He considered her for another endless moment while she held her breath. “Yes, I will…but first I have something to give you.”

“What is it?”

“Come with me.”

Surprising her, Marcus released Arabella only to take her hand and draw her from the salon. She found herself being ushered down the corridor and across the entrance hall, where Hobbs stood ready to assist her departure. The butler pretended not to notice his lordship’s odd behavior as Marcus, still carrying the foil, led her into a large room that looked to be his study. Going to a massive desk, he set down the rapier, then fished out a sheaf of papers and handed them to Arabella.

“These are the documents modifying your guardianship?” she asked.

“No.”

“Then what are they?”

“Read for yourself.”

Arabella’s gaze scanned down the first page, then returned to the top to scrutinize the lofty legal language more slowly. As she turned the succeeding pages, recognition dawned on her. Marcus had purchased the deed to the Freemantle Academy from Winifred and had signed it over to her.

Tears springing to her eyes, Arabella looked up at him in awe. “You bought our academy for me?”

“Yes-and before you take my head off, it isn’t charity. In the first place, you’ve worked damned hard for this. And in the second, I hoped to give the school to you as a wedding gift.”

“Thank you, Marcus,” she said softly. “I will cherish this.”

Setting the papers down on the desk, she stepped closer. Smiling warmly, she reached up and threaded her arms around his neck. “Did I tell you how very much I love you?”

“You did. But I want to hear you tell me again. I won’t ever tire of hearing it.”

“I love you dearly, Marcus.”

His expression turned smugly satisfied. “I know. You couldn’t help yourself.”

Arabella felt laughter bubbling up inside her. Marcus had known she would come to love him. He had understood her better than she understood herself. “You are very confident, my arrogant lord.”

His bright blue gaze was amused, tender, loving. “Only now, darling. Ten minutes ago I wasn’t nearly so sanguine.”

“I do love you, Marcus. I love you wildly, madly. I always will.”

“The feeling is mutual.” He chuckled. “I admit I never intended to lose my heart to you, Belle. You intrigued me from the first. I wanted you in my bed from the moment you threatened me with my foil. But I never thought I would feel this kind of love for anyone.”

“Truly?”

“Truly.” He bent his head to press a light kiss on her lips. “I never expected to be so fortunate, either, Arabella. I found the woman who is my ideal match, the perfect challenge for me.”

Her heart rejoiced at his declaration. “Thank you, Marcus.”

“For what?”

“For not giving up. For giving me reason to risk loving again. For opening my heart.”

His thumb came up to stroke her cheek. “I’ll never break your heart, Arabella. You have my solemn promise on that. I will never forsake you. I’ll never stop loving you, no matter what happens in our future.”

She closed her eyes for a moment. “I feared I might have lost you through my own obstinacy.”

Marcus grasped her chin lightly, forcing her to look at him. “Never. Your wits have gone begging if you thought I would ever be content to let you go. I was only regrouping and planning my new campaign strategy.”

Arabella laughed, her heart spilling over with love and desire. “And I was planning mine. I told my mother I intended to come here today and confess how much I love you. I was prepared to make you a new wager if you no longer wanted to marry me, but she didn’t think it would be necessary.”

“So she approves?”

“Yes. Mama is eager to see us wed. You clearly charmed her, just as you do every female you meet.”

“Not every female. I had the devil of a time charming you, not to mention your sisters. What do they have to say about our union?”

Arabella’s smile turned even softer. “Roslyn is happy for me and Lily is hopeful. I convinced them I couldn’t live without you.”

In response, Marcus gave her a kiss of such intimacy, such warmth and sweetness, that her knees went weak. To her surprise and disappointment, though, he broke off suddenly. Going to the study door, he turned the key, locking them inside.

“What are you doing?” Arabella asked curiously as he returned to stand before her.

“Exploring how deeply we feel for each other.”

Heat flooded through her at the sensual look he was giving her, and her heart began to throb, thick slow beats. He untied the ribbons of her bonnet and set it aside, then unfastened the buttons of her spencer and slid it off her shoulders. Beneath, she wore an elegant gown of sky blue muslin.

