by Darcy Burke
♥♥♥
The door to the library swung open with only the slightest creak. He heard Clive's booted steps draw closer. He had hoped to be left alone for a bit longer. He was in no temper to be civil. He gulped the dregs of his brandy before Clive spoke.
"Ah, here you are. We were ready to call out the dogs." Clive's voice bounced around the large oak walls with joviality. "I told you we would find him in here. One can always find a beast in a dark den."
Turning, he realized Clive was not alone. Maddie was bouncing with restrained excitement while sitting in the crook of his arm. A good thing he swallowed the retort he was about to hurl.
Upon arriving at the Manor, he had raced like a green schoolboy to Ella's room, only to be told she didn't wish to have any visitors and that she planned to take a tray for her meals alone. His high spirits had plunged. So, he made his way to his room, bathed, shaved, and dressed. Once all the flour was removed, he sought Maddie's attention only to be told she had gone on a walk with a maid. He then decided he shouldn't want any approval or attention from women, and stalked to the library where he had been ever since.
"Good evening, Lord Breakerton. What is it I can do for you?" He asked, trying to sound jovial as well and knowing it fell short.
"Yes, well Lady Maddie wanted to hunt for beasts I told her I knew of a place which housed a most monstrous beast," he said tickling her under the chin to make her scrunch up and giggle. "And, as you can see, my Lady, we have found one."
"That's not a beast," proclaimed Maddie.
"Ah, what a brave soul you are. Why his scowls are enough to send shivers down my spine." She giggled again, but then surprised Devon by reaching out from her perch toward him.
"We have been chasing dragons in the courtyard and I believe Lady Maddie is in need of a rest. I knew you were here and desired something to do, so here you go." He dipped down and placed her in his lap. She settled herself and folded her legs into a ball. What was Clive thinking? He didn't know the least little thing to do with a tired child.
His friend must have anticipated his concern. "Here, I received the post from London this morning. I am sure you haven't had the time to read it. While her Ladyship rests, you can read." Devon opened his mouth to say something, but Clive was already at the door. "You're welcome." And the large door shut with only a slight creak.
Looking down at the fragile child in his arms, he felt big, clumsy, and not very Lord-like. Before he could begin to panic, however, Maddie snuggled in and began to snore almost at once. The silence of the huge library was broken by the sleeping sounds of a bundle of skirts and curly dark locks. If this was what being a father meant, he wanted this over any other thing this world had to offer.
After a few moments, he juggled her into a position so he could read the newssheet. His earlier grievances not forgotten, but less important, almost petty. Ella is hurting, and tired. She also has much to think about. He would sneak in later in the evening to see that she was settled for the night. He had been angry because no one had considered he might have things to share today. Not a feeling he was used to. Instead, he wasn't thinking of what his loved ones needed. When had he become so selfish? He rustled the newssheet to refocus on the article. Maddie slept undisturbed.
A half hour passed in quiet perfection. He was a father, being a father. This was not as hard as he thought. A warm sensation spread. It wasn't that of love or contentment, but more damp now, than warm in his lap. Realizing too late, Devon gave a shout and burst from the chair dangling Maddie out in front of him. She had been sleeping very well and relieved herself all over his trousers.
The door swung open and Clive burst into the room, followed by three servants who no doubt thought their services would be needed for some disaster. The noise at that moment and the feeling of being hung in midair, no doubt, was what woke Maddie. She gave a scream to match her father's.
Devon watched helplessly as his best friend and his servants saw the large damp stain across his thighs while holding a screaming child. Too late, he tried to cradle Maddie to him to calm her. She was reaching for the calm, smiling Clive. He had no choice, but to relinquish the child. He knew he had botched the moment. He wanted to say something to make Maddie not be scared of him, but he drew a blank. Clive whispered something to her and she turned to view him from under her ringlets. She was cautious, but not scared.
"Doesn't he look funny with that big spot on his pants?" Clive asked. She nodded and sheepishly smiled. "Why doesn't Kate take you up to change? How does that sound?" She nodded, but still looked at Devon.
Before the maid in question left with her, Maddie reached out to Devon, and when he bent toward her, she blessed him with a shy kiss on his cheek. Then she was gone, and Devon was left standing in the very masculine library, with wet breeches, a wet cheek, and a melted heart.
♥♥♥
Ella was successful at playing coward. When she first managed to rise from her bed, only after ringing for assistance, she settled into a hot bath. She knew what work it was for a household to prepare such a luxury and tried to decline. She was informed 'His Lordship' left instructions. That proved how weak she had become, because tender feelings assailed her. Seeing him was inevitable, but if she could manage to prolong it a bit, she would be able to steel herself. If she were to entertain his comforting in her current state, she would be lost.
Now, sitting alone she felt more balanced, but no less affected. The pain in her ankle had lessened, but by no means enough to fend for herself. Desperately wanting to know how the bakery was, she had agreed to join the men for dinner. Clive was a libertine and rake, but she felt certain his presence would ease the situation.
A gentle knock on the door heralded the footmen the maid had promised would carry her down to the dining room.
