Her eyes fluttered open to stare blankly up at the wide, extended ceiling above her. Ginelle closed her eyes and opened them again to clear her vision as she searched the walls of her mind for a means to how she ended up like this.
Her eyes widened as she stared around the room, the surroundings unfamiliar to her. Panic escalated through her chest. Where was she?
She lay unmoving, her mind plagued with questions. The room was dark, lit with a dim glow provided by the dying fire across the room. She could just make out the outlines of furniture, masculine furniture. The room was done in dark, warm hues which indicated the presence of a man.
Her panic increased with each parched breath as she studied the contents of the empty room. What manner of man occupied the room?
Suddenly, vague images scuttled through her mind. Ginelle froze, her eyes relaying the events that led her to this moment.
The banquet. She squeezed her eyes shut, specifically recalling the storm that had soaked her gown. Her heart became an erratic drum within her chest.
Nathaniel. Her eyes jerked open, remembering their moment beneath the terrace. She groaned as she turned her head on the pillow, eagerly pushing pass the foggy haze. Why was she clouded? Why couldn't she think straight?
Dorian. She had been angry with Dorian.
Pierino!
"No!" she gasped. She bolted upright in bed as her eyes moved warily around the remnants of the darkened room, suddenly aware of every shifting shadow. Had he found her?
Everything was so terribly clear. Pierino had found her!
Ginelle pressed her lips firmly together against the bile rising in her throat as her stomach churned with dread. Her hair fell over her shoulder as she jerked on the layers of coverlets.
She reached out to grip the post of the canopy, surprised that her legs were unsteady as she gathered to her height.
She whimpered as a tear streaked her face. No, she could not register the thought. Pierino knew where she was, he had found her, nearly four years later and he had found her.
Her knees threatened to buckle and she grasped the post to steady her balance as she clenched her eyes shut against the wave of vertigo.
She had to run; he would find her. He would always find her or was it too late? Ginelle jerked her head up to peer around the room, her face paling against the dusk glow emitting from the hearth.
Was this Pierino's room? It couldn't be, she thought, shaking her head as if to convince herself. She remembered the horse as she rushed to get away but after that moment everything went dark.
She acted on fear and alarm as she pushed away from the bed-post and moved towards the door, her instincts warning her to flee. A sudden, intense wave of dizziness seized her and she felt herself fumbling to catch her balance as she stumbled over the carpet. She hit the floor with such an impact, it rendered her breathless.
Stunned and suddenly furious by how weak and helpless she was, she scrambled to pull herself up just as the door to the room jerked open.
The tears came flooding in a rush of panic for she couldn't fight Pierino in this weakened condition. She was defenseless.
Ginelle braced herself for the attack and stiffened with shock as something warm and solid slipped beneath her back and legs lifting her effortlessly. She stiffened in the solid arms wrapped securely around her and twisted against the masculine chest, frantic and afraid.
"Easy, little one." That voice. She knew that voice and the relief that flooded through her was so immaculate that she began to cry, not from fear but from the realization that she was safe, safe and with Dorian.
Dorian settled Ginelle on the bed, clearly taken aback by the fear in her eyes and the tears that streaked her pale face. She trembled beneath his hand as he reached up to push her hair from her face and she turned her head away to shield her eyes, to hide the tears that kept coming.
His jaw tightened.
Pierino. The name came to him along with the tide of fury. She had uttered the name many times. He realized just how little he knew about her and he had every intention of finding out just who this man, Pierino, was to her.
He continued to stroke her hair, loving the way the silken tresses easily slid through his fingers. His eyes drifted over her and realized in her fall the chemise had drifted lower, revealing a smooth creamy shoulder and the soft mounds of her breasts. He felt a groan in his throat and he shifted his eyes from the beautiful skin that had tempted him every night this past sennight.
"What frightens you, ma petite?" his voice coaxed her to look at him. When she turned her head, he was struck by how lovely she was in that moment. Her large eyes rimmed in thick, feather-black lashes wet with her tears, and he resisted the urge to lean down and kiss the tears from her eyes.
