Saving Grace (Victorian Vigilantes Book 1) Read online

  Jake waved him away. ‘Good night.’

  ‘Good night,’ Isaac replied, leaving Jake to his brandy and his brooding.

  Satisfied there were no servants loitering in the main part of the house, Isaac hastened to join Eva. Every second in her company was to be savoured. Matters with her husband would come to a head over the next few days and there was no telling when they would have another opportunity to be alone. When he wasn’t with her, she occupied his thoughts. When they were together, the rest of the world might just as well not exist. He was drawn to her like a sun responding to the earth’s gravitational pull, completely and totally intoxicated by her feminine allure. But Isaac was acutely aware of the many obstacles that littered their path. It would be extremely unwise to think beyond the moment, to make plans for a future they might never be at liberty to enjoy.

  Isaac relived the horror that had gripped him that afternoon when they realised she had gone missing. He swallowed against the ache in his throat, even as he reluctantly admired her spirit. To have been quick-witted enough to stab Stoneleigh with a hat pin said much about her determination to fight against the life she had been trapped in these past six years. Even so, Isaac was equally determined she would never act so impulsively again.

  He entered the room without knocking, closed the door behind him and leaned against it. She was sitting beside the fire, dressed in her night attire, pretending to read a book. Her pose would have been quite convincing, had the book not been upside down. She looked up but the welcoming smile flirting with her lips quickly faded, presumably because she saw the stony set to his features and realised just how angry he actually was—a situation he had done his utmost to conceal from her during the evening. What he had to say to her was for her ears alone.

  ‘You came,’ she said, nervously licking her lips. ‘I rather thought you might.’

  And yet you are dressed for bed.

  Isaac was so overbalanced by the sight of her translucent skin glowing in the dwindling firelight, her eyes shimmering as they regarded him with complete faith—and something else—he didn’t trust himself to speak. If he allowed her to see how profoundly she affected him, he would lose the battle with his baser needs before this opening skirmish had even played itself out. He folded his arms across his chest and fixed her with a censorious gaze.

  ‘What the devil did you think you were playing at this afternoon?’ he asked.

  ‘I did what was necessary. Given similar circumstances, I would do the same thing again.’ She tossed her head. ‘So if you have only come to scold me, you might as well save your breath.’

  Isaac’s brows snapped together. ‘Necessary?’

  ‘Yes.’ She inverted her adorable chin. ‘And I succeeded.’

  ‘Actually, you almost undid all of Jake’s hard work.’

  She gasped. ‘Whatever do you mean?’

  ‘If Stoneleigh had caught you, you would have told him where you had been staying.’

  ‘I would not!’

  ‘Sooner or later you would have.’ Isaac paused, trying not to conjure up mental images of the Stoneleigh’s methods of persuasion. ‘And make no mistake about it, whoever is controlling your husband from within Whitehall would have made the connection between Jake and your tenure under this roof and aborted the theft.’

  ‘Well, isn’t that what you want?’ She stood up and faced him, arms akimbo. Dear God, does she know how appealing she looks when she’s angry? ‘The safety of that ostentatious stone is all anyone seems to care about.’

  ‘You imagine that’s why we have gone to so much trouble to keep you safe?’

  ‘I didn’t mean that.’ The anger appeared to drain out of her as quickly as it had arrived. ‘I have been a terrible nuisance to you all, of that I am very well aware, which is why I wanted to help. I knew Rose would talk to me, but I couldn’t be sure how she would react if either of you went to her. I tried to tell Lord Torbay as much but he wouldn’t listen to my advice.’

  ‘Even so, what you did was foolhardy, ill-thought out, and endangered us all.’

  ‘In which case, I am truly sorry.’

  She lowered her eyes in a contrite gesture that found Isaac immediately absolving her from blame. The desire to kiss away the distress clouding her eyes almost quelled his anger. Almost. He clung to it, determined to make her understand the danger she had placed herself in and extract a promise from her not to do anything so foolish again before he forgave her.

  ‘Whatever were you thinking?’ he asked softly.

