Rogue of the High Seas (27 page)

Shauna looked at him. “I doona want to wait.”

Robert's eyes darkened and he stood and divested himself of his clothes so quickly she scarcely had time to think on it before he was naked before her. She gulped, trying to swallow around a sudden lump in her throat. She'd seen him bare-chested before, but not…the rest of him. Shauna stared at his manhood. God in heaven. She had no idea that male part could be so big. It was thick and looked hard as granite. She remained riveted and, to her surprise, it grew even larger.

“You are going to make me spill my seed like a green cabin boy if you keep looking at me like that,” Robert said, his voice husky and low.

Shauna managed to tear her gaze away and look at him. “Can I touch it?”

He made a guttural sound that was close to a growl and stepped closer. “You can touch it all you want to.”

She put out a tentative hand. The hardened shaft felt warm and satiny, like a dagger encased in smooth leather. Shauna traced the protruding vein and Robert groaned, but he moved closer. She lightly stroked the rounded, darkened head. Its texture was soft as silk and she watched as a drop of liquid appeared at the very tip. Before she could swipe a finger over it, Robert groaned again and snatched her hand away. Shauna frowned. “Did I hurt ye?”

“No,” he rasped and sank on the bunk. “It felt good. Too good.” He leaned over her, kissing her forehead and then raining kisses over her eyelids and down her cheek before he took her mouth.

Shauna opened to him immediately. Robert's tongue swept in, but this kiss was deeper and more demanding than the one on deck had been. His hand cupped a breast, kneading softly. Both of her breasts felt heavy and full and she arched her back, wanting more. Robert obliged, flicking his thumb across the hardened nipple until she began to whimper. He rolled it between his fingers as his mouth drifted down to nibble a trail down her throat. Shauna tilted her head sideways to give him better access and then she gasped as he moved his mouth over her shoulder and down to settle over her other breast. His tongue laved the pebbled peak, circling the areola, and then he began to suckle.

Shauna nearly lifted herself off the bed. The sensation was exquisite. Her body tingled everywhere as though bolts of lightning were shooting through her. When Robert switched to lavish the same attention on the first breast, liquid began to pool between her legs, along with a slow pulsation.

He moved his mouth back to hers as his hand drifted lower, sliding over her hip and across her belly. He cupped her mound and slid a finger between her slick folds. “You are so wet already,” he whispered.

“That is good, aye?”

He smiled against her mouth. “Yes, love. Very, very good.”

Robert rubbed his thumb across her nub, causing her to thrust her hips upward as that highly sensitized part began to throb. He raised his head. “If you like that, I can make it better.”

Shauna blinked at him. Nothing could feel better than this. “How?”

He laughed and shifted his weight suddenly. Before her dazed mind could follow his actions, her thighs were over his shoulders and he was lapping the juices between her legs with long, slow strokes of his tongue.

“Oh, my God…” Shauna moaned as he nibbled her hard, little nub. She trembled, her body began to shake and then, as Robert sucked the thrumming bud into his mouth, she shattered.

She'd hardly caught her breath when she felt the tip of his manhood pressing against her soft, open core. Somehow, it felt so right that she didn't think, but wrapped her thighs around his. His big shaft began to fill her, stretching her. Her core began to vibrate. Shauna wanted more…

And then she went rigid with sudden, stinging pain. She would have screamed, except Robert's mouth was covering hers. His hand stroked through her hair. “It will be all right, love. It only hurts for a little while and just this one time.”

Shauna nodded, unable to speak. Robert held himself still, and the pain began to subside. Replacing it was a gentle pulsing that grew in intensity and she felt her body relaxing once more, opening to him.

He began thrusting, slowly at first, then faster and deeper as she picked up his rhythm and began to match it. The throbbing, aching need Robert had fulfilled just a short time ago rose again, this time increasing even more. Shauna felt the tension building, this time more like an ocean swell gathering power as it rose in strength. Her release hovered like a white-foamed wave, building to its full height before it crested and spilled over, gushing into nothingness as her world went still.

