“Damn!”He pulled at the sheet and belatedly covered his lower body.He felt pale, weak, and disheveled with travel.He hated being seen like that.
Her eyes returned to his, but she didn’t speak.He spared her the trouble.“Have you applied some new cosmetic to your nose, my lady?White powder covers it.”
She put her hand to her face without breaking eye contact, puzzlement in her expressive eyes.
He began to laugh.“Now you’ve done it.Your cheeks are covered.”She looked down at her hands and smiled.
“Flour.I didn’t know flour was so difficult to manage.”
“What is Lady Georgiana Hayden doing with flour in my kitchen?”
“Tarts.Raspberry.I couldn’t risk losing the best French chef in Cambridgeshire by ordering him to your little kitchen.I came myself.”
He could only laugh.
“Do you think I’m not capable?”She stretched her shoulders upward in outrage.
“Oh, I believe you’re capable of a great many things.”Pain returned and fogged his sight.He shut his eyes in resignation.“Now remove yourself and your little army from my house.”
A sharp command sounded, and he felt himself lifted to the stairs.A voice at his side broke through his discomfort.
“Told you I weren’t taking help from the Marquess.”
* * *
Andrew never looked sovulnerable or so pale.He had never looked lovelier to her.When he laughed at her, the sound of it resonated inside her; the sensation created a flicker of warmth.
When he looked at her, she melted inside and the warmth began to spread throughout her body.His eyes said more than most men’s words, at least they did to her.He was tired.He hated being carried.He didn’t want to see her, and he particularly hated having her see him as an invalid.
Georgiana took a moment to realize their conversation exhausted the last of his energy.She vented her frustration with herself on the servants, barking orders to get Mr.Mallet above stairs to his rest.
Before she could move, his long-fingered hand gripped hers and brought her to a sudden, silent stop.She couldn’t have spoken to save her life.His melodic baritone voice, whispered through cracked lips, broke into her hypnotic state.“Go home, Georgiana.Leave me.”
Deflated, she stood back and watched her servants lift and carry him, grim-faced, step by step.Harley spoke to him, something impudent no doubt, but Andrew made no reply.
