Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

“We’ll talk in the study. Can I offer you a drink?”

“Please.” After they entered the study, Lucien poured drinks and both men sat in chairs by the fire.

“Thank you for bringing my children home. Where is Lucy?”

“If that is your maid’s name, then my guess would be gone. Apparently she only wanted to take them so she could meet some guy by the lake. They were unsupervised when I saw them. She didn’t show up until after your daughter had fallen in the water and I had gone down to help her. Your kids were scared of her, and, from the marks on your daughter’s arm, I could understand why.”

Lucien sat forward in his chair, blue eyes dagger-sharp. “Marks? What marks?” Fire began to burn in his gaze.

“The bruises on her arm. Your boy, Bryn, said this is the first time she had done that. I don’t know about that. All I know is your daughter was terrified of this woman.”

“She bruised my children?” Lucien wasn’t really talking to Trace anymore but to himself. Pulling back to the moment, Lucien looked at the man across from him. He offered, “Would you like to come for dinner? Your boy as well? I’m sorry, what is his name?”

“He prefers to be called Falcon. Thank you for the invitation but…yes, I would like to come.” What had he been thinking? Leona might be there! “We would both be honored.”

“We will be going to the opera later. If you wish you can join us in our box. Your son would be safe here.”

“Thank you. I accept, but now I must be going. What time is dinner?”

Rising, Lucien gave him all the information he needed, including the offer of sending a carriage to pick him and Falcon up.

Together the men walked toward the receiving room where the children were and found the boys talking softly. Keely was tucked under Falcon’s arm, fast asleep, her little hand wound securely in his, her face pressed to his chest. The boys were close together as they chatted.

“Falcon.” When his son looked at him, he continued, “It’s time for us to go.”

“All right, Papa. It was nice getting to know you, Bryn.”

“Maybe you can come see me again sometime.” The statement reached both men’s ears and they smiled at it.

“They will be back tonight, so you will see them then. They will be here before dinner for drinks and Falcon will be here while his father attends the opera with us. Right now, you and I have things to discuss.” Lucien beckoned for his son to come to him.

“Good. Then we can finish up our conversation.” Bryn didn’t even acknowledge his father’s desire to speak to him.

“Sure.” Falcon carefully removed himself from Keely before laying her on the couch and covering her with a blanket. It didn’t escape anyone’s attention how he brushed his hand across her face before stepping away from her. “See you tonight, Bryn.” He shook the other boy’s hand in a way that bespoke immediate friendship.

“See you tonight, Falcon.”

Trace and his son walked out of the door, escorted by Lucien. “Let me get my carriage to take you home.” A wave of a hand and a carriage was brought around. “Until tonight, Colonel Morgan.”

“Until tonight, Lord Heartstone.” Then he and his son walked down and climbed into the plush carriage.

As they were heading back to the hotel, Trace’s thoughts were a jumbled mess. A man with children that old couldn’t be with Leona, could he?

“I can’t wait to meet Bryn’s mama.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Bryn says that she has all types of animals. And she is very beautiful.”

“I see. Well, tonight perhaps. Are you sure that you will be all right staying with Bryn?”

“I will be fine, Papa. He said that when his parents go to the opera, he says that means game night with the staff. They play games and have snacks. I can’t wait.” He was very enthusiastic about the thought.

Trace let it drop. Arriving at the hotel, they headed upstairs to get ready for the evening.

* * * *

Leona spent the day with Lucien’s sister. The St. Martins had set up another room in their town home that was almost identical to the one at Heartstone for her to use as a studio. She had begun to sketch their likenesses for their portrait. At the moment, she was getting ready for dinner. Conar was coming over to be her escort to the opera after dinner.

She slipped on a fetching dress made of satin. It was a charcoal gray and accentuated the color of her skin. Her hair was pulled up away from her face and left to tumble down her back. Long gray gloves finished the picture.

“Wow. You are beautiful, lass.”

She blushed with the comment. “Good evening, Conar. You look pretty dashing yourself.” And he did. He was dressed immaculately in a black suit with gray accents. They complemented each other. Very nicely.

