wait until Victoria’s asleep.”

“I’m not sure that is wise, Elizabeth.”

Elizabeth pushed away the hurt his reply brought forth. “I think it is. I’ll not be put off.” At his nod, Elizabeth walked into the inn, ready more than ever to declare herself to the man she loved and anyone else who wished to know.

…

It seemed to take Victoria an eternity to fall asleep. Elizabeth thought it would have been much quicker since they partook in a lovely roast beef dinner followed by warm baths and fresh clothes. And yet since Victoria was in haste to explain everything that had transpired during her kidnapping they hadn’t sought their beds till well past midnight.

Elizabeth lay in the dark room, watching the flickering light from the fire cast moving shadows across the walls. Victoria’s breathing eventually slowed with sleep and, with the gentlest care, Elizabeth inched from the covers, pulled on some socks she’d left beside the bed, and headed for the door.

She looked once more at her sister, a smile quirking her lips when she realized half the battle to see Henry was accomplished. Now she had to make it to his room without anyone catching her.

Opening the door a bit, Elizabeth peeked into the hall. A lone sconce burned near the start of the stairs, but no one materialized anywhere; only the muffled voices from the taproom belowstairs sounded, and the smell of stew, which hung in the air.

Elizabeth thanked the noise for masking her footsteps as she ran across the hall. Without knocking, she entered Henry’s room and shut the door with the least amount of noise possible. The sight of him—shirt open, bedraggled locks, the faintest shadowing of hair on his chest—made it impossible to move.

He was glorious.

Heat and longing pooled at her core, and she wanted nothing but to be with him again. She bit the inside of her lip to stop from throwing herself at his head.

“No one saw ye?” His voice held concern and yet a gentleman to the last, no matter his rakish looks.

“No. Victoria is asleep, and there was no one about.”

Henry paused beside the fire before walking to the small round table and pulling out a chair for her to sit. She did as he bade, watching his every move as he sat across from her, his nearness, their seclusion, tangible in the small room.

He cleared his throat. “Before we discuss anything, there is something you must read. It is from Miss Andrews.”

Elizabeth pushed the letter away. “I do not need to read her letter.”

“Please, I want ye to read it.”

She shook her head, taking his hand instead of the letter. “When I was in the carriage with Lord Riddledale, I thought he’d finally won. The thought of never seeing you again was more than I could bear, and I knew I had to try, at least once more, to be free of his lordship.” She paused. “I’m sorry for what happened between us, Henry. I’m sorry I did not tell you of your boy. I never meant to hurt you; you’re everything to me. You were always everything to me.”

Henry’s thumb stroked the top of her hand, and shivers raced up her arm. “Are ye saying ye love me still, and wish to marry me?”

Elizabeth’s heart stopped at the raw emotion she heard behind the question. “If your offer of marriage still stands, Henry Andrews, Earl of Muir, I will marry you, because I love you. I have always loved you and will never love another.”

…

Henry reached across the small space that separated them and pulled Elizabeth onto his lap. Her body fit his like the kid leather gloves she often wore, and he reveled in the feel of her in his arms.

“I’m glad to hear it, lass.” He skimmed his lips over hers before taking all that she offered. She held nothing back, and his body hardened at her ardent response. Her sensuous touch teased and beckoned, her hands greedy at his ripped-away clothing, pooling at their feet. But the chair was no place to make love to his future countess and standing, Henry swept her into his arms and carried her to the bed. He dropped her onto the coarse but clean white linen and chuckled when she bounced.

She watched him appreciatively as he stripped off his breeches before crawling up the length of her body, holding himself above her as he took in the beauty that was his Elizabeth.

The smell of jasmine rose from her milky white skin. The scent had always been a reminder of what he’d left behind. It had often tested his resolve when living in America, had made him homesick in an instant. He lay beside her, gently tracing the outline of her profile, her sweet perfect nose, lovely chin, now sporting a cut, thanks to the bastard Riddledale.

