“We have to get out of these clothes,” Ethan said, sounding exhausted at the prospect.
The idea stopped Alice in her tracks. “What do you mean we need to get out of our clothes? There is nothing else here for us to wear!”
“No, but there are plenty of blankets. If we stay in these wet things, we’ll never be able to get warm—they’re soaked through.” He motioned toward the corner of the room where a large bed stood. At the base of the bed was an equally large trunk. “I filled that trunk with sheets and blankets just the other day. Pull some out, and I’ll turn away while you change.”
Alice was rooted to where she stood, mouth hanging open in shock, utterly aghast. “We . . . we can’t, Mr. Beaumont . . . We are alone. This is already highly inappropriate, and now you want us to undress?”
Ethan pinched the bridge of his nose while his frame twitched, shaking from the cold. “Alice, we are so far beyond propriety at this moment. If others were in our position, would they not do the same? Do you think anyone is going to worry about whether or not we behaved properly if you take ill from a chill and die? Don’t you think the circumstances supersede decorum?”
Studiously ignoring his first use of her Christian name in her presence, Alice had to accede that he was right. Common sense dictated that they urgently needed to get warm, and he was right that it would be impossible to do so in their current state.
“You are correct, of course. I’ll just be a moment.” Hurrying over to the trunk as there was no time for contrition, Alice hefted the lid and was relieved to find it filled with more than enough blankets to keep them discreetly concealed.
She brought an armful over to Ethan, who was already unbuttoning his shirt.
“Oh! Ah . . . I’ll just . . .” Flustered and with cheeks burning, she turned about, trying to find a safe place for her eyes to land. Not that she hadn’t noticed how the wet material clung to his chest and arms. Hiding precisely nothing—the wet material seeming to highlight the lines of muscle even more than if he were to be wearing no shirt at all. Her hands flew to cover her flaming face at the thought, but just then her eyes alighted on a small stool at the edge of the kitchen area.
“You don’t have to run away. I’ll wait until you are behind me to continue, so as not to upset your sensibilities with my dishabille,” Ethan said with an irritated sigh.
Alice returned as he was finishing and promptly dropped the stool in front of him, raising an eyebrow in challenge while grabbing his injured ankle. “I understand elevating the injured limb can be beneficial. I was merely trying to help, not fleeing your presence.”
At least Mr. Beaumont looked sheepish as she turned around to change, making sure her back was to the chair and that she was firmly out of his sightline. She was so cold now that her teeth were practically chattering as she pictured being wrapped in something warm and dry. However, the reality of the situation soon crashed down upon Alice that she would most likely need assistance in disrobing.
“Blast!” she seethed, fingers numb and laces too tight for her to be able to unlace herself. After struggling for about ten minutes and making almost no progress other than shedding her sopping pelisse, Alice swallowed her pride and called out to Mr. Beaumont.
“Are . . . are you decent? May I come out?”
A chuckle sounded from the vicinity of the fire. “Yes, I am fully covered. You may return.”
“Why haven’t you changed?” he asked as she made her way over. “I promise on my life as a gentleman that I will be entirely honorable.”
“I know. But I can’t get out of my laces. My fingers are too cold, and the water has made them swell.”
Concern lit his eyes as he motioned her over. “Here, sit in front of me. And warm your hands in the fire.” Alice sat with her back to him and eagerly leaned into the small, cheerful blaze. She could feel his hands at her back, picking at the laces, and she tried not to blush again as he uttered a few curses of his own.
Feeling his solid strength behind her, Alice recalled when she had stumbled and he wrapped his arms around her to keep her from falling. It had only been a moment, but she’d felt so secure. There was no way to truly understand the sensation and the strong feelings it had provoked in her, but it felt like all the pieces of her life which had led to that moment were finally falling into place—like that precise moment and location were exactly where she had always been intended to be. As if she were her real self in Ethan’s arms, and he was her home.
Her lips trembled again, but this time it wasn’t from the cold. An involuntary shudder raced through her.
“I’m sorry, I’m moving as fast as I can. I know you’re cold,” he said, grabbing one of the blankets and wrapping it around her front while he continued to work.
“No, you’ll get it all wet!”
“We’ve already gotten everything else wet, and there are plenty more. It’s more important that you don’t catch a chill.”
After a few more moments, Alice felt the material at her sides begin to sag as the laces loosened at last. Ethan, who’d been working quickly until now, suddenly paused. She felt a finger gently trace its way down her exposed back, the touch sending a tremor through her body and settling low in her belly.
Abruptly, the sides of the blanket were yanked around her, concealing her exposed back and ending the moment.
“There. Now go get out of everything quickly, you’ve already been in those wet clothes for far too long.” There wasn’t an ounce of warmth in his tone, the complete opposite of his touch only seconds ago. Once again, Alice felt almost vertiginous from how quickly his mood swung from one extreme to the other. She was far too cold and numb to deal with it now, but it nagged at her, making her uneasy.
Alice knew that disrobing was the rational and practical next step, but it still felt completely wrong to shed her clothing knowing Mr. Beaumont was in the room with her. Though she had twisted and secured sheets securely around her body before layering several quilts on top, she somehow felt completely exposed and vulnerable, as if she were still naked before him. Not yet ready to be in such proximity to him, she glanced around the cabin.
It was a nice, cozy space. Only one room, while not large it did not feel crowded. The fireplace was centered on the back wall and had chairs for lounging, and the large bed was tucked into the back right corner. In the front where Alice stood was a table, and in the left corner were cabinets and a sink. Spying a kettle, she picked it up and managed to get the water pump working without dislodging her many wraps, a feat in itself.
“What are you doing?” Ethan grumbled from the chair as she hung the kettle over the fire.
“I’m making tea. As you said, we need to warm up as soon as possible. A hot drink will help with that.”
