Page 76 of One Night with a Rake

“Just that she’s likely with Lord Nathaniel.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because I came into the front parlor and found Mr. Duggins had been knocked silly and then…” His eyelids were filled with lead. He couldn’t keep them open.

Someone shook him till he roused again and he looked up into Mercy’s little heart-shaped face. He smiled at her. She loved him.

“Then what, you big lummock?”

“You don’t mean that like it sounds, I know.” His own voice seemed as if it was coming from a long way away. “When you call me ‘lummock,’ it really sort of means the same as ‘dearest,’ or ‘dumpling,’ or ‘my sugary bugary bear.’”

“I’ll sugary bugary you if you don’t hurry up and get to the point,” she said, her tone sharp-edged. “Now tell me, Reuben. What happened to my lady?”

“Oh.” Her command drew him back from the soft swirl of colors behind his eyelids. “I saw Lord Nathaniel.”

“When?”

“Before he hit me. I meant to follow him up the stairs, but he must not have wanted me to.” Reuben fingered the swollen spot on the back of his head. “I don’t think he hit me here.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Because I caught up to him at that little alcove on the first landing and that’s where he gave me a wallop to the jaw.” His tongue found a loose tooth. He smiled broadly at Mercy. “Didn’t knock a tooth out, did he?”

“No. You’re as pretty as you ever were. We found you at the foot of the stairs.”

“Well, then, milord didn’t do me that much damage, then. Likely it was the tumble down the stairs. Good. That makes me glad. He might not even have known it was me before he took that swing. Mighta thought I was some blackguard up to no good. Best I give him the benefit of the doubt.” He sighed deeply. “I always liked Lord Nathaniel.”

“Reuben, stick to the main point—Lady Georgette. If milady is gone, it does stand to reason that she’s with him. Though why did he have to steal her away like that?”

“Maybe he thought she wouldn’t go willingly.” Reuben tried to focus on Mercy’s face, but the pull of the dark kept edging his vision with shadows. “But why wouldn’t she? Anyone can see she fancies him.”

“Probably because some people don’t know what they’ve got unless they almost lose it.” She leaned down and kissed his temple. “Well, lucky for you when you fell down the stairs, you landed on your head. No harm done.”

That sounded a bit meaner than she meant it to be too, he figured, but he wasn’t disposed to argue with her. Especially since she stayed close and kept pressing her lips to his forehead, his mouth, his closed eyes every other word or so. She was saying something about wondering how they were to proceed, since if they went back to Yorkingham House without Lady Georgette, there’d likely be trouble.

Reuben let her rattle on.

So long as he feigned sleep he didn’t have to stir from this delightful spot. If he never opened his eyes again, he’d die a happy man.

***

“Language, Nathaniel.” Georgette made tsking sounds over his unexpected profanity. Then she ran her fingertips down the indentation of his spine and stayed to dally at the small of his back. “After that perfectly lovely interlude, I can’t imagine why you feel the need to swear. What’s troubling you?”

Nathaniel’s lips pressed together in a tight line. “I lost control.”

“That seems to be going around. I wonder if passion is catching, like the measles,” she said with a chuckle.

“It’s no laughing matter. I should have withdrawn.” He did so now. “I promised not to cause you shame.”

“And you haven’t.” At least, Georgette hoped one slip wasn’t enough to result in an unexpected child. She knew it was possible, but she shoved the thought aside. Her insides were still sufficiently fizzy for her not to care about the consequences of their actions, especially not the sort that might take months to arrive. “I’m not a bit ashamed of what we have between us, Nate.”

“You would be if it became public knowledge.”

“I don’t expect to tell anyone.” She looked up at him sharply. “Do you?”

He hesitated for a couple heartbeats. “No.” Nathaniel rose and began tugging on his smallclothes and trousers. “What is it you think we have?”

“Love,” she said simply. “That is what you professed to me in your awkward yet charming way a while ago, isn’t it?”