The Earl on the Train by Catherine Stein

Author:Catherine Stein [Stein, Catherine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Victorian romance, historical romance, adventure, Fantasy, historical fantasy, gaslamp fantasy, steampunk, steampunk romance
ISBN: 9781949862041
Publisher: Catherine Stein, LLC
Published: 2019-01-19T05:00:00+00:00

XVII

Sweet Surprise

Nick clung to the dream, hating to leave Berries there, sprawled across his bed in delicious dishabille. She shouldn’t be alone. He needed to stay with her. To kiss her. To make her moan with pleasure.

The infernal clacking noise tugged him further into consciousness. Why was the room swaying beneath him? Why was his bed so damned small? Where the hell was he?

Nick opened his eyes to stare at the unadorned, cream-colored ceiling. A curved ceiling. And a very narrow room.

He jerked upright. “What happened?”

“Oh! You’re awake.” Berries hopped up from her seat and crossed the tiny chamber in a single step. “No, don’t get up. You’ve had a rough morning.”

“What time is it? How did I get here? And what is all this?” He gestured at the room around him.

“A private train compartment.”

“I can see that. But what are we doing here?”

“Traveling to Suez.”

“For the love of… I’m not daft, and I didn’t take any blows to the head. Why are we in a private compartment?”

“I decided you needed a quiet, secluded location to recover. Please, lie back down. You have had an eventful morning.”

Nick rose from the bed so that no more than a few inches separated them. “I’m perfectly well. How much of that potion did you use on me?”

“The healing potion? All of it.”

“All of it?”

“You had a huge gouge in your side. I worried about bleeding and infection. One can never be too careful. My oldest brother is a physician, so I have heard all about the true causes of infection. You see, there are these microscopic animalculae called germs, and if they aren’t properly cleaned from the wound…”

Nick gritted his teeth. “I’m familiar with germ theory.”

“Ah. Good. Then you understand that I had to be most thorough in application of the medicinal potion.”

“That potion cost a fortune.” He shook his head. “Well, I suppose I needn’t worry about suffering any lasting effects.”

She gazed up at him. A touch of red rimmed her ocean-blue eyes. Had she been crying?

“Please lie down. You need to rest.”

“I’ve rested plenty. What time is it and how did you get me onto this train?”

“Well, if you must know, I dragged you to the consulate—with the help of a few friendly locals—where they were understandably upset at an attack upon a British citizen in broad daylight. They were kind enough to help get you onto the train. I paid to upgrade our tickets to the private compartment.”

“I will reimburse you.”

“No need.” A small crinkling around her eyes exposed her lie.

“There is every need. You can’t sacrifice your perfume business for me.”

“I can do whatever I wish. You risked your life to protect me.”

“And you saved it. You owe me nothing. If anything, I owe you, for altering your plans, not believing you, forcing you to do things my way, getting myself stabbed, and leaving you alone to tend me.”

“You were rather impulsive, rushing to my defense like that.” She lifted a hand to his cheek. “And gallant.” Moisture glistened in her eyes.

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