But she was also English-prime English. The Locksleys were one of the oldest and finest families in England, equal in stature to the Spencers. In fact, their title, like that of the Belmores, dated back to the twelfth century.

He set the pipe down, thinking about her family name. He told himself he had done suitably. He polished off the brandy and remembered her hair. He told himself he had done splendidly. He stood up and thought about her mouth. And he did not tell himself anything. He headed for the connecting door.

"I'm a witch."

No, that wasn't right. Joy locked her hands behind her back and paced the circumference of the small rug near the fireplace, pausing every so often to step over Beezle, who was asleep by the fire.

A pensive moment later she stopped, waving a hand in the air as if she were tossing off a line from Robert Burns. "I have a little secret."

Frowning, she shook her head. That wasn't right either.

More than likely her husband would think being a witch was a little bit bigger than a little secret. Drumming her fingers on the mantel, she stared into the tall mirror above it as if it could give her the answer. After a second or two she tightened the belt on her rose silk dressing gown with a determined tug and stepped back, placing her hands on her hips. She cocked her head and said to the mirror, "Alec, there's something you need to know about me."

She wrinkled her nose at her reflection. Too foreboding.

She spun around and paced some more, thoughtful and ending each stride with a dramatic turn. Finally she stopped in front of a wing chair. Perhaps she should be direct: "Alec, did you know that on a good day I can turn you into a toad?" She sank down into the chair with a defeated sigh, muttering, "That would only work if he had a sense of humor."

Propping her chin on her hand, she hung over the arm of the chair and stared at Beezle. He snored just

as the clock chimed two o'clock. She glanced up, thinking it should only have been about midnight. The delicate brass clock hands began to spin like weathercocks in a gale. "Oh, stop it!" she said, her voice deep with disgust. The mainspring shot through the clock face with a dissonant clunk.The fire suddenly flared up, the flames dancing as if bellowed. A door clicked shut. She turned.Alec stood across the room.She rose from the chair, but neither of them said a word. The fire crackled and snapped in the background.Beezle wheezed.Joy's heart pounded.Alec's jaw tightened.The clock clunked.His gaze left hers, suddenly frowning. "What the devil is happening to all of the clocks in the house?" He crossed the room in three long strides and stood before the fireplace, glaring at the broken clock.

Joy moved back so the wing chair was between them. She gripped the wings tightly and said, "That's

what I wish to talk to you about."

He turned. "The clocks? I didn't come in here to talk about clocks." He stepped toward her.

"Since you brought it up, I just thought-"

"Forget the clocks. This is our wedding night."

"I know, but there is something you should know."

"Take your hair down," he whispered, standing barely two feet away.

"I-".

"I said, take your hair down.""Well, if you really want me to...""Scottish . .."At the sound of that name almost whispered in his deep warlock voice, she pulled the pins from her hair.

He watched her, something akin to pleasure in his dark eyes. The distant thought crossed her mind that if she did as he asked, maybe he'd be more receptive to her confession, when she got up the nerve to spit it out.

Her hair tumbled down her back. It was so heavy that she usually threaded her fingers through it and shook her head to relieve the tingling in her scalp. She reached up, but Alec was there, behind her, and his hands closed over hers.

"Let me." His voice was right above her head and so close she could feel his breath against her hair.

Then she felt his hands running like gentle combs through her hair. He pulled her head back against his shoulder and stared down into her face. His mouth was but a breath away, one wee breath. He kissed her. One hand held her hair while the other reached up to stroke the line of her neck and jaw with touches that were as soft and light as snowflakes. His tongue stroked her lips and she opened them, accepting his kiss with the same overwhelming need and pleasure with which her heart had accepted him as her love.

Some small bit of rationality said, Tell him. Tell him.. ..

But he turned her in his arms, his lips never leaving hers, and her arms slid up around his neck. His mouthmoved slowly to kiss her cheeks, her jaw, then her ear."God, Scottish, how I want you." His hands closed over her behind, and he lifted her against him while his tongue delved into her ear."I need to tell you something," she whispered between hot, wonderful kisses."Tell me anything. Just let me touch you." His hand closed over her breast."I'm a witch."

Chapter 9.

"You can be anything you like as long as you're in bed." His mouth closed over hers and he walked her to the bed, knelt on it with one knee, and lowered her onto the coverlet, his arm still around her lower back so she was arched toward him. His lips left her mouth.

She pushed on his shoulders. "Alec, please... listen to me."

His mouth closed over her breast, pulling at it through the thin silk of her dressing gown.

