The Distinguished Rogues Bundle

by Heather Boyd

  He just stood there, his eyes devouring a perfectly proportioned body even with the sight of sharp ribs and silver scars. Mrs. Osprey pulled Lilly up, but she swayed into the housekeeper, and was quickly wrapped in another sheet. Giles scooped Lilly into his arms, quite forgetting that he shouldn’t know that Lilly had stumbled.

  It took time to get his feet to move. Giles held Lilly against his chest a long moment, inhaling the scent of clean, damp skin and enjoying every moment of it. Why he had ever denied himself the pleasure of watching a woman bathe was beyond him. Even blindfolded, it was the most erotic thing he had ever witnessed.

  Lilly squirmed a little in his arms, forcing him to remember that he needed to move. He let her direct him toward the bed and laid her down gently. But his traitorous body followed. His lips grazed her face.

  Shock pulsed through her tiny body. Giles pulled back and found her watching him warily, hands rapidly scrambling for the covers.

  “I thought you were angry with me,” she said.

  Giles reached up and removed the blindfold, drinking in the sight of her damp shoulders. “No, not angry with you.” She relaxed a bit, but to his way of thinking, her body appeared stiff. “Are you in pain?”

  She bit her lip.

  Giles nudged her shoulder, testing to see if she would try to hide her discomfort from him. She nodded with a slight movement of her head.

  “Shall I come to you after dinner?”

  This time, Lilly had to make a choice with a much clearer head than before. She knew exactly what he was capable of, but Giles would not impose himself on her if she did not wish for him to soothe her.

  The things they had been doing could have dire consequences, not to mention the painful distraction of arousing him unbearably. He always liked to have his women willing.

  “Yes, please come.”

  Giles nodded once, incapable of speech. Yes, please come. Such innocent words, but he knew exactly where he wished to come—anywhere she let him.

  Chapter Nine

  THURSDAY PROGRESSED CLEAR and bright while Lilly wallowed in her bed, longing to get out of it. She had not been truly out of doors in years. Traveling from carriage to house hardly counted. But, she could not do it. She could not go outside.

  When Mrs. Osprey had opened her clothing drawers, Lilly noticed that there were no outdoor garments inside. When Lilly gave the matter some thought, it seemed as though she could not remember the last time she’d worn a proper gown, or even been fitted for one.

  Oh, yes, she remembered the day of the accident. Lilly had been wearing her favorite lemon muslin with tiny embroidered flowers on the hem. A dress she thought pretty and delicate, a gown to make acquaintances envious.

  Atticus had behaved himself admirably and had not put muddy paws on the fine material or dragged her into the wild grasses about the property. His obedience had made her so proud.

  With a little coaching and outright bribery, Lilly had trained him the way her papa trained his hunting dogs. The wolfhound had responded eagerly. He sat on command, waited when she told him to, and walked beside her calmly as instructed. Yes, he had been very good that day.

  She trailed her fingertips over the bedding. It was getting late. Giles had slept in his own room last night, and she had spent her first night alone since the accident. Lilly was not used to being alone at all and had found it difficult to stay asleep. Even her treatment last night had not relaxed her completely. It had stirred her in ways she did not understand.

  Giles had been polite but firm with her body. He had kneaded deep into her shoulders and back, easing out kinks she was not aware she could possibly have had. He had been gentle with her neck and head, and she shivered again as she remembered his fingertips sliding into her hair and combing through the long strands.

  The nurse’s attentions to her hair had never felt like that. She’d shivered all over, but not with illness. The onset was too swift to raise concern. And the sensation had passed, changing to make her breath hitch when Giles kneaded the muscles of her bottom. She blushed at the memory of his warm hands, how long he had lingered, and how loud his breath had sounded in the still night.

  But when his hands had swept down her legs, her face had grown hotter and she thought her reactions were embarrassment, not illness. His hands had run down the length of each leg repeatedly, pressed into the arch of her foot to send chills over the length of her body.

