Princess Charming Read online

  That didn’t necessarily mean he wanted her for his bride, Ash rationalized. He wasn’t that smitten as to offer for her hand in marriage on so tenuous an acquaintance. But as much as he hated to admit it, perhaps his sister was right. He ought to at least explore the possibility that Maura Collyer could be his ideal match.

  Seeing her glance wistfully at the fields flanking the road, Ash corralled his distracted thoughts.

  “Shall we ride cross-country?” he asked.

  When she quickly nodded in agreement, they left the main road and turned onto a country lane. As soon as they reached a grassy meadow, Maura guided her horse over a ditch and broke into a full gallop. Ash had to urge his bay for a burst of speed just to keep up with her.

  Eventually they slowed, then dropped to a walk to cool off their mounts. Maura seemed reluctant to turn back, however, for the verdant meadow where they rode now was covered with spring wildflowers, and the warm sunshine beating down upon them seemed to soothe her.

  After a time they stopped beside a stream to let their horses drink. No doubt they were trespassing on some farmer’s property, for they’d passed occasional barns and cottages and pastures populated by grazing livestock, but they were shielded from civilization now by a copse of sun-dappled willows.

  To Ash’s surprise, Maura dismounted without his help and pulled off her gloves. Then, unpinning her feathered shako hat, she knelt beside the stream and splashed water on her face, perhaps to erase any remaining sign of tears.

  When she was done, she didn’t rise. Instead she sank back upon the grassy slope and sat with her arms wrapped around her updrawn knees, staring at the bubbling stream.

  Ash swung down also and left his horse to graze as he joined her on the grass. Her face was still wet, he noted, while damp tendrils of honey-blond hair that had escaped her chignon clung to her forehead and cheeks. When silently he handed her his handkerchief, she took it without comment.

  “Why are you being so nice?” she finally asked in a low voice. “You should be scolding me for not heeding your advice.”

  “I expect you are scolding yourself enough for the both of us.”

  “I am,” she said despairingly. “I have certainly ruined any chance of buying back my horse, and much worse, put him in actual danger. Deering may very well take his vindictiveness out on Emperor.”

  “I doubt he would seriously hurt so valuable an animal,” Ash said reassuringly, although he wasn’t wholly convinced himself. “But you have indeed complicated matters.”

  Heaving a sigh, Maura lay back on the grass and covered her eyes with her arm. “I have no excuse for letting my temper get the best of me, especially not when it could result in harm to my horse. It’s just that my best intentions always go awry when it comes to dealing with that detestable man.”

  “It’s understandable why you would hate him if you believe he murdered your father,” Ash offered.

  “I suppose he isn’t solely to blame for my father’s death,” she said with great reluctance. “It was partly my fault also.”

  Ash frowned as he glanced down at her. “Why would you say so?”

  “If I hadn’t loved Emperor so much, Papa would not have been so adamant about refusing to sell him. And if he’d been willing to sell, Deering never would have accused him of cheating. That is my lifelong regret … that my father died with a cloud of dishonor hanging over him. The doctors said the distress and humiliation strained his already weak heart.…” She paused, as if struggling against tears, and beneath her concealing arm, he could see her lower lip trembling. “Papa’s heart broke from shame, and I might have prevented it.”

  Anguish vibrated in her voice, making Ash’s heart twist in sympathy. The memory was obviously deeply emotional for her, not only because of grief, but because of the guilt she bore, however unjustified.

  “You are not to blame for Deering’s attempt at blackmail,” he reminded her gently.

  “No, but perhaps Papa would not have died had he not suffered that vile stain on his good name. Even facing disgrace, he was determined to retain possession of Emperor for me. If he had given in, Deering would have withdrawn his spurious accusations. And now my father is gone with no chance to absolve his name.”

  Ash understood her grief at losing her father, since he’d experienced the same grief. His own most ardent regret was losing his beloved, vivacious, larger-than-life parents long before their time. But Maura’s guilt was misplaced; she had not killed her father simply because she had dearly loved her horse.

