How to Wake a Sleeping Lady

by Wolf, Bree

  But with a rather dark and somewhat disconcerting scowl on his face.

  Nessa didn’t know what she had expected. However, the man who belatedly entered the dining room at Grant’s side was no doubt someone who—despite his ill-humor—drew attention.

  Especially his wife’s.

  Out of the corner of her eye, Nessa took note of the subtle way Lady Remsemere’s breath caught in her throat the moment she beheld her husband. Her pale silver eyes swept over him in one fluid motion that would have escaped Nessa had she not been watching so intently.

  “Good evening, Lady Wentford,” Lord Remsemere greeted her with a formal bow. The scowl on his face, however, remained. “I apologize for my tardiness.” His manners were impeccable though, and Nessa wondered how on earth he had received such an unflattering name as the Beast of Ravengrove. Was it the long scar that ran across his right eye and down his cheek? Or the fact that he was not clean-shaven like Grant, but rather hid half his face behind a full beard? Was it his dark coloring? Or his pale blue eyes that seemed to see to the very core of her?

  Whatever the reason, Nessa could not deny that Lord Remsemere was an unusual sort of man. However, in her humble opinion, he seemed less like a dangerous beast, but rather like a man unused to the comfort of company. Perhaps all he needed was someone to draw him out of his shell. Perhaps his new wife was the very person to accomplish that task.

  Nessa could only hope so.

  Supper was a bit of a strained affair as Lord and Lady Remsemere barely said a word, neither to each other nor their guests. A few remarks about the weather were exchanged as well as congratulations offered on Nessa’s return. However, when Nessa, in turn, offered her own well-wishes to the newly-wed couple, both their faces seemed to tense up in a way that spoke of great unease. They didn’t even dare glance at each other.

  That was all Nessa needed to be convinced that there was something between them, that not only Lady Remsemere felt for her husband, but that he, too, had come to care for her as well. After all, people who didn’t care had no need to avoid each other at all cost.

  Sensing their hosts’ unease, Nessa merrily conversed with her husband while keeping a discreet eye on the other end of the table. “I truly liked your cousin,” she told Grant, whose slightly narrowed eyes told her that he was not at all oblivious to the goings-on at the supper table. “He seems to be a decent man with a good sense of humor. His wife as well.”

  Grant nodded. “I’ve always liked him and would have invited him more often if it hadn’t been for Mother’s dislike of Aunt Theodora.” He gritted his teeth ever so slightly, and Nessa could see the anger that still boiled in his veins at the mention of his mother. “It was not enjoyable for any of us when those two were in the same room.” He seemed to smile as a sudden, rather devious spark came to his eyes. “Perhaps other arrangements can be made,” he mused. “It does not seem fair for all of us to never see each other because of those two harpies.”

  Nessa chuckled at his choice of words and even Lord and Lady Remsemere looked up, a slight frown creasing their brows.

  As the evening progressed, Nessa took note of the way Lord Remsemere seemed to be watching his young wife out of the corner of his eye. He never looked at her directly, and it all but seemed that he had forgotten her presence. However, the moment the glass of wine slipped from Lady Remsemere’s hand, his head spun toward her, his eyes wide in alarm, before the glass even hit the floor.

  Startled, Lady Remsemere drew in a sharp breath, and her cheeks flushed red in embarrassment as she looked down at the shards covering the floor to her right. “I’m so sorry,” she stammered before her eyes carefully rose to look up at her husband, who had hastened to her side only a second earlier.

  Silently, he signaled for the footmen to clean up the shards before his pale blue eyes looked down upon his wife. “Are you all right?”

  Swallowing, Lady Remsemere nodded. “I’m fine,” she assured him. “Nothing to worry about, my lord.”

  For another second or two, Lord Remsemere held his wife’s gaze before he returned to his own chair, seating himself once more…and continued to pretend for the rest of the evening that the woman he clearly cared for did not exist.

  Nessa could have groaned, and when she turned to look at her husband, she knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that he had noticed the silent exchange as well. Was it truly so hard to see how another felt when one’s own heart was involved? Nessa wondered. Did Lord Remsemere truly not see how his wife had come to look at him? Or was he for some reason afraid to admit how he, too, felt for her?

