The master’s suite was shaded from the morning sun, and only a minimum of light leaked in around the velvet drapes drawn over the french doors and crystal windows. Lierin stirred, reaching out a hand searchingly to the far side of the bed. Finding the place empty, she sat up and glanced quickly about the room, but to no avail. Though she listened carefully, she heard nothing to indicate Ashton was anywhere in the suite of rooms. Sometime during the night he had carried her to his bed, ending the matter of separate rooms with the firm declaration of where she belonged. It was a massive room, tasteful in its accoutrements and decor. Teal blues and soft taupes were in abundance, while velvets, tapestries, leathers, and deeply hued woods gave the room a masculine warmth. The fact that the accommodations belonged to a man with whom she had become enamored only made the prospect of being ensconced here more appealing.

Smoothing her tumbled hair away from her cheek, she leaned back into the pillows with a dreamy sigh. She had memories of the past hours to content her until he came back to her again. The master of Belle Chêne had seized her mind and body with his irresistible charm, and now her heart was hopelessly entangled with the man. Wrapped up in the rapture of her infatuation, she conjured an image in her mind of that sleek, bronze form with its rippling muscles, hardened belly, and iron-thewed thighs. Her face grew warm as her imagination completed the man with more intimate detail, and her lips curved into a secretive smile as she recalled the warmth he displayed beneath her exploring hand. Later, when he had moved away from her during the night to lay more wood on the fire, she had been fascinated with the play of lithe brawn across his back and, beneath the line that separated dark skin from light, the tautly muscled buttocks.

The opening and closing of the door in the far bedroom snatched Lierin from her musings, and she threw back the covers, recognizing Willabelle’s heavy tread, then gasped as she was abruptly reminded of her nakedness. Grabbing up Ashton’s robe from the end of the bed, she quickly donned the oversized garment, but paused to listen as the housekeeper entered the bathing room. The door was pushed shut, allowing Lierin to slump back on the bed in relief. She was reluctant to face the woman in such a state of dishabille only a short time after she had vowed not to be rushed in accepting Ashton as her husband. Still, she knew she would have to admit her status as mistress of the house sometime before the hour was out. She could hardly hide from Willabelle much longer than that, even in this huge house.

The activity increased in the adjoining room as other servants began bringing water for a bath. The housekeeper directed them in a muted tone, then the voices dwindled, and a brief moment later a light knock sounded on the door. Pausing to collect her composure before answering the summons, Lierin checked herself in the cheval glass, finding her hair wildly tossed and her cheeks as flushed and rosy as the body beneath the robe. Her appearance was so obvious, there would be little doubt that she had spent the night in sensual pursuits with Mr. Wingate, and any semblance of dignity would be difficult to maintain if Willabelle was less than discreet.

Resolving to give the occasion her best effort, Lierin opened the portal and found Willabelle laying out fresh linens and garments. The woman had been humming to herself, but turned to greet her young mistress with the usual cheery smile and chatter, putting Lierin completely at ease. The housekeeper seemed to accept her presence in the master’s bedroom casually and as part of the routine.

In a short time Lierin was enjoying a deliciously warm bath, and had hardly settled in for a leisurely soak when the lower hall echoed with the rapid click of booted heels. Ashton strode toward the stairs, motivating Luella May to run down the upper hall and bestow a warning knock on the master’s chamber door. Willabelle quickly slipped from the room and left her charge to whatever was about to befall her.

When Ashton entered his suite, he was drawn to the door of the bathing room by the soft, lilting melody that drifted from the cubicle. Leaning a shoulder against the jamb, he indulged himself in the pleasure of viewing this undraped beauty which was so charmingly presented to him. He considered his timing perfect. His lady was at her bath, and with the soft morning light filtering through the window and lending her ivory skin a radiance of its own, she seemed like some woodland nymph intent upon her toilet in a hidden forest glade.

Lierin finally glanced up, sensing a presence and yet expecting to find Willabelle. She suffered a start when she was greeted instead by a most wicked smile and warmly glowing hazel eyes. She was not yet at ease beneath the bold stare of a man and pinkened as his gaze dipped to her wetly gleaming breasts.

“You’ve made my day, madam…and my night.”

Her color heightened at his reminder of their passionate involvement. He was garbed casually in riding breeches, tall boots, and full-sleeved shirt, and seemed to be the very epitome of the confident male, which made her all the more conscious of her own nakedness and timidity. Seeking to divert his stare and allow her pulse to slow its reckless beating, she indicated his attire. “Have you been out riding?”

“Only to look over a portion of land that is being cleared,” he replied, watching the soapy runnels cascade over her bosom as she attempted to bathe and cover herself at the same time. “My plan for today is to take you into Natchez. You’ll be needing clothes for our trip to New Orleans.”

“But I thought we weren’t going….”

“On the contrary, my love.” Ashton strode forward and sat on the wooden stool that had been drawn up near the tub. Taking the sponge from her, he dipped it into the soapy water and began to scrub her back, beginning low and slowly working his way upward. “A trip to New Orleans might help you remember, and of course we’ll need some time to get acquainted again. What better place to do that than where it all began?”

Lierin half turned her head and sighed in obvious pleasure as his fingers began to knead her back and shoulders.

“Feels good?” he asked softly.

