The Wild Baron (Baron 1)

ound to her buttocks. “Damned nightgown,” he said in her mouth, then raised her to pull it over her head.

Unfortunately she released him to help him get the garment off.

He fell back, bringing her on top of him. “It’s just as well. I would be in a sorry state were you to continue holding me like that. Perhaps sometime you could put your mouth on me, Susannah.”

She blinked down at him. It was dark and she could see only the vague outline of his face. She said, surprise clear in her voice, “You want me to kiss you there?”

“Oh, yes, and more.”

She fell silent. She’d never imagined such a thing. She’d believed her hand on him was beyond bold, something a lady shouldn’t ever do, yet she’d enjoyed thoroughly the feel of him, the warmth and hardness of him.

He pulled her completely on top of him. “Kiss me,” he said, and when her mouth touched his, he splayed his fingers over her hips and began to knead her soft flesh. Soon his fingers were pulling her thighs apart. Then his fingers were touching her flesh and she reared back, staring down at him.

“Don’t you like that?”

“Oh yes, but it’s shocking.” He eased his finger into her, and she gasped.

“Rohan, you touched me like you did our first night together, like that evening in the inn, well, other nights as well, but I’d forgotten how it felt. It’s been a long time. It’s been three whole days.” Then she moved against him. He squeezed his eyes closed. It was going to be close.

When he came into her, her legs wrapped around his flanks, his hands cupping her face between his palms, he whispered against her mouth, “Shall we make a babe, Susannah?”

She thrust her hips up against him, whispering on his neck, “I don’t care, I don’t care. I just want you, just you. Ro-han . . .”

He took her pleasure into himself. It was deep and raw and he moaned his own release into her mouth.

The three of them were seated at the breakfast table the following morning. There was little conversation until Rohan dropped a piece of crisp bacon and said, “What if the bishop’s half of the map is still at his house? Still in his study? What if the killer failed to find it? He didn’t have all that much time. And the way he killed the bishop, he appeared to be in a rage, as if the bishop had refused to tell him what he wanted to know.”

Susannah tossed down her napkin and rose. “That’s what I was thinking as well. The bishop must have the other half of the map hidden somewhere. Let’s go see.”

Phillip said to Rohan, “I’ve never met a woman like her before.”

“Perhaps when you do find a woman like my Susannah, you’ll marry her before she can get away from you.”

Phillip stared hard at her and said finally, “Perhaps. Perhaps.”

29

“I’LL BE DAMNED,” PHILLIP MERCERAULT, COMING TO HIS feet. He’d been lying on his back under Bishop Roundtree’s desk. “Look at this. It was fastened to the underside of the desk.”

It was a narrow cloth book. It looked very old.

Rohan and Susannah gathered around him. They had nearly given up searching the bishop’s study.

“It’s very fragile,” Phillip said as he slowly opened it. “There are only three pages here, all written in Latin. And this.” His smile was dazzling as he gently pulled a single half of a small map from a pocket on the back cover.

“You’ve taken first prize, Phillip. This looks like the other half of the map.”

“The first thing I suggest we do, gentlemen,” Susannah said very quietly, “is to contain our excitement and leave this place immediately. I don’t want Roland talking to Lord Balantyne, telling him about our find. Or telling anyone else, for that matter. We will act like we finally gave up.”

“She’s right,” Rohan said. He kissed her, then whispered in her ear, “We found it!”

“None of that,” Phillip said. “It makes me jealous. I dislike being jealous. It is too petty, too common. Rohan, no more nibbling her ear. Now, once outside, we must be certain that no one is watching the house. Everyone keep a long face.”

Once downstairs, they found Roland in the kitchen, sitting at the table, his head on his folded arms, fast asleep.

“What will become of him?” Susannah asked as Rohan helped her into the carriage.

“If the bishop had relatives, and they move in here, then I’m afraid he won’t be long welcome,” Phillip said.