  Had she, Nessa, acted as foolishly as Lord and Lady Remsemere when it had come to Grant and how he felt about her? Ought she have trusted her father’s assessment from the start because he had seen as plain as day that Grant loved her? Something she had failed to notice because she had been afraid?

  Later that night, after changing into her borrowed night rail, Nessa stood in her assigned bedchamber, her thoughts racing with what she had observed that night. Despite their twisted past, Nessa could not deny that she liked the new Lady Remsemere, perhaps even more so because she truly showed no interest in Nessa’s own husband.

  Pacing up and down the length of her chamber for a few minutes, Nessa knew that she would never be able to sleep as long she felt this agitated. And her husband seemed to be taking his time as well. Had he not promised they would continue this at a later time? After supper to be precise?

  Warmth shot through Nessa’s body and, with an eagerness that surprised her, she all but rushed toward the door connecting their chambers. Her hand rose and she knocked without a second thought. If only she’d always felt this confident!

  Footsteps echoed closer from the other side of the door before it opened and Grant appeared in its frame. For a second, a hint of concern rested on his features. However, the moment he saw her smiling face, he answered her in kind. “You seem quite eager tonight,” he commented, stepping across the threshold, his eyes drawing her closer.

  Nessa grinned. “Did you see how concerned Lord Remsemere was when his wife dropped her glass?”

  The glow on her husband’s face dimmed. “Is that why you knocked on my door?” he asked, grasping her chin with two fingers and tilting her head upward as he stepped closer. “I must say I’m a little disappointed.”

  “He truly seems to care for her, wouldn’t you say?” she continued on, trying her best to keep a straight face and ignore the way he rolled his eyes. “I think they’d make a wonderful couple.”

  One arm slunk around her back and slowly pulled her against him. “Do we have to talk about them?” Grant asked as his gaze drifted lower.

  Licking her lips, Nessa smiled at him as her hands wandered upward and came to rest upon his shoulders. “What else would you like to talk about?” she asked innocently, batting her eyelashes.

  Grant chuckled. “I don’t want to talk at all.”

  “Then what do you want?” she teased, delighting in the way his hands tensed on her back.

  Again, his gaze dropped from her eyes. “I thought that was obvious.” He leaned closer and his warm breath fanned over her skin as he whispered into her ear, “Should I give you a hint?”

  “By all means,” Nessa replied, willing her voice to remain unaffected when his lips closed over the rapidly beating pulse in her neck. Still, her breath hitched, and she felt her knees turn to water.

  A low chuckle rumbled in Grant’s throat as she sank into his arms. “Can I assume I’ve made my meaning clear?”

  Holding on to her husband as though for dear life, Nessa suddenly felt completely at peace in her own skin. Her heart thudded wildly, and there was an oddly familiar flutter in her belly that sent delicious tingles up and down her skin. Her knees threatened to buckle, and her head spun with the many sensations elicited by his touch. And yet, the world seemed right and as it should be. Nessa could not remember ever having felt more like herself.

  “I’m still a little hazy on the exten
t of your proposal,” she gasped as he kissed the sensitive spot below her ear. The words flew from her lips without thought, and Nessa recognized them as a representation of something that was a part of her.

  Had she truly come home? In every sense of the word?

  It truly seemed to be true, and the thought brought tears to Nessa’s eyes and stole a sob from her lips.

  Pulling back, Grant looked at her, concern in his eyes as his thumb skimmed over her cheek, wiping away a tear. “Are you all right?” he whispered, searching her face. “Do you want me to go?”

  Smiling through the curtain of tears that blurred her vision, Nessa wrapped her arms around her husband’s neck. Her eyes settled on his as she held him close. “I love you,” she whispered, knowing that finally no doubts clung to those words. “I truly do love you.”

  A warm glow came to his eyes as he looked down at her, and Nessa knew that he had heard her, that he understood what she wanted to say, what she needed him to know.

