His mouth tightened, but his eyes, usually so dark and stormy, managed to twinkle down at her.
“We all have our weaknesses,” he answered.
Weakness. She was a weakness?
But they’d arrived back at the manor, and he dropped her hand so he could pull the door open for her to enter.
Inside, without the sky and the grass and the sea, his state of undress suddenly seemed positively scandalous. People only ever disrobed in their bedchambers.
Was his chamber as stark as the rest of the manor, or did he decorate it with personal effects? And, as a man who’d lived a childhood of poverty, what would those be?
She determined that if she couldn’t go explore outside by herself, she’d explore every inch of this ancient manor. Prison? Fortress?
And, if she stumbled upon the opportunity, she’d be sure to include Mr. Beckworth’s chamber.
She followed him up the stairs, and when they arrived at the landing, he shuffled his feet. “You can go down to the dining room whenever you want. You don’t have to wait for me.” He rana hand down his torso, and Amelia’s gaze followed the motion. There was that heat again!
But he was giving her another choice. To anyone else, it might feel meaningless, but to Amelia, it felt like a gift.
She’d never realized how precious choices could be.
“How much time do you need?” She couldn’t meet his eyes.
“Half an hour—” He shook his head, his hand splayed on his chest again. “No, give me twenty minutes.”
“We can break our fasts together, then.”
His mouth twitched, and acting in silent agreement, they each went in opposite directions.
But upon slipping into her chamber, Amelia left the door open just enough to see out. And she didn’t close it until he’d disappeared.
His room was exactly where she expected it to be. He was the master of the manor, after all.
DOMESTICITY
Leopold stood in the center of his chamber, bemused. She had not been running away. Nor had she been about to throw herself off of the cliff. When his senses had tugged him awake earlier, he’d gone right to the window.
And upon seeing her flight, he’d thought his heart would explode right out of his chest.
She’d simply wanted to explore—to experience something he took for granted.
A few moments of solitude.
Exhaling, Leopold caught sight of himself in the small looking glass on his wardrobe. He saw puzzlement there. But he couldn’t allow her to muck up the waters and, scrubbing his hand down his face, dismissed the spell she’d seemed to cast over him.
Not just this morning, but the day before. And the damned day before that.
She was never far from his thoughts, not because he had a job to do, but because what he’d hoped was only a passing attraction was growing into something stronger. Holding her yesterday hadn’t helped. It had, in fact, left him in something of an uncomfortable state.
If he wasn’t admiring her character, he was admiring her… other assets.
He was all too aware that getting personal with Lady Amelia Crowley was a dangerous business. For both of them.
Despite that,despite himself, he found himself feeling very personal feelings anyway.
Have you come to care for me, Mr. Beckworth?
Nine little words and she’d kicked right through his boundaries. And it wasn’t the first time.
