beginning. Yes, she understood his motives, but after they'd given their pledge of love to one another, he'd continued to keep silent. He'd explained that the duty of telling her about her father belonged to her brothers. She understood that fact as well.
Yet he had deceived her, and, though she was afraid to voice her fear, she didn't know if he would ever deceive her again.
Trust between them would have to be rebuilt, stone by stone, and Harrison was going to have to be patient with her until she got over her fears.
'I'm not ready to discuss this with you,' she announced. 'You're going to have to give me time to sort it all out, like it or not. Yes, I do love you,' she added when he gave her such a ferocious frown. 'And while you're waiting, you might think about learning how to trust me,' she added.
'You're making me angry, Mary Rose.'
'But you love me, don't you?'
'Yes, I love you.'
He didn't sound happy about the fact. She wasn't upset by his attitude. Harrison liked to have everything in neat little compartments, and having to wait for anything went against his grain. He'd been logical with her, and he fully expected her to behave and think in the same manner.
'I hope I can remember everyone's names tonight.'
She was deliberately changing the subject. Harrison went back to the task of removing his pants. 'I'll help you remember. We need to talk about George MacPherson, sweetheart. He's your father's personal assistant. He won't be here tonight; he still isn't back from his holiday yet. I don't want you to tell him how Douglas saw a man and a woman together on the street corner with the basket. Act as if you don't know anything about that night.'
'Is he the one who took me?''
'I think so, but I still haven't proven it. I've been poring over the old ledgers. MacPherson couldn't have saved up thousands of dollars to give to his accomplice, so he had to have taken the money out of one of Elliott's accounts. I haven't found the discrepancy yet. I will though.'
'Wasn't MacPherson investigated at the time of the kidnapping?'
'Yes, he was. I don't believe the authorities looked at the books as thoroughly as they should have though.'
'Could I help you?'
He started to deny her request, then changed his mind. She was his wife now, and although he was used to working alone, he found he wanted her to be involved. Working together would be a novel experience.
'Yes, you can help.'
'You do realize that if we simply asked Douglas to come to England, he could point MacPherson out as the culprit.'
'Memories change over the years and so do appearances,' Harrison replied. 'The defense would shred Douglas 's recollections. It wouldn't be reliable without supporting evidence.'
'Have you told my father about MacPherson?'
'Not yet,' Harrison answered. 'I don't think he'll be able to work with the man if he knows I plan to tell him everything, of course, just as soon as I find proof. Do you want me to tell him now?'
'Would you if I wanted you to?'
'Yes.'
She was pleased that Harrison would do what she wanted. She considered the problem and then decided he was right to wait.
'It would be difficult for him not to show his hand, and then MacPherson could very well become suspicious. Why, he could disappear on us, and we can't have that, can we? No, I think we should wait to tell him. He'll understand.'
'The way you understood why I waited to tell you the reason I'd journeyed to Montana?'
'This is different,' she argued. 'I don't know my father well, but I can't imagine he would have a poker face.'
Harrison raised an eyebrow. 'A poker face?'
'He'd let his feelings show. A good poker player never lets others know what he's thinking. I'll bet you win lots of games of chance, don't you? You rarely let anyone know what you're thinking. Does everyone rest during the afternoons?'
The switch in subjects didn't faze him. He was getting used to how his wife's mind worked.
'Most women do.'
'What about men?'
Harrison stripped out of the rest of his clothes before answering her. 'Some men rest, but I'm not going to. I want you too much. You about finished talking, sweetheart?'
She rolled onto her back just as he came down on top of her. She put her arms around his neck and stared up into his eyes. Her fingers caressed the back of his neck. 'Do you like my clothes?'
'Hell, no. I hate your clothes. I like you naked.'
He wasn't giving her the assurance she needed. She decided not to worry any longer about anything as foolish as her wardrobe. She had something far more important to do now. She was going to make love to her husband, and she was determined to drive him completely out of his mind first.
'How long are we allowed to stay in our room and rest?'
He nibbled on the side of her neck while he answered her. 'A couple of hours. Why?'
'That should be long enough. Please get off me.'
His head snapped up. 'You don't want me to…'
'Oh, yes,' she answered breathlessly. 'I want you to, but I want to first.'
'I don't have a prayer of ever figuring out what you just said, do I?'
'Do you want me to explain or would you rather I showed you?'
He immediately rolled onto his back. 'Show me.'
She was blushing like a virgin but behaving like a temptress. Harrison stacked his hands behind his head and waited to see what she would do.
Mary Rose sat up and then leaned forward on her knees. The look in her husband's eyes helped her get past her shyness. She slowly untied the satin ribbon holding her undergarment together over her breasts, and then pushed the straps down.
She took her time disrobing, and she was pleased to notice Harrison 's breathing had become uneven.
Once she'd completely removed the chemise, she leaned forward and let her breasts rub against his chest. Her hair spilled down across his shoulders.
'Are you ticklish?' she whispered the question as she trailed her fingertips down his hard, flat middle.
He inhaled sharply. 'No.'
She moved down his body then, and he fully expected her to find out for herself if he was telling the truth by kissing his stomach.
She kissed his arousal instead. He almost came off the bed. He clenched his jaw tight and closed his eyes. She caressed him with her fingertips and with her mouth, and, dear God, he couldn't stand the torment long. When she took him fully into her mouth and began to suckle him, he let out a loud raw shout and forced her to move away from him.
He wasn't gentle with her. He was close to gaining his release, and he was determined to give her pleasure first. He lifted her up, roughly parted her thighs, and forced her to straddle him.
'Take me inside you,' he ordered in a voice that sounded as though he were in acute pain.
She shook her head. 'Not yet,' she whispered. She leaned forward and put the flat of her hand on his shoulder. And then she began to torment him with sweet kisses. The tip of her tongue rubbed across his lips. Harrison cupped the back of her neck and leaned up, forcing her to deepen the kiss. Her tongue moved inside then to stroke the roof of his mouth.
Harrison couldn't stand being passive any longer. His hands moved to fondle her breasts. She moved restlessly against him, letting him know how much she liked the way he touched her.
He stroked her stomach, and then his hand moved down between her thighs, and he began to ready her with
