“It’s after midnight.You felt the need to make the acquaintance of Acorn?”
The first two syllables he had spoken finally registered.“Yes, I was having trouble falling asleep.”
He took another step closer, forcing her to tilt her head back to see his face.It would be impolite to keep her eyes straight ahead, staring at his bare chest and abdomen.
She’d seen enough field laborers stripped to the waist, and studied art with Miss Blackwell at the Academy, to recognize an indolent lord, puffy like her pillow, and a man who toiled hard for too little bread.Fairfax’s well-defined physique was somewhere between the two.
As she fought the urge to stretch out her hand and discover what those contours and dusting of hair on his chest felt like, she noticed the secret door open an inch.And then another inch.
“And you, my lord?”She quickly said, wincing at how loud her voice seemed in the near-silence of the night-shrouded stable.“Are you also suffering from insomnia?”
She almost sighed in relief as the door silently closed.
“Walnut is feeling left out,” Fairfax rumbled.He moved closer to the next stall, where the other carriage horse had also thrust his head out to observe the proceedings.“I saw something from my window and decided to investigate.Something … odd.”He obliged the horse with a scratch between the ears.She’d have to stretch up on her toes to reach that high, but Fairfax didn’t even have to extend his arm all the way.His coat gaped open with his movements.
“Odd?”Her voice did indeed sound odd.Strained.“How?”Staring at his bare torso, the broad chest tapering to a narrow waist, angled so she could see one side of his rib cage, reduced her speech to single syllables.
“A pale figure dressed all in grey.I think it’s what people have been describing as the ghost.”
Sophia gulped again.“You saw that from your chamber window?”She would not, could not, think about him preparing for bed.Removing his clothes.Or that he hadn’t put all of them back on before leaving his chamber.She forced her gaze to his face.“And did you find this figure when you came outside?”
He shook his head, making his hair sway and catch on his collar.“Alas, it had disappeared by the time I exited the house.”
A cold drop of water rolled down her nape, reminding her that she had just spent the better part of an hour in the rain and she was soaked.Now she noticed that Fairfax’s hair moved freely because it was dry.Blustery winds outside still drove rain against the stable’s walls and roof.
A frisson of fear crept down her spine, chasing away licentious thoughts.“You… you looked for the ghost, but didn’t find it?”
“No.”He gave the horse a long stroke down its forehead, then stretched his arm to do it again.
No, he didn’t search, or no, he didn’t find it?
And perhaps most importantly, how had he reached the stable without getting wet from the rain?
Oh dear.Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.What if he’d stayed dry because he had used the secret tunnel?Had he seen Mildred enter the tunnel?
She would not panic.He could not hear her heart racing in mixed fear and arousal.She just had to keep her wits and keep her voice steady.“It seems an odd night for a ghost to go wandering, or someone to pretend to be a ghost,” she said, willing her voice to express disdain and not shake with apprehension.
Apparently jealous of the attention Walnut was getting, Acorn softly whickered and nudged Sophia’s shoulder.She switched her focus from Fairfax’s naked chest to the horse’s head, and gave him gentle strokes.
“Yes.”Fairfax drew out the word.
Nowhewas reduced to single syllables?Was he toying with her?
She became cognizant that she was in a darkened stables with a handsome, half-naked man.Lessons at the Academy had focused on teaching the girls to avoid such situations.So, so many lessons.If she and he were to be discovered in this situation, she’d be ruined.She’d already had one close call.Her night alone in the cave with Fairfax could still cause irreparable harm if anyone found out.How would she possibly find suitable employment to support herself if her reputation was in tatters?
She shivered.
“I think I should go to bed now,” she said.She whipped her head to look at Fairfax.“That is, I’m going to return to my chamber.I think I can fall asleep now.”
He quirked one brow.
She headed for the stables’ door, certain she would not sleep for the next fortnight.
“No,” he rumbled, following her.“It’s too wet out and you’re not dressed for the storm.Come this way.”He reached for her arm and tilted his head toward the door to the secret passageway.
“I really don’t think—”
“Wouldn’t want you to catch a chill.”He gave her a half-smile.“No need to fear the dark,” he said, patting his coat pocket.“I brought a candle.”He quickly lit it from the lantern.Before Sophia could think of a good reason to keep him from opening the door and revealing Mildred, Fairfax yanked it open.
