Page 16 of An Earl's Scandalous Return
It only took a few more minutes until she sank into the bath and let the worries release slowly from her.
Thankfully, Edward had not returned during her bath or meal, and she had plenty of time to think about how the night would go. Wondering when he might return, she walked to the bed and put her hands on her hips, frowning down at it. How could they possibly share this without touching?
For to touch was to start something she did not wish to start. And then, she heard it, the squeak of none other than a mouse as well as a little scamper, and she shrieked, jumping onto the bed as she did, and at the same time, Edward burst in through the door.
Chapter 17
“What?! What is it?” he asked, and then he saw her standing atop the bed, holding out a shaky finger to the floor.
“A mouse. I’m sure I heard it squeaking, and then it scuttled somewhere. I could hear it.”
To Edward’s surprise, he started to laugh. She looked up at him, her brows lifting and her lips parting. “I tell you, I heard it!”
“But did not see it, I presume?”
“No.” She bit her bottom lip and put her hands on her hips in an adorable move that made something shift in his heart.
“Well, I’ll look for you, and then you’ll feel better.” The two pints of ale he’d had downstairs had calmed him a little.
He had been glad to leave her alone for a time to get himself under control. It was to be a night of one room and one bed with the woman he’d desired above all others. With the woman still driving him mad with her luscious body, kind, affectionate eyes, and cherry mouth. He was still angry at her, still hated her, yet his body did not seem to understand that concept. In fact, his body had forgotten all about that as soon as he’d laid eyes on her at the ball.
“Fine. That will do very well.”
She remained where she was, though, while he picked his way around the room, looking under tables, chairs, and then finally the bed. He stood, looking up at her, his breath catching a little at the realisation that she was in a dressing gown and that her eyes now had the flicker of firelight.
“Nothing,” he said, clearing his throat and swallowing, trying to think of anything but the curve of her breast under her light blue gown.
“All right.” She nodded a few times, and then she went to get off the bed.
Instinctively, he reached out to help her, and she put her hand on his shoulder before jumping down. The motion brought them close together, and she looked up at him, her lips parted. It seemed that she, too, remembered the past and was thinking of it now. Her hand left his shoulder quickly, and then she turned away from him to glide into the bed under the covers.
“You did not return all evening,” she said. “Did you eat?”
“Yes.” He turned away and began to unbutton his waistcoat. “I ate downstairs, hoping to give you more time to prepare yourself.”
“But your bath. You did not wish for one?”
He breathed out slowly, trying to keep calm. “I will wash behind the screen, briefly. And as for the bed, I would stay elsewhere if there was another bit of comfort in the room, but if it is all right with you, I will lay atop the covers while you lay under.”
“That is fine,” she said softly, and then he took the wooden screen he noticed by the bed and dragged it towards the pitcher and bowl.
Behind it, he felt safer, but he still wondered if her eyes were on the screen, wondering what was happening behind it. The thought of her eyes on him after so long made his skin warm and tingly, and he tried to ignore it as best he could.
He removed his shirt and dipped a cloth into the water, rubbing the sweat and grime from the day from his skin. He washed his face and hair, then removed his boots, washing his feet as well before putting on a fresh shirt.
Coming around the screen, he saw that Arabella was on her back, looking up at the ceiling, and he crept around to the other side of the bed, laying down atop the covers, his hand on his stomach, his other hand sliding under the pillow at his head.
“Good night, Mr Sheffield,” Arabella said, and Edward smirked.
“Good night, Mrs Sheffield.”
But he knew that he would not get very good sleep. For his mind, no matter how urgent their situation was, no matter how angry he was, and no matter how awkward that moment was, Edward’s mind would be full of her as his hands wished to be as well. But he closed his eyes anyway and prayed for blessed sleep to save him.
Chapter 18
Arabella could see the angry face in her dream. She knew it was a dream, and yet everything else felt real. Her heart was beating fast, and her breathing was ragged.
“No, Father, how can you say this to me? You will banish me from a lifetime of happiness!”
