Page 48 of Bloodgrove

Elodie gathered up her ruined nightgown. “This could be my downfall.”

“I was—” He cut himself off and stepped back. “Do not dare turn this around now. We are both adults, and making out in an empty corridor is the least of our problems when there is a damned corpse lying five meters away.”

“Hedgefort will deal with it. You should return to your room.”

That stung.

Will stepped toward her again, took her chin, and forced her to meet his gaze. He wondered whether she had ever done anything like this before, and if so, how often. Whether anyone had ever kissed those rosy lips until they were swollen and sore. She looked delightful, and he was already dreaming of the next time he might see her so completely undone.

“Do not forget, among all your schemes and plans, that you are also human—a human who may need a few more mistakes in her life.”

He held her gaze for several seconds longer. Then she tore herself free and marched away.

“People like me cannot afford mistakes!”

Chapter 27

Although Will sat over his plans with pencil and ruler, part of his mind remained fixed on Elodie. Her voice drifted toward him, too far away for him to make out a word. She might have been another ghost of the house, haunting the corridors with her voice, plaguing every dream, claiming the last remnants of his sanity.

Will was fairly certain that this time, Elodie was the one avoiding him. He ate breakfast alone beneath Hedgefort’s watchful eye while her tea went cold. The only time he saw her was when she walked guests through the townhouse and allowed them a glimpse into the ballroom—and of Will. He ignored the fact that every day, he dressed himself up for those few minutes like a foolish bird. He had even considered arranging to meet Mr. Arcos, if only so he could spend a few hours being irritated by someone else.

From the entrance hall, he heard Elodie bid farewell to that day’s guests with charming laughter. Silence fell the moment the gate closed. Will held his breath, never lifting his head from his work, yet waiting for the soft click of her heels over the stone floor. He was not disappointed. A moment later, Elodie entered the conservatory with a deep sigh.

Drizzle pattered against the glass behind him, and memory summoned the Elodie of that first morning—so lovely and sensual that her mere presence had enthralled him forever. And now he knew how her cunt tasted, knew the sweet sounds she made when she came. How could he ever forget?

This was a mistake.

“Forgive me that my guests treat you like a zoo animal.”

From the corner of his eye, he watched her cross the room and gave a vague hum of acknowledgment. Even so, he returned to his work. Since the full-moon ball, more visitors came every day, some under thin pretenses and others brazenly admitting they wanted to see Will. Most did not dare interrupt him while he worked. They merely watched from the edge of the construction site when he worked in the depths of the demolished ballroom. Others asked him the most absurd questions about life in the Capitol. Can you truly fly? Can you touch the sky from the tops of your towers? Is it true that people in the Capitol cannot use magic? Has your queen ever considered marrying our king? Are your houses truly made of gold? Do angels really hold your skyscrapers upright?

“Once again, you are apologizing for something you arranged yourself.”

Elodie laughed softly, strolled over, and leaned one hip against the desk—the same hip into which he had dug his hands four nights ago. From the corner of his eye, he caught the line of her tightly cinched waist, hidden beneath heavy velvet. Slender hands with long, manicured nails picked up his notebook and leafed idly through the pages. Sometimes she paused, tracing his handwriting with her fingertips.

“Can I not be sorry and still do what is necessary?” she asked.

Will remained silent and continued drawing. The subfloor was to be installed soon, and the workers wanted the final design for the elaborate marble mosaic.

“You are still angry with me.” Elodie sighed and closed the notebook.

“You are the one avoiding me.” Will picked up his compass, his voice carefully indifferent.

“I have been busy.”

Will hummed.

“I told you that situations like that must be avoided in the future.” Elodie planted her hands on her hips.

“Quite right. One of the ancestral portraits might see something.” Of course. Now that Will had finally conformed to society’s expectations and desired a woman for the first time, that was wrong as well.

“What can I do to make you forgive even one of my many mistakes?”

Now Will looked up, and a wicked smile curled his lips. He was tired of being a plaything in Bloodgrove’s chaos, and Elodie was the perfect place to begin putting things in order.

Deliberately, he set his pencil aside, leaned back, and folded his hands. His mind leaped far too eagerly toward all manner of entirely inappropriate things, and greedily sought to exploit the situation.

But he could not allow that.