The Husband Hunt (12 page)

“Robert,” Lisa gasped, shocked by the bursts of pleasure that sent shooting through her. This then was the warm tingly stuff Fanny and Sophia had spoken about in their books. They really hadn’t described it very well at all, she decided, clawing at Robert’s shoulders with excitement until she couldn’t stand it anymore and had to grab him by a handful of hair to drag his mouth back to hers again.

Robert obliged, his kiss this time demanding rather than punishing. But his hands continued to caress and squeeze, one at her exposed breast and the other now on her behind and urging her hips against his as his tongue worked its magic.

Lisa was vaguely aware of his moving her backward, but didn’t understand why until she felt something press into her bottom, and then his hands gave up their squeezing and caressing to catch her by the waist and lift her to sit on that something. A desk, she thought, or a table. Lisa was too busy to look around and see. And then his one hand was back at her breast, but the other was tugging her skirt up one leg until he could slip his hand beneath and run it up from her knee along her outer thigh.

Lisa moaned and squirmed under the caress, her bottom shifting on the hard surface she sat on, and her own kiss becoming wildly demanding now. Her fingers tugged eagerly at his hair even as her palms pressed him closer. When his hand then slid back down her thigh only to ride back up, gliding along the inside of her thigh this time, she began to squirm in earnest, little gasps of excitement puffing from her mouth to his. When his fingers brushed against the curls between her legs, Lisa positively jumped, bucking up and back at the same time and legs squeezing together trapping his hand there.

Distracted as she was by what Robert was doing, Lisa wasn’t at first aware that her actions and their weight had set the small table she was sitting on tumbling backward. Robert was a little quicker on the uptake and did try to save them both, but he was off balance and merely managed to stumble and fall with her. His weight crashed down on her chest even as her back hit the hard floor. Lisa groaned in pain from both that and the pain suddenly radiating from the backs of her knees which were caught on the edge of the table.

“Damn,” Robert muttered, scrambling to get off of her. “Are you all right?”

Lisa winced, but opened her eyes and managed a crooked smile. “I think so. A little bruised maybe, but otherwise all right.”

“I’m sorry,” he apologized, shifting to help her up.

Lisa stood carefully, grimacing at the pain in her back and legs.

Once he had her on her feet and was sure nothing was broken, Robert immediately turned to quickly right the table and replace the few things that had been on it besides her and him. Realizing that she was standing there with one breast still out, Lisa quickly tucked it back in her dress. She then checked her hair with her hands, and blindly tried to repair any damage that may have been done, but it was difficult when she couldn’t see what damage the incident may have caused.

Frowning, she glanced around the room and spied a mirror hanging on one wall. Moving to it, Lisa was relieved to find that not too much damage had been done. She quickly straightened her hair and then brushed down her skirts before turning nervously back to Robert to find he had finished with his task and was now eyeing her silently. The look was one she recognized. She had known him a long time after all. That look was the one he wore when contemplating a troubling puzzle or problem he couldn’t quite sort out.

It was rather lowering to be considered a troubling problem after what they’d just done and Lisa instinctively raised her shoulders in self-defense against whatever he was about to say.

But all he said was, “We should probably return to the ball. Suzette said you have a full dance card. Your absence will not go without notice.”

Lisa stared at him silently for a moment, as disappointed as if he had insulted or slapped her, and then she simply turned away toward the door.

“Of course, you’re right,” she murmured, and then as she reached the door, she added, “After all, I am not going to find a husband in here, am I.”

She dragged the door open and strode quickly up the hall toward the music and chatter coming from the ballroom.

“There you are. I have been looking everywhere for you. Our dance is about to begin.”

Lisa paused abruptly and forced a smile when Lord Findlay suddenly appeared in front of her as she entered the ballroom.

“I—” She paused and glanced over her shoulder when his gaze suddenly moved past her and narrowed. He’d spotted Robert, of course. Following her. Only Lord Langley hadn’t thought to stop and check his appearance and his hair was disheveled as were his clothes. He looked like . . . well, like he’d been ravishing a young woman, she supposed, and wondered with dismay if her lips were as swollen and bruised as his.

