Chapter Nine
Charity sat stiffly against the squabs praying this day would soon come to an end. It was well past the noon hour before Dane managed to climb out of his drink induced slumber to put the Hog and Toad Inn behind them. Charity had been awake and ready since sunup but Dane continued to snore from his pallet in front of the door long into the morning.
Just when she was beginning to think he would sleep the whole day through Dane stirred with a painful groan, rolling to his feet with his head clutched between his hands. She couldn’t bring herself to feel sorry for him and made no attempts to keep the noise down as she packed up to vacate the room. It had been long passed midnight before he stumbled into the room and Charity could smell cheap ale and perfume on him from across the room and she couldn’t help wondering if he had spent the time away with the barmaid that had brazenly flirted with him when they first arrived, not even caring that she was in the same room.
Now they sat in strained silence as the carriage carried them over the last miles toward their secret destination, the inside as cold and dreary as the rainy day beyond the carriage walls. Charity would feel his eyes on her every now and again and felt that he wanted to say something but he never did. She was glad of that because she was still reeling from everything that passed between them last night and didn’t know what more she could say to him. She had accused him of some very vile things and as she layed in the dark wishing he would return to their shared room she vowed to make amends but when he returned smelling as if he had the barmaid all over him the hurt of his rejection was complete. The rest of the night she admonished herself for being a fool to have ever considered that a virile man such as he would ever be interested in a crippled spinster. She had the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and now she was just a part of his job he’d rather not have.
The worst of the matter was that she was profoundly aware of his nearness in the close confines of the carriage as she repeatedly recalled the way he felt beneath her fingers. So much so that at times her fingers twitched with the need to touch him again that she twisted them in her skirt to prevent from reaching out. Her lips still tingled from the pressure of his kiss and her insides were twisted with the thrill he gave her. Her body warmed with the memory of his hands upon her causing her to shift on the seat trying to alleviate the discomfort throbbing between her thighs.
In moments of weakness Charity would feel his solid warmth pressed against her and her nipples would tighten beneath her corset when she imagined his hands upon her. But then she remembered how he reacted when he learned that she was intact, as if being a virgin was the worst thing imaginable and all the pain in the deepest darkest depths of her being would twist like a bloody knife.
Charity resolved to put this whole episode behind her after all she was not one to dwell in self pity just as she had told the duke. She would focus entirely on getting her music school for the blind up and running. Charity knew it would take a lot of work and was dependant of the patronage of some very rich and influential people but Violet was assured that with her connections the capital would flow in. Charity was prepared to perform at as many musicals, soirees and private concerts as necessary to see her dream come to fruition.
The approach to the thriving port town of Whitby was heralded by a sickening stench that hung in the air like a putrid cloud long before Charity could make out any sounds she would associate with a town. Assuming they would be passing through at least some part of the town Charity was surprised when she felt the carriage veer off the road to bump across a rough track for several hundred yards, trees scraping and screeching angrily down the sides of the carriage until they came to a stop.
Dane flung the door open without a word to her vacated the stifling confines of the carriage. She listened as his footsteps took him to the front where he spoke with the driver, his voice too low for her to make out the words, until she felt the conveyance dip and sway as if someone was moving upon it. After hearing a couple soft thuds upon the ground which she took were caused by their luggage, as little as it was, being dropped to the ground she realized they must have reached their destination.
“We walk from here Miss Price.” Dane’s stern voice surprising her. She hadn’t heard him come back to the door.
Dane reached in and took her elbow assisting her down to the ground which felt littered with damp leaves and twigs beneath her feet. Charity could hear the soft tinkling of raindrops dancing off the leaves of the stand of trees that surrounded them. Thick enough to prevent much of the rain from reaching below where they stood, until a brisk gust sprayed stinging droplets in her face.
Muttering something under his breath that she did not catch Dane reached around her and lifted the heavy hood to protect her from the worst of the rain.
“It’s not far, do you think you can manage?” He asked her.
“Of course,” she wasn’t going to admit her uncertainty, to the weak trembling she felt at the unknown of where he was taking her, of the perils that were ahead of her.
