Page 36 of The Pirate and the Pagan
“Such as?” she challenged with raised chin. The carved king sat upon a throne and he lifted her until she was sitting in its lap and on an eye level with him.
“They train their women in ways to please men. A beautiful woman’s main purpose in life is making love, and she is kept locked away in a harem where other men can never see her.” His lips brushed hers.
She said breathlessly, “Surely that isn’t what you want for me?”
“Of course it’s what I want, if I’m being truthful.”
She could feel the heat from his strong hands as they encircled her waist. His thumbs caressed the organdy beneath her breasts. She giggled. “I prefer the way it is in England, where I may sit upon the King’s knee if I so desire.”
“You little witch. If Charles ever looks at you, I’ll kill him.” He lifted her down from her wooden perch. The evening shadows had begun to lengthen and he drew her inside the maze, where they were completely private. “I’m going to taste you now,” he said raggedly. His hands brought her closer until his hips just touched her. His nostrils flared with the scent of her and his hand slipped up beneath her hair to hold her head captive for his ravishment.
“Open your mouth to me, darling, I want you to know what it feels like when a part of me is inside you.”
She felt the thrill of the kiss all the way down to her knees. She clung to him so that she would not fall. His hands burned her through the delicate material, his mouth also was burning hot and ruthlessly demanding. A curl of fire began in the pit of her stomach and stretched its fiery fingers upward to her breasts and downward to between her legs. She cried out, “Ruark, Ruark,” as her need awoke and grew apace with his.
“I can’t let you go tonight,” he told her fiercely.
“I know that,” she said softly, feeling his hard erection pressed against her until she learned how it throbbed and pulsed.
He tried to still his blood so that he wouldn’t take her under the hedge like a servant girl. He knew this was her first experience with a man, and if he wasn’t careful he would rush her through her deflowering with alarming speed. Though he was almost consumed by a towering lust, he managed not to undress her while they were still outdoors.
Instead he gathered her beneath a powerful arm and led her back to the hall. As they passed the table outside the French doors she picked up the flame hibiscus and tucked it between her breasts. He took the wine which had been left to cool, and oblivious to the world, they entered a small sitting room with a comfortable couch and sank down upon it in the darkness. The room was so shadowed that only the whiteness of her gown and his fine shirt could be discerned in the velvety dark. He pressed her back against the cushions, intending to enjoy her to the full.
Because she was a maiden, she had been bound by a strange reserve until now when she knew their moment had come. “Oh, Ruark, I love you so much,” she cried.
His hand had just begun its ascent under her gown and up her leg. Her words made him realize he was about to ravish her with lust when she deserved to be initiated with love.
Summer knew she would not draw back now. She wanted what he wanted. Whatever happened to him would happen to her, any feeling or movement or sensation would be shared by both. Love happened when two people had no barriers between them, no shame, no reserve, no pride even.
His hands slipped beneath her back to undo the tiny buttons of her bodice, but her hands were there before his to aid his possession of her. However, as his fingers encountered hers, he thought she was trying to prevent him from removing her gown and he sat up and uttered a mild oath.
He lit a candle and gazed at her exquisite loveliness in the candleglow. “My Lady Summer St. Catherine, will you marry me?”
One heartbeat passed.
“My Lord Ruark Helford, I will.”
He groaned and took her into his arms. She hoped that in the morning he would remember his proposal, but she was so much in love with him it didn’t really matter.
Ruark arose from the couch and straightened his clothes. Then he lit all the candles in the room. Under the blazing light Summer felt the need to rearrange her gown and smooth her wildly cascading curls.
Ruark went to the door and summoned Mr. Burke. Summer’s cheeks were flushed, and her breath caught in her throat as she heard Ruark say, “I’m sorry to put you to the trouble, Mr. Burke, but would you be good enough to go down to Helston and fetch the parson?” As he turned back to her, he saw that her eyes were like stars and he knew he had made her happy. He plucked the hibiscus from her breasts and bore it away with him. “Wait just where you are, darling, I have something that will go much better with your lovely wedding gown.”
She sat entranced, thinking surely her heart would burst with happiness. Lord Helford had actually asked her to marry him. She wasn’t dreaming. He’d sent for the parson!
Ruark came back downstairs with a set of velvet jewel cases. He held out his hand and drew her to the tall mirror set above the mantel of the fireplace. The large case held a high necklace with six strands of rubies. Summer gasped as he clasped them about her neck and bent to place a kiss upon her exposed nape.
“These aren’t for me?” she asked in disbelief.
He took out matching bracelets and slipped them over her wrists. “I heard a rumor that Lady Helford was particularly partial to rubies.” He picked up the matching ring and slipped it into his pocket.
“Lady Helford,” she breathed, wondering if she would faint dead away before the parson could be brought.
Ruark bade a servant fetch two cases of wine from the cellars and another to carry in a couple of hogsheads from the alehouse, while Summer, womanlike, admired her reflection in the mirror and held up her arms to catch the reflection of the bloodred rubies.
It was a half hour before Mr. Burke returned with the agitated parson. He was a large man with a shaggy, gray head and an air of authority.
“Welcome to Helford Hall; I have asked you here to perform a wedding ceremony, Mr. Rashleigh,” said Ruark, offering his hand.
