Realm 03 - A Touch of Cashemere (12 page)

Shocked by their mutual response, Cashé noticed his interest and purposely turned her back on him to speak to Sonali. As she told the child to hand over some of the clover, she fought the thoughts bombarding her sensibility. Against propriety, she had enjoyed the sensations coursing through her veins, and now she wondered what it might be like to know this man intimately.

Sonali handed her flowers to create a floral chain. Cashé tied the flexible stems of the first bud into a knot and threaded the second flower through. Without any discussion, she laced the flowers together, creating a necklace and sash and crown for the girl. “Cashé,” Sonali whispered loudly, “will you be my aunt when Papa marries my new mama?”

Cashé glanced at the child. “I had not thought about it, but I assume it is possible. I am your papa’s cousin, so we would be cousins, at the least. Why do you ask?”

“Daniel said you would be my aunt, but Uncle Marcus is really not my uncle. None of Papa’s friends are my real uncles.” Sonali shot Daniel a mutinous stare.

Cashé pulled Sonali closer to her before looking to Marcus for an appropriate explanation. He took the hint. He placed the last of the dirty plates into the picnic basket, something he had been doing to fill the gap left by Cashé’s purposeful withdrawal. Marcus lifted Sonali to his lap. “Come here, Pumpkin.” He stroked the child’s head. “Daniel is correct in some ways, but not others.” He kissed the top of Sonali’s head. “Miss Cashé is Miss Aldridge’s sister, and as a wedding is planned between your father and the lady, Miss Cashé will become part of your family. However, because Miss Aldridge is not your natural mother, Miss Cashé is what is known as a step-aunt, meaning you are related through a second marriage on your father’s part.”

“Step-aunt?” Sonali wrinkled her nose in disapproval. “I do not like the word.”

Marcus chuckled. “I did not think you would, Little One.”

“Why can I not call my new mama’s sister Aunt Cashé?” Sonali insisted.

Marcus looked quickly to Cashé to observe her feelings on the subject. When she smiled and nodded, he gave relief’s sigh. To the girl, he said, “I imagine that might be possible–the same as it is possible for you to call me and Daniel’s father and all the rest of your papa’s friends uncle. It is true we are not your uncles through blood, but we are through our hearts. When your papa rescued your mother from those bad men, Uncle Carter, Uncle Gabriel, Uncle Aidan, and all of the rest of us fought beside your father to free Ashmita. We all shared in protecting your mama and later protecting you. We are part of your family whether we share the same blood or not. Do you understand, Sonali?”

The girl threw her arms about his neck. “Yes, Uncle Marcus. I did not want to lose all my uncles.”

Daniel maturely added, “I apologize, Sonali. I did not mean to hurt you. I wished only to explain the differences.”

Marcus ruffled the boy’s hair. He liked how Kerrington’s son had taken responsibility. It spoke well of Lord and Lady Linworth’s guidance. “Both of you have many people who care for you. I am Daniel’s uncle also because his father and I share a brotherhood even though we are not truly related.”

Daniel wisely said, “Yes, Uncle Marcus.”

Marcus sat Sonali from him as he stood. “Come, Boy, it is time we returned to the fish.”

“May I come too, Uncle Marcus?” Sonali caught his hand.

Marcus’s eyebrow rose as he watched for Cashé’s approval. When she laid back on the blanket in complete relaxation, he accepted that as her agreement. “I believe we can arrange that,” he told the girl. “We will let your Aunt Cashé have a few minutes to herself.” Marcus purposely did not look at Cashé Aldridge. The idea of her resting on the blanket brought other thoughts he refused to allow at this point. Instead, he took Sonali’s hand and returned to the tarn’s bank.

“Sonali, we must go,” Cashé called to the child.

Predictably, the girl lodged her objection. “Must we?” Sonali kept her attention on the pole she held with Marcus’s assistance. The trio had removed their shoes and stockings and had waded into the water. Marcus had loosely secured the girl’s skirt tail to her waistline.

“We have been gone for some time. People will worry,” Cashé countered.

Sonali half whined, “Plea…se, just a few minutes more.”

Cashé sighed deeply in exasperation. It made her sorry that she had brought the girl out for the afternoon. She did not wish to be the “bad guy” in this scenario. She had watched the earl and the two children playing in the water for nearly a half hour. Observing their interplay had created a longing she was sore to experience. She never had much of a childhood. Her grandmother had believed children should never soil their clothes–never make too much noise–never interrupt adults in conversation. Now, as she stood along the tarn’s bank, she imagined herself as part of the group.

