Marrying for Money Ch. 10

Leanna gave him a weary smile. "Yes, he woke up and spoke to me. He was thinking clearly, he was just tired. I gave him some laudanum, so he can rest."

Steven nodded his approval. "Go get some sleep, I'll stay here with him."

"No, Steven. I don't want to leave him. He might wake up and need me."

Sighing with resignation, Steven shook his head. "I might have known my brother would marry a woman who's just as stubborn as he is." This earned him a wobbly smile from Leanna. "At least rest for a while in that chair," he said, pointing to a comfortable chair in the corner of the bedroom. "I'll sit with Trevor." Seeing that she was wavering, he lifted her up by her elbow. "Let me be the watchman for a while. You'll be right here, so you'll know if he wakes up."

Leanna sighed, so tired she could barely stand up. "Alright," she mumbled. She settled into the chair while Steven brought over an ottoman for her feet and spread a blanket over her. She was asleep within moments, exhausted from the stress of the events and the lateness of the hour. It seemed like only a few moments passed before she woke up, but when she opened her eyes, she could see the faint streaks of a pink sunrise.

Leanna crept to the bed. Steven was sitting on the foot of the bed leaning against the post, his legs stretched out toward his older brother, and he was sound asleep.

"Hmmph," Leanna muttered to herself. "Some watchman you are!" But she was smiling softly at the sight of the two brothers looking so much alike, both sleeping, both so handsome, both with the dark, bristling growth of a beard starting along their stubborn jaws.

Leanna's smile abruptly faded when she started to note the differences though. Where Steven looked so vital and strong, Trevor's face was drawn and tired. Steven's features were relaxed, but Trevor's brow was marred by a frown, as if he were in pain. While Steven was breathing deeply in his sleep, Trevor's breath was shallow, almost labored.

Leanna swallowed a lump in her throat as she looked down at her sleeping husband, looking so frail and vulnerable in the huge bed. He seemed like just a faint shadow of himself, as if the life force had already begun to seep out of him. She blinked back tears of frustration and fear. She couldn't lose him, not now! Leanna had never felt so helpless in her life. All she could do was wait, impotent and fretful, praying that death would overlook her beloved. Surely her husband, normally so vital and alive, wouldn't have the life ripped from him so abruptly. Could Fate really be that cruel, she wondered?

"Please God, no," Leanna whispered weakly, her voice barely audible as tears trickled down her cheeks. "Please help him. I love him so. I need him so."

She sighed, realizing that praying might be the only thing she could do for her husband at that moment. She sat on the edge of the bed beside him, her eyes adoringly tracing his beautiful features. At least he had some color back in his face she thought, reaching out to gently move a lock of his black hair off his forehead. When her fingers touched his brow, she gasped.

The small sound brought Steven out of his light sleep, and he blinked several times. "What's the matter?" he croaked. He leaned forward in concern, "Is he alright?"

Leanna bit her bottom lip between her teeth. Her voice was shaky when she answered, "I don't know. He feels hot."

In an instant, Steven was sitting on the opposite side of the bed, frowning as he felt of his brother's face, arms and neck. "My God, he's burning up with fever." He looked at Leanna sheepishly from under his brows. "Good that you woke up when you did, he needs to be cooled off."

Leanna didn't have any experience with nursing the sick, but she was determined to do anything possible to help her husband. It was almost a relief to be given some activity that might help Trevor, rather than just sitting around waiting to see what would happen. She squared her shoulders and looked at Steven, stubborn resolve etched on her features.

"Steven, tell me what I can do to help him?"

************

Trevor's mind drifted through a sea of images, most of them centered on Leanna. He saw her doing all the mundane things he had come to acquaint with their everyday lives. She was sitting on the low stool in their bedroom, brushing her long fiery hair until it shone in the candlelight. She was perched atop her grey mare, looking down at him with her pert riding cap set at a jaunty angle on her head. Leanna was smiling at him along the gleaming length of the dining table, nibbling daintily on her food. She was holding little Will, bouncing him in her arms while she cooed into his tiny ear, making him giggle.

