Beauty--Remastered Ch. 07

She drew further away, the need in his voice startling her. "What do you mean?"

"Please. If you want to leave today, you can. The terms of the deal will still apply, and you'll get everything I promised. Just, let me, please, touch you." His voice was raw with emotion, aching with longing. "I want to see you."

Scarlet stared at him for a long time. The needy way he was talking stirred something in her, brought out that same delicious hunger in her that he seemed to be feeling. His request to 'see' her made her want to lean into his caress and let him continue what he'd been doing when she opened her eyes. But she was still so...mad with him.

"Okay," she gave in, and returned to her spot beside him.

He smiled shyly, his dark eyes lighting up, and pushed her gently to lie on her back. His hands returned to her body, starting with the crown of her head. Scarlet sighed, instantly relaxing against the pillows. She couldn't think about anything when he was touching her, let alone pushing him away, or being mad. All she knew was she wanted him to continue.

She shivered slightly when he ghosted his fingers over her collarbone. When he traced each of her hands with his, she trembled. By the time he reached her waist, she was shaking so hard he could feel it. He stopped and was still beside her.

"Are you alright?"

"Mmhmm," she mumbled back.

"Why are you shaking? I'm not going to hurt you, Scarlet."

"I know."

"Then what's really wrong?"

"I...I don't know!" She almost wailed it, and bit her lip to keep the rest of the sobs contained. This breakdown was silly and sudden and pointless, and she wasn't liking it at all.

Donovan's sightless eyes rested on her for a long time, and then he sighed and lay back down. The inches of bed between them cooled quickly, and she missed his heat.

"I know I promised to let you go, if you want..." he started, and paused for a minute. "But, please, stay with me, Scarlet."

She didn't say anything for a long while. "Did you know me, before? Is that why you agreed to take me?"

"I didn't 'agree to take you.' I agreed to marry you. And I knew who you were, before."

"When did you see me? Those pictures –" Scarlet felt him tense, and she paused for a second. "Don't be mad about that. For one thing, it's in the past. For another, you did something far worse than I did."

"I'm not mad. It's just...that was my space, Scarlet. I asked you not to go there."

"Ordered, actually."

He wasn't annoyed when she corrected him. It just meant she was coming back, returning to that petulant, difficult Scarlet he knew and loved. He froze at the 'l' word echoing through his mind. He'd known the way he felt for her was stronger than like, much stronger. In fact, he'd refused to acknowledge 'love' the first time it jumped out at him when she stumbled over him in the woods. He'd felt it long before then, but he didn't have a word for it. Now, what would he do if she left him? His world, his life, would be through. He wouldn't kill himself, no, but there would be an emptiness for the rest of his life that he didn't know she'd filled until it was too late.

"Donovan? The pictures? They're beautiful." Her voice was soft, and drew him out of his increasingly panicked thoughts. "They're not perfect, with the perspectives and scale, and a few shades, but...what you did – what you do, are masterpieces that seeing artist could only wish to create.

"And that's why I asked if you knew me," she continued, sitting up. "Some of those pictures were from when I was just a child, fourteen at best. You even had one of the shirts I used to own. You saw me in it, didn't you?"

"Yes. You were shopping with your mother. I don't think you ever saw me."

She smiled softly. "You remembered me from a chance encounter at a mall?"

He appeared to blush. "You smiled at a little boy who spilled a whole chocolate ice cream cone on you, and bought him a new one. The whole day, you hadn't smiled once, and you looked like you didn't want to be there, but that little boy seemed to change everything for you, even if just for a few minutes."

"You're very observant," was her reply. She laid back down, and after a while, scooted a little closer to him. When he turned to her, she shrugged self-consciously. "The room is cold."

Donovan hid a grin as best he could and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tightly against his chest. She tensed for a moment, and then laid her head against the warm skin of his chest.. He sighed deeply, tremendously happy. Maybe she would stay with him. Her embrace made him believe so.

"I can hear your heart beating," she whispered. Her breath whooshed across his skin, giving him goosebumps.

"Scarlet, will you...can you ever forgive me?"

She didn't answer for so long, he started to release her, sighing with resignation. "I'll stay."

***

"Milady, it's good to see you this morning." Abner smiled at her as she and Donovan sat down at the dining room table. "How is your foot?"

