What A Rogue Wants (19 page)

“
I must have eaten
something bad. Perhaps the fish?” Elizabeth clutched Madelaine’s
hand, and she had to force herself not to recoil at the clammy
touch.

Helen swooped toward them and took
Elizabeth’s other arm. “You need to get to bed. Louisa!”

Louisa came rushing into the room and
bobbed a curtsy. “Milady?”

“
Help Madelaine get
Elizabeth to her bedchamber. Then hurry back. I’ll send a note to
my doctor and one to the queen imploring that Elizabeth be excused
from service tomorrow.”

Not long after, Madelaine and Louisa
had Elizabeth tucked into her bed. Madelaine sat beside her friend
and pressed a cool rag to her head. “Do you want me to
stay?”

“
No.” Elizabeth shook her
head, the damp ringlets clinging to her skin didn’t move. “I’ll be
fine in the morning. I’m sure of it.”

Madelaine hesitated a moment. She
hated to leave Elizabeth alone but perhaps her friend would rest
easier undisturbed. “I’ll check on you in the morning before I go
to see my father.”

“
Thank you.” Elizabeth’s
eyes were closed but a small smile came to her lips.

Madelaine crept toward the door and
opened it slowly, not wanting to disturb the slumber that seemed to
already be taking hold of Elizabeth.

“
Madelaine,” came
Elizabeth’s soft voice from within the darkened room.

She rushed back to her friend’s bed
and leaned down. “What is it? Do you need something?”

Elizabeth’s eyes slowly opened as if
the task was a difficult one. “Talk to Grey.”

“
Shh,” Madelaine said
instead of certainly not. She’d been humiliated quite enough.
“Don’t worry about that right now. Just get some rest.”

By the time Madelaine climbed into her
own bed she felt certain she was so exhausted she’d fall promptly
asleep and not have to think about Grey. But sleep evaded her.
Worry, on the other hand, kept her close company and caused her to
toss and turn in bed for some time.

Had she been a challenge for Grey
because she hadn’t fallen into his bed as many women must? Clearly,
whatever she’d been, he’d tired quickly enough of her. She squeezed
her eyes closed, determined not to think of him any longer.
Dwelling on Grey wouldn’t change the fact that instead of coming to
his aunt’s apartments to see her, he’d gone off with his friend to
a tavern known for its willing wenches. A dull ache strummed in her
chest.

Was she judging him too
quickly? After all, the ladies of the Court and the queen had
judged her and never given her a chance. What if he had a logical
explanation? She snorted. She doubted he did. She was just
indulging in wishful thinking.
If
on the slightest chance he did
and
he approached her
and begged to speak with her, she would possibly listen.

But until she heard his
explanation and judged for herself whether it was true she would
proceed as if he was a rake after all. Her heart twisted. This was
the way it had to be no matter how it hurt. She needed to put him
in her past and focus on her future. Her most pressing concern now
was really her father. No doubt in the morning he’d want an
accounting of how her husband hunting was coming. He was going to
be disappointed with her, and the notion of disappointing him made
her chest tighten. Starting tomorrow, she’d force herself to master
all respectable feminine accomplishments,
and
do her best to be the daughter
her father deserved.

THE NEXT MORNING MADELAINE WENT to
check in on Elizabeth. She looked worse rather than better, but the
doctor was on his way, so Madelaine regretfully left to hurry to
the king’s Audience Chamber to greet her father before she had to
tend to the queen. Halfway up the stairs, her step faltered and her
heartbeat raced. Grey stood at the top of the steps. Was he looking
for her to explain? She needed to be detached, unless he gave her a
reason to be otherwise. She straightened her back and lifted her
chin.

“
Madelaine!” He bounded
down the steps to meet her.

“
Good day, Lord Grey.” She
forced her leaden feet to climb the steps. Her treacherous heart
skipped when he fell into step beside her. She glanced at him and
wished she hadn’t. There’d probably never been a man who looked as
fine as Grey did in a deep, blue coat. The color matched the stormy
hue of his eyes. Forgiving him would be so easy, but she couldn’t
be foolish, unless he had a sound, solid explanation.

He nudged her arm. “You’re
cross.”

“
Why ever would I be
angry?” Did he expect her to do all the work for him? He needed to
grovel and beg and explain. “My father is here for a visit, so my
heart is light.”

“
Your heart may be light,
but your eyes are heavy with daggers.”

She snorted. “Such a witty tongue you
have. Did the women last night find you clever?” Blast. She was a
miserable failure at pretending she didn’t care.

“
See―” He grabbed her hand
and tugged her into an alcove at the top of the stairs. “You are
upset. I’m pleased I’m already learning to read your
moods.”

She snatched her hand away. Gads! If
only she’d not let her emotions overcome her, she would have chosen
her words more carefully. His fingers grazed the sleeve of her
dress and curled around her elbow. An involuntary shiver went
through her at the warmth of his hand seeping through her silk to
singe her skin.

“
Please, Madelaine. Give
me a moment.”

Was this more seduction or the
accounting she longed for? “I used all my spare moments last night
waiting on you. I’ve none left. Now if you’ll excuse me.” She
looked pointedly at her elbow. If he had nothing to say to defend
himself, she had to make herself go.

Dropping his hand, he sighed. “You’ve
every right to be angry, but I can explain.”

Her heart skipped a beat. Now they
were getting somewhere. “Let me guess, more equerry
training?”

