“You should go upstairs to rest,” he said gently. “You must be exhausted.”
“Yes, I am,” she whispered. She was almost falling over with tiredness. Nicholas took her arm gently.
“I will walk you to your bedchamber,” he said gently. “And then retire to the guest-quarters.”
“Thank you,” Bernadette said quietly.
Nicholas wrapped an arm around her and helped her up the stairs and she felt her heart soaring, joy filling her and flooding through her body as he walked with her to where she could sit by the fire in the warm room.
He held her close and she smiled and knew that, even though she was almost too weary to move and there was a lot to talk about, still, she had never felt so happy in her life.
“Goodnight,” he said softly. “We will see each other in the morning.”
“Goodnight, Nicholas,” she whispered. “Thank you.”
“It’s my pleasure,” he said with a grin, and Bernadette smiled back. She was still thinking of that beautiful grin as she took a bath and then settled down in a warm bed, immediatelydrifting off to sleep.
Chapter 27
Nicholas rolled over, feeling the warm sunshine pouring in through the window. He blinked, recalling where he was, and slid out of the warm bed with its silky coverlet. He glanced across at his clothes from the previous evening where he’d put them on a chair in the corner of the room—his elegant evening jacket and trousers, the thin silk cravat and crisp white shirt with its high collar. He groaned inwardly.
I suppose I haven’t any other clothes besides those,he thought with an exasperated grin. It would have to be his ball outfit. Not that he minded, he reminded himself cheerfully. Everything felt wonderful now that Bernadette was nearby.
He rinsed his face in the bowl of water on the nightstand, then reached for the clothes and started to dress himself. His stomach twisted with hunger, and he smiled, thinking about Bernadette. The memory of kissing her made his heart race, a big grin stretching his lips.
He hurried to the door, pulling on his boots as he did so. He couldn’t wait to see her.
He walked briskly down the hallway, listening for people talking. He breathed in, catching the distinct smell of toast and tea, and turned left, halting in a doorway. The sunshine pouredin through the big windows, falling onto a round table with several chairs around it. Lord Rothendale sat facing the door, Lady Rothendale beside him. Opposite them, with her back to the door, was Bernadette. He cleared his throat awkwardly and she turned around. Her brown eyes with their green tones held his and he couldn’t look anywhere else. He beamed. She smiled and looked at the floor, cheeks reddening in a way that made his smile broader.
“Good morning,” he murmured.
“Good morning,” Bernadette greeted him awkwardly.
“I say,” Lord Rothendale said loudly, as if he was feeling uncomfortable. “Come in, young fellow. Come, sit down. Break your fast with us.”
“Thank you,” Nicholas replied softly. He went over and drew out the chair beside Bernadette, body tensing with the feeling of her closeness. It felt as though every tiny particle of him was aware of her, glowing with warmth just because she was there. She grinned at him, and he grinned back, entire body thrumming with the memories of the previous evening.
“Tea, Lord Blackburne?” Lady Rothendale’s voice distracted him.
“Yes. Please,” he said quickly, nodding his head in thanks as she poured him some tea. He watched as Bernadette took a piece of toast from the toast-rack, her movements delicate and pretty. He was so mesmerized that it took him a moment to remember there was food and he was hungry. He reached for a slice of toast, buttering it hastily.
“So, young fellow,” Lord Rothendale said, politely enough. “We would like an account of what happened yesterday.”
Nicholas glanced at Bernadette, who looked at him with a frightened gaze.
“I will tell you later,” he said. “Or Bernadette and I will tell you together, if she prefers. Right now, we would like to break our fast. We are very hungry,” he added, his stomach growling as he smelled the delicious smell of toast and blackcurrant jelly.
“I was going to travel to Aunt Rachel,” Bernadette spoke up. Nicholas tensed as her father stiffened, eyes wide.
“You thought to...” he began, but Nicholas interrupted.
“Lord Rothendale, Bernadette has faced enough in one evening. She does not need a reprimand. Let me assure you that she managed everything with extreme intelligence and caution. There will be no scandal. I found her in a reputable boarding house.”
“A boarding...” Lady Rothendale sounded horrified.
“A reputable boarding house, my lady,” Nicholas insisted firmly. “Where no harm could have come to her. It is only by the purest luck that the matron admitted me to the place.” He glanced at Bernadette, amused by the memory.
“You say there will be no scandal,” Lord Rothendale began, and Nicholas interrupted firmly.