“The music is beginning, my lord,” she said desperately.

Lord Findlay shifted his gaze back to her face and then gave a small nod and smile. “Then we should dance.”

Lisa let her breath out on a small puff of relief, hoping that meant she didn’t look like she’d just been kissed silly, and allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor. But her hopes were dashed when Lord Findlay took her into his arms murmuring, “Do I need to call Langley out to defend your honor?”

Sighing, she sagged briefly in his arms and then forced herself upright again and blurted, “We were arguing.”

Not surprisingly, that brought a dubious rising of one eyebrow.

“And then I slapped him,” she continued reluctantly, before babbling, “and then I slapped him again, and he kissed me for punishment and then the table fell over and he picked it up and we came back out.” She grimaced as she finished, aware that she was probably blushing furiously.

Lord Findlay was silent for several seconds and then cleared his throat and asked, “And does he often punish you with kisses?”

“No, of course not, never,” Lisa assured him, and then babbled nervously, “Well, except tonight, but you see he wanted me to stay away from Lord Pembroke, but I had to dance with him because of Suzette. Only Pembroke could tell I was uncomfortable and thought it was because I’d been sick and insisted on taking me out for air. Then he grabbed me, and I got away and Lord Tibald took care of Pembroke for me while I tried to come inside. But then Robert saw everything and dragged me off to rant at me about being with Pembroke, which is when I slapped him and . . . well, all the other followed and we returned to the ball,” she ended weakly.

“I see,” Findlay murmured.

Lisa was doing her damnedest to avoid looking at him, afraid of what she would see in his eyes. But when his shoulder began to shake under her hand, she glanced at him nervously, amazed to see him struggling to stifle what appeared to be mirth.

“Are you laughing, my lord?” Lisa asked with amazement.

“I am sorry,” he assured her sincerely, but the sincerity cracked under amusement as he added, “Truly you are the most delightful female. Sometimes I simply cannot make heads or tails of what you’re saying.”

“Oh,” she muttered and supposed her explanation had been a little less than coherent.

“Why are you supposed to stay away from Pembroke?” Langley asked.

“Because—” Lisa paused abruptly, and avoided telling the truth by repeating what Tibald had said. “Because he is notoriously difficult when in his cups.”

“Ah, yes, he is,” Findlay agreed solemnly. “I take it he is in his cups tonight?”

“Lord Tibald seemed to think so,” Lisa muttered.

“Right.” He nodded. “And how is it that you had to dance with Pembroke because of Suzette?”

“Oh,” she sighed unhappily. “He came up asking about a dance and Suzette announced that the first waltz was still free, so of course I had to dance it with him.”

“Of course,” Findlay agreed wryly. “And did you enjoy Langley’s punishing kiss?”

Lisa was so startled by the unexpected question that she actually stumbled in the dance. Lord Findlay immediately tightened his hold on her, drawing her closer against his chest to prevent her falling and she took refuge there briefly to avoid answering the question.

“Are you all right?” he asked, easing her back a moment later. It was the smart thing to do. It really wasn’t proper to be hanging on a man like that.

Lisa nodded, still avoiding his eyes. “I—yes, thank you.”

He allowed a moment of silence to pass, and then pointed out gently, “You have not answered the question . . . but then perhaps that is answer enough,” he added quietly, sounding disappointed.

“I—it’s not—I liked your kiss,” she said finally if a little weakly.

“Did you?” Charles asked, cheering somewhat, and then tilted his head and said, “Better or less than his?”

He would have to ask that, Lisa thought with vexation and then said, “They were two entirely different kisses. Yours was gentle and . . . er . . . sweet. His was . . .” She briefly sought her mind for an acceptable description. Certainly, hot, passionate and overwhelming wouldn’t do. Finally, she said, “Hard.”

Lord Findlay blinked at the word. “Hard? What was?”

“His kiss,” she said with a frown. “That is what we are talking about, my lord. If you will insist on discussing this, please at least try to follow the conversation.”