  A tremor ran though her now. He had not spoken much last night, but she had been unable to hold back her moans of pleasure and relief.

  Giles Wexham had very talented hands.

  When he finished, he redressed her, tucked the blankets high, blew out the candle, and whispered goodnight before he left her alone.

  Gentle, considerate and, above all else, affectionate.

  She no longer knew what to think of him. This was not how he behaved around women in London. Even while in the laudanum-induced haze, she understood exactly what drove Giles Wexham. He craved excitement and pleasure.

  Acting as her nursemaid must bore him to tears.

  He was a rogue and spent his nights in the arms of any willing woman. She wondered how he did it. Was it hard to make love to a different woman every time?

  Lilly could not understand how he could be happy wasting his time in her company. It was not as if she had any great wit or fascinating stories to tell him. He should be more than bored, but he was always polite. She was so grateful for the care he gave her that she couldn’t bear to tell him not to visit. It had been a long time since she’d had such good companionship.

  Her appetite had returned too. Breakfast this morning was larger than yesterday’s. Lilly had eaten up every bite she could and had still looked forward to lunch. She wondered what Giles was doing. He had not come to see her this morning and she missed his face. It was probably not a good idea to rely on the rogue, but she enjoyed smiling with him. Giles had such a nice smile.

  Lilly slipped her feet over the bed’s side and stood, holding onto the mattress while she gained her balance. The window was a good distance away, yet she wanted to see the world outside her bedchamber.

  She could only vaguely remember what the property looked like, and since it was such a beautiful day, the grounds would be beautiful too.

  Lilly started across the chamber, disconcerted at first by the way the floor shifted beneath her feet. She made it halfway before the door opened behind her back. She turned, perhaps a little too quickly, to see who entered. Giles dashed across the room to catch her up in his arms.

  Dizziness and a rush of heat scalded her cheeks, so she clung to him until the sensation passed.

  “Off exploring again, I see. And where is Miss Winter headed this fine, sunny day?” His voice sounded pained and she wondered why.

  “The window. I wanted to look outside.”

  Lilly lifted her chin, gazing at Giles’ serious face and noticed the shadow of new beard on his chin. She wished she could touch his face to see whether the stubble was as soft as it appeared. But that was no way for a lady to behave. She wasn’t one of his women.

  Resentment bubbled through her composure and, hoping to hide her thoughts, she dropped her eyes to his shoulder. Giles could have anyone he cared to claim, but he’d never claim her. She was too weak, too ill to be more than a passing interest to him. An object of pity to be humored.

  Reminding herself for the hundredth time that her former-intended could do as he pleased with any number of women, she raised her eyes to his. They shone with devilment.

  The large hands on her back held her close against his warmth and she blushed anew, confounded by his touch, a caress without the purpose of providing comfort. His hands moved, sliding over her nightgown and one cupped her bottom, thumb strumming over her skin in a way that was not soothing. All her nerves clamored in a disjointed frenzy.

  “Lilly.”

  Lilly shook her head, unable to stand being so close to him. He let her go, and the cold of her own rebuttal chille
d her. She reached for the support of his arm and moved toward the window once more.

  At the window, she leant on the stone ledge and glanced outside, trying to get her thoughts in order. She focused on the greenery shining in the afternoon sunlight, a fairy landscape where life was wonderful. When she turned her head, her breath caught in her throat.

  “I apologize. I should have moved you to another room sooner.” Giles fussed at her side. “I didn’t mean for you to see the bridge again.”

  That awful place haunted her dreams. Yet in daylight, the spot seemed idyllic.

  “No, it is all right, Giles. You don’t need to move me. I would have to see it again one day. I would have made myself.” Lilly smiled to reassure him, but she did find the view disconcerting. “Can you open the window?”

  Giles leaned around her and pushed the window up, then settled his hands on her upper arms. Cocooned as she was, she barely noticed the bite of cool breeze that brushed across her front. Giles’ heat, standing so close behind, warmed her and brought a blush to her cheeks greater than any breeze could conquer.