  Slowly, he bent his head and kissed her, his lips warm and inviting. Then his gaze met hers once more, and a hint of mischief sparked in his eyes. “Does that mean you don’t want me to go?” he teased, unable to suppress a grin.

  Rolling her eyes at him, Nessa laughed, slapping him on the shoulder for good measure. “Indeed, I’m utterly tempted to send you from my chamber!”

  Holding her even tighter in his embrace, Grant shook his head. “This is a truly new side of you I am seeing. After all, you’ve never been cruel.”

  “Have I not?” Nessa mused, lifting her brows in challenge. “Then perhaps it is time to turn over a new leaf.”

  Grant chuckled before he pulled her into a passionate kiss. “Turn over any new leaf you want,” he whispered, his voice hoarse, as he urged her backwards, “but not that one.”

  As she felt the edge of the mattress against the back of her legs, Nessa knew that she could not make good on her threat. After all, only a foolish woman would punish herself.

  And whatever else she might be, Nessa was certainly not a fool.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  A Seemingly Insignificant Moment

  After breaking their fast the next morning, Nessa and her husband took their leave of Lady Remsemere—as Lord Remsemere was nowhere to be found. The man truly had a gift for disappearing into oblivion.

  “Goodbye, my lord,” Lady Remsemere told Grant as they stepped out of the front door, their horses waiting patiently by the stoop. Her gray eyes met Grant’s only in passing before she stepped up to Nessa. A small smile came to her lips, and Nessa was once again relieved to see that there seemed to be no lingering interest for her husband in Lady Remsemere’s gaze. “I wish you all the best,” the young woman told her before she cast a somewhat hesitant glance at Grant.

  Deeply perceptive, Nessa’s husband understood Lady Remsemere’s wish for privacy and bowing his head descended the stairs before taking the reins to his mount from one of the stable boys. Nessa smiled, grateful for his consideration, and turned her attention back to Lady Remsemere. “Thank you so much for…everything,” Nessa exclaimed with a sigh of utter relief. She didn’t even want to contemplate what would have happened if she had not come to Ravengrove the previous day.

  Honest delight rested in Lady Remsemere’s eyes as she reached out and squeezed Nessa’s hands. “It’s wonderful to see the two of you so happy,” she whispered, casting a sidelong glance at Grant. Then she leaned closer. “He only has eyes for you. It was never different. I want you to know that.”

  Swallowing the tears that threatened, Nessa nodded. “Thank you. I didn’t believe it before, but I do now.” Warmth filled her heart at the thought of all the wonderful people who had come into her life so unexpectedly—from the moment Grant had discovered her at the abbey to making Lady Remsemere’s acquaintance only the day before—and she knew how blessed she was to have them. Not everything had been easy, but all the heartache had been worth it for without it Nessa would never have been able to gain the peace and certainty she felt in her heart now. If only Lady Remsemere could be equally fortunate!

  “I apologize for my husband’s absence,” Lady Remsemere began, and Nessa could feel a new tension coming to the hands that still held hers. “I assure you he does not mean it as an insult.” The lady’s gray eyes were suddenly evasive before her gaze dropped from Nessa’s and she took a step back.

  “Do not worry,” Nessa assured her as she took note of the slight blush that came to Lady Remsemere’s cheeks. Her gaze seemed momentarily distant as though her thoughts had strayed to something else. Had something happened the night before after Nessa and her husband had retired to their rooms? Was that why Lord Remsemere had not shown his face this morning? Nessa burned to ask, and yet, she knew it was neither the time nor the place. Perhaps over time, once they were better acquainted, Lady Remsemere would confide in her.

  Still, unable not to, Nessa leaned closer and Lady Remsemere’s gaze rose to meet hers. “He only has eyes for you,” she whispered, returning the gift she had been given only moments ago.

  A slight frown came to the young woman’s face and her gaze flitted to Nessa’s husband.

  Nessa shook her head. “I’m talking about Lord Remsemere.”

  The lady’s eyes widened, and her mouth dropped slightly open as though in shock. Still, a spark of curiosity lingered in her silver-gray eyes. Her lips parted slightly, and Nessa could see that she wished to ask for more details. However, she did not dare. When it came to her own husband, Lady Remsemere was immensely afraid to risk her heart and have her hopes lifted.