“Hmm, yes. Very,” she murmured, forgetting her shyness as she leaned forward, the better to receive his administerings. He waxed bolder as he lathered her side, slipping his hand forward to soap and wash her breast. Her heart took on a trip-hammer beat, and with soft and limpid eyes, she turned her gaze to his. Bending forward, he nuzzled her ear and, brushing aside the loosely dangling curls that dropped coyly from the casually gathered mass, pressed light kisses upon her throat. His hand moved freely across her bosom, then slid beneath her as he lifted her from the bath onto his lap. Neither of them gave heed to the fact that his clothes were becoming soaked, for the heat of the moment had overtaken them. They were two beings enraptured with each other, and the rest of the world faded from notice.

Hearing the soft click of heels approaching the upper landing, Ashton glanced up to find a sight that completely nourished his spirits. For the outing Lierin had arrayed herself in one of the gowns he had purchased and with stunning results. Long ago he had realized she fulfilled every aspect of his long-held vision of a desirable woman. His memory had served him well during the past three years, but when he gazed at the living, breathing woman, he knew he had not grasped the full reality of her beauty. Was it a trick of his mind that she seemed even lovelier than he had remembered?

As she paused in indecision at the head of the stairs, he slowly smiled and lifted up a hand to her. His eyes touched her warmly as she descended, taking in every delicious detail. The gown seemed an added touch of perfection with its iridescent, blue-green taffeta bodice and off-white skirt of the same fabric. A crisply pleated ruff fanned out from her throat, and similar ruffles added trimmings at the wrists. The sleeves were puffed and full at the top, but closely fitting for the major portion of the arm. Scalloped cream lace formed a pleated lining for the tall-brimmed, blue-green bonnet, and a wide bow of the same hue was tied beneath one side of her chin, lending her a pert, saucy look.

“Madam, you would make the sirens of ancient lore thrash upon their rocks and moan in envy,” he vowed.

Lierin laughed gaily and placed her arms around his neck as he settled his own about her waist and swung her from the stairs. He held her suspended from the floor while they exchanged an ardent kiss. Her tongue readily answered his, and it was a long, enjoyable moment before they parted. Ashton sighed and reluctantly set her to her feet. “I’m tempted to take you back to bed when you answer me like that.”

Caressing his vested chest, she responded with an enticing smile. “We can always delay our trip.”

Ashton groaned in mock agony. “Oh, madam, I’ve never been so wont to stay abed before, but I owe you a nightgown, remember.” He smiled down into her sparkling eyes. “We’ll need a goodly supply for the rest of the nights we can spend together.”

She raised on her toes to whisper in his ear. “I can understand why Marelda hates me so. You’re very nice to go to bed with.”

Ashton peered at her skeptically as he led her across the hall. “Madam, Marelda would have no scale to judge that by. I’ve never been intimate with the woman.”

Hugging his arm tightly against her breast, Lierin smiled into his eyes. “That makes me very, very happy.”

Hiram stood waiting at the open door of the carriage. As they emerged from the house, he swept off his fine beaver hat and greeted them with a wide grin. “Lawsy, y’all sho’ make a pair all duded up.”

“Why, thank you, Hiram,” Lierin replied blithely. “Mr. Wingate does look fine, doesn’t he?”

“Yes’m, jes’ like he always does,” the coachman agreed, then chuckled as he expanded on his statement: “But he ain’t nearly as pretty as yo, missus.”

Their warm laughter rewarded him, and with a bright smile Lierin accepted her husband’s assistance into the carriage. Settling into the leather seat, she lifted her skirts aside as Ashton sat close beside her. He laid his arm along the back of the seat behind her and, with a hand on her shoulder, urged her to nestle close against his side.

“I love you,” he whispered.

The bonneted head turned to present a softly smiling visage to his loving gaze, and her eyes touched his face in a gentle caress. “The feeling is mutual, sir.”

The landau swung around the curving drive, and the journey into Natchez took on a new measure of delight for Ashton, who had traversed the road on numerous and widely varied occasions. For the first time in many months he felt settled, both in mind and in spirit. The night of lustful pleasures had given him a release he had sorely needed, but the cause of his contentment lay in the person who snuggled so willingly against him.

Lierin picked a piece of lint from his trouser leg, and her hand lingered to rub the firmly muscled thigh lightly. Lifting her gaze, she met Ashton’s smiling regard and reached to receive his kiss when his face lowered to hers. The ride continued in a most delightful fashion until Hiram maneuvered the conveyance to a halt in front of the couturiere’s.

Ashton assisted his young wife to the boardwalk and spoke a word with Hiram about the estimated time of their return before slipping his hand to the small of her back and escorting her inside the dressmaker’s shop. Miss Gertrude hurried from the back of the shop, straining her long neck to see around the bolts of cloth that were stacked on the tables. When the gawky, parrot-faced woman saw who had entered, she threw up her hands and rushed forward to greet them.

“Oh, I’ve been so anxious to meet your young wife, Mr. Wingate,” she warbled.

He made the introductions, and through the small spectacles perched on the bridge of her thin, hawkish nose, Miss Gertrude gave Lierin a careful inspection from bonnet to soft leather slippers, then smiled and nodded in approval. “Your grandmother was in here yesterday morning, Mr. Wingate, and the way she was bragging about your wife, I thought she had been inflated with a lot of hot air, but I can see for myself that her claims are true.”

Miss Gertrude took the slender hand into hers and patted it affectionately. “When the ladies see you wearing my creations, I shall be deluged with a brood of chirping biddies wanting to look exactly like you. I’ve done a few miracles in my time, Mrs. Wingate, but none of that sort. You’re such a lovely thing, I can already see trouble coming.”