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And I would do anything for you. Amanda smiled.

CHAPTER 20

“Oh, for goodness’ sake!”

Amanda turned in a full circle, trying to reach the stays behind her back. She was going to have to call for Marie. She’d thought she would be able to manage a simple dress fitting without summoning her lady’s maid, and at first things had gone well. She’d gotten into the lavender dress that Mrs. Corian had sent over this morning and had managed to tie it easily enough. She had practiced a few dance steps in front of the looking glass to make sure she was happy with everything about the fit—and she had been.

But now she wanted to take it off, and unfortunately, that was starting to seem impossible.

I know I tied myself into this dress. Why can’t I seem to get myself out of it?

She reached again for the stays of her corset, but they might as well have been a mile away. Her arm wouldn’t bend the way she needed it to. Her shoulder ached with the effort. She squirmed inside the dress as though by doing so she might somehow succeed in making it looser.

“Is that the latest dance? Will I be expected to perform it at the upcoming ball?

She spun about. She must not have closed the door properly, for it stood open though she hadn’t heard a sound from that direction. Sampson was standing in the doorway. She felt her face grow hot.

“I apologize,” he said, though he made no move to walk away. “The door was open, and you look as if a bee might have flown into your dress.”

“No, there was no bee,” Amanda grumbled. “I simply can’t get the thing off. I’m going to have to call for Marie to help me. I suppose they’re having lunch now, and I hate to disturb a meal. Perhaps I’ll just wait an hour.” She went over and sat down on the edge of her bed.

“What about your lunch?” Sampson asked. “You can’t very well eat in that. What if there was a spill? Then your beautiful gown would be ruined before you had the chance to wear it to the ball.”

So, he thought her gown was beautiful, did he?

He’s being polite. Of course, he would say that. There’s no reason to read more into it than is actually there.

“I suppose I’ll wait to eat until I’ve been extricated from the gown,” she said.

“Well, that’s foolish,” Sampson said. “I’m standing right here, after all. I can surely manage those laces.”

Heat rushed through her. “Sampson…you can’t possibly think…you can’t undress me.”

“I see no problem with the idea,” he said. “Unless you don’t believe I have the skill or the dexterity to manage it?”

“No, of course, it isn’t that, but…oh, it would be most improper! This is why I have a lady’s maid!”

“There is nothing improper about a husband assisting his wife with a garment,” he said quietly. “And I can promise you that I will be the perfect gentleman about it. There will be nothing of which you would not approve. Let me help you.”

She couldn’t. The mere idea of it was so shocking that she could hardly move.

He stepped behind her. His hand trailed up her arm slowly, touching the bare skin on her neck.

She shivered.

Was this really ordinary? Was this what happened between husbands and wives? It had never happened with George, but then, nothing about that had been ordinary. Nothing about her time with George was useful to her as an example of what a marriage ought to be. If they had stayed together, if he had lived and they had had a proper marriage…would it have been like this? Would he have touched her like that?

She felt a loosening around her ribs. His hand lingered on her waist for just a moment, no longer doing anything useful, just resting above her hip as though he didn’t want to pull away from her. Her heart pounded. Had he known that it would be like this if he came close to her? Did he know that even now, her blood was rushing madly beneath her skin?

He hesitated, his hands unmoving for a moment. Then, so slowly, his thumb slid along the curve of her waist.

She was holding her breath, she realized suddenly. She forced herself to let it go, and a shiver passed through her.

“Is that all right?” His hands were on her shoulders now, turning her slowly to face him. She realized all at once that her gown’s new looseness meant that the neckline was dangerously low. She grabbed it with one hand and held it in place just before he turned her to face him.

“Yes,” she said quietly. “I can manage it from here.” She was hot with embarrassment. She couldn’t look at him. And yet, when he released her shoulders, it chilled her.

He nodded. “The dress really is lovely,” he told her. “You’re going to be the center of attention at the ball. As well you should be. The new duchess ought to garner people’s notice. It’s going to be a magnificent night.”