The relief that flooded her eyes was enough to send a knife of guilt through his chest. “Ah, I see. When will you return?”
“Hopefully by nighttime.”
Her shoulders sank slightly at that. “Oh, I see.”
Heath tilted his head to the side, lifting a single brow. “Will you truly miss me that much?” he asked her.
Meredith looked sharply at him, scoffing. “I never said such a thing.”
“You did not need to say it. It is clear that you are saddened by the fact that I will not be here for the entire day. Perhaps well into the morning after.”
“The morning after?” she echoed, before she caught sight of his smirk. “It does not matter to me. I have preferred my own company for half my life so I am certain I will be able to find some way to entertain myself.”
“I may allow you access to my bedchamber if you so wish,” he said idly. “Perhaps my scent will still be lingering on the bedsheets.”
Meredith rolled her eyes. “I can tell you think you are quite clever.”
“Clever is one way to put it.” He leaned closer, running a lone finger down the back of her hand. Meredith watched the path of the finger. Heath smiled wider, not completely sure she was breathing. “But I would rather you say irresistible.”
Slowly, she lifted her gaze to meet his. It was smoldering with need, with longing. “Perhaps I will decide to lie in your bed,” she said softly. “Though, if it is too hot, I will be forced to rid myself of a few layers.”
Heath’s heart thudded in his chest. His breath hitched in his throat, a lump forming. The strength of her words was enough to send every sane thought out of his mind, enough to leave him staring at her with his mouth hanging open, his eyes wide.
Gently, she slid her hand away from his and resumed eating. A smile played around her lips.
Heath swallowed, sitting back. He didn’t take his eyes off her. He was no longer interested in eating, but having something else he knew that he shouldn’t. “I will be back by sundown,” he declared.
She smiled fully at that. Heath couldn’t join her. The effect of her words was enough to fill his mind with the image of her lying in his bed without clothing and he had a feeling that image would follow him well into his dreams.
It was bound to be a long night.
Chapter 19
That night, Meredith didn’t dream. The nightmares were held at bay, she awoke the next morning feeling fresh and happy, a smile on her face. The instant she opened her eyes, she was brought back to what Heath had said last night during dinner, that he would leave in the morning to head to Bath. It took her only a moment to fly out of bed.
She didn’t make it to the door, not before Annalise strolled in first. She looked quite surprised to see Meredith up and about. “My Lady? Are you headed somewhere?”
“Has the Duke left the manor already?” Meredith asked.
Annalise blinked in bemusement. Then, she ran her gaze down the length of Meredith and then back up. “Surely you were not thinking of going to see His Grace in such a manner, My Lady?”
Meredith blinked. She looked down at herself, suddenly remembering that she was still in her nightdress, her hair down around her shoulders. “Ah. Right. I was not thinking.”
“Are you so eager to see him that you gave that fact no thought?” Annalise lifted a brow at her, cocking her head to the side.
To escape her knowing look, Meredith turned and made her way back to the bed. “I thought it would have been nice to see him off. It was my intention to awake a little earlier than usual so that I could do that.”
“Alas, you are a few hours too late, My Lady. His Grace has long since left.”
Meredith frowned. She watched as Annalise crossed to the other side of the bedchamber to her armoire. “Truly? Have I been sleeping for that long?”
“This is the third time I have come to check on you, My Lady. You were sleeping so peacefully that I didn’t dare to wake you. Had you not been awake this time, I would have surely raced to Francis to have him fetch the physician.”
“You are being far too dramatic.”
Annalise shrugged a shoulder, bringing a dark blue gown over to the bed. “It would not be the first time I’ve heard such a thing.” Then she gave Meredith a broad smile. “I reckon you will miss His Grace dearly now that he is gone?”
Just as expected, Meredith blushed. She made her way over to the vanity table, relaxing when Annalise ran her fingers through her hair. “I cannot deny it,” she murmured.
“Oh, heavens, I cannot contain this! I am such a fool when I am in the presence of those who are in love. To think that our callous Duke will be married soon.”
“M-marriage? No one even mentioned that.”
“Is that not what you intend to do when you are being courted by someone?” Annalise asked. “Had this been a flourishing relationship between two commoners, then perhaps not, but I understand that the dynamic is quite different concerning nobles.”
“It is,” Meredith assured her. “But His Grace did not mention anything about courting.”
“So, does he have feelings for you?”
Meredith frowned. She could see the confusion written over Annalise’s face and it was fostering her own. “I…believe so.”
“You do not sound very sure, though,” Annalise pointed out.
Meredith nibbled anxiously on her bottom lip. “But do you not remember what I told you yesterday? About our kiss?” It was all Meredith had revealed to the maid, all she could have brought herself to say aloud. “Would he have done that had he not had feelings for me?”
