Nicole Jordan - The Passion

"Which you have done admirably," Raven insisted. Taking a deep breath, she sat down in the other wing chair before the hearth. "You need not worry about me, Aurora. I didn't want to tell you yet, but… I have received an extremely advantageous proposal of marriage."

Aurora stared. "From whom?"

"The Duke of Halford. I am considering accepting."

"You cannot be serious."

"I knew you would not approve. But this should be my decision, Aurora. I am the one who must live with the consequences."

Aurora felt herself shudder. "Raven, you cannot wed Halford. He is controlling and dictatorial and cold – "

"He is not as bad as you think, not once you come to know him. He is reserved, true, and certainly a bit arrogant. And he likes having his way. But what lord does not? I believe I can manage him."

Reaching out earnestly, Aurora took her hand. "Raven, I understand this desire of yours to marry a title – you feel you must fulfill your mother's wishes. But I cannot help believing you would be far happier if you were to marry for love."

Just as earnestly, Raven leaned forward. "Do you love Lord March?"

"Yes, of course I do. I have loved him all my life."

"And do you love Nicholas?"

Aurora looked away, not wanting to face the answer to that question. Her love for Geoffrey had been sweet and tender, not this anguished yearning. What she felt for Nicholas was so complex… so disturbing… so painful…

"I know I am not experienced in matters of the heart," Raven said, "but I can't believe you are indifferent to my brother. I've seen the way you look at him. If that isn't love, then what is it?"

Passion , Aurora wanted to reply – yet even as she had the thought, Desiree's observation in the journal came back to her with poignant force. Passion of the flesh can beget passion of the heart. I am living proof …

Passion could lead to love, Aurora acknowledged despairingly. It had happened to Desiree. It had happened to her as well.

The ache in her heart welled up to clutch at her throat. She had trouble speaking when she replied, "Whatever I feel for Nicholas cannot be allowed to matter."

Impatiently Raven rose from her chair and began to pace the room. "What does Lord March think of all this? Does the man have no heart? How could he demand such a sacrifice from you?"

"He doesn't know about my relationship with Nicholas. Yesterday I told him only that I'd heard my husband was still alive."

Turning, Raven stared. "He doesn't know Nick is here in England?"

"I… I couldn't tell him. I couldn't deliver that kind of blow. And I was afraid of exposing Nicholas. I thought it better to wait until he was safely away."

"Forgive me for such bluntness, Aurora, but the Earl of March may not want a wife who has had a marriage annulled. He may not want to bring such a stain to his family name."

"Geoffrey isn't concerned about his family consequence. He's only determined to shield me from scandal. He is the one who proposed helping me gain an annulment. He wants me to have the protection of his name once I sever my marriage to a criminal."

"But if you tell him how you feel, that Nicholas is no criminal…"

Aurora squeezed her eyes shut, struggling against the rising anguish inside her. She couldn't tell Geoffrey that she loved another man. She couldn't hurt him that way. If he desired her for his wife, then she had no choice but to honor his wishes. She owed him that much loyalty.

"Shouldn't he be allowed to decide for himself?" Raven asked. "You should tell him the truth, Aurora. At least about your relationship with Nicholas. It would be unfair not to. And it could make all the difference."

"I cannot tell him anything," Aurora whispered. "Not until Nicholas is gone."

"But by then it may be too late! Aurora, don't you see – "

Another polite rap sounded on the door, causing Raven to break off her impassioned plea.

When wearily Aurora bid entrance, the door opened a crack to reveal Danby's grave face. "There is a gentleman to see you, my lady. A Captain Richard Gerrod. He says it is urgent that he speak to you about your husband."

Aurora felt the color drain from her face. Dear God.

Captain Gerrod was the naval officer who had apprehended Nicholas in the Caribbean. By now he would know his former prisoner was still alive. Did he realize Nicholas was in England? But why else would Gerrod have come to call on her if not to seek out Nicholas?

For the space of a dozen heartbeats, Aurora could not make a sound. It was left to Raven to answer Danby.

"Please tell the captain her ladyship will be down in a moment."

"As you wish," the elderly butler responded before withdrawing.

Still in shock, Aurora turned to stare at Raven. The younger woman looked pale and only marginally more composed than Aurora herself felt.

"You must speak to him, Aurora. Pretend to be taken completely by surprise when you learn your husband is still alive."

"How do you even know who Gerrod is?" Aurora asked in bewilderment.

"Nicholas warned me this morning when he came to say farewell."

" Nicholas warned you?"

"He knows Gerrod is searching for him. Why else would he consider it imperative to sail this evening?"

Aurora raised a hand to her temple. Last night when Nicholas had made love to her, he'd known he was in mortal danger, and yet he hadn't even hinted at it. Damn him…

"He never said a word," she murmured, torn between fear and anger at his keeping such a revelation to himself.

"Possibly because he didn't want you to worry," Raven said quickly. "I suspect he wanted you to make the decision whether to accompany him without any further duress."

Duress? Fear suddenly winning out over anger, Aurora rose to her feet. "I have to warn Nicholas – "

"No!" Raven objected. "I tell you, he already knows he is being pursued. If you want to protect him, you would do better to try to throw Gerrod off the scent. We should devise a plan, Aurora."

Aurora drew a shuddering breath, trying to gain control of her panic. Raven was right. If she wished to help Nicholas, she would have to fool the captain into believing she knew nothing about her husband's whereabouts.

Her blood had turned to ice in her veins by the time Aurora descended the stairs to the parlor where Gerrod awaited her.

"Captain," she said coldly, pausing in the doorway. "I am amazed that you have the gall to call upon me after what you did. I trust you have a good reason for being here?"

His expression was stern to the point of grimness as he searched her face. "I am seeking your husband, my lady."

"My husband is dead, sir," Aurora retorted frigidly, "as you very well know. You were the one who sent him to his death."

"Then you have not heard the news?" Gerrod asked skeptically.

"What news?"

"Nicholas Sabine is still very much alive."

Aurora stared at him, then carefully schooled her features to scorn. "Your jest is in exceedingly poor taste."

"It is no jest, my lady. The pirate, Captain Saber, made a bold escape while being transported to Barbados for execution."

"Why in heaven's name should I believe such a wild tale? You expect me simply to accept your word for it? The man who arrested my husband and ordered his execution?"

"I did not imagine you would require proof, my lady," the captain said stiffly. "I felt sure Sabine had visited you before now."

"I assure you he has not."

Gerrod scowled. "I have good reason to believe he is masquerading as his cousin, Mr. Brandon Deverill. And word is, you have been seen with Deverill."

"I don't deny my acquaintance with Mr. Deverill, Captain, but I think I would know my own husband," Aurora said with sarcasm.

"Perhaps he has fooled you."