Page 117 of The Lyon Returns
“Where are you off to in such a hurry?” Gideon asked, although he had a pretty good guess it had something to do with Gwen.
“Mrs. Devereux has requested the carriage be readied at once, sir. She…er…indicated she was in a bit of hurry.”
Bloody hell. “Go on, then. We don’t want to keep her waiting.” Gideon picked up his own pace. If Gwen was in a hurry, it stood to reason something had occurred to put her in that state.
Gwen paced Gideon’sden, unable to sit still while she waited for the carriage to be brought ’round. Those wily stakeholders. Those tricksters. Thinking they could pull the rug from under her feet.
The sound of the front door opening and closing stopped her in her tracks. She stared at the open door. Surely, Murphy, the footmanwould be coming from the back of the house.
Which meant Gideon had returned home.
Fisting up her skirts, she raced to the sofa and dropped onto it, trying to appear relaxed, as if she hadn’t received another vexing letter from the Bell & Company stakeholders.
His handsome visage appeared in the doorway. From the corner of her eye, she watched him search the room ’til his gaze fell on her.
“Good afternoon, madam. I passed one of my footmen en route for the mews as I made my way home. On an errand for you, I understand.”
She glanced up. “Oh, hello, Gideon. As a matter of fact, yes, I have an impending meeting with the Ladies’ Literary Society.”
He sauntered toward her, his green-gold gaze warming. “I see. Based on your hurry, I gather it was not previously scheduled—unless you forgot the appointment?”
She went for a breezy tone. “No, I did not forget. As it happens, it was recently called.” At her behest, she silently added, the heat of battle bubbling up inside her once more.
“Everything all right?”
Waggling her fingers in a dismissive manner, she answered, “Oh, a small miscommunication between myself and the stakeholders. Nothing I can’t handle.” She lifted her chin.
Gideon’s eyes narrowed as he lowered slowly onto the sofa beside her. The subtle scent of his woodsy, understated cologne wafted toward her, tantalizing and elusive. Despite being up in the boughs over the challenge she faced—one she meant to meet with alacrity—her stomach shivered in delight.
“Gwen?” The low rumble of his voice curled through her. “Why do I get the feeling your stakeholders are proving more difficult than you imagined? And am I to understand you plan to discuss the situation with your friends, but do not wish to do so with me?”
Gideon’s insightfulness, though she found it admirable in mostinstances, could be most annoying. “As I said, a small hurdle, and I am discussing the missive I received with my friends because they are essential to my solution.”
“I’m confused. Are you talking about a miscommunication, or a hurdle? You used both terms.”
She glanced toward the open door. Would the carriage never arrive? “Sir, I really haven’t time to mince words with you over such a minuscule matter.” She turned back to him. “Tell me. How did your visit with Mr. Rory go? Did you learn anything useful from the customs agent?”
He eyed her a long moment, and she sensed he was deciding whether to answer her, or press her for more information. Finally, his mouth firmed. “The answer is complicated. I propose we discuss everything in detail later tonight—after dinner.”
After dinner could only mean one thing. He wished to convene with her in his chamber. Her heartbeat skittered.
Last night, she’d heard him when he finally came upstairs. She’d listened as he passed her door, wondering if he might knock. He hadn’t.
Once in his own bedchamber, she’d thought, perhaps, he would access the adjoining door. Again, he hadn’t. She could not deny the heavy weight of disappointment had pressed in on her.
What had she expected? Just because Gideon now claimed they were well and truly married, it did not follow they would suddenly live their lives as a normal married couple, whatever that was. She had been married six years and had never once slept through the night with her husband.
The idea that she now found herself in a similar situation did not sit well. Especially considering thedissimilaraspect—her feelings. She’d fallen in love with Gideon. But did he harbor any affection for her beyond the physical realm?
He reached toward her, caressing her jawline with the back of hisknuckles. “Can I expect you to come to me tonight, Gwen?”
She drew a shaky breath and nodded.
The sound of a discreet throat being cleared sounded from the vicinity of the room’s entrance.
Gwen leapt to her feet, a ready smile on her face for the butler who hovered in the open doorway. “Mr. Higgins, I take it the carriage is in place?”
“Indeed, madam.”
