Once Upon an Accident 01 - The Accidental Countess (12 page)

He eyed his partner, worried about the hysterical ranting. “Maybe he won’t worry about that. You know him. He’s a connoisseur of women.”

“She is plain, but he will want to establish himself as earl, and what better way to do that than produce an heir.”

Cold fear slithered down his spine. They were too close to lose it all.

His partner’s eyes turned colder, more determined. “And you know what he’s like. He’ll sleep with just about anything in skirts.”

He sighed. “So we have to do this quickly.”

“Sebastian must die, and if not soon, that new little wife will have to go also.”

Colleen awoke with a start, her surroundings distorted without her spectacles. She knew one thing. This was
not
her room. She shifted, coming in contact with another person. A rather large person. Then, the events of the past few days flashed through her mind, most prominently, the night before. She closed her eyes in mortification. She had practically begged Sebastian to make love to her.

Slowly, and with special care as not to wake him, she moved to the edge of the bed and searched for her spectacles. She located them on the bedside table.

After donning them, she looked around the room and noticed the sun peeking through the heavy velvet drapes.

She stood and then shrieked, jumping back into bed when she realized she had not a stitch of clothing on.

“Good morning to you, love,” Sebastian said, his voice husky with sleep and slightly amused.

She turned to find Sebastian sitting up in bed, his jaw littered with whiskers, his inky hair a mass of waves and his blue eyes twinkling at her.

She cleared her throat and clutched the sheets tighter.

“Good morning.” She hoped her voice expressed an aura of nonchalance, but she knew she failed. Especially when she couldn’t look him in the eye. She concentrated at a point over his shoulder, pretending she wasn’t sitting next to him naked…while he was naked, too.

He chuckled. The rich, masculine sound crept down her spine. She shivered.

“Just how far does that blush go? Hmmm?” He chuckled and without warning, leaned forward and caressed her cheek with the back of his fingers. The unexpected touch caught her off guard. Her skin tingled along the path his fingers had taken. She looked at him.

“How are you this morning?” he asked.

The sound of his voice, infused with tenderness, caused her heart to jump. She fought the urge to lean into the caress, to gather strength from his touch.

“I’m fine,” she said.

“Are you sure? I thought I might have been a little…” His voice trailed away. His eyes darkened and his breathing deepened.

“I’m fine, really, Sebastian.” She bit her bottom lip nervously then licked it. She started when Sebastian groaned.

He abruptly pulled away from her and stood. Oblivious of his nudity, he stalked to the end of the bed, picked up a black silk robe and shrugged into it. She was held mesmerized by the play of his muscles as he moved. The man was all quiet control and strength. Through his actions, he continued to mutter. She couldn’t quite make out what he was saying, but she figured it was directly related to her.

He sat beside her. She dropped her gaze to her lap, watching her hands as they twisted in the bedsheet. A few seconds of silence stretched between them. Even though she didn’t look up, Colleen felt his gaze roaming over her. Heat warmed her face as the memories of his lovemaking washed over her.

“I’d pay a thousand pounds to know what caused that blush.” Low, seductive, his voice caused her face to burn brighter.

“I’m so glad that you seem to think this is funny.” Her tone was sharp with embarrassment and she almost regretted snapping at him. His smile slipped a bit but he carried on.

“I am sorry if you felt…pressured last night.”

At first, she wondered what on earth he was referring to. Then she realized it was their lovemaking. By his serious tone and steady gaze, she knew he was worried that he had taken advantage. Learning he had a bit of a conscience lightened her mood.

She smiled, or tried to. “No, Sebastian, you didn’t pressure me last night, it is just…”

He leaned forward, his whole body vibrating with tension. “It is just what?”

She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and looked away. “I didn’t think you would… Hmm…”

Silence stretched again and then he sighed. “Colleen.”

She looked up. A gentle smile curved his lips, and his eyes lit with warmth. “You didn’t think we would consummate?”

Swallowing, she said, “I didn’t think you would want to.”

His smile transformed into a grin, and her heart turned over. Sunlight streamed in behind him, highlighting his tousled locks. Even clothed in only a dressing gown, he exuded the air of a nobleman. He reached for one of her hands and inched closer, while he fought her grip on the sheet. When he finally untangled her fingers, he lifted her hand to his mouth, brushing his lips over her knuckles. She felt the whiskers on his chin against her skin.

