Chapter 6
Landon drew back the
curtains and opened both windows. The night air was cool and blew in as a
slight soft breeze. A new candle had been lit next to Brook’s side of the bed
on the table. It offered light if she was to be sick again.
He removed his coat and tie hanging it over
the chair to the dressing table. He then sat and took off his boots. Sitting at
the other side of the room he stared at Brook. She looked beautiful in the
candle light. The maids had taken her hair out of her pins. She was far more
beautiful with her hair cascading down around her than he had thought she would
be.
Landon chuckled quietly
to himself. The thought of pampering a woman and not receiving anything for it
amused him. He had never done it before. Who
is really the fool? You are going to lay in a bed all night long with a
gorgeous woman and only take care of her while she is ill.
After a moment he took
a rag with cool water and lay next to her on the bed. Landon lifted the covers
and then let them fall back against her body. He let out a loud chuckle.
“Why on earth is she
not dressed in anything other than her undergarments?” Landon raised his eyes
to the ceiling. “Is this a test?” He asked out loud.
He let out a sigh. Pulling
back the covers he managed to get her arms out and place them a top of the
thick quilt. Gently Landon laid the cool cloth to her forehead. She was cool
and clammy. Removing the cloth for a second he blew softly at her moist skin
across her damp forehead.
She still had no
coloring in her face and lips. Landon whispered, “Brook.” She did not answer
him. He dipped the cloth and then placed it on her throat wiping away the sweat
on her neck. “Hey Red,” he whispered into her ear.
Brook stirred slightly
making an m sound.
“Red do you want some
water?”
She mouthed no. Landon
blew on her neck and then her face. Brook turned her head slightly in his
direction.
“I know this feels good
Red.” He blew on her neck again. Landon reached over and pulled up her hair off
her shoulder. He blew softer this time as he leaned in closer. “Do you like it
here Red?”
Brook licked her dry
lips slowly. Landon placed the cloth to her neck and creased her skin to her
shoulder. He trailed behind it with his breath.
She could feel how
close he was to her skin. The room was still pinning and she wished it wasn’t
because she wanted nothing more than to turn to him and kiss him again. His
breath was cool but the heat of his mouth close to her felt hot.
Brook felt her own
breath begin to deepen and she had no control over it. The tingling she was
beginning to feel was moving all over her body.
“Do you want me to stop
Red?” Landon’s voice was so soft slow and deep. It caused her to shiver next to
him. Her breathes coming into her lungs were slow but they left her with gust.
Landon ran the cloth
across her collar bones to the other side of her neck. Leaning further up on
his elbow, he bent over across her and blew on Brook’s neck.
He felt Brook’s fingers
rest on top of his finger tips on the bed and squeeze him gently. He paused and
then whispered, “Do you want me to stop?”
Her throat was so dry
but she managed to moan no. She heard him chuckle quietly above her. If she
could talk she would have said more please everywhere more.
Landon watched her ever
so slight facial expressions to his movements across her skin. He placed the
cloth under her chin and moved down to the base of her neck.
“Shall I do it again
here?” He repeated it moving a little lower this time to where the top of her
chest started.
Brook let out a soft
moan. Landon moved over the same spot again and blew on her softly. She tilted
her head back a bit as she sighed from the sensation of it. Moving the cloth
across her collar bone he pushed the strap of her gown down off her shoulder.
She squeezed his
fingers and moved her head to the side inviting him to do whatever it was he
wanted to do. Landon took her hand in his and kissed her neck. He pulled back
and blew over the area where his lips just were. He repeated it under her chin,
on her shoulder, and then again on her neck.
“Red can you open your
eyes for me?”
Brook slightly shook
her head no. She had the worst feeling if she had the room would spin so fast
that she would again be sick.
The cool damp cloth
touched her lips. It felt so good.
“I want you to drink
some water Red and then you need to get some sleep,” he whispered to her.
Brook wanted nothing
but him and his kisses. To hell with water and sleep. She tried to moan no but
before she knew it he had her head lifted with a glass to her mouth. Brook
coughed up the small sip she took. Her throat was too dry. He insisted she try
again. It felt cool all the way down to her empty belly.
“Not too much. You’ll
get sick again Red,” Landon said.
He grabbed the end of
the thick quilt at her feet and pulled it up and threw it off the side of the
bed. Touching her leg with the back of his hand she felt hot. He then lay down
beside her with the cloth. He stoked over her skin until she eventually feel
asleep.
Brook awoke the next
morning curled up in Landon’s arms with her legs tangled in his. She remained
still for nearly an hour listening to his heart beat. She did not want to move
for several reasons. One she felt foolish for getting sick. Two because she did
not want to wake him. And three, because she wanted to be in his arms. Brook
knew this would never happen again.
