Page 27 of Ondine
“You wouldn’t!” Ondine gasped, frantic to escape, yet powerless in his presence. She couldn’t tell at all from his musing tone if he was serious.
“Nay, I wouldn’t,” he decided, shaking his head. “Whips are nasty things. They mark up the flesh. The servants would know; the neighbors might talk.”
“Neighbors!”
“Aye,” he nodded, as if they agreed upon a particular point. “Nay, a whip is no good. And actually, I prefer the contact of the hand . . .” He lifted his left hand, flexed and unflexed his long strong fingers, and studied it thoughtfully. “Aye . . . the hand!”
He stared at her again, gold sparks brilliantly alive within his eyes.
And then quite suddenly that hand he had so studied was at the base of her back, pulling her form close to his upon the ground.
Instinctively she placed her fingers upon his chest in an effort to ward him off; he didn’t appear to notice.
His palm made little circles on her spine, then as he smiled quite pleasantly his hand moved lower, firmly caressing the rounded curve of her derriere with an insistence from which she could not escape.
“Ah, yes, milady! The hand . . . when strongly leveled against the flesh of the rump—the bare rump, that is—has long been known as a most satisfactory chastisement!”
She was aware that she stared at him with wide-eyed astonishment, stunned to silence. He was not serious! But yet he might well be, for though his smile was so mockingly pleasant, she could feel the wired tension in almost every muscle of his body.
She lowered her eyes quickly, leaving him to stare at the top of her head, and abruptly she changed her tone of voice to a soft one.
“Milord, I do not mean to rail against you. I am sorry—Nay! I am not sorry that I wish the freedom to ride, only that I attacked you! You must—”
His deep rumble of laughter cut her off. “Oh, milady! You are not in the least sorry that you attacked me! You are only sorry that you haven’t the strength to take a buggy whip to me!”
Her eyes flashed back to his with renewed anger, but a warning tap upon her rear and a taunting “Careful, milady!” kept her from the words she meant to voice.
“This is not fair!” she cried in fuming frustration.
“What is not fair?” he demanded. “You have your life, lady. I have a wife. A wife who swore to obey, albeit to save her life. But the vow remains, milady, and it is one that I warn you now—for the last time—that you will honor.”
“Perhaps I would honor it with more resolve if you would deign to tell me those things I learn from others! As in Mathilda being your aunt; Clinton your cousin!”
He shrugged, yet it was as if a wary shield fell over his eyes. “Clinton, Justin, and I bear a resemblance. I am quite surprised you had to be told.”
“Had to be told! Damn you, Warwick! You should have told me, and you know it!” She pressed more strenuously against his chest, a grunt of effort escaping her. He pulled her closer, shaking his head.
“Nay, lady, you will stay close. Seems that I may only drag assurance from your lips when I have you locked upon the earth of a stable!”
Her teeth clenched, she renewed her struggle.
Again he chuckled deeply and swiftly changed his hold, straddling over her and lacing his fingers quickly within hers to bring them uselessly to the side of her head.
“Let’s finish this here and now,” he said sharply as she began to sputter again.
“I do not intend to make you a prisoner. You may not ride alone, because I do not know what danger you might meet in your travels. There are beasts in the forests, madam, boars and wolves and Lord Hardgrave, and I’d not have you come upon any of the three.
If you wish to ride, you’ve only to let me know in the morning, and I shall be happy to accompany you.
As to Clinton and Mathilda, it is not something I purposely withheld, but something I seldom ponder, since they are both here by choice, have always been here by choice, and have taken even their positions here by choice.
Now, what else have you found here to disturb you? ”
She lifted her chin, desperately trying to control her resentment. “You!”
“Me?” he queried, hiking a brow. “My lady, I assure you, I do my best to leave you be! Other than that, I am quite sorry. I am the man who married you, don’t you recall.
I am not part of the bargain, but the bargain itself.
And speaking of such, milady, you do nothing to uphold your end of this arrangement!
That is a matter which can always be rectified. ”
She tried to ignore the pressure of his thighs about her, the taunt in his eyes and tone. “You spy on me!” she accused him. “You follow me, and watch me—”
“I beg to differ, madam. I am too busy with important matters.”
Ondine laughed bitterly. “Ah, yes! Important affairs! You look to your affairs, then, milord, and Jake is ordered to spy on me! I am locked away at the beginning of the evening, while night after night you ride away in total freedom!”
He grinned, releasing her wrists, balancing his weight on his own haunches as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Madam! Do my absences disturb you, then?”
“Nay—they elate me!” Ondine protested vehemently. She brought her wrists to her chest, rubbing them nervously and praying that he would rise from her.
He shrugged, but his tone hardened as he rose, reaching a hand down to her, which she saw no recourse but to accept. “Milady, I fear you will not find elation much longer. I have received a summons from Charles that I find most convenient. We travel to court in a matter of days.”
“What?” It seemed suddenly that the stable spun around her; that mist filled the air. She could not go to court!
“We’re going to court!” Warwick repeated, exasperated. “And I’ve no intent to cause questions there. I shall be beyond your door for all the long hours of every night.” He frowned, wondering how her skin had gone from fiery rose to a palor so ashen as to be alarming.
“I have no wish to go to court. Go alone! Indiscretion is quite fashionable this season. You’ll be free each and every night to pursue whom you wish. I—”
“You, my lady, are coming with me.”
“No! I will not go!” She jerked her wrist from his, backing away from him against the wooden wall. “I am not going!”
He threw up his hands and seemed to growl.
“I have had it with this!” Long, angry strides brought him to her; he flattened a hand against the planking beside her head.
“Ondine, hear me well. You will accompany me. In the carriage, or tied atop it, I care not. Able to sit—or so ragged and raw of flesh upon the rump that you dare not!”