“He most certainly would,” Annalise said instantly. Meredith blinked, making her maid sigh. “I do not know His Grace very well, I will admit. Not only am I only recently employed, but he is a very difficult man to see, not to mention figure out. But, I do know how men, generally, tend to think. And I assure you that a kiss is nothing to them.”
“But, you must remember it is different for nobles.”
“Yes, it is.” Annalise didn’t break rhythm, twisting Meredith’s hair up into a simple hairstyle without pause. “But noble or no, they are not much different. Has he said anything else to you to imply his developing feelings?”
If he had, Meredith couldn’t very well think of them right now. Her mind was filling with the things they’d done, the way he’d touched her, the way he’d made her feel. It was a territory she’d never explored before and so she couldn’t very well know how to interpret how he felt.
“I am not sure,” Meredith answered finally.
Annalise took a deep breath, releasing it out her nose. “You need not worry. You can simply ask him.”
“Ask him? That sounds like a terrible idea.”
“It is the easiest way to get your answer. If he is an upright man, he will answer you honestly.”
Frowning, Meredith twisted her neck around to peer up at Annalise. “How are you so well-versed on these matters?” she asked her.
Annalise gave her a broad grin. “There are simply some secrets that should not be revealed, My Lady,” she said. Meredith nodded, understanding completely, but then Annalise went on, “But if you really want to know…”
That launched her into a very detailed though lacking history of her past suitors that had only consisted of two men. Yet somehow, Annalise managed to capitalize the entire of the conversation, leaving more to be desired once Meredith was done getting ready. Somehow, hearing the maid go on about those two men chased away the anxiousness as easily as it had come and so by the time Meredith was heading downstairs to indulge in a late breakfast, she was in a much better mood.
But the anxiety came rushing back the moment she came to the top of the staircase leading into the foyer. Standing there was one of the men Meredith recognized from Heath’s gang. And she didn’t get the chance to leave because he spotted her just as quickly.
A slow smirk spread across his lips. He said nothing, but he tilted his head at her, ignoring Francis w
ho was currently telling him that the Duke was not present.
“I wonder who that is,” Annalise mumbled from behind her. Meredith said nothing.
Her mouth went dry. It was no secret that they terrified her, and this man did most of all. There was something about the way he looked at her, the smirk he gave her, that made her want to tuck her tail and run. But when he held his hand out and indicated that she should approach him, she knew she couldn’t very well do that.
Mustering all the courage she had, Meredith descended the steps toward him.
“My Lady,” Francis greeted, bowing deeply. That made the man lift his brows, that infernal smirk lingering.
Her heart was hammering in her chest but she forced herself to face the butler and say, “Is something the matter?”
“Not at all, My Lady. Mr. Gale has only stopped by to see His Grace, but I have already informed him that the Duke had left for an important business meeting.”
“I am more than content to speak with you, however,” Mr. Gale cut in.
Meredith wondered if he could sense her fear, if that was the reason for his eerie smile. She tried not to allow much of it show when she nodded. “Very well, then. Perhaps you will not mind having breakfast with me in the drawing room?”
“My Lady—” Francis began.
“Lead the way, then,” Mr. Gale said, cutting into the butler’s protest.
Meredith glanced at Francis to see that there was a twinge of worry creasing his brow, but it was too late. She’d already made the invitation. She turned on stiff feet, making her way to the drawing room with the member of a gang following close behind her. If he could hear her pounding heart, Meredith wouldn’t be surprised.
Breakfast had already been prepared. The few maids that had been lingering while they put out fresh hot water for the tea scurried away the moment they entered. Annalise went to sit one of the chaise lounges while Meredith and Mr. Gale went to sit by the table.
“I do not think I had the pleasure of introducing myself to you,” he said the moment he was seated. He seemed uninterested in the food before, him, regarding her closely. “I am Phillip Gale, a close friend of the Duke’s.”
“It is a pleasure to be acquainted with you, Mr. Gale,” Meredith said politely. “I am sure you already know my name but I am Lady Meredith Cluett, the daughter of the Earl of Pebblebrook.”
“The daughter of an Earl.” He seemed to be saying those words to himself, as he openly studied her face. Meredith distracted herself by drinking her tea. “Quite the status you have. Which is why I find it odd that you have a habit of sneaking out at night.”
Meredith flushed up to her neck. She snuck a glance at Annalise but she was doing a great job of pretending she was not listening. “T-thank you,” she murmured, not knowing how to respond.
He didn’t answer her. Uncomfortable silence spread throughout the space between them. Meredith focused all her attention on the food she had before her, trying not to look up at the unsettling man before her.
