before you throw yourself into his arms! Again!
“ I should not have come, your Grace.”
“ No, you shouldn’t have.” He placed his hands lightly upon her shoulders. “But I’m very glad you did.”
Like a rodent caught in the gaze of a deadly cobra, Leah stood captivated. His touch brought a quiver to her insides but when his hands slid down her arms, she quickly realized his intentions and flicked the empty vial backward.
He drew both her hands in front of her. The left one he raised to his lips.
His warm breath against her skin created a tingling sensation. Was it her imagination or did desire smolder in his dark gaze?
“ Miss Sheridan...” It must have suddenly dawned on the duke where they were, for his tender expression became detached. He released her hands and backed a few proper feet away. “I cannot pretend to understand Adrian’s misdeeds, but I am certain he loved you. One day I pray you will forgive him.”
“ I already have. Truly.”
“ I’m glad then.” He steered her to the door then reached around her and opened it. “If you ever need anything from me or my grandmother, please do not hesitate to ask.”
“ Thank you.”
“ Good night, Miss Sheridan.”
“ Good night, your Grace.”
The sudden urge to touch him, to smooth the lines from his brow, strayed into Leah’s thoughts. The very idea of his lips pressed against hers caused her knees to tremble.
Stop staring or he will think you are daft!
A strange, new emotion unsettled Leah. One she could not easily explain. Confused, she dashed from the room.
###
Irma closed the well-worn pages of her father’s leather bound Bible. Surely God does not grant clemency to murderers, so why did she continue to bother Him?
She leaned against the sofa cushions. Far too many lonely and silent hours stood between dusk and the coming of dawn, but she despised lying abed, yearning for Godfrey’s touch.
Irma clutched the locket hanging about her neck. “We had such good times, did we not, my love?”
Until that woman.
Her throat tightened. If only Godfrey hadn’t betrayed her...hadn’t dismissed her as though she were the harlot instead of his beloved wife. Stupid old man.
The parlor door creaked.
She sighed. “Come in, boy.”
“ I swear, Granny, you must have Shoshone mixed in with that English blood of yours.” Trinity strolled across the room toward the liquor cabinet. “How’d you know it was me and not Uncle William?”
“ Willie sought his bed over an hour ago. And don’t call me granny. Makes me feel old.” Irma set the Bible on the sofa beside her. “Did you see her?”
“ Yeah.” He poured a glass of whiskey. “And she was almost where you said she’d be.”
“ And the child?”
“ No sign of him.”
“ Did you get inside her room?”
“ Not exactly.” Trinity sat down in the chair across from her. “The door was locked, but I didn’t hear any sounds coming from inside. At least the normal sounds a child makes. However…” He downed half his glass before adding, “I did see something rather interesting.”
“ Boy, if you tell me you spied a lady in her underclothes, I’ll put a strap to your backside.”
“ Last time you did that was twenty years ago, and I ain’t been the same since.”
“ You cannot blame your simple mind on me,” Irma declared with a chuckle. “Say, what did you mean Miss Sheridan was almost where I said she’d be?”
“ That’s what I was about to tell you. You’ll never guess where the beautiful lady ended up.” He winked at her. “In the Duke of Chase’s room. Or rather, in his arms.”
“ I knew it.” Irma slapped her knee with enthusiasm. “I knew all along what I saw in that devil’s black eyes wasn’t my imagination. He’s aiming to bed his dead brother’s fiancée.”
“ And why not? Lord Adrian’s got no use for her.”
“ Watch your mouth, heathen. Bad luck comes to those who poke fun at the dead.”
“ Step down from the
“ I should not have come, your Grace.”
“ No, you shouldn’t have.” He placed his hands lightly upon her shoulders. “But I’m very glad you did.”
Like a rodent caught in the gaze of a deadly cobra, Leah stood captivated. His touch brought a quiver to her insides but when his hands slid down her arms, she quickly realized his intentions and flicked the empty vial backward.
He drew both her hands in front of her. The left one he raised to his lips.
His warm breath against her skin created a tingling sensation. Was it her imagination or did desire smolder in his dark gaze?
“ Miss Sheridan...” It must have suddenly dawned on the duke where they were, for his tender expression became detached. He released her hands and backed a few proper feet away. “I cannot pretend to understand Adrian’s misdeeds, but I am certain he loved you. One day I pray you will forgive him.”
“ I already have. Truly.”
“ I’m glad then.” He steered her to the door then reached around her and opened it. “If you ever need anything from me or my grandmother, please do not hesitate to ask.”
“ Thank you.”
“ Good night, Miss Sheridan.”
“ Good night, your Grace.”
The sudden urge to touch him, to smooth the lines from his brow, strayed into Leah’s thoughts. The very idea of his lips pressed against hers caused her knees to tremble.
Stop staring or he will think you are daft!
A strange, new emotion unsettled Leah. One she could not easily explain. Confused, she dashed from the room.
###
Irma closed the well-worn pages of her father’s leather bound Bible. Surely God does not grant clemency to murderers, so why did she continue to bother Him?
She leaned against the sofa cushions. Far too many lonely and silent hours stood between dusk and the coming of dawn, but she despised lying abed, yearning for Godfrey’s touch.
Irma clutched the locket hanging about her neck. “We had such good times, did we not, my love?”
Until that woman.
Her throat tightened. If only Godfrey hadn’t betrayed her...hadn’t dismissed her as though she were the harlot instead of his beloved wife. Stupid old man.
The parlor door creaked.
She sighed. “Come in, boy.”
“ I swear, Granny, you must have Shoshone mixed in with that English blood of yours.” Trinity strolled across the room toward the liquor cabinet. “How’d you know it was me and not Uncle William?”
“ Willie sought his bed over an hour ago. And don’t call me granny. Makes me feel old.” Irma set the Bible on the sofa beside her. “Did you see her?”
“ Yeah.” He poured a glass of whiskey. “And she was almost where you said she’d be.”
“ And the child?”
“ No sign of him.”
“ Did you get inside her room?”
“ Not exactly.” Trinity sat down in the chair across from her. “The door was locked, but I didn’t hear any sounds coming from inside. At least the normal sounds a child makes. However…” He downed half his glass before adding, “I did see something rather interesting.”
“ Boy, if you tell me you spied a lady in her underclothes, I’ll put a strap to your backside.”
“ Last time you did that was twenty years ago, and I ain’t been the same since.”
“ You cannot blame your simple mind on me,” Irma declared with a chuckle. “Say, what did you mean Miss Sheridan was almost where I said she’d be?”
“ That’s what I was about to tell you. You’ll never guess where the beautiful lady ended up.” He winked at her. “In the Duke of Chase’s room. Or rather, in his arms.”
“ I knew it.” Irma slapped her knee with enthusiasm. “I knew all along what I saw in that devil’s black eyes wasn’t my imagination. He’s aiming to bed his dead brother’s fiancée.”
“ And why not? Lord Adrian’s got no use for her.”
“ Watch your mouth, heathen. Bad luck comes to those who poke fun at the dead.”
“ Step down from the
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