“You are my friend.” Her voice caught on a sob as she chastised him. After wrapping a strip of linen around his hands, she rose to remove his jacket. “You need to get out of these wet clothes before you catch your—“
“My death?”
He disparaged himself with cynical humor. Likely, if she left him here alone, he’d sit in his wet clothes, allow the cold to penetrate him completely, and do nothing to improve his comfort.
“Stand up.” He mindlessly obeyed her command and rose. Not allowing herself to hesitate, she unfastened his falls and then tugged the tails of his shirt free before lifting the garment over his head.
A few cuts and reddened flesh that would no doubt turn to bruises stood out starkly against his taut, pale skin. “Oh, Gabriel.” Again, she wiped at the cuts and rubbed some of Mary’s special liniment over them while he stood motionless before her. She’d seen his chest before, that lovely afternoon, in the sunlight no less.
When she glanced up, she could see that he watched her with an unfathomable hooded gaze. “I shouldn’t have come here.”
“I’m glad you did. I’ve been so worried.” Where else would he go? He was not staying at Ashton Acres. He’d been residing alone in a gamekeeper’s cottage. Would he simply drop onto his bed if not for her to attend to his injuries?
When she went to draw his trousers down his legs, he shook his head. “Someone will learn that I’ve been here, and I can’t… Olivia. You must know I can never offer for you. You should run far away from me. Where is that maid of yours? You must leave for your parents’ house. Leave me to my wretchedness. I’m not your friend. I never was.”
But she ignored his protests and when she dropped to her knees to peel his sodden breeches off his legs, he lifted his feet one by one to step out of them. Glancing up, she did not miss that his eyes burned with the same need that had been lurking in them for weeks now.
He was alive. Naked and alive and sitting in her bedchamber.
“I know all of this. Do you think me a fool?” She met his gaze and then handed him a dry towel. She didn’t trust herself to assist him further.
Confused and distraught, she turned to toss a few pieces of coal into the fire where embers yet glowed. She’d kept it burning throughout the night, listening to the storm, almost as though keeping a vigil.
A flame burst to life and began licking at the coal. “Did you think I expected an offer? I’m not deluded as to my options. I may be a viscount’s daughter, but by blood only. He acknowledges me only as his curse.” And perhaps he’s right! She never should have gone to the mine! She couldn’t help but wonder if by consenting to Mr. Smith’s proposal, she had sealed his doom. She’d not believed in it before.
She had not.
But all day yesterday and all night, she’d been unable to dismiss her father’s accusations. Her eyes stung.
But then Gabriel was behind her, holding her. “The mine had nothing to do with you. Whatever you believe, believe that.” His breath stirred the hair by her face, his hands settled warmly on the soft flesh just below her breasts.
“I want to, but—”
He spun her around and she buried her face in his chest, winding her arms around his neck. His naked flesh felt cool against her face but gradually warmed to her touch. “Oh, Gabriel. I’m so sorry.” She didn’t know what she apologized for. That dratted curse! The rational part of her knew curses were nothing but the work of ignorance and evil, and yet…
She’d gone to the mine and it collapsed. She’d become engaged to Luke Smith and he was dead. This time, it was she who was shaking.
“Sweet Olivia,” he rasped.
In one swift motion, Gabriel’s arm was beneath her knees as he lifted her easily enough. He carried her to the bed where she’d lain, tormented, most of the night.
“You are not a curse, my love, you’re a blessing.” He settled her comfortably, but before he could draw away, Olivia dropped her hand from his shoulder, along his forearm, and then wound her fingers around his wrist.
“Gabriel.” Gabriel would leave soon. Luke Smith was dead.
She would never marry, after all.
“Please.” Miserable though she would be for what remained of her life, she wanted to experience love with this man. Only this man.
And afterward, for the remainder of her time on earth, she would be the perfect spinster.
With a groan, he climbed onto the bed, rested his elbows along both sides of her face, and then lowered his weight so that he covered her.
Chapter 17
Dawn’s Passion
From the momentGabriel had come across Olivia in Crawford’s garden the night of the prewedding ball, he’d been unable to dismiss her from his thoughts. From the moment she’d allowed him to take her into his arms and dance beneath the moonlight, less innocent thoughts had invaded other parts of his anatomy.
