Already His (The Caversham Chronicles - Book Two) (36 page)

As though Providence itself was shining on her, at exactly the moment she buckled the strap on her valise, a knock on her door brought a footman with two messages from Haldenwood. He handed one packet to her, and said the other was for Lady Sewell. Before he left, the lad said he would wait for a reply if there was one. Anxious for the news, she opened the packet. There were two notes, one from her brother and one from Lia.

She read the note from her brother first. In it, he stated that all was well for the time being, but Prescott ordered continued bed rest for his duchess and Ren had decided he would stay on for a few days at least, to see how she fared.

Opening Lia’s note, Elise released a sigh as she read her words. Her sister-in-law stated all was well and that more than anything she’d missed her husband. She said she hoped that Elise and their grandmother wouldn’t be too terribly lonely without Ren there for a few days, but told her she hoped she made good use of her time. She also added a post script.

I thought I would get him out of your way for a few days. –L.

Elise collapsed from relief. “Thank God.” Tears blurred her vision as she handed the notes to Beverly before she took a sheet of vellum from her desk drawer. She swallowed a lump in her throat then said, “See? I was right.”

She penned a short note to her brother, and another to his perceptive duchess, she thanked them for sending word of Her Grace’s condition so quickly. She stated all was well, that she would spend this time with Beverly and Grandmother, and hoped to see them both soon. She added a post script in Lia’s note.

Mille Grazie. –E.

Beverly read both missives as Elise wrote her replies. Tears welled in her eyes. “You know, Elise,” she sniffled, “You have much to be thankful for. I have no siblings at all, and the only cousins I have are in Scotland.”

“Until my brother married, I never appreciated it enough.” Elise sealed the letter and placed it in the leather packet. She handed it to the footman, who assured her it would go back to Haldenwood first thing in the morning, after Lady Sewell had an opportunity to read her letter and reply as well. Lifting her overnight satchel, she led the way down the hall to her grandmother’s room and knocked.

Thirty minutes later, after speaking with her grandmother, Elise and Beverly entered the Hepplewhite’s carriage and rolled off toward Michael’s townhouse. She’d effectively deterred Bridget from coming with her by saying she was going to spend one night and for one night, she could beg the help of Beverly’s maid.

When the horses moved into traffic, Elise slid the window shades closed, and opened her bag. She took her breeches out and struggled into them while the vehicle was stopping and starting in London traffic. Beverly helped her remove her day dress and chemise and put on her boy’s shirt sans corset. The jacket would suffice to keep her bosom from showing.

“You know,” Elise said, “after all these years of complaining about being less well-endowed, tonight, I’m glad I’ve got little breasts.”

“Your short hair also aids in the disguise, don’t forget. Can you imagine trying to tame that long mass you had under a cap.”

Elise nodded as they shoved the dress and underclothing into her satchel and buttoned it. Beverly knocked on the roof and asked her driver to change direction and drive down the street next to Michael’s home.

“I hope he’s there,” Beverly stated. “What will you do if he isn’t?”

“Why, I’m going to wait for him, of course. Even if I have to sit on the stoop out front.”

It took great convincing, but Beverly finally left her off on the corner of Shepherd Street at Hanover Square, down a bit from where Michael lived. Once at his front door, it took twice the amount of persuasion to get past Michael’s very skeptical butler. At first, the man did not believe she was a lad from Haldenwood with a message, instructed to wait for Lord Camden’s reply. It was only when she confessed who she was that he let Elise into the house. She followed the man, Samuels she learned, down the hallway, to the library, where he said she might be comfortable while she awaited his lordship’s return.

“Where is Lord Camden?” Elise inquired.

“His lordship,” the man said, infinitely more polite now that she admitted who she was, “is at his club for dinner. Should I send someone around to fetch him, my lady?”

“That won’t be necessary, Samuels,” she said as the butler held the library door open for her. “I should hate to disturb him. But you will tell him I am here the moment he arrives, won’t you?”

“Yes, my lady,” he replied.

She gave him what she hoped was an appreciative smile. “Thank you, Samuels.”

“Is there anything I can get you?” The butler asked. “Tea? A fire in the hearth?”

“No, thank you. I’ll be fine.” Once both men left, Elise removed her jacket and boots then sat on the chaise, wondering just how long she would have to wait for Michael to return. After an hour, she stretched out on the lounge. Before much longer, she closed her eyes.

M
ichael returned home immediately after his meal as he was not in the mood to socialize with anyone this night, much less sit in on a card game. He found Samuels waiting for him in the foyer, a grimace on his already dour face. He hoped there wasn’t bad news from Haldenwood.

“My lord, you have a female visitor waiting for you in the library,” his butler advised.

Unconcerned for the female waiting for him he replied, “Is there any news from Caversham?”

“Yes, a note arrived an hour ago, and is on your desk. Would you like to see the note first or your guest?”

“I’ll get the note. Go on to bed. Whoever the female is, she can wait until after I see what Ren has to say.” Michael had no idea who the woman waiting for him could be, but no lady would be in the home of a single man at this hour. Likely it was Juliette, his former mistress, asking to return after realizing the error she made in leaving him.

“Very good, my lord. But....”

“Yes, Samuels?” Michael asked as he walked toward his office.

“I’m sorry, my lord, but the guest waiting for you is not one you will want to keep here for too long. It would not be beneficial to the lady’s reputation if anyone witnessed her arrival.” His butler then bowed and departed toward the baize door leading to the servants’ stairs.

Michael entered his office and immediately spotted the note on his desk. Opening it, he saw it was from Ren. After he scanned the first few sentences he breathed a sigh of relief. The prayer he’d been repeating in his head all day had been answered, and all was well.

