With Love (Blackwood & Friends #1)

Chapter 23: Miss Eversley Comes to a Decision

Chapter 23: Miss Eversley Comes to a Decision

It was close to dawn and she couldn't sleep.

Nicola leaned against the sill of her window, next to her orchids she treasured so much, and watched the night sky twinkle with a blanket of fading stars. Soon, maybe within the next hour or so, the inky blankness would be replaced with the slowly pinkening tinges of day as the world awakened.

The sherry hadn't helped to alleviate her restlessness this evening and they had arrived late to Northwick from London, retiring to their respective rooms immediately. Of Jason, there had been no sign as he had not arrived with them, and Nicola wondered if he were even here, at Northwick, or if he had stayed on in London for whatever reason.

The man, as always, consumed her thoughts. More so now. It plagued her, the rush of his kiss and the memory of his hands, his mouth. She shivered even now, and she felt greedy for it, for wanting him again, for wanting more.

According to Lady Blackwood in the carriage ride back to Northwick, the evening had been a success. It was reassuring to Nicola somewhat that for now at least that her future at the estate, with the Blackwood's, was settled, but Wilhelmina was a constant niggling threat at the back of her mind. She doubted very much the woman would ignore the deliberate actions of her family for very long... and when she did decide to strike, and in what way, Nicola knew she would do anything for the people who had stood by her side tonight, even if that meant she needed to accept the ultimatum.

Sighing, she realised she was not going to be able to sleep that evening and her eyes found the painting from Jason she had propped up against the window, beside the orchids. It was so beautiful, so honed with detail, the lightness of her skin in the foreground contrasted against the inky darkness of the background. She wondered if he was in his chambers, if he had left her a note tonight, if he was awake...

Could she be this wicked? He had called her wild countless times, encouraged it even, but if she went to his chambers now in the hopes she would find him, would that be a line she or he was willing to cross?

Apparently she was willing to find out because her arms were snatching the dressing gown from her armoire before she even realised what she was about, and then she was tripping lightly out her room, through to the entranceway, checking briefly if there was a note- there was not- and continuing to the other side of the manor house, towards Jason's chambers.

She knocked softly but there was no response, and when she carefully opened the door to peer inside, even through the darkness she could tell it was empty, his bed unmade. She didn't dwell long enough to peruse the interior, too dark to see much anyway to assuage her curiosity and check if he kept her box of letters somewhere out in the open, but that wasn't her purpose, not tonight. She continued down the passage, passed a few more doors- guest rooms- until she reached the one she knew was his private study. This, too, was empty and dark.

Nicola sighed softly, considering that maybe he had not returned to his estate that night after all, and the disappointment that flooded her was almost debilitating as she thumped her back in resignation against the wall. The door opposite the study caught her eye- more specifically the dim light from under the small gap against the floor.

It was incentive enough and her spirits lifted dramatically, suddenly awash with that curious mixture of anticipation and nerves at the prospect of seeing him again. She opened the door quietly and padded inside chamber.

It was a small, almost barren, parlour room with a single, paned expanse of window against the opposite wall. Here there was an easel and a long table, covered with a myriad of vials and varying sizes of different wooden paintbrushes. A somewhat worn and tired-looking chaise longue was pushed almost negligently to one side of the chamber.