Scoundrel With A Noble Heart (sequel of Disgraceful)

Chapter 17

"Bella! You scared me out of my wits!!!" He blurted out. Quickly he looked over his shoulder to see if anyone was around before closing the door behind him. He spun to face her and exclaimed,
"Bella, you should stop sneaking into my room!"

She seemed stung at his abrupt manner.
"You don't seem happy to see me."

He ignored the complaints and persisted,
"Bella, if somebody catches you in my bed, I'll be thrown out on my arse right away!"

Disappointment clouded her face, and she took a sharp breath,
"Alright, I'll go if you can't stand the sight of me."

Pushing herself out of bed, she whirled around and shot to the window. He instantly regretted his spontaneous reaction.
"Bella, wait!"

But she had disappeared to the other side of the window. He hurried outside, following her as she crossed the lawn. He grabbed hold of her arm but she struggled to wrest free. Quickly he released his grip,
"Bella, I'm sorry. Please don't be mad at me."

She refused to look at him, but she didn't leave him either. With an irritated frown, she crossed her arms and stared off into space.

"It's not that I'm not happy to see you. It's just inappropriate, you know."
He sighed,
"Bella, I'm not like you. I don't have the privilege of doing whatever I want to do. Right now, I am just a man living off the kindness of others. I have to know my place."

She sucked in a breath but remained silent, still averting her gaze. He threw his hands up in a gesture of surrender.
"Alright, now I'm going wherever you want to take me too. As long as we're careful not to be seen."

She seemed reluctant, but then her eyes shifted tentatively to meet his.
"Truly?"

"Yes."

Her expression instantly cleared, and she took his hand,
"There's a telescope in the study, let's go there and see the stars."

"The study? What if we get caught?!"

"No way. The study once belonged to my late grandfather, Aunt Ginny never used it. The room holds nothing of interest for her. Besides, everybody must have retired to their room at this hour."

"But I mustn't be seen wandering in the main house. I'm a servant, remember?"

"Then we'll go through the back door of the servant's quarter."

They continued through the gardens, skulking behind the bushes, creeping along the wall, careful to keep to the shadows. They had no difficulty passing the servant's door and sneaking into the house. With soundless steps, they crept along the dim corridor, anxious not to make any sound. They continued turning and twisting a labyrinth of passages until they reached the study.

"Here we are."
Hurrying to the door, Arabella pushed the knob, but it wouldn't open.

"Oh, no. It's locked." She gave a desperate groan. "How come! The other rooms are left unlocked."
She turned toward him.
"What are we going to do now?"

Matthew checked the knob and turned it a few times.
"Give me your hairpin."

"What for?"

"I'm going to show you some trick."

Her eyes sparkled with excitement and she took off a hairpin, causing a few locks to fall around her face. The air immediately left his lungs. It had been several days since he first met her, he should be accustomed to seeing her by now, but everytime he looked at her, it took his breath away like the first time.

Her soft fingers briefly brushed his when she passed the hairpin, and the merest touch sent a jolt of warmth up his arm. He caught his breath, struggling to focus on the tiny metal in his hand. Bending the pin into an L shape, he eased the extended pin into the lock, wiggling it inside until they heard a soft click, then he turned it as though it was a key. He turned it twice before trying to turn the knob. The door swung inward, and Arabella gasped,
"No way! Where'd you learn that?"