  ‘Before you brand me a complete ninny,’ she replied, lifting her head again, a glint of fire igniting in her eyes, ‘consider the circumstances from my perspective. Mrs Grantley was attacked, thanks to me, Franklin is in danger every second he spends under my husband’s roof and my poor daughter must wonder why she has not seen me.’ Eva impatiently dashed at the tears forming in her eyes. ‘You and Lord Torbay appear to think nothing of taking risks, and yet I must sit here and twiddle my thumbs. I cannot think why you went to so much trouble to get me here if your only intention was to keep me as closely guarded as I am in Sloane Street.’

  A crystalline silence greeted this statement. She appeared to realise what she had said and took a step towards him.

  ‘Isaac, please, I did not mean to−’

  ‘We want to keep you safe. We have no desire to own you. The next few days will see things resolved one way or another, then you may leave here whenever you wish to. But in the meantime we need to focus and can’t do that if we are worrying about you.’

  ‘Are you saying I am more of a hindrance than a help?’

  ‘I’m saying you frightened the life out of me.’ He reached for her, desire chasing all thoughts of lectures from his head, and she willingly fell into his arms. ‘I thought I had lost you,’ he said in a raw voice. He breathed in her heady perfume as his arms closed greedily around her and her body melded against his. ‘You cost me ten years of my life this afternoon. When I saw that brute Stoneleigh had you virtually within his grasp, I—’

  ‘Shush.’ She placed a finger against his lips. ‘It’s done, and he didn’t catch me. That’s all that counts.’

  ‘More by luck than judgement.’ Isaac couldn’t help smiling as he recalled how her quick thinking had saved the day. ‘Tipping over that barrel of oranges was inspired.’

  ‘It was an impulsive action borne of desperation.’

  Isaac shook his head. ‘What am I going to do with you?’

  ‘Ah, since you ask, I have some suggestions to make about that.’

  ‘Oh no, you don’t get to decide.’

  ‘I don’t?’ She bit her lower lip and sent him wayward glances from beneath her lowered lashes. Feminine, knowing glances, as though she was already aware of the quite profound power she exerted over him.

  ‘Take your hair out of that unflattering braid.’

  Isaac’s breath caught in his throat when she combed her fingers through her tresses, loosening them, and her lovely amber curls tumbled around her shoulders, shimmering like liquid copper in the flickering light of the fire. Isaac was fascinated by the lighter shades he detected highlighting the earthy tones. There were so many things he wanted to say to her, so many reassurances he wished to offer her, but he remained silent. He was not in the business of making promises he could not keep.

  The silk ascot at his neck suddenly felt as though it was restricting his windpipe and he tore it from his throat.

  ‘Eva,’ he said softly, resisting the urge to cover the distance that still separated them and pull her into his arms. ‘I promised this wouldn’t happen between us until—’

  ‘And yet I knew that it would. Why do you suppose I waited up?’ She smiled at him. ‘I knew you would come to me.’

  ‘Are you absolutely sure, my love?’

  ‘I have never been surer about anything.’

  Her softly persuasive words, the absolute conviction in her expression, was Isaac’s undoing. What little control he still had over his�
��well, his self-control, evaporated. He held out his arms, she ran into them and there wasn’t the slightest possibility of their turning back.

  ***

  Isaac’s breath was warm against Eva’s face as he helped her onto the bed. She breathed in the essence of him—a combination of sandalwood soap and pure predatory male that made her feel dizzy with desire. Eva felt as though she was in a trance, finding it hard to believe she was doing this because she actually wanted to. Because it felt as though she would die of frustration if she did not. The exquisite anticipation that ripped through her, heating her blood, was beyond anything she would have imagined possible. She watched him as he stepped out of his clothes and seeing him now as nature intended stole away what little breath she had managed to draw into her lungs. He was truly magnificent.

  She would look upon it as an experiment. She owed it to women in general to discover if it really was possible for members of her gender to enjoy sexual relations. Of course, it helped that she was completely and desperately in love with Isaac but she must ensure he didn’t find out. It would embarrass them both and spoil everything.