"Come in," She called out. She looked up. Her heart pounded, and her stomach sank. Filling the doorway in what she would consider country formal was no footman, but Devon. The planes of his face hard in the candle light. His bottle green waistcoat shimmered from under his jacket. She thought it matched the evening dress Clive sent for her to wear, no doubt one of his sister's. He just stood there not speaking. His gaze discomfited her more than she would have liked.
"Good evening, my Lord," she offered when it became apparent he wasn't going to speak first.
"Your ankle must be worse than I first thought," he said without moving from the doorway.
"Actually, I was just thinking it was much improved from this morning. I am still unable to make it to the dining room, but was able to hobble quite easily to my dressing table."
"I only assumed the worst when I was informed you were not receiving company upon my return." He then entered the room, crossing it in three strides, stopping in front of her. If his gaze was difficult to endure from the length of the room, Ella all but squirmed from his close inspection.
She cleared her throat to break the tension. It had been a very long while since being in such an elegant gown and it didn't feel comfortable. This is why a woman should not have to endure a man. Drat him, what was he thinking?
"Have the dinner plans changed? I was expecting two footmen to escort me to dinner."
"Yes, I was informed." His dry tone didn't do anything to mask his annoyance. "I will not have a footman, innocently or otherwise, laying a hand on my wife. If you need to be carried to dinner, it shall be I who does the carrying."
At that, he bent and scooped her with ease into the cradle of his arms. He smelled of sandalwood soap, and a hint of brandy. She felt his large arm braced across her shoulders and the pressure of his other one settling into her thighs and bottom. The first made her feel safe and protected. The second had her nerves on high alert. This was not helping to keep her mind straight.
Without a word, he strode from the room and down the hallway. To her relief, she noted the sharp planes of his face were set with a harshness that would scare someone else. She saw it for what it was. Desire. They were both in the worst of cir
cumstances. He being shackled to and attracted to the kind of woman he should not. Even without him knowing the true lowliness of her birth, he was doing a disservice to his rank by connecting with her. And her falling in love with the one man who could take from her all she had worked so hard to gain. She knew most would see it as a winning situation for her, but only she understood the pain of loving someone who did not reciprocate.
Each step on the staircase drove his lower arms further into the crease just under her buttocks. The crispness of her linen shift rasped her sensitive skin. Knowing he was the cause of the friction made it even more sensual. If she were naked—
Well, that isn't going to help her cause any. It was imperative they both remained clothed, either in reality or in her mind. She needed to be set down, post haste. The hallway seemed unending, or Devon was walking as slow as Maddie did when told to go do something. The comparison made her smile, despite her better judgment.
If she dug her good heel into his side, would he move into a canter like good horseflesh? The thought was so absurd, yet so perfect that she was unable to keep the laughter from bubbling out. She covered her mouth to try to trap it, but to no avail.
"What was that?" His voice rumbled through his chest and vibrated the side of her breast. Drat, him again! "Was that a giggle?"
"Yes," she answered, weakly hoping he would leave it.
"What, may I ask, are you finding humorous just now?" He asked with warmth and a bit of easiness in his voice.
"Well I, ah, just remembered something I had heard about horses. It just popped into my head. Silly really." She attempted to sound as much a featherhead as possible. "Oh, here we are. Thank you, my Lord, for seeing me safely to the dining room."
Devon sauntered into the room, and placed her in the seat across the table from him. Fighting a blush, Ella had tried not to make eye contact with anyone until she was settled. It wasn't until then that, she noticed Maddie sitting next to Devon's seat, beaming with pride. Ella didn't know what to say. She always had meals with the child, but that was not the way of the Ton. She never sat at the table with her parents, and she was only allowed to join the party on occasion, until she was well into her teens when her father felt it would benefit him. She knew the highest echelons would not have allowed it. Maddie, however, sat in her seat as if she belonged. Ella did notice she sat much higher in the seat than she would have thought. Bending, she peered under the table. Maddie's legs dangled charmingly from her perch, and a perch it was. She counted no less than three large tomes piled up and lathed to the chair by what looked like two perfectly white cravats.
Sitting up, she looked at the two men waiting, sitting silent. Neither looked innocent, but neither looked contrite.
"Hello Mommy. Feeling better?" Maddie asked unaware of the adults.
"Yes, darling, I am feeling much better. How was your day?" Ella asked, thankful enough to give a nod and mouth a 'thank you' to the two men. She hadn't seen Maddie since she left to meet her blackmailers. She would have loved to have called her over for a hug, but knew her seat of distinction would outweigh a mother's need for a hug.
"Oh, we hunted princes in the garden. Uncle Clive's good at hunting."
"Hunting princes? Did you catch any?" Ella was having a hard time envisioning Lord Breakerton skulking in the garden searching for hidden princes.
"No, maybe tomorrow," she answered undaunted.
"Well, you certainly had a full day," Ella answered.
"Oh, that wasn't the extent of her day." Clive said chuckling.
"Really?" Ella asked.
