Page 75 of The Duke's Wicked Widow
His attention on where his hands disappeared into the soapy water, Fawkes grunted. Was that an agreement? “So…Endymion, then?”
He knew where her sister—? Oh, of course. It was likely everyone in London knew of Georgia’s marriage to the reclusive, grumpy Duke of Lickwick.
“I do not know,” she managed softly. “I-I did not want to impose upon her, not when she is so close to her time.” She didn’t want to do anything which would endanger her sister’s pregnancy. “But I do not see any other option.”
“Ellie,” Merida huffed. “We could stayhere!”
Ellie watched the back of Fawkes’s shoulders, covered in the soft cotton, stiffen.
“Merida, darling, we cannot impose any longer on Mr. MacMillan.” Ellie swallowed. “Hevery kindlyopened his home to us, but it is time we—”
“It’s still snowing outside, Merida,” he announced suddenly, not turning to look at her. “The trains will be running slower, aye? And Ellie really should rest another day. Ye best stay here another night.”
“But—” Ellie began.
Fawkes grinned down at Merida, his dimple visible. “Sleeping in front of the wood stove was pleasant, aye? Like camping out on the moor, when I was a lad.”
“Camping!” whooped the little girl.
“Fawkes—” Ellie tried again, knowing this man had every reason to hate her. Why was he doing this?
But he turned and her heart gave another little jump.
She’d thought him attractive buttoned-up in his greatcoat and hat. She’d thought him devastating wearing only trousers, his tattoos on show for the world.
But here and now? His sleeves rolled up, suds halfway up those corded forearms? A smudge of flour still on his cheek, a lock of his auburn hair hanging in front of his eyes? Casual, at ease, Merida beaming up at him?
He wasperfection.
He was also glaring at her, daring her to argue with him.
She didn’twantto argue with him. Shelikedbeing here, with him.
Perhaps he saw the surrender on her face, because he dropped his chin just slightly and exhaled. “Come on, Merida. Bundle yerself back up into yer coat and bonnet, aye? They’re dry now. We’ll walk Tramp again, and see if we can fetch something for dinner.” He held Ellie’s gaze. “While yer stepmother rests.”
“I am not tired,” Ellie protested in a soft voice, her cheeks likely pink.
Fawkes stood for a moment, watching her, and she couldn’t read the expression in his eyes. Finally, he nodded again. “Reading then? My library isnae impressive”—he waved toward a shelf of books beside the window—”but ye’re welcome to it. Tramp, quit drooling and fetch yer lead! Och, nay, yerlead, ye moist idiot—that’s a fork! Where’d ye get a fork?”
Ellie helped Merida dress in the warm winter coat and gloves, the entire flat a whirlwind of activity, until the two of them—and the excitable dog—finally departed.
She sank down on the sofa with a sigh, the sudden quiet making the room feel so much bigger. Her palm rested on the upholstery, and she remembered when he’d commanded her to put her foot here, so he could lean between her legs and taste her. She twisted, staring out the window and the gentle snow, remembering how her own reflection had stared back at her that first night when Fawkes had taken her from behind.
Swallowing, Ellie looked away.
He hadn’t wanted to do either of those things.
She’d forced herself on him, begging him to do something he had no desire to do. The man hadn’t wanted to—tofookher, and she’d all but made him.
And then he opened his home to you.You and Merida.
Ellie’s cramps were gone; they usually abated after that first horrid day. Fawkes’s potion had helped her immensely, and she felt much better today. Instead of sleeping, she went to find her valise.
She’d taken the time to grab much of her paperwork and correspondence when she left Cumnock House, out of fear that her in-laws wouldn’t know to send it with her things. Now she removed her notes and the newspaper clippings, spreading them over the recently cleaned table.
A puzzlealwayshelped her; since she’d been a young girl, puzzles of all sorts had been her escape from reality, her chance to put the outside world on hold and sink into a challenge. Georgia and Demon—and Demon’s ex-colleagues, like Thorne—had brought Ellie these encoded messages to distract her from Rufus’s illness.
And it still rankled she hadn’t been able to solve them.
