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others do not.
Complete and utter balderdash. We shall reach England in a matter of days and you will
find that we will have clear sailing.
Aye perhaps you are right. But I my dear have learned to never bank on supposition. I
prefer to let the fates take me where they will. He watched as she tilted her head to the side.
Yet you took fate into your own hands when you kidnapped me. Her voice was soft
and there was something resembling betrayal glimmering in her eyes. She walked slowly toward
him and placed her hands firmly on his chest. Why do you insist on giving me heartache?
Her voice rocked him to his very core. I do no such thing.
Oh but you do. I may have been pampered with riches when I was little but I do know
there is more to life than money and jewels.
There is love. He was waiting for her to confess her own love to him but for some
reason she was remaining disturbingly quiet. He lowered his lips toward hers and brushed
against them ever so slightly. She tensed but wrapped her arms around him. Pulling her close he
lifted her off of her feet. He twirled her around and lowered one hand to cup her bottom.
We must leave, she gasped out. Their hunger for each other would never be abated.
Somehow they made it to the next cabin and where words had failed them they took over in the
joining of their bodies. He stared at her at the height of their passion and wondered if she would
ever be his.
Why did you not marry? he brushed a lock of her hair off of her face and decided that
he loved the way that she looked after a bout of hearty lovemaking. Her forehead shone with
sweat and her eyes filled with wonder.
Why would I marry when I could never find any man that would take me as I am? She
sighed heavily and looked away from him. They all wanted me for my money. I know that I
have never been a great beauty but no man has ever looked at me as if I were the only woman in
the room. No man except for you. Her voice trailed off and there was a catch to it that made
him give her his full attention.
At the masquerade ball you stared at me as if I was the only woman that mattered. I
I LL BE YOURS Marly Mathews 105
could not believe that I had been given such a blessing. That was why I agreed to go out with
you to the maze.
He pulled her closer to him. She was right. At that point in time he had not needed her
money. Her father had not lured his father into playing a game that he could not win. His father
had never been particularly good at playing cards but he had been absolutely abysmal when
compared to Geoffrey s superior skill.
I did not want you for your money then. His voice was silent almost deadly so. She
propped herself up on her elbows and stared quizzically down at him.
If you knew who I was that night why didn t you come back to claim me?
How could he answer her question? He did not know how to tell her that her father had
cheated his father and that he had suddenly been burdened with far too much responsibility. He
was a man that needed the carefree easy life. That was why he loved the sea so much. The sea
gave him everything that he needed and more.
He could see by the intense expression on her face that she was thinking once again.
You mentioned earlier that you knew Mary. How do you know her? Was she another one of
your conquests?
He chuckled at that ludicrous thought and sighed. No she was not one of my conquests.
She knew my brother. His voice had become flat at her new line of questioning and he could
see that she had noticed the change.
In what capacity did she know your brother?
She was his partner in crime. He stared over at her to see if she was going to flinch at
all. You do not know much about Mary do you?
Only that she is a formidable woman and one that does not need to be protected.
Aye that is what my brother soon found out. They had plans to wed you see and I do
believe that my brother would have done anything for her. I suspect that he would have even
died for her if necessary. But she had problems of her own on land and he had responsibilities at
sea.
What sort of problems did she have?
She was fighting for her land and for her title. Fortunately she eventually regained
everything but when it came for the time of their nuptials my brother was killed. I did not believe
that Mary would ever recover but it seems that time evidently heals all wounds.
I am sorry. Ronald is a good man.
Aye but Andrew was a far better man. His voice was heavy and he blinked back tears.
He wanted to get off the subject of talking about his brother. He and his brother had been very
close and witnessing his death had nearly broken him.
Two loud raps sounded at the door and Mallory stood up to answer it. Mallory?
Elizabeth whispered. Turning around he was surprised to see the wistful expression that had
taken hold of her features. I shall never be close to another man the way that I am close to you.
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