by Dawn Brower
Ryan stared back out the window. The storm didn’t show any signs of lessening. He should go and check on Lady Annalise. He exited his room and crossed over to hers. She was tossing and turning on the bed. He reached down and touched her forehead with the back of his hand. Her skin was burning with the signs of a raging fever. Ryan cursed again. He’d have to fetch a doctor when the rain let up a little. He hated leaving her alone even for a second, but he was ill-prepared to take care of her.
“Cinderbury,” she moaned out his name.
He glanced down at her. “How are you feeling.”
“So hot,” she muttered, pushing the blankets down to her waist. “How could I have gone from cold to unbearably warm so fast?”
He suspected that her illness was the cause of her current condition. “You might want to keep the blankets on.”
“No,” she replied petulantly. “They’re a nuisance.”
Lady Annalise was nothing but trouble. He should never have promised Estella he’d look out for her. Maybe then he wouldn’t feel so obligated to continue to take care of her. Unfortunately, he was honor-bound either way. As a gentleman he could not have turned her away regardless. She was his responsibility now, and he would do everything in his power to ensure her survival. “You may be grateful for their existence later.”
Her eyes had a glassy look to them as she met his gaze. “Perhaps,” she conceded. “But they’re not welcome now.” She pulled at her shift. “Did you undress me?”
Ryan glanced away not wanting to stare at her. “Someone had to.”
“Help me take this off too.” She yanked it up farther, exposing her stomach. Ryan had trouble looking away from her creamy smooth skin. He wanted to reach out and stroke his fingers across it and see if it was as soft as it appeared. He swallowed hard and forced himself to glance the other way.
“Leave it on,” he managed to croak out. “You can’t be naked.”
“Please,” she begged almost ripping the fabric as she tugged it up more. “I’m so warm that I’m almost burning.”
Ryan sighed. Her fever must be raging through her. He might have to brave the rain to go in search of the doctor sooner rather than later. “Lady Annalise,” he coaxed. “It’s bad enough I undressed you this much. Any more, and you will be completely compromised.”
“Doesn’t matter,” she mumbled. “Father would never allow us to marry. No one is good enough for him to approve, and you would be the last man he’d agree to let me wed.”
He jerked back, affronted by her remark. He shouldn’t be surprised by her statement, yet it made sense. The duke enjoyed controlling those around him. Estella had inferred he was even worse with his children. He should be relieved he wouldn’t be forced into a marriage with her, but that reprieve didn’t come after her pronouncement. “Be that as it may,” he began. “You will not remove your chemise. I’ll leave you to rest. When the rain lets up, I’ll make sure you have a doctor to look in on you.”
With those words, he spun on his heels and left the room. If she chose to ignore his dictate, he didn’t want to be around when she uncovered her breasts. He was only a man, and he’d never be able to look away from that particular sight. Some weaknesses couldn’t be shaken no matter how strong he was…
Chapter Six
Darkness welcomed Annalise when she opened her eyes. She sat up and stared at her surroundings, not recognizing anything. The bed was comfortable, and the quilt that covered her had been warm. She pushed the blankets off of her and swung her feet over the side of the bed. The plush carpet on the floor was a welcome discovery. She hated cold floors. Her ankle nearly gave way as she stood to discover where she was.
Annalise couldn’t help thinking she should remember something. She searched her memories for what it could be in order to give her an indication of where she was and why. Obviously, she’d hurt her ankle at some point for pain to shoot through it when she put pressure on it. Slowly, she headed toward the door and then opened it.
She stepped out of the room and into a short, darkened hallway. Her eyes adjusted to the dimness. The moon poured light in from a nearby window, guiding her. There were maybe four rooms on the upper floor with the one she’d been occupying on the far end, and farthest away from the stairs. Something about it all seemed familiar. She started for the stairs. Maybe something on the first floor would help her recall why she was at the strange place. Bit by bit, she made the trek to the stairs and placed her hand on the banister to help her descend them.
