Rogue Countess (24 page)

She expected him to kiss her.

He didn’t.

“Admit your desire for me,” he commanded.

She felt the warm movement of his breath across her parted lips.

“No,” she replied, knowing he likely saw through her empty refusal.

He released her chin and stepped back. His eyes were blue once again and glittered in a way that made Anna’s stomach quiver.

“You will,” he said with conviction before he turned away and strode off toward the stables.

After that encounter, Anna redoubled her efforts to avoid him and was quite successful in preventing another accidental crossing of their paths. He continued to ride every day, but it was at such random times that, aside from the one encounter, it never allowed for another unexpected meeting.

Unfortunately, it was the evenings that proved to be the greatest challenge.

Anna never would have expected that she and Jude could have so many common acquaintances, but as they attended the same social events, she was forced to accept that they would have to find a way to share the London social scene.

For the most part, they accomplished this by giving only the barest of acknowledgements before turning their attention elsewhere for the remainder of the evening.

There was a sort of false security of the very public forum that allowed for a softening of Anna’s constant resistance, and she often found herself searching for a glimpse of her husband amongst the throngs of people who gathered for the end-of-the-season events. Startlingly, when she did catch sight of him, it was to find him staring keenly back at her. Their eyes would meet and she couldn’t stop the blush from spreading across her cheeks or the sudden furious beating of her heart. His gaze was always so very direct, yet still impenetrable. It was impossible to decipher the thoughts behind his jeweled eyes, and Anna would be forced to look away in fear that her longing might show in her face.

Invariably, at these gatherings, Anna and Jude were the topic of discussion under nearly everyone’s breath. Her social life came to resemble something of a theater production with London’s entire social elite as audience. The ton’s sardonic curiosity about the circumstances of the marriage between the Earl and Countess of Blackbourne was not fading away. The surprising union was considered the greatest source of gossip in the last decade.

And every morning, the papers reported their movements in titillating and sometimes scathing little paragraphs containing various unfounded assumptions about their past and present situation. It seemed a competition between publications to have the wittiest comments about the estranged and enigmatic couple.

Anna typically managed to find the humor in the articles and the wild range of speculation, but on occasion she became exasperated with the fact that no one seemed to be moving on and talking about something else.

She started losing sleep. Her nights were spent in thoughtful turmoil as she worried and wondered over Jude’s current behavior. She saw no direct reason for why he remained in her house. At times she resolved to march up to him and demand he leave, if only to save herself from the constant anxiety of anticipating when he would be gone.

But then she would recall the glittering rush of excitement she felt whenever she saw him, and she knew that in truth she didn’t want him to go. And always, in the back of her mind, replayed the scene when he had almost kissed her in the doorway.

He had been wrong that day. She would never be able to admit her desire for him. Or the more tender feelings that filled her heart.

Of course, that didn’t make any of it go away.

In one final selfish act, Anna continued to keep a safe distance from Jude and bided her time so he might stay in her sphere of existence just a bit longer. It was foolish, self-destructive and highly irrational, but Anna just couldn’t bring herself to force the separation that would certainly come.

On any given day, she expected to hear the undeniable resounding thud as the book was finally closed on her marriage.

Chapter Nineteen

Jude wandered into Anna’s personal study to pour himself a glass of brandy as he waited for Rutherford.

He hadn’t expected the ease with which he and the marquess had picked up their friendship upon his return. Jude had thought himself to be past the age when masculine fellowship had any importance. During the years of his travels, he hadn’t developed any personal associations like the ones he had in his youth. He had shrugged it off as something that happened as a man got older, but maybe it had been more specific to himself.

A lot of time had passed since he and Rutherford used to carouse through the city with Whitely and Grimm. If possible, the marquess had managed to grow more arrogant as he aged, but he still retained the dry humor, intelligent conversation and devil-may-care attitude that often made a dull evening more entertaining. And aside from Anna, he had been the only person Jude felt any desire to spend his time with.

And spending time with his wife on any kind of personal level was currently out of the question. Or at least he had decided that for now it was best to keep a quiet distance.

When he had moved into Anna’s London residence it had been with the intention to crowd her out, to make her uncomfortably aware of his presence as her husband. He had hoped his proximity would limit her freedom to conduct her affairs, especially those of a romantic nature, but as far as he could tell she had no current lover. The only gentleman she spent any time with was Riley, and if they had been lovers at one time, after witnessing their interaction the night Riley had been shot, Jude was confident that they were not sharing a bed anymore.

Anna’s time was almost entirely devoted to the running of her stables and the managing of her business. She oversaw every aspect of her trade. She talked with prospective buyers, planned the breeding schedule and managed the finances. Her mind was sharp and precise and she possessed the unaffected charm of an excellent saleswoman.

He wandered slowly around the small personal study, swirling the brandy in his palm.

The study was like Anna. On one hand, it was perfectly serviceable with its solid mahogany desk that was large but not ostentatious, the rows of bookshelves and stacks of ledgers. Then there was the elegantly padded reading chairs, covered in damask and set decadently in front of the large fireplace. The room had every tool necessary for running a business and also appealed to a sense of comfort and refinement that begged a person to curl up in the chair and shed all social affectation.

As he thought of their last conversation in the park, an uncomfortable pricking of remorse prodded at his consciousness. She had touched a nerve when she accused him of dishonorably abdicating his responsibilities, and he had reacted defensively by turning the conversation back against her.