She said nothing but just looked at him. He reached out to trace her lower lip and she jerked from his hand.
Dorian shook his head, "I would not hurt you, Ginelle."
She wanted to believe him, so desperately she did. She had been so naïve to let her guard down. She had allowed herself a moment to trust a man and it had nearly cost her, her life. Pierino had come close to finding her. If she had not trusted Nathaniel as she had done, she would not have been in the garden and she would not have fallen into Pierino's hands.
"Who is Pierino?"
Her heart lurched in her breast as she jerked her eyes around to Dorian. How did he know about Pierino? She averted her gaze to the door, frightened to speak of the man whom she thought never to think on again.
Strong fingers circled her chin and pulled her head back around to peer into those intense, blue eyes. "You will answer me."
"Why?" she demanded, her voice dry as she spoke, "So that you can deliver me back to that monster?" she was breathless, her voice rimmed with pain.
Dorian frowned, "What makes you think I would do that?"
"It is clear to the both of us that you have not wanted me here from the beginning. Why must we prolong this any longer?" despite her unshed tears and the weakness in her voice, she lifted her chin with defiance, "You may send me anywhere but back to that man."
His eyes narrowed to dark slits of blue ice as he said, "Who is he to you?"
"Why does it matter to you?" she hissed.
Ginelle stiffened as he leaned down; pressing a fist into the lushness of the pillow surrounding her head as his face hovered above her own. "You will tell me, Ginelle because I ask it of you." She sensed the danger in the undertone of his voice and shivered.
"He is- was my guardian."
He made no indication of moving and Ginelle found it extremely difficult to breath for the air was filled with a masculine musk, tingling her senses as his blue eyes searched her face.
Her tongue darted out to lick her parted lips and his eyes followed the innocent gesture. "How did this man become your guardian?" the tone of his voice dropped to a deeper pitch and a spark of hunger flared in his icy depths, startling Ginelle.
"I-I was orphaned at nine. Pierino found me on the streets. He took me in."
Dorian's eyes moved over her face, knowing she was leaving out crucial details but he didn't press her, not yet.
"You can trust me, Ginelle."
He took notice that her lower lip trembled as she said. "I trust no man."
**********
"You gave me such a fright." Lucile said, crossing the room to push open the heavy drapes.
Ginelle lifted a hand to block the sudden flare of sunlight as it flickered throughout the room, which consisted of an armoire of deep mahogany done in rich, intricate carvings. The bed in which she sat was massive, fit for a king or yet, a man of intense size. A small dining table took up one corner of the room adorned with candles and a spread of what looked to be a map of some sort. A love seat of walnut base sat before a grand hearth made of elaborate marble and she wondered how many nights Dorian sat before the fire, his massive size filling every inch of the love seat.
"I want to thank you, Lucile."
Lucile paused in gathering the discarded clothing about the room. "For what, pet?"
"For tending to me while I was ill."
Lucile shook her head, "I did not tend to you, my dear."
Ginelle frowned, "You did not?"
The older woman shook her head, "You may say I was not permitted."
"What do you mean?"
Lucile bent down to retrieve a towel from the floor and rolled it up in her hands as she moved to stand at Ginelle's side. "Monsieur Dorian would not permit anyone to see to you, including myself."
Ginelle gasped, "What?"
The housekeeper nodded, "He is the one that saw to you." As the older woman turned away to finish straightening the room, Ginelle could specifically recall strong arms holding her, reassuring her during those feverish moments.
"I shall have water sent up for your bath." Lucile said as she started towards the door and at this Ginelle turned crimson. Surely Dorian had not bathed her as well?
It wasn't long before the men arrived; lugging pitchers of steaming water and Ginelle shielded her body from the men as they proceeded to fill it to the rim. She noticed that neither of them looked her way and she turned even redder at what they might be thinking with her lying half naked in Dorian's bed.
Lucile returned moments later and helped Ginelle from bed, despite her protests that she was perfectly fine, the older woman insisted on assisting her. She removed her chemise and slipped blissfully into the water.
Lucile stoked the fire once more and than started for the door. Ginelle sat up abruptly and water splashed over the edges of the tub onto the floor. "Where are you going?"
