She smiled back. She’d never experienced anything close to what he made her feel. “I’m glad it was you.”
“I admit I didn’t expect you to scream so loudly. For such a soft-spoken woman, you are quite loud in your pleasure.”
“I screamed?” As she thought of it, she did remember. “I don’t think I’ve ever screamed before.”
“Then I’m glad I could give you two new—”
She felt him tense even before he stopped speaking. “What is it?”
“Someone comes.”
“Merciful heavens.” She couldn’t sit up, because he still lay upon her. Fortunately, he stood and pulled her up and off the desk, her knees giving out.
He caught her to him and whispered in her ear, “Under the desk.”
She nodded, grateful she wouldn’t have to run on wobbly legs. He guided her to the opening under the desk and she crawled under, lifting her shift about her as she did so. She was about to tell him her dressing gown was still out when he dropped it on the floor before her and she pulled it under with her.
His booted feet disappeared, and she heard clear footsteps on the wooden floor.
“Sir, one of the footmen thought he heard a scream in the library. Did you hear anything?”
“Harrison, I must apologize. That was me. I was walking about and accidentally stepped on this book, causing me to lose my balance and fall.”
“Did you drop the book, sir?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Do you intend to drop more books upon the floor, then?”
Tam chuckled. “Actually, I had placed this book on the floor. I was just starting to lay them out to have a good look at the timeline of each.”
“Would not the desk be a better place for that?”
Sophie put her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. Tam obviously didn’t know how intelligent Harrison was.
“I had thought of that, Harrison. But you see, I’m planning to take down far too many books to fit on this desk.”
She heard Tam slap the desk above her.
“I see.”
She swallowed a giggle. Harrison clearly didn’t see and suspected something else, but was far too polite to ask.
“Thank you for checking on me, and do tell the footman I apologize for waking him. I will be done in here in another hour or so.”
“Very well, sir.”
She listened as the butler’s footsteps receded, still not daring to move.
Tam’s hand appeared in the opening. “You can come out now.”
She crawled out and quickly tied her dressing gown, the seriousness of their escapade starting to seep in.
“Sophie, are you well?”
She looked up into his worried expression. “Why do you say that?”
“You look as if you’ve seen the ghost of Hamlet’s father.”
