The Rake of Glendir. Michelle Kelly

he lifted a hand and ran a thumb across one stiff peak where it showed through the flimsy garment. Amelia inhaled sharply and bit her lip. Her knees felt weak. When Jasper lowered his head and sucked her breast tenderly into his mouth, material and all, Amelia thought she would die from the pleasure and shame of it. It was so utterly wanton, and yet she wanted to be reckless, to give herself to this man here in the moonlight, on the damp ground, and to hell with her father and London and all the rest of it….

      A sudden sound, of someone nearby, cracking twigs underfoot, had her leaping away from him in fright, and Jasper’s hand going again to his dagger.

      A figure appeared out of the gloom in front of them, a rifle raised. Amelia gasped, clutching at Jasper then relaxed as she saw it was the gamekeeper.

      ‘It’s me, Vimes,’ Jasper assured him. ‘I found the lady of the house out wandering, exploring her new surroundings no doubt. But she wandered too far and luckily—’ the Scottish lord shook his head as if in disapproval of her actions ‘—it was only me she came across and not some vagrant.’

      ‘Aye, sir. Ye shouldnae be wanderin’ around this time of night, mam,’ the gamekeeper agreed in gentle reproach.

      ‘No, you never know who might be about,’ the laird said, cutting her a sideways glance that had her blushing once more as the realization of what had just happened sank in. He offered her a small bow and pressed the back of her hand to his lips. It was a courteous gesture, but Amelia shivered at the sudden heat flooding through her.

      ‘She’s freezing, Vimes, get her in and ensure she’s given a drop of brandy. My deepest apologies for scaring you, my dear,’ he said, all politeness again then dropped his voice as he went on. ‘You must attend dinner with me tomorrow, allow me to make your acquaintance as my neighbour in more…favourable circumstances.’

      Amelia opened her mouth to reply, although she had no idea how to respond, but he was gone, slipping into the shadows like a cat. She turned and hurried back to the house, Vimes tramping solidly along just behind her.

      ‘Lord Glendir is a most…intriguing man, is he not?’ she said, still reeling from their encounter, her lips still thrumming from his passionate kiss.

      ‘Aye, he’s a scoundrel, right enough,’ Vimes agreed amiably, steering Amelia back into the house and ringing for the housekeeper, who was horrified at her dishevelled appearance. Blaming it on nerves and a tendency to sleepwalk, Amelia found herself ushered up to bed with a hot brick and a nip of brandy and fell into a deeper sleep than she could have thought possible after her recent worries, a hand pressed to her mouth as if in wonder. Almost as if the mysterious Lord Glendir had, with that sudden and shocking meeting of mouths, kissed her cares away. Temporarily at least.

      * * *

      For the mysterious Lord Glendir himself however there was little sleep to be had that night, as he tossed and turned, alone in his room in Glendir Castle. The bed was too big for one, and Jasper was surprised to find himself feeling lonely. He, who had made a life for himself in the shadows, determined never to be tied down. Oh, there had been plenty of women, but never one he had wanted for more than a mere dalliance. Yet tonight he was feeling his isolation keenly, and couldn’t help wondering if the feelings were connected to his coming across Lady Amelia in the woods. She was undoubtedly hiding something, and he had enough secret business of his own to be worrying about some woman’s affairs, and yet…something about the young woman had captivated him, something more than just her obvious physical charms. Why on earth had he invited her for dinner? But then, why not? If she was only here for a few days…

      Telling himself that he was tired, and unsettled at being back at Glendir, Jasper resolved to put Lady Amelia out of his mind for now. But the sky outside was growing as pink as the heather on the moors beneath before Jasper finally drifted off, only to have his dreams invaded by visions of beautiful girls in flimsy white dresses, running through the woods calling his name.

      Chapter Two

      Amelia woke the next morning with a start, after a dream filled with the laughing eyes and full lips of Lord Glendir. That image left her with a restless longing, and she sat up, shaking her head to clear it, and swung her legs out of bed. As her feet touched the cold floor she was reminded of the sensation of running through the damp grass the night before and her mouth curved into a smile. It had been foolish maybe, but also freeing. As for her encounter with the laird…Amelia’s face flamed at the memory, but her smile remained. Widened in fact, as she thought that for the first time since childhood she did not have to endure a day of social calls with her aunt or learning to play the piano or working at that blasted sampler. After she had written to Madeleine, she decided to explore her new surroundings while she had the chance to do so, though in a rather more conventional fashion than last night.