Eventually, Shauna opened her eyes to find Robert raised on his elbows over her. “What happened?”

He smiled. “You experienced the
petite mort
,” he said. “The little death.”

“Does it happen every time?”

He shook his head. “Only when it's very special.” He rolled over and pulled her against him. “And this was very, very, very special.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

“I am fine. I truly am,” Shauna said again, even though she'd already assured everyone at the London townhouse at least a dozen times. The
New Orleans
had sailed down the Thames just past dawn and Robert had brought her to Jamie's home over an hour ago. Her brothers and Shane had gathered around, firing questions like archer's arrows until Mari had finally ordered all of them to go have a dram of whisky and put some thought to their questions. They'd promptly brought the bottle back where it now sat on the tea table in the parlor.

“Ye are sure the bas—Richard—is dead?” Jamie asked.

“Aye,” Shauna answered. “One of my guards broke his neck, saving me from having to use the
sgian dubh
they didn't ken I had.”

Mari's eyes widened. “I did not know you carried one.”

Ian nodded. “Good lass.”

“Remind me not to make your sister angry,” Robert said.

Shauna glanced sideways at him seated beside her on the sofa. It was hard to think she would ever be angry with him, especially since they'd spent every night of the passage back in passionate love making, exploring each other's bodies and learning—she really liked the learning—what each of them liked. Robert had taught her some things—
done
some things—that she had never even imagined
could
be done. He'd aroused feelings and emotions in her she didn't know existed, and not one of them had to do with anger. Shauna felt her face grow warm as she remembered and tried not to smile.

Jamie gave her a sharp glance and then looked at Robert. “About the trip back—”

“I am so glad Robert found you, Shauna,” Mari interjected and then looked at her husband. “That makes him a true hero, does it not?”

Jamie frowned at her.

“It does,” Ian said before Jamie could answer. “I'm glad Robert had the good sense to go back to the charitable home once more and talk to Mr. James.”

“That part was luck,” Robert replied. “I tripped over his feet.”

“Being a seaman used to an unsteady ship, tripping over the man's feet might have been the faeries working,” Shane said. “Ye were carrying the stone the wood sprite gave ye.”

Shauna put her hand over the small leather pouch she wore suspended from a silver chain around her neck. Robert had put the streaked stone in it the day they made their escape and told her to not to take the pouch off. Shauna had never been given to fanciful notions of the Fae, although Fiona insisted they were real. Shane and Ian both claimed the background in a painting of their ancestor Leod, son of Olaf the Black, changed at times, although Shauna had never seen it do so. However, when Robert told her the story of finding the crone's cottage empty, but a girl and her otherworldly beast appearing, with the stone and prediction, Shauna began to wonder if she'd ignored the truth because she couldn't see it.

“I can't argue with that,” Robert said. “Ever since I arrived back in January, I had a feeling the Fates were involved and that it had something to do with Shauna.”

Jamie's brow rose. “What kind of something do ye speak of?”

“I can't quite explain—”

A muscle in Jamie's jaw twitched. “Ye dinnae take advantage of my sister whilst she was shaken and frightened, did ye?”

“Robert dinnae do anything I dinnae agree to,” Shauna said.

Jamie frowned. “What do ye mean by that?”

Oh, Lord, that had come out wrong. “Doona even think about hitting him, Jamie,” Shauna warned. “I—”

“We are betrothed,” Robert said. “I probably should have spoken to both you and Ian, but the circumstances did not lend themselves.”

“Betrothed?” Mari all but squealed. “Do you know when you will get married? Where? How much time do we have to prepare?”

Shauna shook her head. “Nothing has been decided yet.”

Ian gave Robert a thoughtful look. “Perhaps it should be soon?”

Shauna felt the blood drain from her face as the implication set in. Bairns. She had not given any thought to their nightly activities resulting in pregnancy. Had Robert? She knew he would continue sailing. They hadn't talked about children. Did he want them? Had she trapped him unwittingly? She forced herself to look at him.

