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William took a step towards her. Elizabeth staggered back. There was no fear in her eyes as she stared at him. If anything, it felt as if she wanted him to get closer. And when he did, she only stepped back once again until her back hit the wall behind her.
He knew he should step back. He knew he was losing himself in her eyes, and if he wasn’t careful, he would want to lose himself in the rest of her soon enough. But even though the words were echoing in his mind, he leaned closer to her nonetheless. Her gentle lavender scent wrapped around him and drove whatever sane thoughts he had left right out of his mind. William braced a hand on the wall behind her, dipping his gaze to her lips.
“William—”
He shook his head, cutting her off. “Just one moment.”
He knew very well how confusing he might seem to her. Hell, he couldn’t even settle his own emotions. Chasing her away with his words and then bringing her closer with his actions was bound to cause chaos in both of them. For the life of him, he didn’t know how to stop it.
Elizabeth fell silent. She swallowed, her eyes flickering all over, not knowing where to rest. William dragged his gaze away from her enticing lips down to her bosom. It heaved under her labored breathing, each rise and fall spreading an unquenchable need throughout William that he could hardly contain. It was all he could do not to cup her by the chin and get a taste of her.
I shouldn’t have allowed her to stay here. Had I sent her back to her home, I would not be faced with such fierce temptation, so much so that I can hardly think straight.
With every bit of willpower he had left, he stepped away, putting considerable distance between them. Elizabeth’s body sagged, as if she’d just let out a breath she’d been holding in.
“I will be gone for the rest of the day,” he told her, though he couldn’t fathom why he was explaining such a thing. “I am not likely to return until tomorrow evening.”
“Evening?” she gasped. “But that is so far from now.”
He tried not to smile at her obvious displeasure. “It is a large manor. You’ll find a library and even an art room if you are bored. Or you could always return home so that you are not subjected to one place like you are here.”
She scowled ever so slightly at that. “You know that I will not even consider that option. I will simply wait for you.”
“Very well. It matters not to me. You may do whatever you wish with your time here, while I return to my study.”
William made his way to the door. Like he’d done to her in the dining room, Elizabeth stopped him by grabbing his wrist. He looked down at their contact and she swiftly pulled away. “I accept your apology,” Elizabeth blurted out. His heart skipped a beat and he only stood there, watching her trying to find the rest of her words. “I know your heart, and I know very well that you are not very adept at speaking your atonements. But I felt your sincerity and I accept it.”
William hadn’t realized just how much he’d been hoping to hear those words until she said them. Elizabeth stepped back with a small smile, looking rather pleased with herself. “I hope all goes well with your trip. Please, be safe.”
He nodded, not bothering to say anything. But when he left the room, he wore another smile. And he knew very well that her last words would remain with him throughout the rest of the day.
William was right; Elizabeth would have no reason to be bored. The manor was quite large, nearly the size of the country estate Elizabeth and her parents would stay at a for a few weeks when she was younger. While she went on a tour, with Minnie as her lead, Elizabeth came upon the grand library William had spoken about, the art room filled with covered easels and dried watercolor paint, a music room that boasted pianofortes, a harpsichord, and many others. Continuing on, Elizabeth came upon smaller parlors than the one located on the first floor, a myriad of empty bedchambers, and even an empty room that Minnie had told her the Duke dedicated to his personal fencing practice.
By the time Elizabeth was finished, she was left utterly taken aback by all she’d seen. The sheer wealth this manor boasted could be seen in the many expensive pieces she’d seen, the extravagant vases, the exorbitant furniture. If the size of the manor had not given it away, the decoration itself would do so. And with all she’d seen, only one question ran through her mind: had the deceased Duke of Brandon truly squandered his money like she’d heard?