“
Yes!” He raked a hand
through his hair. The motion drew her notice to the utterly
disheveled mess. Frowning, she swept her gaze over the rest of him.
His clothes were fresh and pressed, but his hair hadn’t been
combed, a hint of dark stubble graced his face, and―she discreetly
sniffed.

“
You smell of whiskey,
smoke and―” She sniffed again. The unmistakable spicy scent of a
woman’s perfume lingered on him. Anger swelled inside of her. He
dared seek her out to continue his game after spending the night
with another woman. Did he think her dull-witted? Expect her to
believe his pathetic excuse of more equerry training? She tilted
her head back. “Did you just get in?”

“
Not long ago,
but―”

She held up a palm, glad for the anger
that pushed her sadness away. “Did you spend the night with a woman
from the Merry Tavern?”

“
Certainly not. I spent
the night passed out on the floor of the tavern.”

She arched her brow. “I feel so much
better knowing that.”

“
You confound me.” He
cleared his throat. “For once I’m trying to properly court a woman,
and what do I find?”

He looked so forlorn that she couldn’t
help but ask, “What?”

“
It’s much more bloody
difficult than I ever imagined.”

“
Then quit bothering.
You’re doing an awful job of wooing me anyway.”

He leaned away. “I feared as much.
I’ll just have to try harder.”

“
Don’t.” Her heart lurched
at his pronouncement. If he tried harder, she might succumb again.
He’d not given a good enough explanation. He wasn’t to be counted
on.

“
I’m afraid I’m rather
mule-headed when set on a course. I know you don’t believe me, but
I was forced to go to the tavern against my will.”

“
You’re right,” she
snapped. “I don’t believe you.” Not wanting to listen to anymore of
his lies, she bounded away from the alcove and ran smack into an
oncoming person. The collision took her breath away, but she
managed to maintain her footing. Constance was not so lucky. The
chambermaid fell backwards onto her bottom, the laden silver tray
she’d been carrying clanked to the floor with enough noise to make
Madelaine wince.

“
I’m so sorry,
milady.”

“
I’m the one who should
apologize.” Madelaine reached to help Constance up, but before the
woman clasped onto Madelaine’s hand, Grey appeared and kneeling,
helped Constance to her feet. Madelaine scowled at his
interference, but she couldn’t very well be cross with him for
lending a helping hand. She bent to pick up the chambermaid’s
forgotten tray and when she rose, Grey and Constance were staring
at each other rather peculiarly. Neither of them spoke a word. A
funny, queasiness assaulted Madelaine, worsened by Constance’s
strong, spicy perfume.

Madelaine looked from Grey to
Constance, her stomach plummeting. The sudden dryness of her mouth
forced her to swallow repeatedly. “Constance, do you ever get a
night off?”

“
Rarely. But the queen was
in a generous mood yesterday and excused myself and another
chambermaid for the night.” Constance’s gaze lingered on
Grey.

“
I hope you enjoyed
yourself.” A dull ache pressed behind Madelaine’s right eye. She
lifted her unusually heavy arm to rub her temple. The best thing
for her heart would be to forget Grey and let her suspicions lay
unconfirmed. But she couldn’t do it. She had to know if he’d been
at the Merry Tavern with Constance. “Did you get to leave the
castle and enjoy yourself or were you trapped here?”

Grey shifted from foot to foot, his
gaze darting from Madelaine to Constance. Her queasiness
intensified. The chambermaid looked at her oddly, and no wonder.
Ladies-in-waiting didn’t converse with chambermaids let alone
inquire as to how they spent their free time.

“
Lady Madelaine.” Grey
touched her elbow, and she instinctively pulled away. He’d hurt her
once, she was not about to let him hurt her again. Worry creased
his brow. “Your father is walking this way.”

Blinking, she glanced down
the corridor, lifted her hand and waved. It was as if she was in a
dream. Another person going through the motions, but
her
body was moving. Her
heart pounded in her ear. She had seconds to secure an answer.
“Where did you go?”

When Constance’s gaze flew back to
Grey’s, and his shoulders sagged as he dipped his head as if to
give her permission, Madelaine ground her teeth. She’d didn’t need
the chambermaid’s words to confirm what she now knew. “Never mind,”
she said, barely above a whisper and turned to meet her father
before he reached her. As Madelaine scurried down the hall,
Constance’s words, “Too bad for you she’s a clever one,” echoed to
her.

Clever indeed. She pasted a smile on
her face for her father’s benefit. Not astute enough was more like
it. A shrewd woman would have heeded the rumors about Grey and
stayed as far away from the rake as possible.

The happy smile that lit Madelaine’s
face when she embraced her father warmed Grey’s heart and helped
him decide what to do. He couldn’t just walk away. Even if she
wanted him to. He’d soothe her feelings and make things right. But
first―he eyed the chambermaid, Constance. “You might have guessed…”
his words trailed off at a glance at Madelaine. Her brow was
furrowed and her father’s face was set into stern lines.

“
Lady Madelaine is the
woman you spoke of last night.” Constance finished his forgotten
sentence for him.

“
The very one.”

“
She’s very pretty. But I
doubt she’ll be willing to please you the way I offered to last
night.”

“
I feel certain you’re
correct, but she’s intrigued me all the same.” Constance huffed
beside him. “Not to say you’re not intriguing,” he amended. She
was. And not long ago, he would have gladly accepted the offer to
share her bed the previous evening, but the time had passed where
all he wanted was a good romp. He wanted more. And he only had eyes
for Madelaine.

“
You’re sweet the way you
try to appease me. A gold coin would go further though. You’re the
first man to ever turn down my offer.”