“Where are you going?”
She jerked at the sound of a male voice behind her. On instinct, she raised her hand to her chest and felt her rapidly beating heart. Annalise turned around and faced the male the voice belonged to. She glanced up and relief flooded her when she recognized him. “Lord Cinderbury, you gave me a fright.”
“You should still be in bed. The doctor prescribed lots of rest.”
Doctor? Oh yeah… With him standing before her, the information started to come back to her. She’d been walking to her grandmother’s house and been caught in a storm. That was how she’d injured her ankle. Lord Cinderbury had aided her… “I couldn’t lie about anymore. I need to return home.”
“It’s nearly dawn.” He blew out a frustrated breath. “Surely it can wait until first light.”
She shook her head frantically. It was a miracle her father hadn’t found her yet. If he discovered her in Lord Cinderbury’s care, he’d make it his mission to destroy the marquess. He would not appreciate the circumstances. Some fathers would use it to their advantage to marry their daughter to a prominent lord—one destined to be a duke one day. Her father though… He’d consider it an insult. No one forced him to do anything, and he’d consider a marriage between Lord Cinderbury and her an affront on his power because he hadn’t chosen him, and he hated Cinderbury. The marquess had tried to gain guardianship of Estella, and her father never forgave anything he deemed a slight. Annalise had to put as much distance between them as possible. The Duke of Wolfton would not use his influence to devour the Marquess of Cinderbury and obliterate his reputation. She had to protect him. “Please,” she begged. “Where is my dress? I have to leave.”
“It’s not dry yet.” He frowned. “It’s drenched through and through. Why is it so urgent you depart now? It’s dark...”
“Now, Lord Cinderbury. We must make haste. Where is the darn dress?”
He reached down and wrapped his hand around her wrist. “If you’re so insistent, then you leave me no choice. I’ll have to allow you to don a damp dress.”
Lord Cinderbury led her down the hallway and back to the room she’d been in. In her frantic state, she hadn’t thought to look in the room for her dress. He helped her to a chair and then searched a nearby table for something to light the candles in the room. Once there, everything was illuminated she could see the dress hanging over an elaborate dressing screen. Annalise rushed over to it and went behind the three panels for privacy. Her other garments were there too.
She sat on a small padded seat and slipped her stockings on and tied them with her garters. Lord Cinderbury was correct—everything remained damp. She could change into something else later. The only thing that mattered was leaving the marquess’s cottage. After she had her undergarments on, she slipped on her dress—thankful she didn’t wear a corset. All she’d need from Lord Cinderbury was for him to tie the ribbons on the back. She stepped out from behind the dressing screen.
“Can you help me?” Annalise turned and moved her hair for him to see her dilemma. She glanced over her shoulder, meeting his gaze. “I can’t do it myself.”
“I wish you’d stay.” He scrunched his eyebrows together. “This is ridiculous.
“I didn’t realize you were anxious for my company,” she teased. “If I had been aware you were in the neighborhood, I’d have called properly.”
She wasn’t sure if she would have or not, but it seemed like the correct thing to say. Annalise did like Lord Cinderbury. In another
time and place she might have wanted something more from him. He was a gorgeous male with light brown hair and dark blue eyes. Sometimes they were so dark they almost appeared black. It was when his melancholy mood overtook him that they were nearly the color of the night sky.
“I didn’t want company,” he said gruffly. He yanked on the ties of her dress and she almost gasped. “I don’t know... Estella would want me to look after you. It’s not a good idea to leave at night.”
“You said it’s nearly dawn.”
Annalise was aware how petulant she sounded. He didn’t understand. How could he? Most of the time she didn’t either; however, she was conscious of the repercussions of her being alone with him…when her memories had come back, so did the knowledge that he had no servants in his cottage. Even if her father would welcome the match, she’d not have him trapped into an unwanted marriage with her. If she was allowed to marry, she wanted to do it for love. Lord Cinderbury didn’t seem capable of it. She didn’t doubt he loved his cousin, but Estella had seemed like the exception to that little rule. Someone had hurt him badly, and he had closed himself off to the world. Estella was safe for him, so he opened his heart to her. Annalise doubted he’d be so open with her.
