Chapter 10
Thomas stared at the fidgety character who nervously stood before him, and not for the first time, wondered at the depths a man could sink before reaching rock bottom. He grimaced in distaste and turned away
“Ye man said me could have a silver piece if I bring ye the 'formation guvnor.” Rufus scratched his head and squished lice with his dirty fingernails
“So he said” Thomas replied absently, leafing through a grubby notebook Rufus had handed him earlier. He had to commend the man, each visit was neatly recorded, including the date and duration. He shut the book and leaned against the wall, propping one leg behind him. “How am I certain this is accurate?
“Ehh? don’t ye werry yerself 'bout that guvnor, Rufus Squirely aint no lair.” Rufus grinned, showing sparse rotten teeth, “me ma'am weld paddle me behind if her caught me a'lyin.”
Thomas contemplated the creature before him, then fished in his pocket for his purse. He withdrew two silver pieces and tossed them to Rufus. “Here, get yourself a bath, some food and good clothes, mind you, don’t spend it all on drink.” Rufus caught the coins mid-air and pocketed them gleefully. Tonight, he would visit the Horse and Spirits and get himself a nice pint of beer. He licked his lips in anticipation and bade his lordship a very good morrow.
When he was certain he was alone, Thomas crossed to a large bookshelf that completely covered one wall of his study, and reached between two books to pull a hidden lever. There was a soft click, and he swung the shelf clockwise, where it slid noiselessly on recently oiled hinges to reveal a small enclosure behind it. Thomas ducked through the low entryway and placed the book on a small table that sat next to a cabinet filled with guns and hunting knifes. Then he withdrew back to the study and carefully concealed the enclave, then sat down at his desk and pondered.
From what he had been able to discover, it seemed Sir Crowley had formed an alliance with the French, and had been secretly leaking information from the Home Office to his contact, an elusive opera singer, who posed as his mistress. But what Thomas was yet to fathom, was the reason for Sir Crowley's murder. Surely it would have been more prudent to simply steal the papers and disappear.
He rose and walked to the door, then out the hall towards the gardens. It had always been a place of solitutude where he could think surrounded by nature's finest flowers.
“Excuse me Your Grace?” Everton's voice interrupted his determined strides. He turned to see his butler holding a silver platter with a gold calling card in it. “You have a visitor”
“Who is it?” Thomas asked a trifle irritated, he was in no mood for callers today. “I'm not receiving any visitors Everton, I have business to attend to.” he resumed his walk.
“Shall I inform the lady you are unavailable Your Grace?” Everton asked, his voice bearing a slight hint of amusement at the expected reaction.
Thomas paused mid stride and turned around, a perplexed expression on his face. “A lady? What in heaven? Who is she?”
“Lady Laurel Abbington,Your grace, and might I suggest a change of attire before you meet Her ladyship?”
“Yes, I suppose I must” Thomas cast a disparaging glance at his dusty riding clothes and ran a hand through unruly black hair. “Ask James to meet me in my dressing room now. Oh , has the lady been served tea?”
“I believe she is been served as we speak.” Everton answered, moving off to do his master's bidding. “I shall inform her of the slight delay Your Grace.”
“Thank you Everton” Thomas replied and took the stairs two at a time, hurrying into his room.
Laurel fiddled with her shawl, too nervous to pour the tea, for fear she might spill some over the lovely pale blue carpet. She turned to Agatha, who had already made herself comfortable by the corner and was involved in knitting a sweater of a revolting green color.
“I'm so nervous, I must be shaking so badly.” she whispered, “Benedict will have my head if he finds out I came to a gentleman's house unescorted.”
Agatha paused in her knitting and flashed her mistress an encouraging smile. “Have a heart, My lady. You are not unchaperoned, and I trust His Grace, Lord Grayson is a complete gentleman.”
Laurel's mind flashed back to the garden scene and she flushed. It was pure and utter madness, coming here, but all week she had been plagued with guilt for not being able to thank him for saving her, and today, while taking a walk, she had been seized with the sudden impulse to see him. Deep down inside, Laurel acknowledged that since her near drowning, she had come to the realization that life could completely pass one by, if one didn't grab it by the tail and fly with it. It didn't help that he was constantly in her dreams, his hands running over her body, making her moan in delight, and doing those things she'd seen Benedict doing to Amelia,dreams that left her aching and longing for heaven only knew what.
Appalled at her own disturbing thoughts, she jumped to her feet and snatched her hat and gloves from the nearby seat. Agatha looked up, startled.
“Get your things Agatha, we must leave this instant” Laurel ordered, hurrying to the door and peeking out to see if anyone was about. To her relief, the hallway seemed deserted and she quickly darted down the hall, her confused maid in tow. She breathed a sigh of relief when she found the front door unmanned. “Thank heavens for servants” She said and reached out to grasp the heavy brass handle.
“Going somewhere Lady Laurel?” Thomas materialized beside her and she shrieked and let go of the handle. He looked at her, a wry grin on his lips and his eyes danced in obvious amusement at her discomfort. “Shame, I had hoped to have a little conversation before you decided to sneak out of my house like a thief. Tell me, do I count my silver to make sure none has gone missing?”
Laurel regained her composure and straightened regally, while her insides seemed to be on fire from embarrassment and discomfiture at his nearness. “I was not sneaking out” she said, striving to make her voice haughty, “I simply chose to leave when I desired.”