“Good then, take my arm and we shall be off,” and when she hesitated for just a second, “Quickly now before we get caught in the worst of this rain.”
Piqued she gathered as much of her skirts as she could in one hand while slipping the other in the crook of his elbow. “What of the carriage?
“There is a clearing straight ahead where the driver can turn around. He’ll return to the Hog and Toad Inn and await further instructions there.”
Dane moved them along at a vigorous pace and it wasn’t long before she stumbled over something in the path, a tree root or a rock. He caught her before she fell to the ground and waited for her to right herself before moving off again. This time he shortened his long strides and warned her when a potential hazard arose along the path they were taking. It was slower going but at least she didn’t feel as if she was rushing headlong toward a cliff where any second she would plunge to her death.
He had been right though about being caught in a heavier rain, they hadn’t gone far when the skies opened up and in a matter of minutes they were both drenched. Her sodden cloak became a cumbersome burden making every step a struggle and several times she stumbled over the hem. When she nearly fell to her knees the last time she heard Dane curse under his breath and she was about to lash out at him when suddenly she was hefted over his shoulder.
Squealing at unexpectedly finding her dangling upside down he silenced her protest by swatting her bottom and shushing her.
“We can not alert anyone near of our presence.” He told her and they continued on their way with her bumping along over his broad shoulder.
“Put me down,” she demanded indignantly, trying to wiggle out of his grip.
He rewarded her with another slap across her bottom before he growled at her.
“Miss Price, this is the quickest way for us to arrive at our destination without both of us taking a chill so be a good girl and be still before we both end up in the mud.”
With an angry huff she did as he demanded grabbing two fistsfuls of his coat irate at his ungentlemanly treatment. After a few minutes his pace slowed until he came to a stop. Lowering her to the ground he put a hand on her shoulder.
“Stay here out of sight. Don’t move from this spot until I come back. I’m going to look around to make sure it is safe then I’ll come get you.”
She was about to ask him where he thought she might go on her own but he was gone before the words even formed. Suddenly realizing he had left her alone she reached out for the nearest object that would provide the support needed to keep her from collapsing and found that she must be behind a out building of some sort. Leaning against it Charity could not stop the trembling that wracked her body. The cold rain had soaked through to her skin penetrating down to her bones and she was frozen with the fear that if something were to happen to Dane she would be trapped here. She didn’t know where she was, didn’t know if there were neighbors close by that could help and she didn’t know how far or even what direction the town of Whitby sat.
Being lost and alone in a strange location was her biggest fear second only to being trapped in a burning building. Her breaths were coming in short gasps and her heart pounded against her ribs as Charity fought the rising tide of panic.
∞∞∞
Dane move quickly, using the storm to cover the sound of his movements where he would otherwise use more stealth. He had to make sure the cottage and surrounding area was secure but he needed to get back to Charity as quickly as possible. He didn’t like leaving her knowing that she feared being alone in an unfamiliar place but her safety was of the utmost importance.
As he moved to the side of the cottage carefully peering inside the windows as he made his way to the back he thought about what an amazing woman Charity is. Throughout the entire ordeal she not once complained about the discomforts and difficulties she had faced. Even now as she had stumbled alongside him the oversized cloak weighing her down she had persevered uncomplaining until he had slung her over his shoulder.
Pushing the back door open, thankful for its well oiled hinges Dane smiled at the memory of her soft body draped over his. Even through their heavy clothes he could feel the swell of breasts brushing against his back and he couldn’t prevent his eyes from roaming over the sweet curve of her arse that was mere inches from his lips. It had been a delicious temptation to run his hand up the underside of her clothes to feel the warm curve of her bottom. The only thing that stopped him was his fear of dropping her in the mud at his feet. That and the knowledge that Charity was an untouched innocent which only served to conjure up thoughts of the night before.
Cursing silently, this being the most inconvenient time for his cock to stir to life as he moved from room to room with his pistol drawn and ready. Dane fought to control his response to the images of Charity standing before the fire, the lush curves of her body outlined by the golden flames. To the way her fingers felt against his skin which even now he could still feel and the way she had responded to his kiss, his touch upon her body had been magical. He had nearly been overtaken by his raw need for her that he had felt his control slipping and he had reined in spoiling the moment for both of them.
