Ravished by a Rake : Historical Fiction

Chapter 18

Sybrina sensed his presence before she saw him in the mirror. Her eyes stared at his huge frame hovering at her door that was ajar. Their eyes locked as they gazed at each other in the mirror. Both oblivious to Harriet's presence in the room. Neither of them spoke, just gazed longingly into each other's eyes.

'Er__, I'll be in the kitchen, 'Harriet's voice went on deaf ears, until she shut the door and that seemed to bring the both of them back to the present.

'My lord__,' Sybrina twined her fingers anxiously. She barely observed the tray in his hand.

'Good morning my lady,' his tone was grave.

'My lord__' she whispered again, standing up. She wanted to apologise. She wanted to find a hole and hide. She wished there was a way to erase her disgraceful behaviour of last night from his mind, but that was impossible. Why had she drank so much? She had behaved worse than a wanton tramp trying to seduce her own husband! Saints of heaven what must he think of her? He was probably disgusted, by the look of his sombre face.

'My lord, I do not know where to begin apologising__.'

'How is you head?' he asked unsmilingly, walking towards her with the tray.

In need of a whole bottle of laudanum. On the contrary let's not mention the word bottle.

'Fine,' she lied, standing ramrod straight.

Alexander could not believe the nervous lady, who stood in front of him, who refused to look him in the eye was the same lady who had tried to seduce him last night.

He achingly remembered her soft arms pinned around his neck. Her fingers trailing erotically over his chest. Her lips like velvet brushing against his neck. Her long slender fingertips exploring over his chest. Her beautiful breasts pressed against his body. By gods what would making love to her be like, after she's had some experience? He could scare imagine, as he felt his body become aroused, just from recalling her inexperienced hands over him last night. He quickly moved away, so she could not see his aroused state under his trousers, and taking his time, he placed the tray on the bed side table.

'Come here,' Alexander instructed.

'Sit,' he commanded, when she meekly obeyed.

Sybrina looked around and found the only place to sit was the bed. The same bed she had erotically tried unsuccessfully to seduce her husband last night.

The duchess must keep him very happy, if she, a maiden could not arouse him. The duchess had warned her that Alexander was too experienced for her innocent ways. Well she had learnt her lesson last night. Once bitten, twice shy. Even in her drunken state she had felt his blatant rejection sharp and painful. This morning he could scare tolerate her long enough, he had hastily walked away from her.

Sybrina watched as he poured tea into a cup. Added more sugar into the cup, than either of them normally took in their tea. He then produced a bottle from his shirt pocket, which she recognised as laudanum. Very carefully he tipped two drops into the tea and held the cup out to her.

'Drink,' he instructed.

Sybrina ignored the cup forced upon her. '"Come! Sit! Drink! "' she repeated, her voice unbearably wistful. 'My lord are you just going to ignore my apology and continue to give me one word instructions?' she frowned.

'Drink?' he repeated, his voice rising sharply.

Immediately Sybrina reached out and took the cup, the frown intensifying on her face, as she swallowed the contents in one gulp. It was with difficulty that he kept a stern face. All he longed to do was wrap his arms around her and comfort her, but she was irresponsible in taking so much wine last night. What if she fell walking up the stairs? What if she drowned in her bath tub? He could not bear for any of that to happen.