Page 115 of Heart of Iron
Lena breathed deeply, filling her lungs with her sister’s familiar scent.“I’m all right,” she said as Honoria burst into tears.
Blade sauntered inside with a shrug.“You got five days,” he said to Will.“That’s all I could ’old ’er for.”
Will tried to shut the door but it jerked back in his direction and Charlie slid inside with a cheery smile.It faded when he saw her, turning to a puzzled frown.“Why ain’t you wearin’ any clothes?”
Heat burning in her cheeks, Lena helped Blade collect Honoria.“Give me time to wash up and dress,” she murmured.Snatching up her nightgown, she darted into the washroom.
Barely a minute later, Will followed her inside, a harried look on his face.
“Too much of my family?”
His gaze roamed down her naked body and he reached for the washcloth.“Aye.Need a moment.Let me help you.”
She squealed under her breath as he slid the washcloth between her thighs.“Will!”Dropping her voice, she tugged it out of his fingers.“Don’t you dare!”
Washing swiftly, she dragged her nightgown back over her head.“I don’t suppose you thought to bring anything for me to wear with you?”
“I weren’t plannin’ on keepin’ you dressed.”He tickled her bottom.
Catching his fingers, she glared at him.“You’re in a rare fine mood this morning.”
“Aye.”He nuzzled closer, his breath sliding over her throat.“Help me wash?”
“That’s not going to get us out of here in a hurry,” she whispered.
“I know.”His hands slid over her hips.
Lowering her voice to a bare whisper, she pushed him away.“Not with my family in the next room, thank you.Wash up and get dressed.”Taking her chance, she ducked under his grasping arm and slipped through the door.
Honoria was drying her eyes when she reappeared.
Lena took her hand and led her to the chair.“Sit,” she instructed, pushing on Honoria’s shoulders.It felt odd to be giving orders, when Honoria had always been the one to issue them.Leaning closer, she kissed her sister’s wet cheek.“Cheer up.I’m fine.”
“Truly?”
Dragging one of the blankets around her shoulders to cover her thin nightgown, Lena nodded.“I can’t remember very much of it at all.I do remember your voice though.Thank you for looking after Will.”
Honoria exchanged a glance with Blade.“Not that he allowed much.He virtually kidnapped you.”
Blade poured water into a battered old kettle.“You ’as to let ’er go sometime, luv.”
Honoria’s lips thinned.
“I am all of twenty,” Lena reminded her with a smile.
“You’re still my little sister.”
“And I can beat you in an arm wrestle now.”
The reminder didn’t sit well with Honoria.Lena laughed and settled on the edge of the cot.Will chose that moment to enter, tugging his shirt into place.Water turned his gold-tipped hair darker, spiking his eyelashes together.Her breath caught.So handsome.
“Urgh,” Blade muttered.“Tell me we weren’t that bad?”
It took a moment for Charlie to comprehend.His eyes widened.“That’s why you’re ’ere!You and Will?That’s smashing!When did that ’appen?”
“Charlie, don’t forget yourh’s,’” Honoria corrected.
A roll of the eyes.“Yes, ma’am.”He punched Will in the shoulder.“How do you like that, eh?Another man in the family.Thank God it ain’t one o’ them prancing blue bloods from the Echelon.I never thought she’d be sensible enough to choose a decent man.”
