Chapter 42They didn’t have much more of a chance to talk until several hours later, back in their suite. She was curled against him on the spacious bed, providing what comfort she could. While she had stood by his side during the ordeal of removing Aidan’s body and explaining to his troops what had happened—and the need to ferret out all those loyal to his dead brother—she could only imagine how soul-wrenching it had been for Tiernan.It had been draining for her too, and she knew killing Aidan would haunt her nightmares for years to come, but now was not the time to have a cathartic release of emotion by discussing her role in his execution. That time would come after Tiernan had healed a bit first.At least she was sure he harbored no resentment toward her for killing Aidan. Tiernan had held her hand or kept her within touching distance throughout the time they had dealt with the aftermath. She’d had to bite her tongue not to counter him when he’d claimed responsibility for Aidan’s
Chapter 1Madison paused in the process of wrapping baling wire around the fence post, suddenly sure she could feel someone’s gaze on her. She looked up from her task, seeing no one in front of her in the rows of grapes. The hiss of a steam engine made her jump, and she spun to find the source. It was out-of-place, since there were only a few steam cars in the entire province, and none of her neighbors owned one.The sunhat she used to shield her face also blocked her view, so she swept it off with one hand, using the other to shove the sweaty locks of gold-red that cascaded downward up and out of her face. Cupping her hand over her eyes, she had enough shade to make out the insignia on the door of the car. Arching a brow, she wondered what the governor of their province was doing out this far from the center of the village. Tom Blaney had no reason to leave Graceport to visit the wineries in the outlying areas. It wasn’t tax time, and he didn’t seem to care much about the people livi
Chapter 2Her musings came to an end as they arrived at a building situated about a block from the impressive courthouse that served as Blaney’s headquarters. She recognized the three-story white building as the governor’s mansion, and it certainly seemed like one to her, having lived in a two-room house her entire life with two siblings and her parents.An elegant woman in a flowing purple dress waited on the marble steps. She flashed a bright white smile that contrasted beautifully with her black skin as she started down the stairs to meet them. The soldiers halted their horses, and the man she’d ridden with handed her down to the ground carefully.“Excellent, sergeant. I know Tiernan will be pleased you managed to find Miss Cole.” That bright smile, seemingly genuine, turned next to Madison. “It’s lovely that you could accept his invitation, Miss Cole.” She thrust out her hand in a motion that didn’t even allow Madison to think of refusing to shake it.“One doesn’t say no to the co
Chapter 3Cleo had helped her dress in an emerald green dress that displayed an alarming amount of cleavage. It was a beautiful gown, as was the white silk slip she wore underneath. She hadn’t protested when Cleo gave her sexy lace underwear to put on before the slip and had managed not to ask about a bra, figuring she wouldn’t be wearing any of the clothes long enough to need one.Midway through their preparations, a maid in a white uniform brought them a selection of cheeses and a bottle of local white wine. There was also a pot of tea, and Cleo poured her a cup without asking. With a doubtful sniff, she looked up at the other woman. “It smells strange.”Cleo nodded. “It’s not the tastiest thing ever, but a little stevia makes it better.” She spooned in a bit of green powder into her cup before drinking it in one long gulp.Shaking her head, Madison started to hand back the cup. “I’ll stick with the wine.”“Drink it, honey.”She regarded Cleo with mistrust. “Is it drugged?”Her frie
Chapter 4He didn’t wait for her assent as he tipped her chin higher and lowered his head. His lips were gentle against hers, coaxing a response she wanted to give. This gentle fluttering of his mouth against hers was nothing like the clumsy kiss a classmate had stolen from her when she was thirteen. Moving slowly, he deepened the kiss until she pressed against him, hand tangled in his now-dry curls.His tongue swept inside her mouth, igniting a spark that seemed to burn all the way through her. With shy strokes, she returned his caresses, darting her tongue into his mouth and out again as courage waned.After several minutes, he lifted his head and framed her face between his hands. “Do you know how beautiful you are?”She blushed, shaking her head.He smiled. “You don’t believe me?”Madison shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve just never thought about it, I guess. Papa used to say he’d have to run off the boys with a fencepost.” She blinked, remembering how silly her father had sometimes b
Chapter 5The sun streaming through the windows woke Madison, and she blinked with confusion. It was late in the morning, much later than she ever rose, and it took a moment for the night’s events to come rushing back to her.Instinctively, she reached for Tiernan, but wasn’t surprised to find him gone. With a small sigh, she sat up and scooted to the edge. Her clothes were nowhere in sight. She grimaced, hoping some solicitous maid hadn’t absconded with them and left her nothing to wear but the sheet on the bed. With a sigh, she dragged it off and wrapped it around herself.As she entered the room where they had eaten dinner, she stumbled to a halt. Tiernan sat at the table, a stack of paperwork in front of him. She frowned, remembering Cleo’s assurance that he would be long gone. Perhaps he’d switched up his routine for this visit.Feeling awkward and shy, she couldn’t quite meet his eyes when he looked up at her to greet her. She returned his good morning in a halting voice, flippi
Chapter 6Before Tiernan had morphed from tender lover to tyrant, she had briefly wondered how he and his troops had traveled to Graceport, since there weren’t enough steam vehicles in all of the surrounding area to ferry more than fifty people. Her mild curiosity had faded, but she still got her answer as Blaney’s driver brought the big station wagon to a halt near a train platform. Disdaining the hand the commander offered to assist her from the car, she slid out behind him and moved aside so Cleo and his personal chef could exit.He gave her no choice about walking beside him by reaching out to grasp her wrist and pull her along at a brisk pace. Perhaps he feared she would try to flee into the surrounding woods. Perceptive. The thought had crossed her mind, only to be discarded before he ever took hold of her. There were too many soldiers—who must have marched here earlier in the day to await Archer’s arrival—and she was still too close to home to risk an escape attempt.With as mu
Chapter 7Tiernan could barely keep his pace casual instead of breaking into a jog as he neared the door to his room. Knowing Madison was on the other side put a bounce in his step. He wasn’t looking forward to the initial pouting in which she was likely to engage, but once that was over, a night of pleasure loomed.He opened one of the doors slowly, as if he had all the time in the world, strolling through in the same manner. He stumbled for just a moment at the sight of Madison sitting at the table, dinner already laid out. It was so domestic, and so alien, that it took his breath away. His personal companions rarely joined him before bedtime and were always gone by morning. Only the companions he selected on his travels had dinner with him or stayed in his bed, and that was usually a strategy he employed to put them at ease and get somewhat acquainted before sex.She looked right in his room, a black nightgown with a plunging V-neck skimming her curves. One of the straps had slippe