Page 28 of Broken

“Shall I come to you after dinner?”

This time, Lilly had to make a choice with a much clearer head than before. She knew exactly what he was capable of, but Giles would not impose himself on her if she did not wish for him to soothe her.

The things they had been doing could have dire consequences, not to mention the painful distraction of arousing him. He always liked to have his women willing.

“Yes, please come.”

Giles nodded once, incapable of speech. Yes, please come. Such innocent words, but he knew exactly where he wished to come—anywhere she let him.

CHAPTER NINE

Thursday progressed clear and bright while Lilly wallowed in her bed, longing to get out of it. She had not been truly out of doors in years. Traveling from carriage to house hardly counted. But, she could not do it. She could not go outside.

When Mrs. Osprey had opened her clothing drawers, Lilly noticed that there were no outdoor garments inside. When Lilly gave the matter some thought, it seemed as though she could not remember the last time she’d worn a proper gown, or even been fitted for one.

Oh, yes, she remembered the day of the accident. Lilly had been wearing her favorite lemon muslin with tiny embroidered flowers on the hem. A dress she thought pretty and delicate, a gown to make acquaintances envious.

Atticus had behaved himself admirably and had not put muddy paws on the fine material or dragged her into the wild grasses about the property. His obedience had made her so proud.

With a little coaching and outright bribery, Lilly had trained him the way her papa trained his hunting dogs. The wolfhound had responded eagerly. He sat on command, waited when she told him to, and walked beside her calmly as instructed. Yes, he had been very good that day.

She trailed her fingertips over the bedding. It was getting late. Giles had slept in his own room last night, and she had spent her first night alone since the accident. Lilly was not used to being alone at all and had found it difficult to stay asleep. Even her treatment last night had not relaxed her completely. It had stirred her in ways she did not understand.

Giles had been polite but firm with her body. He had kneaded deep into her shoulders and back, easing out kinks she was not aware she could possibly have had. He had been gentle with her neck and head, and she shivered again as she remembered his fingertips sliding into her hair and combing through the long strands.

The nurse’s attentions to her hair had never felt like that. She’d shivered all over, but not with illness. The onset was too swift to raise concern. And the sensation had passed, changing to make her breath hitch when Giles kneaded the muscles of her bottom. She blushed at the memory of his warm hands, how long he had lingered, and how loud his breath had sounded in the still night.

But when his hands had swept down her legs, her face had grown hotter and she thought her reactions were embarrassment, not illness. His hands had run down the length of each leg repeatedly, pressed into the arch of her foot to send chills over the length of her body.

A tremor ran though her now. He had not spoken much last night, but she had been unable to hold back her moans of pleasure and relief.

Giles Wexham had very talented hands.

When he finished, he redressed her, tucked the blankets high, blew out the candle, and whispered good night before he left her alone.

Gentle, considerate and, above all else, affectionate.

She no longer knew what to think of him. This was not how he behaved around women in London. Even while in the laudanum-induced haze, she understood exactly what drove Giles Wexham. He craved excitement and pleasure.

Acting as her nursemaid must bore him to tears.

He was a rogue and spent his nights in the arms of any willing woman. She wondered how he did it. Was it hard to make love to a different woman every time?

Lilly could not understand how he could be happy wasting his time in her company. It was not as if she had any great wit or fascinating stories to tell him. He should be more than bored, but he was always polite and always returned. She was so grateful for the care he gave her that she couldn’t bear to tell him not to visit. It had been a long time since she’d had such good companionship.

Her appetite had returned too. Breakfast this morning was larger than yesterday’s. Lilly had eaten up every bite she could and had still looked forward to lunch. She wondered what Giles was doing. He had not come to see her this morning and she missed his face. It was probably not a good idea to rely on the rogue, but she enjoyed smiling with him. Giles had such a nice smile.

Lilly slipped her feet over the bed’s side and stood, holding on to the mattress while she gained her balance. The window was a good distance away, yet she wanted to see the view outside.

She could only vaguely remember what the property looked like, and since it was such a beautiful day, the grounds would be beautiful too.

Lilly started across the chamber, disconcerted at first by the way the floor shifted beneath her feet. She made it halfway before the door opened behind her back. She turned, perhaps a little too quickly, to see who entered. Giles dashed across the room to catch her up in his arms.

Dizziness and a rush of heat scalded her cheeks, so she clung to him until the sensation passed.

“Off exploring again, I see. And where is Miss Winter headed this fine, sunny day?” His voice sounded pained and she wondered why.

“The window. I wanted to look outside.”