my own words. “How you are able to dazzle me with your talent and intellect one moment, make me want to tie you to a chair to keep you safe the next, and then be driven wild with the need to kiss you senseless—all at the same time—I’ll never know.”
“Tie?” I challenged, not finding that proposition very romantic.
He smiled. “I never said I would actually do it.” His voice turned silky. “Though you don’t seem to mind when I hold your hands down while I . . .”
“Sebastian,” I gasped into his mouth, as he pressed it to mine.
The moment spun out as his lips moved against mine, until he pulled away to whisper almost in awe, “How I love you.”
My heart swelled, and I pulled his lips back to mine.
* * *
* * *
Given how urgent and unsettled matters were, I was shocked the next morning to discover how late I’d slept. Bree insisted my body had needed it, and there was no shame in that. But still I hurried her along as she dressed me for the day in a skirt of smoke blue, and a Prussian blue military-style bodice with gold buttons and epaulets in the two alternating colors.
Contrary to my slothful start to the day, Bree had already diligently been about her assigned tasks for several hours. She’d managed to speak with the footman who had seen Helmswick depart, and had confirmed both that his valet had accompanied him and that he possessed copper-colored hair. However, she had nothing yet to report on Renton, though she’d chatted with a number of the staff about him.
Gage, it appeared, had also risen early, and gone out only to return a short time later with a letter.
“From Anderley?” I attempted to turn my head to ask Bree, but she held fast to the strands of my hair she was plaiting.
“I dinna think so. But he’s waitin’ for ye in the sitting room.”
“Then I’ll take my breakfast there.”
She finished arranging my hair before following me into the other room with the tray holding my toast, blackberry jam, eggs, rasher of bacon, and tea. Gage glanced up from the writing desk before the window where he sat penning a missive. The drapes had been pulled aside to let in what little light there was. The bright sun from the day before was now blocked by a thick, pewter gray blanket of haze.
“You’ve received a letter?”
“Yes, one moment.”
I settled on the sofa in front of the table where Bree had rested the tray, and I poured out my own tea, having elected to leave my sling off for the moment. Though impatient, I trusted Gage would not leave me waiting if the information contained in that letter was pressing.
A few seconds later, he set aside his pen and turned in his chair to face us. “The letter is from the steward at one of Helmswick’s minor estates. He confessed he has not received any correspondence from the earl in over three months. But that he possessed the address of the home Helmswick usually rents when he is in Paris. I was just writing to a friend of mine who resides in the city, asking him to pay a call on our elusive Lord Helmswick.”
I tried not to show how frustrated I felt that the contents weren’t more helpful, but obviously I was not successful.
He grimaced in sympathy. “I know. I’d also been hoping for more.” He sighed. “But we must be patient. With any luck, we’ll hear from Anderley again today.” He nodded to Bree, who curtsied and returned to my bedchamber, closing the door behind her.
“You must be having similar doubts about how trustworthy Lord Richard’s claim was.” I took a tentative sip of my tea, and then dipped my head toward the desk behind him. “Otherwise you wouldn’t be writing to your friend.”
“Yes, well, it’s difficult to tell just who can be trusted in this family. So I decided it would be better to have confirmation from an outside source.”
“You don’t think Helmswick will answer the letter you sent days ago?”
“I didn’t have his exact direction then.” His mouth tightened with disapproval. “And the earl doesn’t seem to be much concerned about keeping up with his correspondence.”
There was a rap on the outer door.
“I suspect that’s St. Mawr,” Gage said in answer to my questioning look as he rose to his feet. “I know he went off to The Sheep’s Heid late last night. He figured the pub would be