His By Christmas (Hamilton Sisters) (15 page)

He had felt powerless to help her this evening. The stricken expression on her beautiful face when Genevieve Hamilton collapsed was too much for him to bear. Yvette looked so fragile and frightened and he wanted to protect her. Now she looked like a sleeping angel in his arms. Unable to stop himself, he pressed the softest of kisses to her smooth cheek and breathed in her floral scent. She smelled of gardenias, and he knew he would forever associate that heavenly scent with Yvette.

Never had Jeffrey felt so content and so utterly tortured at the same time.

Had they really spent the entire evening alone together, just talking to each other? To his great surprise, he discovered that he enjoyed being with her and listening to her soft voice. He had confided in her too. He’d never done that with a woman before. Actually spending time talking, confiding, sharing all night without it leading to bed sport. Yvette had the strangest effect on him and he didn’t know quite what to do about it.

What he did know was that there was no way in hell he was going to let her marry Lord Shelley.

When Jeffrey had inadvertently learned that Lord Shelley was visiting Yvette and her mother that afternoon, he’d rushed right over to Devon House. He’d had no real reason for being there. He’d just known that he could not let her marry a man she didn’t love.

It also had not escaped his notice that she had not mentioned Lord Shelley’s name once all night.

Wouldn’t a woman in love mention the man she was supposedly in love with? Wouldn’t it come up in a conversation naturally? Especially when they spoke of marriage and children? But Yvette had not even uttered his name.

To Jeffrey, it was further proof that he was doing the right thing in protecting her. Now he simply had to do something dramatic to sweep her off her feet. And very soon. Before the man proposed to her, which he seemed very intent on doing.

But what? What could he do to stop her? How could he get her to see that Lord Shelley was not the right man for her? The thoughts circled around and around in his head, exhausting him.

Later, Jeffrey didn’t recall falling asleep that night on the sofa with Yvette, but he recalled perfectly the minute he awoke. Something caused him to stir at the exact same moment Yvette did. The room was dim in the predawn light, the candles having burned out and the fire was just embers. In the surrounding cold and silence, they shared the warmth of their fully clothed bodies covered beneath a soft woolen blanket. Blinking, they stared into each other’s eyes, more than a little bewildered to find themselves in such a position.

“Hi,” she whispered softly, her blue eyes heavy lidded and sleepy. Her long blond hair was slightly tangled around her face.

His heart flipped over in his chest. The urge to kiss her mouth roared through him. She was achingly close, softly tousled and tempting in the dim light, and it would be so easy to kiss her lips, to taste the sweetness of her. She was so close.... With a gentle caress, he brushed a stray curl from her cheek with his finger. “Hi.”

“We slept here together all night?” she asked in wonder.

“It seems that way.” And strangely enough he’d slept like a baby, in spite of being in his clothes on an uncomfortable sofa. “I’m so sorry. I should have awakened you and sent you to bed.”

“Don’t be sorry.” Her voice was the faintest whisper. “It was lovely to be held like this. Thank you for staying with me when I was so worried and frightened.”

“I would never leave you if you needed me, Yvette.” Jeffrey hadn’t intended to say those words to her, but he meant them. Lately he would act less and less like his usual self when he was with Yvette.

“I knew you wouldn’t leave me.”

She gazed at him with large blue eyes, and for a moment he couldn’t breathe.

The length of her luscious body was pressed intimately against his. All he could think about was how close his mouth was to her lips. They were soft and inviting. He could lose himself forever in those lips. It would be so easy to kiss her and the urge to do just that overwhelmed him. How would she respond to his kiss? He wasn’t sure he was ready to learn the answer to that question just yet.

With great reluctance, he gently eased his arms from around her and inched his way to a sitting position, assisting her as he did so. The air chilled him immediately, as the warmth that had cocooned them all night melted away when they moved apart. They sat there in the silence, still for a few moments.

Finally Jeffrey said, “You should try to get some more sleep before your mother wakes. I shall go home and return later.”

“Yes, that would probably be best,” she agreed, rising slowly to her feet.

He glanced down at her stocking-clad toes, her feet so small and dainty. Had she really allowed him to take off her boots? It had been quite bold of him to remove them, let alone massage her feet as he had.