Wellston handed Sonali over to the boy, instructing Daniel to not permit Sonali go any further into the water, and then he slugged his way to the shore. “Come join us, Miss Cashé.” Marcus extended his hand to offer his support.

Cashé automatically took a step backward, shying away from the contact. “I could not, Your Lordship,” she protested.

Marcus did not withdraw his hand. “Miss Cashé, the children and I would enjoy your company. Have you ever fished?” He did not understand why he did not just permit her to return to the house alone. He could handle the children if she chose to leave Sonali in his care.

He smiled again and heard her breathing quickened. “No. No, I have never held a fishing pole,” she stammered.

Marcus motioned to the children. “Even a child can do it, Miss Cashé. I promise I will not allow you to fall in the water.”

“Take off your shoes,” Sonali encouraged. “The water tickles your toes.”

Marcus extended his hand further. “I promise.”

She bit her bottom lip in hesitation. “Are you certain, Your Lordship?”

“Absolutely,” he assured.

She found a rock upon which to sit to remove her shoes, and then turned her back on them to remove her every day stockings. When she stood, after hiding her footwear behind the rock, she finally accepted Marcus’s hand.

“You may want to tuck in your skirt tail,” he warned.

Cashé bristled, “I think not, Lord Yardley.”

Marcus chuckled. “As you wish, Miss Cashé.” He picked up the extra pole and handed it to her. Then he led Cashé some fifteen feet into the water. “Do you wish my assistance?” he asked. Her wet skirt floated about her legs, and Marcus found he enjoyed peeks of her bare feet and ankles.

“I will be fine, Lord Yardley.” Although she had no idea what to do, she attempted confidence.

Reluctantly, Marcus stepped away from her and moved to where Sonali tried again to cast her line directly before her and failed. “You have your pole too up and down,” he told the girl as he adjusted her hand on the rod. “Try again.”

Cashé wondered how she had gotten herself into this situation. The water had looked so inviting, and, in truth, it was quite cool on her feet and legs. However, the pebbled bank had been rougher than she had expected. She had told the earl that she could handle the pole and line, but as she caught the rod in her dominant hand, she realized how foolish she had been not to accept Lord Yardley’s assistance. “Here goes nothing,” she mumbled as she raised her arm above her head and whipped the line behind her with the intention of bringing it forward, but it was not to be.

Cashé’s arm jerked hard, but the pole flew from her grip as the hook caught on a low tree line behind her, leaving the wooden pole swinging from the tree like the pendulum of a grandfather clock. She screeched as the tree wrenched the pole from her grasp. Spinning to see what happened, the water splashed the front of her day dress, taking her breath with the surge.

Marcus lurched at the sound but was too late to catch the pole before the line wrapped itself about a river birch. When the water splashed into her face and chest, Marcus could not stifle the laugh that burst forth. “It appears our Miss Cashé has caught herself a big one,” he teased.

“A big tree,” Sonali corrected.

“I never guaranteed anyone would catch a fish,” Marcus good-naturedly sloshed through the water toward the shoreline. “I believe Miss Cashé has won the day,” he said as he reached for the tangled line.

The girl, at first, had resented his taunt, but she quickly forgave the jest at her detriment. “I did not see you do as well, Your Lordship,” she charged, as a bit of sarcasm laced her tone.

Dutifully, he broke the tree limb and unwrapped the line. “I am not in your class, Miss Cashé.”

The children continued to laugh at their banter, and Cashé joined in, having never experienced this type of personal embarrassment before. From the time she was a small child; she had striven for perfection. Today, she relished her mistakes.

Marcus looked up as the sound of her laughter drifted to where he stood. Observing the girl enjoying herself standing in mid-calf water, he had the strangest feeling that he was seeing her for the first time, and Cashé Aldridge was beautiful: She, literally, took his breath away. For a moment, he froze–no longer unwrapping the string.

“What is wrong, Uncle Marcus?” Sonali called, noting his strange behavior.

Marcus dropped his gaze quickly. “Nothing, Pumpkin,” he mumbled as he loosened the line from the last twig holding it. He motioned to Daniel to assist Cashé in pulling in the line and to reset her hold on the pole. Marcus did not trust himself too close to her at the moment.