The older woman paused with her hand on the latch, "I'm going to get some fresh linen for the bed and a clean towel. I had Cook prepare a tray of porridge for you. I will only be but a moment."
Ginelle sank deeper into the tub as Lucile left the room. She closed her eyes and focused on the water and how it soothed her tired bones. She detested being confined to the bed, having others to wait on her so it was nice that she could have this moment to herself.
Suddenly, images of Pierino flooded her thoughts, startling her. She jerked her eyes open as she focused on steady, even breaths as she quickly sought her mind for a distraction, something to keep her from straying towards the terrifying realization that Pierino could find her again.
He is the one that saw to you. Lucile's words startled her. Dorian had tended to her while she was with fever? Dorian had held her, whispered to her as she treaded on the edge of darkness with her demon, Pierino, trailing at her heels?
Why would he do such a thing if he cared nothing for her?
A noise indicated that Lucile had returned with the towel. She closed her eyes, comforted by the fact that the older woman was there as the water molded to her body, keeping the slight chill of the room at bay.
She felt a butterfly caress along her shoulder. Her eyes wrenched open as she jerked around to peer up at Dorian, standing over the tub. She gasped as her arms instinctively rushed to cover her nakedness. "What are you doing?" she gasped, outraged. "Get out!"
He grinned as he dropped the towel and it landed on the floor at his feet. He knelt beside the tub, his eyes like ice in the morning sunlight. "This is my room." He said as he reached over the rim of the tub and his fingers dabbed at the water, his hand not far from her naked thigh.
She watched him cautiously, breathless as her eyes fixated on his handsome face. "Then allow me to return to the privacy of my own room."
His grin broadened as his eyes moved leisurely over her body, making her keenly aware of her nakedness. "I think not." He said, "I like the thought of you in my bed. "
Ginelle stiffened. What game was he playing? She was not a possession. She fumed silently. He had seen to her illness, had taken good care of her, but that did not give him the right to invade her privacy.
"I think you should leave." She turned her head, unable to stare into that heated gaze.
His hand left the water and she hadn't realized she had been holding her breath until she released it. He stood to his full height, towering over her in all his masculine glory and she felt a shiver of excitement race up her spine.
She had not seen him since she had been well and obviously, he had been working in the fields. The sleeves of his tunic were rolled to his elbows, the collar open at the chest to reveal hard, bronze muscle. His black hair lay loose and untamed on his broad shoulders, swept back from his face as if he had run his fingers through it continuously.
He bent down and picked up the towel and held it out to her. She stared at him as if he had lost his wits. "I can see to myself, thank you."
He smirked, his blue eyes glinting like shards of ice. "You seem to forget that I've seen every inch of your loveliness."
Ginelle gasped as heat crept up her neck.
His face hardened, "Now get out of the tub."
"I would rather wait for Lucile."
"She's occupied at the moment."
Her eyes narrowed on his handsome, rugged face as she said, "I care not that you've seen me naked but I refuse to get out until you leave. It is improper."
The corners of his mouth quirked into a devilish grin as he said, "I am not a man of comeliness, Ginelle. I see fit to do as I please."
"Why are you doing this?" she demanded, "Why can't you just send for Lucile?"
Dorian leaned down and braced his hands on the tub, his eyes burning into her as they settled on her mouth. "I want you." His eyes moved over her face as if searching for a reason to why he burned so badly for this small female, "I want you and I will make sure no man will have you."
Ginelle was stunned into silence. What did he mean?
As if reading her thoughts, he continued. "You will not marry Nathaniel Sharp, or any of the men that appeal to you."
She released a rush of air in outrage. "You think you can just change your mind when it pleases you to do so? I am not some possession to be placed on a shelf and then taken down!"
A black brow arched, "You are not pleased?"
Ginelle quickly clamped down on the words that rushed up from her throat. Of course she was pleased, she was absolutely ecstatic that she was not being forced to marry, but she was furious that he would make demands of her so easily without her consent.
She narrowed her eyes at him as a thought occurred to her, "If you do not wish for me to marry, then what is it that you want?"
