Midnight Embrace

Gallatin Manor was set amidst a broad expanse of lush green grass and ancient oaks. A long, winding drive led up to the house, which was made of dark red brick and stone. Even in the gathering dusk, Analisa could see that the Manor was of a much sunnier disposition than Blackbriar Hall.

The coach came to a stop; a moment later, Farleigh opened the door and handed her out. Analisa stretched her arms and shoulders as she glanced around. It was by far theprettiest place she had ever seen, with the house sitting like a ruby in a field of jade.

Lifting her skirts, she hurried up the stairs to the beautifully carved front door, opened it, and stepped inside.

The entryway wasn't nearly as large or as dark as that at Blackbriar. Analisa hung her bonnet on a hook, ran a hand through her hair, and made her way into the front parlor. It was a large, square room furnished in light oak. A sofa covered in a dark blue print stood in front of a red brick fireplace. There was a collection of colored bottles on the mantel. A pair of overstuffed chairs covered in the same fabric as the sofa were placed on either side of a square table. Several lamps were placed around the room, all lit in anticipation of their arrival. A large seascape commanded one wall.

On the ground floor, there were a small dining room decorated in shades of green, a cozy drawing room, and a library whose walls were lined with shelves filled with books. There was also a breakfast room on the east side of the house with a large window that looked out on the side lawn, as well as a conservatory filled with greenery and flowers, and a servants' hall where the staff ate together. She was surprised by the size of the pantry. It was a large, cream-colored room lined with glass-fronted cabinets. It was here that the butler (if they'd had one) would keep the plate and fine china and give directions to the other male servants. There was a wooden tub for washing the dishes, a rack for drying. A large, square table ringed by several high stools was in the center of the room; there was another table for pressing cloths. A large clock hung on one wall, a picture of Queen Victoria on another.

There was also a room for the housekeeper, where she could make preserves, keep the household accounts, and look after the affairs of the housemaids.

Analisa was climbing the curved staircase when she heard Mrs. Thornfield's voice. There would be no rest for the servants, Analisa mused, for the housekeeper was already issuing orders to Cook and Sally, saying that they must take an inventory of the household goods. The bedding must be washed, the rooms aired.

There were five bedrooms upstairs, all similar in nature save for the largest chamber, which obviously belonged to Alesandro. Like his room at Blackbriar, the furnishings here were of heavy dark wood; the covering on the bed was a deep blue that was almost black. Heavy draperies covered the windows, shutting out the sunlight.

Climbing the stairs to the second floor, she found a nursery and a schoolroom.

The third floor held the servants' quarters, which also had a separate set of stairs at the rear for the servants to use.

Gallatin Manor seemed to be a much newer house than Blackbriar Hall.

She was about to return to the main floor when she heard someone talking. She paused, recognizing Sally's voice. At first, she thought Sally was looking for her, but then she heard another, deeper voice.

"How long will you be staying, love?"

"I don't know," Sally replied. "Lord Avallone didn't say."

"Then we must make every moment count, mustn't we?" the man replied, his tone low and suggestive.

Tiptoeing toward the sound of the voices, Analisa peeked around a corner of the hallway, stifled a gasp when she saw Sally fall into the arms of a tall, blond-haired young man. Analisa stared, noting the way they clung to each other, the way the man's hands moved over Sally's back and buttocks, his touch familiar, possessive. It had to be Robert, she mused. No wonder Sally was so smitten with the man. He was quite handsome, though not as handsome as Alesandro.

Alesandro. She glanced at the window, felt her heart flutter when she saw that the sun was going down.

Turning away from Sally and her young man, Analisa hurried down the stairs. Alesandro would be here soon. She needed to wash up, brush her hair, and change out of her traveling suit.

She found her belongings in the room next to the master's chamber. It was a nice room, decorated in deep mauve and white, but she hardly noticed her surroundings as she removed her clothing. Someone, Mrs. Thornfield, no doubt, since Sally was otherwise occupied, had laid a fire in the fireplace and left a basin of hot water on the commode. She washed quickly, dried off, slipped into a dress of maroon kerseymere. After brushing her hair, she tied it back with a matching ribbon, stepped into a pair of low-heeled slippers, took a last look at herself in the mirror, and went downstairs.

The lamps in the parlor were lit, a fire burned in the hearth. Too restless to sit, she walked around the room, admiring the painting on the wall, the colored bottles on the mantel.

Where was he?

She went into the study. A lamp, turned low,burned in here as well, as though awaiting the master's arrival. There was a fire in the hearth. The furniture in this room was dark and heavy and sparse -  only a large desk, a comfortable chair, a small sofa, and a bookcase that took up all of one wall from floor to ceiling. Every shelf was filled with books.