Some of the images were fleeting and indistinct, like a scent he would catch on the wind, but couldn't fully identify. Others were so clear and real that Trevor reached out to touch his wife, only to find his hand groping in thin air. At first, it occurred to him that he was dreaming, and he smiled faintly, settling in to enjoy his fantasies. But then, he woke up. He was sure of it. He was in his own bed, and his lovely Leanna was beside him, sleeping peacefully. He could see her lovely hair spread on the stark white pillowcase, and one delicate hand lay palm up near her cheek. He started to reach for her, but a shooting pain went through his shoulder, causing him to groan in agony as the illusion disappeared.

But then Leanna was there, leaning over him to wipe his forehead with a cold cloth. "Shh, my love," she soothed. "Don't try to move, just lie still."

Trevor gave her a lopsided grin, wondering why he was too weak to pull her down to him. "Come here, sweetheart. I want you."

Leanna blushed and looked over at Steven before her eyes returned to Trevor's face. "Not now, my love." She continued to wipe his brow. "You have to get better first."

Trevor frowned, noticing Steven for the first time. He tried to wave Steven toward the door, but his hand only flopped on the coverlet, causing him to frown even harder.

"Get out, little brother. Can't you see when a man wants to be alone with his wife," he muttered irritably.

Steven grinned but otherwise ignored him, and Trevor closed his eyes against the light from the nearby candles that seemed to be burning much too brightly. Trevor frowned again as he felt Leanna once again wiping his brown with that damned cloth. He pushed feebly at her arm, but she kept wiping, each stroke increasing his annoyance.

Leanna finally consented to stop wiping his brow, and he sighed with relief. She bent over him once more, lifting his head, and he inwardly smirked, realizing she was finally going to kiss him. It was about time! He opened his lips to capture her luscious mouth, but Leanna placed a cup against his bottom lip. His frustration was supreme, and he growled as he turned his head away spilling some of the cup's contents on the sheet. Why was no one listening to him?

"Please darling," she crooned softly, "please drink some of this."

Leanna brought the cup to his lips once more, cradling his head against her arm and bosom. Trevor groaned in frustration but consented to drink a few tiny sips.

"Good darling. Just a few more sips."

She continued to coax him as his annoyance continued to build. Why was she treating him like a child? Each time he opened his mouth to say something, she poured more tea down his throat.

"Enough!" he grumbled, turning his face away.

Leanna started wiping his brow again with that infernal cloth. It was so cold it caused him to shiver. Why was she being so cruel to him, he wondered?

"Leave me be," he groaned, pushing feebly at her arm and trying to roll away from her until the fiery pain lanced through his shoulder again.

Leanna wouldn't listen to him. "I know darling. I know you don't like this, but it will help you get better. Just lie still."

All the time, the wiping continued, across his brow, then down his arms and chest, and everywhere she touched him, he felt cold and shivery.

"Stop it," Trevor groaned, trying to blot out the cold by focusing on the images swimming in his mind.

He imagined that instead of wiping him with that despicable cloth, his wife was caressing him with her soft hands. He smiled faintly to himself as he remembered times when she had touched him during their lovemaking. Yes, just like she was doing now, her hands traced his legs from hip to ankle, his arms, his chest and torso. In his mind's eye, Leanna bent over him, trailing hot, wet kisses over his entire body.

But suddenly the kisses became cold and clammy, chilling his skin. He looked up to find that it was Eliza bent over him, sneering at him through narrowed eyes as she tortured him with that hated cloth! Of course it had to be her, only she could be so cruel.

"No! Get away from me," he roared with surprising strength.

He grabbed her by the arms and tried to push her off him, but once again, the fiery throbbing in his shoulder defeated him. He collapsed back on the bed, groaning with pain and useless rage.

Eliza renewed her torture with that loathsome cloth, wiping his face, then his chest and arms. He had to get out of this bed. He had to get away from Eliza! He tried to rise up, but Steven was there, holding him down on the pillow.

"Steven, why are you helping her?" he groaned. "I have to get away from her!" Trevor struggled weakly, shutting his eyes once more against the bright light from the candles. "Where's Leanna?" he moaned in despair. "I want Leanna." He pushed at Eliza's hands, but she wouldn't leave him alone.

On and on the torture went, until Trevor felt he would go crazy. Sometimes it was Eliza, sometimes Steven who was constantly wiping him with that detestable cloth. Sometimes Leanna would appear to pour more tea down his throat. But no one listened to him, whether he was pleading or yelling. No matter how he tried to reason with them, they kept up with that incessant torture until Trevor finally gave up and lapsed into an exhausted sleep.