"We then went hunting for dragons. We found one of those, didn't we, sweeting?" Clive asked Maddie and she turned red but giggled. Devon coughed and shifted. This was going to be good.
"Well, we heard they were found in dark, dank places, such as libraries. We went-a-hunting and sure enough, we found a great dark dragon in his cave. We had also heard the way to take a dragon's fire breath was to douse it with liquid. And, what do you know, it worked. Ruined his buckskin breeches, but did tame him. He is now being led around like a mere suckling pup."
Ella sat trying to figure out the puzzle. She had followed it until Clive had started speaking of dousing its fire breath. How could they have used liquid to— oh no, she didn't? "You mean, Maddie, she—"
"She did. She had fallen asleep after her exertions in the garden and--well, you can figure out the rest."
Ella burst out laughing. It started as a tingle in her throat, but soon became a complete open mouthed laugh. Devon sat across from her with no hint of anger either toward Maddie for her accident, or Ella for finding the humor in it. At this moment, she couldn't imagine ever thinking she could have been unaffected by him.
"I hope you don't mind, but I just couldn't allow Lady Maddie to dine in the nursery when we were having what would be considered a family dinner." Devon said out of the blue. The reference to family, even though not meant in that way, sobered Ella. She smiled shakily.
"It is I who should apologize. I am afraid Maddie sees it her due to sit and eat with those in attendance. Dinner usually consists of us and Penny, so there is no cause to impose such rules."
"Neither one of us would ever be accused of sticking with conventions such as this." Clive commented around the soup being served. "The only time my sisters and I were forced to eat in the nursery was if mother felt the company would be too mixed."
"And I was never seated with my father. I eventually ate in the kitchen or in the server's dining area. I never ate alone, but I see no reason above avoiding one's children to sequester them to the nursery for all their meals."
Of all the men of the Ton, these were not the two she would have thought to hear eschewing the strictures of society. Well, Clive perhaps, but never Devon. This dinner was doing nothing to help her plan her escape. In truth, was it an escape if you have left your heart behind?
Dinner continued without incident, with Maddie stealing the moment to twist the two men further around her finger. Lord help the young bucks when she came onto the scene. They would not stand a chance. Here were two of the most jaded being handled like that suckling pup Clive had jested about earlier. Once the pudding was finished, a maid came to fetch Maddie for bed. She skipped around the table, gave her mother a big hug and kiss, and trotted off as if her nightly routine was set. Why couldn't it be so easy?
"Well, what say we move this into the billiard room," Clive suggested while he pushed away from the table. Devon followed, but walked around the table and plucked Ella up as if she weighed no more than the pudding. The billiard room lay only a few doors up the hallway to her relief. A very feminine chaise sat next to the fire where a warm glow emanated along with two other stuffed chairs that were soon occupied by Flick and LePrin.
"We knew you would not be able to join the game, and thought after having your leg down for so long you would appreciate a place to raise it," Devon explained as he set balls into the rack. Ella noted the ease of which he manipulated them into place, moving them around to the correct positions. His hands were rather attractive. Her memory of their skillfulness on her skin was as vivid as if he was touching her. Sensual heat filled her veins. She looked away. When a woman cannot look at a man without getting a flash of heat courseing through her, said woman should not be allowed in respectable company.
"Thank you, after being alone for most of the day, I find I am in no hurry to go upstairs to my room," she answered to cover her woolgathering.
Looking for something else to peak her interest, she began watching Clive. He was just as masculine, but her body seemed only to respond to Devon's brand of masculinity. As Clive readied the ques for each of them, she felt the easiness of the company. These men were friends in the truest sense. The thought passed in her mind that Clive saw a need to call attention to her whereabouts when he could have left well enough alone. He knew what our agreement was, and yet he felt the need to break the agreement. She would have to speak with him about his reasons. Was Devon as mis
erable without her as she was without him? Shifting on the chaise, she pulled herself out of her fanciful thoughts. They were preposterous considering she was planning an escape.
Ella sat watching the men, commenting on a good play and enjoying the conversation from the women who she had grown to love in London. The time passed well, like old friends. Ella had yet to ask about the bakery, but wasn't sure how much Clive knew. She decided to wait until Devon carried her back to her room to drill him for information.
After three rather long games, Clive cried off, claiming prince hunting was more tiring than anyone knew. Devon once again claimed her in his arms. It awed her to know he could lift her and carry her as if she weighed no more than a billiard ball. She might as well be a doll filled with feathers. She bade farewell to the ladies and promised to join them for breakfast in the morning. The ride back up the stairs, combined with his unexpected kindnesses throughout dinner, was wearing on her reserve. If she were a smart woman, she would thank him and not keep him in her room talking about the bakery or anything else.
"Where should I let you down?" He asked as he entered her chamber.
"Just at the dressing table. I will need to be there for the maid to help me prepare for bed." The last word hung in the room like smoke from the fire. It swirled and danced. Taunted.
"There is no reason to call a maid. Allow me." He stepped toward her.
"No!" She all but yelled. "I mean, that's not necessary. The maid will be here as soon as I ring the bell. There is no need for you to trouble yourself."
