Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

It was early morning when the carriage rolled up the drive to stop at the door of Heartstone. There was steam coming from the horses, and as they stopped silent footmen appeared to hold them and open doors. The marquess had returned.

Leona repressed a chill as she preceded Lucien into his home. Winter had definitely arrived in full force. Small flakes of snow were beginning to fall from the gray sky.

The warmth from the house penetrated into her bones, making her realize just how cold she really had been. Neptune and Jupiter were positioned on each side of her and Lucien stood behind her. That was the sight that Ciara saw as she hurried down the wide staircase to greet them, her own animals following beside and behind her.

“Lucien.” His name was spoken with such love it made Leona jealous of what they had. “Leona.” Her voice still full of warmth. “How good of you to come. He didn’t push too hard to get you here, did he?” She was wearing a pale green day dress, all in all appearing very comfortable as she smiled at Leona and swept past her into the strong waiting arms of her husband.

With the greetings over, Leona went up the stairs with Ciara to the usual room that she inhabited when she stayed with the St. Martins. It was large and comfortable, with a fire already roaring in the hearth, making the blues and silvers of the room shimmer. The two women chatted as they put away Leona’s things, having sent the maids away.

“Was he nice or did he insist?”

“He insisted that I come. But,” Leona added with a laugh, “his insisting was done in a very nice way.”

“Humph. I doubt it. He can be downright pushy at times.”

“He only wants to please you.”

“I know.” A wispy quality entered her voice, and she laughed. “I sound pathetic, don’t I?”

Leona responded without thought, “Not at all. You sound like someone who is well loved and appreciated for being exactly who you are.”

“Someday, Leona, I believe you will find who your heart is calling too. Who it yearns for.”

With a sad smile, Leona responded, “I hope so. Maybe.”

“Of course you will.”

After she stepped out of the large closet, Leona headed back to her bags. “Can I ask you something? Something personal?”

“Of course. Ask me whatever you want.”

“What’s it like? You know, being with your husband?”

“For me it wasn’t hard. But I also had my parents together for quite a few years. They never made an issue out of skin color. My daddy loved my mama with a passion that, until I met Lucien, I had never seen in anyone else.”

Patting the bed next to her, Ciara waited until Leona had settled next to her before continuing.

“Leona, for a love that is true, color doesn’t exist. There will always be someone who can find fault with you. We will never be able to please everyone. If you love this man like you say you and he feels the same, who cares what others say?”

“But on the island I grew up on, Eden, it’s not allowed. I wasn’t even considered a human being, more like an animal.” Bitterness flowed through her words. “And not a very well-liked animal. How could…can…would I be able to believe that he would not still see me in the same way?”

“For one, you aren’t on the island anymore. Also, love is about trust, Leona. You would have to trust him, trust in his love for you.”

“I don’t even know why I asked you that question. It’s not like I can ever have him. He’s married. Or he was.”

“You’re so much more than you are willing to allow yourself to believe. Look at you. A wealthy, independent woman. You have this amazing ability to paint pictures that touch souls. You are still young. Don’t…please don’t give up on love.”

“I’m just so tired. Tired of longing for something I can’t have. Maybe you’re right. Perhaps it is time for me to move on.”

With a semi-forced smile, Ciara nodded. “Then we shall call in the dressmaker and get you out for all of London to meet and fall in love with. Before long there will be so many men vying for your attention and hand you will long for the quiet days. Now, show me this painting. We will let the maid finish unpacking.” Together the women left the room and walked down the stairs to join the rest of the family in the morning room.

Everyone was there. Lucien, Bryn, Keely and all the animals that hadn’t been with the women. As Neptune and Jupiter claimed some floor space by the wolf, all eyes turned to Leona and the packages that were by a table.

Leona shook her head to cover half her face with her hair as she felt a blush steal up her cheeks. She detested being the center of attention.

“Auntie Lea. Do you want some help opening those?” Keely’s question snapped her back to earth. Leona had become ‘Auntie Lea’ since Keely tended to shorten everyone’s name. Even Bryn had begun to call her that.

“Of course. Be careful though. Help me take the paper off the first one.”

It was the one of the children. As the picture was exposed to everyone’s gazes, she heard the awe in their voices. That alone brought a satisfied smile to her face.

Lucien rose and plucked the picture out of her and Keely’s hands and looked at it. “Leona, it is amazing. You captured them perfectly. Down to the intellectual glint in Bryn’s blue eyes that speaks of his craving for knowledge and the mischievous one that was always present in Keely’s eyes that alerts us to her good humor.

“Oh, Leona. It’s incredible.” Ciara spoke as she rose and stood by her husband to gaze at the picture.