His smile reassured her. He took her hand and turned back to Ian. “I agree, but I will leave the time to Shauna.”

She smiled back at him. “I doona need or want a big wedding. I would wed ye right now.”

“Well, it will take a day or two to get the special license,” Ian said.

Jamie nodded. “The day after tomorrow then.”

“Two days.” Mari jumped up. “Even if Shauna does not want a large reception, do you have any idea of how much needs to be done before then? I do not know—”

“Everything will be fine, Mari.” Shauna smiled at her friend.

“She is right,” Robert said and brought her hand to his mouth. “Let me assure all of you I intend to love and honor Shauna for as long as I live.”

Those words would be repeated the following Saturday at the marriage ceremony that took place in the old Temple Church not far from St. Paul's Cathedral.

She knew from her reading that the round part of the church had been built by the Templars in the 12th century to replicate the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the Chancel built nearly fifty years later. With her Scottish love of history—and clan memories going back a few centuries as well—Shauna was impressed with those facts as they entered the inner courtyard and looked up at the pale yellow stone and approached an ancient wooden door on the western side.

“This is the same door through which initiates entered in medieval times to take the Templar vows of piety, chastity, poverty and obedience,” Shane said.

Robert grinned. “Would you take those vows as well, Shauna?”

She gave him an arched look. “Ye want me to be pious and chaste?”

His grin broadened. “I was thinking of the vow of obedience.”

“Doona expect it,” she said but softened the words with a smile.

“Perhaps we should go in before the priest comes out and asks if ye have changed ye minds?' Jamie asked.

“Nae chance of that,” Shauna replied.

Robert reached for her hand. “Agreed.”

But she almost forgot why she was here when she first stepped inside the round nave. The outside, impressive as it was, did not do the inner sanctum justice. Rays of blue, green and red-tinted light played through the stained-glass windows, giving the circular room a surreal atmosphere. Marble columns formed an inner circle. In the center on the floor, lay stone effigies of William Marshall, who fought alongside Richard the Lionheart, and William's sons.

“All are knights who just rest until they rise to fight again,” Shane said and looked around with a contented smile.

Shauna knew he felt an affinity and wondered again how he had managed to keep his allegiance to the secret order that still existed from their family for so many years. She didn't have time to ask though, for the priest came to greet them.

Shane turned to greet him. “Thank ye for allowing us the use of the church on such short notice.”

The man gave him a studied look and then nodded. “Temple Church always welcomes its brethren.”

Shane's eyes widened slightly and he gave an almost imperceptible nod. If Shauna had not been watching him, she would have missed it.

Robert offered his arm and she placed her hand on it as they followed the priest down the short aisle in the chancel toward the altar. Jamie and Mari took places to the left while Shane and Ian stood to her right. Shauna wished Abigail and Jillian could have been here to share the moment, but she had no doubt they'd want her to go ahead without them present.

“May we proceed?” the priest asked and began the ceremony.

Robert and Shauna spoke their vows simply and sincerely without fuss, which Shauna felt was perfectly in keeping with the setting and history of the church. Less than fifteen minutes later, Robert gave her a sweeping kiss and she was a married woman.

Even though they'd only been in London three days and Shauna had said she didn't expect any kind of gathering, Mari said Abigail's father, the Earl of Sherrington, wanted to arrange a wedding reception. When they stepped inside his foyer a short time later, they were greeted with the deafening crush of nearly a hundred voices.

“Who are all these people?” Shauna asked after the butler had announced them and effectively commanded total silence before everyone began to applaud.

“
Ton
,” Mari answered with a wave of her hand. “Everyone is in Town for the Season, you know.”

“But why are they here? I am Scot and Robert American—”

“You think they would turn down an invitation from the Earl of Sherrington?” Mari asked. “Besides, Ian is an earl as well, even if he hates to think any part of himself English—”

“I am nae English,” Ian muttered.

“Well, you also married my sister, who is a marchioness in her own right.” Mari smiled. “I do believe you are stuck, sir.”

