A Bride for the Prizefighter - Alice Coldbreath Page 0,41

items,” she said, drawing herself up. To her consternation, he walked toward her. Mina’s heartbeat picked up disturbingly when he came to a halt before her and plucked the list from her hand that she hadn’t realized she was still holding. She gasped indignantly as his eyes travelled unhurriedly over the list.

“Is that it?” he asked. “I’d have thought from your attitude it was a pair of drawers at the very least.”

“How dare you! No gentleman would ever mention—”

He scoffed. “I’m no gentleman, Mina. I would have thought a smart woman like yourself would have realized that by now.” He let his gaze rake over her. “I had no idea that fine ladies got through soap as fast as you do.” His eyes dwelt on her. “Nor lotion, but I guess that’s how you keep your skin so soft.”

To her embarrassment, Mina could feel the color creeping into her cheeks. How did he know how soft her skin was? She remembered how he had carried her in his arms the day before. Had he touched her skin? “As a matter of fact, it’s not for me,” she admitted. “But to repay Edna and Ivy’s kindnesses toward me.” His eyebrows rose at that. “Ivy used her own lotion on my cuts.”

His eyes flickered. “You don’t have any of your own?”

Mina shook her head. “I used the last of it the other night,” she admitted and even she could hear the note of sadness in her voice. Why was she talking so much? She suspected it was Nye’s fault as he did not talk enough and made her nervous. His proximity was extremely disquieting.

Nye frowned. “So, tell Edna to buy three lotions and three soaps.”

“I need to employ thrift,” she pointed out. “If my money is to last. Besides, I have two bars of soap already. I bought a lavender with me and Ivy gave me a rose.”

“Keep your half-sovereign,” he said brusquely. “I’ll speak to Edna.”

Mina was flustered. “What do you mean?”

“I have a few things to add to her list,” he said turning away. Impulsively, Mina reached out and caught his sleeve, he halted at once.

“But I want to buy them as a token of my thanks,” she insisted.

“They’ll still be from you,” he said harshly. “Do you think I’m in the habit of buying gifts for the maids here?”

She hurriedly withdrew her hand. Was he offended? “No, of course not, but—”

“Fine,” he said, holding out his hand. “Give the half-sovereign to me. I’ll deduct any costs from it you incur.”

Mina handed over the sum of her wealth with some reluctance. “And you’ll put up that curtain rail for Edna?” she added boldly. He scowled. Mina wasn’t sure what imp of mischief prompted her, but before she knew it, she had added pertly. “After all, you can deduct any expense from my half-sovereign!”

He took a step closer and Mina took an involuntary step back. Their gazes clashed and Mina realized they were both breathing hard now.

“Careful Mina,” he told her in a low voice. “It wouldn’t do to give me an excuse, not right now.”

“An excuse for what?” Mina asked, wishing her voice didn’t sound so breathless. Had she fastened her self-lacing corset too tightly that morning? He took another step forward and Mina took another back. Her skirts were up against the dressing table now and she had nowhere to left to retreat. She stared at up him, transfixed.

“Nye!” the shout from the stairs startled them both.

Nye turned his head. “What is it?” he bellowed.

“Delivery!”

He growled something under his breath and turned away, heading down the stairs with a heavy tread. Mina stayed frozen where she was a moment. Oddly enough, at that moment, she couldn’t decide if her overwhelming emotion was relief or disappointment. Strange. She waited five whole minutes before she too went downstairs.

She finished the first pair of curtains that afternoon. Setting them down, she rose from her chair and stretched. She felt stiff and irritable. If she hadn’t been under such pressure to finish these wretched curtains by nightfall, she could have had a nice walk at lunchtime. She walked over to the window and peered out at the rapidly darkening sky. She hoped Edna would be back before nightfall, that was all.

The curtains in the parlor bar were dingy and dark and could likely do with a good wash, she thought, fingering the heavy fabric as she loosened the cord to pull them across the window. She would have to light the lamps in