She squeezed her eyes
shut at that thought. How had this
happened? When did this happen? What was that last night? I kissed him in a
room full of people. How am I going to be able to face them or him this
morning?
Landon opened one eye
to see a room drenched in the morning sun. He quickly shut it. His hand brushed
over the space on the bed next to him. The disappointment of empty space next
to him made him think for a second.
You are seriously hoping to wake up to her in your arms. This is going
too far now. Thinking about her when she is with me is one thing, but now,
thinking about her when she is not with me. No this has to stop. Get up. Get
dressed and find breakfast and if you happen to see her, pretend as if it was
no big deal. She is just another woman. Nothing special.
The image of Brook’s
long curly red hair in his hand flashed in his mind. He remembered how he
caressed it between his fingers last night after he took in the scent of it. Dam it! Get up!
Landon followed the scent of bacon
and ham to the breakfast room. All was in attendance but Brook.
“Oh my boy how is Brook
this morning?” Grams shouted from the other end of the table.
“I assume she is well.”
Landon took a plate and turned to the table of food. His stomach was hungry and
could wait no longer.
“Landon my boy we all
know you looked after her last night,” Gram said. “How could you not know of
her condition this morning?”
He didn’t turn around.
“She was already gone when I awoke this morning. I assume she is well because she was gone.”
Sarah looked to Grams
and then to Devon. “Where did she go?”
Richards cleared his
throat. “Lady Brook left early this morning.” He leaned closer to Landon at the
table of food and said, “Wearing as little as a quilt I might add.”
Landon’s gaze flew to
Richards.
“What was that Richards
darling?” Grams asked.
“I said, she was
swearing she felt fit and I was glad,” Richards said.
Devon tilted his head
slightly and gave Richards an odd look. It caught Richards’s attention and he
glanced at him. He gave Devon the eyebrow and walked away. Devon pinched his
lips together with understanding.
“Well perhaps you two
ladies can look in on her after breakfast,” Devon said with a smile.
“I think I shall like
to go now. Lord Price may I use your carriage?” Sarah asked.
Everyone at the table
stopped and stared at her.
Richards stepped
forward and said, “I will send for one right away Lady Sarah.”
Devon smiled at her.
Rising from the table he offered her his hand to escort her outside.
Grams waited for the
room to clear. “I want to ask you something my dear Landon. What are your intentions
with Brook?”
Landon choked on his
bacon. Grams stood up and went over to pat him on the back.
“I fear it is more my
question than the bacon my boy. Take a drink of your coffee then you can answer
my question.”
After managing to get
the bacon down he turned to Grams who was now seated back in her place. “Your
question is silly. The intention as you call it is…friendship. I aided a friend
last night. No clothes were removed and I promise you she is still an
innocent.”
“Well that is another
subject entirely my boy but I do not want you adding her to your list of women
to visit in the middle of the night,” Grams said.
Landon laughed loudly
at her.
Grams slammed her hand
to the table and shouted, “I am an old woman Landon and you can not fool a fool
boy.”
“You are neither old
nor a fool Grams. Early spring flowers appear dull in your presence my lovely.”
Grams rolled her eyes.
“Oh honestly Landon. You are too much for your own good. A menace to the
society of young ladies and widowers.”
“Careful not to neglect
the perfectly aged as well,” Landon said and then smiled devilishly at her. “I
give my word we are merely close friends and nothing more.”
Grams let out a grunt.
“I do not believe that for a second. She has had enough heart aches in her life
Landon and I fear you will only add to that.”
Landon looked at her
and paused for a moment. “Is this your true opinion of me? That I am some rake
running around taking what I want.”
Grams gazed at him for
a long while then broke the silence. “I see a mutual interest with you two. And
sometimes that can cloud one’s judgment. She is beautiful Landon. And you…you
are far too charming. I care about both of you too much to not be able to have
you visit together if something were to happen.”
Landon glanced down at
his coffee. “I understand Grams. Would it bring you comfort to know I care too
much for you to allow that to happen?”
Grams smiled and said,
“Immensely but I still do not trust that.” She stood up. “Well I’m off, the carriage
is waiting.”
Landon stood and
grabbed her hand and kissed it. “Give her my best will you?”
Grams squeezed his hand
and said, “My fear is she has already had your best.”
Landon chuckled. “If
that were true I assure you she would not have left this morning my lovely.”
Grams giggled. “You are
truly wicked my boy.”
Landon realized he left
his tie upstairs. The room was straightened up already with fresh linens on the
bed. He walked over to the dressing table and found his tie in a porcelain
dish. Lying next to his tie was Brook’s handkerchief. Landon picked them both
up and placed them in his pocket.
He turned back and
gazed at the bed. His mind drifted back to the night before and he could see
her there lying in the candle light.
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