  Lilly leaned out the window, hands sliding into the sunshine’s rays, marveling in the warmth on her fingertips. Giles clutched at her body, one arm curling possessively about her waist, the other crossing her chest, palm flat to her skin.

  Ignoring the burst of heat as his arm pressed between her breasts, she turned her hands over, noticing the scars on her wrists and how the veins beneath her flesh stood out so clearly. The sight appalled her.

  Giles leaned forward and covered the worst of the scars. “Don’t fret on it.”

  “How can I not? They are so ugly.”

  “The alternative is too horrible to contemplate. I am grateful you survived. The scars are simply a reminder that every day of one’s life is precious.” Giles hugged her a little tighter. “Besides, the rest of your perfect proportions make up for the slight flaw.”

  Lilly grinned and blushed to match. “Has anyone ever told you that you are a terrible flirt?”

  He laughed, his breath stirring over her neck and sending her heart racing. “I do believe that has been brought to my attention before. Should I stop?”

  Lilly thought about it for at least a moment. “I imagine after all this time that the habit might be impossible to break.”

  “Very likely.” His lips brushed her neck. “I might find it quite a struggle to follow that request while you are near. You seem to bring out the worst of my behavior.”

  Giles’ lips nipped at her skin, pulsing shocks of pleasure curled her toes, and she gasped, slipping her hand to cover his.

  Giles chuckled, pressing his forehead to her hair and breathed deep. “Forgive me. I seem to have no sense of propriety today.”

  And she shouldn’t allow him to hold her like this, but she had a desirable man heaping compliments on her head, turning her body so far away from pain that it was hard to remember who she was. She dared any lady to keep a right mind about her under such attentions.

  He held her against him, a gentle rock to his hold keeping her conscious of his presence. She skimmed her hand back and forth along his arm, running her fingers over the back of his hand until he captured her digits with his. Shocked at the genuine affection, breath churning anew, Lilly searched the world outside for distraction.

  Cottingstone Manor hadn’t changed much during her illness. It still looked as though the grounds didn’t belong in the real world, and the peace of the place washed over her. She sagged a little, letting the fresh scents fill her lungs and cleanse her soul.

  “Can I go outside, Giles?”

  “Not dressed as you are, that’s for sure,” he replied very firmly. “I have workmen on the other side of the house at this very minute and, as much as I might admire the view, I am not keen to share your current attire with a bunch of sweaty laborers.”

  His fingers trailed down her chest and she looked down, noticing for the first time that her nipples were visible through the thin material. Startled, she watched Giles’ fingers skim around the plump curve of one breast and then settle, fingers wide, on her belly.

  Lilly wrapped her arms tightly around her chest and huddled against the window ledge. Her state of undress did explain Giles’ forward behavior, however. He’d think her wanton, an easy target for his seductions.

  His hands skimmed her back, lightly kneading away her tension. Despite the impropriety and the transparency of her nightgown, she was still comfortable with Giles. But she must remember to wrap a blanket about her when she left the bed in future.

  Lilly had no dresses to change into. It could take weeks for dresses to be delivered, but by that time the perfect day would be gone and she could never get to enjoy it.

  Giles rubbed his hands up and down her arms. It was one thing she liked most about him; he always seemed to be touching her. Little kindnesses she shouldn’t become used to.

  Lilly stumbled toward the bed, dejected and fully prepared to burrow under the covers, pretending that it was snowing outside.

  He curled his fingers around her arm, stopping her progress. “I have an idea,” he said, urging her toward the bedchamber door.

  Intrigued by his strange excitement, she didn’t resist.

  Giles poked his head out into the corridor then turned and scooped her up, curling her tightly against his chest. He walked directly across the hall, turned the handle to another room and darted inside.

  It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the gloom. Trinkets and personal items filled every surface. Lilly did not know whose room it was, but it was cold and had an unlived-in air to it, despite the lack of dust or dustcovers. Giles deposited Lilly in a wingchair by the window, and opened the blue drapes wide.