“You thought I wouldn’t want you. I think I proved that idea wrong.” He curled her hand against his chest. Shifting closer, he leaned in and pressed his mouth against hers. “Colleen, you have to be the most idiotic woman I know.”

She jerked her head away in surprise. “What do you mean by that?”

“How could you not know that—”

“I was a virgin, you lout. How was I supposed to know?”

He offered her a sheepish smile and started to lean closer again. This time, she settled back into the pillows. But when he was within an inch of her, his bedroom door swung open. He said something particularly nasty under his breath, but she heard him just the same and turned to look at who interrupted them. She sank lower, hiding behind him in embarrassment. She might be his wife, but she was his naked wife at the moment.

“Sebastian, dear, we can’t seem to find Colleen.” His mother’s voice was loud and tinged with a shade of worry.

“It’s all right, Mother.” Humor laced his tone.

There was a rustle of silk and a flurry of footsteps. “This is not funny, Sebastian. We’ve been in London less than a day, and you have lost your wife.” Her irritation rang clearly as she drew nearer to the bed. “Colleen is not a London miss
. S
he is country bred and even after that horrific ride, I would think she would be up…oh.”

“Oh, indeed, Mother.”

Colleen pulled the sheet up over her head, still hiding behind Sebastian. She’d had enough humiliation in the last ten minutes to last a lifetime.

His mother cleared her throat. “Colleen, dear, we are going to shop after you are ready to go. And don’t delay her, Sebastian.”

“Would I do such a thing?”

“Oh, stop. I know you better than anyone. I will see you shortly, Colleen.”

A few seconds later, Colleen heard the door close. The bed moved as Sebastian shifted back to face her.

“You can come out now.”

Realizing she was still trying to hide behind him, she sat up, pulling the sheet down from in front of her face.

“You should have seen the expression on my mother’s face. She was ready to do battle looking for you.”

“I am sure this is an everyday occurrence in your life, my lord, but I hate to inform you it isn’t for me. It isn’t every day I find myself in a man’s bedroom without a stitch of clothing on.”

He placed a hand on either side of her hips, bringing his face closer. “Not just any man—your husband. And whether you like it or not—and after last night I would think I proved you did like it—there will be many mornings like this. Without the intrusion of my mother. At least, I hope so.” He gaze dipped down to her breasts and he sighed. “She would kill me if I made you late. And you need a bath to relax.”

Before she knew what he was about, he gave her a quick, hard kiss that made her toes curl and bounded off the bed.

“I’ll get a warm bath sent up.” He scooped up her wrapper and gown. After laying it at her feet, then backing away from the bed, he smiled. “I’ll let you get dressed, and I will send up some food along with the bath.”

With that, he walked into his dressing room. She slipped out of bed. After pulling on her gown and wrapper, she was at a loss of what to do. Should she go back to her room, or should she stay in his? Rubbing her temple, she tried to remember what he said. She knew noblemen and women did not share bedrooms, but…

She decided to just return to her room and await the bath and food. Her stomach rumbled, telling her that it couldn’t arrive soon enough. As she stepped into her room, there was a knock at her door.

Hurrying over, she opened it to find a maid with a platter of food.

“Good morning, my lady. I’ve brought you some food.” She placed it on the table where Colleen had eaten the day before. “Is there anything else you be needing, my lady?”

“No, thank you. This is fine.”

The young maid curtsied and then left, closing the door behind her. Colleen settled herself in the chair and lifted off the domed lid. Coddled eggs, ham, sausage… There was too much food.

“Ahh, I thought I smelled food.”

She almost dropped the lid at the sound of her husband’s voice. Looking back over her shoulder, she bit back a sigh at the sight of him. Shaved, cleaned and dressed to impress. His britches fit him like a second skin, molding to his thighs.

He walked toward her, his stride confident. When he reached her side, he slid his arm around her waist and pulled her close. She drew in a deep breath, and her heart skipped a beat at the scent of his sandalwood soap, fresh on his skin. His lips brushed the top of her head.

“I want you to eat a good meal. You lost too much weight on the way here.” He released her. “I have to take care of some estate business, and Mother is going to drag you around shopping.”

