Page 67 of The Lady’s Sweet Revenge

“Yes. Thank you,” she said in a light, raspy voice. “I lost my voice from screaming. But no one heard.”

“I’m so sorry I wasn’t here. I should have been here. This is my fault,” he whispered.

His staff descended upon her, helping her up the stairs, wrapping her in blankets. Even his dog barked her welcome and ran around in circles, obviously happy with her return.

She was shuffled away from him to be taken care of. Inside the house she was fed and fussed over. Belle refused to leave her side and Reese saw just how much everyone loved her.

Perhaps even himself. In a very different way.

His mother joined the gathering and brushed Harlow’s dark hair over her shoulder.

“I’m glad you are all right. I was so worried,” his mother admitted showing emotions she kept securely hidden away from everyone. Perhaps he was more like her than he’d realized.

The countess left Harlow’s side to come stand by him.

“I’m not sure if it was a trick of the light or a shadow, but it looked as if the two of you were kissing when she made it up from the ledge,” his mother said without looking at him. Her casual gaze was turned to watch all the hustle and bustle.

“It was most definitely a trick of the lighting. Whyever would I kiss a guest?” he lied.

“I’m not sure, perhaps for the same reason you have not been able to take your eyes off of her?”

Apparently, Reese had been hovering much like his dog.

“I don’t know what you speak of. I only want to ensure my guest is unharmed. What kind of host would I be if I didn’t see after her care and make certain she didn’t need a doctor?”

His mother chuckled. He froze and turned toward the sound he so rarely ever heard. His mother did not laugh often.

“Very well. I shall pretend I didn’t see anything.” She raised a brow. “For now.”

He glared at the woman who would do almost anything to see him wed as soon as possible.

“You didn’t see anything, mother. See that ye remember that.”

She waved her hand as if she didn’t care in the slightest about his unspoken threats. So long as she didn’t cause any trouble or put Harlow’s reputation at risk, his mother could think whatever she wished.

A few hours later he was in his room waiting by his door for her to come to him as she had the other nights. When he’d waited nearly half an hour, and she hadn’t arrived, he tied the belt on his banyan and all but ran from his room. He lifted his hand to knock lightly at her door, but it opened before he could complete the knock.

She gasped when she all but ran into him.

“I was just coming to your room.” Her voice was still slightly rough from her hours of screaming for help. A wave of guilt washed over him. He should have been there.

“You were late,” he said, hating that he sounded accusatory. She obviously didn’t realize how much he needed to hold her and feel for himself that she was whole and unharmed. He’d not be able to sleep without seeing her.

She tilted her head. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize we’d specified a time for our secret meetings in your room.”

She was smiling, but he didn’t find it funny. Later, he would see the humor in her comment, but at the moment he was wrought tight with concern.

“I was worried,” he admitted. His feelings had come to the surface and he was having trouble burying them once again.

“I’m fine. It’s only that Mrs. Garrison had stayed longer than was normal. If you’d come only a few minutes earlier you would have run into her when she was leaving.”

They surely wouldn’t have wanted that. Though Mrs. Garrison was far more preferable if they were caught than his mother who was likely looking to catch them.

“Do you wish to come in?” she offered and since they were standing there conspicuously in the hall, he nodded and entered the room.

He kissed her as he normally did in the evenings after wanting her all day, but for some reason this time when his lips touched hers something seemed to overwhelm him. He was nearly swept away with it.

He pulled back to look into her bright green eyes.