He stared at her for several moments more, then lowered himself back down to kiss her again. His lips touched everything but her mouth—traveling to her cheeks, her eyes, her ears. His hands were in her hair, streaming it out over the pillows. And then they were running down the length of her body, smoothing over the curve of her hips, caressing the length of her legs, leaving trails of fire wherever they touched.

Ellie felt as if there were two women inhabiting her body. Part of her wanted to lay there and let him work his magic on her, to accept his lovemaking like a rare gift. But part of her yearned to be an active participant, and she wondered what he would do if she touched him back, if she lifted her head and rained soft kisses on his neck.

In the end, she couldn't keep her feelings inside. She had always been a doer, and it wasn't in her nature to be passive, even if the activity in question was her own seduction. Her arms wrapped around him and squeezed him tight, and her fingers became passionate claws, and—

“Aaaaargh!” Charles's bloodcurdling scream ripped through the air and quite effectively dampened her ardor.

Ellie let out a surprised yelp and squirmed beneath him, trying to bring her hands down to her sides, and—

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!” As screams went, this one was worse.

“What on earth?” she finally demanded, wiggling to the side as he rolled off of her, his face a pinched mask of pain.

“You're going to kill me,” he said in a dull monotone. “I will be dead before the year is out.”

“What the devil are you talking about?”

He sat up and looked at his arm, which had begun to bleed again.

“Did I do that?”

He nodded. “That was the second scream.”

“And the first?”

“A bruise on my back.”

“I didn't know your back was bruised.”

“Neither did I,” he said dryly.

Ellie felt extremely inappropriate laughter welling up within her, and she bit her lip. “I'm terribly sorry.”

He only shook his head. “Someday I'm going to consummate this damned marriage.”

“You could always try to look on the bright side,” she suggested.

“There is a bright side?”

“Er, yes. There must be.” But she couldn't think of one.

He sighed and held out his arm. “Stitch me up?”

“Are you going to want more brandy?”

“It'll probably put an end to any amorous intentions I have for the evening, but yes, I would.” He sighed. “Do you know, Ellie, but I think this is why people get themselves wives.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I hurt everywhere. Everywhere. It's nice to have someone I can say that to.”

“Didn't you before?”

He shook his head.

She touched his hand. “I'm glad you can talk to me.” Then she found a spool of thread and a bottle of brandy and got to work.

Chapter 15

As was her habit, Ellie awakened bright and early the next morning. What was out of the ordinary, however, was the fact she was lying on Charle's bed, snuggled up quite close to him, with his arm thrown over her shoulder.