The Wicked Governess (Blackhaven Brides Book 6)(49)

She opened it without knocking, taking the night light with her.

Miss Grey’s bed was empty.

Rosa’s heart began to gallop with fear. She clutched it, trying to calm it, to think. Miss Grey couldn’t have left, wouldn’t have left without saying goodbye. Where was she? Had he got her? Was he here in the hall?

Common sense told her that of course he wasn’t, but still, she needed to know Miss Grey was safe. Had she the courage to go along the dark passage to Papa’s chamber?

Leaving the door open, she returned to her own room. Her knees shook.

“Rosa?” Maria loomed up from the couch, whispering her name. “What is it?”

Without thought, Rosa took her by the hand and dragged her out of bed, and across to the open door, pointing at Miss Grey’s empty bed.

“You want Miss Grey?” Maria murmured. “Now?”

Rosa nodded vehemently.

Maria thought. “She’s probably with Serena. Come on.” This time it was Maria who drew Rosa by the hand to the passage door and along past the landing toward the bedchamber given to Maria’s sister and her husband.

As they passed the library door, Rosa was sure she heard a noise, and shrank closer to Maria.

*

For the second time in his life, Javan woke to find himself gazing into the eyes of Caroline Grey. She took his face between her hands, murmuring words of comfort, her eyes huge with care for him. And the contrast between the horrors of his dream and the sweetness of her presence, her caress, was too great. He pushed against her hands until his mouth found hers, and he kissed her as though he’d never stop. He never wanted to stop.

Somewhere, he’d registered that it was night and that they were in the library. Beyond that, there was only Caroline, the warm softness of her body pressed to his, her scent in his nostrils, her unique taste on his lips, his tongue. Her instinctive passion inflamed him, driving him beyond comfort to raging lust.

Something moved on the edge of his vision.

A familiar voice drawled. “You do know you’re not alone?”

Caroline gasped under his mouth and sprang back.

Javan turned more slowly to face his cousin, who was looming over the back of the sofa, only just within reach of the candle’s faintest illumination. “Richard, what the devil?”

“I was about to ask you the same question. I was here first.”

“Well, what do you mean by skulking here with no light?” Javan demanded.

“I was on watch-for-the-intruder duty, remember? Well, I fell asleep and was having very pleasant dreams before you two battered your way in here and woke me up.” Richard rose to his feet and ambled toward them, a smirk on his handsome face that seemed to betoken both amusement and pleasure. “May I be the first to bless you, my children?”

“Sir, Mr. Benedict was sleepwalking,” Caroline said desperately. “He did not know what he was doing,”

Is that truly what she thought? Or was she simply trying to save the tatters of her reputation? She needn’t have bothered. Richard might tease, but he would never blab.

Richard snorted with laughter. “Truly?” he said and took both her hand and Richard’s and solemnly joined them. Javan would have pulled free and sworn at him had not the library door opened again to reveal a whole host of people.

Rosa pushed past Mrs. Grant and Lord Tamar to run to Caroline. Lady Tamar tried to stop her sister following, and the result was they all tumbled into the room. They had brought their own candles, and so and were afforded a clear view of Caroline in her night rail, stunned. One of her hands had been grasped by Rosa. The other was still held by both Javan and Richard, neither of whom, in their shirt sleeves, were properly dressed to be in a lady’s company.

“Miss Grey!” Lady Tamar exclaimed. She sounded more astonished than shocked. “What on earth is going on?”

The matter was not beyond control. These people were Caroline’s friends. The worst that could happen was that he would have to reveal his tendency to sleepwalk.

Until Richard said, “It isn’t what you think.”

And Lord Tamar, who seemed—damn him—to feel protective toward Caroline, pushed forward with a dangerous frown. “And what exactly is it I think?” he demanded.

“Rupert, the children!” his wife reminded him.

“What are you both doing here with Miss Grey?” Tamar asked bluntly.

Caroline pulled her hands free, furiously hugging herself, remembering no doubt the previous time she’d been accused of impropriety and lost her position. With sudden, blinding clarity, Javan knew how to put it right in the eyes of the word. Knew too that life could hold no greater happiness than being married to Caroline.

He looked from her appalled gaze to Richard’s expectant one, and the words dried in his throat. She’d never believe he loved her now. In any case, was he not insane to put his heart and Rosa’s care in the possession of a woman he’d known less than a month?

The silence stretched. Caroline would no longer look at him. He refused to do this in front of everyone.

“We’ll sort this out in the morning,” he said abruptly. “I suggest we all retire.”

“I don’t—” Tamar began furiously.

“After,” Richard interrupted, “you all also congratulate me on my engagement to Miss Grey.”