The Honorable Scoundrels Trilogy by Sophie Barnes

Author:Sophie Barnes
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sophie Barnes
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Awoken by whispering voices, Eve kept her eyes closed and strained to listen. It sounded as though they were far away and muffled. A door creaked open. The gentle tread of approaching footsteps brought someone closer, shifting the air around her. Peeking beneath her lashes, she spied a man’s jacket and opened her eyes more fully to find the earl standing over her bed with a grave expression. It softened as he watched her come more fully awake.

“I hope I didn’t disturb you,” he said.

His voice was gentler than usual and his eyes… Eve caught her breath. “You look worried.”

Grimacing, he pulled up a chair and sat down beside her. “A willful woman determined to brave the elements at her own peril is presently in my care. What reason do I have to worry?”

“I’m sorry,” she said, not shying away from the turbulent look in his gaze. “I just…I was sure you wanted me gone, and I also feared what might happen the longer I stayed. But it was foolish of me to attempt to reach Amberly Hall in this weather. Especially after being told doing so would be dangerous.”

“At least you’re owning up to your mistake.”

She winced. “I believe I’ve been punished with an ankle that hurts like the devil.”

Tilting his head, he raised his eyebrows as if to say, “You’ve only yourself to blame.” But he didn’t. Instead, he told her something completely different. “I treated you unfairly yesterday. Avoiding your company was inexcusably rude and inconsiderate. So I’m not surprised you believed you were unwelcome here. For that, I am truly sorry, Miss Potter.”

“Eve.” She didn’t know why she felt compelled to share her name with him, but since he’d saved her from the elements and was showing nothing but kindness when what she truly deserved was for him to be vexed with her, it seemed incredibly right.

His eyes widened, the pupils dilating while tiny flecks of gold popped into view. “Eve.” He spoke her name on a whisper of breath, and with such reverence, she almost melted right then and there. “What a lovely name. It suits you tremendously.”

Smiling up at him, she didn’t quite know what to say besides, “Thank you.” But she could sense something had shifted between them, as if they’d crossed a wide expanse to meet in the middle. It felt incredibly good and right, better than anything else ever had.

His eyes drifted down the length of her duvet-covered body before returning to her face. “Your foot will require a few days’ rest. If you need help with anything, simply ring the bell-pull here.” He gestured toward the velvet rope hanging beside her bed. “Day or night, it doesn’t matter, Eve.”

“I’d hate to bother anyone.”

“No arguing,” he told her sternly. “You are not to leave this bed without assistance. Is that clear?”

“You’ve shaved,” she said, not answering his question.

A look of disorientation overcame him. “What?”

Settling back against the plump pillows, her eyes grew heavy. Her eyelids began to close. “You were so,” she yawned, “rugged earlier.

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