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‘I leant on Sophie’s arm. We made slow but steady progress. Doctor Lumley is certain that the ankle is only sprained and there will be no lasting damage.’ Henri forced her breathing to be even. The sudden image of Robert carrying her, her breasts flattened against his chest and her mouth turned towards his, flooded her brain. In the cold clear light of morning, she knew she could control this unsettled feeling. ‘And I can rest as well down here as up in the sickroom. And the pies Cook makes with the calf’s-foot jelly are unexpectedly delicious. I shall have to get the receipt and recommend it. I shall have gained weight by the time I’ve finished, but it is the way to eat the stuff.’
His dark eyes danced. ‘I shall have to call you Pie.’
‘Pie?’ Henri jabbed the pen down, making a hole in the paper. ‘What sort of name is Pie?’
‘Henri-ate-a Pie or Pie for short. It suits you and your propensity to eat pies rather than jelly.’
‘That is an unworthy pun.’ Henri knew her face flamed. It had been a long time since anyone had given her any nickname, let alone one as ridiculous as Pie. Edmund had often made up nicknames. Some she had liked better than others. But with Robert, Pie made her feel as if she was his younger sister and that wasn’t precisely how she felt about him. ‘You may cease and desist. I prefer Henri. I’ve always preferred Henri.’
‘Point taken. I shall remember to call you Henri from now on…or perhaps Thorndike.’
Henri ducked her head as the room suddenly seemed to grow small. He wanted to have a special name for her. They were becoming friends. ‘Here, you should see this.’
His eyes widened as he picked up the paper she was working on. ‘You started.’
‘Self-pity never solved anything,’ she said briskly. There was no point in explaining that she’d resorted to it to keep her mind from the explicit dreams. Sometimes during At Homes, other women had confided about their vibrant sex lives with their husbands, and Henri had wondered why they went on about it. With Edmund, it had been pleasant but not earth-shatteringly magnificent. And after last night’s dreams, she started to wonder if it had been him rather than her, and she hated how disloyal it made her feel.
‘You admit the scientific method has merit,’ he said and his eyes became the colour of molten caramel.
‘For scientific things, yes.’ Her stomach did a funny sort of a flip at his look. She closed her eyes and steadied her breath.
His eyes narrowed. ‘Did Lumley give you permission to be up? Your cheeks have become flushed.’
‘He says the ankle is healing satisfactorily and complimented Sophie on her bandage-tying skills.’ Henri forcibly turned the conversation away from her health and her reason for her discomfort. ‘Sophie turned beetred. It is a pity that she remains confined to nursing relations. Her skills are wasted.’ Henri twisted the soft wool of the shawl about her fingers. Keeping her mind on Sophie was far better than contemplating the length of Robert’s fingers.
‘Ah ha, you will have to admit—you can’t resist matchmaking and meddling, particularly when it means you don’t have to discuss your health. Very well, I will assume your ankle is better, Henri, but you will remain in this house for a little while.’
‘It is hardly matchmaking to mention that your ward is good at nursing. Doctor Lumley’s marital status has no bearing on this conversation. Trust you to lower the tone.’ Henri adopted a pious look, but it unnerved her that Robert had guessed her reasoning. ‘I think you only wanted to have a truce so that you wouldn’t have to dance with me at the ball.’
‘As if I would try to get out of dancing with you.’ he murmured, his lilting voice sliding over her skin. ‘You would not have found me deficient in that regard.’
‘Sophie agreed with Doctor Lumley that being downstairs is the best place for me.’ Henri kept her eyes straight ahead. ‘And, between the village’s offerings and the bottles of various potions, there was no room to spread out your notes. I think I’m beginning to understand your approach, but it seems awfully complicated.’
‘What if I like my current system?’ His eyes crinkled into a heart-melting smile, sending a warm tingle coursing throughout her. She found herself focusing on the curve of his upper lip rather than on the figures.
Henri put her head to one side and assessed him. She’d been certain that it was only the intimacy of the sickroom that made her aware of him, but down here in the drawing room, the same sort of intense fire filled her. She had cause more than ever to regret the kiss. Perhaps there was a logical explanation. Something about not being in close contact with a man for ten years and suddenly finding oneself in the arms of a highly attractive desirable one. And, what was worse, wanting to be there again. She’d always despised those widows who were desperately searching for another man to replace their lost husband. But Robert was completely different in temperament to Edmund, unsettling and more inclined to want his own way.