As he thought about it now he realized that he handled the situation all wrong. Instead of reassuring her that she was wrong to believe that he wanted her only because he thought her experienced even in the most vile of ways and that finding her a virgin he no longer wanted her. Instead of telling her that knowing so only made him want her more, that knowing he would be her first, that he would be the one to show her how unbelievably wonderful making love could be, he had been a fool and walked away.
He had closed the door behind him and had gone below in search of a drink to calm the need that raged in his blood. One drink had not been enough and he ended up consuming far more than he should have. By the time he realized that drowning himself in ale would do him no good the busty barmaid that had all but thrown herself at him in the room where Charity sat all alone was firmly planted in his lap. Her tongue slobbering disgustingly in his ear while his cock refused to have anything to do with her coaxing it to life. Finally setting her away from him he staggered his way above stairs where he made a pallet by the door, laying there watching her until he fell asleep.
He would have apologized had his head not been pounding as if a blacksmith had taken up residence. Thinking straight and coming up with the appropriate words had been a challenge he was not up to meeting especially when he realized how late in the day it was when he dragged himself off the floor. Rushing them out of the inn into the rain chastising himself for being all kinds of a fool for now they would not reach the safe house until darkness was nearly ready to descend upon them.
The rain slowed their progress as they travelled in an uneasy silence that strung his nerves near to breaking but each time he tried to speak to her the words sounded weak and inadequate in his mind. Now his only concern was to assure that the cottage was safe so that he could get Charity in out of the rain.
His heart twisted in his chest, the pain sharp and cruel when he saw Charity huddled on the ground her arms wrapped around her legs, knees drawn up tight against her chest. The hood hid her face from his view but he could hear her teeth chattering and see her body trembling uncontrollably beneath the heavy weight of the cloak. Dropping to his knees beside her his breath was nearly knock from his lungs when she flung herself into his arms her tiny arms thrown around his neck as she clung to him.
Gathering he tight against him he pushed to his feet saying against the bulky woolen hood, “I’ve got you my sweet Cherry, your safe.” His endearment rolling off his tongue before he could halt the words, but it seemed that she had not heard them.
With long strides that ate up the distance he soon had Charity inside the cottage that would be their home until it was safe to return to London. Depositing her feet to the floor he then moved across the room to the fireplace where he found candles. After lighting a couple to dispel the gloom he squatted down and went to work starting a fire. Glancing over his shoulder he saw that Charity had not moved from where he left her, a large puddle of water forming at her feet and spreading across the floor boards.
Approaching her his fingers made quick work of untying the strings beneath her chin. Lifting the rain soaked cloak from her shoulders and hanging it from a hook in the wall near the door he was amazed that she had been able to carry the enormous weight of it.
Taking her by the elbow he said, “Just a few steps forward Charity and you will be in front of the fire.”
As he guided her across the floor he told her where the placement of the other furnishings were in the room. A settee three paces to her right, a small table on the end closest to the fire, on her left two wingback chairs side by side each set on an angle facing the fireplace with a matching table between the two. Along the wall about five paces to the left was a credenza where he made his way to, opening one door where not finding what he sought he opened the on beside. Finding the snifter of brandy he was hoping for he splashed some into two glasses which he carried over to where Charity stood shivering.
Placing one in her cold hand he brought it up to her lips saying, “Drink this, it will help warm you.”
While he tossed back his own letting the amber liquid pleasantly slide down his throat, he forgot to warn Charity away from doing the same. She coughed and sputtered as the alcohol burned a path down her throat thrusting the glass in his direction.
“Sorry, I should have warned you to take it easy.”
Setting their glasses down he went to where he had dropped their valise hoping to find some dry clothes but upon inspection found that most were just as wet as the clothes they wore.
Straightening he told her, “I’m going to see if I can find something dry for you to wear. Perhaps it would be good if you removed some of your wet clothes.”