“Henry, is anything other than your finger going to touch me tonight?”

He growled at her brazen question and took her lips in an equally shameless kiss. Her body undulated beneath him, her breasts teasing his chest, her mons pushing against his hardened length and pulling forth a growl of need.

“Tonight I shall explore every inch of your beautiful soul.”

She sighed, running her hands across his shoulders. He lifted from her, kissing his way down her stomach, clutching her breasts, licking the inside of her thigh before running his tongue between her wet folds, enjoying the feel of her at his mercy.

“Henry! You can’t!”

His cock hardened at the breathless need, the words opposite to her clutching hands that pulled at his hair telling him to continue, to stay where he was and bring her to orgasm against his mouth. “I can, and I will. Lie back, lass, and relax.”

She did as he asked, and he stole a look at her. Straight white teeth clutched her lower lip firmly between their grasp, her eyes closed, a slight blush on her cheeks.

He suckled her again, running his tongue between her sex, flicking her hardened nubbin with even strokes.

“Oh, Henry. What are you doing to me?”

Loving her
… It wasn’t long before she was close; her labored breathing, her hands more adamant against his head, her legs moving on the linen sheets told him so. He wanted her to find release against his mouth, had dreamed of being with her in this way for an age. He would not stop now.

Moving his hand, he slid a finger into her wet heat and groaned at the tightness he found there. She undulated against his face, riding him as he would soon ride her, pushing her with each glide of his tongue, with each stroke of his finger, to orgasm.

She called out his name when she shattered beneath him. Henry savored every delicious shudder that ran through her, wanting to hear his name on her lips for the rest of his life.

He pulled away, coming over her and settling his heat between her legs. “I have to have ye.” His words sounded strained even to his own ears.

She looked at him, her eyes a stormy ocean of wonder and need. “Yes, please.”

Her brazenness snapped the last of his control and, hitching her leg high on his waist, he pushed deep and made her his. He moaned, having never felt anything so right as being this close with her. Elizabeth pulled him down and kissed him hard, her tongue no longer tentative or meek, but demanding, controlling. His body roared for release with each glide within her tight core. It was a struggle not to lose himself, to take what she offered and come.

“I didn’t think sex could enthrall me as much as your tongue, but I was wrong.”

He growled at her words, increasing his pace, needing her to orgasm with him buried deep within her core. She moaned, pulling at the hair at his nape, the sex frantic and fast, their bodies becoming one and the same.

“Elizabeth…I love ye,” he gasped. “Love ye so very much.”

Their gazes locked as he continued to push her, stroke her, tempt her to ecstasy and then, her mouth opened on a sigh, her green orbs looking up at him in awe as she climaxed tight and long, bringing him to completion with her.

“Lass…” It was all he could manage, anything else he was going to say died on his lips.

Her body went limp, a well-satisfied grin lifting the corner of her mouth. He lay beside her, pulling her into the crook of his arm. She kissed his chest, the lightest strokes that made goose bumps rise on his skin.

“I’m absolutely, incandescently happy, and it’s all thanks to you. Thank you for being you, Henry.”

He kissed her hair, contentment making him drowsy. “I love ye as well. And come tomorrow I’m going to marry my bonny English lass.”

She cuddled into him, and he could feel her smile against his chest. “Yes, you will.”

Chapter Twenty

Over breakfast the following morning, Elizabeth sat with a contented smile upon her face as she nibbled the delicious toast before her. Even the tea in this establishment was delicious. Not to mention…well, not to mention one Scottish man who occupied the seat across from her. He was delicious, too.

Her attention stayed fixed on Henry as he ate the hearty meal of ham, eggs, and strong coffee. Victoria and Josh had already eaten and were waiting in the inn’s yard to rendezvous with Alice, who was due at any moment. Elizabeth sipped the sweet tea and devoured Henry in his morning attire. He looked like the young man she once knew, the one she fell in love with all those years ago. Carefree and happy just as they would be again.

