Page 35 of The Earl Next Door
“Maybe you don’t like the taste of it,” Lyon said softly. “It’s strong and stings a little, but I think you’ll sleep better tonight if you drink it.”
“No,” she said, continuing to look at the glass as she swallowed down the memories. “I don’t want it. I actually used to like the taste of brandy, my lord. But not anymore.” She lifted her gaze to his. “I’m quite settled without it.”
As if sensing there was more to her rejecting his offer than she was telling, he placed the drink on the chest behind her. “It’s here in case you want it later.”
“I’m fine.” Neither of them spoke for what seemed a long time, and then she said, “I shouldn’t have slapped you that night. I’ve never done anything like that before and believe me, I’ve had good reason to in the past.”
He gave her a quick smile. “I deserved it.”
She smiled, too. “Yes, maybe you did.”
“When you rose up on your toes to confront me that afternoon I really thought you were going to kiss me.”
“Did you really?”
His gaze stayed steadily on hers. “I swear it’s true.”
So he was as perceptive as she’d thought. “Then what I did must have been a shock for you.”
“As was this afternoon. And tonight. You are constantly surprising me and I find I like that very much. When I first saw you walk into my drawing room, gorgeously wet and steaming with hot emotion, I thought to myself what could I have possibly done this time to make her angry? Make her angry enough to come over to my house in the middle of a rainstorm and confront me. But, an instant or two later, I thought perhaps something had happened at the school. To one of the girls and you needed my help.”
Adeline inhaled sharply. Yes, she remembered seeing a moment of uneasiness in his features but assumed her action was the cause. “It was kind of you to think about their welfare.”
He remained silent, but his expression told her he spoke the truth about his thoughts. Concern for the girls wasn’t what she’d expected from him. Nothing could have pleased her more than to know he was worried about them. And it reminded her that his own sense of honor was one of the things that drew her to him.
“Did you truly have no idea why I was drenched and so upset I invaded your privacy?”
He shook his head. “Not until you told me.”
“Today is the third time my carriage hasn’t been able to let me off at my front door since you’ve been here.”
His eyes softened even more and he took a step toward her. “Why haven’t you said something?”
“I was trying to be neighborly,” she answered truthfully. “Usually I don’t mind a walk in the cool, fresh air. It was the downpour today and a dozen carriagesblocking the entrance to my house that made it more than I could accept.”
The earl chuckled softly, invitingly. “There couldn’t have been that many as I only had two tables of four and I was one of the players. It’s never been a problem for any driver to stay in the front before. Mrs. Feversham across the street never leaves her house because she can’t walk, and Mr. Bottles, from whom you bought the house, seldom left either. When he did, he walked. You won’t be bothered or inconvenienced again. From now on my friends will find another place for their drivers and carriages to wait.”
Considering how vocal and unbending he’d been about the girls when they were playing outside, Adeline hadn’t expected him to be so accommodating—so quickly.
“Thank you,” she said, and then asked, “How did you know I was alone?”
“I didn’t. I came over to return your gloves and saw you saying goodbye to the headmistress. I assumed if you were seeing her out, your housekeeper had retired for the night. You really should lock your doors at night.”
“Yes. You’re right. I usually do when I retire for the evening.”
“You’re avoiding talking about what just happened between us,” he said cautiously.
Because of all she’d been through and endured in the past, she concealed the mountains of emotions that were swirling inside her. He didn’t need to know that he’d just brought to reality so many of her dreams; he didn’t need to know her secrets.
“There’s nothing to say about it.”
“There’s a lot to say,” he argued in a soft, determined tone.
“I expect you to be a gentleman about it and slip out the door as easily as you came in and we’ll say no more about this.”
Lyon didn’t move, but his eyes continued to search hers. She didn’t waver and neither did he. He looked as if he was trying to decide whether he wanted to take her to task in disagreement or do as she asked.
Adeline hoped he wouldn’t fight her on this. Her reserve of strength wasn’t feeling very strong right now. If he tried to pull her into the warmth of his arms once again she would go, rest her cheek against his chest, enjoy his embrace, and ask him to make love to her all over again. She didn’t have one smidgen of regret for taking him into her arms and quite possibly into her heart, too.
