AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I think I have a valid reason to push for an annulment.”
“I wish you luck, then, Tommy.”
Unbelievably, he smiled even though she had just called him Tommy. “It is not so bad when you say it.” Then he rolled his eyes. “I hate the way Mother says it.” He was about to leave when he paused again. “I do not wish to alarm you but I think Mother is planning something. Be careful, Edwina.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Sleeplessness was now very good friends with Edwina, and she was in the sitting room reading a book that night when Puppy raised one of his ears from where he was curled up beside her.
“Did you hear something?” she asked him.
He quickly hopped down from the sofa and ran to the door, scratching at it. Edwina thought he wished to be let outside, and she stood to open the door for him. Once it was open, he ran out.
“Wait!” she whispered loudly after him. “Puppy, wait!” He was heedless because he continued down the hall toward the stairs.
Groaning, she put a robe over her night rail, picked up a candle, and followed him out. He would not have gone far, and if he truly wished to relieve himself, he would likely be found in the conservatory. She had found him there several times before. “Puppy!” she whispered as she wandered.
She arrived at the conservatory. Moonlight filtered in through the glass, and the sound of water running in the fountain at the center immediately gave her a sense of peace. Nature had a way of calming her. It was why she loved spending time at Glass Blanket. She decided to linger there, sitting on a bench under a canopy of plants.
She had barely taken a seat when she heard rustling further into the conservatory. She smiled. Standing, she followed the sound to the part of the conservatory that was darker. She should have brought the candle with her. The rustling continued. "I knew you would be here,” she said.
“You did?” a deep voice asked. She froze. Instead of finding Puppy as she thought she would, she found Albert struggling with something.
“You!” she said, surprised.
"Yes, me,” he replied, still struggling. When she ventured closer, she found his banyan was caught by some thorns. She almost laughed at him when he cursed under his breath. "What are you doing here?" he asked.
"I should ask you the same thing. You appear to have a more interesting story.” She placed her hands on her hips and tilted her head, watching him.
"I could not sleep. When I grew tired of staring at my ceiling, I began to wander aimlessly,” he answered.
“And how did you get caught by thorns?”
She thought she saw him give her an ironic smile. “You should ask that little fiend with a ribbon around his neck.”
She laughed and moved toward him. “Did he push you into the thorns?”
Now that she could see his face better, she saw him roll his eyes. “I was trying to save him from them but he scuttled away.”
“And you lost your balance?”
“There you have it.” He continued his battle with the thorny plants. “Why areyounot sleeping?”
“I could not sleep either," she said. His gaze was inscrutable as he regarded her. "Do you need help with that?" She gestured at the part of his banyan that was stuck. Before she could attempt to aid him, he yanked it free. Edwina winced at the ripping sound. "A little patience could have helped with that, Rowan!" she complained.
"I shall purchase another one." He shrugged. "It was not a favorite of mine anyway."
“That does not give you an excuse to go about ripping it," she admonished, crouching to examine the tear. “I think it can easily be mended.”
"Can you mend it for me? I heard you are very skilled with a needle. I could even read you a book while you do it," he jested.
"I have had enough fingers pricked for one day, thank you very much." She chuckled and held up the finger she had pricked earlier.
"Are you in earnest?" He took her hand and drew her toward one of the windows, examining the tiny pink dot the needle had left on her forefinger under the moonlight. “I think I see it.”
She loved the attention he was giving her finger. She loved being around him despite the pain that came with it. She was about to pull her hand away when he raised the finger to his mouth and began to gently kiss it. A moan formed in her throat but she stifled it instead of allowing it to escape.
His gaze darkened as it held hers, and her body erupted in flames. “Albert,” she whispered, feeling that familiar moisture form at her center. It was only when she beheld the surprise in his eyes that she realized the name she had called him. The name he had nearly begged her to call him by. It felt right, leaving her lips.