"Much better, thank you, Abner." She smiled at him, her grin wan and not quite meeting her eyes. Abner puzzled over the change that had so suddenly come over his mistress in the past two weeks.

"And your ankle, my lord?"

"It's fine," Donovan said shortly, turning to 'stare' at his wife. She looked at him and blushed, looking away again quickly. Abner chuckled as he left the room. Whatever it was that had changed her, it in no way affected the way she reacted to the Master. "Scarlet..." Donovan didn't know what he wanted to say to her. He looked away, down at his plate.

"Will you take a walk with me today?" She asked softly.

Donovan's head jerked up. It had been twelve days since the night he'd told her the truth. She hadn't been close to him, hadn't asked to spend time with him, had hardly even argued when he tried, albeit halfheartedly, to give her daily orders. It had scared him more and more as the days passed and her departure seemed eminent. When he asked to touch her, or spend time with her – and now he always did ask – she had let him, but without a word or touch showing she actually wanted him to. He was beginning to think he would prefer it if she refused him, instead of quietly and indifferently acquiescing every single time.

She was still bright and happy with Abner, and by no means was she cold to Donovan, but there was something missing, something keeping her from being the Scarlet she'd been before she knew. Donovan had tried everything, from being the gruff Lord Alford she couldn't resist clashing with, to the sweet, doting husband Donovan he'd become. Nothing brought her back.

She was constantly in deep thought, and more often than not, he had to repeat anything he said to her. Their getting to know each other had stopped at that night. Her replies to any questions he asked were short and to the point, and final. She went stiff every time he touched her; not intentionally, he was sure, but it hurt all the same. In fact, she'd taken two whole days to stop pulling away when he even came near her.

And the bedroom was a puzzle. She hadn't asked for a different room, neither had she asked him to take one. He would have, just to please her.

Instead, she went to bed with him, lay right next to him all night, and woke up with him in the morning. But, besides a quiet 'good night' and 'good morning,' he might as well have been in another room. When he pulled her into his arms as she slept, she stayed there, even relaxed into him; but once she was aware, she pulled away and returned fixedly to her spot on the mattress, leaving a gaping space between them, physically and emotionally.

Three days into their new relationship, and he had been dying inside. A week, and he wasn't sleeping. Now, he was running solely on the fact that he could be near her now.

In two days' time, she might leave him for good, taking his heart with her; and despite his sureness that she *would* leave, he was determined to keep a stiff upper lip and let her go. It was what he deserved.

"I know you'll probably be busy, p-painting and working and all, and...but it should be a nice day today. We could just sit outside, if that would be better. And Abner's roses are absolutely gorgeous, and–" It was the most he'd heard her speak in nearly two weeks, and it made his heart sing. It was only a walk outside, but maybe, just maybe...

"I'd love to." He reached for her hand, and, surprisingly, she gave it to him.

He held it for a long moment, his eyes resting on her. She wished he wasn't blind, so she could see him really seeing her, see him drinking in the sight of her, his dark green eyes caressing all over her skin, instead of sliding over her and sometimes – though rarely – leaving her body entirely.

"Eat," he murmured, releasing her, with both his eyes and hand. They both silently mourned the loss of contact. Even though he tried to touch her several times a day, this felt like the first real touch they'd shared in so long. It hadn't been enough. Donovan wanted to reach for her again, and never let go. Scarlet wanted to beg him to carry her upstairs, to their bed, and make slow sweet contact with her. Not even sex, just touching like he did the morning after.

She looked down at her plate, really noticing it for the first time, and, as she reached for her fork, her stomach rolled unexpectedly. She turned away quickly, breathing shallowly through her mouth, trying to move past the nausea.

"Are you alright?" He seemed to know that she was feeling sick.

"Yes," Stomach pains quelled, she faced her plate again. This time, the fork made it to her mouth before the quivers started again. She set it down quickly and covered her mouth.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes-no!" She stumbled out of her seat and hurried to the bathroom.

***

"How is your stomach?" Donovan asked worriedly, helping Scarlet down the front stairs and out to the lawn. "Maybe it was something you ate? How long have you been feeling sick?"

"Donovan, I'm fine. It was a one-time thing."

