The Lady in the Tower (10 page)

Yet even as
she told herself as much, a sharp pang of regret knifed through her.

A soft knock
sounded on the door. Jane looked up as Catherine slipped in. “Are you ready?”

With a deep
breath, Jane straightened her shoulders and found a smile. “As I’ll ever be.”

Catherine
smiled encouragingly and led her from the room.

* * * * *

Richard looked
about the room for Jane, gritting his teeth on not seeing her.
Damn it, where is she? I must speak with
her.
And yet, that seemed to be the worst thing he could do; he couldn’t
seem to talk to her for more than two minutes without saying something asinine.
He owed her an apology but Richard was unsure how or when he’d get the chance.
Upon their arrival, Jane had done her best to ignore and avoid him, despite his
attempts to speak with her. She’d stayed just out of his reach, and so he’d
been caught in conversation with Lady Tyndale, who seemed very knowledgeable
about the artwork hanging in the duchess’s sitting room. Richard hadn’t paid
much attention to what was said, just made the appropriate “Ah,” and “Indeed,”
comment every once and again, so he could keep an eye on Jane.

But then Lady
Tyndale had gestured to a specific canvas and he’d been forced to look. When
he’d turned back, Jane was gone. He searched the room to see if she’d taken a
seat somewhere, but no such luck. Alarm surged even as he told himself not to
overreact. She had simply retired to gather her thoughts, perhaps. But hard on
that came the memory of her admittance of motion sickness. Had the carriage
ride made her ill once more? He’d thought their pace slow enough to
have resolved
that issue, but maybe not. Or was it something
more? Had he infuriated her so much that she no longer wished to speak to him?

He was just
going to find the duchess and demand to see Jane when a bell sounded and the
small group moved to a drawing room where chairs had been set up in an intimate
semicircle. He took a seat at the end of one row so he could stretch his leg.
The muscle still pained him, but he hadn’t exaggerated when he’d told Jane it
was better. Granted, he’d rather have
her
hands on him than anyone else’s,
but the odds of that occurring were grim indeed.

Unless
he did something to change the odds, and stack the deck in his favor.
But what?
What
could he do to prove himself to Jane?

Presently,
Jane joined them and took up a position at the center of the room. He could see
her nerves, and he wanted to praise her courage, while also whisking her away
somewhere they could be alone.

She cleared
her throat, greeted the group with a shaky smile, and began.

He leaned back
in his chair and listened. It was obvious that she enjoyed her topic, and her
enthusiasm traveled to the crowd. The longer she spoke, the more animated she
became, and the more relaxed she appeared, the more he and everyone in the room
found themselves leaning forward, listening intently.

He would have
liked to question her about some of the points she made, but even to the
untrained, it was obvious that the heart of her argument was downright
brilliant. When he considered she never had, nor ever would, have the formal
training allowed males, his admiration for her soared. He’d been attracted to
her physically since he’d met her all those months ago, an attraction that had
only deepened over the past weeks. But listening to her now, he realized her
mind fascinated him equally as much.

She drew to a
close, and beamed at the audience, and as he watched, a flash of pure desire
for her arrowed through him. He’d never thought she could be any more appealing
to him than at that moment.

Hard
on that realization came another: he had to make things right with Jane, and
there was no better time than now.

* * * * *

Jane accepted the
hand of congratulations from an older gentleman she’d met earlier in the
evening, unable to control her smile of elation. She’d done it! Granted, this
was not the lecture hall of a medical college,
nor
even a surgical theater, but she’d delivered an argument to a group of laymen
and they’d seemed not just to understand her points, but also to agree with
her.

At least some
of them had. Richard had been absolutely inscrutable. What had he thought? Did
he find her foolish?

She decided
she didn’t want to know.

The crowd
thinned, everyone turning to the refreshments set out by the duchess’s staff,
and she was left alone.

Sighing with
relief, she turned around – and found Richard standing behind her.

“I need to
speak with you,” he said. “Alone.”

“I’m sure that’s
not necessary.”

“Oh, but it
is.”

He’d said
enough hurtful things today and she’d be a fool to give him the opportunity.
She looked around the room, but her friends were nowhere to be seen. But
perhaps it was better to get this over with, once and for all. “Very well, I’ll
hear what you have to say. Follow me.” She led him to the private room
Catherine had earlier arranged for her.

A fire had
been lit against the November chill. It remained the main source of light,
casting their shadows across the dark wood-paneled room. The thick Oriental
carpet muffled their footfalls as they moved inside. Richard went to light a
lamp, but she stopped him. “There’s no need. We won’t be that long.”

He hesitated,
but then nodded.

She spied a
tantalus
, and decided a drop of brandy would not go amiss.
She poured herself a dram, and lifted a questioning brow to Richard.

“Yes, please.”

She poured a
second snifter and offered it to him. To her surprise, he clinked his glass to
hers. “To you and your success.”

The liquor burned
pleasantly down her throat, but she had to take care not to choke on her
surprise. “You think I was a success?”

In the
darkened shadows of the room his eyes appeared deep and black.  “But of
course. I find your insights into the surgical applications nothing short of
inspired.”

She flushed,
and she suddenly realized that although she’d spoken to a room full of people,
his was the only praise she’d valued. “Thank you.”

He smiled, and
her heart did a funny flip in her chest. Good God, the man was an Adonis.

He brought
that smile closer as he leaned in. “You have some brilliant insights.”