Devonna and her husband, Rafe, were dressed to the nines as well. Opening night at the opera was always a huge event. The four friends ate dinner then headed off to the opera.

It was amazing. The beauty of it never ceased to amaze Leona. She’d been a few times with Jackson. The costumes, the music, the atmosphere.

At the intermission couples got up to get drinks and mingle with others. Leona and Conar were no exception. As she walked out of the curtain, she heard her voice being called.

“Leona. Oh good, you’re here.”

“Hello, Ciara. Isn’t it beautiful? I love the opera.” They shared a hug.

“You look stunning. Hello, Conar. You’re looking pretty handsome as well.”

“Careful, lass. I might think you are wanting to get away from your husband.”

“Never that, Conar. We missed you tonight at dinner. We had a guest. He came with us. You should meet him.”

Ciara’s cousin waggled a finger in her direction as he tsked. “Sorry, lass, you are not going to be matchmaking for her when I’m with her. Not good for the image.”

“Conar, it is just an introduction.”

“No way, lass. You are already trying to get her married. I like spending time with her and since she is on my arm tonight, I am going to keep her.” He slipped his arm around her and anchored her next to his side.

Leona laughed. “You two are so funny.”

“Let’s reclaim our seats, lass, before my unscrupulous cousin marries you off right out from under me.”

“Unscrupulous? Me?” Ciara muttered something to him that made him blush. Leona had no idea what was said since it hadn’t been in a language that she spoke.

“I am not marrying anyone. Not yet anyway. Let’s go back to our seat. Ciara, I will see you later this evening once Conar drops me off.”

“Enjoy the opera, my dear. You, cousin, behave yourself.” Ciara leaned in and hugged Leona once more before waving and walking off.

A shudder went over Leona as she felt a chill run through her body. Conar must have felt it and placed his arm around her waist.

“What’s the problem, lass?” He lowered his head so his words were spoken directly into her ear, giving the impression of intimacy to those around.

“I don’t know, I just felt my knees get shaky.” Her face turned up toward his as she answered.

“Must be my charms finally getting to you, lass.”

“Must be. Can we reclaim our seats now? I still feel a little shaky.”

“Of course.” Without relinquishing his hold on her, he steered her back to the box where their seats were.

* * * *

At the intermission, Trace sat with Lucien, who watched as his wife got up and wandered out of the box. They both knew where she was going. After a bit, the men followed.

It didn’t take the men long to find the marchioness. She was speaking to a couple standing by another box entrance. The couple was dressed beautifully.

The man dressed in black with gray accents while the woman was in a shimmering charcoal-gray dress that molded to her body and yet at the same time made those looking upon her wonder about what lingered underneath it.

Trace stared at her and, as the man leaned down to whisper in her ear, he realized who he was looking at. It was Leona. Her exquisite beauty stunned, and he felt his mouth go dry. It wasn’t Jackson that she was with. This man who touched her seemed familiar with her as they joked and laughed.

Each giggle thrust a knife deep within his heart. Trace couldn’t move. He noticed that Lucien glanced between them with interest.

He looked back at Lucien with what he hoped was a bland expression. It clearly didn’t work.

“Why don’t you go say hello to her, then? You know, being an old childhood friend of hers and all.”

“She appears to be out with another man. I wouldn’t want to impose.” Couldn’t be that close to her and not touch her, or rip that man from limb to limb for daring to lay a hand on his woman. He needed time to look over her figure, time to put her beauty in his mind. She was no longer the gangly thirteen-year-old girl who had ignited his passion and stolen his heart—she was a striking woman who took his breath away and made him weak in the knees. In the fifteen years since their dash to freedom she had blossomed from a tiny bud into a magnificent and stunning flower.

“Really. Very well, then we should get back, as the opera will be continuing.” Lucien said nothing more on the subject.

* * * *

The rest of the opera passed without Trace seeing any of it. He kept replaying the look of contentment on Leona’s face and that man’s arm around her. He was silent on the way back to get his son.

“Thank you for joining us tonight, Colonel Morgan.”

“Thank you for allowing it, Lady Heartstone.”

