Chapter Seventeen
Lord Warwick watched as Amanda bent over to retrieve her robe from the floor. God, did the woman know what she was doing to him. That perfectly round rear end called to every part of him. Demanded his full attention.
Looking over her shoulder she shot him a quick glance that let him know she knew exactly the impact she was having.
“If you are not careful I will pull you back into this bed and you won’t leave until your next birthday.”
She laughed as she slipped into her robe.
“It is over,” she said with a sad smile. “I know that, but now I have to go on with the rest of my life. And you have to leave. I will be honest, I dreaded your leaving. But now, after this morning. I realize it is necessary.”
He winced, her words had hurt more than he had expected. “Oh, so that is how it is to be,” he said. “Now that you have used me for your desires. I am to be cast aside like last week’s garbage.”
She smiled as she came back and sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at him with adoring eyes.
“Lord Warwick,” she said. “We both know that there is no room in your life for a woman like me. A commoner, with no family connections. Besides, Lord Liverpool has first call on your attention.”
Who was this woman and why couldn’t more women be like her? Normally, in a situation like this, they would be wondering when they would be together again. Demanding his full attention. Upset when he didn’t give it.
No, not his Angel. She understood. Yet, the thought didn’t please him as much as it should have. Instead, he felt a slight anger. How could she dismiss him so easily? Their night together had been one for the ages.
They fit perfectly. Like two pieces of a puzzle.
“Come,” she said as she patted his hand. “I will dress and call both Cook and Molly into the dining room to discuss something. I can keep them there but a few minutes before they become suspicious. You must sneak out without them knowing.”
He nodded, it made perfect sense, yet, it felt wrong. Very wrong.
“And take the maid’s uniform with you,” she added. “If Molly found it she would know something was amiss.”
He frowned and slowly shook his head. “That’s it then?”
She smiled sweetly and nodded. But behind her eyes, there was something else. A hidden pain that tore at his soul. His heart turned over as he stared at her. Remarkable he thought once again.
“Amanda,” he said, as his stomach clenched up. It was important for her to understand what he was about to say. “I want you to know. If you ever need anything. Anytime, anyplace. Please don’t hesitate to call on me. This is not an idle offer. I mean it. If you are ever in need. I am to be informed.”
She smiled sadly for a moment, patted his hand, then got up to go to her own room. He watched her close the door behind her and sighed heavily.
This was not how he had expected the morning to go. One moment they were entwined in the greatest of passions. The next she was dismissing him.
What now? He wondered. Would they only see each other at the occasional gala? One night, she had said. That was all she had wanted. But how could that be? He wanted more, many more such nights.
His mission, he reminded himself, pulling himself back to reality. He must focus on his mission. Liverpool was demanding results and quickly. Every day, information continued to flow to the French. Information that could turn the tide of the war against them.
No, Amanda was right, he didn’t have time to become involved. He couldn’t risk what it might do to the mission. Besides. It would also put her at risk. If his enemies knew of his feelings for her, she could be used against him.
Sighing heavily, he got out of bed and got dressed. Yet as his fingers fumbled with his buttons he stopped for a moment and remembered their night together.
A soft click next door let him know she was headed downstairs.
No goodbye, no farewell kiss. The sense of loss hit him hard. Why couldn’t she have taken a moment to see him off?
Finishing getting dressed. He opened his door and peeked out in time to see the top of Amanda’s head disappearing down the steps.
Giver her a moment, he thought as he snatched her maids uniform from the floor. Give her time to get her people into the dining room. Then he would be away.
Once again, a sense of loss flowed into him. This was not right. On so many levels, this was not right.
.o0o.
Amanda fought to keep her head high and a tear from her eyes. If she started crying now both Cook and Molly would never rest until the found the truth. Biting the inside of her lip, she settled into her chair and asked Molly to get Cook so that they could talk.
Molly shot her a quick questioning glance but held her tongue as she curtsied and hurried to do as she had been told. A moment later, she and Cook returned to the room.
Amanda held her breath, this was it. Was Warwick ready? Could he get out without being discovered? Would he make any noise? No, not him, the man moved like a large cat. Like a lion stalking its prey.
She looked at her two servants. Both of them looked back at her expectantly. Why had she called them in? What did she need to discuss that demanded their attention at that moment.
Her heart jumped. Was that the creek of a floorboard?
Molly had heard it as well, the curious expression on her face as she turned towards the sound confirmed it. Amanda’s stomach fell. No, Please God, let him get away.
“I’ve decided to hire a footman,” she said hurriedly, pulling their attention back to her. Both of them smiled, obviously pleased with her decision. Please, she said in her mind over and over as she tried to hide her fear from the two other women.
“That will be nice Mum,” Molly said.
Amanda sighed, there had been no more noises from the hall. Had he made it? Was he gone? A sudden sense of sadness washed over her, pulling her away from what she should be focused on, keeping their attention.
“Yes,” she continued. “I don’t want to go to an agency. Not if I don’t have to. I wondered if either of you might know someone.”
Both of them looked at each other. Cook shrugged her shoulders. “I’d ask my Harry, but I can’t tolerate the idea of the both of us working in the same house. Having him here all day and at home too? It’d drive me round the bend.”
Amanda laughed. Cook’s husband was a sweet, kind man and she knew for a fact that the woman adored him. But she liked to pretend that he was a bother. Shaking her head, Amanda smiled to herself, whoever knew the inner workings of a married couple. She wondered. Each must come to their own arrangement.
Molly bit her lip as she hesitated to say anything.
“Go on, Molly,” Amanda said encouragingly. The longer they talked, the better chance Warwick had to escape.
“I could ask Arthur, Mum.”
“Arthur?” Amanda asked.
“Mr. Anderson, Mum. I know he would like to find different work. The only reason the doctor has him is to move people around. He finds it … not enough.”
Amanda balked, the hope in Molly’s eyes told her all she needed to know. The maid loved the idea of her potential bow working here. But what if it didn’t work out between them. Then the tension in the house would become unbearable.
Yet, if it did work out. She could keep both retainers working here. Her life need not be disturbed by the loss of Molly.
“That one?” Cook said with surprise. “In a footman’s livery? He’d eat us out of house and home.”
Molly frowned as her brow knitted with anger. Before she could respond, Amanda interjected. “Yes, but just think, we would never need to fear of being attacked in our home. One look at Mr. Anderson and no brigand would dare bother us.”
Molly smiled widely.
“Yes,” Amanda said as she came to a decision. Warwick’s easy access the other night had proven just how vulnerable they were. “Yes,” she said again, “Please ask Mr. Anderson if he might be interested. And you can assure him, there will be no livery. I can’t imagine a man as large as him dressed in red and gold. It would be … too much, shall we say.”
Molly’s smile widened even further, “Yes, Mum. I will.”
Amanda sighed as she silently listened. Surely he was away by now. Gone, to return to his own life. The sick feeling of loss that seeped into her soul made her want to start crying and never stop. But she held it together long enough to dismiss her staff.
Once they had exited, she let one lonely tear fall.
He was gone.