“Auntie Lea. Auntie Lea.”

“Yes, Bryn, what is it?”

“What is this little mark down here? What does that mean?”

Bryn pointed to the bottom right corner of the painting, indicating the black outline of a bird.

“Oh, that. It’s my signature. It’s the outline of a hawk. All of my pictures have it. What do you think of it?”

“I like it.”

Lucien and Ciara exchanged silent and knowing glances at that revelation of her signature. She ignored that as she didn’t want to discuss what it could mean.

“The next one, the next one,” Keely chanted.

So Leona pulled the next one up and let Keely rip off the paper that covered it. The family along with the animals. Again the adults looked on in amazement.

The animals appeared ready to jump off the canvas. After everyone studied that one for a while, Keely was ready for the next one. So she reached for it, only to be stopped by Leona.

“Not that one, darlin’. That one isn’t ready yet. We’ll open the other one.”

“Okay.” With her usual enthusiasm for life, Keely took off the plain paper that covered the picture.

The one for the hallway of family portraits. The whole family together. The staff had begun to gather as well to gaze upon the artwork. There was nothing but praise from all who looked upon them.

Lucien took a hold of Leona’s hand and pulled her into an embrace as he bent his head down toward her ear. “My thanks, Leona. It was more than I could ever have hoped for.”

She nodded her understanding while she inhaled his masculine scent. He was so safe, so warm.

Within seconds his hold on her had changed as he was supporting her. Her body shook virtually uncontrollably.

Leona knew exactly what was going on. Trace’s emotions were becoming stronger, and right now he was pissed. In an attempt to rid him of the anger, she made an effort to let him feel her pain, and she knew the instant he did, for like a wave that crashes on the shore and retreats with some of the sand, immediately his rage swept back and carried her pain with it.

“I’m all right. Really, I’m fine.” Leona pulled away from Lucien and sat down on a chair. Keely stood beside her and held on to one sweaty hand in her soft one, offering silent comfort.

Ciara took charge, shooing all the staff members out with instructions on where to put the paintings. She sent the housekeeper for some tea and biscuits. The room emptied, leaving the St. Martins alone with her.

“Bryn, will you and Keely see to Neptune and Jupiter so they don’t worry about Auntie Lea?”

“Sure, Mama. Come on, Keely, let’s go.” With one last squeeze Keely, followed her brother out of the room.

“What is going on with you?”

“Nothing, Ciara. I’m fine. Just a dizzy spell, that’s all.”

In healing mode, Ciara checked her over anyway and, finding nothing that she could see wrong, let it go. Leona trembled inside. How could our bond be so strong? Especially with the distance between us?

Lucien took himself over to the fire and leaned against the mantle. After a moment he turned around to watch the two women in the room with him, one he loved so much it hurt. How would it be to lose her again?

As if the object of his thoughts heard him, she glanced up at him and smiled the smile that had knocked him off his feet the first time he had seen it. To this day it could still make him weak in the knees. It told him how much he was loved and would always be loved.

The other woman was an enigma. She had many different faces to show the world. Very rarely did she show the unrestrained, carefree person that he knew she was, but with his kids and her dogs she was unrestrained. Normally she kept her eyes downcast and tried to stay out of the eyes of those around her.

It was time to go to London. Maybe getting her out would help her to feel better. They would spend some time in London then head back to Heartstone for Christmas. Lucien strode silently to the door to issue instructions and to send someone ahead to ready the townhouse.

“What is going on, Leona?” A pregnant pause. “And no lies.”

“I just felt something inside me and it just sapped my strength for a moment.”

The whiskey-colored eyes that watched her were way too intelligent for Leona to feel comfortable about the way that they were assessing her. However, she held her gaze without flinching. Finally they both looked away, neither winning nor conceding anything.

In silence, Leona tried to figure out what was going on. Closing her eyes, she tried to shut the link down. It was a strain, but she almost succeeded until…

Until a force stronger than she would have believed to be still there forced it back open. There was a low grumble of displeasure at her attempt to shut him out. When she lifted her lids again, Ciara gazed at her with one eyebrow raised in silent question.

“What?”

“That’s what I’m about to ask you. You’re perspiring. What did you see?”

Perspiring? Not hardly. More like downright sweating. Her face was covered in more than a sheen of moisture. Without another word, Ciara handed her a towel to wipe her face with. Then a gesture pointed her to the tea that had been delivered and already poured. Leona hadn’t heard a thing.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, what did you see? Or feel?”

A sigh escaped Leona’s lips. “Do you remember me telling you that we had a link between us?”

