She was exhausted and returned to the settee in hopes of getting more sleep before Claybrook woke.
Bethany wasn’t certain how long she slept, but a noise brought her from slumber, and she opened her eyes to a room lit with filtered sunlight and Claybrook standing, holding onto the foot of the bed and pinching the bridge of his nose, his face stiff in what she assumed was pain. A blanket fell about him. He may have attempted to use it to cover his nakedness, but right now it hid nothing.
She was also torn. Did she offer help or pretend to sleep. She’d heard him grumble enough about assistance. Though she shouldn’t, Bethany took in his form again and when she looked up to his face, she realized he had been watching her. Bethany’s face heated. Oh, she should have pretended to be asleep. Instead, he had caught her staring at his body.
“Is all well?”
“I am fine now.” He climbed into the bed and then under the covers.
Claybrook may be boorish, but his form was quite delightful to view. This was the first time that she’d seen him from the side, his firm buttocks and muscular thighs before he pulled the coverlet over him.
“What was wrong?” she quietly asked.
“Blasted dizziness after I used the chamber pot.”
Henry or Jason used to assist him, but they were both gone.
“Wake me next time.”
“I am not going to ask you to help me use the chamber pot,” he ground out. “This is humiliating enough.”
Bethany sat up. “What is humiliating?”
“This weakness, dizziness, blasted pain…needing help.”
“You were attacked and are lucky to be alive,” she chastised.
Claybrook blew out a heavy breath. “You are correct, but at least allow me to be frustrated with the situation.”
“That is allowed,” she returned. “Is there anything that I can get you?”
“No. I fear only sleep will cure what ails me.”
Chapter Six
Leopold did not go back to sleep even though he had closed his eyes.
Why had Bethany frowned when she looked over his body? Did she find something displeasing?
He sat up and looked over at her. Bethany lay curled on her side, hands tucked beneath her cheek and blanket covering her.
She should have a bed, not be sleeping on the settee. She should inquire if there was another room available. Though he liked having here her, he just didn’t like that she slept on the settee while he had the bed.
He should be on the settee and not her and would tell her when she woke.
“Do you need something?” she asked without opening her eyes.
“I am sorry if I disturbed you.” How had she known he was awake?
Bethany then opened her eyes and stretched before sitting up. She still wore the same traveling dress that she had been wearing when her driver discovered him in the middle of the road. Her trunk was by the door so she could change if she wished. There was a screen before the chamber pot if she wanted privacy.
Now it was his turn to frown. Had she even used the chamber pot since they arrived?
Of course, it wasn’t something he could ask, but Leopold was beginning to realize how much his being attacked had inconvenienced Bethany and vowed to make it up to her somehow. Though, it was likely she would not let him since she did not even like him. Yet, she was kind enough to remain with him until he recovered.
Bethany was a much better person than he was.
“I will bring you breakfast.”