Tossing the note onto his desk, he decided to see who this female was waiting for him in the library and make quick work of dispatching her. Opening the door to the library, he looked around and saw no one. Then a soft snore caught his attention and he went to the leather chaise. At first he thought he saw a boys breech-covered leg. As he drew closer he groaned, especially when he recognized the shapely curve of Elise’s thigh and calf and delicate stocking-covered ankle and foot.

“What in the name of all that’s holy....” He couldn’t believe his eyes. That little minx! His heart lurched when he thought of the explanations needed to cover this up. He wished he could be angry with her, but more than anything he just wanted to wake her with a soft kiss.

He smiled in the dim room. Elise looked ethereal and angelic while she slept. A softly snoring angel, but an angel nonetheless. Reaching out, he touched her to see if she were really there, or if this was—by some odd trick of his imagination—a dream.

Her amber eyes opened slowly and he felt that familiar tightening in his gut when she smiled that soft, sleepy smile up at him.

“Michael,” she said, her voice husky from sleep. “I’ve been waiting for you for ages.”

He returned her smile with one of his own. “A man must eat dinner.”

She sat up, and pushed her hair off her face. “Don’t you have a cook? You seem to eat elsewhere a great deal.”

He sat on the ottoman across from her, wondering why she was here. “Are you concerned for your sister-in-law? I just received a letter saying....”

“Yes, I received one as well. I am so pleased, though we should still pray all remains well with Lia and the babe.”

Concern began to gnaw at him, now that he understood Samuels’ words. “Elise, did anyone see you arrive? Where does your grandmother think you are?”

“Beverly left me off at the corner. No one recognizes me dressed as I am. Grandmama thinks I am staying with Beverly tonight.”

He tugged at his collar and cravat, trying to catch a breath. Rising, he went to the sideboard and poured a brandy. “Why are you here, minx?”

She moved to stand in front of him, turning her amber-eyed gaze up to his. “I learned something today. In my worries for Lia and the new babe, I realized life is fleeting. We could be fine one day and on death’s door the next. During those hours when I didn’t know how she was I prayed for God to spare Lia for Ren, because losing her would devastate him. I am not going to pass up this opportunity to tell you how much I love you. And I will show you this every day Michael because you are that important to me.” Lifting a hand to his face, she traced the tiny scar with a finger before cupping his cheek. “At Woodhenge you showed me a glimpse of how wonderful it could be with you. I want more. I want you, Michael.”

“Are you certain you do not wish to wait any longer?”

S
amuels, the butler at Lord Camden’s London residence smiled as he went down the steps to his quarters next to the pantry. As he sat on his narrow cot, he hoped no one had followed the Lady soon to be his mistress here, or would begin any untoward gossip about her. If that should occur, Samuels would then be forced to spend time on his aching knees begging for forgiveness from his maker, because he would have to lie and say that particular visitor was the courier from Haldenwood awaiting the earl’s reply.

It would work, because he would make sure it did.

C
HAPTER
F
IFTEEN

“I
have never been more certain of anything in my life,” Elise said softly, hoping he felt the same way.

He lifted her hand and kissed her palm. The simple action sent a tingling heat straight to her core. He drew her closer and lowered his head, taking her lips in a kiss full of the desire she’d hoped all along he possessed for her. Moaning into his mouth as she opened for him, her hands pulling him even closer as her body mirrored the intensity of his passion. He cupped her bottom and lifted her slightly, bringing her closer to his arousal—something that both frightened and thrilled her. She knew the mechanics of the act and had wanted this with him for weeks now, yet for a moment she thought about fleeing. Though she was curious and aroused, there was a part of her that wondered how the thing she felt against her lower belly was going to fit inside her.

With him so intimately pressed against her and knowing he desired her as much as she did him, she grew bolder. His lips moved down the column of her neck and she arched into him with a rising passion. Sliding her fingers around to his chest, she flicked the buttons open on his waistcoat and pushed both that and his jacket off his shoulders where they fell to the floor behind him.

Michael’s palms roved along her back and forward to her breasts causing them to tighten under his touch, and he groaned as he looked at her. “Where are your stays, my lady?”

Humiliated, she blushed as though she’d been caught indecent. “Sacrificed for the sake of the costume. It isn’t as though it’s needed anyway.” She fought the tears that threatened when he didn’t reply, and she rushed to apologize for her lack of endowment. “Please....” She cleared her throat. “Please Michael, tell me I do not displease you. It’s not as though it’s something I can control. I’ve prayed for a more womanly physique for years now, to no avail.”

He cupped her small breasts. “You please me greatly. I’ve thought of little else since we were at Woodhenge.”

She sighed, relieved her body pleased him. “Michael?”

“Yes, minx?”

“You know that I have no experience with what we are about to do and... and... I don’t want to disappoint you.”

“You could never do that, minx.” He kissed her cheeks and forehead. “Never.” He tugged the hem of her shirt from her breeches. His hands sought her flesh and skimmed up her ribcage, spreading heat wherever he touched. Her tongue reached out between her parted lips and traced a path from the collar of his shirt to just below his ear, where she pressed a kiss before nibbling on his earlobe just as he’d done to her.

“Michael?” Elise thought she heard a quiver in her voice and prayed he didn’t.

He backed away a fraction, just enough for the air to cool her heated flesh and his eyes to meet hers. “Hmm....”

“I love you, Michael.”

He groaned, as he kissed the top of her head.

Elise inhaled his fresh citrus smell and wanted to melt into him. She didn’t know any other way to tell him what she wanted other than to come right out and say what was in her heart. “I feel I’m having to beg you to love me in return, Michael. As you’ve said you wanted to marry me, is it unreasonable of me to hope you might love me?”