“My pleasure. Besides, it was the least we could do after what you did for our children today.”

The boys were asleep on the couch cushions in front of the fire while Keely lay curled up in a chair. Upon the adults’ entrance to the room they all awoke.

“Papa. Is it time to leave already?”

“Yes, Falcon. Get ready to go.”

“Did you get to see Auntie Lea tonight?” Keely asked as she left her father’s arms and walked over to Trace and put up her arms for a hug.

With the rising of one eyebrow Trace picked up the little miss and wondered how to answer that. Who was Auntie Lea? He did have to admit, he loved how this little girl welcomed him into her life. It was like she’d never met a stranger.

“Keely, that’s not polite,” her mother admonished.

“But, Mama, they know each other. I know for sure,” she added at her mother’s look. Turning back to Trace, she touched his face. “I know that Auntie Lea knows you. She has many pictures of you in her studio. She draws you.”

Keely had no idea what she had just begun. However, even the boys knew when to leave, and did so after Bryn took Keely from Trace’s arms.

As soon as the children were gone, Ciara turned to him. “You. You are the one she calls Trace. You are that Trace. The one from her past.”

“Yes. I have known her since we were children.” She was still drawing him? That must mean something.

Immediately protective, Ciara launched her question. “What do you want from her?” There was warning in her words.

“That is between Leona and me. Not anyone else.” He was beginning to feel the need to defend himself.

“I will not allow for any more harm to come to her.” That from Lucien.

Finally, the rage overflowed. “What is it about me that makes people think I wish to hurt her?” He was furious by this and anger churned.

Ciara was unmoved as she stared directly into his eyes, a crystal-clear challenge in her gaze. “Perhaps because she used to be a slave on your plantation. Perhaps because she suffered fifteen lashes at the hands of your father that to this day still bother her on occasion. Or maybe it is the fact that as far as she knows you are a married man and have come to take her home and put her back into that degrading, despicable, disgusting—”

“I think we get the point, princess.” Lucien looked at him. “Listen to me, Colonel Morgan. She is part of my family and I will protect her at any cost.”

His legs were just not willing to hold him any longer. “I don’t even own slaves anymore. I have set them all free. Even found the papers on Leona and her mother and set them free as well.” He sat down in a chair as he continued, “All I want is a chance with her. I want to get to know her again. I miss her. I want her to know my son. To know me.”

The door burst open and in ran Falcon, his face furious as he stood in front of his father’s chair. “Don’t yell at my papa. He couldn’t help her because he was tied up in a closet by Uncle Steven. Papa told me all about it. My papa is an honorable man. He keeps his word.”

Stunned by the hostility of the young boy and the words that he’d said, Ciara and Lucien just looked at him.

“Papa loves her, he said so.”

Trace put his hand on his son’s shoulder and turned his gaze from the couple across from him so they wouldn’t read the truth in his eyes. “Don’t be mad at them, Falcon. They are only trying to protect her, as I would do. As I should have done. It’s about time that someone stood up for her, since I haven’t been able to do it properly. Let’s go home. Good night, Lord and Lady Heartstone.” He rose on unsteady legs and steered his son out of the room.

“But, Papa, you wanted to protect her, you were just too young. It wasn’t your fault,” he protested as they headed out.

“Let’s go, Falcon.”

They walked out to the entrance hall and there, in all her glory, stood Leona. Beside her were two very large grayish dogs, standing as sentries. Her sentries.

Her cheeks flushed from the cold, she stood as Weeks took her wrap, handed it back to her and left her there for Trace to gaze upon. The dress cupped her full breasts and lifted them seductively toward him, captivating him. Her waist was still small, and the dress only accentuated that fact.

His hungry gaze roved over her figure. It had been so long, close to sixteen years, actually. He committed all of her to memory. Her face with its high cheekbones, little nose…and those eyes. He’d had many a dream about those beautiful, haunting tawny eyes.

Her hair, long and luxurious. It was thick and full, framing her face with gentle, wayward wisps where it escaped its pins. Full lips that he had missed so much trembled as she gazed upon him.

