A Curse of the Heart

She shrugged, and he could sense her inner torment as he suspected it mirrored his own. Perhaps honesty was the best way forward.

“No, I don't want to pretend. And I am not sorry,” he said, his abdomen tightening when he looked at her flushed cheeks and mussed hair. “But it was a moment of madness, Miss Linwood, where I forgot my manners and my sense of honour, even if it is contrived.”

“About that,” she said, looking down at the floor. “I did not mean what I said earlier. I did not mean —”

“It doesn’t matter now,” he interrupted. “Besides, I must make allowances for your fragile state.” When he noticed the muscle in her jaw twitch, he added, “Upon finding an intruder in your home.”

He was wrong to imply that the man hiding in the storeroom had an interest in the house. Whoever he was, he was only interested in frightening Miss Linwood.

“Do you know what he was doing in there?”

Gabriel shook his head. “He was hiding behind some boxes and waited for me to walk inside before darting for the door.”

“I shall speak to Mr. Pearce in the morning. Perhaps he has noticed something untoward.”

“Mr. Pearce?”

“My curator.”

Gabriel resisted the urge to tell her not to talk to anyone, not without him being present. Perhaps she was right. He was starting to think like an over-bearing parent. Why did he even care? He brushed his hand through his hair in an attempt to banish the feeling that, somehow, she had found a way through his barrier. He could still taste her on his lips, still smell the heady scent of her desire and still feel her soft, pliant body pressed against his.

“Perhaps we could talk to Mr. Pearce together,” he suggested. “I cannot walk away from here until the matter has been dealt with.”

And I must walk away, he added silently, as I could never be the man you would want me to be.

“I understand,” she nodded. “You may call round before luncheon tomorrow.”

“You mistake my intention,” he said firmly, amazed she would even consider going up to her room on her own after what had just happened. “I will not leave you here alone. I can stay, or you can come with me. I’m open to suggestions and will do whatever you think appropriate.” Just to reinforce his point, he added, “If you refuse, I shall be forced to sleep outside your front door.”

Without a word, she turned away from him and began pacing back and forth, her head bowed. Using her thumb and forefinger, she pulled gently on her lips. “And you will assist me only until the intruder is caught?” she said swinging round to face him.

Gabriel offered a bow. “I will assist you until I’m satisfied you’re safe.”

Perhaps he should call upon her brothers and see if they could take her in.

Miss Linwood folded her arms across her chest. “But you cannot stay here, people will talk. And I’m not leaving.”

“No one knows I’m here,” he said. Only the members of his staff would know he had not come home. But they were used to him trailing about to odd places at short notice. “If I remain in your quarters, for this evening at least, then I shall be able to make an assessment of the storeroom in the morning. With any luck, the matter will be concluded by tomorrow evening.”

Indeed, he would begin by making a thorough investigation of the curator, Mr. Pearce.

“Where would you sleep?”

Gabriel pursed his lips to suppress a grin, imagining her shocked expression if he told her he would share her bed. “I recall seeing a chaise. I shall be fine on there. If you would be so good as to find me a blanket.”

Her gaze drifted over him, lingering on his stocking feet, before advancing up over his chest and mouth. “Very well, but we shall review the terms on a daily basis.”

Gabriel nodded. “Agreed. I shall need to go and secure the rooms downstairs.”

“I shall go and find a blanket.”

They walked in opposite directions, but when he glanced over his shoulder, he caught her looking back at him. “I shall meet you upstairs,” he said.

When he was confident that all the doors were locked, he made his way back upstairs and found Miss Linwood sitting on the chaise, clutching a pillow and blanket.

“Will you be warm enough?” she asked as she stood and offered him the items before retreating towards the door.

“I will be fine. Oh, and please lock your door, Miss Linwood.”