Unexpectedly Wed to the Officer (Regency Belles of Bath 2)

‘You said yes. That’s enough.’

He smiled into her eyes, his own darkening almost to black before he cleared his throat huskily.

‘I apologise for the reading material. There wasn’t much else, I’m afraid.’

‘That’s all right.’ Her own throat felt somewhat dry, too. ‘The bull was captured, I presume?’

‘Yes, though at the cost of several prize-winning hydrangeas.’

‘Oh, dear.’ She started to laugh and then let out a shocked shriek.

‘What?’ Sebastian looked panicked. ‘What’s wrong?’

She pointed across the room to a mirror sitting on top of a dresser. ‘I just saw my reflection!’

‘Your...?’ He practically sagged with relief. ‘And?’

‘I look terrible!’

‘Actually, you’re looking much better.’

‘What?’ Shock turned to horror. ‘How bad did I look before?’

‘Not bad, just...sick.’

‘Swollen?’

‘A little. That reminds me. May I?’ He slid his hands around her throat, prodding gently. ‘Good. You can hardly feel any swelling today and

you’re definitely not green any longer.’

‘Green?’ Any pleasure she might have found in his touch evaporated instantly.

‘It’s perfectly normal when you’re sick.’

‘Yes, but...’ She stiffened. ‘Wait, if you’ve been nursing me, what about my...’ she closed her eyes, reluctant to even voice the thought aloud ‘...needs?’

‘Ah.’ He drew his hands away, rubbing one of them over his bristly-looking chin. ‘To be honest, you were sweating so much that you didn’t have many of those.’

‘None?’

‘Well, some...’ He made a show of picking up the newspaper and folding it neatly. ‘But nothing to concern yourself about.’

‘Oh!’ She flung herself over, burying her face in her pillow.

‘Henrietta.’ He laid a hand on her back. ‘I’ve seen and dealt with much worse, believe me. Eight hundred men on one ship, some of them seasick...’

‘I’m not a sailor!’

‘True.’ His hand moved in a slow circle over her back, rubbing gently. ‘But you know, one of the advantages of not marrying a gentleman is that we’re not so squeamish. I wouldn’t have left you even if the doctor had brought a nurse. I wanted to take care of you. Besides, maybe this is a good thing?’

‘How?’

‘You were afraid of me seeing you as just a pretty face, weren’t you?’

‘That doesn’t mean I wanted you to see me sweating, swollen and...green!’ She groaned and pressed her face deeper into the pillow. ‘Never mind anything to do with a chamber pot!’

‘It doesn’t make me look at you any differently.’