She looked away, biting her lip. “Why did you leave?”
Veronica let out a long breath. “Because I had a foolish thought in my head. It won’t happen again.”
“But I don’t understand why it happened at all.”
“I was trapped under my own mind. I shouldn’t have done that. It must have scared you. I’m sorry.”
“It’s over now. You are home safe and that is what matters.”The pair finished getting her ready for bed in silence. A short time later, Veronica was alone, dozing off in delicious warmth. Until she was jolted awake by a knock at her door.
Chapter Nineteen
Christopher hesitated. Perhaps this was a mistake. Perhaps he should have left her to rest and recover. After all, they had just spent a whole night trapped in close quarters together. She very well might want to spend some time on her own, especially given how tired she had been.
This had been a mistake.
With the thought solidified, he moved to turn away and go back to his room. He could get some rest on his own, and so could she. There would be time for them to spend together, time to get to know each other later, but before he could, the door swung open.
“Christopher?” Veronica frowned in confusion, wrapping her dressing gown tighter around her. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be in bed?”
He winced. This had been a mistake. He never should have come here, but now he had to say something. After a moment, hehesitantly said, “I had thought the two of us could spend some time together while we were recovering, but if you would rather be alone to rest then I shall leave you be. I supposed you must be rather tired.”
He turned to go, but she called. “Wait!”
He paused, turning to look at her, and she hesitated.
“Yes?” he asked, a strange emotion bubbling in his chest.
She smiled at him. “I think you’re right. If we are both sick and stuck in bed, we might as well be together. Just give me a moment to put on more than my dressing gown.”
“Of course. As I said, I shouldn’t have simply barged in.”
“You didn’t. I will only be a moment.”
Veronica stepped back inside. After another few moments, she opened the door once more now dressed in a simple house dress.
“Right,” she said quickly then stood aside before motioning him to come in.
Christopher let out a long breath before stepping inside. He could only hope his surprise at her letting him in didn’t show too much on his face.
Alone in her room, for a moment, neither of them seemed to know what to say, where to sit, or even where to look. Christopher’s eyes flitted over every corner of the place.
It was nothing as ornate as she could have had as a duchess. He found himself a bit surprised she seemed to choose not to indulge in the finery she was entitled to. The place was more comfortable, less formal than his family had ever kept the place.
There seemed to be touches of her everywhere. From the decorations on the pillows to the half finished projects laying around.
He should say something. The silence seemed to never end. One of them needed to do something about it. It should be me, he thought to himself, but what to say?
He didn’t think it was wise to bring up what thy had just been through, nut he wasn’t sure what else there was to talk about. Still, he needed to think of something soon.
But then she beat him to it.
“I don’t know if I thanked you,” Veronica said when the silence seemed to stretch on for too long.
“For what?” be blinked, stunned and confused.
“For coming after me. I know I must have put you through a lot of trouble.”
“It was nothing. Please, think nothing of it.”