Elizabeth hid her smile as she sipped her tea, watching as he read the paper and ate. She tried not to think over what they had done the night before and why he was so ravenous this morning, but it was hard to concentrate on something other than his lips…

“Anything interesting in the paper?” Elizabeth asked.

A servant came in and placed a fresh pot of tea on the table, curtsied, then left. Elizabeth waited for the door to shut before leaning over and kissing Henry, welcoming the spark of desire she lit within his eyes.

“Nothin’, lass. Although I could get used to such breakfast delights as the one ye just bestowed.”

Elizabeth chuckled and, sitting back down, nibbled on a piece of toast. “I believe Alice will be arriving any moment. I think Josh wishes to depart later today. Will you be traveling with us back to London?”

Henry remained silent, his expression guarded.

“Henry, will you be traveling with us?”

He shut his paper and regarded her for a moment. “It occurs to me that perhaps we could marry much sooner.”

“I don’t understand,” Elizabeth said.

He took her hand, clasping it with both of his. “I know we spoke of marriage last night, but why travel back to London to have the nuptials. Let’s marry here, in Gretna.”

Elizabeth’s eyes widened at the possibility, hope blossoming in her chest. “I think that’s the most wonderful idea I have heard in a long time.”

“Do you think his grace will deny us? Ye family are not present, and your mama may prefer a London wedding.”

Elizabeth pushed back her chair and wiggled onto Henry’s lap. “I think Josh has come to terms that my choice is made, and you seem to be on much friendlier terms than you were a few months ago, which is promising. You will see, Josh will walk me down the aisle as he should. And by nightfall I’ll be legally yours.”

Henry kissed her again, this time much longer and more satisfyingly than she ever remembered. It was as intoxicating as the finest whisky in Scotland.

“Ye were always mine,” he stated, grinning. “I just had to remind ye of the fact.”

…

The marriage was a quick affair. Alice was overjoyed to have arrived in time, and after a little private discussion with her brother, Elizabeth secured his agreement to walk her down the aisle in a blacksmith’s shop in Gretna Green. Not the most appropriate location for a duke’s daughter to marry, but what was that when two people who loved each other wished to make their union official.

The blacksmith, who was also the priest, stood before a wooden table lined with a white tablecloth and smiled in welcome as a duke walked his sister toward a smiling earl. Henry waited, hands folded before him, his features filled with love and adoration for her.

The service was short and sweet, as they wished, and it couldn’t have been a more perfect wedding had all of London been present in St. James. Later they ate a celebrative lunch with her family at the inn’s private sitting room. Josh notified them of his intention to travel back to London within the hour.

“Will you be traveling back to the capital, Lord Muir, or have you other plans, now that you are a married man?” Lady Alice asked, grinning.

Henry laughed at the question and sipped his whisky. “I sent a note this mornin’, notifying my staff to have little Samuel meet us here in a day or two, with his nanny, of course, and then I’ll be taking me lass home to the highlands. I want her to see Muirdeen Castle.”

Elizabeth looked over to Henry and noted he seemed a little uncertain of his plans. She read the question in his eyes, that she may not wish to leave England and travel to the wild highlands. He couldn’t have been more wrong. It was everything she had ever dreamed.

“I would love to see my new home, Henry.” She reached for his hand and turned to her brother. “Will you have Newland Estate closed up for me, brother, and all of my possessions and Samuel’s sent to Henry’s estate? Of course, I will write to Mama and explain my wondrous news. Will you do that for me?”

Josh nodded. “Of course,” he said, catching Henry’s eye. “Lord Muir, although I never thought to be uttering these next words, may I welcome you, wholeheartedly, to our family. I wish you and Elizabeth all the happiness in the world.”

Elizabeth blinked back tears, smiling from her brother to Henry. “I think we’ll be the happiest people on earth. Thank you for marrying me, Henry,” she whispered so only he would hear.

“My pleasure,” he replied, kissing her before all her family. Soundly.