Her eyes widened as he reached down into the tub and lifted her out of the water. She gasped, furious and humiliated as her naked body fell against his chest. She scrambled in his arms as he crossed the room in three easy strides and deposited her on the bed.
He settled beside her as she scrambled to hide her nakedness from him but he reached out and began to dry her arms with the towel. She jerked away from him, her eyes like daggers. "Stop that!"
Dorian dropped the towel, smirking as his blue eyes burned a trail over her lithe body. Ginelle fumbled for the coverlets and wrenched them over her body, burning to the tip of her toes as she resisted the urge to pummel him with her fists.
"You will answer me." She demanded, lifting her chin to glare venomously at him.
He leaned forward, forcing her back against the pillows. His mouth hovered inches above her own and she was struck by the hunger burning blatantly in those icy depths. "That is a matter that should be discussed at a more convenient time when you are-" he paused, his eyes dropping to her parted lips, "-properly dressed."
Ginelle clenched the blanket tighter to her chest as he released her and stalked from the room, the message in his eyes leaving her shaking, with fear or excitement, she knew not.
**********
Ginelle was relieved to return to the familiar confines of her room. She deliberately avoided Dorian. His words had stirred something deep and unknown within her. He frightened her. Yet, something about the way he looked at her, despite her fear of him, warmed her blood. She had never known a man like Dorian Don Ashford. His sheer size alone intimidated her but his frankness alarmed her.
I want you.
Each night she went to bed with those words replaying in her thoughts. She avoided him because she couldn't fathom the feelings he made her feel. She couldn't control the way her body trembled when he was near, aching for his touch. She was always painfully aware of his presence. She had thought he hated her but he had tended to her so gently.
He spent most of his time in the fields, working along side his men. She would watch from afar, fascinated by the rippling muscles of his hardened physique, the way they strained as he moved about, his back flexing with each movement. She would catch herself and immediately withdraw from these thoughts, ashamed that she would think such things.
She dressed that morning in a gown of soft, green muslin. She had lost a little weight so the gown was not as tight around her midriff. Her flaxen hair lay straight on her shoulders, falling down her back in a silken stream. She basked in the morning light as a northern breeze caressed her face, stirring the silver-blond strands into disarray.
She paused on her way outside, her eyes settling on the barn. It was a pleasant day to go riding. She could hear the horses on the inside, whinnying and pacing within their stalls, beckoning to her.
Ginelle stiffened as she heard the distinct fall of hooves. Her heart somersaulted as she turned to assess the black stallion coming her way.
Dorian stared down at her from the saddle, his ice-blue eyes moving over her frame in a smoldering caress. The acute angles of his face were sharp and more direct beneath the sunlight, his white tunic bright in contrast to his golden, dark skin.
"You are causing a commotion among my laborers." His voice was laced with anger and disapproval.
Ginelle frowned as she peeked around him, aghast to see that all eyes were on her. "I am but walking." She said, turning back to him.
Dorian dismounted and stepped towards her. Ginelle stepped back. He stood a good several inches over six feet where she barely reached his chest. "Any man would be a fool to look upon you and at the moment my field is full of them."
She blinked up at him. If she were not mistaken, she sensed jealousy on the edge of his voice. "There is no injustice in taking a walk."
The muscle at his jaw ticked as he said, "I would prefer if you stayed well out of sight of my men."
Ginelle shivered at the thought of falling into the hands of one of his laborers. She knew not what the men had been convicted of, nor did she have any intention of finding out.
She nodded, "Very well." She glanced at the stable, saddened at the thought that she would not be able to ride.
She turned to leave but his voice stopped her. "Ride with me."
Ginelle looked up at him, "Pardon?"
He stepped towards her and the deep spices of his skin stirred her senses. "Take a ride with me."
Her heart accelerated at the thought but when she stared at the black, snorting beast behind him, she took a step back.
He extended a hand to her, "You'll be safe with me, Ginelle."
She stared at that hand and than at the dark, handsome face peering back at her. He would keep her safe from the horse but what would protect her from him?
Hesitantly, she placed her hand in his.
***********