Page 59 of Master of Paradise
As Mammy Lou's slow steps shuffled up thehallway, Amanda flared at him, "You seem very experienced atremoving ladies' gowns."
"Remember it," he admonished. He reached upto take the pins from her hair, and as the silken mass tumbled overhis hands, his mouth swooped down to take hers. Mammy Lou enteredthe room and he recalled himself and stopped his mouth before ittook Amanda's.
She drew back, wide-eyed at this husband ofhers whose anger had turned to lust in a flash.
"Lou, help her change her gown," he saidshortly, and stepped out onto the balcony to preserve his wife'smodesty.
Amanda pulled a cream-colored muslin withdemure puffed sleeves from the wardrobe. Mammy helped her into itand hung up the red taffeta. She avoided looking directly at Mammybecause she knew the tight-lipped disapproval she would seethere.
Nicholas re-entered. His anger vanished whenhe saw how lovely she looked.
Amanda whispered, "I can't go backdownstairs. I'm too humiliated."
"Nonsense. Rafe will understand completely."He reached for the brilliant hibiscus and put it back behind herear. "You are more beautiful than a queen," he said softly,"come."
She blushed as Nicholas introduced them, butwhen Rafe took both her hands and brought them to his lips, she sawhis eyes sparkle with the knowledge of what had happened."
Rafe murmured, "I understand. He is veryprotective of you, and with good reason."
She raised her lashes and looked into hisdark eyes. They were warm with his admiration, and made her feelpretty and desirable.
Nicholas held a chair for her. "Sit herebetween us. Tonight you will have two men to wait upon you andspoil you with our lavish attentions."
"I was sorry that my sister Jennifer couldn'tjoin us for dinner, but now I'm glad she had another engagement."She dimpled.
Nicholas said solemnly, "It is a great pitythat Aunt Billie also sent her regrets, so we shall have to muddlethrough without her delightful company."
Amanda laughed outright at his lie.
"Let me give you a glass of Chablis," heoffered.
Rafe jumped to his feet. "No, no. She musttry some of the champagne I brought. It is superb withlobster."
"Amanda shall decide which wine goes better--yours or mine."
They each held a glass for her, and she tookturns, first sipping from the one held by Nicholas, then from theone Rafe was holding to her lips. She was wise enough to realizeshe could not pick one over the other when two men vied with eachother.
They laughed their way through the meal andended up actually feeding her. First Nicholas would take a morselof lobster, dip it in the drawn butter and pop it into her mouth,then Rafe would take his turn, choosing lemon garnish for her.
Rafe told them stories of his Irish fatherand Spanish mother, and how their passionate natures had clashed.It had been an unusual mating, sometimes hilarious, sometimesexplosive, but always exciting.
Nicholas could hardly keep his eyes from hisbeautiful wife, and he noticed that she was having exactly the samedevastating effect on Rafe Collins. He watched her listenattentively as Rafe told her some nonsense. The slant of her eyesgave her an exotic allure. The scarlet bloom behind her ear addedto the hypnotic effect.She has aroused Rafe's desire. I knowexactly what has done it, too. She is a virgin bride, and thesexual aura surrounding her is almost overpowering. The fact thatshe is unaware and innocent, only heightens the effect.
A word or a look from Amanda could harden himin an instant, and men's fashions being what they were could hardlyconceal his condition. He noted with irritation that Rafe had beenin like case most of the evening.
"Enough pleasantries, let's get down tobusiness. You've been dying to tell me something all evening. Whatis it Rafe?
"You wish to discuss business with yourlovely wife present?" he asked in surprise.
"Amanda would hate it if I excluded her fromthings. She'll soon leave if we begin to bore her."
"It's the steam engine we had installed. Itwas the right decision, thank God. You won't believe the speed. Itook her on a trial run. Only two days to Nassau!"
"Terrific. Let's go ahead and convert theother ship then," urged Nick, equally enthused.
"I bet I can sail Nassau to Liverpool inthree weeks or under."
"Impossible!" Nick hoped against hope thatRafe was right in his calculations.
