Page 95 of A Stolen Heart

“Mother!” Alexandra was instantly on her feet, leaning toward Rhea. “Can you hear me? You squeezed my hand. Are you awake? Do you understand me?”

But Rhea’s face was as blank as ever, and her hand was already slack again in Alexandra’s.

“Willa! Aunt Hortense!” Alexandra rushed to the door of the room and called into the hall.

A moment later, both women came hurrying into the room, their faces anxious.

“She squeezed my hand!” Alexandra announced.

“What?” Willa looked dumbfounded. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. I am positive. I was talking to her, holding her hand, and suddenly she pressed my hand. I’m certain of it.”

“The doctor said sometimes their muscles will involuntarily contract when they are in this state.”

“It wasn’t that. I am sure she heard me—on some level. She hasn’t reached full wakefulness yet. But it will come. Surely this means that she is beginning to wake up.”

Aunt Hortense grinned. “Yes. It must mean that. We must watch for more signs.”

They stood around the bed, gazing at the still, silent woman. Rhea did not stir or twitch. But Alexandra was not discouraged. She resumed her vigil, not leaving Rhea’s side until it was time for supper and one of the maids came to take her place.

Alexandra had thought to go back to her mother’s side that evening, but supper seemed unusually long, and after that, they had to sit through a tedious piano recital from Willa. Hearing her play, Alexandra wondered if the Countess was forced to sit through her piano pieces every evening. If so, she must have the patience of a saint, Alexandra thought. Whatever warm and wonderful qualities Willa had, she was not an accomplished pianist.

Alexandra began to feel quite sleepy. She yawned, trying to cover it so as not to hurt Willa’s feelings, and more than once she jerked awake and realized that she had nodded off. She decided to go straight to bed, only stopping by her mother’s room to say good-night to her unresponsive form.

She sighed and left the room, trying not to let Rhea’s lack of response discourage her. It would happen; she would awaken. She must just have faith.

Alexandra stopped abruptly a few feet from her door when she saw that Sebastian was standing beside it, leaning negligently against the door frame.

“What are you doing here?” she asked irascibly, walking around him to open the door.

“Waiting for you,” he replied, reaching out and catching her wrist with his hand.

He stepped closer, looming over her. “I have been having trouble sleeping, Alexandra.”

“I hardly see how that is my concern.” Alexandra replied lightly, although warmth was already stirring in her at the implication of his words.

“It is because of you. I used to be quite content with being by myself. I find that I am not any longer.”

Sebastian bent his head and brushed his lips against her hair. “I want you in my bed again.”

“If this is another ploy to try to convince me to marry you…”

“No, just the plea of a desperate man. I was watching you all through that execrable piano recital. I kept thinking about that night in the highwayman’s lair….”

He raised her arm and kissed the tender inside of her wrist. “Come to my room tonight.”

“Are you mad? Under the same roof with my aunt and mother? Not to mention Willa.”

“Then marry me, and we shall be under our own roof.”

Alexandra grimaced. “You are not getting around me that easily. Besides, I’m terribly sleepy. Didn’t you see me yawning all evening?”

“I thought that was due to Willa’s piano playing,” Sebastian said, and Alexandra chuckled. He brushed his knuckles slowly down her cheek and leaned over her, saying in a low voice, “I’ll lay you odds that I have a remedy for your sleepiness.”

His husky voice stirred a longing in Alexandra’s loins, but she wasn’t about to admit that to him.

“Stop.” Alexandra shook her head in mock exasperation and went on tiptoe to brush her lips lightly against his cheek. “Good night, Sebastian.”