Jeffrey remained seated, but as she stepped away from the sofa, he reached for her hand.

She stopped and looked back at him. Her hand was warm and soft in his. He felt as if he should say something to her but didn’t know what to say. They had spent the night together and he had not even kissed her, yet it felt as if they had been incredibly intimate with each other and he should offer some words of comfort or . . . something. But no words would come. As he gazed up at her standing before him, he saw a look on her sweet face that he’d never seen before. An expression of longing, an intense yearning that surely mirrored his own. Jeffrey forgot to breathe.

“Yvette . . .”

“Jeffrey?” she whispered, her voice full of expectation.

Yvette squeezed his hand. He squeezed back. For the briefest instant, he imagined pulling her back down to the sofa and making love to her then and there. He feared that if he kissed her, he would never let her go. He wanted her so much it terrified him. Instead, with great reluctance, he released her hand.

Yvette turned and quietly left the room and Jeffrey was alone.

14

Comfort and Joy

Lisette Hamilton Roxbury, her auburn hair swept from her face in a careless bun, looked exhausted when she entered their mother’s bedroom later that same morning. Dark circles lined her blue eyes.

Yvette rushed to greet her sister at the doorway and they hugged tightly.

Lisette said in a frantic whisper, “I’m so sorry I couldn’t get here sooner. How is she?”

“We’re still not sure since she hasn’t woken up from the laudanum yet,” Yvette said in a hushed tone, thankful her sister had finally arrived. She’d been sitting by her mother’s bedside for the past hour. “How’s Elizabeth?”

“Better. Her fever broke last night and she’s sleeping peacefully now. It was terribly frightening to see her that way. I can only stay a little while, since I must get back to her.” She squeezed Yvette’s hand. “Now, please tell me what happened to Mother.”

“The doctor said she had some sort of attack. She had been acting strangely all yesterday, complaining of a headache, but you know Mother.” Still not quite sure if their mother could hear them or not, Yvette lowered her voice. “She is always saying she has a headache, so naturally I assumed it was nothing. But then her words were slurry and she was speaking in French and nothing made sense. Before we knew it she had collapsed on the floor in a dead faint.”

“How awful!” Lisette cried, grasping Yvette’s hand in hers. “Oh, poor
Maman
.”

“Jeffrey carried her upstairs and we sent for the doctor and you.”

Lisette’s brows rose in surprise. “Jeffrey was here with you?”

“Yes, he stayed with me all night.”

“Oh, thank goodness!” Lisette cried in relief. “I felt terrible thinking you were here all alone.”

No, Yvette had not been alone. Dare she tell Lisette how she spent last night? Sleeping in Jeffrey Eddington’s arms? Probably not. “I wasn’t alone. Jeffrey was with me until the doctor left and he was wonderful.”

Lisette nodded emphatically. “Yes, Jeffrey is very good in a crisis.”

He certainly was! Last night he had made Yvette feel safe and cared for, taking charge of the situation and comforting her at the same time. She didn’t know how she would have survived the night without him.

Talking with him had been a wonderful revelation as well. They’d spent hours alone on the sofa together, just the two of them. They had never passed that much time in each other’s company alone before, simply discussing their lives and memories. How she had fallen asleep in his arms, she had no idea! But it had been nothing short of heavenly to sleep beside him. Never had she felt so warm and safe, so cherished.

The whole evening with Jeffrey had been such an unexpected turn of events, even setting aside her mother’s condition. And it would be quite scandalous if she had spent the night with anyone other than Jeffrey. Then again, she couldn’t imagine doing something that intimate with anyone
but
Jeffrey.

In fact, she had thought of nothing except him since she’d awoken in his arms Opening her eyes and seeing his handsome face so close to hers had filled her with a sense of wonder. He’d looked boyish and immensely appealing. She’d had an overwhelming sensation that he was going to kiss her. And most unexpectedly, she had found herself hoping that he would kiss her. She had almost longed for him to do so.

Imagine being kissed by Jeffrey Eddington!

The idea of it left her a little weak-kneed.