“Yes, of course, my apologies,” Charles murmured quickly, his lips twitching again.

“So you see, they were two entirely different kisses. Impossible to compare.”

“I would imagine,” he said agreeably.

“However, perhaps if you were to kiss me hard, well, then I could compare the two,” she suggested as the idea came to her. Robert’s kisses had been heart stopping. He’d wrung passion from her as easily as the maids at home wrung water from a soaking rag. Really, it had been the most exciting, most enjoyable experience of her life. She was not willing to live with a lesser passion in her marriage bed. But she wasn’t likely to get Robert to marry her with him being such a dense and stubborn idiot of a male. But surely he wasn’t the only one who could wring such passion from her?

Perhaps if Lord Findlay used a bit more fervor in his kisses and didn’t treat her as if she were so fragile she might crumble under his passion . . . well, perhaps he too could stir those depths of passion from her.

It seemed perfectly reasonable to her. Findlay had already kissed her once. It was just that his had lacked the passion and fervor of Robert’s, but then it was possible that he had just been considerate of her being a lady.

She raised her head to peer at Lord Findlay to see what he thought of the suggestion and found him staring down at her with quite the most startled expression.

“Are you . . . ?” He paused to clear his throat and then said carefully, “Are you suggesting you would like me to give you a punishing-type kiss?”

“Well I would rather that than ask Robert to give me a gentle kiss,” she admitted wryly, and Lord Findlay released a burst of startled laughter that made the arms holding her shake and vibrate. Lisa smiled wryly, glad she’d amused him this time, and then, in the next moment, Charles began to whirl them to the side and right out of the ballroom.

Lisa glanced around with surprise as he walked her across the terrace. She hadn’t realized they’d been so close to the doors while speaking and hadn’t expected the moment to come quite this soon. Actually, she hadn’t really been thinking at all when she’d made the suggestion: she’d mostly been desperate to have Lord Findlay wipe the memory of Robert’s kisses from her memory, and hopefully stir the same passion he had. If Charles could . . . well, perhaps all would be well after all.

Lord Findlay stopped walking and she glanced around to see that he’d led her to the darkest corner of the terrace where no one was likely to notice or see. When he then turned her to face him, she shifted nervously, her eyes shooting everywhere but to his face.

“Punishing, huh?” he murmured thoughtfully, seeming reluctant.

Lisa was about to call it off, and let him off the hook when he suddenly caught her arms, dragged her up against his chest and planted his mouth on hers. This was definitely punishing, Lisa decided as his mouth crushed hers bruisingly against her teeth. Had Robert really been trying to punish her? Not bloody likely if this was punishing, because this was nothing like what Robert had done, she thought with dismay as Charles bit at her lip and forced her mouth open with his tongue. When it then swept inside, it wasn’t with the questing grace of Robert’s, but with a conquering fervor, filling her until she thought she would choke on it or suffocate.

Robert may have called it punishment, but his kiss hadn’t been punishment at all compared to this. Good Lord, and she’d asked for it, she thought with dismay as Lord Findlay continued to mash his mouth over hers. What on earth had she been thinking?

The kiss, if that’s what it was, seemed to be interminable, and Lisa was more than relieved when it finally ended and he lifted his head.

“Well?” he asked, breathing a bit heavily.

Lisa stared at him blankly for a moment and then cleared her throat and offered, “It was much more masterful than . . . er . . . you know.”

Really, it was the best she could do under the circumstances. She could hardly criticize it when it was exactly what she’d asked for.

“Lisa!”

Sighing as she recognized the owner of that sharp voice, she turned and grimaced at Robert as he paused a few feet away. He was angry, of course, his hands clenched and back stiff as a board, but then he always seemed to be angry with her lately, she thought unhappily.

“I am right here, my lord,” she said grimly. “There is no need to bark at me like a dog.”

“Inside,” he growled, which really wasn’t much better than barking, in her opinion.

Chapter Ten

“D
id you try the tea cakes?” Suzette asked, leaning forward in her seat to select another one. “You should have one.”