She moaned, clasping his head to push it away, but she couldn't for the longest time. His free hand moved to her waist, then down her leg to pull up her gown. She felt his warm palm skim the tender inside of her thigh. She gasped and pushed his hand away.

He lifted his head, frowning.

She scrambled out from under him and knelt on the pillows, her breath coming in quick little pants. "I am a witch. A real witch."

His eyes narrowed. Still bent over the bed, his hands flat and pressing into the soft mattress, he did not take his gaze from hers. His eyes were dark and hot, his breath heaving with passion and anger. "This is not the time for games, wife."

"It is not a game," she whispered, her voice a bit choked. "I am truly a real, spell-casting Scottish witch."

"I have no doubt the Scot side of you thinks you are a witch."

"I'm not daft, Alec! It's true!" She could see the disbelief in his eyes. She looked around the room, searching for some way to convince him. Her gaze locked on the broken clock.

Raising one arm, she said, "Watch," and she pointed at the clock: "Spring that's sprung, go back to where you've begun."

The clock clunked, but nothing happened. Alec shook his head and pushed himself off the bed to stand beside it. He rubbed bis hand across his forehead, then looked back at her, his expression kinder, more patient. "Perhaps we should slow down. You are innocent and young. I understand." He began to walk around the bed. "You're frightened, but-"

"I am not frightened! I am a witch!" She slid off the bed and out of his reach, standing defiantly with her chin in the air. Determined and a tad desperate, she used both hands this time: "Please believe my witch's spell. Repair the clock so all's well!"

For one brief second her eyes flashed with hope, then surprise, then pride. She smiled and pointed at the mantel. "There. See?"

One shake of his arrogant head and he gave her a look that said he would humor her, this once. He gave the mantel a quick glance, then turned back... and whipped his head back around so fast that just watching him made her dizzy. He shook his head and eyed the clock again.

After a moment of tense silence he slowly walked to the fireplace, never taking his wary eyes off the clock. He reached out toward it, then hesitated as if it might bite him. His hand tentatively touched the glass of the clock face.

"This was broken before." His palm pressed against the clock face. He turned back to her, his facestunned, puzzled."Now do you believe me?" She crossed her arms over her chest in a perfect imitation of Mrs. Watley."How did you do that?""Witchcraft."

His eyes narrowed and his lips thinned. "There is no such thing.""The MacLean said Englishmen were hardheaded," she muttered, looking around the room for someother way to prove what she said was true. Her gaze locked on the fireplace. "Stand back, please, awayfrom the fire."

He moved over to grip the back of one of the wing chairs, his look perturbed.She raised her hands and flexed her fingers while trying to concentrate. It took a moment."They say all Scots are daft," he said under his breath."I heard that," she said, never taking her eyes off the fire. Then she chanted, "Oh, fire that burns, do what you dare. Spit, sputter, crackle, and flare!"The fire, which had been nothing but a small flame, shot up the chimney, the heat blasting its intense warmth into the room, and into her husband's shocked face. His hair ruffled from the heat blast. Hestepped back, his frowning face flushed, and just stared at the fire.You want proof? she asked silently. I'll give it to you. "Oh, flame that sprout, Go out!" She snapped her fingers and the fire was gone.For the longest time Alec stood there, not moving, not talking, barely breathing."I'm a witch."At this, he looked at her, bewildered. "This is not some sort of fairy tale. Witches do not exist." He sounded as if he were trying to convince himself."I exist.""I am a duke for God's sake." He lowered his voice to an intimidating level. "The one thing I cannot abide is to be made a fool of. This is trickery-some kind of sport I do not find it amusing. You are the duchess of Belmore." He stalked over to the adjoining door and jerked the door open, glaring at her. "I will be back in a few minutes, and I'll expect you to explain your behavior." With that command, he disappeared through the doorway.

Joy sat down on the edge of the bed with a defeated thud, an action that sent her long hair cascading heavily around her. She grabbed a handful of hair and flung it over her shoulder.

This was why witches didn't reveal themselves to mortals, she thought, a pair of angry dark eyes the only image of him she could picture. Somehow she hadn't quite imagined it like this. She sighed, resigned that she had some convincing to do.

He slammed around in the other room. She blanched. Glass tinkled against glass; he was pouring a drink. Then there was silence. Lying back against the pillows, she rubbed her burning eyes, then closed them and waited.

At the sound of the door closing, she sat up, blinking. He held a large glass of amber liquid in his hand. She gave a wee smile. All she got for the effort was a cold stare. He moved with purpose to the wing chairs and leaned against one, crossing one foot over the other as he stood there expectantly. He took a sip of the liquor and tapped one impatient finger against the glass. "Now, wife, explain your magic trick."

