“I never promised. I said I was too weary last night to think of seduction. This morning is a different matter altogether.”
She watched helplessly as he covered her breasts with his warm hands, aroused by his touch.
“Let me soothe your hurt, sweetheart,” he murmured as he bent down to kiss the swells.
Maura’s breath fled altogether then. When he took one rosy nipple in his mouth, she let out a soft whimper and shut her eyes at the delectable sensation.
His sensual assault continued, his hot lips suckling, his rasping tongue taunting and teasing. Then he moved to her other breast, filling her with pleasure, making her quiver.
Moaning, she tilted her head back to give him greater access. By now tremors were flooding her body, while between her thighs, desire throbbed.
Yet strangely enough, he suddenly left off. With one, final, soothing kiss to her chafed skin, Beaufort pushed himself up and heaved a sigh. “I regret I cannot do more than merely worship your lovely body.”
Her eyes flew open, and she saw hot desire gleaming in his green gaze.
“Why did you stop?” she asked unsteadily.
He pulled her to a sitting position and helped her don her coat again. “Because my conscience won’t allow me to go any farther.”
Her brows drew together in puzzlement. “I thought you didn’t care a whit about propriety.”
“Normally I don’t. But seducing a virgin under my protection would hardly be honorable, now would it?”
Maura swallowed her sharp disappointment. “No, it wouldn’t—but I am astonished you realize it.”
He smiled. “You should count yourself fortunate, love. It is not like me to be so noble.”
She heard the rueful humor in his voice, yet she didn’t believe him. His nobility went deeper than his blue blood, she was certain of it.
He proved her point when he planted a light kiss on her hair and then changed the subject. “What do you say that we take to the road now rather than waiting until dark? I know you wanted to hide out during the day and only travel at night, but it might be best to put some distance between ourselves and Deering. And while this barn is pleasant enough, killing time here for an entire afternoon is not high on my list of delights, no matter how stimulating the company.”
Collecting her dazed senses, Maura frowned thoughtfully. “I suppose that might be wise. If we keep to the country lanes, we should be able to avoid detection, even if Deering somehow has managed to pick up my trail from London. I have a rough map of the district, which Gandy had his friend draw up.”
“That Gandy of yours is highly resourceful,” Beaufort observed.
Maura’s heart warmed at the mention of the elderly man who had been more like an uncle than steward to her since her father’s passing. “He is indeed. I don’t know what I would have done without him these past two years after losing my father.”
Beaufort rose to his feet and began folding the blanket. “The water bucket is almost full. I’ll step outside and give you privacy to wash.”
Pushing her hair out of her eyes, Maura nodded gratefully. “Thank you.”
“Shall I assist with your bindings?” he asked helpfully, the amused note in his tone indicating that he was provoking her again.
She couldn’t stop a fleeting smile. “Not this time, my lord,” she replied, “although your generosity is duly noted.”
She was thankful that Beaufort’s honor had curbed his lustful impulses, and yet strangely regretful as well.
A foolish sentiment, Maura warned herself as she gathered her cloak and other belongings and followed him down from the loft.
While eating a hurried meal of bread and cheese, she showed Beaufort her hand-drawn map and debated the best route for their journey. After saddling the horses and loading Emperor’s back with the peddler’s gear, Maura left five shillings for the barn owner and latched the door tightly behind them.
Then they got on their way, riding north and west toward Oxford, keeping to country lanes as they’d discussed.
Her spirits rose after the first mile, in part because the sun came out. In the brightness of a lovely spring day, it was easier to believe she might actually succeed in her mission. And yet she knew her optimism was also due to her traveling companion.
She still felt a strong undercurrent of sexual awareness between them, but strangely, there was little awkwardness, almost as if they had been together for years.
Eventually, however, Maura broke their comfortable silence to address what had been preying on her mind since yesterday. “Katharine confessed that she is attempting to matchmake for you.”