“I’ve worked
hard to clarify them.” Not since her father had another physician found merit
in her work. She gulped a healthy swallow of the fine brandy. Warmth spread
through her chest. Or perhaps the heat came from the way Richard was looking at
her. Her eyes fell to his mouth. Memory of his kisses made her lips tingle.

“You didn’t
learn all of that from your father.”

“No. He had
the beginning premise, but I’ve been altering it, adding to it.”

“I knew when I
saw those sutures that you were doing something new, but—” He shook his
head. “Your father would be proud.”

           
She
smiled. “I hope so. Father wished me to pursue my surgical training, but only
after I was safely married. He thought a husband would give me the
respectability I needed to keep people from talking. Enough to be safe from
society at the very least.”

“So you wed
Kilkenny
.”

“Yes. Papa was
relieved when Albert and I wed, which was good because at the end, he was
so—” Painful memories stirred. The brandy suddenly tasted bitter, and she
put it aside. “Father was already ill by then, and he deteriorated quickly. His
memory was slipping away a little every day, and he knew it, too. The
realization tormented him.” Tears pricked her eyes. “He was like a madman,
repeating himself over and over, wanting me to write down everything he was so
desperate to pass on.”

“So you took
his notes and developed them yet more.”

“Yes. He had
so many wonderful ideas. I’ve just been continuing his work.”

He shook his
head and put down his glass before coming to her. “Jane, I’ve been such a
fool.” He cupped her face, his hand warm on her skin. “That’s why you work so
hard.
To honor him.
Even when you don’t get credit for
all you do—” He grimaced. “You amaze me. He would’ve celebrated your
success tonight. And he would have been pleased beyond thought at seeing the
perfect sutures you put into our patient.”

He was right,
but the realization made the tears come anyway. Embarrassed, she turned away,
only to be caught in Richard’s arms. His strength offered comfort; his earthy
scent soothed her. She buried her face against him, while he smoothed a hand
down her back.
           
“Jane,”
he murmured. “My Jane.”
           
When
he tilted her face up to him, it seemed the most natural thing in the world to
kiss him.

He tasted of
salt and brandy and warmth. Jane moved into his arms, and it suddenly felt as
if she’d returned home. She opened her mouth to him, but explored just as much
as he. The first time they’d been intimate he’d overwhelmed her completely.
Now, she was determined to turn the tables.

She shoved at
his coat and he obligingly tugged it off. Eagerly, she pulled his shirt free
while he tugged at his cravat, cursing when the knot stuck. Jane laughed and
slipped the knot loose even as he freed the fastenings to her gown. It fell to
the floor in a soft rush of silk.

As if a dam
had broken, they were tugging at the rest of their clothing until they could
finally come together skin to skin. She gasped at the heat of his chest against
her bare breasts, his black chest hair teasing her nipples.

His mouth
moved to her throat, teasing the very spot he’d marked before, only to blaze a
heated trail to her breasts. He laved one nipple before drawing it into his
mouth. The suction sent desire arcing through her like a lightning bolt. A moan
escaped her and her knees quivered.

Before she
could fall, he eased her down, and she didn’t care if it was the settee, the
desk or the floor. All she knew was that if he didn’t fill her she’d die.

Clutching him
desperately, she arched beneath him, locking her thighs about his hips.

“Easy, my
love,” he whispered at her ear.

“No,
not
easy.” Her hand found his erection
burning against her thigh. She smiled at his gasp.

“You don’t
play fair.”

She laughed.
“Better you know that now, rather than later.”

The grin he
gave her sent a fresh bolt of lust through her. “I’ll consider myself warned.”
With that, he surged inside her.

She gasped as
he filled her. It felt so good, so
right.
She grabbed at his shoulders,
tugging him closer yet, moving beneath him,
urging
him
on.

Yet every time
she tried to speed their pace, he’d deliberately slow them down again. She bit
his lip in retribution but he laughed, the deep sound thrumming through their
joining. Instinct had her draw up her knees, forcing him deeper.

He muttered a
curse and she held on as waves of passion raced through her. Panting wildly,
she collapsed against him. He kissed her as he thrust deeply and found his own
release.

Their
breathing labored, they remained entwined, and it was only then that Jane
realized they hadn’t even made it to the settee. She smiled to herself. At least
the Oriental rug hadn’t burned her backside. Chuckling at her thoughts, she
stroked his back. “What did you want to talk about that you dragged us into
this room to begin with?”

He nipped her
earlobe. “I wanted to apologize.”

“I
do
like the way you apologize.” She
laughed, and he joined in, and it was then she knew: she’d fallen in love with
Sir Richard Thornton. The heavy, delicious male weight of him felt right
somehow. She had no regrets whatsoever, but . . . what happened now? She had no
idea. She wondered if he did. Judging by the look on his face, replete,
relaxed—she took some pride in the knowledge that
she
was the reason for it—he looked no nearer a conclusion
than she.
           
Gently
he disengaged then kissed her before helping her to her feet. “We must return
to the others. You, my dear, are the guest of honor. I have no doubt you’ve
already been missed.”

She sighed. “I
suppose so.” She set about repairing her clothing and
repinned
her hair. “I hate going back, though. It was lovely here.”

He came to stand
behind her, his chin resting on her head. “So it was. But there will be more
lovely times.”

She glanced up
at him. “Yes?”

“Yes, and one
of them will start now if you keep looking at me like that.”

She laughed
and with a final tweaking of their clothes, they rejoined the party.

They spent the
next hour mingling with the guests, talking and laughing, and yet never far
from one another. As soon as they decently could, Richard announced that he
must return home.