Page 43 of Pursuing Mr. Mattingly

“I did. Papa was larger than life. Ettesmere Park was his favorite place in all of England. He said a man was never meant to breathe in the pollution or fight through the prejudices found within society, which was why we were always here.” For long moment, memories bounced through her mind. “Now, with Papa gone, I feel as if those monsters he used to defend against are creeping closer, ready to snatch me away from everything I love and hold dear.” Tears prickled the backs of her eyelids, and she hid her face in Oliver’s shirt. “When will I grow too weary of holding them back?”

For that was when they would win, the moment that she ceased to draw breath.

“Be strong for as long as you can. And when you are done, I shall take up the burden.” The warmth of his breath skated over her cheek. “We shall take it moment by moment after that.”

The open placket of his night shirt was all too tempting. She kissed the hollow of his throat. “I appreciate that, but can you do me one favor? It will sound all too childish, but…”

Oliver snorted. “Do you wish for me to look under the bed?”

“Yes.” Would he think her unhinged?

“It would be an honor to take up that torch of your father’s.” With a rustle of bedclothes, Oliver removed himself from the bed. The sound of him fumbling at the nightstand for his spectacles let her know he was deadly serious about fulfilling the request. “Let’s see what we’ve got down here, shall we?”

Unable to help herself, Sophia peered over the side of the bed while Oliver kneeled beside it. “Are they there?”

“Not that I can see, but to make fully certain, I’ll crawl under it.” Then the dear man was as good as his word. He shimmied beneath the four-poster frame, bumping his head once. “It would seem the only thing here is one shoe and a hair ribbon.” When he slipped back, he rose onto his knees and regarded her with a grin that even the darkness couldn’t hide. “There are no witches or ghoulies under the bed, my lady.”

“Thank you.”

But apparently, he wasn’t done with making his rounds. After scrambling to his feet, Oliver checked that the door to the adjoining dressing room was firmly closed. Then, he opened a few drawers in various pieces of furniture and peered inside. He checked behind the draperies at the windows before returning to her in the bed.

“I am happy to report that the room is secure. You may fall asleep knowing that nothing will harm you.” He removed his spectacles and then once more took her into his arms, but this time, he encouraged her onto her back. “Especially not while I’m on watch.”

Sophia looped her arms about his shoulders and encouraged his body over hers. “What would I do without you?” But his humor and his dedication had managed to set her mind at ease slightly.

“For one, you would be lying here in the dark, allowing your fears and your frets to run away with you.” He dropped his voice as he slid his hands beneath her shift. “But just to make certain I’ve properly vanquished those concerns for the night, I’m going to completely distract you with kisses, among other things.”

The second his talented fingers found her breasts, teased her nipples into aching peaks, she was lost and ever so grateful for him. “You won’t hear a protest from me.” Besides, the gentle way he made her hit release always helped her to sleep deeply until the morning. They never indulged in frantic copulation out of respect to the state of her heart, but what they shared was enough.

It was certainly more than she’d had a month ago, and with him, she was no longer alone with the nights were long and crowded with monsters.

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