“No, thank you,” Lisa murmured despite her growling stomach. She was not eating a single thing Pembroke had presented for this picnic. She may be hungry right now, but a short bout of hunger was better than hours of vomiting followed by still hours more of dry heaves. She had learned her lesson. Still, it was very hard sitting here watching the others eat so eagerly while she was hungry. But she supposed it was just punishment in Robert’s eyes.

The thought drew her gaze to the man in question. He had chosen to sit at another table, leaving her, Christiana, Suzette, Richard and Daniel at their table.

It was Pembroke’s picnic, which Lisa had thought they weren’t going to attend. However, Christiana had seen the invitation before Robert could get to it and had wanted to go. And they hadn’t been able to refuse without telling her the truth of things, which Robert was reluctant to do for some reason. All he would say was that they shouldn’t upset Christiana. She didn’t know why he cared so bloody much about upsetting her sister. He certainly had no problem upsetting her.

The man had been an ogre ever since the night before, growling and snapping at her every couple of minutes. One would almost think he was jealous at catching her and Charles in what he must have thought was a most passionate embrace. However, he would never admit it if he was. Robert took stubbornness to a new level.

Thoughts of Charles had her glancing around even though she knew he was not there. Pembroke had said Findlay had sent word of a prior engagement, but she suspected he simply hadn’t invited the man. She couldn’t help noticing that Lord Tibald wasn’t there either—also a prior engagement. She had come to the conclusion that Pembroke had simply decided to eliminate the competition during this excursion by neglecting to invite them. She didn’t know why he’d bothered, since he himself hadn’t approached her even once since the beginning of the journey. Lisa didn’t know if he was embarrassed about last night’s tussle in the garden, angry that she had rebuffed him, or just too busy seeing to everyone else to find the time to speak to her, but he had spent most of the journey fussing over his mother and seeing to her comfort. The man was definitely a mother’s boy.

This excursion was certainly an impressive one though. They had all gathered at the docks, piled on a boat and sailed up the coast to this rather lovely clearing. Pembroke had then herded everyone ashore and while the guests had all wandered about surveying the pretty flowers, trees and a nearby spring, a small army of servants had filed out of the bowels of the ship with tables, chairs, tablecloths, dishes and platters of food. It wasn’t really a picnic at all, but open-air dining, she decided. And the spread was really a quite impressive one too. However, she wasn’t willing to risk it and end up hanging over the basin all night. Besides, her stomach was still tender and she wasn’t really hungry.

“Oh, the torte is lovely too,” Christiana moaned. “Really, Pembroke’s cook outdid herself this time.”

Lisa forced a smile and then stood.

“I think I shall just walk along the shore while you all finish,” she said and moved away before anyone could protest.

Some of Lisa’s tension eased as soon as she had moved away from the tables, but she didn’t truly relax until she’d walked far enough that she couldn’t hear the chatter of the diners anymore. In that silence though, she became aware of the sound of footfalls behind her and glanced over her shoulder with a frown that dissolved into a sigh when she spotted Robert following her about ten feet back. Her watchdog was there. She should have known she wouldn’t be allowed to take even a moment for herself. The only peace she got anymore was in her room at Christiana and Richard’s. It was the only time Robert let her out of his sight. But that began to feel claustrophobic pretty quickly. It wasn’t that it was a small room or anything, it was simply that even the largest room shrank in size when you felt trapped in it.

Muttering under her breath, she ignored Robert and simply continued to walk. She hadn’t intended to go much farther, but his presence goaded her into continuing along the shoreline and around the bend, out of sight of the others.

“We should probably head back,” Robert said quietly behind her and Lisa gave a start at how near his voice was. His words had been spoken practically in her ear. She ignored them, however, and continued without a word.

“Lisa.”

“What, Robert?” she asked wearily, turning finally to scowl at him. She then quickly took a couple of steps back when she realized just how close he was. They had been close enough to kiss when she first turned.

“Where are you going?” he asked, rather than repeat that they should head back.

