He was too heavy and would crush her. He ignored her wordless directive and, instead, brushed a kiss across her forehead, then slumped into the mattress beside her.
He laid his head beside hers, then exhaled long and deep.
On a grumble, she turned and snuggled against him.
He smiled into the dark, raised an arm, and draped it about her, holding her close.
Then he closed his eyes and tumbled headlong into the abyss of sleep.
* * *
Nicholas woke with the dawn to an empty bed.
That didn’t surprise him. He suspected—hoped—that Adriana would be thinking over all that had occurred over the hours of the night and—again, he hoped—reaching the conclusion that one night hadn’t entirely quenched her curiosity.
Lying on his back with his hands behind his head, he gazed at the ceiling as the interlude scrolled through his mind. He felt fairly confident he’d done enough to whet her appetite.
While their interactions during the day were slowly evolving into a partnership, he felt certain that building a solid intimate connection with her would be crucial to gaining her wholehearted agreement to marry him. That was his ultimate goal and, to his mind, his surest route to attaining it was to gain her trust.
As Miss Flibbertigibbet and even as Lady Adriana Sommerville, she was undoubtedly wary of trusting gentlemen. In that respect, intimacy was key, because for a lady, especially one like her, intimacy depended on trust.
Knowing that he was the only partner she’d ever trusted to that extent left him feeling smugly pleased. Reassured by the thought, he rose, washed, dressed, and went downstairs.
He reached the private parlor to find both Sommerville siblings in attendance, although how much of Dickie’s wits were functioning was open to debate. He looked up, vaguely waved, then smothered a yawn and went back to consuming a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon.
Entirely wide awake, Adriana studied Nicholas with a slightly wary, speculative gaze. Clearly, she was waiting to see what tack he would take after their night spent in his bed.
He smiled—he hoped reassuringly—and dipped his head to her, then went to serve himself from the dishes laid out on the sideboard. After piling his plate, he returned to claim the seat on her right, opposite Dickie, who remained wholly focused on his meal.
A tap on the door heralded a serving girl bearing a tray holding a coffeepot and a teapot. Both Sommervilles perked up, and Nicholas, too, eagerly accepted a steaming cup of coffee.
After savoring a mouthful, Dickie opened his eyes and attacked his plate with renewed vigor.
Adriana sipped her tea and, gradually, relaxed.
Noting that, Nicholas judged it safe to speak. “I suggest that, as soon as we’re finished here, we get started on our search.” He glanced at the clock on the mantelpiece. “It’ll be eight o’clock by then, and all the likely people will be out and about.”
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the siblings looked eager.
As soon as they’d all finished their meals, Adriana rang for the maid, and Nicholas went to ask Quilley for a map.
He returned with a plan of the town and spread it over the now-cleared table.
Adriana and Dickie leaned forward, peering at the web of streets and lanes.
Nicholas tapped a spot just south of the inn. “We know he reached here. What we don’t know and need to learn is where he went next.”
Footsteps approaching the door Nicholas had left open had the three of them looking that way. Rory and Young Gillies appeared, with Jed and Mike behind them.
Nicholas waved the four closer. “Perfect timing. Let’s divide up the roads along which we need to search.”
As they’d agreed the previous evening, Nicholas remained at the inn while the other six ventured forth in pairs—Adriana with Rory, Dickie with Young Gillies, and Jed with Mike—to painstakingly track the rider of the chestnut horse and The Barbarian.
“And,” Nicholas instructed, “when you find someone who saw them, try to get some firm idea of the time, then bring the information back to me. Ditto if you find anyone who can categorically state that the blighter didn’t pass them at any time last Wednesday evening.”
Young Gillies, Rory, and the two stablemen saluted.
Addie nodded, as did Dickie, and they all trooped out to start trawling their allotted routes for any useful sighting. As the roads and lanes of interest radiated outward from the corner of the marketplace, quite close to the inn, this time, they essayed forth on foot.
