Page 94 of My Wicked Earl
Miranda froze, her toes curling into the patterned carpet that covered the floor of her room. Her fingers wiggled, begging for something to hold onto as her legs sagged, threatening to drop her to the floor. She backed up to clutch at the bedpost.
“Lord Kilmaire has left Gray Covington? With the Cottinghams? Why,” her voice cracked, “I did not have the chance to say goodbye. What a poor hostess I am.”
Forgive me.
“Lord Kilmaire was in quite a hurry to get to London. One of the footmen overheard him. Apparently Lord Kilmaire had an urgent matter that needed attended to immediately.” Clara blushed. “Begging your pardon, my lady. I shouldn’t like to gossip.”
“You aren’t. And the Cottinghams?” Miranda fell against the bed. The pain in her temples intensified.
“Lord Cottingham met with your brother in the study before he and Lady Cottingham departed for London. Lady Helen,” Clara lowered her voice to a whisper, “was discussing wedding gowns with her mother.”
“I see.” The raisin cakes threatened to leave her stomach.
Forgive me.
He’d whispered it into her hair. Repeated it to her the entire night. She’d been so absorbed in bedding Colin, so caught up in her desire for him, that she’d never asked him what brought him to her chamber.
I fell on him like some sex-starved widow.
“Clara, the washbasin please,” Miranda gestured wildly.How stupid I am. How utterly pathetic of me. He was begging my forgiveness for marrying Lady Helen.
The raisin cakes did not taste half as pleasant when they came back up.
24
Colin flung his reins to a waiting groom and raced up the front steps of Gray Covington. The sun had begun to descend across the sky and twilight was gathering. Even leaving as early as he had, the ride to London and back still took most of the day. His hasty departure was borne of urgency. The need to claim Miranda, immediately, and end Ridley’s courtship was paramount in his mind. Pressing a kiss on her forehead, he left the soft warmth of her body and dressed as the sky lightened to pink. After quietly leaving her room, he washed and requested a horse be saddled. Cook pushed a fresh biscuit in his hand as he strode out, only to glance back at Miranda’s window.
A light, heady feeling coursed through him as he rode. The sun shone on him for the first time in six long years. Happiness, he mused, was something he meant to get used to.
It was not until he reached the outskirts of the city that Colin remembered that in his haste, he’d neglected to leave Miranda a note. It was rather careless. And he had promised himself that he would never again be careless where Miranda was concerned. Nor take her for granted.
During the entire ride to London, he’d thought of nothing but the fact that he would need to tell Miranda about her mother’s machinations and in doing so, confess his own sins.
Bloody Jeanette. I hope to never set eyes on the woman again.
Heshouldhave done the honorable thing. Explained the letter and begged her forgiveness for having doubted her. Instead, he’d ravished her. Made sure that she would have no choice but to marry him after he ruined her yet again. For hours. Ruthlessly.
She was well and truly compromised. While he was certain no one saw him leave her room, the same could not be said for entering her chambers. But then, he rather hoped Ridley had witnessed Colin entering Miranda’s rooms.
Standing for a moment on the step, his hand went to the inside pocket of his waistcoat, to assure himself that the items he’d brought from London remained safe.
“I’ll make her happy. I swear that I will.”
The door opened before Colin could knock.
“Good evening, Lord Kilmaire.” Zander, Gray Covington’s butler, narrowed his eyes at Colin, taking in his dusty coat and muddy boots. “I’m afraid you’ve missed dinner.”
“Where is Lady Miranda?” Colin stepped inside, his eyes immediately going to the staircase as if his words would cause her to appear.
Zander lifted a brow. “Lord Cambourne instructed the staff that if you returned to Gray Covington you were to be escorted directly to his study.”
“I would see Lady Miranda first. Is she in the gardens?” What did Zander meanif Ireturned?
“I do not know the current whereabouts of Lady Miranda, my lord. However, as I’ve explained, I have very specific orders that you be escorted to Lord Cambourne.” Without waiting for an answer, Zander started down the hall towards the Marquess of Cambourne’s study, marching away as if a stick had been shoved up his arse.
Bloody little tyrant.
“I should at least change clothes. I’ve been riding all day.” Colin said, waving a hand down his wrinkled riding coat. “And I smell of horse.”
