“Why? You did not even know I was there until you woke. If I would have risen earlier, you would have never known.”
“There, you are mistaken, for I woke as soon as you entered my chamber last night.”
Eliza felt the blood drain from her cheeks. She was certain he had been asleep. “No, you did not wake,” she argued. It was not possible. “I watched you and was very quiet and not once did you open your eyes.”
“Not fully,” he admitted. “I feigned being asleep because I wanted to see what you were about.”
Eliza frowned. “What did you think I was going to do?”
He arched an eyebrow and the corner of his mouth tipped “That I did not know, but I did consider a few options. None of them were you settling in to sleep on my chaise.”
Now her face flamed. “You thought I had come to your room to crawl in bed with you?” Goodness, the very idea made her warm and even though she was bold, she would not go so far.
Though, perhaps she should. It was what she wanted.
Eliza shook the thoughts from her mind. Since he always broke away from kisses, no doubt he’d make her leave his bed and she did not want to have to suffer that humiliation.
“I am sorry if I disturbed you,” she finally said.
“There is no need to apologize and my only concern is why?”
“I have already told you that it is silly.”
“That, I doubt.” He rose and went to the bellpull and gave it a tug. “I am certain Stella will be up right away with your breakfast.
“I really should change into something more proper. It is not right that I sit here in my nightshift and robe.”
Lucian shrugged. “I have no objection, especially since I have not fully dressed for the day.”
He was only in shirt sleeves and trousers, and stockings. Lucian had not even put on his boots yet and she assumed that this was how he liked to dress when relaxing in private, which she could understand. The more layers of clothing that were added for any purpose always increased the discomfort. If she only wrote in her private set of rooms, Eliza might consider always wearing her night shift for the comfort alone. Instead, she would put on a day dress, as was proper, and because servants could walk into the parlor at any time, but dresses, and the undergarments required, were not as comfortable as the freedom of a night shift.
“I will return in a moment,” she said. Perhaps while she prepared for the day, she would be able to come up with a reasonable explanation for sleeping in his chamber, except it was likely he would not believe her.
She just simply hated telling him the truth.
Chapter24
Lucian thoughtof making her stay and explain, but her being in a nightshift and robe was distracting. Further, her rumpled appearance from just rising, with her hair a tumbling mass of curls in need of brushing, and the softness in her face from a deep slumber made him wonder what it would be like to wake to her in that state each morning after sleeping beside him.
It was best that she did dress so that he could concentrate better.
At the knock on the sitting room door that led to the corridor he called for them to enter. It was Stella, a footman following with a breakfast tray for Eliza. Stella also carried a fresh pot of tea.
“Where is Miss Weston?” she asked.
“Preparing for the day,” Lucian answered.
Stella started to walk toward her room.
“Does she need you to dress?” he asked.
“That would depend on what she chooses to wear,” she answered.
He wanted to be the first to learn Eliza’s reasoning for sleeping on his chaise, not Stella, but if she happened to have buttons on the back, Eliza would need assistance.
“Please ask her to hurry. I still have questions that require her answers.”
Stella gave a nod and entered Eliza’s sleeping chamber and closed the door.