Finally Leanna was there with him. They were sitting on a blanket under a tree, with wildflowers waving in the bright sun all around them. Trevor was lying on his back while Leanna leaned over him, feeding him tidbits from their picnic. He sighed with delight.

Suddenly, Leanna looked over her shoulder. She smiled down at him once more, but then she rose and went running into the nearby woods, occasionally pausing to look back over her shoulder at him and laughing before turning away again. He began to chase her, but no matter how fast he ran, she kept getting further ahead of him. The woods were getting denser and more overgrown, and the thick trees began to blot out the sunlight. He stopped, looking around to realize that he had lost sight of Leanna. His heart raced with panic. Where had she gone? He had to find her! He couldn't bear to lose her again!

He heard her musical laughter from somewhere in the shadowed forest, and he called to her. "Leanna! Leanna, where are you?" he cried, his voice sounding desperate.

"I'm here," she whispered soothingly, but he couldn't see her. "I'm here, darling," she said again.

He whirled and finally saw her. She was standing only a few feet away, but she had her arms around Neville, and she was smirking at Trevor.

"Tell me what you want?" she whispered, but Trevor was certain that she intended the words for Neville.

Neville grinned down at her. "I want you, of course." Neville cupped her buttocks in his hands and started to knead them provocatively while he looked at Trevor. Neville threw back his head and laughed, and then Leanna started to laugh with him, both of them looking at Trevor, their faces contorted into taunting sneers.

Trevor started toward them, but he couldn't move. He looked down and saw that strong vines had grown and gotten tangled around his arms and legs. He struggled against them, but the more he thrashed around, the more tangled the vines became until he couldn't move at all.

He looked back toward Leanna and Neville and saw that Leanna was dressed in a long flowing nightgown, and he realized it was the gown she had worn on their wedding day. Neville had begun to unfasten the garment, but then he paused and looked at Leanna. "What do you want? Tell me," he asked.

Leanna reached up to pull Neville's head down to hers, and she kissed him lingeringly on the lips. "I want you," she whispered, reaching to bring his hand to her breast. "I want you inside me."

Neville looked over her shoulder at Trevor and sneered. "See? She wants me!" He unfastened her gown and let it drop at her feet as he cupped her gleaming breasts. "She wants me," he said again before reaching to suckle Leanna's breast.

"No," Trevor moaned. "Leanna, don't do this! I love you. I need you." His voice had become a hoarse sob.

Leanna ignored his pleas as her head dropped back in surrender as she arched in Neville's arms, offering her breasts up for his mouth to plunder. She moaned and writhed, clearly enjoying what he was doing to her. When Neville finally raised his head, she smiled up at him before dropping onto the ground and spreading her thighs wide open for him.

"Take me Neville. Please take me now."

Neville knelt between her legs, caressing her exposed pussy as he unbuttoned his pants. He stroked his enormous cock to full erection and then drove into Leanna, pounding her with deep thrusts as she wrapped her legs around his waist and moaned her pleasure. Neville clasped her nipples with both hands and twisted them cruelly.

"Moan for me, Leanna. Be my little whore," Neville coaxed.

Leanna was quick to comply, arching her back to press her breasts more fully into his hands as she moaned. They clutched and strained as their bodies pounded into one another, and they finally came together. Neville grunted as he emptied himself inside her, and Trevor could see Leanna's thighs clenching to keep him buried in her pussy.

When their orgasms had faded, Neville stood up and lifted Leanna onto her knees before him. Without him having to prompt her, she took his slackened cock into her mouth and licked it clean. She obviously enjoyed what she was doing, as she moaned with delight. Neville gripped her head and used her mouth, thrusting deep down her throat before depositing another load of his seed, which she sucked down eagerly.

"No," Trevor released a tortured groan, closing his eyes against the sight. "Don't leave me, Leanna! Don't leave me again." He struggled with the vines until he collapsed panting on the ground. Suddenly, it was dark, and the air became chilled. Trevor huddled against the base of a large tree, shivering with cold. He sobbed in despair, groping at the vines that still clung to his arms. He had to get loose somehow. He was so cold, so very cold and alone.

"Leanna," he whispered forlornly, "I need you." The darkness began to enfold him, and he sighed with exhaustion, too tired to fight anymore. He welcomed the oblivion to blot out the pain.