  Ash’s first impulse was to comfort her, yet he knew she was unlikely to accept comfort from him. Thus, he settled for repeating his offer.

  “I trust now you will allow me to help you fight Deering.”

  She exhaled another heavy sigh. “I am sure it is too late now to make any difference.”

  “I never expected you to take such a defeatist attitude.”

  Despite his deliberately provoking tone, Maura didn’t reply. Ash couldn’t tell if her silence was due to despondency or merely a return of her usual stubbornness. He would much prefer stubbornness.

  Reaching down to catch her wrist, he drew her arm away from her face.

  Her eyes were shut, but with the golden sunlight warming her ivory skin, her beauty struck him anew. She had pulled her hair back into a tight chignon, but there were damp wisps framing her face. Gently he pushed a tendril back from her temple.

  At his first touch, her eyes fluttered open. She gazed up at him until he traced her lips with his fingertips. Then she went still, staring at his mouth, as if she’d forgotten to breathe.

  A moment later she swallowed hard, and her voice dropped a husky octave when she spoke. “I know what you are about, Lord Beaufort. You mean to seduce me into accepting your help.”

  Ash could have truthfully denied the accusation just then. There was really nothing so calculated in his motives. Moreover, actual seduction would not have been honorable. But since logic hadn’t worked, perhaps a bit of sensual coercion was in order. He was highly confident of his persuasive talents when he exerted his charm, even with unwilling females like Maura Collyer.

  Curiosity was also driving him. He wanted to know if the fire he’d felt between them last night had been an aberration or a trick of his senses because of the unusual circumstances.

  And then there was the intriguing question about her possibly being his ideal mate.

  But most of all, he couldn’t ignore the simple fact that he wanted her.

  “I hadn’t thought so far ahead as seduction,” he murmured in reply. “But now that you mention it …” Bracing his hands on either side of her head, he bent closer.

  At his nearness, her eyes flared, accentuating the gold flecks in the hazel depths. When he lowered his head the final distance to kiss her, Ash heard Maura draw a sharp breath. Yet she didn’t fight him when he captured her mouth. She merely hesitated a heartbeat before parting her lips beneath his—if not in welcome, then without resistance.

  At the delectable contact, the familiar fiery sparks shimmered through Ash; the same lightning-in-the-blood sizzle as during their first embrace. This kiss was sheer heat, a heady sensation that went straight to his loins and only magnified his urge to stake his claim to Maura.

  He hadn’t imagined his fierce sexual attraction for her, he concluded; it had only been tamped down. If anything, the primal lust he’d felt last night had deepened. Especially when she yielded to him more fully, returning his kiss with untutored skill.

  He forced himself, though, to keep the pace unhurried as he savored her soft lips, her tantalizing, womanly warmth. Angling his head to permit his tongue greater access, Ash eased down beside Maura on the grass and gathered her against him.

  The kiss stretched for an enchanted interval. Time seemed to slow, while pleasure welled and surged between them with the rhythm of their shared breaths.

  Lost in the moment, Ash slid one hand to her throat, then lower, caressing her lightly. He felt her thudding he
artbeat even through her riding habit and the stays of her corset.

  There were too many restrictive layers of clothing between them, he thought with increasing frustration, yet he could remember the warm swells of her bare breasts from the previous evening, the sweet taste of her nipples.… In response, his rising maleness swelled and throbbed painfully inside his breeches.

  It was all Ash could do to stave off the burgeoning ache as he slipped one knee into the cradle of her thighs. Their bodies fit together perfectly, as he’d suspected they would. Maura might have felt a similar rightness, for she murmured incoherently—an alluring sound—and reached up to twist her fingers in his hair.

  The craving to possess her only intensified inside Ash. His lips plied hers more urgently as his hand splayed over her stomach and trailed down over her skirts. She was hot and restless now, arching against him, making soft whimpering sounds in her throat as she clung to him and returned his devouring kiss.

