Ah, his little muse had teeth. He liked her even more for standing up to him. “I suppose not.”
“What do you intend to do if we find them before they marry?”
“Merely talk to my brother. Try to make him see reason. If he persists in marrying, there’s not much else I can do. My brother is of age and financially independent.”
“But you still worry about him.”
It wasn’t a question, but he answered it, anyway. “I do. Force of habit, I guess. Our parents died when he was very young, and I became responsible for him.”
“That is the same way I feel about my sister. Her parents are alive, but I am six years older. I have always tried to protect her from danger.”
He admired her for that. Even if her worries were misguided regarding his brother, he liked that she cared enough to worry, to even undertake this journey in order to safeguard her sister from what she considered a catastrophe. A woman like her would be fiercely loyal to those she loved...
Now, where did that thought come from? And what did it matter, anyway? Her qualities of loyalty or otherwise were of no concern to him.
“Even when it means putting yourself in danger for her?”
She frowned. “Am I in danger, Liam?”
Oh, fuck. He was in trouble. The way she said his name, with that mixture of daring and shyness, seasoned with a hint of desire... Well, it did something to him. His cock jumped in his trousers, forcing him to cross his legs to avoid embarrassing himself.
“With me? No. But I shudder to imagine what could have happened to you if you had undertaken this trip all alone.”
“I doubt anything makes you shudder, Liam.”
He could think of several things that would make him shudder. A vivid image of her lips wrapped around his cock flashed through his mind, and he had to suppress a groan. Wrestling his thoughts into a semblance of control, he considered her question. Was she in danger? No, but she certainly was a danger to his sanity.
“Oh, you’d be surprised, Thalia.”
CHAPTER 7
DARKNESS HAD ALREADYfallen when the train entered the city of York. Thalia yawned sleepily and attempted to surreptitiously stretch her back. She was tired, and her shoulders were tense. No doubt the result of hours traveling in an uncomfortable corset. And that occurred despite the plush accommodations of the marquess’s luxurious coach. She didn’t want to think what condition she would be in if she had traveled in the second-class wagon as she had intended.
She looked at Liam, who was meticulously putting away all his sculpting tools and supplies in preparation for their arrival. When he cleared the table, the servant immediately came to wipe and put the table away. The marquess looked as fresh and rested as when they first started the journey. It seemed incredibly unfair, but the comfort of gentlemen’s attire greatly exceeded that of women’s clothing! As the day progressed, he kept discarding garments with the casual carelessness of someone accustomed to wearing fewer layers, until he ended up in a tempting state of dishabille.
His necktie was the first to go, followed by his waistcoat. His shirt gaped open at the neck to reveal a sliver of muscled chest dusted with golden hair. At some point, he had also removed his shoes, and now he pranced around in stockinged feet. She had never seen a gentleman in such a state of undress. Not even her husband, who had always appeared dressed for an audience with the queen.
As she had spoken her thoughts aloud, the object of her musings said, “You should have made use of the sleeping berth, as I recommended.”
Not a chance. The ‘berth’ as he called it, proved to be a sumptuous bed fit for a king. She could not possibly lie on it without thinking about its owner just a few feet away, and imagining all the wicked things they could do in that bed. She really was in a bad state. Had she stooped so low as to salivate over a handsome gentleman as if she were a starving she-wolf? The ridiculous image made her smile despite the unflattering comparison.
“I am perfectly fine, Liam.” God, how she loved saying his name. Despite her initial misgivings, she loved the small intimacy. “Your carriage is very comfortable. Although I’m looking forward to a hot bath and a soft bed tonight.”
Was it her imagination that his eyes darkened and his face took on a predatory look? It was probably just in response to her racy comment about baths and beds. That had been a tad inappropriate. She hadn’t even meant it that way. At least not consciously. Her exhaustion had loosened her tongue. But she couldn’t regret the reaction it had provoked in him.
Was he experiencing the same pull of attraction she was? It seemed impossible, and yet, the glint in his eyes as they roamed her face provided encouragement. It was not the first time she had caught him looking at her surreptitiously during the journey.
What would it be like to lie with him? He looked like he knew his way around a woman’s body. An image of those skilled fingers working the clay had her blushing. Ridiculous, of course. He wouldn’t be interested. But if he made an advance, what would she say?
Yes!
The answer formed, unbidden, in her mind. Did that make her a wanton? And why not? She was a widow. Nobody expected her to be untouched. As long as she was discreet, an affair wouldn’t ruin her. This was probably her one and only chance to experience pleasure in a man’s arms. To enjoy a night of unbridled passion without ties or consequences.
She had resigned herself to be unwanted, to never experience the heady elixir of feeling beautiful and desirable. However, this man’s attentions made her want things.
But she was getting way ahead of herself. He had not indicated by deed or word that he was interested in pursuing a liaison with her. Like a pitiful, love-starved widow, she was probably reading too much into his glances. Better rein her low impulses before she made a fool of herself, as her stepmother liked to remind her.
The train decelerated as it approached the station, and she stood to get her gloves and hat. But just as she lifted her arms to affix her hat, the train screeched to a sudden halt. The floor slid from under her. With nothing to grab on to, she took several quick steps, trying to regain her balance, before she lost her footing. And then she was falling through the air, until powerful arms circled her, holding her secure.
