“I’m sleeping on the bed. I won’t leave you here by yourself Eliza.” Edward muttered, taking the key from the door and pocketing it. “Don’t leave the room until I get back.” He didn’t wait for her acquiescence and closed the door firmly behind him with a heavy thud.
Chapter Six
The following morning Eliza was already up and about when Edward began to stir on the bed. He had removed his boots and shirt and sometime during the night had found his way beneath the covers to seek out the warmth of Eliza without even realising it. Once or twice during the night he had woken to find her nestled against him. He knew he should do the responsible thing and ease his arms away from her and put some distance between them, but the feel of her feminine curves against him was too delicious.
He had no intention of taking her virtue; she had enough on her plate to deal with at the moment, without being compromised as well. But he considered he deserved at least some reward for the lengths he was going to in an effort to keep her safe from Scraggan’s clutches and had decided to claim his reward, sliding closer to her and tugging her flush against him before falling back asleep.
Eliza had awoken wrapped in Edward’s strong arms, her cheek resting against the solid muscle of his chest. The steady thump of his heartbeat broke her slumber and she had lain perfectly still for several long minutes with the rough hairs on his chest tickling her cheek, simply enjoying the comfort and protection that was quintessentially Edward. Eventually, she had begun to feel slightly uncomfortable about the intimacy of their position and how Edward would react finding her draped senselessly over him. She couldn’t bear any awkwardness between them and had reluctantly eased out of the bed, dressing and ordering breakfast without disturbing him.
It was the scent of bacon and toast that teased him awake. Instinctively he rolled over, his hands sliding across the soft sheets in search of Eliza’s now familiar curves. His slumberous eyes studied the room for several moments before with a jaw-popping yawn he rose onto his elbows. His eyes landed squarely on Eliza as she unloaded the trays, arranging a vast array of foods out for their morning feast. It was a picture of domesticated tranquillity that made him pause and consider her for several moments.
Would life really be so bad if he woke to such a sight in a morning? His heart knew he could wake to watch her carry out such mundane domesticity in a morning and never get tired of it. If they hadn’t got a murderous smuggler chasing them, or the mystery of her missing sister to solve, then life would be just about perfect.
“Good morning.”
The sound of his richly masculine voice rumbled across the room. Eliza jumped in alarm and she whirled to stare at him. The tempting sight of his chest bared to the waist, and his slumberous gaze made her want to sweep the tumbled locks off his forehead and share a morning kiss. Her soul cried out for the ability to take such familiar liberties with him, but she knew it was highly unlikely and felt a wave of longing for something out of her reach.
“Good morning. I took the liberty of ordering breakfast.” Eliza murmured, pouring tea and helping herself to an array of foods from the tempting display set out before her. She kept her gaze firmly fixed on the food and away from Edward as he left the bed and donned his shirt. He appeared in her vision moments later, hungrily eyeing the feast before them.
“We need to leave today.” His stomach was pleasantly full several minutes later and he sat back in his seat to watch her finish her meal. “But there is a problem.”
Eliza frowned at him, silently waiting for him to continue.
“We have the advantage at the moment because Scraggan’s men don’t know you are here.” He sipped his tea for several moments, considering their options and the lengths his sister-in-law Izzy went to in order to escape her uncle’s brutality. “We need to put you in disguise.”
Eliza’s brows shot up and she stared at him incredulously for several moments. The intimacy of their breakfasting together, and the domesticity that settled between them so easily as they had shared such a simple act had left her with much to think about.
Inevitably though the reality of their situation and the reason they were drawn together smashed the tranquillity of the morning to pieces leaving her feeling almost deflated.
“Disguise? How?” She studied him for several moments, wondering just what he was planning.
“I need to pop out for a few minutes. I’ll reconnoitre the area and see if there are any signs of Scraggan’s men around the village, and need to see if there is somewhere I can get what we need. While I am gone, if you gather your things together and put as much food as you can into the pockets of the greatcoat. If you can find a pouch or something to put some more food in, we will take as much as we can carry. We need to ride throughout today, preferably without stopping to do anything other than change horses.” Edward shoved back from the chair, mentally listing the items he would need in order to carry his plan out.
After giving her a stern order not to open the door to anyone until he returned, or leave the room he swept out leaving a shocked Eliza to absorb the silence of the room in consternation.
He returned while she was tying the ends of the small pouch. She seemed to be so acutely tuned to him that she knew it was him lifting the latch even before he opened the door. She eyed the bundle of clothing he was carrying warily. Had he gotten himself a change of clothing? It seemed a logical thing to do given he was so strikingly masculine dressed entirely in black, people would undoubtedly remember him passing.
Tossing the bundle on the bed casually, Edward unfolded the assorted clothing, shook them our and handed her a pair of buff long trousers, a white shirt, a hat, along with a long strip what looked like shredded nightgown.
“Change into those.” Edward ordered softly, turning his back and tugging his own shirt over his head.
Eliza watched the rippling play of muscles along his broad back, as he lifted his arms above his head. Each dip and hollow outlined in loving detail as they clenched and released as he dropped the white shirt over his head. The sudden covering of his bare flesh by the stark white shirt shook her out of her adoration and with a start she swiftly turned her back, tugging the strings of her dress loose. She daren’t turn around and see if he was looking, tugging on the breeches under her dress, before removing her arms from her short sleeves of the dress and dragging the shirt over her modesty. It was an awkward yet effective way of changing without revealing her blushes.
Tucking her shirt in, she held out each leg in turn musing over the unfamiliar feel the rough material on the smooth skin of her thighs. It felt very strange and not altogether comfortable to wear such a garment, but Edward was right in choosing it as a disguise.
“Ta da!” She sang, grinning across the width of the bed at him.
Her smile died at the strange look in his eye as he studied her. “What’s wrong?” She looked down at herself, trying to find anything that could cause him such consternation. Unless he was much mistaken, he was shocked. “Do I look strange?”
He blew his cheeks out at the sight that greeted him and struggled to form any words for several moments. Mentally he winced as the words burst forth anyway.
“Good God woman, you can’t go out there dressed like that!” His voice rose several notches as he stared down at the length of feminine leg hungrily.
“Like what?” Eliza frowned down at the long breeches, totally oblivious to the distracting sight of her long and very shapely legs startlingly outlined in minute detail by the loving material. “I know the breeches are a bit long but they are alright. Nobody can tell with the boots.”
She scowled up at him and didn’t notice the masculine interest in his gaze as he studied the white shirt tautly covering her full breasts as it tapered down into the narrow waistband of her breeches. Well rounded breasts that were now clearly outlined through the cotton material. Breeches that were stretched devotedly over the feminine roundness of her womanly hips leading down into the longest legs he had ever seen in his life.
Edward felt sweat break out onto his brow and fought the urge tug at his collar.