Page 32 of An Unwitting Alliance
He was not sure how long he had been asleep when he felt a weight land on the bed next to him. His heavy lids parted, and blackness greeted him. Perhaps he had imagined the disturbance. No one was in his room, let alone his bed. He closed his eyes just as something shifted beside him.
A cat? No, the movement had been too large.
This was not something, but someone.
He had witnessed some ridiculous and desperate moves by the Matchmaking Mamas, but if sending Cassandra in to share his bed was their way of sealing the deal, he would not have it.
He reached over and tentatively felt a small mass. The someone beside him jumped and screamed, the noise decidedly feminine. He let out a yelp of his own, rolling from the bed onto the floor, landing on his knees. “What are you doing in here?” he demanded, fumbling for his lamp and flint.
The figure ran for the door just as he lit the wick.
Before he could capture a glimpse to assure himself it was Cassandra, the door flung open and she bolted. He shoved his arms into his robe and chased after her, determined to call her out. The door at the other end of the corridor burst open, and when he held up his lamp, Cassandra stood in her nightdress hugging a sobbing Robin to her chest. Tom could not make heads or tails out of what had happened.
He stepped closer to them, trying not to notice the lush waves of blonde hair falling nearly to Cassandra’s waist. He was sorry for Robin for whatever had upset him, but the fact of the matter was Cassandra should be the one crying... with guilt.
“Poor chap, but can you blame him?” Tom shook his head. “I would cry too if I discovered my sister had—”
“Shh!” Cassandra effectively silenced him. “We cannot wake Mama.” She motioned to the stairs, and he took the hint that she wanted to speak to him there. He moved to the top of the landing and impatiently leaned against the post. Cassandra guided Robin back to his bedchamber. She opened his door, kissed the top of his head, and whispered soothing words into his hair.
Tom’s annoyance disappeared in an instant at the tender scene. A small flame of warmth lit in his chest. The nurturing action was so instinctual for her. He didn’t know the first thing to do for a child. She shut the door to Robin’s room slowly and made her way to Tom.
The soft, angelic look she had given Robin faded into one of accusation as she approached him. “You scared Robert to death!”
“Me?” Tom shook his head. “If he saw you coming out of my bed, then that is no one’s fault but your own. You know, I never would have taken you for—”
“For what?” Cassandra interrupted. “A caring sister? Because I was doing nothing more than comforting my brother—a brother who happened tosleepwalkand find himself in the wrong bed.”
“Sleepwalk?” It took a moment for his tired mind to logically piece everything together. He gave an embarrassed chuckle. “So it was Robin who... ?” He pointed back to his room.
She gave a deep nod.
Once more he had allowed his big mouth to trap him. “Youarequite the caring sister. How good of you to keep him from waking your mama too. Well done, Miss Vail.” He scratched the back of his head, further ruffling his disheveled hair. Thank heavens her parents had not heard his vile accusations. Cassandra had spared them both quite a bit of embarrassment.
She smirked and shook her head. “It is fortunate for all of us that I was struggling to sleep and heard the commotion.”
“Indeed. Otherwise, we might have had to hasten our wedding.” Tom folded his arms across his chest, suddenly grateful he had remembered his silk robe. Luckily, most of the buttons on his banyan were fastened. He usually slept in just his drawers, but as he was a guest, Joseph—the righteous one—had urged him to don proper night things. He would have to remember to thank his valet later.
“Our wedding.” Cassandra shivered. “I cannot get used to such a sudden turn in my life.”
“I know what you mean.” Talking to her like this, without any pretense between them, made him think of her very differently. He saw her more as a person and not just someone thwarting his life goals. “I had no inclination toward marriage, but the matrons of Brookeside cannot fathom such a notion.”
“How long had you known about us? I mean, our arrangement?”
“I learned of it the day I received your letter.”
Cassandra blinked several times. “But that means—it means I knew before even you did.”
“It appears so.”
She stared mutely at him. Without answering, she walked down a few stairs, farther away from the rooms, and sat down. Moonlight cast a low glow through the window above the front door, making her hair look almost silver. “If I cannot blame you for all this, then this is all my parents’ doing.”
She did not look at him as she said it, but her words still carried to him in the stillness of the night. He was sorry for her. He climbed down to the stair just above hers and sat down. He set the lamp beside him and leaned forward on his knees.
Cassandra sniffed and he looked sideways at her. Was she crying? He would rather her be angry than sad. “Are you all right, Miss Vail? Should I fetch you a handkerchief?”
She wiped at her eyes and took a deep breath. “No, I am perfectly well, merely disappointed. It was easier when I could simply focus my anger on you.”
He wished he could fix everything for her. “Don’t be too upset. Our work here is not finished.” She met his gaze and he smiled, hoping it showed his confidence.