  He settled her on the bed beside him and she danced her fingers across his glorious chest, tangling her fingers in the wiry hair that adorned it. The changes in her were astonishing and she wanted to laugh aloud with abandonment.

  A heady feeling of liberation made her giddy with anticipation when Isaac leaned up on one elbow, sent her a meltingly gentle smile and claimed her lips in a drugging kiss. His tongue was moist and mobile as it probed the recesses of her mouth with a lazy expertise hinting at extensive experience. The momentary jealousy that surged through Eva was eradicated when he deepened the kiss, causing her pulse to quicken and her body to come truly alive. She savoured the taste of him, and was acutely aware of the masculine power that flowed from him, surrounding her with his strength and protection, making her feel truly safe for the first time in years. The searing attraction between them broke through all barriers, eradicating any small objections put up by her conscience about the carnal indiscretion she fully intended to commit.

  ‘Are you all right?’ he asked, breaking the kiss far sooner than Eva would have liked.

  ‘Never better.’

  He laughed, a deep, rich sound that filled her heart with joy. He pulled her arms above her head held them there with one strong hand. Isaac clearly enjoyed having her helpless and Eva didn’t feel any pressing need to complain about that situation.

  ‘Are you sure about this?’ he asked.

  She laughed. ‘Do I look as though I have any doubts?’

  ‘I wouldn’t want you to feel compelled.’

  ‘Isaac, we both know that anything can happen over the next few days. We should take every moment we can to give one another pleasure. Speaking for myself, I have great curiosity and am relying upon you to satisfy it.’

  ‘You put pressure upon me, ma’am.’

  ‘I am sure you’ll rise to the occasion, sir.’

  He chuckled. ‘I certainly anticipate achieving that ambition.’

  He dropped a row of damp kisses down the length of her neck, making her squirm because he was so clever with his tongue. Better yet, he used his teeth when she least expected him to, sending shock waves through her sensitised body.

  ‘Hmm.’

  ‘You like that?’

  ‘It was over too quickly for me to be sure. Do it again.’

  Isaac growled against her neck and trailed tantalising kisses down her breastbone. Eva’s hips developed a mind of their own when he sucked a solid nipple into his mouth and nipped at it with his teeth. Hard. She cried out, but in no time at all the brief pain turned into tingling pleasure that radiated from her nipple and spread through her body. It was the most exquisite torture and she gave herself over to it, feeling as though her bones had been liquefied. The deep tug she felt between her legs awakened every nerve ending and sent raw need spiralling through her. This was all new to Eva and she was anxious to move matters forward. But Isaac refused to be rushed. The more impatience she showed, the slower his teasing and tormenting became. She tried to distract herself by plotting ways to revenge herself on him when she had use of her hands again.

  Finally, just when she thought she couldn’t take a moment more, Isaac moved so that his body was positioned directly over hers. He took his weight on his forearms and looked down at her, his eyes as dark as molasses, his generous mouth curved into a sensuous smile.

  ‘Will you allow me to make love to you, sweet Eva?’

  ‘I should feel very hard done by if you did not.’

  He didn’t say anything in response but the expression of deep desire reflected in his eyes stole her breath away. It was a defining moment. No matter what happened after this, she thought, she would never forget that expression. It revealed more about him than he had allowed her to see thus far, and said more than words ever could.

  ‘I don’t want to hurt you, sweetheart.’

  She laughed. How could he ever hurt her? Besides, she wouldn’t care if he did. His pleasure would be her reward. She felt as though she was drifting on a timeless wave when he finally slid into her. It felt sublime and she expelled a deep, satisfied sigh. So too did Isaac as he gently worked his way deeper. Eva felt searing warmth and nascent pleasure beyond her wildest imagination. Her hips lifted to welcome him deeper, but Isaac seemed reluctant to accept her invitation.

  ‘I must be hurting you. You’re so tight, I−’

  ‘You will only hurt me if you stop,’ she replied breathlessly.

  ‘Wrap your legs around my waist then, my love, and we will find our way together.’

  ‘I can’t begin to tell you how it feels.’ Eva’s breathing fractured as she clung to him like a vine. ‘But pain absolutely does not feature.’

