Thomas slowly made his way up the stairs to the first floor, passing Cordelia’s room. He paused in front of it. What would she do if he came inside? Would she welcome him or ask him to leave? He wondered what it would be like to kiss her.Wonderful, he thought. She did nothing in halves. If her music was anything to judge by, she would be passionate.
Thayne opened the door to the adjoining room.
“I was coming to look for you, my lord,” he said. “Is anything amiss?”
“No. I am sorry if I’ve kept you up.”
Thomas followed Thayne to his room and handed his valet his dinner clothes and got into his night shirt. Another new thought hit him. He was a grown man. Did he really need someone to dress him? Thayne did more than that, he knew. He kept Thomas’s clothing in impeccable order, and he’d earned his position as a valet just like Cook had earned hers with her loyalty. He climbed into his large, empty bed and closed his eyes.
25
He heard a high scream. Thomas bolted from his bed and threw open the door to the dressing room. He sprinted across the dark room, hitting his shin on a stool. Wishing he would have turned on the electric lights first, he stumbled forward and opened the door to Cordelia’s room. The light was dim, but he could see her. She was alive. She was sitting up in her bed.
“Are you all right?”
“I thought there was someone in my room, standing over me,” Cordelia said.
“Why don’t you turn on your lights and I’ll look around.”
He saw her shadow move and a few seconds later she flipped on the electric switch. The bright lights illuminated Cordelia’s beautiful shoulders and neck, which her delicate nightgown generously displayed.
“Is something the matter?”
Thomas swallowed. “Nothing.”
He glanced around the room. Everything seemed to be in order, except there was no fire in the fireplace. He shivered as he felt a cold draft.
“Did your fire go out?”
“The servants haven’t lit a fire in my bedchamber at night since I returned from London.”
Thomas bit his lip in anger. He was frustrated with his staff. He was frustrated with himself. Why had he not noticed before how awful they were treating his wife? It was unpardonable. No wonder she had been so unhappy. He shook his head as he walked to the door and turned the knob. It opened. He shut it again.
“Did you lock your door before bed?” he asked as he turned back to see her. Cordelia had gathered her coverlet up and covered her neck and shoulders. He wondered if it was because of the cold air or his gawking. Both possibilities irked him.
“Yes,” she said softly. “I thought someone had been in my room before. I’ve found my door open in the morning. So last night, after Miss Vaughn left, I locked it.”
Thomas opened the door again and peered down the hall. He couldn’t see or hear anyone. He closed and locked it this time. Although, what good locking it would do if someone clearly had the key, he didn’t know, but he needed to do something.
“Right,” he said. “Why don’t I sleep on your chaise tonight. That way I am here if anyone were to come into your room.”
He flipped off the electric lights and sat down. He lifted his legs on the chaise and laid down his head, trying to find a comfortable position. It was not an easy task, for he was much too tall, and he was cold. He turned again.
“You can come get into bed with me, if you’d like to,” Cordelia said.
Thomas bolted upright.
“Are you sure? I mean I won’t be a nuisance or anything.”
In the dim light he saw her move the coverlet open for him. “As long as you promise not to snore.”
“I don’t think I snore,” he said as he climbed eagerly underneath the coverlet and like Cordelia, pulled it up to his chin. The bed was large enough that they were not touching at all. He closed his eyes and willed his body to go to sleep and not to think about Cordelia next to him. It was an impossible task. He shivered again.
He felt Cordelia slide over to his side of the bed and lean her head against his shoulder. She smelled divine, like a flower garden—probably because she took so many baths.
“It is cold tonight.”
“I am sorry there’s no fire in your room. There should have been. There will be tomorrow and every other night after.”
