Page 91 of The Pirate and the Pagan
“I’ve been meaning to ask you to expedite that annulment,” she said in a brittle voice.
He clamped his hand around her arm and half dragged her up the front steps of the house. “You are the most maddening creature a man was ever cursed with,” he swore.
“Then why do you bother with me? I thought it was over.”
They stood in the entrance hall at the foot of the stairs. “It will never be over between us.” He entangled his fingers in her hair. “You’re still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I bought you a waterfall diamond necklace for our first week’s anniversary, but we couldn’t even make the honeymoon last one week without savaging each other,” he said with deep regret in his voice. “If you let me stay with you tonight, it’s yours.”
“I don’t bribe so easily. Now, if you were thinking of offering me Roseland, I might reconsider.”
He swept her up into his arms and carried her up the stairs. Her protests availed her nothing. He was finished asking. He was a man, she was his wife. He had decided to exercise his rights. He set her on her feet when he entered her bedchamber and began to remove his clothes.
“No, Ruark! I won’t! I’ll fight you.”
“The choice is yours. I intend to have you, willing or no,” he said quietly.
She backed away from him across the room, watching him undress in a leisurely fashion. She told herself not to be a fool. She could get Roseland deeded to her if she played her cards right.
When he was naked, he began to stalk her as if she were his prey. Summer knew he was dangerous, but danger always excited her. She ran from him, but watched over her shoulder in a most inviting way his pursuit of her. When his arms closed about her and he tried to remove her gown, she struggled so fiercely they fell to the carpet and rolled about. In less than a minute he had her pinned down and began to remove her clothing in as leisurely a way as he’d removed his own.
Her breasts were full and sensitive and she moaned helplessly as he dipped his head to tongue the rose-pink crests. She struggled again and managed to get to her feet, but he clasped his hands tightly behind her thighs and forced her forward until his mouth touched her most secret part. She arched forward so he could taste her and cried over and over “Ru, Ru.” Then they were lost in each other, exploring and reexploring all the different ways they’d discovered to love each other.
Suddenly there was a crash, followed by a lot of giggling. They both sat up in bed and Summer searched frantically in the dark to find her bedrobe. They stared in disbelief as their door opened and three figures staggered in. “She’s not here, I tell you, she’s at Court.” The man’s words were so slurred they were almost indecipherable.
Ruark lit the bedside lamp and its light illuminated Summer’s brother, dressed like a town gallant with his arms about two young street prostitutes. Ruark confronted him instantly. “What the hell is the meaning of this drunk and disorderly display, Spencer? How dare you worry your sister like this! I can’t believe you’d bring these drabs to defile your sister’s bed.”
“Well, well,” said Spider, swaying on his feet, “if it isn’t the Helford brothers’ whore.” He bowed to her mockingly.
Ruark’s fist smashed into his face and he went down into unconsciousness. His companions had run from the house the moment they’d seen Lord Helford’s fury.
“Ruark, don’t! My God, you’ve killed him, you brute,” cried Summer, going on her knees to cradle Spider’s bleeding face.
“Get up, dammit, he needs a good thrashing. It’s obvious you can’t handle him. He’s out of control, sowing a crop of bastards across London, bringing the pox home to you.”
“It is you and your temper that’s out of control. He’s only a boy, did you have to be so brutal?” she cried.
His fury was only exacerbated as he saw her pity for the young lout. “He needs discipline. By God, I’ll have him impressed into the navy. I’d soon whip him into shape if he served on one of my vessels.”
“Get out—get out now! I hate you.”
He turned on her angrily. “You, my lady, can get your things packed. You’re going home!” His voice was so implacable, it was an order, and she was too distraught to argue. “I’ll give you twenty-four hours.”
Later, as she bathed Spider’s black eye and tried to sober him up with a foul-smelling concoction of Auntie Lil’s, she wished she had taken her pistol to Ruark Helford. He had given her an ultimatum and there was no way she was going to be meekly packed off home, wherever that might be!
Spider was sullen. They exchanged unpleasant words until finally he informed her he was taking rooms in the city where he’d be free from damned meddling women who clocked him in and out like a felon on parole. She argued with him, threatened him, and saw he would do exactly as he pleased, no matter what she said. “Spider, I won’t try to stop you if you promise to let me know where you are living when you get settled,” she bargained desperately. He left without committing himself. “Typical male behavior,” she raged aloud to the empty room. “Ruark Helford is the author of all my problems. I hope he rots in hell!”
Lil Richwood, dressed to the nines, swept in with a dramatic announcement. “Forgive me, darling, I didn’t want to interrupt your delicious rendezvous with your husband last night; I thought the reunion was heaven-sent. How was I to know it would degenerate into a brawl before daylight?”
Summer sighed, realizing the whole debacle must look like a farce acted out on a stage. “I’m sorry, Auntie Lil. Spencer’s moving into the city, so perhaps things will be a little more peaceful around here.”
Lil waved a negligent hand weighted down by all her fine rings. “I’m moving the household to Southampton and I want you to come with us. I’ve had a letter from my very good friend Lady Worthing who insists I visit until this dreaded plague is gone from London.”
“Oh, Lil, I couldn’t impose on your friend,” Summer protested.
“Nonsense, darling, she’s as rich as a potentate and rattles about in a country mansion with fifty bedchambers. I’m the one who introduced her to Lord Worthing and they are both particularly partial to me. Pamela is the pampered darling of an older man and Lord Worthing appears virile as a stallion to all his peers. A match made in heaven,” Lil drawled.
“Like mine,” said Summer, her voice dripping acid.
“Well, no, that’s more a volatile mix of love, hate, and explosive passion … a devastating combination!”