  Desire rode Ash hard, spurring aching hunger and sharp need. He could imagine taking Maura on the warm grass just now, could almost feel himself sinking into her hot, welcoming flesh.…

  When he cupped her woman’s mound through the skirts of her riding habit, she gave a moan and rocked her hips, pressing against his hand. Seeking to heighten her pleasure, he stroked slowly between her thighs, arousing her with deliberate provocation.

  Yet it wasn’t enough. He wanted more, much more.

  All his senses inflamed, he continued feasting on her mouth as he drew her skirts up to her hips, baring her feminine flesh to his touch.

  When his hand dipped between her legs to find the wetness there, Maura shivered at his first caress. It was only when his exploring fingers probed her slick folds, searching for the sensitive bud of her sex, that she suddenly pulled back with a gasp of shock.

  Sitting up abruptly, she pushed her skirts down over her bare legs, then scrambled backward, far away from him.

  “Can you not even go two minutes without trying to ravish me?” she asked hoarsely.

  It took a moment for Ash to gather his wits enough to realize that he’d carried his lust too far. He had indeed wanted to ravish her.

  His smile was more grimace than humor as he raised himself up on his elbows. “Apparently not in your case,” he replied dryly.

  Desire had roughened his voice, while his cock ached. Even with the pain, however, he was grateful that Maura had been the one to end their embrace this time, for he wouldn’t have had the willpower.

  Her willpower was not much stronger, he decided, surveying her lovely flushed face. She had averted her gaze, yet he could tell she was still shaken by the passion she’d felt, as was he. He throbbed with the primitive need to claim her for his own.

  Once again Ash marveled at her extraordinary effect on him. It wasn’t unusual that he would be captivated by a woman with Maura’s enchanting face and tempting body. But she had made him burn, despite her innocence and inexperience.

  “I won’t allow you to seduce me, Lord Beaufort,” she murmured as if to convince herself as much as him. “I am not so easily manipulated.”

  “I was not attempting to manipulate you, sweetheart,” he insisted truthfully.

  She cast him a skeptical glance. “No? Then I suppose you were intent on getting your way. I dared reject your offer of assistance, and you cannot bear to lose an argument. Either that, or you are merely amusing yourself with me.”

  He raised an eyebrow in puzzlement. “Why would you think so?”

  “Because you are a renowned rake who cares for nothing but his own pleasure.”

  The accusation was largely unfounded and prompted a swift denial from Ash. “I assure you, your pleasure is of much greater importance to me—as I could very easily show you.”

  That silenced her just as swiftly. Her blush deepening, Maura struggled to her feet and pointedly turned her back to him.

  Ash looked up at the sky, pondering the irony with self-deprecating amusement. Women had always eagerly welcomed his attentions, nearly swooning at the promise of becoming his lover. So why was he interested in pursuing the one woman who didn’t?

  His feeling of possessiveness with Maura was singular. He had no claim to her—not yet, at any rate. But in a very short time, he’d become allied to her cause.

  Reminded of the major issue between them, Ash resumed their earlier conversation. “I am involved in your fight now, whether you like it or not, Maura. In fact, I am determined to defeat Deering now, not merely for your own sake but just on general principle. He needs to be taught a lesson.”

  She remained silent as she went to her horse. After gathering her reins, Maura glanced back at him. “So what do you advise me to do?” she asked quite unexpectedly. “I mean, given this morning’s fresh disaster, how am I to prevail over him?”

  “I haven’t decided yet,” Ash answered candidly. “I need some time to think on it.”

  She took a deep breath. “Very well, then. You win.”

  His gaze arrested. “What have I won?” he asked cautiously.

  “You may help me fight Deering.”

  Her apparent capitulation more than surprised Ash. “What brought about this sudden change of heart?”

  Maura shrugged. “I realized that you are right. There is no use in crying over what cannot be changed. I have to move forward. Indeed, I should be thanking you for your help, my lord. I promise I will listen if you think of a plan. But for now, I need to return home. My stepmother will be livid about this morning’s spectacle in the park. Will you please give me a leg up?”

