Page 39 of A Marriage of Convenience with a Rake
“Eleanor,” he asked softly. “Might I ask you something?”
She frowned. “Of course,” she said at once. “Anything.”
He took a deep breath. “I will sit with Papa tonight,” he began saying swiftly.
“But I...” she interrupted.
“No,” he told her firmly. “It is my turn. I know I sat with him earlier today, but I wish to do it. You need rest. Let me.”
“Very well,” she agreed slowly, and he continued.
“It was not what I wished to ask you,” he explained. “I wanted to ask you something else.” He reddened, almost unable to divulge.
“What is it?” she asked gently.
“I will sit with Papa until midnight,” Sebastian continued. “As we have been doing for the last few days. But could you...might you retire to my chamber to rest tonight? I will not be there until the early hours, and I will be tired when I return. Too tired for, well...” he went bright red. “I ask you this so that I might not rest alone. The darkness stretches out for too many hours, and to lie awake and worrying is unpleasant.”
“Of course,” she said softly.
Sebastian let out a sigh. “You will do this?” he asked disbelievingly. He had thought he was asking her more than was in her power to grant. If she truly disliked him, she would refuse. He could not imagine her doing that simply because she felt unable to gainsay him.
“I will.”
Sebastian felt his heart flood with thanks. He cleared his throat, feeling too overcome for words.
“Thank you,” he said at last. “That would be very nice.”
He took a deep breath, and she gazed up at him and her smile made his heart fill, fit to burst, with warmth.
He kissed her hand tenderly and went to the door, his soul still soaring, to go and sit with Papa.
Chapter 15
The night was softly dark, like black velvet, the shadows dense. Eleanor opened her eyes, hearing footsteps in the hallway.
She was tired, her eyesight blurred with lack of sleep, but in a second, she was instantly awake. Sleepiness faded instantly and she was alert, every nerve thrumming as she heard someone tiptoe up to the door and a hand closed around the door handle.
She lay utterly still, curled up on the bed. The fire in the grate opposite the bed had burned low, so that only a soft glow remained, and the room was in utter darkness. She held her breath, hearing someone walking light-footed but swiftly across the room. This was Sebastian’s chamber, and he could find his way to the bed in utter darkness, accustomed to where everything was.
She lay stiffly as she heard him undressing—the soft whisper and rustle of fabric as he removed his coat and then sat down on the chair by the bed to remove his boots. She had her eyes shut and she heard as he sat down on the bed, feeling the soft motion of the mattress under her as he lowered his weight and then turned, swinging his feet up onto the bed. She clutched the eiderdown a little tighter round her—it was the most comfortable of beds, the sheets crisp and clean, the coverlet silk-covered and thick, keeping in every inch of heat. She held her breath as he reached for the covers and drew them over himself. His body was just two inches away from hers, so close she could feel the warmth of his skin. She felt her heart pounding loudly and she could barely breathe.
He drew the pillow closer, tucking it under his head. She felt him nestle closer under the bedclothes and her heart started torace. His leg was right next to hers and she tensed, not sure if she should risk moving or if she should lie as still as she could. It felt strange to be so close, so intimate. So strange. Oddly good.
She lay where she was, her heartbeat slowly returning to normalcy as he lay still. Slowly, she heard his breaths lengthen and she realized that he had fallen asleep.
She opened her eyes.
The moonlight that fell through the window illuminated the soft strands of his hair. His form was hunched up in the bed, the blankets drawn up to his shoulder.
He looked so vulnerable when he slept, and she thought of the prince in her story, shut away in his castle.
She shut her eyes again and lay very still, listening to his breathing. Slowly, the thoughts of the prince wandered into thoughts about castles and the estate, and gardens, and the thoughts became less and less coherent as she drifted into sleeping.
The sound of someone opening the curtains woke her abruptly. She blinked, confused for a moment as to where she was. She had slept so deeply that she thought for a moment that she was in the guest chamber, but then the sunshine was falling through the window behind her and that was not the case there, and then she recalled, suddenly, where she was and blushed red.
“Good morning,” Sebastian greeted her. He was wearing his trousers, his shirt half-buttoned. His hair was ruffled with sleep.
“Good...good morning,” stammered Eleanor shyly. She sat up. Her hair tumbled in disarray around her shoulders. It had come loose from the tie that held it back from her face as she slept. Her cheeks blushed even more furiously as she realized how very underdressed she was.