" 'Tis not a trick."His eyes narrowed again. "You are lying."With a resigned sigh she slid from the bed, her bare feet padding softly on the floor as she stepped around the bed and moved closer to him. Her gaze moved from his angry face to the other wing chair.She raised her hand and closed her eyes, trying to picture the chair hovering high in the room.After a second of concentration she snapped her fingers. "Up!""Bloody hell!"She opened her eyes and looked up.Both Alec and the chair were five feet off the floor."Oh, my goodness!"He stared down at the floor. "This is not happening.""Yes, it is.""It can't be, dammit!" He glared at her."Yes, it can.""I'm dreaming," he said stubbornly. "Wake me up.""Alec, I am a witch, and you cannot command me not to be."The angry color faded from his face until he was pale with realization. "You're a witch."

She nodded."I am married to a witch," he stated flatly, then looked around him as if he expected the Devil himself tobe hovering at his side. "A witch?" He frowned and rubbed two fingers against his left temple. Heglanced down at the floor, a good five feet below him, and looked back at her. "A witch."

She nodded again.

"You're a witch," he announced to the room. Hovering above the ground, he looked at the glass andpromptly downed the contents in one enormous swallow.

"Yes, I am."He stared at the empty glass for a moment, then down at the floor. He moved his feet, watching themdangle in the air. His suspicious gaze darted left and right. He looked back at the at space between hisfeet and the carpet. He turned back to stare her, back at the floor, then directly at her.

"You believe me?"

"Get me the hell down from here! Now!"

Joy slowly lowered her arms and both the chair and her husband hit the floor, hard. The glass fell from his hand and rolled across the carpet.

"Oh, Alec!" she said, running over to where he was sprawled on the floor, looking very undukelike. "I'm so sorry!"

She reached out to him.

He flinched and scooted back away from her.

"Alec..."

He scrambled to his feet, never taking his wary eyes off hers.

She stepped toward him, reaching out. "Please."

"Get away!"

"I know this comes as a... a surprise, but-"

His look changed from shock to anger. "A surprise?" He spoke the words through clenched teeth.

She bit her lip.

"A surprise?" Now his neck was purple.

She stared down at her clenched hands. He was looking at her with such revulsion that she couldn't bear to see it any longer. It hurt too much, knowing that he considered her a monster. Her throat began to ache."A surprise is when one finds a forgotten crown in one's pocket, wife. Not"-he moved to the fireplaceand waved an angry hand at the clock- "not when one finds out that one's bride is a... a..." He wavedhis hand around some more while he tried to spit out the word.

She closed her eyes tightly and swallowed, but her tears spilled over anyway. "A witch," she whispered.

There was a full, torturous minute of angry silence.

"God Almighty... God Almighty!"

She opened her eyes only to watch all the angry color drain from his face.

"I don't believe this." He looked right through her. "I don't believe this- I married you, in front of witnesses, in a church." He started walking toward the door, trance-like.

Hesitantly she reached out to him-a plea-as he walked by, but he gave her a wide berth and passed without even looking at her. She swallowed hard, then heard him mumble, "The new duchess of Belmore - Belmore- is a bloody witch."

Her throat tight, she swallowed again, her hand against her mouth as if it could keep her from crying aloud. The door clicked open. A second later, it slammed shut.

One deep quivering breath and she turned to stare at the closed door through blurry eyes. When his image finally vanished, little more than one brief memory, she turned slowly, her heart in her throat, and her chest so tight that taking a deep breath was impossible.

Wraithlike she crossed over to the bed and crawled into its center, wounded. Her mind flashed with the picture of his face, stunned, repulsed, angry. She had never told anyone she was a witch. She hadn't expected the revulsion. Tears tightened her throat. She disgusted him. Her own husband. How could someone love a monster?

Her stomach turned, churning until she thought she might be ill with shame. She drew her knees up to her chest and gripped the silk coverlet in her fists, as if it was the only thing in the world she had to hold on to.

Her chest shook with her hurt. Her breath heaved and she couldn't control it any more than she could control the tears that poured from her eyes. The ache escaped her throat in a harsh cry, like that of a bird shot from the sky, drowning out the sudden splatter of raindrops against the window. She twisted the coverlet in her fists, tighter and tighter, until she finally buried her head in the soft cloud of pillows and hid her sobs. Outside, the rain poured down, as if the skies were crying too.

"Wake up. We need to talk."