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“I have been since dawn,” he murmured, returning her smile, and kissing her neck.
Disbelief made her glance over his broad shoulder at the clock on the nightstand. “You woke three hours ago?”
“My body is not accustomed to sleeping beyond dawn.”
“You slept peacefully,” she observed, recalling no thrashing through the night.
“Your presence ensured the bad dreams stayed away.” He gazed up at her and curled a lock of her hair around his fingers. He looked completely at peace as he lay beside her, blinking languidly. She touched his jaw, and he did not flinch or turn away when she traced the scar from his jaw to his cheek. When she neared his patch, however, she heard his sharp inhalation and stopped. There was still a boundary she did not dare cross.
“Harry,” she whispered, tugging at his shirt. He knew what she wanted and soon, his lips were on hers, and his hands began to roam her body. She gasped when he started to caress one of her legs from the ankle up to her thigh.
Then he pushed her nightrail up, and parted her legs, his hand moving to stroke her inner thigh. Bridget squirmed and lifted her hips, encouraging him to touch her sex. A deep groan sounded in his throat as his fingers brushed her soft folds, causing a delicious shiver to run through her body.
Her bedchamber door opened suddenly, and Belinda walked in. Bridget’s excitement halted, and Harry tensed, but he did not raise his lips from hers. “The flowers for the garden have arrived!” she chirped excitedly before her eyes found them in bed and popped out. Her mouth fell open and her face reddened. “Oh, I did not know!” She ran out of the room and slammed the door shut.
Harry raised his head to look at Bridget and chuckled. The tension in his body had eased, and she could feel her halted need returning. “I am curious to hear what the household will think of this,” he murmured.
“You hear their talk?” she asked, wishing for him to resume the attentions he had been lavishing on her body.
“Every word.” He lightly kissed her lips and rose from the bed, stretching. She moaned a protest and sat up while he chuckled again. She tilted her head as she watched his body, recalling the time she had seen him completely naked. Bridget almost jumped to her feet to cling to him.
Harry must have noticed her agitation because he pressed his knee onto the bed and leaned forward. He kissed her again and murmured, “I will see you at breakfast, darling.”
Bridget allowed him to go, deciding to be patient with him. He moved to retrieve his coat and waistcoat, which hung on the back of a chair, and shoes before taking the door that led to his chambers.
She sighed and fell back against the covers, her body aching for him. “When?” she whispered to herself.
She dressed and met Belinda downstairs before breakfast.
“Pardon my intrusion, my dear. I did not know there had been new developments.”
Bridget smiled, and not wishing to reveal anything, said, “Think nothing of it, Belinda. Where are the flowers?”
Belinda grew excited again, her blue eyes sparkling. “I have not seen flowers like this in a very long time. Come.”
Bridget followed her out of the castle through one of the doors on the side to the gardens where several men were transplanting blossoms. Belinda’s zeal was only matched by her own and she anticipated seeing the garden once every bloom had been planted. It would take days for the men to finish, then weeks for the garden to look like an actual garden, but she was learning to be patient.
Her stomach growling reminded her of breakfast and she drew Belinda inside. When she arrived at the breakfast room, however, Lander informed her that Harry had been called away to the brewery.
“Did something happen?” she asked in a low tone.
“I do not believe so, Your Grace,” he replied.
Still, she worried, and that distracted her from eating as well as she should.
“Do have a buttered scone, my dear,” Belinda encouraged, setting a scone on her plate when she declared she would have no more. “Our family will begin to grow and you must eat well and be healthy.”
Bridget blinked, then giggled to conceal her surprise.
“Oh, but I am in earnest,” Belinda said.
“I know you are, Belinda. I was only surprised that you would think of this so soon.”
“Well, these things happen quicker than you would think.” She grinned as Lander appeared in the doorway with a box in his hand.
“This just arrived for you, Your Grace.” He gave the box to her. It was identical to the tea box Harry had given her yesterday and she smiled, knowing this one had to be from him.
“Thank you, Lander.” She opened it and selected a pouch, raising it to her nose. There was no smell, but then again, some of the leaves had no odor. “Have this brewed, please.”