***********

Trevor opened his eyes just enough to see bright sunlight streaming in through the bedroom windows. He blinked several times to clear the cobwebs from his mind, gradually letting his eyes adjust to the brightness. Looking around the room, he saw Steven sleeping in a nearby chair, his jaw dark from several days' worth of beard growth, his shirt only half tucked in his trousers. Trevor frowned. It wasn't like Steven to be so unkempt.

Trevor heard a small sigh and looked down to see Leanna. She was sitting on a chair beside the bed, and she had fallen asleep with her upper body bent over the bed. She held one of his hands in both her own and had it clasped to her breast as if she were afraid to let it go.

For some reason, Trevor was exhausted. He felt like he had been performing hard manual labor, and his muscles were strained and sore. He experimentally stretched his legs and groaned at the stiffness in his limbs. At the sound of Trevor's voice, Leanna instantly woke up and quickly searched his face, worry etched on her beautiful features.

"Please lie still, darling, or you'll hurt your shoulder" she whispered, as she anxiously felt his brow with her palm. His skin was cool and dry to the touch, and his gaze was clear rather than dazed and feverish. Leanna gave a weak, relieved laugh. "Thank God," she breathed. "I think your fever is finally gone."

Trevor traced her features with his eyes. Leanna's hair hung in limp tangles around her shoulders, her cheeks were pale, and there were dark, bluish circles under her eyes. She didn't look well at all. Trevor frowned and tried to speak, but his voice came out as a rasping croak. Leanna quickly reached for a cup of tea on the bedside table and held his head in her arm while he took several deep gulps. He relaxed back onto the pillow and gave a long sigh before opening his eyes once more.

"Fever?" he asked, seeing his wife nod. "How long have I been sick?"

"Three days," Leanna whispered. "I thought we might lose you." She released a shaky laugh of relief. "Steven tried to tell me you were much too stubborn to give up so easily."

"He's right," Trevor murmured, giving her a rueful grin. "Especially when I thought you had run off with Neville again." He tried to sound flippant, but Leanna could see the pain in the depths of his beautiful eyes.

She leaned close and brushed the hair back from his forehead. "My darling, I'm not going anywhere," she stated with quiet finality. "There's nothing and no one that could take me away from you."

Steven startled them both when he chuckled softly and rose from the chair to come stand beside the bed. He looked down at Trevor, and his eyes were shining with relief.

"She's not kidding, big brother. We all tried to get her to leave you so she could get some rest, but she wouldn't hear of it. She's been right here, fussing over you for the past three days. Even when you tried to kick her out a few times, she refused to leave."

Trevor looked back at his wife in wonder. "So you were here...all the time. I was trying to find you, but you always seemed to be just beyond my reach."

Leanna smiled down at him, tears of joy swimming in her eyes. "I know, darling. I was trying to reach you too, but I don't think you could hear me through your delirium." She laughed a little shakily. "You kept yelling at Steven and me, trying to make us leave you alone."

Trevor groaned and put a hand over his eyes. "Now I remember," he moaned. "You were the ones who were torturing me with that infernal cloth! I never want to be bathed by anyone again!"

Leanna and Steven both laughed, seeing that Trevor was going to be alright. Steven walked toward the door. "I'm going to see about getting you something to eat," he said.

Leanna turned back to face Trevor and found him staring up at her with such intense longing, it caused her breath to catch in her throat. "I love you, Leanna." He whispered the words as he squeezed her hand. "Thank God your brother isn't a very good poker player." Leanna looked bemused before Trevor went on to explain. "If he had won when he played against me, you and I would never have met."

Leanna shook her head and smiled. "No, Fate would have found some other way to bring us together. Remember? You said yourself, we were destined to meet." She lifted his hand to her lips and kissed it, her eyes shining at him over his knuckles. "We're two halves of the same heart my love, and we would have had no choice but to find each other."

She stretched out beside him on the bed, putting her head against his uninjured shoulder. Her arm and hand lay on his chest, and she felt immensely comforted by the steady beat of his heart beneath her palm.

Within moments, her steady breathing told Trevor that she had fallen asleep, snuggled against him in the bed. He smiled and turned his head to breathe the heady fragrance from her hair. With his good arm, he managed to grasp the edge of the quilt without disturbing his sleeping wife. He flipped it over her, pulling it up around her shoulders, as she sighed softly and snuggled deeper into its warmth.