Oh, why hadn’t anyone ever told her that he had called?
Not that it mattered now because they both knew where they had erred, but so many months may not have been wasted had she only been at home or had known that he wished to speak with her.
It was as if the fates were against them, which sent a chill down her spine.
Were they not meant to be together?
Except fate had put him in her path so maybe that hadn’t meant to be until now.
After giving the servant the tray, Bethany was interrupted with a delivery for Claybrook. If she could judge by the softness within the brown paper, then the constable had sent clothing as he promised.
Claybrook would be relieved to have something to wear, and she should be as well, but she rather liked looking at him relaxed on the bed, the covers low enough that she could view his chest, and she’d been quite interested when he’d accidentally let the blanket open completely.
Her cheeks were burning at the memories, and she quickly put those images from her mind, though she also would not likely forget. She purchased one of the papers that had just arrived by mail coach from London and then in an instant, she rushed up the stairs. Clutching the newssheet, she burst through the door to the room she shared with Claybrook. “It is Christmas Eve! How is it Christmas Eve already?” How had she lost track of time?
It was then that she noticed him standing by the bed, again, naked as the day he was born.
Bethany couldn’t help but take in the sight of him, from the top of his head to his toes and that most interesting part of his anatomy, that seemed to forever change, and she could not understand.
Chapter Eleven
Leopold had not expected Bethany to return so quickly, and he yanked the blanket about his body. He also wished she would have knocked, and he certainly did not appreciate that when she viewed his body she frowned. It was the third time that she had done so.
“Do you find something offensive with my person?”
She blinked. “Ummm…no…it’s just that.” Her face slowly turned red as the color started with the center of her cheeks and spread out, even down to her neck and chest.
“It just…it is…”
Leopold didn’t know it was possible for a person to turn so red, unless they’d spent the entire day in the sun and by the water. As this was December, and she’d only been gone a short time, he knew that was not the cause.
“It is not important.” She thrust a paper package at him. “This was delivered.” She then set to straightening the bed and the pillows and then crossed to the settee.
He sat at the foot of the bed and tore open the paper, relieved to find clothing within. He and Merryweather had known each other a long time and he was likely to have found something that came close to fitting Leopold.
“Ale!” she announced a moment later.
“Ale?” He questioned.
“We need ale. It is Christmas Eve and we shall have ale.”
Before he could stop her, Bethany once again quit the room.
Leopold just shook his head and then set about getting dressed. As he still would not be leaving this room, he only pulled on the shirt and trousers then left the suitcoat, waistcoat, and cravat on a chair.
It was a good thing that he was not leaving as there were no boots. But at least he was now clothed and could move about without embarrassment to himself or Bethany and with his body covered, there was no longer a reason for her to frown at his naked body.
Leopold reclined back on the bed, as he had been doing since his arrival.
He wouldn’t mind an ale, or brandy, or even a wine. The surprise was that Bethany wanted the ale. Had looking at his body disturbed her more than he realized. It was bad enough that she frowned, did she now wish to drink enough to erase the image from her mind?
Leopold glanced down at his now clothed body. What was wrong with him?
Bethany seemed to take her time in returning, but when she did, she carried a tray laden with a pitcher of ale, two tankards and a loaf of bread.
“Bread to help from getting sick,” she announced as she put the tray on the table. “Or so I’ve been told.”
“It soaks up the ale and delays becoming drunk,” Leopold corrected.
