At Her Request by Micki Miller

Author:Micki Miller [Miller, Micki]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical romance; Romance; Happily ever after; Rebellious heroine; Scarred hero; Damaged hero; Regency; Hero as lord; Adventure; Hero to the rescue;
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Published: 2020-07-19T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

“My lord,” Grieves said from the doorway of the orangery.

Derek sat unmoving at his worktable just inside the door. Clay pots and rich, dark soil scattered in disorder before him. After pacing his orangery for endless hours, he’d started a task. Perhaps being productive would help. Almost as soon had he plopped upon the stool, his hands fell into his lap and he stared at nothing for an undeterminable amount of time. Maybe it had been minutes, maybe much, much longer.

He couldn’t even say with any degree of accuracy how long he’d been secluded in here. The sun had set, and he’d seen it rise again, twice, maybe. At present, early afternoon shone through the orangery, though he was uncertain of the day. Off and on he’d fallen asleep in one of the cushioned chairs in the sitting area by the windows.

It must have been quite some time since he’d left the Worthington’s, though he still wore the fine clothes he’d donned for Olivia’s come out. However, they didn’t appear so fine now, rumpled, smudged with soil, reeking with disregard. Much like himself. Even the sweet and tart citrus aromas of his orangery could not perfume his neglect of personal grooming.

He’d gone straight to this room upon his return from the party. This was where he’d always found some measure of peace. For days, two, perhaps three, he’d wandered the rows of trees and plants. Sometimes he’d pluck a dead or dying leaf. More out of habit than nurturing. The whole place could wither and rot for all he cared. What worth was there to anything?

Trays of food appeared on the rough-hewn table centered in the sitting area. If his stomach grumbled loud enough, he’d force down a few bites. In due course, the remains of the meal would disappear and be replaced with a new tray of food by some distant figure.

Several times Grieves offered to draw a bath for him, to give him a shave, to retrieve for him a fresh change of clothing. The last time Derek snapped at one of his suggestions must have made the severity behind the words sink into his butler’s head. How many times does a man have to say ‘leave me alone’ before he is taken in earnest? After all, he had a misery on which to dwell. He hadn’t time to be bothered with aught else. No room in his mind for anything other than his last sight of Olivia, disheveled, her hand tucked into Foxboro’s grasp, the two of them caught in a lover’s tryst.

“My lord,” Grieves repeated. “You have a visitor.”

At his butler’s announcement, Derek’s mind shoved aside the treacherous scene. However, his reckless folly continued to goad him. He should have known. He’d seen Foxboro leave her house before, the day he’d had the ridiculous notion to go to tea. He’d been a blind fool then, and a worse fool now. For the sight of Olivia, tousled from her moments of passion with her lover, haunted his thoughts and perverted his beautiful dreams into a waking torment.

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