“Nearly dawn does not equal a sunrise, my dear,” he responded with an irritable tone. “Evil can still hide and surprise you.”
“That can happen in the clear light of day,” she said dryly. “I’ve found more comfort in complete darkness than with a hundred people surrounding me in the daylight. You shouldn’t let the sun or moon dictate your actions.”
“I don’t,” he told her. Lord Cinderbury pulled the last of the ribbons and tied them. “There, all done. Are you sure I can’t talk you into staying longer?”
She glanced at him. His blue eyes were darkening to black. What had him so sad? Did he really want her to stay or was it something else entirely? “I cannot.”
He sighed. “Your slippers are by the chair over there, and your cloak is on the hook by the door.” He pointed to the other side of the room. “I’ll leave you to put them on while I dress quickly. I’ll escort you home.”
“No,” she nearly shouted. “You can’t do that.”
That would defeat the purpose of her leaving his cottage under the cover of darkness. Thankfully, her father had business in London and wouldn’t find out she’d gone missing until later on in the day. She could cover—with the help of her grandmother—that she’d stayed away because of her injury and sickness. Her father would still be angry, but he wouldn’t be out for revenge. He’d punish her by locking her in her room for a few days. It wasn’t as if she’d never dealt with that before.
“Lady Annalise, I am coming with you. Don’t argue. It’ll save time if you agree.”
“Do you really want to walk me to the front door and have everyone in the neighborhood believe you compromised me?”
“My dear, there is no if about it. You are compromised, and we have to pay the price of that happenstance.” He scrubbed his hand through his hair, leaving it in a wonderful disarray. Lord Cinderbury really was a beautiful male. He became more and more appealing the longer she was in his company. “Trust me, I’m no happier about it than you are, but as a gentleman I understand my duty.”
She snapped out of her stupor over his male splendor and glared at him. “How romantic of you… Talk of duty always makes my heart go aflutter. You do say the sweetest words.” Sarcasm dripped through her voice as she spoke. It didn’t make her feel any better to be proven right. The marquess did appear to be incapable of love. “Don’t bother with any proposals or promises. I won’t marry you.”
He lifted a brow. “We’ll see.”
That was it? He wasn’t going to back away and accept her rejection. Confusion flooder her, and she couldn’t stop herself from staring at him. Most men would have been thankful that they’d been saved from a forced marriage. She certainly had expected Lord Cinderbury to be glad for it. But such a blasé response? That didn’t seem…right.
“There’ll be nothing to see.” She frowned. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be leaving now.”
He didn’t let her stomp out of the room in the fit of fury she had planned. Instead, he scooped her into his arms and carried her to another room. Once there, he placed her on the bed and finished dressing. If he continued to surprise her, she’d be stunned stupid for days. Annalise thought she’d had him figured out. He was proving how wrong she’d been with each passing moment. She couldn’t puzzle him out for anything.
“Are you done with your temper tantrum?” he asked. “If so, we can go down and take the carriage to your home. I’m sure you’re missing your own bed.”
She couldn’t care less about her darn bed. “Actually, I don’t want you to take me home.”
He jerked back at her words. “I thought that was the whole point of your leaving now. Pray tell, where do you plan on going if not to your father’s manor?”
She had to go to her grandmother’s house. It’s the only acceptable place for her to be found. She had hoped to go there on her own and explain everything to her grandmother, but Lord Cinderbury had to complicate things. She lifted her chin in defiance. “I must go to the dowager house.”
“Why in bloody hell do you wish to go there?” His frustration seemed to be growing. Annalise didn’t really blame him. She’d be irritated with her too. “Honestly, why can’t this wait?”