“I am ready, Lord Yardley,” she teased from the water line. “You may wish to move, Your Lordship. I believe I will try to catch myself a larger branch this time.”

Without thinking, Marcus stepped to the side. Cashé’s teasing and laughter cast a spell on his sensibility: His breathing became shallow, and his heart raced. An image of a nude Cashémere Aldridge danced in his head. He glanced up to see her bring the rod back to cast it once again. “No!” he called, impulsively striding forward to stop her. However, before he realized what he did, he caught Cashé from behind–his left hand coming about her narrow waist and splaying his open palm upon her lower abdomen to hold her in place and his right hand cupping hers with his on the pole. Effectively, he spooned her body with his–the same as he had done with both Daniel and Sonali, but Cashé Aldridge was not a child. She was a woman, and her slim figure blanketed his chest and upper thighs. Marcus’s breath caught in his chest for the second time in less than ten minutes. The smell of sunshine and sweat and female filled his nostrils with the scent of her, and, automatically, he turned his head slightly to bury his nose in her hair–to catch the scent of jasmine. It was a moment he would remember later as exquisite hell.

“Lord Yardley, what do you think you are doing?” she hissed, bringing him from his musings.

Marcus felt her embarrassment heat her skin. “Noth...nothing,” he stammered. “I did not think before I moved.” He spoke softly to her ear, and Marcus made no move to release her. Her lithe body belonged in his embrace.

“Then release me,” she ordered under her breath. “Remove your hand from my person.”

Minutely, Marcus tightened his hold. “If we jump apart as if we have completed an indiscretion, the children will tell everyone of our error in judgment.” He paused briefly to allow his words to register. “Let me assist you with the rod, and then I will casually step away.” Marcus repositioned her hand on the pole, but no other muscles in his body responded to his need to move. It was as if his body took satisfaction in the feel of her without his mind agreeing to the embrace. “Otherwise, we are embroiled in scandal.” He breathed the words. Finally, she nodded her agreement. “That is correct, Miss Cashé,” he said for the children’s benefits. “If you lock your wrist, the rod’s tip falls away to the ground.” Marcus physically moved Cashé’s arm, locking her grip with his and placing the bait some twenty feet before them. “Did you feel the difference?” He released the pressure and stepped away from her, but her heat still clung to his body, and he knew that he absolutely could feel the difference.

Cashé still flushed, but she forced herself to turn and face him. “Thank you, Lord Yardley. I did feel it.” Her words echoed in her head. She most certainly felt his hardness up and down her back, but to her surprise, she wanted to feel it again.

Marcus observed the color rising to her cheeks, and desire sparked in her eyes. He rasped, “I believe it is time to pack up, Daniel.” He took a deep breath to control the racing of his heart. “Your father will have my head if you miss your afternoon lesson with Mr. Weston.”

“Yes, Sir.” Unsurprisingly, the boy did the chivalrous thing. He caught Sonali’s hand to lead the girl to the shoreline.

Marcus swallowed hard. He was grateful to the tarn’s cold water on his legs. It kept him from showing his unanswered desire to the world. “May I assist you, Miss Cashé?” He extended his hand, but silently prayed she would not take it. He did not want to touch her again so soon.

Aghast, Cashé looked at his hand, but she recognized the need to not create a scene, so she reluctantly placed her fingers in the earl’s palm. His long fingers closed about hers, and Cashé took her first step along the pebbly up slope. The weight of her wet skirt tail slowed her progress as she paid more attention to the man bracing her than to her actual footing.

And then it happened. An unpredictable combination: Some sort of fish bumped her left ankle. With a shriek of surprise, she abruptly shifted her weight just as her right foot slipped on the smooth surface of one of the larger rocks lining the gentle slope. As if in slow motion, both of Cashé’s feet flew in the air as her skirt tails wrapped about her legs. Her arms windmilled as she fell backwards. Then he was there, scooping her up in his strong arms, lifting her from the impending soaking. For a split second she fought him, but then Cashé’s instincts told her this was where she belonged. She wrapped her arms about Wellston’s neck.

He had moved automatically when her footing slipped. Marcus had not thought about the ramifications of touching her again so soon. He caught her as her feet became tangled within her soaked day dress, and she stumbled backwards. One arm had encircled her small waist and the other had come under her knees, and he cradled Cashé.