Page 66 of Wicked Designs
Cedric picked up Penelope, who was now sniffing Charles’s boots. “She may have sprained an ankle.”
Godric ignored the conversation and carried Emily up the stairs. He lay her down on his bed and untied the rope from his waist but did not free her. He took the loose end of his rope and tied the same intricate knot to his bedpost.
“Godric, honestly, is that necessary?”
Godric caught her chin in one hand, tilting her lips up to his as he kissed her.
“It is not yet ten, and I don’t believe in taking chances where you are concerned. I’ll be back soon.” He kissed her again, a lingering pull of her lips, a tease of his tongue against hers, before he finally left her alone.
Emily rubbed her ankle and rotated it slowly a few times in each direction, working through the pain. As a child she’d often rolled her ankle. The pain never lasted long. The stiffness had already begun to fade.
Godric was smart to keep her restrained, but foolish to think she was powerless. Emily studied the knot of the rope around her waist. It was a multi-looped creation that she could eventually undo. Struggling with the knot for a few minutes, she managed to loosen it, but upon the sound of footsteps outside, she dropped her hands into her lap. Godric, Simkins and Libba bore two trays of food, a bottle of wine, and a pair of glasses. The maid gave Emily a conspiratorial wink as she and Simkins left.
Godric pushed one of the trays nearer to Emily, pointing at the dishes before he untied the rope at her waist. She supposed now that he had returned he could watch over her himself.
“Hare soup, lark pudding and,” he grinned, pointing to the small chilled bowl covered with a silver lid, “ginger ice cream.”
“Ice cream?” Emily’s stomach growled. Ice cream was a delicacy only those with an icehouse could afford.
Godric smiled. “Perhaps I should have used ice cream earlier to bribe you into being a good captive…”
Emily reached for the small bowl, eager to feel thecool treat melt in her mouth. Godric swatted her hand away with a tisk.
“You must eat your other food first. Simkins would have my head if he learned you’d seduced me into letting you eat your dessert first.”
“Would he?” She couldn’t imagine that.
“Well, no, he’d simply look at me in disappointment, which is somehow rather worse.”
“Can you even be seduced over ice cream?” She curved her lips in a small but suggestive smile. His answering grin nearly melted her insides.
“You’d be surprised.”
Godric handed her a knife, fork and spoon. Emily smiled ruefully as he went to shut and lock his bedroom door, closing them in together.
“Am I going to eat here on your bed?”
“Weare going to eat on my bed,” he corrected as he sat down next to her.
“But…”
It was too nice, too sweet, to think that he wanted to share a meal so privately with her. Emily shied away from him, knowing if he touched her, she’d lose her tenuous grip on control. Half of her wanted to toss the food off the bed and taste him instead. The other half knew that each moment she spent with him, she drew one step closer to losing her heart.
“Eat, my dear, or you won’t get to the ice cream.”
Emily sighed and started on the soup and pudding.
Godric ate alongside her, the silence surprisingly pleasant. It was a simple joy, to have him so close, just existing in a space so near her.
“How is your ankle?” Godric set his tray down on the floor and reached for her leg. He pushed her skirts up past her knee. Shivers shot up Emily’s spine.
“It is much better. I think it will be all right soon enough. I often hurt myself that way as a child. I never sat still long enough. My mother said I was quite the hoyden. That’s why she started to educate me in all of those languages.” Emily settled back into the pillows of the bed, shifting her shoulders for the best position of relaxation. Memories of her childhood unfurled like brightly colored flags in the wind.
Godric’s palm moved over her leg as he listened to her talk. Emily knew she ought to be ashamed for letting him touch her so boldly, but they’d done so much together already that she couldn’t bring herself to resist such a simple, sweet touch.
“Learning was the only way she kept me still. We used to hole up in the library for hours, reading stories in other languages. She challenged me, rewarded me when I did well.” Emily smiled. That her mother persuaded her to abandon the outdoors for at least an hour so she might read was miraculous. “We used to hide from Father when he came to look for us at lunchtime. I will never forget when we hid under the table by the door and snuck out the door past him. He came into the dining room and found us already eating. I don’t think he ever figured out how we did that. Mother was so clever.” She batted away a tear.
“I imagine she was a wonderful woman.” Godric caressed Emily’s leg again, toying with the edge of the stocking near the knee, as though he longed to slide itoff her. Emily felt her breath quicken but she struggled to remain calm.
