Jane Feather - Charade by Unknown (top rated books of all time txt) 📗

to hismelancholy reflections. He had not intended to be so abrupt, but in theface of his unbidden arousal it was the only response possible. She wasa child, for God's sake! Just a child! But, of course, she was not.Had he met her in any other circumstances, the careful pursuit of aneligible maid would have been quite in order. But she had given him hertrust and was as yet unaware of her own sexuality or the power ofanother's, or, indeed, of her ability to arouse that power.

It was very late before he repaired to his bed, conscious that he hadimbibed more than he had intended of Mine Host's excellent cognac. Hewas far from under the hatches, but just a little more concerned thanwas his custom. There was a rigidity about the heap of bedclothes onthe cot that declared his ward's wakefulness, but he refrained fromcomment, preparing for bed behind the dressing screen before blowingout the single, flickering candle and climbing thankfully into thefeathered comfort of his enclosed bed.

The unearthly shriek brought him upright, wide awake, feeling for thesilver-mounted pistol under his pillow. He sat blinking in thedarkness, poised, ready for he knew not what. Mumbled, incoherent wordscame from outside the tent of the bed curtains and slowly he drew themback, sliding to the floor crouched in a position of attack. The roomwas in pitch darkness, only the strange keening moans penetrated thesilence of the night. Linton, no longer expecting an intruder, crossedthe room barefoot to light the candle on the mantel. Danielle wastossing restlessly on the cot, moaning, mumbling incoherently adesperate dream tale of confusion and terror.

So, it was happening already, he thought, crossing to the writhingfigure. For a long while he stood vigil until the deep, gasping sobs ofgrief replaced the dream terror. Then he knelt by the narrow cot, softnonsense words of comfort on his lips as he stroked the damp forehead,pushed back the matted curls.

"Alone, so alone," the broken voice repeated until it became almost achant and Linton gave up the struggle. Lifting the smallfigure in the sweat-soaked shirt he moved back to his bed, notreleasing his

tight hold as he slid beneath the covers. Danielle wasaware only of a warm body against her own shivering one, of strong armscradling her, holding off the terror. Deep black, dreamlessunconsciousness beckoned its promise and was welcomed.

Chapter 4

Danielle awoke in a strange, darkened world. Her legs were pinioned tothe mattress by a heavy weight, her head held in a tight grip againstan expanse of finest linen. Something was rhythmically causing a gentlerise and fall of the curls on her bent head. She lay very still,resisting the urge to leap in panic from her curious situation untilshe had decided exactly where she was and how she had got there. Thedarkness was created by bed curtains, and whatever was holding her legsdown was definitely hairy. Something of last night's nightmare cameback to her and she realized that not only was she in the same bed asJustin, Earl of Linton, she was clamped to his side and it was the evenin and out of his sleeping breath that lifted her hair. His legs, heavywith relaxation, held her captive unless she chose to wake him.Strangely, she was not afraid. Surely he could not have taken hervirginity without her knowing? Breaching the maidenhead was supposed tobe painful—she could not have slept through such an experience!

"Sweet Jesus!" The Earl of Linton, with a convulsive heave, shook offhis burden roughly and bolted upright, blinking in dazedhalf-remembrance. What had seemed a perfectly reasonable action in hisnot entirely sober state in the middle of the night struck him now inthe cold light of dawn as a piece of the most sentimental, utterfoolishness. His aching head was yet another reminder of his stupidity.If it hadn't been for this troublesome chit he would not haveoverindulged in the cognac and certainly would not be

in thisridiculous position now. He turned the full force of his anger onDanielle.

"Get out of this damned bed! In fact, get dressed and get out of theroom altogether!"

"But what have I done?" Those huge eyes widened in distress andbewilderment.

"What do you mean, what have you done? You have somehow contrived toget yourself into my bed, that's what!" he thundered.

"But I didn't;

you

put mehere," she protested. "I was asleep."

"You were

not

asleep. Youwere in the middle of some damn nightmare.Oh, the devil take it!" The earl ran a frustrated hand through hisunpowdered locks. "Just dress and go downstairs while I try to pullmyself together."

Danielle got off the bed, pulling aside the curtains. As she stood upan early ray of sunlight flashed across the room and her body under thefine lawn of his shirt was suddenly silhouetted against the light, thedark tips of her breasts pressing against the thin material, the softcurve of buttocks and long length of leg as transparently revealed asif she were naked. His loins stirred, throbbed in time with his achingtemples, and Linton groaned, sinking back onto the pillows. He couldstill feel the slight, warm body against his and began seriously toquestion his ability to deliver Danielle de St. Varennes virgo intactato her grandparents if there were to be any more nights like the last.

"Milord?" There was an almost pleading note in the soft voice.

"Well?"

"Nothing ... I mean . . . nothing happened, did it?" The words came outin a rush.

"No child." With an effort he sat up, remembering that this was aseventeen-year-old who in the last two months had undergone moreterrifying experiences than most people endured in a lifetime. "I amangry with myself, not with you. It is very hard for a ... a ... normalman to spend the night as we did. I am suffering for it this morning."

"Oh?" Interest quickened in her eyes. "How are you suffering?"

Why the devil had he started