“Her Grace is taking a nap,” the maid offered from her spot in the corner where she sat, overlooking Grandpapa’s bed.
Veronica nodded. “I look forward to seeing her.”
“Speaking of a nap.” Grandpapa stretched his arms above his head and let out an exaggerated yawn. “I am feeling tired myself at the moment. I should probably rest before dinner.”
“Dinner?” Veronica’s brows shot up. She frowned at him. “But, Grandpapa, you cannot possibly mean to come down to dinner.”
“I’d like to know why not,” Grandpapa replied, his own frowning gaze jumping between Veronica and her mother. “A man’s got to eat, doesn’t he?”
“Whatever you like, Papa,” Mama said, reaching down to pat his hand that rested atop the burgundy coverlet. “We’ll leave you to rest now.”
Mama quickly ushered Veronica and Sebastian from the room. Veronica didn’t speak until they were in the corridor again and many paces away from her grandfather’s door. “It can’t be good for him to leave bed, can it?”
Mama sighed. “The doctor told us he should be kept comfortable, but allowed to do whatever he seems fit enough to. He’s quite excited you’re here, darling.” She squeezed her daughter’s shoulder and gave her an encouraging smile. “I haven’t seen him this well in days.”
“But he’s so ill,” Veronica replied, biting her lower lip. “I certainly don’t want to be the reason his condition worsens. We should send up a tray.” Of course she didn’t mention that the more grandfather was around, the more she’d have to pretend to like Sebastian.
Mama chuckled as they began walking back toward the staircase. “I’d like to see you try to keep him away, darling. As you know, he’s always been quite stubborn. I’m afraid he’s even more so these days.”
“I say your grandfather should be allowed to do whatever he likes,” Sebastian chimed in as he strolled along beside them.
“I’m not surprised,” Veronica replied, giving her husband a tight smile. “You’ve made it quite clear that you think all men should be able to do whatever they like.”
“Ah, ah, ah, my dear,” Sebastian replied with a roguish grin on his face, waving one finger back and forth in front of him. “I believe that comment came dangerously close to being rude.”
“If you can break the rules, I can too,” she shot back with a fake-sweet smile.
Sebastian opened this mouth to retort just as Mama stopped in front of a door to one of the larger guest rooms. “Here we are, dears. I had the maids make up this room for the two of you.”
Veronica’s head snapped to face her mother. “Perhaps I should stay in my usual room, Mama.”
“That wouldn’t be proper, would it, dearest?” Sebastian interjected, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her against his side in a tight embrace. He batted his eyelashes in an exaggerated manner. “We’re married. Of course we’ll share a room.”
“Sebastian is correct,” Mama replied. “You’ll stay here. We wouldn’t want your grandfather to wonder,” she added in a lower tone, a warning expression on her face.
Veronica forced herself to nod, but the moment Sebastian opened the door to the room and splayed his hand wide, allowing her to enter first, the half-hearted smile she’d affected for her mother’s sake disappeared.
“Thank you for showing us to our room, my lady,” Sebastian said to Mama in his most charming tone, while bowing to her. “We’ll see you at dinner.”
“Excellent. See you then,” Mama replied, trotting off down the hall as if she had no qualms about leaving her daughter in the hands of a cheat and a double liar.
The moment the bedchamber door closed behind them Sebastian promptly locked it. Then he leaned back against it, crossed his arms over his chest, and gave her his most roguish grin.
Veronica’s breath caught in her throat and a thrill shot through her. Heaven help me. I’m alone in a bedchamber with a man who could charm the skirts off a saint.
Chapter Six
Believing that a good offense would prove to be the best defense, Veronica crossed her arms over her chest and contemplated Sebastian. She couldn’t narrow her eyes any farther. It was impossible. “Well?” She tapped a booted foot on the floor.
“Well, what?” he replied, still blinking his dark eyelashes at her as if he were entirely innocent of any misdeeds. He took a seat in a chair near the door and removed his boots.
Her voice was a low growl. “You broke the kissing rule.”
“No. I didn’t,” he announced with a cunning smile. “I never agreed to that rule.”
“What?” She resisted the urge to stamp her foot. Though she’d prefer to stamp on his foot.
“I agreed to your first rule, but I never agreed to the second,” he explained. “I merely replied with my second rule, which you did agree to.”
