Chapter Twenty-Six
Phin waited until her body had completely softened and her breath had lengthened into the even rhythm of a deep slumber.
Though terribly tempted to remain with her in the warmth and lush comfort of her bed, he forced himself to rise and dress.
After pulling the blankets up to her chin and smiling at the soft sigh she exhaled as she burrowed further into the covers, he returned to the sitting room and the sofa.
He stretched out as best he could, pulling the blanket that smelled of her over him, but he had no intention of sleeping.
He wouldn’t have been a very good guard if he had. And gratefully, thoughts of the last hour kept his mind sufficiently active to prevent any drifting off.
For some reason, despite the deep and wonderful pleasure he’d just experienced, the moment that kept repeating in his mind was the expression that crossed her lovely face when he’d declared himself unfit for marriage.
For a second, he’d almost taken the words back.
He had been called to a life of adventure as a young lad and the craving for travel and the need to experience new sights and sounds and fill his senses with unknown experiences ran thick in his blood. No woman alive would be content with the kind of husband he would be.
And he had absolutely no intention of being such an absent father to any children he might have.
He’d decided long ago that he should avoid such a tragedy altogether.
But if ever there was a woman to tempt him into a life he’d never thought to want, it was Eleanor. If he knew she’d be waiting for him upon his return, he’d not stay away from home for so long.
As soon as he had the thought, something tightened inside him.
No.
She’d come to hate him. Or resent him bitterly at the very least.
The mental image of her standing in the doorway with her arms open and a smile of welcome widening her rose-tinted lips shifted abruptly into one where her arms were crossed over her chest and her dark eyes stared at him with cool accusation.
Better to frame his time with her as a brief but passionate exploration. A momentary adventure heightened by the circumstances which had drawn them together.
Another spear of discomfort stabbed through him.
That was the other thing about his life.
It was often dangerous. He already regretted dragging her into this mess with Barnaby. And he’d do everything in his power and ability to keep her safe. But he could not willfully link her life to his when his existence so frequently landed him in dire and reckless situations.
Rising from the sofa with a burst of internal unrest, he walked to the window and scanned the darkness outside.
Because he was looking for them, he saw one of his men back at his post, discretely watching the house from a short distance.
No doubt the others had also returned to their task.
Iago would ensure the intruder remained properly contained back at Waring House.
It bothered him how easily the man had managed to slip past the very well-trained guards.
If it happened once, it could happen again, though he suspected his men would be far more alert going forward.
He couldn’t allow such a threat to reach Eleanor again.
If he had his way, he’d remain within arm’s reach of her until this whole thing was over.
That, or send her off to a fortress or a convent where no one could reach her.
But he’d already agreed to let her accompany him for the interrogation.
It sparked concern for her safety, but he would not break his word.
She had a right to know the intentions of the man who would’ve attacked her at her own home.
He trusted Iago to ensure the man would present no threat during the questioning.
He only hoped he’d get the answers he needed to bring this situation to an end.
After staring out the window for longer than necessary, he strode silently back to the lady’s bedroom. He’d left the connecting door open to more quickly respond to any indication that she might need him.
He heard her soft breathing as he crossed to her bed.
She lay on her side, with her body gently curved in a restful pose. Her dark hair had loosened from her braid during their lovemaking and was spread across her pillows. Her hands were folded beneath her cheek, her dusky lips were gently parted, and her lashes were sooty half-moons.
She looked heart-stoppingly lovely.
A fairytale princess. The fairest of them all.
Lowering his chin, he allowed a smirk of amusement to curl his lips.
She’d hate it if she knew he was thinking such a thing.
He left her to her peaceful slumber. After stirring the coals back to a soft glow in the sitting room hearth, he reclined again on the sofa. His mind swirling with thoughts of legendary necklaces, bridal massacres, Barnaby’s warnings, and men who moved far too easily through the shadows of night.
And—though he tried desperately not to—he often found himself lost in the visceral memories of warm, golden skin beneath his lips, long limbs pulling him close, rounded hips filling his hands, and dusky nipples peaked upon the most perfect breasts he’d ever seen in his life.
*
Eleanor woke with a start as her maid made her way through her room, humming a soft tune as she tended the fire then opened the drapes.
It took her a moment to understand why she was suddenly so alarmed.
Phin!
Her sleepy gaze widened and darted toward the sitting room door. Gretchen usually entered through that room first, tending the fire there to dispel the cold, as she knew Eleanor preferred to take her morning tea on the sofa.
Since the servant hadn’t screamed in shock… Did that mean he had left?
Without her?
Urgency thrummed through her, on the verge of tumbling into anger.
“Good morning, my lady,” Gretchen chimed brightly noticing her stirring. “Your tea is waiting in the next room. Is there anything else you require?”
Pulling her bedcovers up to her chin—far too aware of her nakedness beneath, Eleanor replied quickly, “No, thank you, Gretchen. That will be all.” She adjusted her tone to something heavy and slightly morose.
“In fact, I’ve a horrid headache and plan to stay in bed all day today.
I’d appreciate it if you could ensure that I am not disturbed for any reason. ”
“Of course, my lady. My mum gets the megrims all the time.” The maid dropped her voice to a whisper and hustled back to the windows to close the drapes again.
