They walked back into his house and inspected what the painters had done. Then Bonham walked Gideon to his carriage. “So, what now? Are you going to go back to escorting Chloe and Jasmine? Accepting advances from the highborn ladies gambling at the Musket Club?”
Gideon shook his head. “None of that. I’ll probably turn into a monk for a while. Maybe forever.”
Bonham grunted. “Feeling the same way myself. Your house is coming along nicely, though.”
Gideon laughed. “See you later. Try not to wreck the plumbing.”
Upon returning to his club, Gideon completed tabulating the accounts, and then rode with Joss to the other gaming hells to do the same and check the inventory. He spent the eveningalso doing spot checks on the various clubs, something Bonham usually took care of, but he had been busy guarding Gideon’s house.
It was well into the wee hours of the morning by the time he returned to the Musket Club and slipped up the back stairs to his bedchamber. All he needed was a solid three or four hours of sleep and he would be refreshed for the morning and his next dance lesson with Berry.
His decision to remain a monk, to have no one but her ever share his bed, had significant drawbacks. The first was that Berry was unlikelytoever share his bed. The second was that his knowing he would likely never touch her in any intimate way made him think of nothingbuttouching her intimately.
Indeed, he was trying hard not to think about her.
But there was just something about her body that shot heat through him at the mere sight of her, at every time he touched her. His dreams these past few nights had been filled with fantasies of putting his mouth to her soft skin and tasting her on his tongue.
She would banish him for life if she knew what ran through his mind.
“Bah,” he muttered, needing to fall asleep and not dwell on her, nor dream about the glorious shape of her bosom or her long, slender legs.
He was serious about reforming his ways, for he meant to be true to Berry, and stay true to her until every last glimmer of hope she might one day be his was extinguished.
Why would he want anyone else when she was perfection?
Especially her breasts, which were ripe and round, although one could not tell by looking at her from the back. Her shoulders were not at all broad. He could easily span the width of her back with one hand. But when she turned to face him, therewere those splendid mounds that were delightfully prominent compared to the slenderness of her hips and legs.
Perfection.
He awoke aroused, fortunately before Horace bustled in to ready him for the morning. He took care of his necessaries…allhis necessaries, and had finished addressing his urges and washing up by the time there came a knock at his door.
He wrapped a towel around his naked torso. “Come in.”
Horace marched in with bundles in hand. Polished boots. A cleaned and pressed jacket.
“Let me shave you. You look like a mountain troll with that dark stubble of beard,” Horace remarked. “You’ll scratch Lady Berry’s cheek if you get too close with those bristles. And here’s a crisp lawn shirt for you to wear. Now, for the cravat. This teal green with the light-gray swirls for today, I think. And this dark-green jacket. Buff breeches. Lady Berry will not be able to resist you.”
“No, that’s bad. I am not trying to seduce her.”
Horace rolled his eyes. “If she responds to you the way you respond to her, then it is too late for both of you. Just get naked and enjoy the inevitable.”
“Go away, Horace. Seriously, I’ll shave myself. Nobody’s clothes are coming off.”
“If you say so. I give it a week before your resolve breaks. Do not forget that I am not long out of the orphanage myself. I’ve seen Lady Berry in action, walking the halls, reading to the little ones, and chatting with the older orphans. Her smile is a ray of sunshine upon that gray place, and she is cute as a button, isn’t she? She even rouses my manly urges, and you know how improbable that is.”
Gideon tried not to laugh because he did not want to encourage his wayward valet. “Horace, go away.”
“I’ll shave you first. As I said, mountain troll.” Horace bustled out and returned with more clothes in a bundle. “These are for Mr. Bonham. If he’s to be taking dance lessons, too, then he needs to look the part of a proper gentleman. I packed soap and fresh shaving gear for him.”
“He’ll appreciate that.”
Gideon headed over to Duchess Square early, since Bonham would need time to get himself ready. Also, Gideon wanted to check on the progress of the painting and scout out the square to make certain Hawthorne or one of his lackeys was not lurking there.
To his dismay, that same hired hackney he had seen the other day was sitting in wait just outside of Duchess Square. Was Hawthorne in there?
“Brent, stop the carriage! I’m getting out here.”
“Aye, Mr. Knight. Is something wrong?”