When he paused, she looked up at him. His blue gaze roamed over her, and she fought the urge to straighten her hair.

“Don’t let her bully you. If you are not up to it today, let her know.”

She swallowed. “I-I think I’ll do all right today.”

He nodded, kissed her forehead and headed for the door. As he opened it, the footmen brought in a tub and the hot water for her bath. Once the tub was filled and she was alone, she stripped out of her clothes and stepped into the bath. Her body ached in unusual places, and she tried to ignore the memories of just how her body had gotten sore. As she washed, she thought of her husband. A confusing man. She knew he was a rogue, that he’d had many lovers. But he had also been so loving, so gentle last night. Even though he had been drinking. Women in the village did talk. And her sister had tried to tell her things, but thinking never to marry, Colleen had ignored her.

She sank further into the fragrant water, her musings focused on her husband and his personality. His actions the night before, so sweet, had touched her heart. She could accept that, but she could protect herself still. She would not fall in love. Ton marriages were not loving relationships. That took place outside of the marriage. That is why her mother and father had escaped their families, to marry for love. But that would not be her destiny. She and Sebastian were truly married now. There would be no annulment—and without a doubt—no divorce. She sighed. She needed to remember to keep her distance. Because she knew for a fact there was a good chance she could easily fall for the bounder.

*

Sebastian arrived in the breakfast room just in time to be caught by Anna.

“Sebastian, what do you think you were doing running out last night? Poor Colleen was beside herself—”

“Anna,” Sebastian chastised as he lifted the lid off the eggs, “I happen to know that until I came home, my wife was sleeping. And I wasn’t carousing. I was at Daniel’s.”

“Hmmph.”

“You were always witty first thing in the morning, Anna.” He cut her a look as he glanced over the dasher filled with sausages. Her eyes had narrowed dangerously and not for the first time, he saw that his sister was an attractive woman.

He was still having problems dealing with the fact she was a woman. He sighed. This was going to be a vexing season with his sister on the marriage mart. Maybe Colleen would have some advice. Although she’d spent most of her life in the country, if not all of it, she might have some insight to the workings of Anna’s mind. A smile pulled at his lips when he realized he had something to talk to Colleen about. And that could lead to all kinds of possibilities.

His sister cleared her throat, and he became conscious of the fact he’d been standing there mooning over his wife. From the look of speculation, she was dying to ask him what he had been thinking about.

Sebastian decided to change the subject. “Besides, I had to get the whole story of yours and Mother’s adventures in finding me. Daniel has said he will have nothing to do with you.”

She crossed her arms beneath her breasts and frowned. “I wouldn’t care if he did.” Her voice told him differently but he thought he would keep away from the strained relationship of his best friend and his sister. He set his plate at the head of the table and took his seat.

“Who is going to escort you to the Franklin Musicale Tuesday? I don’t know if I will be able to do it, especially without Colleen. You know I can’t appear at a social function without her.”

“And rightly so, Sebastian,” his mother said from the doorway. Neither his sister nor he had noticed that she stood there. “There is no reason to worry about that. Colleen will be ready to make an appearance. We will keep our attendance at a minimum since it has only been a few weeks since your cousin died.”

The thought of Gilbert and Albert sobered him immediately. “Of course, Mother.”

She smiled as she stepped into the room, taking her seat to his right. “No reason to get melancholy about it, Sebastian. Heaven knows how much I miss those two. And your aunt… Let’s just say she could take Albert’s passing, but when Gilbert was taken so soon afterward…” She sighed. “It was a terrible blow to her.”

His aunt and uncle had been a love match, much like Sebastian’s own parents. Both of them had doted on all their children, especially Gilbert who had been the eldest and the most genial. Sebastian knew she was probably devastated.

His mother took a sip of her chocolate, her eyes a little too bright for the subject, and he remembered the scene in his bedroom half an hour earlier. She cast a look toward Anna and seeing that she was preoccupied, leaned closer to him.

“I take it there will be no annulment.” A strange mix of serious matron and humor colored her voice.

Heat rushed to his face and he felt his ears burning. It was ridiculous to blush in front of his mother. He was a grown man with wants and desires and a wife to keep happy. Sebastian knew the best way to deal with his mother was to be as pompous as he could. He straightened his spine and tried his damnedest to look down his nose at her.