When he drew her over to a plush leather sofa, Arabella realized Marcus intended to indulge in a passionate bout of lovemaking. “Your butler will be scandalized,” she said with a mischievous smile. “Hobbs and I did not begin on the best footing, and if I am to become mistress here, perhaps I ought not offend his sense of propriety any further.”

Marcus’s grin was tolerant as he sank down onto the sofa. “Hobbs will have to become accustomed to us being private together. When you are my wife, I intend to spend a great deal of time behind locked doors with you. Don’t worry-I won’t dishevel your gown or your hair just now. But this may be the last chance I have to make love to you for some time, and I won’t let it go to waste.”

Arabella put up no argument. She didn’t stand a chance of refusing Marcus anyway. Not when he was bent on seduction. Not when he was so irresistible. She allowed him to pull her down onto his lap and immediately twined her arms around his neck. He obsessed her, tantalized her, drove her mad with wanting him.

He took advantage of her compliance by nibbling at the soft skin below her earlobe.

“You know,” she murmured, her voice suddenly husky and thick, “when it comes to propriety, you set a terrible example as my guardian.”

“True, but it hardly matters, since I am abdicating my role as guardian. From this moment forward, I’m concerned solely with my role as lover and husband.”

Marcus nipped at her neck, his breath sending a warm shiver of pleasure down her spine, while his hand roved downward over the skirts of her gown. Finding the hem, his fingers glided up her bare thigh to cup the moist, feminine folds of her woman’s mound.

Arabella felt the insistent swell of her own desire and arched against his magical hand, yet she didn’t want the pleasure to be hers alone. “Marcus…you needn’t wait. I am more than ready for you.”

“So you are.” He lifted his head, a lazy heated smile curving his mouth. “But I mean to torment you a little as punishment for driving me to distraction this past week.”

“I should have known.”

His fingers stroked the sleek flesh between her parted thighs, fondling her sex in a lush assault on her senses. When he slid one finger deep inside her, finding her wet with wanting, her inner muscles shuddered around him.

Gasping with pleasure, Arabella clutched at his arm. “That is quite enough torment.”

“I disagree. If it were enough, you would be begging me to stop.”

“I won’t beg…”

“We shall see, love.”

He bent his head, muffling the rest of her words with searing kisses, while his hand, seductive as his voice, continued playing maddening games with her ready flesh.

He caressed her until she was aching with need, until she was light-headed and liquid with arousal, plying her with deft, skillful touches, punctuating his kisses with heated pulses of his tongue. When she felt his probing fingers slowly thrust inside her again, it kindled a soft cry from her throat.

“Hush, no screaming,” Marcus admonished. “You don’t want to scandalize Hobbs, remember?”

“I don’t know if I can manage.”

Almost whimpering, she buried her face in his throat as he went on working his tormenting magic. Soon she was shivering and trembling, yet though it was blissful, it wasn’t entirely satisfying. Arabella wanted Marcus filling her, wanted him joined to her intimately, wanted him soothing the empty ache his absence had created. Even more, she wanted him feeling the love that shimmered inside her so deeply she thought she might burst with it.

“Marcus, please…take me,” she pleaded finally.

“Are you begging me yet?”

“Yes…whatever you want.”

His husky chuckle rasped in her ear, yet he evidently had had enough torment also, for he gathered Arabella in his arms and slid off the sofa with her. Lowering her to the Aubusson carpet, he laid her back, watching her with hot-bright eyes as he made short work of the front placket of his breeches. Easing over her then, he fitted his body to hers and sank his weight into the cradle of her thighs.

He cherished her mouth with kisses as his hard length slowly filled her. With a sob of pure pleasure, Arabella wrapped her arms tightly around him and drew Marcus close, welcoming his possession. Her chest ached with love for him; all of her senses were heightened by love. When he sank in all the way, the rapture was almost too much to bear. She let her head fall back and her eyelids fall shut.

“No, open your beautiful eyes, angel. I want to watch the expression on your face when you come for me.”

Arabella obeyed, gazing up at Marcus dazedly. She knew he was seeing love and passion in her eyes, for she recognized the same emotions in his. Joy and triumph and sheer sensuality blazed in his face as he surged into her, his movements slow and passionate as he began a rhythm as timeless as man and woman, the rhythm of love.