Velvet Chains (Historical Romance) (39 page)

"We did it, ma'am! We did it!" Winston shouted happily. "I didn't think we could, but it ain't gonna flood the cabins and fields."

Season laughed hysterically as her tears mixed with the rain. "You were all wonderful." She shouted so she could be heard above the rushing water. "On behalf of Mr. Carrington and myself, I want to thank each and every one of you for what you did here today. You are all to go home and get into dry clothing. I have ordered food to be prepared for everyone. We have a lot to be thankful for tonight."

As Season walked to her horse she didn't see all the adoring glances that followed her. No one looked at her more adoringly than the giant Winston. The mistress had treated him as an equal and had made him feel important. He knew he would always remember Mrs. Carrington had put her trust in him, and he felt proud that he hadn't let her down.

As Season rode back to the house she didn't know when she had ever been so tired. She was wet and muddy and her body seemed to ache all over, but never had she felt so good about an accomplishment.

She dismounted at the Walls's cottage and inquired if the doctor had come. Molly gave her a disapproving glare and Mrs. Walls stared at her in astonishment.

"Like as not, you'll catch your death, my lady," Molly declared in a clear voice.

Season smiled. "That may very well be, but we are saved from the flood."

The doctor came out of the bedroom and was thunderstruck at the sight of Mrs. Carrington in muddied men's trousers. He was too polite to voice his surprise so he told her that Mr. Walls should be up and about in two more weeks.

The doctor grinned at Season when she explained how they had diverted the floodwaters. "You may not be aware of it, Mrs. Carrington, but in diverting the river, you not only saved Rosemont, but several other plantations that lay in the river's path. Many of your neighbors will be calling to thank you when they learn what you have done here today."

Season smiled and excused herself.

When she reached the house she ordered all the food to be carried out to the veranda, and she sent a young boy to tell everyone to come to the big house to eat.

When Season finally reached her bedroom she found Molly waiting there for her, preparing a hot bath and looking very put out.

"Such goings-on," the maid grumbled as she poured bath salts into the water. "I never thought I'd live to see the day when you would dress like a man and be laboring like a common slave. I don't know what Mr. Carrington would say, or your father either for that matter," Molly stated in a disapproving voice.

Season smiled as she stripped off her muddy clothing and climbed into the sweet-scented water. "I don't know what Lucas would say, Molly, but I believe my father would be proud of me."

"What should I say?" her husband's voice suddenly filled the room.

Season sank down into the water, while Molly stared blankly at the master of the house. The maid cast Season a glance that plainly told her her husband would deal with her unladylike behavior. Then she gathered up the muddy garments and sailed out of the room.

Lucas walked casually over to Season, and she crossed her arms over her breasts trying to cover the upper half of her body from his view.

"I have heard it said that you have taken to wearing men's clothing, my lady wife," he said, smiling at her while his golden eyes ran over her creamy shoulders.

Season couldn't find her voice at first. She had gone for months without hearing a word from Lucas, and suddenly here he was acting as if he had never left her.

She watched in disbelief as he slowly began removing his wet shirt. She pressed her back against the tub when he slipped off his muddy boots. "You aren't going to do what I think you are!" she cried, thinking it was his intention to get into the bath with her. How dare he just walk in as if nothing is wrong between us! Season thought angrily.

He smiled and his brilliant golden eyes rested on Season's creamy white breasts which were plainly visible in the clear water. "I would like nothing better than to bathe with you, my dear, but alas, the tub isn't large enough to accommodate the both of us." Lucas dropped down beside her and raised her chin. "Have you no greeting for your husband after all this time, Season?"

"Season's face became flushed when she saw the gleam in his eyes. "Lucas, I'm warning you to leave me alone!" she said, pushing his hand away.

He chuckled and ran his finger down her breast. "Now isn't this pleasant? I come home to find my wife pining away for me. I understand you are restraining yourself from falling into my arms."

"How dare you, Lucas! I haven't seen you in months. You didn't bother to tell me you were leaving and I haven't received one letter from you. You suddenly appear without warning, and you expect me to throw myself into your arms as if nothing had ever happened."

His golden eyes caressed Season's face lovingly, causing her blood to pound. Feeling the pull of Lucas' magnetism, she armed herself against him. She didn't want to forgive his neglect so readily.

"Have you any notion how beautiful you are…even with mud on your face?" His voice was low and the sound of it seemed to vibrate in her ears.

She reached for a cloth and dabbed at her face until Lucas took it from her hand and tenderly washed the mud away. Season watched, mesmerized, as he took the cake of soap and began lathering his hands. She almost groaned with pleasure as he began to run his lathered hands across her shoulders and back. Hot waves of passion surged through her body as his hands moved slowly around to encircle her breasts and caress their satiny peaks sensuously.

Lucas' eyes held hers, and her body began to relax beneath his gentle stroking hands. Suddenly he broke the spell with his laughter.

"You have mud in your hair. What did you do— tumble in a mud puddle somewhere?" He gathered up a handful of muddy curls and began lathering them vigorously.

"I have been helping sandbag the river. You weren't home to see to it. If I hadn't taken charge Rosemont would have been flooded and you would have lost your crops."

His hands stopped. "You what? Are you telling me that Walls allowed you to take part in such a dangerous operation? I will send him packing for this!"

"Mr. Walls has been very ill and had nothing to do with it," Season said, looking at him with an angry frown on her face.

"You could have asked Robert for help, Season," he suggested ironically.

"No, I couldn't. Robert and Rebecca have gone to Philadelphia. There was no one to take control but me."

Lucas' hands were rough as he pulled her head up and forced her to look at him. "Are you telling me that you helped sandbag and dig the trenches I saw when I rode up?"