  She stood patiently waiting as Ash got to his feet and dusted off his breeches. And when he joined her, she gave him back the handkerchief he had loaned her. She seemed quite calm, but he was leery of her odd reaction, for she had given in much too easily. When he eyed Maura suspiciously, though, she gave him a wan smile.

  The uneasy feeling in his gut continued as he set her on her horse and mounted his own. Even so, Ash argued with himself, the fact that Maura rarely acted as expected was a large part of her appeal, and precisely why she might make him a good match. She would forever keep him intrigued.

  She could also hold her own with him, when most women couldn’t. In that respect, she was like all the females in the Wilde clan—strong, independent, and sharp-witted. She would be a handful to deal with, but a fascinating challenge for the right man.

  And he could be that right man.

  Perhaps Katharine was not completely mad in urging him to pursue his classic lover’s tale, Ash decided thoughtfully. Legend had it that every Wilde had his one true mate, and he now wanted to see if Maura Collyer was his.

  Maura did indeed have to feign nonchalance as Lord Beaufort escorted her back to London. Her body still throbbed from his scandalous touch, her mind felt dazed.

  Casting the marquis a surreptitious glance, she was keenly conscious of the tender ache in her breasts and between her thighs—

  Maura gave a mental moan at her weakness. Once again she’d fallen victim to her traitorous senses and failed to put up even the slightest measure of resistance. She should have learned her lesson by now: She couldn’t be near Beaufort without succumbing to temptation.

  Frankly, she was disgusted with herself for letting him distract her from her mission to save her stallion, even temporarily. But at least now she had settled on her course of action.

  She had no choice now but to take drastic steps. Deering would never forgive her for humiliating him twice in as many days, Maura knew.

  Yet it was clear she would have to act on her own. Lord Beaufort had no immediate solution to her problem, he’d said so himself, and she couldn’t afford to wait for him to develop a fresh strategy. Not when she feared for her horse’s welfare, perhaps his very life. She couldn’t stop fretting over Emperor, worrying about how he was being mistreated right this very moment. She would not—could not—leave him in that villain’s hands any longer.

  Nor could she confide her plan to Beaufort
, since undoubtedly he would try to stop her. Which is why she had pretended to accept his counsel a short while ago.

  It had required her best acting skills, and she could tell that he didn’t quite believe her sudden acquiescence. And she still had to convince him of her benign intentions. Therefore, Maura spoke little on the return ride and replied vaguely to any comment he made.

  When they reached the Collyer residence on Clarges Street, he started to dismount, but Maura stopped him. “No, pray don’t trouble yourself to help me down. I can manage on my own.”

  Unhooking her leg over the sidesaddle, she dropped lightly to the ground just as a footman exited the house to take possession of her mount.

  “Good day to you, my lord,” she said politely, looking up at Beaufort. “Thank you for the pleasant ride.”

  Maura was glad that he seemed to accept his dismissal for now, although not happy with his promise of future conversation. “I will call on you tomorrow morning, Miss Collyer, if that is agreeable. We can discuss a new plan while we ride.”

  “Yes,” she murmured, “that is quite agreeable.”

  He surveyed her for a long moment, as if distrustful of her amiability. Finally he tipped his hat to her and turned his bay gelding down the street.

  Maura breathed a sigh of relief as the marquis rode away. She would be very pleased to see the last of him, for her own self-preservation.

  She handed her mount over to the footman, to be returned to the nearby livery stable where the Collyer horses and vehicles were kept. Additionally, she asked to have her gig delivered at one o’clock that afternoon. “And please make certain that it is drawn by my chestnut, Fripon. The livery will know which horse I mean.”

  “Very good, Miss Collyer,” the footman replied. “Also, Mrs. Collyer bade me tell you that she wishes to speak to you as soon as you returned.”

  “Thank you, John.”

  Maura ran up the steps, thinking ahead. She had a great deal to accomplish if she hoped to pull off her plan, yet for the first time in days, she felt almost calm because she knew exactly what she had to do.