chest, and his eyes fell back in his head.
“
Laughter welled sweetly in her, then tumbled forth. Leam’s dark eyes sparkled.
John appeared on the landing. “He wants to see the gen’leman of the house.”
“Hm.” Kitty went up the steps. Leam’s smile was nothing less than perfect. She felt too full, her nerves singing. He grasped her arm, the gentlest touch, and held her back.
“Allow me.” He studied John. “May I borrow your cap and dressing gown?”
The footman promptly removed his night gear and handed them to the nobleman. Leam disappeared up the stairs.
“If you don’t mind me saying so, milady,” the housekeeper whispered, “that one is a right fine gentleman.”
Kitty simply could not reply.
“Weel, whit’re ye caterwalling aboot, man?” His rough accents careened down the stairs, louder than all the pots and pans put together. “Ye’ve gone an woke ma wifie, nou A’ll ne’re hair the end o it, ye glaik. Och! An thar’s the babe ye’ve gone an woke too, crying. Ye canna hair him? Weel dae ye like tae be chynging hippins nou, man? Acause ma wee one’s nurse be abed wi’ the croup, an ma wifie ower-worn tae rise in the mids, an A’ll nae be chyngng the thang masel!”
A mumbling sound filtered down the stairs for at least a minute. Kitty’s ears strained, her nerves a jumble of pleasure and hilarity.
“A dinna ken, lad,” he said in much more reasonable tones. “Mebbe the baudrons.”
Mumble.
“Cats, man. Cats! An ye dinna ken the odd atween a cat an a brigand, ye best be seeking ither wirk.” The door shut with a thud and the bolts slid. A moment later, he appeared on the landing again, dressing gown over his arm, tugging the floppy cap from his head. A smile lurked at one corner of his mouth.
“Apparently the neighbors were concerned over robbers. I do not believe he will be back.” He handed the garments to the footman. “Thank you for the loan.”
“John,” Kitty said, and turned to the housekeeper and cook. “Monsieur Claude, Mrs. Hopkins.
Thank you for your assistance. We will see to the kitchen in the morning. You may return to bed now.”
With a quick curtsy the housekeeper nodded and passed the earl on the landing and went up, the grinning footman following, and the chef at their heels still holding his palm against his head. When their footsteps and murmurs had faded into the upper story, Kitty finally found the courage to look up.
Leaning against the wall, he was smiling ever so beautifully. He had not put his coat back on, and with his arms crossed over his chest she could see his muscles well defined through the damp linen.
“I daresay they will have plenty to tell the others first thing in the morning,” she said somewhat quaveringly. “Or perhaps right away.”
He came down the steps, curved his hand around her face, and tilted her head up. His gaze scanned her features, resting finally on her mouth.
“No. They haven’t enough fodder for gossip quite yet. We must give them more.” He bent and nuzzled the corner of her lips, sending tingles of pleasure all the way to her toes. “Where is your bedchamber?”
Kitty trembled. He did not intend to leave.
“I suspect you can guess well enough.” She tilted her face so that he could continue kissing her throat, her hands seeking his hard arms.
“In inquiring, I am trying to be civilized,” he murmured against her skin. “Belatedly, and relatively speaking.”
“But I find I quite like you barbaric. Barbaric in the kitchen just now suited me perfectly well, in case you hadn’t noticed.”
“I noticed.” He lifted his head and looked into her eyes. His were gloriously dark. “Kitty, I want to stay.”
She drew out of his arms and moved toward the stair. She glanced over her shoulder.
“Second story, first door, overlooking the street. We can watch the chastened Watch from the window.”
Chapter 22
Her thundercloud eyes twinkled as though lined with silvery sun and Leam’s heart beat harder than it ever had. He maintained his voice with the greatest effort.
“I have no intention of watching anything but a beautiful woman in the throes of passion.”
Marvelously, her cheeks glowed.
“Then what, my lord,” she whispered, “are you waiting for?”
She went swiftly up the stairs before him, her hips a sweet enticement draped in the sheerest linen and silk he had shoved aside so he could have her because he could not wait another moment. To slow the heat still pounding in his blood, at her door he slipped his hands around her waist and bent to her ear.
“Kitty.” He passed his cheek along the satin of her hair. “You enchant me.”
Her fingers gripped the doorknob, her other hand stealing along his thigh boldly. She turned about, pressed her sweet curves to him, and drew him down to kiss her. She gave him her lips as she had given him her body below stairs. He wanted all of her, body and soul. Words rose to his tongue and he kissed her so that he would not speak them aloud. He reached behind her and opened the door.
She went within, taking his hand to draw him into a lady’s chamber of elegant simplicity. No gilding decorated the furniture of fine quality yet little ornamentation, no flounces lined the bed draped in plain brocaded silk. It did not surprise him. She needed no contrived embellishments to make her a woman, no feminine arts to render her beautiful. But the colors were all rich and warm, like her soul beneath the cool surface.
“How many guineas will I be obliged to part with to hold the servants’ tongues, do you think?” She seemed thoughtful.
“I will see to it that they do not speak of this.”
She turned a curious regard on him. “Do you have that sort of power?”
“Influence, perhaps. And associates. And not only in this.” He drew her to him. “They wish me to take a position in the Home Office.”
“Here in London?”
“Paris.”
“I see.” Her gaze dipped to his waistcoat. “Your friends gave me to believe that the charade we are all enacting now would allow you to finally quit. Did they lie?”
“I have yet to find the man who shot you, Kitty.” He stroked his thumb across her palm and she released a little sigh, her eyelids fluttering.
“You are still involved because I am in danger?” Her voice was thin.
“Do you wish the truth?”
Her eyes widened. “Of course.”
“If I refuse they will not leave you alone. They will ask you to assist them again, and if you refuse they will ask again, until you have agreed like you did this time. After that, you will have no peace.”
A flurry of thoughts seemed to pass behind the thunderclouds. Leam wished he could read them, wished he could have invented a reason that she might believe. But he could not lie to her, not even to spare her pain.
“I—” Her throat seemed to catch. “Why don’t
Instead I will go to Italy. I have always wanted to see Italy. Or Greece. The Parthenon, and most particularly the ruins of the temple to the oracle at Delphi. Perhaps even a few islands. And Egypt, of course. That would be quite distant. Oh, how I would adore seeing Eg—” He pressed his mouth to her beautiful lips. “You are clever enough,” he murmured, “that no doubt they would pursue you even to the tops of the pyramids at Cairo.”
She freed herself, laughing.