He grinned, then extended his hand in invitation, “Well then, if you say so. But I must I am curious as to why you made it all the way to my drawing room, then suddenly change your mind.” His grin turned positively mischievous as he took a step closer, angling his body so that it prevented her from reaching for the door. “Care to enlighten me?”
Laurel's breath caught at his nearness. Her pulse quickened and she had to fight the urge to place her hands on his chest, or run her hands through his hair. She took a step back, and to her chargin, a knowing look crossed his face.
“I merely came to thank you for saving me the other day, Your Grace,” she rasped, hating how breathless her voice sounded. “but I see I must have made a mistake in thinking you were any sort of decent gentleman. You are being obnoxious”
He threw back his head and laughed, and Laurel fumed silently. The scoundrel was definetly asking for another slap in the face and she would be only too happy to oblige.
“I'm glad I amuse you immensely Lord Grayson,”she said icily, “now step aside, this clown wishes to leave.”
He sobered immediately and stepped back. “I'm truly sorry if I have offended you, please accept my apologies and come back inside? I promise to be on my best behaviour”
Laurel hestitated, torn between leaving for her own peace of mind and staying. He looked so boyishly earnest as he waited for her reply and she smiled, her mind finally made up.
“I accept your apologies Your Grace.”
He smiled and crooked his left arm, and she slipped her right arm through it and allowed herself to be led back to the drawing room. As she passed her maid who had been watching the exchange with gleeful curiousity, she blushed and lowered her head.
Lord Grayson led her to an elegant armchair and she sank down gracefully, arranging the voluminous skirt of her lavender gown around her demurely. She watched him pick up the tea tray and carefully place it on a low table beside her. She leaned forward, more confident now, and poured the steaming pale yellow liquid into two china cups, then expertly added the required sugar and cream and handed a cup to Thomas who had taken a seat directly opposite hers.
“Thank you for coming back Lady Laurel” Thomas said, his eyes never leaving her face, a situation that set her heart all a'flutter once again. “I know I was being insufferably rude to you.”
“One can forgive a lot especially from a man who is responsible for saving my life.” She replied, raising her cup to her lips and taking a delicate sip of her tea. “And I must apologize for calling you obnoxious”
He set down his cup on a nearby stool and leaned back against the chair, “No need to apologize, Lady Laurel, to be honest, I like when a lady is not afraid to voice her opinions about a gentlemen, especially one who is indeed being obnoxious.
She laughed, the sound of her laughter stirred something in him. “Then I shall endevour to always speak my mind where you are concerned, your grace.
“Splendid!” he said enthusiastically, “I must confess, you are looking quite the picture of health, considering your encounter with the Thames, a week ago”
“It's all thanks to you and Lord Giles.”She replied, “The doctor says I was lucky the cold had not penetrated enough to do much harm. Benedict though, is being mulish as usual”
“How so?”
“He blames the Marquis for my fall, and refused him entry to our home on several occassions when Lord Giles wished to pay me a visit.”
Good for you Benedict, Thomas thought. Your sister needs protection from that scoundrel.
Aloud, he said “How awful, but it was hardly Rosehaven's fault. Indeed I am the one to blame for everything.”
“Oh no no, I didn't mean to imply that you were to blame,” Laurel said, in alarm, “I'm sorrry it came out all wrong...I...”
Thomas rose quickly and moved to squat by her. “No need to get upset, Lady Laurel, I know you didn't mean it that way.”
Laurel shifted in her seat so she faced him directly,unwittingly narrowing the space between them. She looked at him, her green eyes wide with barely concealed passion, her lips slightly parted in innocent invitation.
They held each other's gaze for long moments, each second drawing them closer until his mouth was a mere scant inches from hers.
Thomas knew that if he kissed her, he would be hard pressed to stop, would be seriously tempted to sweep her in his arms and carry her to the privacy of his bedchamber, where he would proceed to make love to every delightful inch of her body, till they were both sated, then keep her there and never let her out again.
Laurel ached for him so badly, she was sorely tempted to throw herself at him and beg to become his slave for eternity. The way he was looking at her, as though she were a piece of delicious chocolate ready to be devoured, made her feel powerful, knowing that he was as affected by desire as she. She leaned even closer, to brush her lips against his, and was rewarded by a harsh moan, as he closed the distance and kissed her, pulling her from the chair and into his lap, the heat of his body making her melt in pool of passion.
His tongue demanded a response from hers, and she gave it all, their mouths seeking to devour the other, Laurel was painfully aware of his hands as they gripped her waist and pulled her even tighter, then begin an upward journey until they rested against her breasts. Even through layers of clothing, she could feel the hot imprint of his fingers as they caressed her, and she arched into him, wanting more, much more.
Suddenly, she was free, as Thomas pushed her away and rose with a curse. Laurel stared at him wide-eyed as he strode towards the door, pausing when he yanked it open.
“I trust you can see yourself out? Next time when you want to play the game of seduction? Please do it elsewhere.” He walked out and shut the door with a slam.
Laurel stared at the closed door, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. She quickly rose and hurried out of the drawing room. Agatha was waiting outside in the hall and her eyes widened in alarm as when her mistress flew past with a sob, clearly upset.
Author's Note
So I changed the synopsis a bit, cause I needed to make a few changes to the plot, but don't worry, the story doesn't change drastically. I hope I still have your support, please vote and leave your comments. Thank you all so much. :D