"Well, obviously not all by myself. Everyone helped. You would have been proud of Winston, Lucas. He took charge and the others followed his lead."

"Winston!" Lucas said in an astounded voice. "That slave has caused me nothing but trouble for the last three years. Mrs. Walls has urged me to sell him for fear that he might one day harm her husband."

Season looked stricken for a moment. "It was Mrs. Walls who recommended Winston to me in the first place. Why would she do such a thing if she didn't trust Winston?"

Lucas clamped his jaw tightly together. "She is a bitter old woman, but I have put up with her for years because I value Walls. I think it's time I had a talk with her."

"Let it be, Lucas. Everything worked out satisfactorily. As for selling Winston, I won't ever allow it. I do not approve of buying and selling human beings as if they were cattle. Besides, he was wonderful today. We could never have saved Rosemont without his help."

Lucas' shoulders shook with silent laughter. "Lord, you oppose me at every turn, Season. First, you turn patriot on me, and now you want to free all my slaves. You have me at your mercy, wondering what you will do next."

"Why did you come back, Lucas?" she asked pointedly. "Why didn't you just stay with your friends in New York? I have been told that you have a friend there by the name of Lady Southerland. Why didn't you stay with her?"

Lucas' hand tightened on Season's shoulder. "Where did you hear that?"

"Edmund told me the day he came to Rosemont. Do you deny that he spoke the truth?"

"I will neither confirm nor deny the charge. If you have no faith in me, there is nothing I can say that will make you believe me."

"I have thought many things about you, Lucas, but I have never questioned your honesty. If you say Edmund wasn't telling the truth, I will believe you."

"If that is the case, I will tell you there is nothing going on between myself and Lady Southerland," he said as his golden eyes flashed.

Season lowered her lashes. "I will believe you then, but that still doesn't excuse you, Lucas."

He stood up and smiled slightly. "Am I to take it you are not overjoyed to see me?"

Season dunked her head in the water and washed the soap from her hair. She saw that the towel was hanging over the back of a chair, and knew she would have to expose herself to reach it. Anger overruled her modesty, and she climbed out of the tub and padded across the room, dripping water on the floor.

Lucas' eyes followed her and their golden depths seemed to burn into her. He noticed her long silky legs and her softly curved hips.

Wrapping the towel about her she turned to face him. "What did you expect, Lucas? Did you think I would welcome you back with open arms?"

"I had hoped so," he replied, smiling.

Season's damp hair clung to her face and her green eyes sparkled defiantly. "Perhaps the other women in your life are content to go for months without seeing or hearing from you. I have no doubt they would fall willingly into your arms, glad that you noticed them at all. If you expect that from me you will be sadly disappointed."

In two long strides Lucas crossed the room and grabbed Season, crushing her in his arms. "Dare I hope that you are jealous, Season?"

She felt Lucas tug at the towel that was wound about her, and suddenly she was naked against his body. Season had no time to react as he lifted her into his arms and placed her on the bed.

"You can put your mind at rest, Season," he said, moving his hand along her stomach and up to her breasts. "I have been with no other woman since I took you as my wife. How could I, when my thoughts are of you day and night?"

She swallowed the lump in her throat, wanting to believe him. "Why did you stay away so long? Couldn't you have written me just once?"

He could hear the pain in her voice and he dropped down beside her. "I can assure you, Season, nothing short of duty would have kept me from you," he whispered, his eyes roving over her face as if he wanted to reacquaint himself with every beautiful detail.

Season turned her face away from him, not yet ready to forgive his neglect.

He reached for her and made her face him. His eyes were soft and Season thought she saw sadness in their golden depths. "Do not turn away from me, my love. I have needed you for so long."

A sob escaped her lips and she held out her arms to him. No, she wouldn't turn away from him. Until that moment she hadn't realized how much she had missed him. It didn't matter that he had neglected her—all that mattered now was that he was here, and he really did need her.

With a strangled groan, Lucas lowered his dark head and tasted her parted lips. He had ached for Season for months, and now she was in his arms. His body cried out for the oneness that he always felt with her.

At the touch of Lucas' lips on hers, the last of Season's resistance perished. She laced her fingers in his dark, rain-soaked hair. He had been away for so long…Her love-starved body melted against him.

The gentle exploration of his hands seemed to set Season's nerve ends on fire, and she was unaware that her own hands went down to the waist of Lucas' trousers.

He looked down at her hands and with one smooth motion removed his only remaining article of clothing. Season melted against him now that there was nothing to come between their hungry flesh.

She threw her head back as his mouth explored her face, brushed her ear, and then kissed both her eyelids. A weakness washed over Season as his head lowered and his mouth circled the peak of one breast and then moved on to the other.

Season was not aware of the soft purring sounds she was making as his hand brushed against the inside of her thigh. There was a need inside of her that only Lucas could fulfill. This time her mind was not clouded by thoughts of her former lover, The Raven. She thought only of her husband and his promise of perfect fulfillment.

Needles of excitement seemed to dance on her skin as Lucas rolled her over and entered her. At first his movements were gentle and slow, but as their bodies experienced a deeper need for one another he thrust forward sensuously.

Season clung to Lucas' shoulders as if she were attempting to grasp the wonderful feelings he aroused in her.

"You belong only to me," he whispered hotly in her ear. "You are mine."

"Yes, Lucas, yes," she breathed, seeking his mouth.

He groaned as she rubbed her silken body against his. "You take my breath away, my love," he gasped, his voice ragged.

He held her tightly against him as tremor after tremor shook both their bodies. When their waves of passion subsided, they both lay silent not knowing what to say to each other. They had shared a journey into ecstasy, and neither of them seemed able to put words to what they had experienced.