"Are you sure? Maybe you should be in bed." He felt her forehead and she pushed his hand away with a frustrated sigh.

"If you'd just–" To her surprise, he swooped down and lifted her into his arms. "What are you doing?" She was unused to him touching her without her permission.

"Let's sit down." He carefully carried her to a shady spot under a tall tree. "Is this okay?"

"Yes, it's perfect." Scarlet leaned on his shoulder.

They sat quietly for a long time. Her stomach had settled, though she still felt the occasional roll course through her. She'd been very sick, for a few minutes, and when it ended, she felt mostly fine. She couldn't explain it; it couldn't be something she'd eaten, because Donovan had eaten the exact same things she did. She didn't feel feverish, or exhausted, just the uncomfortable quiver in her stomach that reminded her that she had, in fact, been very ill not too long ago.

"Scarlet?" Donovan kissed her forehead, but she didn't answer. She'd fallen asleep, without either of them realizing it. He chuckled and adjusted her position so she was laying across his lap. While she slept, he relearned her face, touching and caressing every bit of her that he could reach without disturbing her.

Before he realized it, his hands had wandered down to the neckline of her dress. He felt her chest rising and falling, and slid lower slowly, to just rest his hands on her breasts. He didn't cup them, or feel for her nipples, like his libido wanted to; he just rested his hands on them. They were so full and soft and –

"You're taking liberties, husband." She muttered drowsily. He froze for an instant, and then jerked his hand away guiltily. She giggled softly and stretched. "If you want to feel me up, next time, just ask."

"Will you let me?"

She looked up at him. His face and the tips of his ears were pink with embarrassment. "We'll see."

"Shall we go in? You'll get sunburned if you stay out much longer."

She allowed him to help her to stand, but refused his offer to carry her. His face fell, and she smiled and took his arm. That perked him up a bit more, and they walked back to the house in the most comfortable silence they'd shared in just about two weeks.

***

"Milady, is there anything I can help you with?" Abner poked his head into the library on the bottom floor, where Donovan had left her.

"No, thank you, Abner." She stood on her tiptoes to reach for a book, but went back down to her feet again. "Abner? May I ask you something?"

"Anything, milady." He came further into the room.

The question had been bothering her for days, and now that it was close to the time when she would decide if she left or stayed, she needed to know. "Did you know why I married Donovan?"

He squirmed under her direct gaze. She was just like his wife sometimes. That woman could make a saint confess with one look of her eyes. "Yes, milady."

"Oh." She sounded tired suddenly, and turned away again. "You can go."

"Milady, if I may?" He came close enough to take her hands. She let him, but didn't raise her face.

"Lord Alford was very lonely before you came. Lonely, and...excuse my language, milady, a complete bastard. I know he is my employer, but I would like to speak plainly. Before you, he was hard, uncaring, depressed. And, after you came – even just the next day, I could see what a difference you brought out in him. You've changed him from the proverbial beast into the man you've come to love." She stopped smiling when he said that word and slowly pulled her hands away. "Don't bother trying to deny it. I know that look in the eyes. I know those smiles. I've felt that before. And you didn't demand to leave, once you found out. You're still with him, and happier than ever, it seems. Love is the only thing that could keep you here, when given a chance to leave."

"Please, stop." She said quietly.

He sighed and walked away. Before he got through the door, he paused and turned back to her. "For what it's worth, milady, I think it's a good thing he got you the way he did. It's good for both of you."

Scarlet stood, frozen in the middle of the library, her mind tossing around the idea of loving Donovan. It was crazy, but it might have been true. She was very attracted to him, she knew. And she felt things for him she hadn't ever expected to feel. So, she might love him.

There *was* something there that wasn't there before.

If she had known that Donovan had gone over the same things in his mind every second since his own epiphany, she would have run up to his rooms and kissed him senseless.

Shaking off the thoughts for the moment, she climbed onto a chair to reach the book she'd been struggling to get before Abner had come in. It was still a few inches too high, and she rose up on the tips of her toes, steadying herself with her hand on a lower shelf.

"Scarlet, are you in here?" Donovan's voice seemed suddenly loud in the silent room, as her fingers closed around the heavy tome.

She jumped and lost her balance, grasping for the shelves as she tried to right herself. Her fingers slid from the shelving and she tipped backwards.

