The little minx winked!
It hit him then what she’d done. She’d never planned on stealing Gregory from him. In one swift move, she’d taken her chair back, humiliated him, and cost him an extra ten pounds a month, at least for the next month or two. He looked over his shoulder to find Gregory smiling in Elizabeth’s direction. The damn man had figured it out as well.
Elizabeth turned around, sighing happily, in her chair and pushed aside his papers. “If you don’t mind, Robert, you’re in my light and probably in Mr. Jenkins’s light as well. If you want the poor man to be able to work, then you should really move.”
When he didn’t respond, she got nervous. She looked up slowly to see him practically shaking with rage. She gulped. Giving him a tentative smile, she asked, “Too far?”
Slowly, he nodded.
Chapter 13
“Oh, dear.” Elizabeth jumped to her feet and ducked just as he reached for her. For some reason, she always went too far where he was concerned. It really couldn’t be helped, though, it was simply too much fun to pass up.
She hiked up her skirts and ran as though her life depended upon it. With one look over her shoulder, she realized that it just might. He was chasing after her. She shrieked but didn’t stop. Her father stepped out into the hallway in front of her, flanked by James and Lord Bradford.
“Elizabeth?” he asked, looking absolutely stunned.
“Too far!” she said as if those two words would explain why a grown man was chasing his daughter. Evidently, they did because all three men laughed and nodded knowingly. She didn’t stick around to see if her father was going to help her. There was a madman chasing her, after all.
“Beth!” Robert roared.
She yelped as she ran through the kitchen. “Stop him!” she pleaded to the servants. One look at Robert had them all stepping back.
Cowards.
She was out of breath and admittedly frightened. Robert as a boy had been a formidable opponent. Robert as a man was deadly. She scooted around the long oak table, hoping to keep him on the other side.
“Leave us,” Robert ordered in a cold voice.
“No, don’t!” Elizabeth pleaded.
They weren’t stupid. They fled. She would have, too, if he’d given her the option. Hmm, perhaps he was. She ducked and tried to join the fleeing servants. His hand came down on her shoulder just when she thought that she might be able to sneak away.
“Oh, not you, Elizabeth.”
She laughed nervously. “Well, you weren’t specific.” She ducked away from him.
“You went too far, Elizabeth.”
“I-I know,” she stammered as she went back around the table. He followed at a predatory pace. This man was frightening. Why hadn’t she noticed that in the orangery?
He stopped suddenly and looked to his left. “Oh, look, it’s laundry day,” Robert noted in a deceptively bored tone.
She didn’t want to move her gaze away from him, but her eyes wouldn’t listen to her. Of their own accord, they followed his gaze to the large laundry tub full of water, clothes, and soap.
Before she knew what was happening, he had her scooped up in his arms. She tried to squirm her way out of his hold, but there was no give. “Let me go!”
“Of course, my Lady. Your wish is my command,” Robert said pleasantly before he released her.
“Robert, you-”
Her words were cut off by an intake of cold, soapy water. She gasped as she pulled herself up. She was suddenly soaked to the bone and freezing. The large fire several feet behind her did nothing to chase away the chill.
Robert’s smile slowly faded as his eyes narrowed on her dress. She looked down to discover that her light blue gown was now sticking to her and was see-through! Her nipples were hard from the cold and were poking against the wet material. She watched as Robert hungrily licked his lips.
She scrambled to get out of the tub and away from that hungry look. She grabbed a dry, crumpled sheet from the pile near the tub and wrapped it firmly around herself, tucking it in above her breasts. He stepped forward almost as if he couldn’t stop himself and just as she prepared herself for the worst, his mouth came down on hers.
She tasted of soapy water and minx. Instead of slapping him as he’d expected, Elizabeth pulled him closer and kissed him back. Their mouths moved in a perfect dance. His tongue traced her lower lip, requesting entrance and she gave it.