Her eyes were full of surprise as they lingered over his face before moving all over his body. He could see her shivering, trembling even as he stared at her, an embodiment of perfection.

Trace didn’t even notice when Ciara came up and quietly took Falcon by the hand and led him away. The entire building could have been set on fire and he still would not have been able to take his eyes off her.

These years had been wonderful to her. She was a beautiful woman. His woman.

That thought made him start, she wasn’t his yet.

“Leona.” His words came out tortured.

“Colonel Morgan.” Despite her trembling in his presence, her eyes grew sharp, wary. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to see you.” His hand reached out involuntarily toward her face. The low growl of a dog made him pull it back.

“Why do you want to see me?” Her voice stayed shrewd, as if she had the belief he was setting a trap for her.

“Please, little one.” She trembled at that phrase. “You know me. Please.”

Her wrap fell to the ground from nerveless fingers and she took a step toward him. The dogs lay down and watched him but made no other movements.

“Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you tell me your real name? Why say your name was Elle?”

“It seemed safer.” Her eyes filled with crystalline tears as she spoke.

“Didn’t you trust me? Don’t you trust me?” His voice came out barely above a whisper.

“I don’t know you anymore.”

Even as she said that she took another step closer to him, drawn by an invisible cord, the pull was same on him. The undetectable cord that had tied the two of them together the day they met all those years ago. He forced himself not to move. She had to come to him of her own volition.

“Yes, you do. You know me, you’ve always known me, kitten.”

Her lower lip trembled. “Why are you here? What do you want?”

“You. I want you. I’ve never wanted anyone but you. You know that, I have never lied to you about that.” His words, strong and sure, fell from his mouth without quaver or hesitation, simmered with barely restrained passion.

“You have a wife. A son.”

“A son, yes. A wife, no.”

“I won’t go back, you know. I will die first.”

His heart broke. “Kitten, I would never make you go back there. Ever. Can I touch you?” Now his voice contained a slight tremor, betraying the truth that he was scared of rejection from her.

Her answer was to walk right up to him. Her eyes spoke volumes about how she too craved his touch, but there also lingered a look of apprehension in those tawny depths. As if she were unsure about him.

He reached out one hand and caressed her cheek. Leona’s eyes fell closed as she leaned into his callused hand. Finally, after all these years, they could look into each other’s eyes as they touched. No more dreams, no more memories. Real flesh and blood. Skin on skin. She reopened her golden orbs to stare into the windows of his soul.

A slight smile turned up her lips at the corners. “You can see. You got your sight back.”

“Thanks to you.” His other hand joined his first and he cupped her face like she was a dewdrop that must not be destroyed as he stepped closer to minimize the already diminutive distance between them.

Trace tipped her face up toward his and his thumbs followed along her full lips. His eyes held hers as he leaned down. “You are even more beautiful than I could have ever imagined.”

Their lips brushed. The lightest of touches. Brief, but everything inside him flared to life. To soon, she pulled back. Trace followed—he would not be denied. Would not be refused what he had dreamed about for over fifteen years. Not now. Not after all this time.

Leona’s insides melted. How she loved this man. This man. Who was a slave owner. A splash of cold water fell upon her, and she retreated for a second time. Also, as before, he followed.

He put his perfect lips—the ones she had dreamed about—back on hers for a second time. This time the kiss wasn’t gentle. It was possessive, it demanded, and she gave everything that it expected and more.

She clutched his shirt as she leaned into him, into his comforting strength. As his tongue sought—and gained—entrance to her warm, waiting mouth, she remembered where she was. Just two more seconds, she told herself, unable or unwilling to drag herself away from his intoxicating mouth.

It was more than that when he pulled away, his eyes like melted chocolate that begged to be eaten. There was so much desire in his gaze, it burned her straight through to her core. Until she remembered who he was and what he owned. It was amazing how quickly the thought of being with someone was dashed when you recalled that they owned people who looked like you.

She stepped back, needing to put some distance between them. her heart rate going a mile a minute. At his step forward she held up her hand to stop him. “No. That’s close enough.”

“It will never be close enough. I want you in my arms, little one.”

“I’m fine over here.”

Trace paused, tilting his head to the left. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know you anymore.”