“You and Trace? Yes.”

How in the heck has she figured out who he was?Now wasn’t the time to address that issue. “Well, I was trying to close it down because that was what knocked me for a loop. I don’t remember being able to feel him this strongly, and this last time, I could feel him so intensely that it actually hurt. Anyway. I was trying to close our connection down, and just before I had it completely closed, out of nowhere comes this explosion of energy that knocked it right back open. It was as if I could hear him chastising me for trying to close it. So, do you think I’m losing my sanity?”

“No.” Complete sincerity was in Ciara’s direct gaze. “Not at all. I do wonder, though, if… Do you know if it has to do with how close you are to each other? I mean, would it be stronger if he were closer to you? Do you think?”

“I don’t know. Or, rather, I am not sure. I mean, it’s not as if I really have had an opportunity to explore what’s going on between us. I know that when he was in my home it was stronger, and I thought that was because he was right there with me. But I can’t be sure about that at all.”

“Can you hear him?”

“No. I get, like, mental images of his feelings. You know anger, fear, pain, jealousy. That kind of thing.”

“Did it feel like he wanted to hurt you?”

“No!” She swallowed and tried again without yelling. “I mean, no. As soon as he could feel the pain he was causing me, he retreated. Or it did, whatever it is.”

“Fascinating! I have heard about people who were able to share feelings and such. My own case with Lucien is minor compared to what you feel.”

“You don’t think I’m like some sort of unnatural crazy person?”

“Heavens, no. Leona, there is a whole spiritual world out there that we have no idea about. I think that what you and Trace have is not only special, but it tells me that the two of you are destined to be together.”

Leona tried to control the rapid increase in her heartbeat. What would it be like to be with Trace again? As a fully grown woman who could appreciate much better what he had to offer her?

“Come, Leona, drink your tea. I assume that Lucien will want to come back in the room soon.”

Soon the somber mood left the women and they were laughing at each other’s stories of herb-gathering in not-so-pleasant weather. That was how Lucien found them—both happy, laughing and enjoying themselves.

“I was thinking of heading to London in a few days. We know there will be some parties for Leona to attend. And there is, of course, our yearly holiday party. But, there are some things that I need to handle before we can enjoy the holiday, so perhaps I will leave early.”

“Lucien, I think that we’ll follow you in a week or so. We have some things to plan and discuss.”

“The demise of the single male population?”

Ciara arched an elegant eyebrow. “Be careful, Wolf. I would hate to have to join her quest for a man.”

“Over my dead body,” came the low growl. “As long as I am breathing, princess, there will never be a need for you to have another man.”

“You are the only man I would ever want. You know it,” came the instant response, to soothe her husband’s most definitely ruffled feathers.

He glided toward them. When he reached his wife he kissed her so thoroughly that Leona harbored the thought of leaving the room. Finally, they pulled apart and Lucien cupped his wife’s face and whispered something to her that made her blush, then he smirked a totally arrogant, completely male smirk and left the room with a nod at Leona.

“I don’t think that I have ever seen you blush. Those most have been some powerful words he told you,” Leona teased Ciara.

“Be quiet, you,” Ciara laughed.

“All right, I won’t say anything more about you being”—Leona flicked her eyes side to side as if looking for anyone who might be eavesdropping—“soft.”

Narrowing her gaze in threat of retaliation, Ciara lifted her lip in a silent snarl. This just got more mirth out of Leona.

Rising, Leona picked up the last portrait and headed for the door. “I have to go put this up in my room.”

“Wait a minute. I got you a studio readied on the third floor. If you want, you can put it there. I promise that no one will look at it and no one will go into the room. I figured that you would probably need a place to just be yourself. Come on. I’ll take you up.”

They headed up the stairs and entered the room. It was huge. There were big windows on two of the walls, making it wonderfully bright. There were tables that were sitting empty, just clamoring for her to cover them with canvases and paint.

Along one wall under the windows were a chaise lounge and some overstuffed chairs. The fireplace was lit and spreading warmth throughout the whole room. On another wall was a small bed.

A sigh of disbelief escaped her. “Wow. It’s amazing. Thank you so much.”

Setting down the picture she had on an empty table, she walked into the center of the room, opened her arms as if to welcome the sun and spun in a circle. Her hair fell out from under its pins and floated around her head like a black silk cloud.

She spun until she was dizzy. It was perfect, she could handle this. Stopping, she looked at Ciara’s face, which had a motherly look on it, one of joy and pride.

“Can I say thank you for the rest of the day?”

“Just don’t spend most of your time up here. You’re part of the family and I expect you at meals and to go out with us at times. The bed is for the nights that you stay up here too long, not so you can remove yourself from the family.”

