Chasing Eliza (Cavendish Mysteries 3)

Eliza scowled at him. “We are lucky to have a room for the night, so mind your manners.” She snapped, in no way prepared to accept his rudeness. “All we have to do is wait for him to return.” She moved to one of the vacant tables and sat down on a stool almost regally before arching a snooty brow at him. “Unless you have anything more pressing to do my Lord, then I suggest you exert a bit of patience – and wait.”

She ignored the men was they stared at her for several moments before slowly moving to crouch over the small stools gathered around the table.

Within moments the breathless Innkeeper returned with a garbled apology.

“P-please do forgive me. The maids are preparing the parlour for dinner for you, when you are ready. I’ll show you to your rooms now.” He spun on his heel and took off for the stairs, leaving the weary group to lurch to their feet.

Edward growled as he watched the wiry man pelt up the stairs as though the hounds of hell were at his heels. He was about to make some dark remark when Eliza glared at him again.

“What?” He asked, his palms held up beseechingly. “I didn’t do anything.”

Eliza rolled her eyes. “You’ve terrified the man.” She declared, shooting him a filthy look as she stalked past him. “It would serve you right if he made you sleep in the barn.”

“He wouldn’t dare.” Edward declared threateningly, eyeing the now empty staircase in disgust.

Eliza considered he was probably right. Given Peter, Dominic and Sebastian all wore identical bad-tempered scowls, Eliza was certain the entire tap room were glad they were leaving. She climbed the stairs wondering what they were going to do about sleeping arrangements. She didn’t want the men thinking she was just going to be paired with Edward, but she didn’t want to anger Edward by making an issue of sharing a room with him.

She was frowning herself by the time she got to the long hallway lined with doors.

She soon found herself standing in the last room overlooking the main street watching Edward close the door behind him with a thump. She frowned, uncertain whether she should protest or not. Turning towards the bed, she eyed the vast expanse of sheets and blankets with a frown.

“If you think about getting into that bed covered in dust, then think again.” Edward muttered, tugging off his cloak and dropping into the chair beside the bed with a grunt.

“I can’t sleep with you again.” The words were out before Eliza could call them back. Inwardly she winced at her bold declaration and valiantly ignored the tell-tale burning in her cheeks.

Edward quirked a brow at her, still disgruntled at the ease in which she had closed him out throughout the day.

“I can’t believe I asked you to.” He muttered shooting her a baleful glare. “Right now I don’t have the energy to tug my boots off, let alone start anything with you; as delectable as you may be.”

She wasn’t certain how to take that remark and decided not to make an issue of their sleeping arrangements for now. After all, it wouldn’t be the first night they had spent together fully clothed when nothing happened. At least they would have a nice, soft bed to lie on rather than a smelly earth-packed floor.

Several hours later Eliza found herself sitting in the private parlour with a full stomach, listening to desultory conversation of the now malleable men. Despite his initial nervousness, the Innkeeper had done a fine job in attending to his guests’ requirements. The food they had just consumed had been fresh, delicious and plentiful but now she had eaten, and the warmth of the roaring fire had chased away her seemingly constant chill, Eliza felt a wave of exhaustion settle over her and knew she was about to embarrass herself by falling asleep at the table.

The men were finishing their brandies when she stood, waving them back down into their seats when they instinctively made to rise.

“No, stay and finish your brandy. I’m off to bed. I’ll see you all tomorrow.” She said around a huge yawn before bidding everyone a sleepy goodnight.

She was fast asleep by the time Edward joined her only a few minutes later. Still fully clothed, she had summoned enough energy to tug her boots off before falling on top of the covers. She hadn’t even climbed between the sheets.

Edward stood beside the bed staring down at her. She had unpinned her hair, which now fell in glorious abandon across the pillow but had done little else to see to her own comfort.

Tentatively he slid a hand across its silken length scattered across the white pillow. He knew from running his hands through it last night that the curly tresses were really was as soft as they looked. He closed off the mental image of it tumbling down around her shoulders as she rode him. Shaking his head, he stifled a yawn and tugged his own boots off before contemplating the feminine bundle p

inning the sheets down.

He could just leave her as she was and wait until the room cooled enough to wake her up, but wasn’t that heartless. Lifting her shoulders slightly, he tugged the sheet down and out from under her before contemplating her clothing for several minutes. There wasn’t anything there he hadn’t already seen, but would she be angry with him if he undressed her? She had categorically stated she didn’t want to make love with him again. Had he hurt her? Or was it that she knew the timing was wrong and didn’t want to run the risk of getting with child?

Running a hand wearily down his face as he contemplated the complexities of the female mind, Edward drew the sheets over her before climbing in beside her. With one last lingering look at her lying so temptingly beside him, he rolled over to face the door.

At least she couldn’t claim he was making advances while she was asleep. He mused as he yawned widely and found a more comfortable spot on the pillow. Within moments he was sound asleep.

Sometime during the night, he instinctively gave in to the need to hold the woman laying claim to his heart and curled protectively around her, relieved when instead of protesting against his familiarity she wriggled against him until she found her usual spot against his shoulder.

Eliza awoke the following morning with her nose buried in his chest. Her leg was lying in wanton abandon across his hips, held there by the persistent pressure of his relaxed hand. Her arm was draped across his waist, her fingers held captive by the coarse hair on his chest.

She knew she should move. Any minute now, she should leave the comforting warmth of his embrace and get up and pretend she hadn’t really spent the night with him. Again. Despite her exhaustion the previous night, she knew she had been alone when she climbed onto the bed. Sometime during the night she had found her way beneath the covers and had been joined by Edward, who had clearly decided he needed to prevent her from leaving the bed.

“Good morning.”