“Logical! My uncle is an honorable loyal subject of the King. Logic doesn’t enter into the discussion.” Gillian tried to push him away. Moreham held on.
“Gillian, facts and logic will reveal who is the traitor in this conspiracy. Not emotional tirades. Before you demand it, I will not apologize for saying so. I am doing what I took a vow to do. Protect the King and his Government at any cost. I will not allow my feelings for you to interfere with that oath. It would seem, my dear, we are at an impasse.” He rolled over and rose from the bed. “I’ll be dressed in a quarter of an hour. Shall we meet in the front entry?”
Without waiting for her agreement, the arrogant man disappeared through the door to his dressing room. Gillian fisted her hand and slapped at the bed covers. The infernal man always managed to have the last word. Why couldn’t the man take her word for her uncle’s innocence and concentrate on finding the real culprits? Her uncle was under suspicion for acts of treason and murder and she was sitting in her bed in a fit of temper over the stubbornness of the man she’d married.
For the first time in her life, Gillian understood the inconsistencies of the human mind. Hers was all muddled up and contorted over a man. Percy had never affected her so. He was a pest who she avoided as much as possible.
With Moreham, she wanted to be with him. To touch his skin, to share another kiss. She closed her eyes and relived each of the moments when they both forgot about her uncle and dwelled on each other. The night they made love, their kiss in his traveling coach the afternoon before then last night in the library. She knew, in her heart, he was the one. How very sad to finally find that one man who she could love and know he could destroy the other man in her life, a man who she regarded as her father.
Guilt ate at her. Even with this void between them, she fretted he would toss her aside if the unthinkable were true. She had to continue to work at his side. He was the one who would sort this business out. Of that she was certain.
A tap sounded on her dressing room door. Maisy called, “My lady, will the blue riding habit do for today?”
Gillian took a deep breath, threw back the covers and bade Maisy to bring the habit.
Between the two of them, Gillian dressed as quickly as possible adding a quick twist of her hair pinned at the nape of her neck. She ran down the stairs, ignoring the servants she encountered on her way. More than one laughed at what she knew they regarded as her impatience to join her husband.
Moreham was right. Nothing was ever as it seemed. She was unprepared for her reaction to a severely turned out Moreham standing by the front entry with a riding crop in hand. He didn’t look up from the newssheet in his hand. Where had the man gotten the publication? She cleared her throat to gain his regard in her direction.
“Ah, dearest, here you are.”
The corner of his mouth lifted in his signature smirk. She joined him and tilted her head for his kiss.
Gillian closed her eyes and waited for his kiss. Her cheeks warmed with awareness and embarrassment. Moreham was responsible for the awareness but knowing her old friend was watching them led to the pinkness in her cheeks. Moreham appeared to be unbothered by it all. The dratted man!
Their unseemly show of intimacy would give the butler a juicy tidbit to share over the staff supper table that night. When would Moreham kiss her again just because of his need to do so?
“Good morning, my sweeting. I’m happy to report we have a temperate day for our tour of the estate.” He leaned closer and kissed her cheek before moving on to her ear.
The man’s voice titillated every nerve in her body. Gooseflesh raced up her arms. She had never felt such stirrings before in her life. She wished she could pull back. Maybe she would be able to think clearly if she stepped away. Before she could do so, Moreham took hold of her hand and held on.
She knew Perkins took great pleasure in witnessing Moreham’s intimate attention. His nose brushed the outer shell of her ear. Determined not to allow Moreham to tease her any longer, she cleared her throat and turned. Her nose collided with his and the silly man grinned once more.
“Wonderful, I was a little concerned the day would be too cold for a long ride,” she replied. The thread sound of her voice caused her to cringe.
“I am ready to be off if you don’t mind. I…we stayed in bed far too long. We will be hard pressed to see the estate today.”
Moreham smiled at her and nodded. She drew a breath only to have the man lean in and kiss her lips. Not a kiss of passion as he had preciously but rather as one would kiss a child good night.
“Perkins, fetch the satchel I requested.” He explained. “I asked for some of Cook’s wonderful strawberry scones, pieces of fruit and bottles of lemonade be organized for us to take with us. No need to stop midday and return to the house for nuncheon. As you said, we do have quite a bit of ground to cover.”
Perkins returned with the satchel of food in one hand and the duke’s beaver hat in the other. The telltale jingle of metal told her the horses were waiting for them saving her the need to make any conversation.
A twinge of embarrassment shot through her when Moreham was the one to address the butler as he took the satchel. “Perkins, we will start off traveling to the east. I hope we will manage
