Page 94 of Wicked Rivals
Rosalind shifted her feet, which ached from standing so long. Now that Ashton had come around, she felt exhausted and oddly exposed.
“I…” Her voice trailed off, but when he smiled at her, it was a soft, dreamy expression, the sort a man might have after a long night of bliss between the sheets. Not unlike the one she had whenever she recalled being in his arms.
“Come here, sweetheart. You look ready to faint on your feet.” He patted the other side of the bed where there was a place for her to sit down.
She walked around the bed and climbed up to sit beside him.
“Would you mind terribly if you helped me to sit up? My back is aching terribly after lying down so long,” Ashton said.
She eyed him, his pale skin and glassy eyes. “Are you strong enough?”
He nodded. “I can lie back on the pillows. I need to be up. Feeling as weak as a kitten doesn’t suit me,” he growled.
She chuckled. “Considering a few minutes ago you were suffering fevered dreams, I think this is a vast improvement. You shouldn’t rush your own healing.”
“Fevered dreams?” He sighed heavily, and the sound twisted Rosalind’s heart.
She gripped his arm and helped lift him up. “Yes, about your father.”
“My father?” His expression darkened, but Rosalind didn’t want to upset him, not after everything he’d endured. She leaned into him, kissing his cheek.
“I’m so relieved you are better. You gave me quite a fright.” She tucked her head into his shoulder, careful not to lie too heavily against his side.
“Me too. The grippe is a damned nuisance.” He glanced around the room and found the clock on the mantle. “Good Lord, is that the time?”
“Yes,” Rosalind said. “You’ve been sick for three days.”
“We still have a wedding to arrange, and the rest of the League will be descending upon this house at any minute.”
“Oh? What for?” Rosalind’s heart thudded against her ribs. The idea of them all coming here at once made her strangely nervous. What if they were like Charles and not at all pleased that she and Ashton were to be married? What if she never fit into their company the way the other wives had? Everyone seemed so at ease with one another, and those friendships ran deep. She was a stranger to them and couldn’t ever see herself fitting in, not when Ashton wasn’t marrying her for love.
Is my love for him enough for both of us?
“They wish to attend our wedding. It’s tradition. I hope you don’t mind.”
She laughed even though her heart still ached. “I suppose keeping them all out of our business is impossible.”
“It is,” Ashton agreed. “You’ve met Emily, so you know that little woman always gets her way.”
Rosalind giggled, remembering how well she and Emily had gotten along. “Yes, I quite believe she does.”At least I shall have one ally in the League of Rogues.
Someone knocked at the door of the room.
“Who is it?” Rosalind asked.
“Charles.”
“Don’t let him in,” Ashton warned. “I’m not yet well enough. I don’t wish to make him ill.”
Rosalind walked to the door and opened it a crack. Charles stared down at her from the crack in the doorway.
“He doesn’t want to see you, my lord. He’s afraid you’ll become ill as well.”
She started to close the door, but Charles shoved his arm through the slit and used his considerable strength to force it open.
“Charles, no!” Ashton coughed and tried to leave the bed.
“Bloody fool.” Charles growled and rushed to catch him. He glared at Rosalind when she tried to help put Ashton back into bed. Charles’s fine clothes were rumpled, and he seemed as exhausted as she felt, with dark circles under his eyes. While she had been tending to Ashton, he had helped keep the Lennox household running and had overseen the construction of the tenant farmer houses. Both he and Jonathan had been incredibly helpful.
