Page 59 of The Moonstone Marquess
She inhaled sharply. “What a miserable and despicable thing for her to say. She is obviously blind. You are the handsomest man I have ever met. I cannot look at you without my legs turning to water.”
“Is that so?”
“I… That is…” She blushed, sputtered some more, and then sighed. “Yes, it is so.”
“I love that you are inept at hiding your feelings.”
“It is not a loveable trait at all. I hate that you so easily know exactly what I am thinking or feeling. Or that I am too stupid to keep these thoughts to myself.”
“It is a good trait. I’m glad you think I am handsome.”
“You are smirking, and I can see your head swelling. It will soon be too big to fit inside this room.”
He laughed. “I just saved the lives of my guests tonight. Will you not be a little kinder to me?”
“All right. In truth, I am very proud of you. And look, my hands are shaking.” She held out the hands she had been clasping. “I was so worried for your safety.”
“I know. This is why I rode back. I had to see you and let you know all had turned out well. Although Lord Rothmere is not too pleased to be trussed up like a Christmas goose. I am not untying him until he is in the carriage and on his way home.”
“You must know you are splendid. How can anyone think you are not?”
“You are full of compliments for me tonight. The incident must have shaken you quite badly.”
She nodded.
“Phoebe, love.” He kissed her softly on the lips, making certain to keep it short and sweet. She had him on fire, but what was he to do about it when her sister and his nieces were just above them? “It will take more than a deranged husband to take me down. The man does not even love his wife. He was enraged because he thought she was going to divorce him. It was the shame of divorcing that turned him into a raging madman.”
“Inconceivable. Utterly outrageous.”
“That she sleeps with every man willing to make himself available does not bother him in the least. He probably does the same with the women of his acquaintance. Can you imagine anything more unpleasant than to be in such a marriage? They are both…but I suppose this is what I was, too.”
“No, even at your worst, I do not think you would ever have settled for a loveless marriage. You have more honor than that.”
He cast her a wry smile. “I was pretty bad, Phoebe. But I did set strict boundaries for myself. I never seduced an innocent. Had I seen you though, I probably would have broken all my rules and willingly faced the consequences. I cannot imagine myself—”
“Uncle Cormac,” a soft voice came from the doorway, interrupting him as he was about to pour his heart out to Phoebe.
“Imogen? What’s wrong, duckling?” He rose at once and took her into his arm.
She wrapped hers around his neck. “I have a tummy ache.”
“You do?” He looked at Phoebe, for he had no idea what to do.
Her eyes widened. “Quick, follow me.”
She picked up Imogen and raced into the kitchen. Then she grabbed a clean basin, set it on the long wooden table that stood in the center of the kitchen, and held Imogen over it just as she began to heave. In the next moment, the contents of every meal the poor little thing had eaten all week came out of her in liquid chunks.
He looked on, not knowing what to do.
Phoebe cast him a woeful glance. “She’ll be all right. It was an exciting day for her, and her stomach couldn’t handle it. There are some clean cloths in that drawer.” She motioned to a cupboard near the sink. “Pull out a couple. Wet two of them and bring them to me.”
He did as she asked, grateful for the moonlight casting slivers of light through the windows and allowing him to make out more than mere shadows. “I need to light a candle or I’m going to trip over things.”
“Just bring in the lamp from the parlor. Or I can fetch it for us, but you will need to hold Imogen.”
“I’ll get it. I’m familiar enough with your house to avoid the obstacles.” He returned quickly and held the lamp up to cast proper light in the kitchen. His breath caught again. The sight of Phoebe so gently tending to Imogen, both of them illuminated by the amber glow, had his heart in palpitations.
He did not think it possible to love Phoebe more than he did in this moment.