  He kissed her brow in an oddly chaste yet intimate gesture. ‘That’s good.’

  He slid a little deeper and Eva welcomed him inside. She felt filled to capacity, deeply feminine and totally abandoned. She closed her eyes, willing this delineating moment never to end.

  He started to move faster and she moved with him, the pungent scent of their arousal filling her senses. Pulsating passion slammed through her as Isaac picked up the pace and her body reacted in unimaginable ways.

  ‘Isaac!’

  ‘Yes, darling?’

  ‘Don’t stop.’ She stared up at him in disbelief, desperation making her reckless. ‘This is astonishing. I think I…argh!’

  Her world exploded in a starburst of pleasure that started somewhere deep inside her core and lanced through her veins so violently her senses fragmented. Her pulse skittered in her veins and she struggled to keep up with the kaleidoscope of emotions assaulting her from all angles. She didn’t want to miss a single one. She closed her eyes and tried desperately to commit her various reactions to memory for later examination since she might never experience them again.

  It was a long time before the sensation faded. When it did so and she opened her eyes again, Isaac was still buried inside her. Still rock hard. He had stopped moving and sent her a heated smile.

  ‘Now I understand,’ she said. ‘Thank you.’

  ‘My pleasure.’ He kissed the end of her nose. ‘That was just a foretaste.’

  ‘It was?’ Eva had trouble accepting it could be more rewarding than that. ‘Are you absolutely sure?’

  His throaty laugher sent shivers down her spine. ‘Trust me.’

  He picked up the pace again and Eva’s body responded with indecent haste. She saw the tremor in his arms, the ropey veins standing proud, presumably because he was trying to delay his own pleasure. With a taunting smile she deliberately closed herself around him.

  ‘It’s your turn,’ she said breathlessly.

  ‘Together,’ he said, driving into her.

  To her astonishment she felt pleasure spangling again, just out of reach. Isaac’s straining and groaning brought it to the fore and a second, less intense but far deeper wave of pleasure streaked thr
ough her.

  ‘Ah, love,’ he said, laughing and panting simultaneously as he rolled off her and lay flat on his back at her side.

  ***

  Isaac took a moment to regain his breath, then levered himself from the bed. Eva smiled up at him, as somnolent and contented as a cat who had raided the cream jug.

  ‘You look…well, satiated,’ he said, pulling her into his arms and she resting her head on his chest. Her hair spread all over it, as did her fingers, which danced across his torso.

  ‘What just happened to me?’

  Isaac laughed. ‘Do I really need to spell it out?’

  ‘I ought to feel shocked. Ladies are not supposed to enjoy such things.’

  ‘Rubbish! That’s just a myth perpetuated by men who are either too selfish to stimulate their partners, or unwilling to take the trouble.’

  ‘Very likely. Seriously though, Isaac, I had absolutely no idea it could be like that.’

  ‘I know.’

  She stretched, again reminding him of a sleek, satiated, albeit gloriously rumpled feline, and settled herself into a more comfortable position against his side. He pulled the coverlet over them both to keep the chill off their rapidly cooling bodies and enjoyed simply holding her. Unthinkable impulses invaded his brain. He loved this impossibly naïve, feisty, indescribably lovely yet monstrously disobedient female, but to admit it would be foolish. Worse, it might tempt providence.

  ‘Eva,’ he said softly. ‘You realise that the next few days—’

  ‘Yes, I know.’

  ‘We spoke with Franklin this evening. That’s where Jake and I went. He meets with one of Jake’s contacts to pass on his findings every evening. If Jake wishes to speak with him then he keeps the engagement himself.’

  ‘Lord Torbay told him how to get into William’s desk, I suppose.’

  ‘Yes, he’s going to attempt it tomorrow morning while your husband is at his warehouse.’

  He sensed the increased rate of her breathing. ‘I really hope he succeeds.’

  ‘Woodstock is distracted with the search for you, and with the adverse newspaper report about him. He has his hands full now the time is approaching to steal the diamond. Jake plans to further throw him off by having someone leak information that Stoneleigh had you within his grasp but lost you.’