“You could always send a message to London to the prime minister.” Nana’s eyes were twinkling as she glanced over her shoulder at him. She finished undressing. “I should think a fine English gentleman like yourself would have many avenues to explore.”
“If you’ll come to bed, I’ll show you an avenue or two we can explore together, minx.”
She giggled as she moved naked toward the bed. “I’m not sure you know the way of it. You know how fond I am of bedding Frenchmen. Now,theyknow how to please a woman. You English are too—” She shrieked with laughter as he pulled her down on the bed, partedher thighs, and entered her with one bold stroke. No teasing anticipation tonight, just a hard, hot stroking until she was whimpering for release. She hadn’t known she had wanted it this way tonight, but William had known. William always knew. She bit her lips to keep from screaming as the rapture climaxed, leaving her weak and mindless with contentment.
It was several minutes before her breathing became steady enough to speak. “A very interesting ‘avenue.’” She nestled her cheek in the hollow of his shoulder. “Will you stay with me for a while?”
“Yes.” His fingers touched her cheek. “I don’t want to be alone tonight.”
She lifted her head and looked down into his face. It was a peculiar thing for William to say. Except for carnal pleasures, he had never appeared to need anyone. He did the tasks given him by Monsieur with a keen intelligence that caused all the group to lean upon him for leadership, but she had never seen him show emotion regarding those duties. Now that she thought about it, there had been a restlessness about William ever since the last message had come from Monsieur.
“Why do you…” She trailed off as she saw his expression become shuttered. He didn’t want either her curiosity or her help. They worked well together and they gave each other pleasure. It was enough. She kissed his shoulder and made her tone deliberately light. “It’s just as well you’re staying. You can’t leave me in this state.”
He looked at her in surprise. “You weren’t satisfied?”
“Oh, you did very well.” She winked at him. “For an Englishman.” She rolled over and held out her arms to him. “But come here and let me show you how much better this Parisian can be.”
The front door was opening.
Jean Marc frowned as he looked up from his ledger to the clock on the mantel of the study. It was themiddle of the night. Who could be about at this hour? The sound had been very faint through the closed door of the study. Perhaps he had been mistaken. He had locked the front door himself after Juliette had run up the stairs and left him in a state of frustration so intense he’d known he’d not sleep.
No, dammit, he wasn’t mistaken. Ithadbeen a door opening.
He pushed the ledger away, rose to his feet, and strode across the study, out the door, and into the dark foyer.
“Robert?”
No answer.
The front door was open wide and a bitterly cold rain was driving into the foyer, forming puddles on the marble floor.
A thief? No, he was sure he had locked that door. He crossed the foyer and stood in the doorway, the wind whipping his shirt against his body, his gaze searching the empty street.
No, it was not quite empty.
A glimmer of white shone in the darkness a few yards away.
Juliette!
Dressed only in a billowing white nightgown, Juliette was trudging determinedly down the street.
“Christ!” He ran down the steps and tore down the street after her. She had reached the corner by the time he caught up with her. He grabbed her shoulder and spun her around to face him. “What idiocy are you committing now? Mother of God, you don’t even have shoes on! Where do you think you’re going?”
“The abbey.”
“What? I can’t hear you.” His hand slid from her shoulder to her wrist and tightened around it. “Do you wish to become ill? I’ve never seen such a stupid—”
“The abbey. I have to go to the abbey.”
“There is no abbey, dammit.” He turned and began pulling her back toward the house.
“No, I have to go. It’s not finished…I can do better this time.”
He dragged her stumbling up the steps and into the foyer.
“Let me go. I have to go to the abbey.”
He slammed the door and locked it behind them. “Be quiet. I’m cold and wet and not at all pleased with this ploy, Juliette.” He pulled flint from his pocket and sparked it to light the candles in the silver candelabrum on the table beside the door. “You’re a woman who behaves impulsively but not irrationally. You meant me to hear you leave and did this for a purpose. Now, where were you—” He broke off as he saw her face for the first time.