Something had seriously shifted and changed between them last night and she couldn’t quite define what it was. Still, she could not stop herself from thinking about kissing him. It was too delicious a thought not to consider.

What would have happened if he
had
kissed her?

“What do you think about that?”

Blinking, Yvette stared at her sister. “Excuse me?”

“I asked if we should try to wake Mother.” Lisette gave her a curious look. “Didn’t you hear me?”

“I’m sorry,” Yvette said, a bit embarrassed to be caught daydreaming. About kissing Jeffrey Eddington, no less! She struggled to explain her lapse in focus. “I’m just overtired. I was up very late last night and I did not get much sleep.”

“Good morning, ladies.” A familiar low voice said from behind. “May I come in?”

Yvette froze in place, her heart suddenly pounding in her chest.

Lisette grinned and cried with gladness, “Oh, Jeffrey! You’re here!”

Slowly, Yvette turned around to face the doorway, where Jeffrey hugged her sister and they spoke softly of Genevieve and baby Elizabeth.

He looked impossibly handsome and refreshed, not at all as if he had spent the night before on an uncomfortable sofa. He was clean-shaven now, although earlier this morning she had seen the dark stubble on his cheek and had been tempted to touch it.

“Good morning, Yvette,” he said, his blue eyes on her.

Yvette couldn’t keep from smiling. “Good morning, Jeffrey.”

“I trust you slept well last night?” The corners of his mouth twitched as if he held back a secret smile.

Indeed, they shared a secret, for whom could they possibly tell what had happened? Even her sisters would be shocked. Yvette had spent the night sleeping beside Jeffrey Eddington. It was scandalous and yet innocently sweet and wonderful. “Yes, I slept surprisingly well considering the circumstances.”

“I am very glad to hear that.” His blue eyes danced and he walked toward her. “Now, how may I be of help today?”

She fought an irresistible desire to throw herself into his arms, wanting to feel his warmth and strength. Mentally, she shook herself. It was ridiculous. What would William Weatherly think of her having thoughts like these?

Lord Shelley!

Goodness, gracious! She had completely forgotten him! She’d been so preoccupied with her mother and wild daydreams of Jeffrey that she hadn’t given William a thought at all! She must remember to send him a note explaining that her mother had suddenly taken ill after his visit, which would hopefully excuse her erratic and disgraceful behavior during tea yesterday.

Lisette answered Jeffrey for her, “Well, it seems we don’t know much. She still hasn’t wakened. Perhaps the doctor will know more when he sees her. When will Dr. Carlisle return, Yvette?”

“He said sometime around noon.”

“Well, that’s good. He should be here any moment now.”

Jeffrey, looking between the two sisters, said, “Then perhaps I should take my leave. It seems you have matters well in hand. I didn’t know if you had arrived yet, Lisette, and I wanted to make sure Yvette wasn’t here alone.”

He had come to make sure she was all right. How sweet of him. Then Yvette’s heart sank at the thought of Jeffrey leaving. It wasn’t as if he could do anything to help their mother, but just his being there made her feel infinitely better.

“Oh, but I shan’t be staying very long, Jeffrey,” Lisette explained. “I must return to my daughter. She’s still not well. It will be a great comfort to me to know that you’re here with Yvette and Mother. If you can stay . . .”

Jeffrey gazed at Yvette. She smiled hesitantly at him. “Will you stay with me?”

He grinned back at her. “Of course.”

Yvette ignored the unexpected fluttering of her heart at his response.

15

The First Frost

“I shall let Miss Hamilton know you are here, but I am not sure if she is receiving visitors today,” the Devon House butler told him.

“I believe she will wish to see me,” William Weatherly, Lord Shelley, answered with confidence as he was led to the same drawing room he’d been in the day before.

He had read Yvette’s brief note, which had been delivered by one of the Devon House footmen, with great interest and not a little relief. So Genevieve Hamilton had been taken ill yesterday. Well, that explained a good deal. What a dreadful scene that had been. From the start Mrs. Hamilton had behaved most oddly; then, little by little, she had degenerated into incomprehensible speech in both English and French. It had been quite disturbing. Along with his own discomfort, Yvette’s horrified embarrassment had been almost palpable.