Rounding the desk, she sat down in the chair, imagining that she could smell Alesandro's scent in the rich dark leather.

She was tempted to open the desk drawers, curious to see if she could learn more about the mysterious man she had fallen in love with, but she stayed her hand, afraid he would know somehow that she had been snooping where she didn't belong.

Where was he? He had said he would meet her here tonight. Had something happened to detain him?

Her imagination was running wild with all sorts of horrible possibilities when suddenly he was standing before her. Just looking at him sent a thrill of excitement running through her. He was tall and dark and broad-shouldered, and power emanated from him like the heat radiating from the hearth, invisible but undeniable. She felt small and helpless in the face of such strength.

"Analisa."

"Good evening, my lord."

He held out his hand, and she rose to her feet and rounded the desk.

"I was afraid you weren't coming."

"I said I would be here, did I not?"

She nodded, her gaze caressing his face as she moved into his arms. "I missed you."

He drew her close, holding her tight in the circle of his arms. He brushed a kiss across the top of her head, inhaling her scent. Only two nights without her. It had seemed much longer.

"How do you like it here?" he asked.

"It's beautiful, my lord."

"It suits you far better than Blackbriar." The Hall was a dark, forbidding place. His Analisa deserved better. He closed his eyes a moment. He had spent the past two nights trying to convince himself to let her go. Even if he could keep her safe from the darkness that was so much a part of his life, there were other dangers in being associated with him.

She gazed up at him. "Will you not kiss me, my lord?" she asked shyly.

Desire rose within him, melding with his hunger, burning through him like the heat of the sun. Lowering his head, he claimed her lips in a kiss that left them both shaken and breathless.

She stared at him for the space of a heartbeat, and then she smiled. "I missed you too, my Alesandro."

" 'Lisa!" A shudder ran through him, and he closed his eyes as if he were in pain.

"Alesandro, what is it?"

With a deep sigh, he released her and took a step back. "Go to your room, Analisa. Now."

Once, she would have fled the room with alacrity, but not now. Not when he was in such obvious pain, such blatant need. It glowed from the depths of his eyes, throbbed in the taut line of his jaw, in the way his hands clenched and unclenched at his sides.

She heard the door open behind them. Without knowing who it was, she said, "Leave us!" in a voice she hardly recognized as her own.

Sally murmured, "Yes, miss," and closed the door.

"Analisa, goto your room," he said.

She could not bear to see him in such pain, could not abide the thought of his taking what he so desperately needed from someone else.

"I won't let you send me away." She lifted her hair away from her neck. "Take what you need, my lord. It is freely given."

" 'Lisa, you make me ashamed of what I am." But he was moving toward her as he spoke, his eyes alight. He drew her down on the sofa and gathered her into his arms.

She trembled in spite ofherself as he bent over her. She felt his breath warm upon her throat as he muttered an oath, and then she felt the prick of his fangs. His hands tightened on her shoulders, holding her in place. She moaned softly, but it was a sound born of pleasure, not pain.

She whimpered in protest when he drew away. He never took very much, yet it always left her feeling weak and a little disoriented.

He looked down at her for a moment, then crushed her to him.She wasn't sure, but as she drifted to sleep, she thought she heard him crying.

Drawing her cloak tightly around her, Sally tiptoed down the back stairs. Outside, she ran lightly along the path that led to the stables, her heart pounding in anticipation as she hurriedto meet Robert. If Mrs. Thornfield discovered her absence, it could mean dismissal, but she didn't care. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered but Robert, waiting for her in the barn.

She slowed to a walk as she drew near, smoothed a hand over her hair, pinched her cheeks to give them some color.He had left one of the big double doors slightly ajar. Taking a deep breath, she slipped through the narrow gap. A lamp, turned low, hung from one of the overhead beams.

The barn smelled of horses and hay and pungent manure, of leather and oil. She made a slow circle. "Robert? Robert, are you here?"

She gasped as he stepped out of the shadows. "Oh, Robert, you frightened me!"

"Sorry, love." His blue eyes danced with merriment and mischief as he held out his arms. "Come here."

She flew across the floor into his embrace.

"Miss me, love?" he asked.

"You know I did." Her gaze moved over him. He was the handsomest man she had ever seen. His hair was the color of sun-ripened wheat, his eyes as clear and blue as the sky on a midsummer's day, and when he smiled at her, she felt as though her heart would burst with happiness. "Tell me you missed me, too."

"I'll do better than that." Taking her by the hand, he led her into his room in the back of the barn. "I'll show you," he said, and closed the door.