After spending three glorious weeks together, he could read the language of her body now. Sometimes, she needed him to show his love in slow, tender strokes. Other times, such as now, it would be quick, yet wild, deep, a frantic coupling that would leave them gasping for breath.
"You are home for me, Grace," he said as he entered her fully, unable to suppress the groan of blissful appreciation. "This is the only place I belong."
She panted as she drew him in, as he thrust long, hard and deep. "And you are home for me."
The loud rap on the door ruined his rhythm. While he tried to ignore it, he felt his wife's enthusiasm wane.
"Are you going to see who it is?"
"No," he barked. "They can damn well wait. Just imagine it's the banging of the bedpost."
Her eyes widened — and not with pleasure. "I can't continue knowing someone's listening at the door."
He heard an odd scraping noise and Grace strained to look over his shoulder. "There's a letter on the floor," she whispered. "One of the servants must have pushed it under the door."
Elliot squeezed his eyes together as he focused on maintaining his erection. "Can't we just forget about it? Go back to where we were a moment ago."
"But it must be important for someone to push it under the door." A look of panic flashed across her face. "What if it's from Caroline wanting to bring Mr. Kerridge to stay? We can't let them come here."
Bloody hell.
All the blood drained from his face, and from a vital part of his anatomy, too. With some reluctance, but with little option, he withdrew from his wife's warm body and sauntered over to the door.
The first thing that struck him was someone had indeed scrawled the word urgent on the front of the missive. Elliot broke the seal, his eyes darting to the bottom of the paper, fearing the worst.
"Thank the Lord," he said putting his hand on his chest. "It's from Alexander. I had visions of your sister arriving within the hour."
Grace sat up, her soft full breasts and rosy pink nipples capturing his attention.
"Well," she said with some frustration. "What does it say?"
Elliot scanned the letter as he walked towards her. He almost crumpled to the floor in shock, and he shook his head and read it again.
"What is it?" she asked as he came to sit on the floor at her side. "Your face is deathly pale. Has … has someone died?"
Elliot swallowed. "God, I hope not." Shock gave way to anger. He flapped the letter wildly in the air. "What the bloody hell is he thinking?"
"Who? What? Elliot, will you tell me what is going on?"
"It's Leo," he said still struggling to believe what he'd read. "He … he's gone, Grace. He's gone to Bavaria."
Saying the words out loud made it sound even more ludicrous.
"Bavaria? Why on earth would he want to go back there?" She shook her head. "There must be some mistake."
Damn it all.
"I sensed something was not right with him. But I was so intent on winning your hand I pushed it aside."
She placed her hand on his arm. "You cannot blame yourself, Elliot."
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he recalled Leo's comment about needing to find a purpose and his vehemence for the golden-haired devil.
"He wrote to Alexander. It was delivered a week after his departure." The lump in his throat pounded. "He has gone to Bavaria to seek revenge on the woman responsible for our affliction."
Grace looked horrified. "You think he means to punish her in some way?"
"No. I think he means to kill her. That's why he wrote to Alexander and not to me. He knew what I would do. The bond between us is too strong for me just to sit back and let it happen."