Page 46 of Mistress of Misfortune

Yet she could not stop thinking about Alistair Thorne. Every night she lay in her lonely bed wishing he was beside her. She worried his nightmares had returned, or he had taken to avoiding sleep again. Her body ached for his touch. Her heart wrenched with shame over the terrible cruelties the Starlings had inflicted. She felt pulled in two directions, one toward him, the other away.

“Good afternoon, Miss Starling.”

Even now she could hear him in her head. “Oh, go away.”

A shadow crossed her path. “If you truly wish me to, I will.”

Meredith looked up into Thorne’s face and laughed a little. “Forgive me. I thought I imagined you.”

“I could say the same.” He offered her his arm. “Come and take a drive with me.”

She could see Kshantu waiting with his carriage a short distance away. “Have you been following me?”

“Waiting for you,” he corrected as he guided her to the carriage, and helped her in. “I thought it best that I not call at the house. Your aunt is recovering?”

Meredith told him about Lavinia and her decision to move to Scotland, and Starling House going to Jeffrey Branwen. She mentioned how well Lucetta looked, and inquired after Harshad, whom Thorne told her had improved enough to leave his bed for short periods to join in the meals with the men and survey the ongoing restoration work.

Everyone was getting better, it seemed, except her.

As they approached the lionsgate at Dredthorne Meredith braced herself for a wave of dread. She had not been back to the hall since that night, and she wondered if she would feel like a murderess as she stepped into the front hall.

“I considered attending the services today, but I did not wish to cause a stir,” Thorne told her as he led her into the sitting room. “Should I ring for tea, or did the vicar’s wife attend to that?”

Meredith went and closed the door before she faced him. “Please stop being so polite. We are alone. You may say whatever you wish to me.”

“Such as, ‘You hit me in the head with a brick’ or ‘You saved my life?’” He started toward her. “You did both.”

“Alistair.’ She put her hand on his chest to stop him from gathering her into his arms. “You know what I mean. I am a Starling. You are a Thorne. My family… All I can say is I am so sorry for what they did to yours. I never knew.”

“What of how they treated you? Your parents wished you to marry your cousin, the monster, and kill me, the man you love.” He trailed his fingers along her cheek. “Meredith, my dearest love, without you I would be dead. So would Lucetta and Harshad, I believe. You made a terrible choice to stop three killers, and save three lives.”

“Your men were able to help my cousin and your steward.” She turned her face away. “I am the killer now. Perhaps that was meant to be. I am their daughter.”

“Only if you continue their wretched legacy.” He took her hands in his. “Or you could choose another name. Join my family. Marry me. Become a Thorne. Let the Starlings rest in peace. No one ever need know about the truth behind the curse. When our time comes, you and I will take it to our graves.”

Meredith stared at him. “You would want that, after all they’ve done to hurt you?”

“I want you.” He bent his head to hers, and brushed his mouth against her lips. “Say yes, Meredith. Be my wife. Be a Thorne.”

Her eyelids drooped, and her skin began tingling all over. “If I say yes, what will happen?”

“Let me think.” Thorne pressed her back against the door with the weight of his body. “You will make me very happy. I will pick you up in my arms, and carry you to my bed chamber.” He kissed her again.

When his mouth lifted she gasped, “And then?”

“I will ravish you thoroughly so that you cannot change your mind.” He nipped her earlobe before he murmured, “Very, very thoroughly. Deeply. Repeatedly.”

Meredith could feel the hard length of him now against her belly. “Alistair, you are making it very difficult for me to think. What I mean to say is, will we stay here, at Dredthorne Hall?”

He drew back and studied her face. “Do you wish to?”

“My parents died here,” she reminded him softly. “As much as I love this house, no, I cannot stay here. I want to make a home that is ours, in a place that has never been cursed or filled with torment or terrible secrets. A house where we may build a new legend together. One of happiness.”

Thorne nodded. “I agree.”

“Then I will marry you, Alistair.” Meredith felt the last of the shadows melt away inside her. Here was her lovely, golden-haired, blue-eyed prince, the man of her dreams, and she could have him for the rest of her life. “Take me to your bed chamber, sir.”

True to his word he scooped her off her feet and carried her up the steps. Along the way they passed Harshad, who grinned and nodded to her as he carefully made his way down the stairs. Meredith laughed as Thorne kicked open his door and rushed to the bed, and dropped her atop the coverlet. A moment later he was on top of her, his clever hands holding her face as he kissed her breathless.