“Just . . . wherever,” she murmured, gesturing vaguely with one hand. “I just want a few minutes of peace and quiet.”

Robert nodded and moved up beside her. “You’ve been attending a lot of balls and teas. I suppose you’re not use to all the busy-ness and people after so long in the country.”

“Yes, that’s it,” Lisa said sarcastically. “It’s all the people around me. Not the great, grumpy ogre who follows me everywhere.”

He paused and peered at her with amazement. “I am trying to keep you safe.”

“I don’t know why. You act like you hate me,” she snapped. “Why would you bother keeping me safe when you hate me? And why is it you who is keeping me safe anyway? You could just hire someone to do it. Then you could go on about your happy bachelor’s life and forget about me.”

“We can’t hire someone. Christiana would want to know who he was and why he was needed and Richard doesn’t want to worry her in her delicate condition.”

Now it was Lisa who stopped walking. Turning on him blankly, she asked, “Her delicate condition?”

“She is with child again, but doesn’t want anyone to know until she is further along . . . in case she loses it again.”

Lisa stared at him with amazement, several thoughts running through her head. First and foremost was a sense of betrayal that Robert had known about it before she did. And she was Christiana’s sister. It seemed like everyone was treating her like a child, the last to be trusted with news.

Shaking her head bitterly, she turned and continued to walk.

“And I don’t hate you, Lisa,” he said, sounding reluctant to make the admission. “I’m just finding this all a bit taxing on my patience.”

Lisa snorted at the understatement in the words.

“What was going on with you and Lord Findlay last night?” he asked suddenly, as if the question were torn from him.

Lisa bit her lip and remained silent for a moment, but then shrugged. “You saw what was going on.”

“He was kissing you, but he appeared to be rather rough about it,” Robert said grimly.

“He—I—” Lisa paused and frowned, then shook her head, finding it impossible to even attempt to explain the debacle she’d instigated. It certainly hadn’t tuned out as she’d expected.

“If he was forcing himself on you—”

“No, he wasn’t,” she said quickly, and then realizing there was no help for it, admitted, “He saw us after you—last night when we returned to the ball. He figured out something had happened. I admitted you had punished me with a kiss for that nonsense with Pembroke and he asked if I’d enjoyed it and if it was better than his kiss. I said they were completely different, and then I suggested he give me a punishing kiss to compare yours to.” Lisa rolled her eyes even as she admitted that, realizing now just how stupid that had been.

“And he did,” Robert said quietly.

Lisa nodded. “However, it wasn’t like your punishment at all. His was rough and . . . well, rather nasty really. Punishing I guess, just as I’d requested.” She was silent for a moment and then added, “Which made me realize that your kiss hadn’t been a punishment at all.”

“We should really turn back,” Robert muttered, stopping and turning away.

“I never saw you as a coward,” Lisa commented idly, glancing back to seeing the way he stiffened as he paused again. “But that’s what you are, isn’t it Robert? Afraid to marry, afraid to admit you want me, afraid to admit that that kiss wasn’t punishment at all, but just an excuse to unleash the passion you feel for me. And you do have passion for me.”

“We have to return to the others,” Robert growled, not turning back.

“So go back to the others. I’m safe enough out here on my own. It’s not like Pembroke can escape his mother or his other guests and come kidnap me. Besides, what would he do with me then? Bundle me into the hold of the ship with the servants for the return journey?”

Robert hesitated, but then nodded once grimly and headed away, leaving her on her own.

Lisa really hadn’t expected that. She’d expected an argument. Hoped for it even, and had hoped it would lead to another bout of his unleashed passion. Because after Robert’s kiss last night she was right back to where she’d been at the start, wanting him and no one else. Lord Findlay and the others were all very nice and sweet and complimentary, but Robert stirred her passion and she suspected none of them would ever be able to make her tremble, quiver and moan as Robert had. She didn’t even want them to. It had always been Robert for her. And she suspected he wanted her as well. She just didn’t know how to break down the walls he’d erected around himself so that he’d give in to what he wanted and claim her. She didn’t even know why he was hesitating to do so.