  Smiling warmly, Nessa placed a hand on the young woman’s shoulder. “Do not be discouraged,” she whispered confidently. “He might act as though he does not care but I doubt he managed to convince even himself of the truth of that. Be persistent.”

  A nervous chuckle escaped Lady Remsemere’s lips. “I don’t know if I can. He can be very…”

  Nessa nodded. “I know, but it’s only a mask.” Once again, she squeezed the young woman’s hands encouragingly before finally taking her leave. Then she hastened down the steps toward her mare and pulled herself into the saddle.

  Grant cast her a frighteningly irresistible smile as he urged his mount closer to hers. “Are there secrets between the two of you?”

  Nessa laughed, rolling her eyes at him the way she knew he loved. “As you said, my lord, they’re secrets and not meant for your ears.”

  Grant grinned and spurred his horse onward.

  Looking over her shoulder one last time, Nessa followed. She waved at Lady Remsemere, silently wishing her all the best. Then she turned her eyes forward, toward home, and her belly did a little flip at the thought of all that lay ahead.

  As they rode along the narrow path, the warm morning sun shining down on them, Nessa inhaled the scent of flowers in bloom, the freshness of the air and the hint of water lingering somewhere on the horizon. Her body welcomed the vitality it brought, and she could feel her heart beat peacefully and steadily. Only when she glanced at her husband did it perform a little dance that brought a smile to her face, one she could not have suppressed even should she have wished to.

  Her body hummed with happiness in this absolutely perfect moment.

  “What is it?” her husband asked, a wide grin on his face as he looked at her. “You look…”

  “Happy?” Nessa supplied as she spurred on her mare to go faster. The wind brushed over her face and tangled in her hair as she leaned forward. Then she glanced over her shoulder and saw Grant follow, his eyes laughing, speaking of the same overwhelming happiness that had claimed her own heart.

  Soon, they were racing across the meadow side by side, their eyes meeting again and again as they flew onward. All restraint fell from Nessa, and she felt her heart and mind throw off the shackles of her past. In that moment, she simply was.

  For all intents and purposes, it was an insignificant moment, and yet, it was utterly perfect, unburdened and liberated.

  After
falling slightly behind, Grant urged his mount onward and once again gained ground, his moss-green eyes laughing as they met hers. “I haven’t seen you like this in a long time,” he called over the thunderous beat of their horses’ hooves. “Besting me suits you.”

  Nessa laughed. “I cannot deny that it feels wonderful,” she teased, raising her brows in challenge before she leaned lower over her mare’s neck.

  Indeed, it did feel wonderful…and familiar.

  “It’s starting to rain,” Grant called from behind her the moment a large drop landed on Nessa’s cheek.

  Craning her neck, she spotted dark clouds gathering behind them as though they were chasing them, seeking to catch up and soak them through. More drops began to fall, and the wind that brushed over Nessa’s skin drew goose bumps. A slight chill went through her, and yet, her heart beat with joy at the excitement that pulsed in her blood.

  “We’ll not be able to outrun this,” Grant called as they both slowed down to a trot, his gaze shifting from the darkening sky to meet hers. “We’ll be soaked through unless we find shelter.” Twisting in the saddle, his eyes swept over the horizon, searching. Then he lifted a hand and pointed to a small grove of trees. “There,” he exclaimed, running a hand through his hair as drops of rain slowly drifted along the strands. “First one there wins a kiss?” he dared, a wide grin on his face.

  Kicking her mare’s flanks, Nessa flew off in the direction her husband had indicated. Squinting her eyes in the increasing rain, she kept her gaze on the small grove, feeling more drops run over her face and seep through her clothes. She could sense Grant’s presence close by, but she didn’t dare turn her head. No, she wanted to win…and claim her kiss.

  The wind picked up, and heavy clouds moved to block out the sun, bringing with it an eerie darkness. Slowly, the small grove drew near and Nessa urged her mare onward, its hooves splashing through puddles collecting here and there. A small trickle of water ran down her temple and then farther down her neck as she finally turned to look behind her for her husband.