to see Joanna. Joanna thought that Mary had probably gone to work in the fields. Should she go there and see?
She felt a sudden nervous fluttering within her breast. Her visit with Wild Squirrel and her encounter with Fireheart had taken a toll on her. She’d lost all desire for confrontation that day. Joanna decided to return to her wigwam where she might have a few minutes alone.
Her head began to throb. Right now she couldn’t deal with Mary or Fireheart. She attempted to banish Fireheart from her mind. And Mary? Well, she would just have to talk with her cousin later.
She had another decision to make. There was the matter of when she’d return to England. Her servants were anxious to leave. Joanna, on the other hand, had a strange reluctance to go. But Neville Manor waited, and she couldn’t expect her good friend John Burton to manage the estate forever when he had his own concerns. His brother Michael might need him.
She needed to go back to England, she thought, before John, in his caring concern, sent a search party after her.
Neville Manor
England
“Miss Gordon is here to see you, sir,” the manservant announced.
John Burton stood. “Thank you, Charles. Would you show her in?”
Charles bowed, then left to do the man’s bidding. Within seconds, Gillian Gordon stood in the library doorway.
“Hello, John. Have you heard from Joanna?”
“Gillian,” he said softly, “come in.” His gaze narrowed when he saw Charles hovering behind her. “You may go, Charles. I shall not need you for anything more this afternoon. Just have Ellen bring us a pot of tea.”
“Yes, sir,” Charles said, then left.
“Won’t you sit down?” John invited, gesturing toward a leather chair.
“Thank you,” she said sweetly as she carefully took a seat.
There was an awkward moment of silence between John and Gillian until the maid Ellen brought in the tea, and set it on the tea table within reach of Gillian.
John politely thanked Ellen, then told the servant that she and the household staff had the rest of the afternoon free.
Surprised yet obviously pleased by the news, Ellen curtsied to the pair, then hurriedly left to enjoy her unexpected holiday.
Without being asked, Gillian poured the tea while John went to quietly close and lock the library door.
When he returned to Gillian, the young woman held out a cup of steaming fragrant tea. He accepted the cup and took a sip. “Delicious,” he murmured, meeting her gaze. “ ’Tis just how I like it.”
She smiled and sipped from her own teacup. Both were quiet as they enjoyed their tea until John finished his cup and set it down on the tea table with a clatter.
Gillian, startled by the sound, glanced up at him. John studied her with a look that made her heart thunder within her breast. The thunder became a raging roar in her ears as John removed her unfinished cup from her hands, and set it carefully next to his.
“Gillian,” he rasped, reaching for her hand. She swallowed hard. She had waited with sweet anticipation for this moment, and now that it was here, she could scarcely contain her joy.
“Come here,” he urged huskily. John jerked her from her chair and into his arms. He lowered his head. His mouth captured hers in a kiss of passion so hot that she moaned and sagged weakly against him.
When he released her mouth, there was a glazed look in his blue eyes. Her lips curved as Gillian held his gaze. Her smile became a gasp of pleasure as he settled his hands on her breasts, cupping the soft responsive mounds through the fabric of her bodice. When he fumbled to free her from her gown, Gillian cried out with encouragement and helped him. Then they struggled to undo his shirt.
Within minutes, they were on the floor, naked, their tea and pastries forgotten. Neither man nor woman gave any thought to Joanna, the woman who owned this room and this house. Amid harsh male grunts and soft feminine cries, the world around them faded as they sought to
She felt a sudden nervous fluttering within her breast. Her visit with Wild Squirrel and her encounter with Fireheart had taken a toll on her. She’d lost all desire for confrontation that day. Joanna decided to return to her wigwam where she might have a few minutes alone.
Her head began to throb. Right now she couldn’t deal with Mary or Fireheart. She attempted to banish Fireheart from her mind. And Mary? Well, she would just have to talk with her cousin later.
She had another decision to make. There was the matter of when she’d return to England. Her servants were anxious to leave. Joanna, on the other hand, had a strange reluctance to go. But Neville Manor waited, and she couldn’t expect her good friend John Burton to manage the estate forever when he had his own concerns. His brother Michael might need him.
She needed to go back to England, she thought, before John, in his caring concern, sent a search party after her.
Neville Manor
England
“Miss Gordon is here to see you, sir,” the manservant announced.
John Burton stood. “Thank you, Charles. Would you show her in?”
Charles bowed, then left to do the man’s bidding. Within seconds, Gillian Gordon stood in the library doorway.
“Hello, John. Have you heard from Joanna?”
“Gillian,” he said softly, “come in.” His gaze narrowed when he saw Charles hovering behind her. “You may go, Charles. I shall not need you for anything more this afternoon. Just have Ellen bring us a pot of tea.”
“Yes, sir,” Charles said, then left.
“Won’t you sit down?” John invited, gesturing toward a leather chair.
“Thank you,” she said sweetly as she carefully took a seat.
There was an awkward moment of silence between John and Gillian until the maid Ellen brought in the tea, and set it on the tea table within reach of Gillian.
John politely thanked Ellen, then told the servant that she and the household staff had the rest of the afternoon free.
Surprised yet obviously pleased by the news, Ellen curtsied to the pair, then hurriedly left to enjoy her unexpected holiday.
Without being asked, Gillian poured the tea while John went to quietly close and lock the library door.
When he returned to Gillian, the young woman held out a cup of steaming fragrant tea. He accepted the cup and took a sip. “Delicious,” he murmured, meeting her gaze. “ ’Tis just how I like it.”
She smiled and sipped from her own teacup. Both were quiet as they enjoyed their tea until John finished his cup and set it down on the tea table with a clatter.
Gillian, startled by the sound, glanced up at him. John studied her with a look that made her heart thunder within her breast. The thunder became a raging roar in her ears as John removed her unfinished cup from her hands, and set it carefully next to his.
“Gillian,” he rasped, reaching for her hand. She swallowed hard. She had waited with sweet anticipation for this moment, and now that it was here, she could scarcely contain her joy.
“Come here,” he urged huskily. John jerked her from her chair and into his arms. He lowered his head. His mouth captured hers in a kiss of passion so hot that she moaned and sagged weakly against him.
When he released her mouth, there was a glazed look in his blue eyes. Her lips curved as Gillian held his gaze. Her smile became a gasp of pleasure as he settled his hands on her breasts, cupping the soft responsive mounds through the fabric of her bodice. When he fumbled to free her from her gown, Gillian cried out with encouragement and helped him. Then they struggled to undo his shirt.
Within minutes, they were on the floor, naked, their tea and pastries forgotten. Neither man nor woman gave any thought to Joanna, the woman who owned this room and this house. Amid harsh male grunts and soft feminine cries, the world around them faded as they sought to
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