Chapter Five #3
However, the art of prowling undetected through the night had been honed over the years, as did the talent for breaking and entering. From the satchel he wore across his chest, Evan removed a fine lawn pillow slip as well as three cravats.
Then he moved silently over the floor to the bed where Hannah slept, unawares, on her side with her back to him.
After he slowly and gently slid the bedclothes down, he let his gaze rove over her body and the curves evident even in slumber through the thin lawn of the almost virginal night dress.
That gave him pause, for it was in direct contrast to how she made her living, but then he grinned.
A woman of mystery, indeed, and he appreciated that.
As delicately as he could, Evan eased her onto her belly.
She didn’t stir, only mumbled something in her sleep but didn’t wake.
It was a surprisingly simple task to bind her wrists behind her back with one of the cravats.
Either she took a few drops of laudanum to help her sleep soundly, or she had been exhausted after their session last night.
God, but she looked far too delicious with her wrists secured, and if he thought he could get away with it, he might just claim her here, but he shoved the thought out of his mind.
Now was not the time nor the place, and when he came together with her again, he refused to be interrupted.
Waiting for the space of a few heartbeats to see if she would wake, he took a deep breath when she didn’t then went on to bind her ankles together with the second length of silk.
Again, he waited, but she didn’t move. Then he frowned. Was that because she’d become accustomed to having her limbs tied? Is that the sort of men she entertained?
When a wave of possession welled in his chest, he ignored it. There was time enough to revisit the reasons why later, for this next bit would be trickier, and he would need to be quick before an alarm could be raised.
Taking the third cravat in hand, Evan leaned over her.
He blew out a soft breath and then made his move, easily coercing the silk about her head so that it covered her mouth, then he knotted it behind her head.
That woke her, and her body jerked. She squirmed in an effort to turn over, but he was ready.
Putting the pillow slip over her head, he quickly and firmly tugged at the ties at her nape.
This would prevent her from seeing him until they were safely stowed away into Averly’s carriage.
No matter that she squirmed and made sounds of alarm, he scooped her up into his arms, finally tossing her over a shoulder when she proved a bit too animated for him.
Dear God, she was so full of life that he struggled as he left her suite and then carried her silently down the stairs like the thief that he was.
Seconds later, he was out the front door, pulling it closed behind him before dashing through the darkness of night and down the short walkway to the waiting carriage.
The driver didn’t reflect shock when he deposited her onto one of the benches.
But then, no doubt Averly had done worse things than this.
A twinge of regret went through Evan’s chest as he clambered into the carriage, but he quelled it. This was needed, and he wanted her exclusive attention. He rather doubted that if he’d called on her in the daylight hours, she would have refused to see him.
Why, though? He meant to find out.
After telling the driver to take him to the East India Docks, he then hauled up the steps and closed the door.
Moments later, the vehicle lurched into motion, and he blew out a breath of relief.
All total, the task had taken him eight minutes, and if he were fortunate, no one would know that he had been there.
Once they had moved well away from Portman Square, only then did he lean forward and pluck the pillow slip from Hannah’s head. When they passed a streetlamp, her eyes rounded. She glared at him from her prone position on the opposite bench.
“Save your strength,” he said as she squirmed and nearly fell off the bench.
He shoved her back onto it and couldn’t help but admire the hard points of her bright pink nipples that showed through the fabric of her nightdress.
“I won’t hurt you; just needed uninterrupted time alone with you, and since I thought you might refuse to see me again, I took matters into my own hands. ”
Then he resettled on his bench while she continued to glare. To her credit, Hannah refused to try and speak. Instead, she maneuvered her body so that she lay on her other side, effectively giving him the cut direct in an abbreviated fashion.
Evan didn’t mind, for she was spirited, even at her age, and it was damned arousing.
So was the fact that her nightdress had wrapped about her form and the hem had risen to give him a tempting peek of her arse cheek.
That smooth skin tempted him, but he would give into the urge to explore her body soon enough.
And if all went well, she would agree to help him gain back his title. Which he would, regardless, it was only a matter of would he kill his brother or not.