“It’s for the best. It’s where I was heading when the storm hit. It’s acceptable for me to have remained.” She tilted her head. “Don’t you understand? This is for you too. No one should marry out of duty.”
“And what if I already sent a note to your father letting him know you were safe in my care?”
Oh God… “Please tell me you didn’t do that.” They would be doomed if he had. Why hadn’t she considered he might do that? Wait… He said a doctor had looked at her too. She leaped off the bed and went to him. Annalise latched her hand around his wrist. “Which doctor looked at me?”
If it was the private physician that handled all the medical care for her father, then there would be no escaping their fate. She cursed under her breath and waited for him to answer, praying it wouldn’t be bad news.
“The town doctor came to see you.” He narrowed his gaze. “Why? Are you so pretentious you think you’re too good for him?” Lord Cinderbury clenched his fist at his side. “And no, I didn’t send a note. I did consider it but decided it would be better to talk to the duke in person.”
She let out a relieved breath. All was not lost after all. “Then take me to my grandmother. I promise it will be all right.”
“You really don’t wish to marry me?” He stared at her with befuddlement.
“No,” she said. “Marriage between us would be disastrous.” But not for the reasons he believed. As long as her father lived, they didn’t stand a chance at finding happiness. She imagined Lord Cinderbury might make a good husband if he could find a way to love. “Now let’s go. There’s no time to waste.”
He didn’t argue after that. They went to his small stable and hitched a horse to a phaeton. Lord Cinderbury drove the small distance to her grandmother’s house. Once she was safely inside, he drove away. Annalise watched him until his carriage disappeared in the darkness, then she went to find a room to rest until morning. She had a lot of things to tell her grandmother, and a plan to protect Lord Cinderbury to enact. He’d be safe; she’d make sure of it…
Chapter Seven
Annalise strolled into the breakfast parlor and sat at the table next to her grandmother—the Viscountess of Shelburne. Her hair was a combination of silver and snow white. Her face was as wrinkly as it was regal. She had more grace than anyone Annalise knew. She was in the process of scraping butter across her toast and had yet to greet Annalise. A servant came in and set a plate of eggs and sausages in front of her along with a smaller plate of toast.
“You came in quite—late,” her grandmother stated without looking up from her t
oast. “Do you care to explain yourself?”
Annalise mimicked her grandmother’s activity and kept her next words simple. “It couldn’t be helped. I was caught in a storm and had to seek shelter. I trust you’ll explain to my father that particular shelter was here with you?”
“Of course,” the viscountess replied without missing a beat. “As long as you tell me where you actually took shelter.”
Her grandmother wasn’t going to like what Annalise had to tell her. She’d still cover for her though. They both had a hatred for the duke. Annalise’s mother—Sarah, had died under suspicious means. The viscountess believed that Wolfton arranged for her to die. There was no proof of that, but that didn’t stop her grandmother from attempting to thwart the duke whenever possible. It was no surprise that her father had purchase the old Shelburne manor from Annalise’s Uncle Randall after he found himself heavily in debt and the entailment in flux. The viscount had offered to sell him the dowager house in an attempt to keep the Shelburne estate intact. The duke refused. He’d wanted to dismantle his wife’s family bit by bit if he could. Annalise often wondered what made her father act so cruelly toward others, but had yet to discover the truth.
Luckily her uncle had learned a harsh lesson and managed to live frugally for several years. He married well and bought a new estate in Dorset far away from the scars of his past. The dowager house where her grandmother lived remained far away from the new Shelburne Manor. Uncle Randall renewed the entailment to cover the acquired property to keep it safe for his son, Bryce. Annalise had yet to meet her cousin, who was a decade younger than her. She didn’t blame the viscount for keeping him away from her and Marrok. He was protecting him from the duke. No one with any sense willingly built a relationship with her father. She set her toast down and met her grandmother’s gaze. “The Marquess of Cinderbury came to my aid.”