He found the ties at her waist holding her skirts in place and undid them, sending the silk to the floor. “Corset cover next, I reckon.”
Her fingers flew to the buttons. “I’ll remove it myself.”
But he gently knocked her hands to the side. “Let me tend you, Vivi.”
She held herself stiffly as he resumed stripping her of her undergarments, all too aware of his nearness, his green-blue stare seemingly eating her up, and Nelson’s presence in the distant bathing chamber. At any moment, she would return.
“I’m not accustomed to being attended by anyone other than Nelson,” she murmured.
But her protest didn’t give him pause.
He continued slipping buttons from their moorings. “As I said, I’ve been remiss in my duties.”
Her corset cover was whisked away, placed atop her bodice. And then she stood before him in her red satin corset trimmed with black lace. She had ordered it because she had been feeling rebellious and daring, but it had been for her eyes alone. His gaze darkened, lingering on the way the undergarment’s stiff boning lifted her breasts in a bold display.
“You look gorgeous in red,” he said, his voice thick with suppressed desire as he ran his knuckles lightly over the curve of one breast, hidden from view by her thin chemise.
“The bath is ready, Your Grace,” Nelson announced brightly as she reentered the room.
Vivi leapt away from Court guiltily, keeping her gaze averted to the fire. “Thank you, Nelson. His Grace was just leaving. Will you help me with the rest of my dress?”
“Actually,” Court interceded smoothly, “I’ll assist Her Grace with her garments and bath. You may go.”
He was dismissing her lady’s maid? For what purpose? She thought of the bath Nelson had prepared for her, and her alarm tripled. She couldn’t allow Court to witness the humiliating fear that had been haunting her ever since Percy’s death. What would he think? Nor did she trust herself to allow him to remove all her clothing.
“As you wish, Your Grace,” Nelson said, the rustle of cloth indicating she was dipping into another curtsy. “Ring if you require anything else. I bid you good evening.”
No, no, no.
Vivi couldn’t be left alone with Court.
She spun about to stay Nelson, but the capable lady’s maid was already disappearing from view on the other side of the door. It clicked softly closed at her back, leaving Vivi alone with her husband.
“Don’t look so alarmed, sweetheart,” Court said, taking her chin between his thumb and forefinger in a gentle hold and tilting her head so that she met his gaze. “Do you not trust yourself to be alone with me after what happened in the bailey?”
That was part of the problem, yes.
But there was also another, equally concerning hindrance.
“I trust myself well enough,” she said crisply. “It is you whom I don’t trust.”
“I’ll own that I haven’t given you much reason to trust me yet. But I swear to you, Vivi, that I have no intention of hurting you or leaving you ever again.”
His gaze was unwavering, burning into a part of her that was his alone.
“Very well,” she relented. “You may help me to disrobe down to my chemise and drawers. But after that, I must insist you leave me to remove the rest and bathe myself.”
He released his hold on her chin, his countenance turning contemplative. “I promise not to do anything you don’t want.”
It was what she wanted that Vivi feared. Because it was too much, too soon. And she longed for him more than she ever had.
But Court wasn’t waiting for her response anyway. His agile fingers were already on the tapes of her petticoat, untying Nelson’s knot.
“Forgive me for being wary of such a promise,” she said wryly. “It sounds decidedly self-serving.”
Not to mention, all too dangerous.
The knot loosened, and with a bit of help from Court, her ruffled petticoat fell to join her skirts, equally wet from the rain.
