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Thomas increased the pressure on her back, making her torso press firm against his. Time suspended around them and the world misted away.
Eliza breathed harder and pushed away, waking Thomas from his blissful state. She stepped back until he could no longer keep his grip on her. A physical pain ached in his fingers as her body left his grasp.
“I . . . I’m getting a bit light headed. I should sit.” She blinked rapidly a few times and took the chair next to her sister.
“Oh, Liza can’t you just finish, there’s not much more,” Kitty pleaded, swiveling in her seat.
Eliza looked back at Thomas, her face more flushed than ever. She placed both hands over her stomach and breathed out from the small O in her lips. “No. I’m sorry, Kitty. Perhaps another time.”
Kitty gave an exaggerated frown then forced a small grin. “Oh, alright, I understand. You did a marvelous job. No actress could have done any better.”
While the girls whispered to one another, Nathaniel stood and faced the fire, h
is hands clasped behind him. “That was quite a performance, old boy. I’m impressed. Bravo.”
Thomas exhaled, hoping to drive his raging pulse into submission. “I wish I could say the same about you.”
Nathaniel leaned his head back, laughing. “What, you weren’t impressed?”
Thomas peered back at Eliza. She glanced up from her conversation with Kitty then turned away again. The memory of her dainty form pressed against him was now burned into his mind forever.
“You have impeccable taste, Thomas.” Nathaniel’s gaze flitted to both girls, landing on Kitty and lingering, before he quickly turned back to the conversation. “I can see how you have been entranced. How could you not be, when Eliza is so fair a lady. She may be a decoy wife, my friend,” Nathaniel spoke low through closed teeth, “but I’d venture to guess she’d be willing to be more.”
Thomas rubbed his hand over his face, trying to scrub away his monopolizing thoughts. How could he spend any time with Eliza and not take her in his arms and kiss her with all the passion that swelled within him? At this moment he could easily see Eliza as his real wife—in fact wanted it to be so. But it would be better to fight such imaginations. Better for the both of them. She needed to know all that he did about her Father. It was his duty and he must act on his resolve to teach her, despite the risk to his heart.
“Let it go, Nathaniel.”
Nathaniel shook his head then turned his back to the fire and spoke loud. “I can’t recall the last time I’ve had such an enjoyable evening among friends.”
“Well, we owe this to you, Doctor.” Kitty lifted her chin and pressed her knitted fingers into her lap. “You can’t know how much this means to us.”
Eliza stood, taking hold of Kitty’s hand. “Yes, Doctor. Thank you so much.” She moved her eyes to Thomas. “And thank you as well, Thomas.”
Her glowing eyes melted him and it took a moment for Thomas to find his voice. “It was my pleasure.”
“It truly was a magnificent evening,” Eliza said, “but I do believe it’s time for both Kitty and I to retire.”
“But the evening’s only just begun,” Nathaniel protested.
“Liza, must we?” Kitty spun toward her sister, holding her hand to her chest. Silent, Eliza kept her eyes to the ground, when Kitty took her arm. “I should have known. We don’t want you making yourself overtired. I guess this is goodnight, gentlemen.”
Nathaniel gave Kitty a sweeping bow as they said a quick “good-evening” before the two girls moved toward the stairs. Thomas’s gaze trailed Eliza, and just before she disappeared behind the wall, she peeked at him over the curve of her shoulder. Her eyes locked with his and she instantly looked away, stealing Thomas’s breath. Then she disappeared up the stairs.
He gripped the chair beside him to keep from floating away. His life was changing and despite his greatest efforts, he couldn’t stop it. His fascination with Eliza had mounted into an all-consuming attraction. No—desire.
He dropped into the chair, sweeping his hand up and over his head.
“You look like you want to talk,” Nathaniel said.
“Sure, I’ll talk,” Thomas replied. “I’ll talk about anything but Eliza.”
Nathaniel choked on a laugh before a somber veil enveloped his features.
“There is something I’ve been meaning to discuss with you—but not in front of the ladies.”
Chapter Eighteen
Eliza halted at the top of the stairs. Kitty stopped as well, a puzzled wrinkle on her brow.
