Read Online For the Earl's Pleasure by Anne Mallory - Free Book Online

looked up.
    “Go out in the hall,” she commanded.
    He simply lifted a brow. “No.”
    “I need to prepare for bed. Go haunt someone else for the night.”
    He flopped down at the edge of the bed and crossed his ankles, hands splayed behind him. “I think I will stay right here. I’ll wake soon, and far be it for me to miss the show in my own head.”
    “Miss?” Telly said, a bit nervously.
    She pointed at Rainewood again. “Leave.”
    “No.”
    “Yes.”
    He raised a brow. “Are we going to argue childishly all night?”
    “When do we ever do anything but?” She wiped an agitated hand along her skirt.
    “Miss?”
    Abigail considered her options. She could continue arguing. She could go to another room. She could simply change in front of him. See what his reaction would be.
    She shook her head violently. “Absolutely not.”
    Now both Telly and Rainewood were looking at her as if she’d lost her mind.
    Going to another room would generate all sorts of suspicion as to her mental stability. Arguing was their forte, but not something that she cared to do for hours in front of her maid—the one person who knew that she could see ghosts and accepted it. She needed Telly on her side too badly.
    Which left…
    Abigail strode over to the wardrobe door and opened it, stepping behind to hide her mostly from view. “I’m ready.”
    Rainewood snorted.
    Telly looked unsure, but walked over and lifted her dress to position it so she could get to the buttons. The other layers briefly lifted too.
    “I can see your ankles, Smart. And a good deal of your legs. Still have knobby knees, I see.”
    She could feel the sweat tickling her hairline and the heat pool in her face as Telly lifted the outer layer. “Do shut up, Rainewood.” At least he couldn’t see more.
    She was jerked to the side as Telly suddenly yanked the outer layer over Abigail’s neck, covering her face and catching her ear. Within the cocoon of the confining material, Abigail quickly tried to yank back—knowing without a doubt that she was completely free of the door’s protection. Underthings exposed to Rainewood’s gaze.
    The garment became further stuck. Abigail shut her eyes as they began a tug of war trying to get her free.
    “Telly!”
    The layer pulled free and Abigail dove behind the door, but not before she caught a glimpse of dark eyes.
    “Forgive me, miss! I am clumsy tonight.” Telly’s hands anxiously wrung the hem as her face appeared to the side.
    Abigail shut her eyes. It was a nightmare. Plainly and simply a nightmare that had invaded her waking hours.
    She usually ignored spirits when changing. For they usually ignored her. And after her first episode of watching the spirit of an innkeeper during an overnight in Bristol tup no less than four ghostly women, Abigail’s modesty around the dead had never quite been the same.
    Really, spirits were a lusty lot. Reliving things they had enjoyed, or wished they had enjoyed, in life.
    She swallowed at the memory and told herself firmly that Rainewood was no different. He was not real. Not in the true sense.
    But that couldn’t stop her from feeling completely naked in his presence as her maid unbuttoned and then stripped one piece of clothing and then another from her in what had to be the longest changing session in history. She never realized how blasted long it took to change. Each button, each tie, each fastening, one layer after another slipping from her and then being handled and put away before Telly moved on to the next.
    She had no idea what Rainewood was doing or thinking behind the door. She expected more verbal mocking at the very least. Perhaps he had simply fallen asleep in boredom. If spirits slept. She had never thought to inquire.
    But the thought that he might be staring at her nearly unclothed ankles instead…staring at any peek of skin around the door…staring in a way that meant a man admired a woman…She had always wondered what it would be like to see a man