Page 33 of Broken

Once the tea had grown too cold to be pleasant, he picked Lilly up, blanket and all. Tucked securely against his chest, arms wrapped tightly around his neck, Lilly sighed, and he had to stop himself from backing her into the nearest wall and stealing a kiss.

Kissing would be very bad because one kiss always led to another.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

After glancing up at the ceiling for the fourth time in as many minutes, Giles made a startling self-discovery. He did not enjoy being alone. After years of solitary living, he craved conversation.

The thought surprised him. Dining alone had never bothered him before. Before Lilly came to stay, that was, and turned his ability to think rationally completely upside down.

He dropped his feet to the floor in disgust and stalked to the window. Lilly was taking her afternoon rest and he didn’t know what to do with himself. Ridiculous.

The quiet of Cottingstone had always comforted, but Giles found himself enjoying the long moments he spent in Lilly’s company. He found her a curious little creature, and she had begun asking him questions about society. Not one inquiry was shockingly improper, but in their society, one poorly worded comment would reveal her ignorance and set her up for embarrassment.

Imagining Lilly in London, dressed and spinning about a ballroom, set his teeth on edge. He shuddered at what the ton tabbies would do to such a delicate, uninformed creature. Society would chew her up and spit her out in minutes.

They would give Lilly little concession for failing to live up to their expectations, despite having spent the last six years in agony. They would drive her back into her room if she were not prepared.

And Giles would be damned if he would let Lord Winter return, find her health improved, and then still pack her off to some remote estate. She deserved a better life than moldering in Wales.

Giles looked down at his clenched fists. He made his hands relax, but the unease stirred over Lilly remained. She deserved a full life after all she’d endured.

Making a quick decision, Giles sat at his desk to pen an invitation, asking Lilly to join him for dinner at seven. That would give Mrs. Osprey time to attend to her other duties, without rushing Lilly’s toilette. He also gave her leave to avail herself to anything she might require from his sister’s bedchamber.

Katarina would be incensed when she eventually learned, but she was not here to complain right now. Besides, this was Giles’ home. He considered everything in it his.

Sealing the missive with festive red wax, he rang for Dithers. “See that this is delivered as soon as Miss Winter wakes.”

Lilly would probably enjoy the experience of receiving mail on the little silver tray. He was not sure if she received letters, or even wrote them herself. She had received none during her stay.

“I believe she is awake now, milord.” Dithers picked up the missive, but Giles couldn’t miss the half smile that played at the corner of his servant’s mouth.

“Well, see that she receives it, and that she has suitable materials to write a reply. I believe there is a writing box in my sister’s chamber.”

“Of course, milord. I should have thought of it sooner. Is there anything else you would like delivered?”

Giles shook his head. Dithers was becoming entirely too transparent in his liking for Lilly. The grin Dithers wore was far too telling, but the man turned on his heel and left Giles alone without another word.

Giles forced himself to read his mail while he waited, struggling with a strange impatience until Dithers returned with her acceptance, and then he went in search of Cook.

As he was speaking to Cook, Lilly’s reply drew his attention. He looked at the note in his hand. Why the devil was he still holding the darn thing? He tucked it into his inner jacket pocket, close to his heart. Giles rolled his eyes at his own thoughts.

Cook readily agreed to his requirements: an intimate dinner for two and a sumptuous feast including all his favorite dishes. They settled on hare soup, roast duck with onion sauce, and vegetables. Dessert would be lemon syllabub.

He hoped she liked his choices. He had kept the menu simple since she still ate like a sparrow. He did not have any idea what her preference for food might be, but he was on a mission to smooth out her sharp curves. Curves that tormented him the moment he left her side.

Mrs. Osprey informed him with a mysterious smile that Lilly was waiting for him in the drawing room not long after. His lady was early.

Shock at his own thoughts spurred him out the door. Lilly was not his lady, and he was a fool to think so. He was simply her temporary protector—nothing more.

Lilly strolled the drawing room, fingertips running over the ornaments cluttering up the space. Tonight, she wore a gold evening gown with her hair curled into a loose knot at the back of her head. Stunning. Long ringlets cascaded over her shoulders, and a thin gold chain hung about her neck, falling into the valley between her breasts.

He gulped back an appreciative comment on her attributes that would shock her, and sternly reminded himself to behave like a gentleman. “My dear, you take my breath away.”

“Thank you for the compliment, my lord, and the gracious invitation.”

Giles bowed formally over her hand. When he raised his eyes to hers, he found her holding back a grin. He held out his arm and they proceeded into dinner at a stately pace, but Giles wished he could settle his arm around her waist instead.

Lilly’s eyes lit up at the candlelit chamber. “Oh, you’ve gone to so much trouble.”