“If Mariel feared she might be pregnant, someone lay with her. I think Philip is the most likely person. He has charming ways, as I’m sure you’ve noticed.”
His terse tone of voice made Gilda ask, “What do you mean by that?”
“You know what I mean, Gilda. You stayed in the cell with him, and I found him asleep on your lap when I returned. A charming sight.”
“You’re being ridiculous,” she chided.
Justin knew she was right. He was tired and jealous. In addition, he had to fight the urge to pull off her cap and gather her into his arms. Chetwynd had warned him to be patient, but it wasn’t easy. His frustration was causing him to behave irrationally. He prided himself on being a man of reason, but lately his emotions seemed to be running wild.
“I’m sorry, Gilda. But consider this. Philip is a young man with impulsive urges. Mariel is a beautiful young woman. When men and women are thrown together in intimate circumstances, it’s natural to be tempted.”
“Tempted,” she repeated. She stared into his eyes and realized he was speaking of himself as well as Philip.
When Gilda turned away from him, Justin knew he had revealed more than he meant to. “It’s been a long day,” he said. “Settle your blanket in front of the fire. I’ll go to the other side of the room. Do you wish to go outside first?”
Gilda nodded and hurried out. When it was his turn, Justin stayed outside as long as he could, giving himself time to get his feelings under control. When he returned to the cottage, Gilda appeared to be asleep. He could see that she had removed her cap, and her hair resembled a pile of gold as the light from the fire flickered upon it. When he settled on his blanket with his back turned to her, the shine of her hair and the gentle curve of her body appeared behind his closed eyelids.
Justin’s groan caused Gilda to burrow deeper into her blankets. She knew that if she went to him, there would be no denying the need she felt to be wrapped in his arms. In order to fight temptation, she reminded herself that Philip was in the next room.
Gilda wasn’t sure how much later she heard a noise and felt a draft. Turning her head, she saw the cottage door slowly closing. It seemed odd to her that Justin would go outside, and she got up to have a look. On her way to the window, she saw that Justin was still asleep on the floor and knew at once that it was Philip who had left the cottage.
Instead of waking Justin immediately, she gave in to the temptation to study his face. He lay on his side, and his dark, curly hair hung over his eyes. Crouching beside him she gently pushed the hair back from his face, then held it there so she could see better. Concentrating on his full lips, it was a few seconds before she realized his eyes had opened. Without a word he rolled to his back, reached out, and pulled her down on top of him.
The fire had died down, but there was enough light for Gilda to see his sleepy, half-closed eyes. He hesitated only a second before placing his hands on either side of her face and slowly moving her closer until his lips met hers. His gentle kiss was different from any he had given her before. He opened his mouth and slowly teased her lips with his tongue until she opened up and accepted it into her own mouth.
The kiss went on and on as he drank from her lips and encouraged her to respond. Gilda lost herself to the dreamlike sensation. He was making love to her mouth, and she was soon imitating his thrusts. She heard a purring sound and wasn’t sure which one of them it was coming from. The desire to have their bodies as fused as their mouths made her move restlessly on top of him. She wanted to feel the heat of him.
Suddenly Justin lifted her face away from his, and when she tried to regain his mouth, he held her face above him. “This isn’t a dream, is it?” he whispered.
“Just kiss me,” she pleaded, then became aware of what he was asking.
Gilda propelled herself off him with such force that she bumped her sore hip on the hard floor. “Ohhh,” she whimpered. “I’m no good at this.”
“Believe me, you’re very good at this. But Philip is in the next room.”
Justin cursed himself for being so practical. Philip was making love to at least one woman, perhaps two. It had been a dream kiss, and he wanted to taste it again. They would be quiet. But when he again reached for Gilda, she scrambled to her feet.
“That’s what I wanted to tell you. Philip left. I heard the door close and thought it was you.”
Without a word Justin sprang up and pushed open the door to the back room. After a quick search he slammed the door and let loose with a string of curses.
Gilda grimaced at his words. “Philip probably wanted to say goodbye to Lady Emma,” she suggested.
“Don’t make excuses for him, Gilda. I got him out of the dungeon, and he’s shown his appreciation by running away. He’s my responsibility. I made promises to obtain his release.”
Justin’s fury was understandable, Gilda thought. Philip had left them in a terrible predicament, and if he didn’t return, their assignment would be in jeopardy. Although she hoped Philip would appear in the morning, she didn’t dare to suggest it would happen. Rather than say anything, she moved to the fire and added a few logs.
Regaining control of his emotions, Justin sat beside Gilda, being careful not to touch her. He knew his anger was as much a result of sexual frustration as Philip’s disappearance. “If Philip is guilty of seducing Mariel, he won’t
