Captivated

He wanted Drue Caledon. Right then. Right there. Wanted to pull off her virginal gown, expose her naked body and sink himself deep inside her. Wanted, wanted, wanted…

The force of his arousal shocked him. He wanted… he conjured up a dozen things he wanted to do to her, all of which were as explosive as fire.

'Get her upstairs,' he said roughly. He had to plan this. He couldn't just force her. He couldn't just take her. He clamped down on the heat that raced through his blood.

'Yes sir.'

Evie, behind her, helping with her train. 'Missus…'

Drue reached blindly for the banister.Oh, God, she was going to have to do this. She heard it in his voice.

'Get her ready.'

'Yes sir.' Evie, like a little shadow, trailing behind her as she climbed the steps. A mountain. A thousand steps to meet her fate. Why didn't he just attack her there? So much easier. Over quickly. She'd get an heir, and then it would be done.

'Evie!' His voice, ragged and raw. Evie halted, waiting until he took the steps two at a time to reach her and whisper something in her ear.

'Yes sir.' Evie shifted the heavy train. 'Missus…'

She swallowed hard, blinking back her tears, and continued up the steps. And finally, the landing, decorated with the same rich furnishings as the hallway below. Muted light here, and a half dozen doors leading to the bedrooms.

'First door, missus, to your right.'

'Of course,' she murmured. That would be to the front of the house, the biggest, most luxurious rooms.

The door opened readily into a sumptuous room that was as large as the parlor at Oak Bluffs, and swathed in satin and lace.

'Master say undress you, missus, and make you comfortable.'

'Yes,' she whispered. 'Yes.'Comfortable… that didn't nearly describe this beautiful room. And all for her.

She stood still as a mannequin as Evie positioned her in front of the armoire mirror and pulled forward a cushioned stool.

'Missus is tall, pleasing to the master,' she murmured as she stepped up and began pulling out the pins that held Drue's wedding veil. It fell in a drift of tulle onto the thick Persian carpet.

'We gonna fold him up and store him away, save him for missus's daughter someday,' Evie said, as she retrieved the fragile material and laid it on the bed.

'You hold still now, missus. We gonna be real careful with this beautiful gown.'

Drue could just see her over her shoulder in the mirror.If I could just disappear into the mirror… She watched in fascination as Evie carefully unfastened the intricate hooks and slipped the dress off her, inch by inch; first the shoulders, then the bodice, then down over the hooped petticoat until it lay in a puddle of ivory silk at her feet.

And like a little bird, Evie hopped down, lifted the dress up and draped it on the bed. 'Louisa gonna take care of that for you, missus. Not to worry. Now, that old cage petticoat' She untied the strings and it was gone. 'And them drawers and stockings. And that corset. Should be burned, it so tight. You feel better when we get it off. Then we get you a nice bath and dinner, and you be ready for the master.'

She was chattering, Drue thought, to keepher calm, and to keep her mind off what was to come. But she was thinking of nothing else, and when Evie helped her into a satin wrapper, she was terribly aware of the feel of the creamy material against her hot, bare skin.

'Come.'

This was luxury: Evie led her to an alcove between the bedrooms, a bathing room with an iron tub set on a marble platform, which Charles was in the process of filling with steaming water. And Louisa waited, with a tray of soaps, oils, and towels.

'In you go, missus.'

Drue sank into the heat like it was her lover's arms.Gerard…

NO!

The water lapped against her skin, hot, welcome, reassuring.

Focus on Court. Think about Court. Let Court into your thoughts. Just tonight. Just once. Court's not an animal. Court won't hurt you.

Soft… everything soft…

She sank into the water, closing her eyes against reality as Louisa began washing her hair. This was the dream: a life of unutterable wealth as the wife of one of the most prominent men in the state.

What was a moment of surrender compared to that?

Soft… his hands would be soft, like Gerard when he petted her and coaxed her into giving him a kiss…

No!

She moved restively in the water, sending waves over the side of the tub.

'Shhh, missus, shhhh…' Louisa crooned as she poured a vial of oil into the bath water. 'Master not gonna hurt you no how. Don't you worry none… shhhh…'

How did she know? How did she know?

Drue leaned back into those gentle hands that were massaging her head so firmly, so competently, into the rich oily water that soaked into her skin.

'Shhh, missus, shhhh…' Louisa soaping her body, singing under her breath now, lulling, soothing, comforting.

She could stay there forever, she thought, just give herself over to Louisa's kind hands, and float away to oblivion.

'Missus…' Evie's voice intruding on the silence. 'It's time.'

Time? Time? The water was cold now, her hair drenched, her body dripping as she reluctantly took Louisa's hand and stepped out of the tub and into the towel Evie held out for her.

'There you go, there you go, missus,' Evie murmured, wrapping her tightly in the towel and then leading her back into the bedroom and seating her on the bed, from which the dress and veil had been removed. 'Sit you down, missus. There you go. I make you ready for the master.'

Ominous words. Drue cringed.Make you ready…

Evie at her feet, rubbing them, and her legs, and then wrapping them in another towel. At her hair next, briskly drying it.

She felt sapped, suddenly. Bereft.

Make you ready…

Evie took her brush and began combing through her tangled hair. Slow, calming strokes, sliding the brush through the thick strands. She was the ideal ladies' maid, properly deferential, experienced in all the ways of handling her mistress.

Just what you would expect from the master of Wildwood…

Her breath caught.Master of Wildwoodmaster of her…

'We ready now, missus.' Evie's soft voice in her ear. 'Stand you up now so I can take these wet towels.'

She stood, limp as a rag doll, and let Evie remove the towels.

'Master come to you soon, missus.'

Evie turned away, leaving her standing naked in the middle of the room.

'Eviemy robe…'

Evie turned at the door. 'Master give the word, missus. You wait for him there, like so. No robe. No towel. No clothes. Nothing. Nothing to keep you from the master's desire.'

And then, before Drue could react, before she could move, Evie exited the room and locked the door emphatically behind her.