Page 28 of Snowbound with the Earl
“You are amazing,” he murmured. “I don’t ever want to leave this bed.”
She chuckled. “The way the snow was falling when last I looked, we may never go home.”
“Good. I don’t want to be anywhere else.”
Noelle smiled and burrowed into him, closing her heavy eyelids just for a moment. What seemed like only a few minutes later, she heard Graham’s voice. “Not right now, Battersea. Come back later.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Noelle grabbed the covers and pulled them over her head, not peeking out again until she heard the door close. “Did he see me?”
“Probably, but he won’t say a word. Battersea is a vault.”
“Thank God.”
“The charwoman, on the other hand.”
“The...the...”
He turned to face her and brushed her hair off her cheek. “She came in this morning to build up the fire. I didn’t even wake until she was making her way out.”
“Oh, no.”
“Oh, yes.” He kissed her briefly. “Noelle, no one will care as long as we are discreet.”
“That won’t stop them from gossiping about me and calling me a fornicator. My parents will—”
“Forget your parents. You are an independent woman. You don’t answer to them any longer. You can fornicate all you want. Speaking of which...” His hands slid down her body to cup her buttocks and draw her against his hard length. Her mouth went dry, and she felt the familiar heaviness of desire pooling in her belly.
“I really should go back to my chamber before the rest of the house wakes,” she whispered against his lips.
“I won’t stop you.” His mouth trailed down to her neck even as he pulled one of her legs over his hip, bringing her sex even closer to his manhood.
“Then I’ll go,” she said. “In just a moment.” She rocked her hips, pressing against him. Graham stroked her with a hand then slid inside her. “Just one more moment,” she said on a sigh as he filled her.
***
NOELLE HADN’T RETURNEDto her chamber until almost an hour later. Swift was waiting for her with a hip bath and pails of warm water. The maid asked no questions but prattled on about how it had finally stopped snowing, and the other servants were talking about a frost fair.
“A frost fair?” Noelle asked as she sat in front of her dressing table and allowed Swift to comb out her damp hair. “Like the fair on the Thames a couple of years ago when it froze over?”
“Something like that, my lady. Lady Dorsey invited the people of the village to come and skate on the pond. Now that the snow has ceased, the shopkeepers will try and see if they can transport stalls to sell pies or hot drinks and mittens or hats. Others will host games with prizes.”
Noelle glanced in the mirror and noted the way Swift’s blue eyes lit up. Her maid was a few years younger than she, and undoubtedly a fair with sweets and games was very tempting. “I will ask Lady Dorsey about it at breakfast,” Noelle said. “If it’s true, then you must go with the other servants.”
“Oh, thank you, my lady! I’ve laid out your green dress. It’s the warmest.”
Once dressed, Noelle made her way to the dining room, where she accepted a cup of tea. Graham was not in the dining room. She hadn’t expected to see him as he seemed to prefer reading in the morning to socializing. She wished she could seek him out and join him. Reading by a cozy fire sounded lovely.
“Everyone must dress as warmly as possible,” Lady Dorsey said as she swept into the dining room. “Lord Dorsey was able to reach the village this morning, and he’s invited everyone to the pond for the frost fair.”
Miss Edmonton and Miss Rummage, who were seated on either side of Noelle, both began to clap and exclaim with excitement. Even some of the gentlemen smiled and nodded in approval. After a day or so of being inside, a bit of fresh air was welcome.
“Will you attend the fair, Lady Bonneville?” Miss Rummage asked.
“Of course. I wouldn’t miss it.”
“I hope someone sells roasted nuts. I do adore roasted chestnuts.”