Donovan heard a sudden scream and a loud thump, before a terrible silence met his alert ears. "S-Scarlet?"

He stumbled into the room, his fear making him clumsy. Still, he reached the spot where she was sprawled out on the ground quickly and scooped her up. He almost tripped over the couch he was trying to set her on. Once she was settled, he fussed over her, adjusting the cushions, rearranging her, doing a quick check with his hands to make sure she wasn't obviously hurt, just making sure she was comfortable when she woke up. But that didn't happen.

"Wake up, baby," He kissed her forehead. His heart stopped and he felt her head, checking for bumps or cuts. There was just a small lump from where she'd hit her head as she fell. But she just wouldn't wake up and he was starting to panic.

"Milady, I wanted to apolo–" Abner stopped and stared at his master, who was bent over his young wife on the couch. "Sir? Is something wrong?"

"Call a doctor, Abner. She fell, and she's not waking up." His voice was tight and pitched higher than normal. "Abner, look at her. Is she bleeding? Is anything broken? Bruised? I can't see her."

"Sir, calm down." Abner nudged him aside gently and leaned over to examine her. She just seemed asleep. "She looks fine, besides that bump. Stay with her, and I'll call Doctor Cromwell." Donovan nearly shoved him out of the way when he sat down next to his unconscious wife. Abner used the phone near the door. It had been programmed to only go through a select few numbers, the first of which was Donovan's physician. He got the doctor on the first ring and quickly explained what happened. "The doctor will be here shortly, sir."

Donovan didn't seem to hear him. He kept fussing over Scarlet, who was deathly still and pale. Abner was hesitant to tell his master that; the poor boy was panicked enough without that. He kept feeling for her pulse and gently shaking her. She didn't respond though.

"I'm going to take her up to bed. Send the doctor up as soon as he gets here." Donovan didn't wait for an answer, only scooped his wife up and whisked her off to their bedroom. She stirred and opened her eyes once she was tucked safely in bed.

"Donovan? What's wrong?"

"Don't get up." He was by her side in an instant, pushing her back gently and pulling the covers up to her chin. "The doctor's on his way. You fell and you've been unconscious for a while. How do you feel?"

"Well, my head hurts, but I'm fine." She studied him; he looked terrible. "How are *you*?"

"I was worried."

"Aww," she sat up against his orders and took his hand. "Donovan, I'm sorry for the past two weeks. I've been awful to you, after you've given me so much. It's just...knowing what I know now...I had to wrap my head around it. And I'm sorry I've taken so long, but I was hurt that you kept it from me."

"I deserve worse," He murmured, lowering his head. "Let's not talk about this, now."

"But I–"

"Leave it alone, Scarlet." He kissed her hands and pushed her back down in bed again. He stood and went to the door. "Now, be quiet, and be still till the doctor comes to see you."

"There's the bossy Donovan I know and love," she joked.

They both froze at that word. Donovan's heart had leapt when she said it – there was something *real* about it, as if she'd meant it as more than just a joke. Scarlet's had stopped – she'd meant it; but she hadn't meant to say it.

He turned to her, and she looked away. He sat down beside her again.

"Scarlet..." He leaned forward and kissed her hesitantly. She was very still and didn't respond. "Scarlet, do you? I–"

"Sir, the doctor is here." Abner led a little old man into the room. "Oh, good, you're awake, milady."

Donovan pulled away and stood. "I will wait outside."

"Donovan..." Scarlet reached for him, but he stalked out without a word.

***

His heart hadn't slowed much since Scarlet had used that word. He had been so close to saying it back, but the doctor had come in. It may have been a slip, but she surely meant it. Otherwise it wouldn't have come out, right? It was torture not knowing, or having a chance to tell her exactly how he felt. But the second he saw her again, he would.

But the examination was taking much too long, and it worried him.

Donovan surged to his feet when the doctor opened the door. "How is she, Doctor?"

"She is just fine. That bump on her head will go away soon. She may be concussed, so I want you and Abner to keep an eye on her overnight. She just needs some rest. I'm certain your child is well, as well."

Donovan jerked. "What child?"

"The child your wife is carrying." Dr. Cromwell looked at Donovan curiously. "What is wrong, my lord? You weren't aware?"