  “Welcome to my sister’s room. Consider this a shopping expedition, of sorts. Let me see what goodies dear sister has left behind.”

  Giles smacked his hands together with apparent glee and opened the nearest draw. He found stockings and threw a pair at her that was so fine and delicate she could not believe they wouldn’t tear the minute they were worn.

  Next, a silk chemise settled over her legs. Lilly held it up to the light and then her cheek to feel its softness. “Won’t she care that you are rummaging through her possessions?”

  “Katarina will never know. She only comes once a year, and that is usually for the spring clean.”

  Giles’ sister seemed to have a veritable hoard of things tucked into all the corners of the room. When Giles produced shoes, he measured against her foot. While they were not a perfect match in length, she could wear them without fear of tripping.

  When Giles opened a tall, mahogany wardrobe, he pulled out dress after dress in all colors and styles. Her mind spun from the excitement. The bed piled high with ball gowns, day dresses, riding gowns, and even a formal presentation gown that looked to be new. He chose a light muslin gown in pale yellow and dug around to find a shawl to slip around her shoulders.

  “My sister insists on having a permanent wardrobe here, and we shall take advantage of it. Come, up on your feet, we have a dressing to attend to,” Giles said.

  Suddenly afraid of him, Lilly rose on shaking legs. He seemed determined to dress her himself, but that would mean that he would have to undress her first. It was true that he had touched her entire body while he gave her relief, but she was always sure to keep clear in her mind the difference. Dressing her seemed far too personal and dangerous.

  “I don’t think you should.”

  Giles saw panic settle into Lilly’s features and could have kicked himself. He had gotten carried away. He had no right to be alone with Lilly or consider dressing her, but she had seemed so sad at the prospect of not going out that he had quite forgotten his place in her life. He had none.

  Giles watched her fidget and then walked to the bell. “You are right, forgive me. I will wait outside. Mrs. Osprey will be here directly to fuss over you.”

  Giles strode out of the room, irritated by the necessary delay. Damn it all
, he had forgotten himself in the thrill of rampaging through his sister’s wardrobe and making Lilly happy. He had picked the finest silk stockings because he had wanted to touch Lilly’s skin as he pulled them up her slim legs. The chemise would have been near transparent and should have afforded him a fantastic view to enliven his fantasies.

  Fantasies that threatened to become a daily relief.

  Last night had been more difficult than he could have imagined. He had found himself unable to sleep and had crept down the hall to check on Lilly once. It was strange to feel displaced in his own room after just a few nights in Lilly’s company.

  Giles paced the hall while waiting for Mrs. Osprey to answer the summons. He did not have to wait long. Mrs. Osprey came twittering up the servant’s stairs with Dithers in tow and ran the length of the hall to him.

  “The lady requires dressing. See to it, Mrs. Osprey.”

  Giles knocked on the door once and opened it without looking in. Mrs. Osprey glanced at him in confusion, but crossed the threshold when Dithers nudged her.

  Giles pulled the door closed and stood looking at it, considering. He would plan more than a mere moment in the sunshine. He would do his best to surprise Lilly. Gathering Dithers with him, they descended the staircase, and headed for the terrace.

  “It’s a little sunny here. Are you sure this is the right spot, milord?”

  “It’s exactly perfect. Now, go find a few pillows and a blanket, and have cook arrange a tray of delicacies. Be sure to bring it out as quickly as you can.”

  “Are you feeling all right, milord? You are going to a fair bit of trouble for Miss Winter.”

  “Dithers, I always thought you understood women? This is perfect.” Actually, it reminded him of his mother. She used to sit out here, in this very spot, sipping tea and admiring her gardens. Lilly should love it.

  Chapter Ten

  Lilly blushed as Mrs. Osprey crossed the room, eyeing the disaster Giles had created about her feet. "I take it the master was searching after something special."