“I think not. I fell into the arms of yet another pirate. And I believe he meant to torment me rather than rescue me.”
“Oh, surely not. Let me hazard another guess. This other pirate in your dreams. I’d wager he was indeed quite handsome.”
She compressed her lips.
“Yes,” he said lightly, “I see I am right. I knew I would be, of course.”
What audacity! She fixed him with a glare. “And why would you assume that?”
“Simply because I’m quite familiar with the workings of the female mind.”
“Are you, Scotsman?” It slipped out before she could stop it. “So you are quite familiar with the fairer sex? You know, it’s rude to boast of your conquests to your wife of but a day.” No doubt he would brag of his prowess again!
One black brow hiked a fraction. “I was speaking of my sister Anne. When she was a child, she and my cousin Caro could be quite melodramatic.”
“Well, I am neither a child nor melodramatic.”
As she spoke, she shifted a little so she could face him. But the movement unwittingly dragged the loose round neck of her nightgown down.
Alec said nothing. His eyes settled on her bare shoulder. Maura dragged the sheet back up to cover it.
Their eyes met.
“Shall I stay and help you with your bath?”
Her look of shock must have pleased him. His devilish half smile widened. “No? Another day, perhaps.” He paused. “You know, Irish, if your dreams are always so noisy, you’ll give me no choice but to have you removed elsewhere.”
At least then he wouldn’t be in the next room. It was her turn to smile. “Wherever you can find room, your grace.”
“On second thought, your grace”—he turned it neatly back around—“perhaps you should simply share mine. Then I would be there to shush you when you are in need of shushing.”
Maura’s smile froze.
“Or to comfort you, Irish, whatever the case might be.”
She turned a look on him designed to blister.
“Indeed, perhaps it’s simply because you had to spend the night alone in a strange place that you had such a horrid dream. That’s easily remedied, don’t you think?”
All of a sudden she wasn’t feeling quite so smug. Oh, the wretch! Surely he didn’t mean it. Oh, surely not!
“Are you always such a slugabed, Irish?”
Maura yanked her eyes from his face to the bedside clock. She was shocked to discover it was nearly ten o’clock in the morning.
“How long before you’re dressed?”
“Not long,” she said quickly. She certainly didn’t want to bring up the subject of baths and bathing again.
“Excellent.”
He rose, started toward the door, then turned back.
Maura froze. She’d started to climb out of bed, and now was terribly afraid that nearly the entire length of one leg was visible.
She knew it for certain when his gaze lingered on her thigh, then traveled leisurely up to her face. “I thought we might go for a drive. Oh, and wear something serviceable for the outdoors. The sun is out now, but our weather can be a bit unpredictable at times.”
Maura blinked. “Your grace?”
