She must be worried for her brother. Jasper certainly would be, were their roles reversed. He?—
Thump-thunk. The sound from overhead echoed through the silent building, and Jasper surged to his feet, dropping the book to his seat.
As though in unspoken agreement, they darted through the corridors and up the two flights of stairs, searching through the rooms for the source of the sound. His pulse thrummed in his ears, his spine tingled with anticipation. And yet…there was nothing.
“Have you servants’ corridors or any hidden passages?” Miss Morgan asked hopefully.
Jasper shook his head, then adjusted the spectacles sitting on the bridge of his nose, as they made their way back to the drawing room. “I’m afraid not. I searched after the first letter that Francis had left for me.”
With his body still buzzing with unspent energy, he retrieved his book and resumed his seat in the drawing room. A part of Jasper wondered if he would ever face Francis in his home again, since they’d secured the one unlocked window. That could, truly, have been his cousin’s only entry point, and without his personal staff—and, presumably, the person aiding Francis—in residence, the man mightn’t have another chance.
He should have been pleased, and yet…he’d hoped they would capture the man that night.
Sometime later, Miss Huntsbury appeared at the rear servants’ entrance. “It is nearing dawn.”
Jasper nodded, having ushered the women to the servants’ hall, where they donned their capes, gloves, and bonnets at the agreed-upon time.
“The air is chilled out of doors,” he hedged. “Why do I not give you all a ride home in my carriage?”
Miss Huntsbury curtseyed. “I thank you, Your Grace, but I must refuse. I drove my phaeton.”
Miss Morgan gripped Juliana’s arm and smiled knowingly at him. “We shall ride with Grace, but if you would be so kind as to drive Maria, I’m certain that she would be ever so grateful.”
The friends exchanged glances that bewildered Jasper before they said their farewells, and the three women were gone.
He turned to Maria, the narrow space between them suddenly feeling infinitely smaller, and the air around them growing thick with meaning.
Her gaze caught his, and held.
“I’m sorry that the evening was uneventful,” she said softly. “I know that you must be hoping for Francis’ swift capture.”
“I imagine we all are. I cannot be sorry for the company, however.”
“Nor I.” She stepped closer. “But…I need to forget everything for a moment. Will you help me with that, Jasper?”
His pulse sped, and he whispered, “I will.”
The breath was sucked from his lungs as she dropped her satchel and outerwear to the floor and swept forward to capture his lips. Heat rushed through him in a wave of untamed lust, and he wrapped his arms around her, clutching at the fabric of her costume.
He’d wanted to speak with her about…what? Hell, the arousing flicks of her tongue against his and the thrust of her mons against his straining cock had his entire body aching with the desire for her.The discussion will keep.
Maria threaded her fingers into his hair, rasping her nails gently against his scalp, and he groaned. Pulling back, she put just enough distance between them to work at unfastening the buttons of his waistcoat.
“The bedchamber,” he murmured against her lips, walking them backward through the diminutive foyer of the servants’ entrance.
With a light laugh, Maria palmed Jasper’s erection through his trousers and darted from the room. Jasper groaned as his cock throbbed. He raced after her.
Following her breathy pants and light laughter through the corridors and up the sets of stairs, they at last reached his bedchamber. Maria spun to face him, her chest heaving and a wicked grin on her lips.
Christ, but the woman was amazing.
With asnickof the lock, Jasper gave a predatory growl, and reached for her.
He caught her laugh with his mouth and she latched on to him, her fingers making swift work of his cravat and remaining waistcoat buttons. He, likewise, reached for the fastenings of her maid’s uniform and loosened them one by one with trembling fingers.
The room was deeply shadowed; the only light was that of the low-burning fire from the hearth that offered a scant orange hue. And yet even with the meagre light, Jasper saw every inch of skin revealed.
With another growl, he took her lips once more.
