Cinders and Ashes (Cavendish Mysteries 2)

“Let him up, Izzy, the man needs air.” Dominic’s scolding was accompanied by a rueful smile as he met his wife’s haughty look.

“He’s back, are you not happy too?” Izzy knew the answer already. She had spent many nights trying to comfort her distressed husband over the past few weeks.

“Of course, but you might want to say hello to Amelia.” Dominic nudged Amelia. “Please excuse my wife’s enthusiasm. This is Isobel.” He winked at his wife. “This is Amelia. The woman we have to thank for bringing Sebastian back to us.”

“Oh, I didn’t really,” Amelia mumbled, feeling her cheeks flush with embarrassment. She could feel the curiosity shimmering in the air.

“Yes she did,” Sebastian interrupted. “If it wasn’t for Amelia, I would be dead by now. She saved my life. Unfortunately, she has had to leave her home to reside here while we get to grips with Ballantyne.”

“Ballantyne?” Dominic leant forward, all traces of softness gone.

Sebastian puffed out a deep put-upon sigh and reluctantly admitted, “I think Ballantyne was behind my disappearance. Because of the risks, I made Amelia come with me. She didn’t have time to pack.” He rubbed an uncomfortable hand through his hair. He didn’t want to admit he had kidnapped her. Even to save her life. “She needs to borrow a wardrobe until we can get a modiste here.”

He could have kissed Izzy when, after the briefest hesitation, she accepted the situation without question and turned to Amelia.

“Well then, while you have a bath, I’ll sort you out some dresses. We are about the same size. I am sure we can find you something that would fit.

“Oh please, don’t put yourself out. Really, I can manage,” Amelia replied hastily, only for her protests to be firmly quashed as she was led from the room.

The door had no sooner closed behind them, than Sebastian found himself the object of close scrutiny by the others in the room. Instinctively he knew he wouldn’t get out of the room without explaining everything.

With a deep sigh, he poured everyone a brandy and sat down to explain the events that had happened to date.

Upstairs, Amelia slipped down into the luxuriously warm water with a deep sigh. As she relaxed, the significance of the changes the past day had brought finally hit her.

The Countess suite was simply divine. Decorated in pinks and creams, it had a bright and airy feel to it that was very feminine. Despite the pleasant surroundings, Amelia still felt she didn’t belong.

She wondered if she should ask Sebastian to move her to the servants’ quarters. Would the servants understand? She didn’t want to encroach on their space and make them uncomfortable. It was after all their living accommodation, but she didn’t belong in such luxurious splendour of the Countess suite either. Whatever Sebastian wanted, it all came down to one thing. Amelia had spent the last two years of her life living and working as a servant. Her upbringing was a long-buried memory, and had no bearing on her current situation, or future. That left her with a predicament. She didn’t belong upstairs with the Lord and his family, and she didn’t fit in below stairs either.

“You look worried.”

Amelia squeaked and sank lower in the water. She turned toward the door next to the bed she hadn’t noticed before, and Sebastian now standing in the doorway.

“What are you doing? Get out!” Amelia snapped, very much aware of his casual scrutiny, and his own fully clothed state.

Sebastian leant nonchalantly against the doorjamb. He ached to sweep her out of the bath tub and enjoy the delights of the large, soft bed beside him. Instead, the worry and sadness he had just seen on her face k

ept him still. Despite the hardness of his manhood at the delicious sight of her wet and naked body surrounded by steaming water, he kept his distance and defiantly remained where he was.

“Is Izzy not here?” He casually scanned the room, knowing that Izzy was discussing dresses with her maid, in the room he had just passed.

“She is sorting through her wardrobe,” Amelia replied, looking around for a towel or something larger to cover herself with. Sinking down to her chin, she glared across the room at Sebastian, standing so arrogantly aloof that she wanted to throw something at him.

“I see you have already bathed,” she mumbled, taking in his pristine appearance. He was so elegantly handsome. The rumpled shirt and stained breeches had undoubtedly been relegated to the fire. In their place was a neatly starched shirt and cravat, tucked elegantly into clean breeches, topped by a waistcoat that, unless she was much mistaken, appeared to be silk. He screamed Ton, from the very top of his neatly combed and fashionably cut hair, to the tip of his highly polished hessians. So unlike the Sebastian she had come to know and love that it was heartbreaking.

“Just finished,” Sebastian replied briskly, smiling cheekily at her. “Want me to scrub your back?” He wanted, no needed, to erase the sadness that lurked in the shadows of her eyes. Pushing away from the doorjamb he ignored her protests and casually sauntered over to her, plucking a towel off the end of the bed as he passed.

“Don’t come any closer,” Amelia ordered with a glare, sinking further down into the tub until the water almost touched her ears.

“You have nothing I haven’t already seen, Amelia.” Sebastian’s voice was soft, his gaze chiding as it met hers.

“When?” she rapped out. Most of the time they had shared a bed, she had been fully clothed. She scowled at him.

“When we were arguing that last morning at the cottage. You were so angry with me, you left the bed. Naked. Splendidly naked. Also, when we were making love and I tugged the sheets off us,” Sebastian teased, taking a seat on the ottoman at the end of the bed to hide the evidence of his eagerness for her. Casually he dangled the towel between his feet, tempting her to come and fetch it.

Amelia felt her cheeks heat as the sensual tension rose within the room. Despite the heat of the water, her wayward body began to respond and her nipples tightened wantonly beneath her fingers.

“Go away, Sebastian. Izzy will be here any minute. I don’t want her to find you here.” Amelia knew she was pleading with him, but he had to understand that there could be nothing more between them.