CHAPTER 18
A MORNING BATH
The following morning, Christmas Day
As the sounds of the household waking up reached her ears, Ivy stirred but didn’t open her eyes. She listened intently to the distant footfalls of servants above and below, to the house as it seemed to groan under its own weight, and to the sound and sensation of her husband’s snores.
At some point during the night, he had rested his head against the side of her breast, his nose pressed into the soft flesh. She had a thought he might suffocate if he stayed there too long.
When he took a deep breath and rolled away from her, she felt cool air where his body had been and mourned the loss. She rolled until she was pressed to his back and draped an arm over his middle. A moment later, she felt a kiss on the back of her knuckles.
“I think we’ve scandalized the servants,” she whispered.
Blinking against the sunshine that suddenly streamed into the master bedchamber, Robert held up a hand to shade hisface. “Why ever would you say that?” he asked, his voice cracking. He cleared his throat.
“Salisbury just sounded the alarm that I’m not in the mistress suite.” She yawned and stretched, humming when she sensed the delicious soreness from having made love more than once the night before.
Robert started to sit up, and then paused when he realized they weren’t alone. He was about to put voice to a curse, but managed to stifle the urge.
“Good day, my lord. Do you require a valet this morning?” Graves asked from where he stood next to the window. He had obviously been the one to part the drapes.
“I can dress myself,” Robert replied, suppressing the urge to groan. “Have hot water and the tub brought up to the bathing chamber, and bring a cup... no, make thattwocups of chocolate for her ladyship.”
The servant bowed. “Straight away, my lord.”
“And close those damned drapes.”
“Yes, my lord.”
The room was suddenly shrouded in darkness before the butler rushed to the door and left the bedchamber.
Ivy tittered. “Told him, you did,” she teased.
He turned over to face her and grinned, the expression making him appear years younger. “Except for a few days ago back in York, I don’t think I’ve raised my voice like that with a servant in all the years I’ve been alive,” he murmured.
“Well, now he knows never to open the drapes whilst you’re still in bed,” she chided.
“Damn right. I had plans for this morning,” Robert said, struggling to swing his legs over the edge of the bed.
“Oh?”
“I was going to make love to you.”
Ivy’s eyes rounded. “Again?” she asked in shock.
He turned to regard her with an uncertain expression. “Would you... object?”
She lifted a bare shoulder. “Although I suppose I could manage, I am a bit sore,” she replied. “Not in a bad way, though.”
“I may not be able to walk,” he countered, rising from the bed as he groaned. He staggered to the dressing room, his gait making it evident he found it difficult to walk.
Ivy tittered as she looked about for a robe of some sort. “Oh, dear. I shouldn’t want to go into the mistress suite naked. I’ve nothing to wear but my gown from last night,” she complained.
“I may be able to help,” he said, his words muffled. He emerged from the dressing room with a banyan and brought it around to her side of the bed. He held it open for her as she stepped onto the carpet.
“Thank you,” she whispered. She stood on tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. “And thank you for ordering the chocolate and the bath, although I can’t imagine why you think I needtwocups of chocolate.”
“One is for me,” he replied. “As is the bath.”