He shifted so suddenly that she jumped, her eyes flying up to him. He leaned closer, tilting his head to the side as he took in the small bandage covering a bit of her neck. Meredith watched with bated breath as he reached a hand out as if he planned to touch it, but then he drew back.
“You must be quite upset to have had your skin marred so,” he said, in a tone that was quite uncaring.
Meredith’s hand darted to her neck. “It is nothing. I am not opposed to a few scratches.”
“Aren’t you? I wonder what else you can handle.” He went on before she could even register what he meant by that. “You seem to be quite comfortable here. Even after you were daft enough to follow us all the way to such a terrible neighborhood. I wonder what would have happened had Heath not been there to help you.”
“Had Heath not been there,” Meredith answered, overly aware of the fact that Annalise was overhearing it all. “I would not have been there in the first place.”
“True enough. But the same cannot be said of our first encounter, can it?”
She gripped her dress under the table. He was right. Had Heath not been present when she’d been found by the other gang members that night, there was no telling what might have happened. What could have happened had her fate been left in the hands of a man like Phillip Gale.
Meredith didn’t think she could do this any longer. She looked back down at the table, saying, “It appears you are not interested in eating, Mr. Gale. If that is the case, I shall have the butler escort you out so that I may eat in peace.”
He chuckled at that, but she didn’t look up. After a moment, she heard his chair being scraped back. “Very well, then. I shall not take up any more of your precious time. But it was nice sitting down with a woman such as yourself.”
Those cryptic words were all he left her with as he made her leave. Meredith still didn’t look up, even when she was certain he was gone. She was happy that Annalise said nothing, that even she knew when not to let her talkative nature run wild.
Mr. Gale’s appearance left a bad taste in Meredith’s mouth. All of a sudden, she didn’t feel comfortable. She didn’t feel safe. Heath could not return home soon enough.
Chapter 20
Heath didn’t make it back to the manor by nightfall. He didn’t make it back in time to have dinner with Meredith. To his utter dismay, when he arrived, the entire manor was asleep and he was afraid to find that she was too.
But, as usual, while everyone else slumbered, Francis waited up for his master’s return. He met Heath at the door, bowing deeply. “Welcome home, Your Grace.”
“I was hardly gone for a day,” Heath said to him, sighing. “There is no need for you to greet me at the door as if I have been away for months.”
Francis, to no one’s surprise, didn’t react save for a slow blink. “Did all go well?” he asked.
“Well enough,” Heath said. He glanced up at the staircase, the urge to go in search of Meredith growing stronger by the minute. “He managed to coerce me into a partnership, so I suppose I will be seeing more of the Duke now.”
“I take it that means you will be taking a more active role in your duties from now on?”
Heath’s response to that was a simple, unassuming shrug. In truth, he didn’t know what his plans for the future were. He’d always thought he would be living out the rest of his days committing heinous acts alongside the rest of his gang members, but he had hardly given them a single thought in a while. Not when Meredith was the only person to occupy his mind, even when he knew he should have been focusing on the meeting he’d gone to Bath to attend.
“Mr. Gale stopped by in your absence, Your Grace,” Francis informed him.
Heath looked at him with a frown. “Did you send him away? What did he want?”
“I am unsure. While I was attempting to inform him of your absence, Lady Meredith arrived.”
Heath’s frown only deepened. “Did they speak?”
“She invited him to have breakfast with her. As for the nature of their conversation, I am not privy to the details. However, Mr. Gale left before long.”
Again, Heath looked up the staircase, as if he would be able to see what had happened between Meredith and Phillip there. He wasn’t surprised to learn that Phillip had stopped by while he wasn’t home. His surprise stemmed from the fact that Meredith had actually asked him to have breakfast with her. The very same Meredith who had quaked in fear whenever the other gang members came close.
Had she changed that much while she was here? For some reason, Heath doubted it, but he knew he would not be able to get answers to his question until he asked her himself. He looked back at Francis, who was still standing nearby in silence.
“Thank you for informing me, Francis,” Heath said. “You may retire to bed now.”
Francis bowed. “I bid you a good night.”
Heath waited until his butler had melted into the shadows before he took off toward the staircase. He was halfway there when he pau
sed, a thought occurring to him. With a smile itching at his lips, he changed directions and headed toward the drawing room instead.
Indeed, Meredith was there. Sitting in the very same spot she had been last time, her head leaning against one of the window panes while the other was spread wide to allow the cold, night breeze to waft in. Her blond hair framed the sides of her face, her lips parted slightly in that gentle snore.
Heath couldn’t contain his smile. “It seems you have waited up for me tonight as well,” he murmured to her, even though he was aware she wouldn’t respond.
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