Stephen, fighting the shock he felt at seeing a mutilated snake in Cecily’s room — mutilated by Cecily — looked at the saber and then back over at the shrinking and fragile woman he’d parted with a short while ago.
“It was,” he said finally.
With cautious fingers, Stephen picked up the weapon and touched the blade. It was incredibly sharp for all the appearance it had of being an antique. “We’re going to need somebody in here to clean up this mess.”
“It’s dead?” she asked.
He nodded and raised his brows. “Yes, all twenty pieces of it, I’d wager.”
Cecily raised one hand to cover that pretty mouth. “So, the saber was not blunt? It was sharpened?” She strained forward as though to peer around Stephen and take in the evidence of what a panic-ridden lady could do when feeling threatened… and when armed with a sharpened saber.
He did not think the sight would benefit her sleep.
Stepping toward her, he removed the illumination of the candle from the carnage and placed a hand upon her waist. “Let’s get Chadwick out of here before he decides to make a meal of the poor fellow.” And then, steering Cecily and Chadwick toward his own room, he caught sight of a footman. “Peters, if you would be so kind as to find some help and clean up the mess that is in Lady Kensington’s chamber. Best not to take a maid, though, as the scene is a bit ghastly.”
At the footman’s raised eyebrows, Stephen suppressed a grin. “You’ll see for yourself, Peters. Lady Kensington had an unwanted visitor this evening and… well… there is quite the mess in there.”
He waited for the footman to disappear before holding the door to his chamber wide for Cecily and the dog. As though in something of a trance, Cecily found a comfortable chair and sat down quietly. Chadwick lay down on the thick rug by the fire, unconcerned and peaceful.
Stephen decanted the bottle that sat atop his dresser and poured a splash of scotch into a snifter. “Sip it slowly and let it warm you inside.” He kneeled before her somewhat anxiously and wrapped her fingers around the smooth, cool glass.
With no hesitation, Cecily threw back the entire contents in one swift motion. He watched her close her eyes and then shiver slightly. Obviously, this was not her first taste of strong spirits.
Once the liquor had settled, she opened her eyes and looked directly at him. She was not in shock; she was not crying or even shaking. No, Cecily Nottingham had been thinking.
“Adders,” she said with an edge to her voice, “do not climb the stairs in townhouses situated in the middle of London.”
Oh hell. She was right. “Where did you discover it? Was it on the floor?” Which was now covered in snake slime and intestinal material.
“It was under the coversin my bed,” she said with more than a little bit of anger in her voice. “Somebody puta bloody snake in my bed!”
At which point shedidbegin to shake. Stephen could not leave her sitting alone any longer. He pushed himself up from the floor, scooped her into his arms and then sat back down in the chair, this time with her in his lap. He pressed her head into his chest with one hand, abstractly enjoying the satiny strands of her unbound hair.
“You are so brave. You did not scream out and run away.” Closing his eyes, he leaned his face down upon her head. “You saved Chadwick all on your own.” She was unlike any lady he’d ever met. Each day he found himself more and more intrigued by her.
“An adder bite would have killed him,” she said, somewhat tremulously.
Nodding, Stephen agreed. Adder bites were rarely fatal to humans, but to animals and small children, they posed a very real danger. “You acted marvelously, Cecily,” he soothed. “Remind me not to ever attack you in the dark.”
She lifted her head and looked into his eyes. Ah, there were a few tears there now. “Don’t ever attack me in the dark,” she said, sounding forlorn.
“I was only joking, love.” He tilted his head forward the couple of inches separating their lips and closed the distance completely. “I would never hurt you,” he said softly against her mouth.
She tasted like scotch; soft and sweet, and was wearing the most demure nightgown he’d seen her in yet. And he could feel every single one of her lush curves as he secured her in his arms and pushed himself up to his feet.
She hesitated only a moment before once again wrapping her arms around his neck, this time not in fear but trustingly. She uttered not a word as he carried her over to his bed and then lay her down upon it.
In a moment, he would later attribute to complete and utter madness, he decided to take her mind off the adder — off her marriage — off everything but himself and the fact that she was a glorious and sensual woman. He would not make love to her, in truth, but he would give her pleasure. He would give them both pleasure.
After slipping his shoes off and removing his cravat, he slowly climbed up onto the bed with her. Although not quite as large as Cecily’s bed, it was something of a monstrosity, nonetheless. She had scooted over to the other side, just a hint of uncertainty in her eyes. Stephen pinned her with his gaze and, on all fours, crawled toward her. When he reached her side, he gave a low growl and began kissing her again.
Cecily let outa surprised squeal just as Stephen pounced on her. She’d seen, mixed in with his blatant sensuality, a playful glint in those beautiful eyes of his. When he had crawled over on top of her, she could do nothing other than revel in his closeness and kiss him back enthusiastically.
She freely allowed him to taste her as he stroked his tongue behind her teeth. The play was heady and caused tension to build in other areas of her body. Specifically, and surprisingly,down there.
When he withdrew his mouth from hers, it was to nip and lick and kiss his way around her chin and down her neck. Cecily clutched her hands in his hair and marveled at the sensations he caused not only with his lips and tongue, and teeth, but with the roughness of his beard, which must have been shaved several hours before.
And at his hands, which had launched their own expedition.