“She preferred dim rooms when the affliction came upon her. I’ll keep all the servants away so it’s nice and quiet for you. Do ring for me if you need anything.”
“Thank you, Gretchen, that is greatly appreciated.”
Eleanor waited until the maid had left back through the main entrance to the hallway and the door closed behind her.
Then she threw her covers back and leapt from the bed to grab her robe.
Cinching the belt tightly around her waist, she nearly fled to the sitting room, her eyes searching for any sign that Phin had stayed the night.
A tea tray had been set on the table before the sofa.
Otherwise, the room looked as it always did.
He’d even managed to tuck away the pillow and blanket she’d given him.
How long ago had he left? And did she have the courage to follow him back to his house?
She spun in place, intending to wash and dress as quickly as possible, only to come up short at the sight of the viscount leaning casually against the doorframe in the threshold to her bedroom.
Her breath caught on a gasp of shock as her gaze bounced around the room behind him. Had he been in there as she’d risen naked from her bed? Had he seen her?
“How did you—? Where?”
He grinned and gave a shrug. “I’ve got an array of curious skills.”
She arched her brows and retightened the sash of her robe, despite it being quite well-secured. “Hiding in bedrooms is a skill?”
In answer, the man lowered his chin and pushed off from the door frame to slowly stalk toward her.
Since he was only a few steps away, she didn’t have much time to decide on her reaction.
Not that she could have managed any sort of proper thought process with the intense rush of awkwardness that claimed her.
She’d lain naked beside this man not many hours ago.
She’d tasted the passion of his kiss.
She’d gazed into his startling eyes as he’d thrust into her body, giving her an experience of unbelievable pleasure.
How on earth was she supposed to have a normal conversation with him after that?
He reached her with a wicked curl to his lips and slipped his hand warmly around her nape to bring her closer. The light in his eyes was penetrating and possessive. It sparked along her nerves and stirred the desire swirling deep in her belly.
Goodness. She could melt into this man.
Taking his time in a way that heightened her anticipation to a torturous degree, he inhaled her soft sigh as he lowered his mouth to hers.
The kiss was languid but deep. His tongue licked greedily into her mouth. And in response, she caught his bottom lip briefly between her teeth.
His eyes pierced her soul as he pulled back. “I told you I’d be careful.”
A chill raced through her blood—a sharp almost painful contrast to the heat he’d just ignited. That’s right. He’d want to ensure there was no risk of getting trapped in marriage.
Despite the uncomfortable prick of discomfort in her chest, Eleanor forced a smile. “Right. Of course.”
She pulled free of his grip to step around him and enter her bedroom.
Last night, she’d pushed aside her feelings about his declaration simply because she hadn’t wanted anything to dissuade her from what she’d wanted—him. And today…she still had no desire to analyze exactly what she thought of his insistence that she wouldn’t want a marriage to him.
She didn’t. Of course, she didn’t. That’s not at all what last night had been about. Thoughts of marriage had not even entered her mind until he’d mentioned it. She preferred to keep it that way.
If he’d just stop mentioning it!
At some point, she’d have to acknowledge how last night might affect her future. But, since she hadn’t any real prospects to speak of anyway, she reckoned such consideration could be addressed later. Or never.
“I’ll just get dressed and then we can go.” When he didn’t say anything, she turned to glance back over her shoulder. “You won’t leave without me. You said I could accompany you,” she reminded.
He gave nod and his signature half smile. “If I were going to leave without you, I’d have been gone already.”
She gave a nod, then closed the connecting door.
She washed then dressed quickly and pinned her hair. Less than twenty minutes later, she opened the door to her sitting room again and saw the viscount gazing out her window. Her breath caught at the image he made.
One forearm was braced against the wall near his head as he stood partially concealed from anyone outside by the fall of drapes.
His other hand was propped casually at his hip.
He looked unusually contemplative. Relaxed yet alert.
Strong and confident and oddly intuitive.
She couldn’t help but think he appeared quite at ease and not at all intrusive in her personal space.
She shook her head to clear the last thought and the movement must have drawn his attention as he glanced over at her.
Damn, but that swirl of yearning inside her started right up again.
His focus slid over her in a quick assessment before he brought his eyes back to hers. She could see the appreciation in his stare and her body warmed. He opened his mouth to say something but stopped himself with a rueful smile and a barely perceptible shake of his head.
“That gown is a lovely shade of purple,” he muttered then.
Eleanor glanced down as her day dress of dark violet. It was one of her favorite colors. “Thank you.”
He started toward her. “Are you ready?”
“Ah, yes. We’ll have to leave carefully so as not to be spotted. Luckily, Father is quite frugal and does not keep a full staff when he is not in residence so there should only be a few servants around that we might encounter. Do you have a carriage somewhere?”
“No. But I don’t expect it to be difficult to obtain a hackney cab.”
Eleanor nodded. “I suppose I should throw on a cloak. To ensure no one sees…” Her voice faded, shock stealing her voice as she suddenly acknowledged that she was planning to sneak out of her house to go to a bachelor residence alone to question a man who’d attacked her the night before.
Whose life was this?
The viscount chuckled. “Rather exhilarating, isn’t it?”
She met his sparkling gaze. It didn’t surprise her that he knew what she was feeling. A smile curved her lips as she answered just a bit breathlessly, “It is.”