Abigail's father made his way toward them, which silenced Ian, at least momentarily. Shauna knew the reason he'd turned over management of the Cantford estate to Jamie was because Ian hated being south of the Borders, but he wouldn't embarrass Jillian, even though she were not here, by insulting an English host.

“Thank you for having this…gathering,” Shauna said to the earl. “We had nae expected this.”

“I am quite happy to do it. Any friend of my daughter's is a friend of mine,” the earl replied and shook Shane's hand. “How is Abigail doing?”

“Well,” Shane answered. “Not that she listens when I ask her to take care and nae do anything that will risk hurting the bairn.”

The older man laughed. “Abigail always was a bit strong-willed.” He gestured toward the other end of the ballroom. “You will find refreshments over there.”

Before they could proceed, Owen MacLean broke through the crowd and came over to them. He gave Robert a long look and finally a short nod. “I suppose congratulations are in order.”

“Thank you,” Robert replied, equally neutral.

Shauna linked her arm through his. “I am happy, Owen.”

He hesitated. “You might not be for long.”

Robert frowned. “What's that supposed to mean?”

“Aye,” Jamie said as he, Ian and Shane closed ranks around them. “We willnae tolerate trouble today.”

“You will not be getting trouble from me,” Owen replied and glanced at Shauna once more before looking back at Jamie. “I spotted Nicholas Algernon yesterday. I thought you should know.”

“You are a damn coward.” Wesley glared at Nicholas from across the room of a modestly priced boarding house near Southwark Park. “If you return to France, you will have to live like this—” he gestured to the simple furnishings, “—for the rest of your life.”

“At least I will be alive.”

“If survival is your goal, you might want to step away from the window.”

Nicholas turned around. “I want to make sure there is not a MacLeod lurking about on the street.”

“Why in Hades would there be? Just because you spotted MacLean—”

“
He
spotted
me
,” Nicholas interrupted.

“How can you be sure? He did not speak to you, did he?”

“
Non
, but our eyes met. I know he recognized me, even with my hair changed.”

“So?” Wesley drained his brandy and poured another sizable amount into his glass. “MacLean was at the Exchange yesterday. You said he had clerked for Rothschild, so he probably came to London on business.”

“It seems too coincidental.”

“You worry like a woman,” Wesley said. “Remember the bitch said she told MacLean she would not marry him while she was at Glenfinnan. He would hardly be likely to help them search for her.”

Nicholas sank into an arm chair. “
If
he agreed with her. Since when did a woman's word start holding sway? MacLean has much to gain with that union regardless of what she wants. And
if
he helps search for her—and especially
if
he thinks he will find her—the MacLeods will be obligated to let MacLean marry her.”

Wesley tried not to laugh. “Your imagination is quite active. Maybe you should start writing penny dreadfuls.”

“Make fun of me if you like.” Nicholas got up and returned to the window. “Have you forgotten that Jamie MacLeod lives in London? How long do you think his brother and cousin will search before they end up here? Word may already have been sent to be looking for us.”

“Why would they think we came to London?” Wesley asked as he poured another drink. “Besides, I booked passage for this Tuesday. The
American Pride
is leaving for Charleston. It is not Louisiana, but we can find another ship once we arrive in the States. We will not be here much longer.”

“We have been here far too long already,” Nicholas answered without taking his eyes off the street down below. “We should have taken the first ship leaving for anywhere.”

“That would have been pure stupidity,” Wesley said. “
If
word was sent to look for us in London, the first thing MacLeod would have done was check the ships leaving. None of those bastards would suspect that we would actually
wait
. My strategy is brilliant. Totally brilliant.”

Nicholas glanced at him and then returned to observing the street. “We could have been in New York by now.”

Wesley sighed and put his glass down. “I just told you bolting would have been madness.”

“Madness is staying put once I have been spotted. I am sure MacLean will go to MacLeod with the news.”

“Coward.”

“Better cowardly than dead.” Nicholas stepped back from the window. “I am going to ride to Portsmouth and catch a ship back to France from there.”