Calypso Magic (Magic Trilogy 2)

"No. She did me in."

His hands became quiet. "I don't believe that," he said slowly. "In my experience, you're like a terrier who never gives up. I have the wounds to prove it."

"She talked about seeing you naked and how you were tanned everywhere but yourwell, and what you would probably have done if I hadn't been close by. All that in the same breath that she was a lady!"

He laughed.

"Jealous, little one?"

She pulled

away from his bewitching hands and rose, twitching at her skirts. "It is not funny."

"Perhaps not," he said mildly. "You didn't accuse her of anything, did you?"

"No," she said, her voice miserable. "I don't know what to do, Lyon."

"It's siesta time. Let me kiss you and love you until you howl with pleasure."

"What about you? Will you howl with pleasure?"

"No howling." He grinned at her. "The manly thing to do is to groan and thrust deep while I kiss your breasts and caress you with my fingers."

She turned red.

"Ah, Diana, you please me immensely." He drew her against him and pressed her face against his shoulder. "We will figure out something, sweetheart. Try not to worry yourself overly about it. I do have some ideas, you know, at least with regard to Daniel."

"What are they?" Her voice was muffled against the warm flesh of his shoulder. She loved his scent, and breathed deeply, burrowing closer.

"I am a wealthy man. I think that Daniel and his wife should go to England. I have a feeling that Daniel would be happy as a lark were he able to study medicine. He seems quite oblivious of mundane things, more's the pity."

His hands stroked down her back, lower still, to cup her buttocks, and lifted her against him. "I want you," he said, nipping at her earlobe. "Of course, since I am such a simple being, you must know that."

He was hard against her belly. "Yes," she said. "I know you are simple, you've told me that enough."

"Doesn't it make you pleased with yourself?"

There came a loud cry. He released her suddenly, spinning around. "What the devil!"

He strode to their bedchamber door, Diana at his heels. He flung it open and stopped, staring at Deborah, who was standing over Moira. The black girl was cowering at her feet, her arms covering her head.

"Shut up, you stupid fool!"

Diana met Deborah's eyes. She was stunned at the fury she read there. The older woman's bosom was heaving.

"What do you want?" Deborah nearly shouted at Diana and Lyon.

"Stay put, Diana." Lyon calmly walked to Deborah and wrested the riding whip from her right hand.

"Why?" he said, towering over her.

Deborah knew, had known instantly, that she'd made a bad mistake. She drew herself up to her diminutive size. "She is impertinent and I will see her sold, immediately."

Moira was blubbering, the sobs louder now that Diana and Lyon were here.

Diana, impetuous of nature, found herself standing perfectly still, her brain working quickly. Moira was the only slave Deborah abused. Certainly she'd spoken of Dido's impertinence, but never had Diana seen her do anything but frown slightly when Dido clothed herself in her bossy manner. She asked quite calmly, "What did Moira do, Deborah? Perhaps his lordship and I can assist you."

Lyon's expression didn't change. His volatile and impassioned Diana, speaking so softly, so reasonably?