Page 34 of The Viscount in her Bedroom
But when something inside her unfurled in pleasure at just the thought of being alone with him again, she knew there would be no apologizing. She no longer trusted herself not to act on these base impulses.
She would have to pretend nothing had happened. Even though she could not stop touching her lips in wonder. She smoothed her hands down her body, feeling restless and aware. Her nipples were hard and sensitive, and she pulled her hands away in shock.
Heaven help her.
~oOo~
Simon began his day in the normal way—breakfast early, alone, then getting started on paperwork with his secretary. When Georgie joined them, he worked another hour, but she was fidgety and nervous, and she knocked over his pens twice. He sent his secretary on an errand.
“All right, Georgie, just tell me,” he said, exasperated.
“Louisa and I are going shopping in Enfield this afternoon. She says we have ribbons to buy and lace to compare. And she’s never seen the village of course, so we—”
“Then why are you acting so nervous? You know everyone in the village.”
“Well, yes, but…she doesn’t, and I’ll have to introduce her, and what if I make a mess of everything?”
“Georgie, give me your hand.” When she did, he felt it trembling. “If you don’t want to be with Louisa, you have to tell Grandmama.”
“Oh, it’s not that. Louisa is very nice. But she thinks she can help me, and I don’t want to…disappoint her.”
Simon was the disappointed one. He had been hoping that Georgie was being forced to go along with this plan, but it was obvious she’d made up her mind.
“You won’t disappoint her,” he said firmly. “And since she wants to help you, she expects you toneedher help, correct?”
“Oh.” Her voice sounded relieved. “I hadn’t thought of it that way. If I were perfect, she’d have nothing to do.”
Simon sighed. “I don’t have any meetings this morning, so you can leave early.”
He felt her swift kiss.
“Thank you, Simon!”
When she was gone, he imagined the two women in the carriage on their way into the village. But in his mind, it was he alone with Louisa, and he knew what he’d do during the short journey.
He groaned and covered his face. Louisa’s kiss had somehow unleashed him—unleashed everything he thought he’d buried because he was a blind man now.
He reminded himself that he had to worry about Louisa, and not just for his own peace of mind. There was Georgie to protect. But what trouble could they get into during a visit to Enfield?
He found out late in the afternoon, when the parish vicar came to visit. Once a week, the elderly man did his duty visiting the parish sick, and though Simon had tried to protest months before that he was no longer “sick,” the vicar would not hear it. So Simon tolerated the man each week, making promises to pray more, to let God into his life and heal him.
He wasn’t going to be healed, but maybe he could say a silent prayer or two to help his control where Louisa was concerned.
But for once, the discussion of the state of Simon’s soul was relatively brief. Then there was an awkward silence. The elderly gentleman sipped his tea rather loudly, tapped his foot on the floor, and seemed not to know where to begin.
“Mr. Baylen?” Simon said. “Is there something specific you need to talk to me about?” He was beginning to wish he’d called for his grandmother. Maybe she’d know what was going on. He was feeling more blind than usual.
“Lord Wade, it is…about your sister.” There was a wealth of reluctance and hesitation in his voice.
“Go on,” Simon encouraged.
“I did not know if I should say anything…your sister has always been such a perfect young lady, so modest and shy.”
Simon’s stomach clenched. “You know that she is, Mr. Baylen.”
“Of course,” the man said quickly. “But…today I saw her in the village with a strange woman.”
Simon told himself to relax. “That is simply my grandmother’s companion, Miss Louisa Shelby.”