He didn’t wait to see if Charity complied instead taking up one of the candles Dane made his way up the stairs just to the right of the entry. At the top he entered the only bedroom above stairs and searching through the wardrobe he found a fluffy white robe. It was large, obviously it belonged to a man but at least it would cover Charity and provide her with some much needed warmth. Beside the robe he also found a thick linen shirt and a pair of trousers which he decided to change into before heading back below, the fit was a bit snug but he felt warmer having the dry clothes on.
When he reached the bottom of the stairs he brought to a sudden halt by the sight that greeted him. Charity had managed to remove her rain soaked dress which was now draped across one of the chairs to dry. Now she was struggling with the wet laces of her corset, her arms reaching behind her forcing her succulent breasts to jut forward. Her skin glowed like warm cream in the fire light and the flesh above the confining garment bounced with her every movement.
Eating up the distance between them Dane pushed her hands aside as he took over the task. She had created quite a mess of knots and it took him several agonizing minutes before he worked them loose. His knuckles brushed against her smooth as silk skin and even though he wanted to linger with his task she was still shivering so he quickly finished. The corset once removed left only the thin layer of chemise left covering her but the dampness made the cloth transparent as it clung to her body.
Grabbing up the robe from where he had dropped it Dane spread it wide by the shoulders holding it open behind her, lifting it enough that he could not see her.
Making sure she was aware that there was a barrier between her and him he told her, “Finish removing the last of your wet garments then you can wrap up in this robe I found. It will be a bit big but at least you will be dry and comfortable. Then I can see about putting a kettle on for tea, that is if the kitchen is stocked with some.”
When she hesitated he said, “Don’t worry I have my eyes closed and the robe raised so I can’t see you.”
Dane had to chuckle when she playfully said over her shoulder, “No peeking.”
It was difficult to restrain himself from doing just that but he knew from past experience that she knew when he was looking at her. Charity was quick to disrobe and slide into the robe, the folds swallowing up her delicate frame.
In the kitchen Dane went to work lighting a fire in the cook stove and putting a kettle on to boil before he searched the cupboards and pantry for anything that would make a half decent meal for them. He found that though the stock was slim there was some cheese and a few apples that were starting to get soft, the skin already wrinkling but still good enough to eat. Slicing a bit of both he arranged them on a tray along with two cups he found plus the pot of tea with the only bit of sugar he could find.
Back in the parlor he found Charity curled up in one of the chairs, her feet tucked underneath her and her hands extended out toward the fire to warm them.
“It’s not much,” he told her setting the tray between the chairs, “but it will see us through till morning then I’ll be able to take better stock of what we have available.”
Filling a cup he reached for her hand to give it to her, the simple act sending heatwaves up his arm and into his chest. He watched as she took a few sips then with her free hand carefully reached over to find an empty space on the table where she could safely set it down. They ate in silence listening to the crackle of the fire and the beating of rain against the window pane until both their hunger was satisfied.
Taking up the tray again Dane said, “I’ll see about getting a fire going upstairs so it’ll be warm for you when you want to go up.”
Carrying her valise up with him once Dane had a fire roaring in the grate he removed all the articles of clothing including her night rail that were wet and draped what he could over a chair to dry before the fire. He couldn’t stop his fingers from running down the line of buttons on the front of her nightwear as his mind wandered back to the previous night.
There was nothing appealing or special about the garment but God how he envisioned removing it from her delectable body. He would release the buttons one by one slowly like he was unwrapping the most delicate of gifts until her skin flushed and pink was revealed to him. Pushing the cloth aside he would then kiss and lick a trail straight to her delicious soft round globes where he would suck her nipple into his wet mouth flicking his tongue over the sensitive peak. His fingers would slowly draw up the hem, bunching the material under his hands as he sought the warm silky smooth skin of her thigh…
Holy Hell! He had to stop thinking about Charity like that. He was a disreputable rake and spy who thought nothing of taking a woman to his bed to get the job done and even when he wasn’t on the job he indulged in all kinds of sexual gratifications. Charity was an innocent virgin that would be shocked by the bend of his cravings and there was no room in his life for a woman like her.