The Fifth Day of the Valdeston Country Party
Lorena knew herself to be foolish, but couldn't hide her delight as she rushed up the stairs and down the hall that would lead to the guest apartments. She knew her brother and his friends were downstairs playing cards in the parlor, and her parents had gone out with friends on a boat, so this was the best time to move through a certain male's room without being seen.
She'd just made it to that special door when it opened.
A maid rushed out, her cheeks red and her hair undone and uncovered. She didn't look at Lorena as she fled and Lorena's eyes moved to Ashwick.
He was standing on the other side of the room, his dark hair and clothing looking as though he'd rolled himself through his sheets and his eyes were dark as they caught hers.
Maybe he had been in his sheets, Lorena quickly surmised. Perhaps he'd done it with the maid.
She had no idea how long they stared at one another and how long she felt as though a dagger were being twisted in her heart, but the moment he moved, she jumped and started down the hall.
He, of course, was faster than her, and his arm went around her waist and pulled her back. Her body smashed into his, and she fought for release.
"Let me go," she shouted.
He did, but only to turn her around. "Lorena."
"No." The word seemed to come from deep inside her. Her entire body felt hot and cold at the same time. Full of anger and empty from despair. What had she been thinking? She knew nothing about what happened between a man and a woman. Obviously, Ashwick did and chose someone with experience. He'd only been playing with her.
His hands were on her hips and she struggled to break free, but then gave up and simply fought herself. Fought to bury her feelings.
She prayed that the ground would swallow her.
"Lorena," Ashwick said. "Listen to me."
She took a deep breath and met his eyes. "There's nothing to explain. You are none of my concern."
His eyes narrowed, almost as if she'd hurt him, but she knew that to be impossible. Obviously, he had no feelings for her if he were bold enough to sleep with a maid under her own roof. The thought made her stomach turn.
"That's not true," he told her.
"It is," she replied, raising her voice. "And I am no concern of yours."
Ashwick looked around the hall and, in the next second, Lorena was off the ground and being carried into his arm. He used a foot to close the door behind him, never letting her go. "Lorena, nothing happened." His gray eyes held hers, and she could feel him seeking to convey a truth.
But she knew them to be lies. She thought to point to the obvious. There had been a maid in his room. Her hair had been undone. His clothes were wrinkled. She closed her eyes and told herself not to cry. Then she took another breath and said, "I don't care."
"You do care," he said. "I know you do."
She opened her eyes again just to narrow them at him. "Let me go. I don't belong in this room. I don't belong to you."
The last part of her statement seemed to anger him.
Lorena's feet left the ground again. Her hands shot out to his shoulders and her back was pressed into the wall.
"Until I take my kiss, you belong to me," he growled, his eyes dark.
She gasped and said, "Never. I'll never kiss you."
"Then you will always be mine. You owe me," he told her, leaning close, his mouth at her ear. "You're mine. Always."
"No."
"And I'm yours. We're tied together, Lorena. Fate has tied us."
She told her body not to react to his words and pushed at his shoulders. "You will not have me after you've touched that woman."
"I did not touch her," he replied with heat. He pulled away to meet her eyes. "She presented herself to me when I was in the midst of dressing. Usually, maids know better than to notice a gentleman when he is undressed, but she's of the bolder sort. She's actually been with a few of the others here."
I did not need to know that. "Has Francis slept with her?" She dearly hoped he hadn't. She didn't believe her brother a virgin, but hoped he wouldn't do something so cruel. Not while Genie was in the house. It would break her heart.
Ashwick stared into her eyes and, slowly, a smile touched his lips. "Even in anger, you remain loyal to those you care for."
She liked the look in his eyes.
He leaned an arm over the head on the back of the door and kept the other on her waist, blocking her from moving in any direction. "I might enjoy this arrangement more than I thought." He grinned.
She frowned. "There is no arrangement. We've only to kiss and this will be over."
His anger returned and because he was so close, it almost frightened her. "She decided she wanted me, Lorena. I told her no and sent her away."
"You're lying," she said, shaking her head. She told herself to stop fighting him. "It doesn't matter. I don't care."
"You do care," he whispered. Then he asked, "Now, where you off to? This is the guest wing. You've no business over here."
Lorena, who was still holding an object between her fingers, slipped her hand from his shoulder and behind her back. Then she thought of a reason that would make him go away. Forever. "I was looking for Calvin."
Ashwick did the very opposite of going away. Instead, he pressed his body into hers, chest to chest, and said, "You better be lying." A formidable look came over him.
Lorena's eyes widened. "Or what?" Her breathing was heavy and with her breasts pressed against him, she barely found room to fill her lungs.
"You. Are. Mine," he whispered.
Lorena fisted her hands. Impulsively, she stood up on her toes and pressed her mouth to his, hoping to be rid of their bargain. To be rid of him. But she'd been unprepared for it when Ashwick took over.
His hand slipped behind her neck and when she gasped, his tongue swept in. Lorena froze, not sure what to do.
"Kiss me," he whispered against her mouth.
She hesitated and moved her lips, mimicking whatever he did, following his mouth as though it were the most important set of instructions in her life. His tongue touched hers again and she groaned. She pressed into him, her hands going around his neck.
Kissing was better than she'd ever dreamed, and she knew it had much to do with the man in her arms. His free hand slid to her bottom and squeezed.
"Oh," she cried, clinging to him. She wanted more.
Her hands moved to his chest and pulled his shirt from his breeches.
"Ow!" Ashwick cried and snatched up her hands, looking at the object around her fingers.
Lorena had forgotten she'd been carrying it.
"What is that?" he asked.
"Nothing," she cried, trying to fight for her hand back. All the aching urgency of a moment ago slipped away.
Ashwick barely used any of his strength to overpower her. He took the object from her fingers and examined it. It was shaped like a large metal ring but was curved on one side and straight on the other. A triangle sat where it met. His eyes widened and he looked up at her. "Do you know what this is?"
"Well," Lorena said. "It was in my possession."
"I know," he said, "But do you know what this is?"
She smiled at his obvious joy. "No, why don't you tell me?"
"It's a fibula. Made of bronze and definitely from the seventh or eighth century. You see these holes?" He was pointing to the one on the triangle and on the straight point, the point that she'd accidentally stabbed him with. She put fact aside as he went on. "These are used to catch the fabric. Something decorative would hang from between them. It's a toga pin." His eyes softened and he said, "It's a Greek toga pin."
Lorena bit her lip. "I know it has nothing to do with mythology, but—"
"You could have sold this for money," Ashwick told her. "Why are you giving this to me?"
Because I love you. Or, I did until you slept with the maid.
Her anger was back. "I'm not. I wasn't. It's not for you."
Ashwick grinned. "Now who's lying?"
She frowned and held up her hand. "Give it back."
"No, I'm keeping it." Then he leaned forward and brushed his nose against hers. "Thank you."
She closed her eyes and told herself to remain angry.
His head came to rest on hers.
"Nothing happened," he whispered at her mouth. "Nothing happened. I swear it to you."
She opened her eyes and met his. "I have to go."
He held her eyes and said, "I'll prove it to you."
She had no idea what he meant by that, but he backed away and before Lorena could stop herself, she slipped from the room.
* * *
The Sixth day of the Valdeston Country Party
The party was canceled.