He narrowed his gaze, disputing her comment with a single, firm shake of his head. “Yes, you do. You know me.”

“No. I don’t. We have changed over the years, both of us.” She took another step backward, away from him.

“Perhaps we could discuss this in private.”

She touched her lips, running her fingers over them, reliving his kiss. “No, we have nothing to discuss. It… It was good to see you, Trace. I have to go to bed, I have an engagement…a meeting with someone in the morning.”

Before she could reach the stairs he was back in her face, his alive with emotions, mostly jealousy. If that wasn’t enough, she could feel it within her in their link.

“You can run, little one, but know this. I will not rest until I have you. We belong together, I have not given up on that, and I will not give up on you. Your body cries out for mine. You crave my touch, just as I crave yours. We need each other to be complete.”

His voice dropped to barely above a whisper, but she not only heard him perfectly, but also felt him. “So I will let you run this time. Just one thing to leave you with before you go to bed. It will be me in your dreams tonight, little one. I will be the one who carries you to the plains of passion. No one else, not who you were with tonight, nor whoever you will be with tomorrow.” That was a command and there was no doubt in her mind that she would be following that mandate.

His eyes narrowed on her face. “For over fifteen years I wondered what happened to you. Were you all right, did you ever once think of me? I have you again and I will be damned if I let you go now. Good night, kitten. We will see each other again, soon. For you are wrong, we have much to discuss.”

His arm snaked out like lightning and he hauled her up against him for another bruising kiss, branding her, reclaiming her as his. Leona still leaned flush against him when he pulled away, and as she struggled to stand up on her own, his smirk came back, for he well knew the effect he had on her. “Remember that when you are out with your ‘friend’ tomorrow.”

He executed a perfect military spin and walked out of the door, joined by his son, who was silent and clearly unsure of what was going on. Leona watched as he walked away, her fingers having gone back to her lips before she stumbled up the stairs to her room and fell on the bed as her body was just too weak to support her anymore.

He was here. How had he found her? What was going to happen now? She rose and put on her buckskins along with a large old shirt and headed up to the studio.

Once there she lit the fire and curled up on the chaise while she waited for the chill to get banished from the air. Her dogs were with her as usual as she ran through her options.

After a while of sitting motionless, she rose and began to pace. As she walked, she spoke to the dogs, or maybe it was to the empty room. Either way, she had to work through her thoughts piece by piece.

“What should I do? Maybe I should go back to the island. You two would like it there. The mountains would be a good place for you to run free.”

Walk. Stop. Turn. Walk.

“Or maybe go back to the coast. He doesn’t know where the cottage is. Maybe Jackson could take me to Ireland.”

Walk. Stop. Turn. Walk.

“Maybe a whole new country. I heard that Italy was nice, or maybe Egypt.”

Walk. Stop. Turn. Stop.

“Why don’t you give me some advice? Neptune? Jupiter? Any advice?”

Leona dropped to her knees and opened her arms and the dogs entered willingly. As she hugged them, tears began to fall.

“It has been so long, I just don’t know. Part of me wants to just open my arms and take him in them and never let him go. On the other hand, what if it’s just a trick and he wants to take me back to Hawk’s Cove? I can’t go back there. I just can’t. I still wake up at night in a cold sweat going over what happened down there.

“Oh, God. What am I going to do? I need to run. I should hide somewhere he can’t find me.

“No.” A little louder she said it again. “No! Hell no. I will not spend the rest of my life running. I have my own life now. I can do this on my own.”

She rose with tears streaming down her face before she crumpled back down on the chaise.

“I don’t want to be alone. I want to share my life with someone. I want…I want what Ciara has with Lucien. With someone. Anyone.” Neptune and Jupiter both snuffed like they disbelieved what she was saying. She nodded at them and amended her sentence. “I want to share it with him. With Trace. Only with Trace. As always, it’s only with Trace.”

Leona fell asleep on the lounge completely spent and exhausted. Lucky for her Morpheus had no disturbing dreams in store for her that night. But as Trace had commanded, he was the one in her dreams. Luckily they were memories of happier times.