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.CHAPTER SEVENHIS LEAP WAS A SMOOTH dive over Camilla’s sleeping form and onto the bed beside her.He barely grazed her, but the movement brought her instantly awake.“What—” she began furiously, but Benedict wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her to his chest, cutting off her words.“Hush!” he whispered against her ear.“The maid.”At that instant it registered on Camilla that she could hear a gentle rapping at the door, and now the door creaked as it eased open.Camilla lay still in Benedict’s arms, her eyes tightly closed, as Millie tiptoed into the room and set a tray down on the small table beside the bed.Camilla tried to make her breathing slow and shallow, as if she were asleep, even though every nerve in her body was alive and tingling.She was acutely aware of Benedict’s bare chest against her face, the curling hairs tickling her skin.She had never seen a man’s bare chest before last night, let alone felt it pressed against her.His arms were like iron around her, holding her tightly, lest she make a movement that would give them away.His male scent filled her nostrils; his heat seeped into her body.“Miss Camilla.Uh, Mrs.Lassiter,” Millie stage-whispered.When Camilla did not respond, the maid leaned closer to the bed.“Missus, please, wake up.”Benedict opened his eyes, his arms loosening around Camilla.Camilla took this as her cue to stir and “awaken,” also.“What the devil do you want?” Benedict asked the maid gruffly.“I’m sorry, sir.” Millie looked pitifully abject.“Truly I am.It’s just that the Earl is up, sir, and he’s asking to see you.He’s very eager to see you and Miss Camilla.I mean, the missus.”“Oh.” Camilla understood now why the maid had had the audacity to awaken them.She knew her grandfather, and his orders brooked no argument.“Grandpapa ordered you to wake us up and bring us to his room.”“Yes’m.” Relief flooded the girl’s plain face at Camilla’s ready understanding.“That’s it.I brought you tea and toast.”Camilla nodded.“It’s all right, Millie.We aren’t angry with you.”“We aren’t?” Benedict asked sourly.Camilla wanted to shoot him a look that was just as sour, but instead, she smiled at him with great sweetness, saying, “Now, dearest, I told you how my grandfather is.Millie isn’t to blame.I am sure he commanded her to awaken us.”To her surprise, Benedict smiled back at her, his dark eyes alight with affection.He leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips.“Of course, my love.Your smile can sweeten even my sour disposition.Forgive me.”“Of course.” She tried to act as if she were used to that loving look in his eyes, to his warm, firm lips touching hers.She drew a steadying breath.“Shall I iron out a dress for you, ma’am?” Millie asked now, going to the dressing room.“I only hung them up last night.I haven’t pressed them yet.”“Yes.Uh, the sprig muslin would be fine.”Millie bobbed a quick curtsy and disappeared into the large dressing room.She emerged a moment later with the dress in question and left the room, promising to be back “quick as a wink.”When the door closed behind her, Camilla sagged with relief.“Sweet heaven! How did you know she was about to come in?”“I am a light sleeper.I heard her rattling about with the tray out in the hall, setting it down so she could knock on the door, and I realized what she was about.Sorry if I startled you.”He sat up, pushing aside the cover.Camilla realized that he was lying on top of her bedcovers.He had brought the blanket with him as he leaped over her onto the bed, spreading it hastily over them.She glanced at the bed beside her and saw that he had brought his pillow, too.A very efficient man, even in an emergency.“Is your grandfather so fearsome, then, that everyone jumps at his command?” he asked, searching the drawers for his clothes, which the maid had unpacked the evening before.“Even waking us up and dragging us out of bed?”“He can be something of a tartar.He’s used to getting his way, you see.He assumed the Earldom when he was only twenty-two.That was nearly sixty years ago, so it is almost as if he has been in command his whole life.Besides, he comes from a more autocratic time.He’s rather old-fashioned in his ways.”“I see [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]