She had asked if he hated her. He should have been more forthcoming in his answer.

The truth was he had come to admire her.

Aside from her instinctive business sense, there were innumerable ways the woman managed to surprise him.

In the years following his self-imposed exile, if he thought of his bride at all it was as a cunning deceiver with eyes far too dark and knowing for one so young. He had needed someone to take on the role of villain. Having an enemy justified his actions. It was the smoke shield that distracted him from his guilt over his own disgraceful actions. He had been forced to take the girl as bride against his wishes, but the honor and duty his father had taught by example should have urged him to make the most of circumstances he was powerless to change. His decision to flee all those years ago had been selfish and cowardly.

And the woman he had come to know as his wife did not correspond with the evil manipulator he had created in his mind. The more time he spent in her company, the more confused he became regarding the strength of his motivation to end their association. He knew in his gut that she was still keeping something from him, but that day in Hyde Park when she’d finally reached the point he had been pushing her toward so relentlessly, he had been startled to feel a swift and precise stab of regret. After she rode away, he had wandered about, barely noticing as the park filled with those who came to see and be seen, and he decided he wasn’t quite ready to give her up.

Especially when the simple sight of her managed to give rise to an attraction that only grew stronger with every passing day. He was bewitched by her ability to move so easily between hardworking horsewoman to glittering lady of sophistication and elegance. He had never known another woman in his entire life that so breathlessly filled out the curves of an evening gown. He sometimes imagined being present for the transformation. Watching as she stripped off the dusty work clothes, revealing the creamy skin beneath. He imagined her hands roaming over her firm curving limbs as she washed away the sweat and grime from her labors before sliding into delicate silk undergarments.

The sexual tension within him had grown with every fleeting encounter over the last weeks and had gotten to the point that Jude worried about making a fool of himself by begging his wife to go to bed with him.

It was part of the reason he had been keeping his distance. That, and the fact that he didn’t have a ready answer for when she would eventually ask him about the progress of their annulment proceedings. She had already pressed him for why he was still living here and he’d only barely managed to slide by on a vague non-answer. He likely wouldn’t be so fortunate again.

Hearing a carriage pull up in front of the house, he tipped his head back to savor the smooth fire of the brandy as it slid down his throat. He set down his empty glass and walked out into the hall.

Too late, he glanced through the open front doors and realized the carriage was not Rutherford’s but his wife’s. His long strides across the hall came to a decided halt as he heard the swish of silk and satin. Turning in place, he lifted his gaze to the figure descending the stairs. Every muscle in his body tensed as the blood rushed from his head in a surge of pure sexual need.

That is the problem
, he thought as his gaze traveled hungrily over Anna’s exquisite feminine form. His wife was truly stunning when she wanted to be. His mouth watered and his blood thudded in his ears as he fought to control the lust thundering through his body.

She stopped stiffly at the bottom of the stairs, as if waiting for something. Waiting for him? He forced his eyes to her face and they stared at each other for a moment. The silent seconds were pregnant with words still unspoken and feelings that rushed too fast and too near to the surface.

Getting his thoughts back in order, Jude smiled and asked, “Lady Carmichael’s ball?”

Anna flashed a half smile. It was an expression of reluctant humor, and one Jude was coming to know well. She nodded then replied with another question. “This is getting a bit ridiculous, isn’t it?”

Jude tipped his head in concession as he closed the distance between them in a few steps. “Do you have an escort this evening?”

Her brown eyes glowed with clever wit and her lips curved pertly. “One of the advantages to being an abandoned bride is that I do not always require a gentleman’s escort for such functions. It is much like being a widow,” she added brightly.

Jude lifted his eyebrows and he nodded with false solemnity. “Yes, I can see the similarities. Though in case you had any worries, I can assure you I am far from dead.” His eyes flickered with challenge. “What would you say to the idea of throwing the gossips off their game? I think it’s well past time they reported something new in the paper tomorrow. I’m getting rather tired of the same boring stories.”

Anna considered his suggestion as she studied his expression. She didn’t fully trust his motives. He smiled wider, thinking she was probably right to be worried. He was growing a bit concerned himself.

Anna’s eyes flashed briefly with some emotion he couldn’t quite discern then she turned and accepted the cloak being held by the footman.

“You may share my carriage since we have the same destination,” she said as she swung the cloak around her shoulders and fastened it across her glorious bosom. “But after that, I can make no promises.”

Jude silently bemoaned the covering of her beautiful figure, and then had to swallow hard when the woman stopped to glance back at him over her shoulder. Her dark eyes sparkled with warm mischief and a coy smirk curved the inviting lines of her lips.

“Considering the fact that we are soon to be disassociated, I cannot risk my reputation by being seen in too close company with my husband.”

His laugh was warm and low as it rumbled from his chest and his gaze soaked up the allure of her mischievous glance. “I am afraid I may not be able to keep my distance tonight, dear wife.” When her eyes widened at his confession, he grinned with warm pleasure. “I feel myself in the mood to be a bit of a nuisance, it has been so long after all. I hope you can manage to endure it.”

“Hmm.” She cocked her head back and to the side and eyed him with a measuring sweep of her dark fringed gaze. “I’m discovering I have quite a tolerance for pests, my lord. I doubt there is much you can do that I could not handle.”

“We shall see,” Jude answered with sly confidence. His tone lowered into a realm of husky persuasion and gentle titillation. “You may have some experience, but I still have a few tricks you have never seen before.”