Velvet Angel Read online

  He looked back at Elizabeth and grinned. “Philip’s mother was a dancer, an exotic creature who shared my bed for two”—he sighed—“two very interesting weeks. Then nine months later she sent a messenger with Philip. I’ve never seen or heard from her since.”

  Elizabeth was fascinated with his stories. “And this new child?”

  Miles ducked his head and if he’d been a woman she would have thought he blushed. “I’m afraid this child may cause some problems. The mother is a distant cousin of mine. I resisted her as long as I could but…” He shrugged. “Her father is very angry with me. He says he’ll send the child to me but…I’m not sure he will.”

  Elizabeth could only shake her head at him in disbelief. “Surely there must be other children.” Her voice was sarcastic.

  He frowned slightly. “I don’t think so. I try to keep track of my women now and watch for children.”

  “Rather like gathering eggs,” she said, eyes wide.

  Miles cocked his head to one side and gave her an intense look. “One moment you condemn me for leaving my children in rags, strewn about the country like so much refuse, and now you damn me for caring for them. I am not a celibate man nor do I intend to be, but I take my responsibilities seriously. I love my children and I provide for them. I should like to have fifty of them.”

  “You have a good start,” she said, sweeping past him.

  Miles stood still, watching her walk back toward his men and the horses. She stood a little apart from the men, with that stiff-backed carriage of hers. She wasn’t like either of his sisters-in-law, used to authority, at ease with the people who worked for them. Elizabeth Chatworth was rigid whenever she was near men. Yesterday, by accident, one of his men on horseback had brushed against her and Elizabeth had reacted so sharply, pulling her horse’s reins so unexpectedly, that her horse had reared. She’d controlled the animal and held her seat but the experience had disgusted Miles. No woman—or man for that matter—should be so frightened of another human’s touch.

  Sir Guy returned, alone, to the men and at once he searched for Miles, walking toward him when he saw him. “It’s getting late. We should ride.” He paused. “Or perhaps you’ve reconsidered about returning the lady to her brother.”

  Miles was watching Elizabeth, who was now talking to the mother and the little girl who’d fallen earlier. He turned back to Guy. “I want you to send a couple of men to my northern estate. They are to bring Kit to me.”

  “Your son?” Sir Guy questioned.

  “Yes, my son. Send his nurse with him. No! On second thought, bring him alone but with a heavy guard. Lady Elizabeth will be his nurse.”

  “Are you sure of what you’re doing?” Sir Guy asked.

  “The Lady Elizabeth likes children so I will share one of mine with her. If I can’t reach her heart one way, I will use another.”

  “And what will you do with this woman once you’ve tamed her? Once, when I was a boy, there was a cat that had lived wild and it claimed the area around a certain shed as its own. Whenever anyone went near the shed, the cat scratched and bit. I set myself the job of taming it. It took many weeks of patience to gain the cat’s trust but I felt triumphant when it began to eat from my hand. But later the cat began to follow me everywhere. I tripped over it constantly and it became a major nuisance. After several months I was kicking the cat, hating it because it was no longer the wild thing I’d loved at first, but only another cat, just like all the others.”

  Miles continued to study Elizabeth. “Perhaps it is the chase,” he said quietly. “Or perhaps I’m like my brother Raine, who can’t stand any injustice. All I know now is that Elizabeth Chatworth fascinates me. Maybe I do want to have her eat from my hand—but maybe when she does, it will be because I’m her slave.”

  He turned back to Sir Guy. “Elizabeth will like Kit and my son can only benefit from knowing her. And I’d like to see my son as well. Send the message.”

  Sir Guy nodded once in agreement before leaving Miles alone.

  Minutes later they were mounted and ready to leave. Miles didn’t try to talk to Elizabeth but silently rode beside her. She was beginning to look tired and by midday, he was of half a mind to return her to her brother.

  A half-hour later, she suddenly sprang to life. While Miles had been feeling sorry for her, she’d worked loose the rope attaching their horses. She kicked her horse forward, used the loose end of her reins to slap the rumps of two horses in front of her, and with the rearing horses as a shield, she gained precious seconds to escape. She was half a mile down the rutted, weed-infested road before Miles could get around his men and follow her.

  “I will bring her back,” he shouted over his shoulder to Sir Guy.

  Miles knew the horse Elizabeth rode had little speed in it but she got what she could out of it. He was close enough to catch her when the girth of his saddle slipped and he was sent sliding to one side. “Damn her,” he gasped, knowing very well who’d loosened the saddle, but, at the same time, he smiled at her ingenuity.

  But Elizabeth Chatworth wasn’t prepared for a man who’d grown up with three older brothers. Miles was used to practical jokes such as loosened cinches and he knew how to handle them. Expertly, he shifted his weight to the front of the horse, in essence riding bareback but sitting on the horse’s neck, the saddle behind him.

  He lost some speed when the horse threatened to revolt at this new position, but Miles controlled the animal.

  Elizabeth turned her mount into a corn field when the primitive road disappeared and she was disconcerted to see Miles close on her heels.

  He caught her in the corn field, grabbing her about the waist. She fought him wildly and Miles, with no stirrups to anchor himself, started falling. When he went down his arm was still fastened around Elizabeth’s waist.

  As they both fell, Miles twisted and took most of the jolt, cushioning Elizabeth, putting his arm up to protect her back from a flying hoof. The horses ran for a few more feet then stood, sides heaving.

  “Release me,” Elizabeth demanded when she caught her breath. She was sprawled on top of Miles.

  His arms held her to him. “When did you loosen the cinch?” When she didn’t answer he hugged her until her ribs threatened to break.

  “At dinner,” she gasped.

  He moved his hand to the back of her head, forcing it to his shoulder. “Elizabeth, you are so clever. How did you manage to sneak past my men? When did you leave my sight?”

  His neck was sweaty and his heart was pounding against her own. The exercise had done away with her tiredness and she was glad for it even if she hadn’t succeeded in her escape.

  “You gave me a good run,” he said, amused. “If my brothers hadn’t thought it a great joke to send me out with a loosened cinch, I wouldn’t have known how to handle it. Of course they were careful that I was on a slow mount so if I fell I wouldn’t kill myself.” He moved to look at her face. “Would you have been terribly glad to see me break my neck?”

  “Yes, very,” she said, smiling, practically nose to nose with him.

  Miles laughed at that, kissed her quickly, pushed her off him and stood, frowning as she wiped the back of her hand across her mouth. “Come on, there’s an inn not far from here and we’ll stop for the night.” He didn’t offer to help her up.

  When they returned to the men, Sir Guy gave Elizabeth a quick look of admiration and she guessed that he’d be more vigilant from now on. She wouldn’t have more chances to toy with the men’s gear.

  It wasn’t until they were mounted again that Elizabeth saw that Miles’s forearm was cut and bleeding. She knew it had happened when he’d put his arm between her and the horse’s hoof. Sir Guy inspected the cut and bound it while Elizabeth sat on her horse and watched. It seemed odd that this man, a Montgomery, would protect a Chatworth from harm.

  Miles saw her watching. “A smile from you, Elizabeth, would make it heal faster.”

  “I hope it poisons your blood and you lose your arm.”