Chapter Twenty-Four #2
His breath came out on a heavy sigh as he lowered himself onto the wooden seat.
“What is going on, Lord Corbyn?”
His sigh was loud. “I hit my head before coming here, and in fact I probably should have gone home, but I didn’t.” He spoke the words slowly, as if they pained him, and then frowned, as if confused by having said them to her. “I fear it is not getting better, but worse.”
“You should have returned to your townhouse,” Liberty said, wondering what she should do now. What if he became unconscious?
“In my defense, it was not this bad earlier, my lady.”
Liberty looked around her and found the door that led into a small parlor.
Trying the handle, she was relieved when it opened.
Entering, she hurried to the sideboard and found the tray that held a brandy decanter.
Liberty poured some into a glass. Hurrying back out the door, she was relieved to find Tobias still where she’d left him. She sat beside him.
“Sip this.”
“I remember that about you too,” he said, taking it.
“What?”
“The bossiness.”
“I beg your pardon, but I am not bossy.” She leaned closer to study his face, checking his eyes.
Liberty’s father was a widely read man, and he often ordered medical books. In one, she’d read that dilated pupils were not good after a head knock.
“Your pupils have dilated.”
“I like you in your glasses better than without them.” He didn’t sip, but threw back the contents of the glass, then lowered it to the seat beside him.
“I said sip.”
“I’ve never been very good at orders.” He turned to look at her, and then his hands were on her shoulders, and he was tugging her close. So close that their faces were now only inches apart.
“Let me go, Lord Corbyn.”
“Considering the pounding in my skull, you would think I could. But I can’t. Not after that kiss we shared, as I’ve thought of little else.”
This kiss was soft. Just a brush of his lips on hers, and Liberty felt her limbs go weak and tried to fight the urge to lean into that large body.
He made a sound low in his throat and then took the kiss deeper. Clutching handfuls of his jacket, she held on. She wanted to climb into his lap and take everything he gave her in that moment. Liberty swallowed a whimper when he eased back, after brushing a last soft kiss over her lips.
“Don’t kiss me again,” she whispered, getting to her feet and backing away from him. “Please.” The word came out as a plea. “We are not friends.”
“Do you only kiss friends, then?” he asked.
“Don’t toy with me, Lord Corbyn. I am not one of those silly women who falls all over themselves to get your attention. Nor the other sort.”
“Other sort?”
Fiery color heated Liberty’s cheeks. They both knew what other sort she alluded to.
That made him snort, and then wince. “I did not kiss you because I thought you were anything but exactly who you are. The friend I hurt and owe a long overdue apology to.”
The words shocked her. He wanted to apologize. Would he tell her why he’d said what he had that day?
“When did you hit your head?” Liberty said instead of demanding that apology now.
“I went to see that warehouse again you and Helen visited. I thought if I went at night it may be empty. It wasn’t.”
“And you said I shouldn’t have gone there in daylight? Yet you went alone at night?” Her voice had risen, and he winced.
“I beg of you to lower your voice, Liberty.”
“Lady Liberty,” she whispered.
She couldn’t make any sense of this. Tobias was here in her home. Tobias had kissed her again. The man who she had vowed to loathe until she drew her last breath was now looking vulnerable. He wanted to apologize. What did it mean that just looking at him made heat bloom inside her chest?
“I’m sorry that I did not know about your accident, Liberty.” His eyes locked on hers.
“Pardon?”
“Your brother told me about the day you fell from the horse. About how long it took you to recover, which is why you did not enter society with the other debutantes your age. Why you wear your eyeglasses.”
Dear God, Edward, why?
“I just wanted to say how sorry I am that I didn’t know about it.”
“Why now? Why are you talking to me like this now, after all these years? I don’t understand,” Liberty said, going for honesty.
He sighed loudly. “I’m not sure I know how to answer that, Liberty. I’ll just say that things are changing and taking me with them. I’ve seen what I’ve become, and suddenly I don’t like that man very much.”
They stared at each other for a long time, and then she said, “I’ll find one of your friends to help you.”
“I don’t need them. I will leave and return home.” He got to his feet before she could stop him.
“Do not go anywhere alone from now on, Liberty, and don’t investigate what is going on in Bidham further.
I believe whoever is behind this business knows both your and my identities.
Therefore, it is dangerous for you to be anywhere alone.
Until you hear from me, leave the house with company… please.”
She had so many questions, but instead just nodded. He walked away from her then, and this time it was Liberty who fell on the seat and stared out at the night sky.