Teasing Your Wicked Heart

CHAPTER 10

Anthony was undressing in his room after enjoying a glass of whiskey in his study. Sarah Jane proved to be a pleasant companion if she wasn't yelling at him. She had spirit, and that was to be admired by men of sense.

When he deposited her in her room before going to his, she had asked him again if he was keeping his promise of granting her a Season. He couldn't very well go back on his word if he wanted to avoid becoming deaf.

A Killsworth gentleman never went back on his promises, and he was not going to start now. As much as he wanted to avoid London, he would have to go now as it was a gentleman's honor.

How did this happen?

He sighed as he climbed on his bed. Sarah Jane was an unexpected surprise. He wouldn't have minded the company since he craved the presence of another person in his home, but he would have enjoyed it if they stayed in Kinsmen Place, miles away from the populated streets of London.

He used to have enjoyed being around with people, even with people from the ton, but disillusionment could change a man and shake him to his core.

He never really knew what the ton was saying about him because he had left even before they started ostracizing him in his face. His mother had admonished him for running. She did not understand why Anthony had felt the need to hide.

Resigned, he would have to ask assistance from his mother for this. He knew nothing of sending ladies into their debuts. He hadn't had to worry about it, even for his sister who was a good 7 years older than him. He was at university when she debuted and got married. It was so quick that one would think she had been compromised.

He had much to plan tonight.

Maybe he should pen a note to his mother? Yes, that would probably be necessary, as he hadn't been responding to her missives for over a year.

Anthony stood from his bed and started pulling the drawers out of their holes in his desk.

"Where's that blasted quill," he muttered under his breath, as he showed papers away and found nothing.

Anthony would have to venture downstairs and get a stupid piece of paper, quill, and ink.

As he quickly moved to the door, he realized that he was startlingly naked from head to toe. He muttered more uncivilized words. He pushed forth in four quick strides to get a robe, place it around his body, and storm out of the room.

Sarah Jane had all intentions to turn in early.

As soon as Lord Killsworth-Rosenberg—as she now liked to call him because of the laughable ambiguity—deposited her in front of her room, she knew she would not be able to sleep even if she was desperate enough to try.

She had slept through the day and it would be impossible to sleep a wink now.

She slipped out of the room, wearing only her chemise and a light muslin robe to get a book from the library. She liked to read to keep her mind off of things. Light novels were her favorite, and there wasn't a book in sight in this boring room. She slipped her slippers on and took a candle with her. She would be out and back without anyone noticing.

This cannot be constituted as bad behavior. She was simply looking for a book.

No, she decided, this behavior was absolutely normal for a lady to be doing—except that it was already deep in the night and she was creeping to avoid waking anyone.

Shaking her head as if to harden her resolve, her feet began to move in the opposite direction. Lord Killsworth-Rosenberg already entered his room, and if he did not, she couldn't even begin to consider what she would be telling him if he found her sneaking like this.