There was more of the mothering woman. Leona nodded. “Of course. Thank you so much.”

With a quick pat to the wrapped picture, she and Ciara left the room and headed back downstairs, where they discovered company. She tugged her hair into a loose clip.

It was Lucien’s sister, her husband and their children. They stayed for dinner and the women thoroughly enjoyed one another’s company. They all complimented Leona on her portrayal of the families in her portraits. Leona just smiled and shook her head so half of her face was covered with hair.

Before heading to bed, Leona went back up to the studio. She set up one of the easels and put on a fresh sheet of paper. Leona turned up the lamp, pulled up a stool, picked up the charcoal and began to draw. She stayed there for hours before her eyes began to sting.

She leaned back and looked down at her picture. Simply seeing the picture brought tears to her eyes. It was Trace. Only a headshot, it captured the way that she saw him. Sharp features, thick hair, no beard—which is how she preferred him. It was such a good likeness its eyes pierced her soul, and so with a jerk of her hand she covered it up with another sheet. Banked the fire and headed for her room and her bed.

* * * *

She basically climbed up him, his hardened body. She clamored to get closer, if that was possible. They were intertwined and naked on a bed. His strong lean body covered hers as he lowered his mouth. Whispered promises of what he was going to do to her flowed between them. It was a most stimulating feeling to have this man holding her.

His hands tantalized her body. Everywhere he touched flames rose and licked at her skin. Lower and lower they went, moving in small circles, serving only to fan the flames of desire each second.

He hovered above the juncture of her thighs momentarily. His fingers threaded through the hair at her junction, not touching the heat, just teasing. Closer and closer his fingers came.

Leona whimpered as she tried to lift her hips to get his fingers to the center of her heated core. He moved his fingers just out of reach then back again, only barely touching where her body cried out.

Finally his fingers slid through the outer lips and into wetness. Just not quite what she wanted. She wanted that and more. Much, much more.

He nudged her legs apart and settled himself in between her thighs. His throbbing cock teased the entrance of her core. Large hands cupped her hips and lifted her toward him. He positioned himself and—

A loud pounding on her door woke her. Leona’s whole body tingled with desire and wanton need. She glanced at the window and realized that it was still dark outside. And nasty, for the wind and rain pounded against the glass. The person still pounded on her door, even more insistent now.

Leona rose and put on her wrapper before she opened the door. It was Lucien. He looked almost panicked, but since he was together, calm, controlled, it appeared more of an unsettling concern. “What is it? Lucien, what’s the matter?”

“Ciara needs your help. There’s been an accident. She says that you also do some healing. Come now.” He grabbed her arm and pulled on it unceremoniously.

“Let me get my bag first.” She ran to her closet and picked up her bag and followed Lucien down the stairs.

A fire roared in the receiving room and there were four men laid out on the floor in front of it. Ciara was there, already having gone to work on one of the men. A sigh of relief came out of her mouth as she saw Leona.

Leona hesitated mere seconds to assess the situation, then she headed for another man as she removed her robe to put under his head as a cushion. It took her seconds to bind her hair out of the way then she began to attend the man who lay bleeding in front of the fire.

It took them about four hours to sew up the men to their satisfaction. When they were done both women were covered in blood as well. As she settled back on her heels, Leona looked at the men, who were out of danger now.

Her nightgown was ruined. Not that there was much to it, for it was naught but a flimsy silk item that she had gotten to spoil herself. Now it was covered in bloody patches.

Leona was in front of the fire when she began to rub her neck, unintentionally exposing her back to the other two in the room. Ciara placed her own robe over Leona’s shoulders.

Grateful for the extra warmth, Leona nodded her thanks. Completely unaware of what she had just shown her hosts. It had been a long time since she had worked that long on a person, much less worked on four of them, and she was exhausted.

Trace, where are you?She wished more than anything that she had him here to lean on like Ciara was doing with Lucien. Leona rose slowly, nodded to the couple, and headed out of the room to return to her room.

There was a hot bath waiting for her but before she got in, there was another knock on her door. Too tired to open it, she just spoke. “Come in.”

Lucien and Ciara entered. “Thanks for your help, Leona. You are a wizard with the needle.” Ciara gave her a kiss on the cheek and Lucien placed an identical one on the opposite cheek. They left arm in arm to seek their own bed.

Leona took a quick bath—just long enough to let some of the stiffness leave her body. Then she redressed in a clean outfit and climbed back into bed. Only this time she only had the buffeting winds to lull her to sleep. There was no sign of Trace. She was again alone.