The Absinthe Earl by Sharon Lynn Fisher

Author:Sharon Lynn Fisher
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Published: 2019-09-24T17:35:35+00:00

Edward

You are the reason he muddies my thinking and weakens my resolve.

With these words, she had undone every gentlemanly impulse. She had encouraged every wrongheaded, proprietary feeling. She wanted me. She cared nothing for my title or for any honor conferred by my proposal. She wanted me.

But as the embers of passion cooled, uncertainty returned.

Feeling the rise and fall of her chest beneath me, I came to myself and lifted my weight off her. “Forgive me. I’m suffocating you.”

The room had gone chill, and I drew the counterpane over her before fastening my trousers and pulling on my nightshirt. Then I went to the fireplace and added turf to the fire. I felt her eyes on my back and knew that I should not have left her so quickly. Should not have moved away from the bed without so much as a glance at her face. The atmosphere of the room felt thin, as if the act we shared had sucked away all the air.

Had we married before this act, I would have known how to be with her now. It would have been proper to kiss and caress and perhaps even indulge my appetite for her again.

The thought of it set my blood afire. But I did not know how to manage a woman who had rejected me almost in the same breath that she had asked me to make love to her.

Before I had marshaled the courage to face her, three knocks sounded on the chamber door. Turning, I saw her take a dressing gown from the chest at the foot of the bed. After covering herself, she rose and went to the door, removing a chair that someone had propped there, before opening it a few inches.

“How do you fare, Miss Quicksilver?” Duncan. Had he been outside in the corridor all along? I squeezed my eyes closed. In asking him to protect her from me, I had put her squarely in this awkward position. There was nothing I could do to help without exposing her further.

“I’m well, Duncan, thank you,” she said in a low, earnest tone. “And safe.”

Her use of his Christian name caused a pang. I thought of all that had passed between us before she used mine.

“You’re certain?” he asked.

Ada repositioned her body, and by this I knew that Duncan had tried to see beyond the door.

“I’m certain.”

A pause. “Then I’ll leave you to your rest.”

“Please wait a moment.”

Closing the door, she crossed the room and retrieved the pistol from a table by the window. She went back to the door and held out the pistol to Duncan. I was astonished by her composure.

“Hadn’t you better keep that?” Duncan asked.

“There’s no need,” she replied, reaching for his hand and closing it over the weapon.

There was a long pause, and I felt certain he had held on to her hand, for she did not withdraw. Finally, he asked, “Has he agreed to do right by you, then?”

“I assure you, Duncan, Lord Meath is in no way blameworthy.

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