Sighing, Lisa turned back the way she’d been headed and then froze in surprise when she found herself facing a rather large man all in black with a hood. It was the same damned hood the man who had broken into her room and tried to take her away had been wearing.

“Ro—!” she began instinctively, but never finished shouting his name before one meaty fist slammed into the side of her head, knocking her senseless.

R
obert almost didn’t turn back at Lisa’s shout. It was a broken sound, but he simply thought the wind had captured the rest of his name and taken it away. However, then he heaved a sigh and stopped again. Annoyed with her or not, irritated by her claims as he was, he couldn’t simply ignore her. He would have to face her eventually and counter her arguments somehow, because while she was right, he wasn’t ready to admit that he did want her. Because she was also right that he was afraid.

He started to turn back, caught movement out of the corner of his eye as he did and instinctively ducked and swerved, narrowly missing the hamlike fist that had been aimed at his head. Blinking in surprise at the large man now confronting him, he glanced past him to see Lisa lying unconscious on the sand back where he’d left her, and then ducked and rolled to the side as the man in black swung for him again.

Robert was popping back to his feet, mentally preparing himself for the next blow when he saw the fellow pull a long, large blade from the back of his trousers and toss it from hand to hand as he crouched slightly before him.

Bloody brilliant, Robert thought grimly. Fisticuffs were one thing, but a one-sided knife fight was not good. Not good at all. It was even more worrisome because if he failed at overcoming the huge bastard now moving in on him, Lisa would be lost. Which meant he’d better not lose if he wanted to keep her safe.

Very aware of that fact, Robert began glancing around for something he could use as a weapon. The only thing handy was sand at the moment, and he didn’t hesitate but bent to grab up a handful even as he leapt to the side to avoid the knife now plunging toward him. He wasn’t quick enough; the tip of it sliced into him, scraping across his ribs as he went, but he ignored the stinging pain and straightened, tossing the sand at his adversary’s eyes.

The trick worked. The man stumbled back, reaching for his face and Robert charged, bending at the waist to ram his shoulder into the man’s chest. The tackle took the fellow down and Robert landed on him hard and then began slamming his fists into his hood-covered face and stomach until he simply couldn’t hit him anymore.

Much to his relief, when he stopped and knelt over the man, his attacker didn’t move or suddenly rise up to start hitting back. It appeared he was unconscious. At least he could see that his eyes were closed through the eyeholes in his mask.

Robert sank back on his haunches with relief and then glanced down at his chest, grimacing when he saw the long slice in his shirt and the blood staining it. His gaze then shifted to where Lisa lay in the sand. It was probably good she was unconscious. She would have fainted if she’d seen the blood anyway, he thought wryly. Lisa had never been very good with blood.

His gaze swiveled back to the attacker and he started to lean forward, intending to remove the man’s mask, but paused as the cut in his stomach protested. Sighing, he sank back without removing it. He would send Richard and Daniel for the fellow and they could unmask the man and tell him who he was. Right now, the more important thing was to get Lisa safely back to the others. His wound was bleeding quite a bit, and Robert was growing weaker by the moment. Should the hooded man wake up and have another go at him, he wasn’t at all sure how he’d fare.

Taking a breath, he forced himself to his feet and then stumbled through the sand to Lisa.

L
isa moaned and turned over, wondering why her head felt like someone was dancing on it. She then opened her eyes slowly. She was in bed in her guest bedroom at Christiana and Richard’s home.

“Oh, thank goodness. You’re awake,” Christiana murmured, suddenly appearing in her line of vision as she pent to peer at her.

“Chrissy?” Lisa said uncertainly. “What happened?”

“Don’t you remember?”

That question from her other side brought Lisa’s attention to the fact that Suzette too was there. She glanced at her uncertainly and then peered back to Christiana, her gaze sliding over the dresses they wore. The same dresses they’d been wearing at Pembroke’s picnic.

“Oh,” she breathed, recalling heading out for a walk, her words with Robert and then the big man with the hard fists. “Did Robert save me?”