Only children were frightened of storms and Eliza had always prided herself on not being scared of anything.
At another clap of thunder, she jumped from her bed and grabbed her dressing gown from the end of the bed and shrugged it on. She was half tempted to fully dress so that she would have something to wear in case she had to escape from her chamber. After the tempest had struck the school, she’d only had the shift and robe she’d been wearing. Everything else had been destroyed.
She shook the irrational thought from her head. Nothing was going to happen to her and she was sufficiently covered. Except, she also knew that she would not be able to return to sleep.
With a deep breath, she exited the chamber and made her way to the sitting room she’d been in earlier. She did not need to light a candle because the flashes of light from outside proved sufficient enough.
Or so she thought until she nearly stumbled over a stool.
With shaky hands, she made her way to the fireplace and searched for flint and then lit a lamp which bathed only a small portion of the room in light. She then made her way around the sitting room lighting candles with the thought that if there was more light, she might not be so frightened. Except, what if a window broke and a candle was knocked over, then there would be fire. With that thought, she blew the candles out and left only two lamps, which were sufficient to see just enough to move about without injuring herself, and far enough from windows so that they would not be knocked over.
Blast! Her hands still shook when she lifted the decanter of brandy. It was a wonder that she had been able to light even a single candle.
She also may have poured more than was proper, but Eliza did not care. She then crossed the room, and again, stumbled on a stool and then struck her knee against a table before she curled up in the corner of the settee and watched the storm rage outside.
“I had hoped that the sounds I heard were you.”
Eliza turned to find Lucian standing at the entry to his chamber and sucked in a breath. He wore only a dark red dressing gown that came only just below the knees, revealing his calves and bare feet. It was open enough that she glimpsed part of his chest as well. Goodness! Was he wearing anything beneath his robe?
Did she want to know?
Yes, she did.
Eliza blinked and shook the thoughts from her mind. “I am sorry if I awakened you.”
“The storm woke me, but when I heard noises in here, I came to investigate.” He entered the room further. “I assume the storm woke you.”
Eliza nodded.
“It is fierce tonight,” he offered and crossed to the sideboard and poured a glass of brandy. “You are safe here, Eliza.”
Did he mean from the storm or the man sending her letters, or both?
Maybe she should go somewhere that did not have storms and where she could not be found.
Was there any place on this planet that did not have storms?
Likely not.
As Lucian drew toward the settee, Eliza turned and placed her feet on the floor, which was proper and made certain that she was sufficiently covered. He settled next to her instead of taking one of the chairs.
“I assume you will not be able to sleep until the storm has passed.”
“You do not have to stay awake just because I am,” Eliza insisted, though she also wasn’t certain she wanted him to leave.
Chapter17
As tired as he was,Lucian knew that he couldn’t leave Eliza alone.
It was also very unwise that he remain.
Her coppery curls tumbled about her shoulders, slightly disheveled as she’d likely been sleeping before the storm grew fierce. Further, she wore only a nightshift and cover, and likely nothing else. The pink ribbon at her neck would be easy to untie, which would loosen the top of her gown enough to push over her shoulders. Then all he would need to do was untie the belt at her waist which kept her dressing gown closed and all could be removed quite efficiently.
He took a drink of his brandy and tried to shut down all thoughts of seducing Eliza. To do so would make him the worst kind of rake, not that anyone had ever accused him of being such, but it is what he would be if he took advantage of her fear and vulnerability. That was something he would never do.
Though, he wished he could make her forget about the storm.
If anything, she was even more frightened than she had been this afternoon. Not only did her hands shake, but she was pale and jerked with each clap of thunder or flash of lightning. He also knew that everything, no matter how insignificant, was always more frightening in the middle of the night, such as now.
