The Cursed Countess (The Daring Drake Sisters 1)

“My father was still alive,” she said so quietly he almost didn’t hear her.

“Where is your father?” He hated asking when he knew how painful this must be for her, and he already knew the truth, but he had to see if she would tell him herself.

“He is in a prison in Cornwall.” She pressed her lips together and nodded. “He embezzled money from the bank where he worked in order...”

When she didn’t continue, he pressed her. “In order to what?”

“Pay for my first Season in London,” she cried. “Mother insisted I have one, but he couldn’t afford such a thing. So, he stole from the bank.”

He believed she was finally telling him the truth. No wonder she felt as if everything was her fault. “Oh darling, I am so sorry.”

“My mother had already spent the money on a lease in town and my wardrobe when the bank realized what my father had done. They tossed him in prison but said if we could pay back the amount he stole, he might get out early. I’ve been making payments over the years but it still isn’t enough because they want interest on the money. The little bit of money I received from Langley and Dereham went directly to my father’s debt, forcing me back with my mother until I married again. After Stanhope died, I promised myself that I would not impoverish myself over his debt.”

She paused for a breath before continuing, “I never asked for or wanted a Season, Jack. That was my mother’s doing. I would have been just as happy to find a man in Cornwall, but she wouldn’t hear of it. She told me her daughters would never make the mistake she had by falling in love with a mere mister.”

A mere mister. Exactly what he was and would always be assuming Georgiana gave Neville a boy this time. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

“I have never told a soul what I just told you, Jack. Not even my sisters know that our father is still alive. They were visiting my aunt when the constable arrested him. My mother told me that Louisa and Emma should never know the shame he brought on us so she concocted the story of his death and took us all to London.”

“Louisa doesn’t know?”

She shook her head slowly. “That is why we must stop so I can at least let my sisters have the happiness they deserve.”

Jack caressed her cheek with his hand. “You deserve happiness too, Tessa.” He bent down and kissed her tenderly.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him down upon her soft body. This was not what he’d intended when he kissed her to comfort her. He shouldn’t make love to her when they both knew their relationship had to be over. It was wrong to brush his tongue against hers and allow a mad rush of desire to overwhelm him. Terribly wrong, he thought, even when his lips moved along her jaw and farther down her soft neck to her breasts. Plucking a taut nipple into his mouth, he berated himself more until he heard her moans and felt her hips twist under his. Perhaps one last time wasn’t so wrong.

He moved the drying cloth away from her body before hesitantly trailing his fingers down her to her folds. One sign of denial and he would stop his tender seduction. Her legs parted slightly allowing him to caress her, stoke the fires of her passion.

“Jack,” she moaned. “Please...”

“Are you certain?” He was more cautious tonight than even their first night together.

“Yes,” she said, staring into his eyes.

He rolled off her and tore at his clothing eager to be with her again. When he moved over her again, she was waiting with a half-smile on her lips and her eyes filled with tears. They both knew this would be the last time they made love. He kissed her this time with all the passion he had stored in him. Her fingernails dug into his back as she clung to him. She lifted her hips to meet him, allowing him entrance to her warmth.

They both let out small moans as he slipped inside her sheath. He didn’t want this to end, not tonight, not any night. But as passion overtook his brain, he thrust deeply into her over and over again until her inner muscles began to spasm and clutch his shaft. As she cried out, his climax spun out of control, leaving him deep inside her and completely breathless with the knowledge that no woman had ever had this effect on him.

He lay back against the pillows, bringing her with him so she rested her head on him. He half-expected her to tell him to leave now. Instead, he realized her breathing had become even and deep with exhaustion.

Tomorrow he had to meet with her maid and he prayed she might have some insight to this mess with Tessa. Anne had worked for the duke before coming into Tessa’s service. She was the only one of the servants who had been with Tessa since her first husband. Anne might be the only person who could prove Tessa’s innocence.

And then what?

Would proving her innocent in Stanhope’s death make any difference in her life? Society would still consider her cursed for having lost three husbands in five years. She would still feel guilt over her father’s actions. Curse or not, he would not marry her until he had more money saved. He could barely afford his own expenses and wouldn’t be known as a fortune hunter. He slowly drifted off knowing he would have to waken early and leave the warmth of her bed.

~*~

A loud rap sounded on the door waking them both with a start. Tessa sat up and then looked down at him. Jack rubbed his eyes before glancing at the clock. Who the devil was knocking so furiously on her door at five in the morning?

“Lady Stanhope, please let me in,” Roberts said in an alarmed voice. “I know who is in there with you so do not worry over that.”

“He knows?”

Jack shrugged. “I have no idea how.”

“Very well, come in,” she replied.