“I’m not an invalid. I can take a piss by myself,” he grumbled.
Despite his crass language, he sounded so like his usual grumpy self, Susanna couldn’t help but to grin.
“What are you smiling about?”
“It’s just that you sound so like yourself.” She patted him on his chest. He wore a borrowed nightshirt that hung down just past his knees. She enjoyed a quick glance at his muscled calves covered in hair. “Perhaps you’d like a bath? A nice soak could refresh your spirits. Then you can get dressed. I asked Mrs. Hobbs to have your clothes washed. You are fastidious about your appearance and you only brought two changes of clothes. We ended up traveling for longer than you anticipated.”
“Susanna,” Miles interrupted. “Please leave.”
“Oh, yes of course.” She hurried out of the room.
Mr. Marlow had given her the room across the hall when they first arrived. She entered her room and rang for a maid. Pulling pins from her hair, she whistled a little tune. This was the first morning in almost a week that she felt well-rested and settled. Sleeping in Miles’s arms all night seemed to be just the ticket. He was going to be all right; she had a good feeling about it. She was, in fact, what he had so derisively described yesterday, annoyingly optimistic.
Perhaps she should admit to him that they were not husband and wife. It felt wrong to lie to him when his memory was compromised. But it would be hard to explain the nature of their actual relationship. She didn’t even know how describe it to herself. Friends who enjoy arguing and a good game of chess, who chase each other across England, and sometimes watch each other pleasure themselves? For goodness’ sake, what a mess. No, it was easier to keep playing along until his memory came back. It would be fine. He would understand that she’d lied so she could take care of him, so there wouldn’t be any perceived impropriety. Wouldn’t he?
A knock sounded at the door. “Come in,” she called out.
“What can I help you with, Lady Hawksridge?” the upstairs maid asked.
“Could you help me to change my dress? I fell asleep in my husband’s room last night without even getting ready for bed.” She smiled sheepishly at the young woman. “I guess this whole ordeal wore me out more than I thought.”
“Of course.” The maid came into the room and started with the buttons at the back of her dress. Once she had changed into a fresh frock, one of her favorites in pale spring green, the maid ushered her to the vanity to sit.
“Just a simple chignon at the nape of my neck will do. Thank you…what is your name?”
“Mary.”
“Thank you, Mary.”
Later, Susanna enjoyed a steaming cup of tea and some fruit tarts at the breakfast table with Mr. Marlow. “I am eternally grateful for your hospitality. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t rescued us.”
“I am happy to offer you some refuge here at my home.” He had been quiet this morning as he ate his eggs and sausage links.
“Mr. Marlow, I hope that I did not upset you with my revelation yesterday. That was not my intention.”
“I will admit it has dredged up thoughts and feelings I thought I had long ago locked away.”
Her chest tightened at the sadness in his eyes. “I’m sorry. I have the best of intentions but as my friends often remind me, not everyone wants to speak of every feeling.” She took a sip of tea. “They would have advised me to not come.”
“Since you have, perhaps you can tell me a bit about Diana.”
“She is well. She married Lord Wells at her parents’ insistence. But was widowed after only ten years. She has never remarried. Have you ever married, Mr. Marlow?”
His jaw clenched and he shook his head. “No, I have never married.”
“She is very close to her sister’s family. Her sister passed away when the boys were young, and she looked out for them, became a second mother. Hawksridge and his brother adore her. They still see her often. She had very definite opinions about having them happily married.”
His lips twitched before blooming into a smile. “That sounds like her. She had definite opinions about everything. There was no arguing with her, she would always win.”
“I know someone like that,” Susanna laughed.
“I hope you don’t mean me.” Miles’s deep voice came from the doorway.
She raked her gaze over him. His hair was damp and combed back from his forehead. A terrible bruise marred his right temple but the swelling was considerably reduced. He was fully dressed except he was missing his cravat. The small v of tanned throat and chest that was visible was tantalizing, leaving her with a desire to place a kiss right in the hollow. She must have been staring because Miles lifted his hand to his bare throat.
“I couldn’t figure out the cravat. I just can’t remember how to knot it properly.”
She lifted her hand to beckon him into the room. “It’s all right with me. Your valet, Roberts, would be scandalized though.”
