I love this house, I could never move… Sophie
CHAPTER 24
“This is just sad,” Sophie sighed as she looked up into the tree that currently housed their ill-gotten peeping Tom, or Randall as it were. “I can’t even call in the Bow-street Runners because people know that we are friends, and I’ve no wish to be tied to this type of scandal. Randall, go home - she does not wish to speak with you. Take a bath and change your linens. Just please…stop living in this tree outside of her bedroom window.”
Lord Phillip Randall, the Marquis of Lancaster, looked down at the ground below. He could see the grass and shrubbery that surrounded the small courtyard at the back of the Mangrove London residence, and at the base of the large tree he saw a slim dark-haired woman. One he knew quite well. It was the lovely Baroness of Mangrove, better known to him as Sophie. He stuck his elegant tongue out at her in a decidedly childish manner before quickly glancing back at the window of Eden’s bedchamber, hoping to catch her coming or going. It was sad that this was what his life had come to, but she had refused any other contact, and one did what one must.
“Randall, get out of my bloody tree!” Elias’ strong voice boomed from the entryway of the kitchens. Apparently, he was about to join his wife.
“I respectfully decline,” Phillip called back, not moving his eyes from Eden’s window.
“That’s a flat out lie,” Elias called back. “You could care less about respecting me - you will do whatever the hell you want to.”
Phillip smiled, “I respectfully respect that statement. And respectful tell you to sod off.”
Elias turned to Sophie, “I tried, sweetheart.”
Sophie looked at him aghast, “You can’t just leave him there!”
“He’s a grown man, Sophie. And completely insane! There is not a lot I can do.”
“Can you have him committed?” she asked hopefully.
Phillip growled.
Elias laughed, “Tempting, but he has a lot more pull being a marquis than I do as a baron. Besides, I think he really does love her. He’s been up there three days, Sophie. Can’t you get Eden to come and talk to him? I am worried that he is going to die up there. Can you imagine the smell? We will have to move.”
“Oh no,” Sophie cried out.
“I’m touched, Sophie, truly. I didn’t think you cared that much.” Phillip looked away from the window to his friends below.
“I love this house - I could never move!”
Phillip scowled, “You are both dead to me.”
Elias burst into uproarious laughter, “I tried, old man. Keep the faith… I will go work on the other one.”
*****
Eden peered through the edge of the curtain of her bedroom. There he was, in the flesh, sitting on a thick branch of the old oak tree, swinging his muscled leg as if he hadn’t a care in the world. Why did he have to be so insanely attractive? Why did the very sight of his tanned forearms make her knees feel weak? Or his long fingers remind her of when they stroked her between her thighs?
Damn that man! She had thought she was finally over him! She was making new friends and enjoying herself. Sure, she hadn’t fallen in love, but maybe what she had felt for him was just craziness, that it wasn’t real, that it wasn’t meant to last.
It had taken less than a second for their eyes to meet, and for all those feelings to come racing back again, and her heart to race, and her body to yearn to merge with his. Why did he have to come back again when she was just figuring out who she was without him?
She could hear muffled voices. He was conversing with someone. Good heavens, how long could he possibly stay up there? He had been there for days. Part of her thought it was terribly romantic that he refused to leave until she spoke with him.
But another part of her couldn’t go out there. It was the part that had been left lying naked and alone. The unwanted and unneeded part - she was so tired of being left behind. She couldn’t be that person anymore, not even for him.
There was a knock on her door. She quickly flew from her hiding spot near the curtain at the window. She was out of breath when she landed in the chair near the fire.
“Come in,” she uttered.
Elias poked his head around the door with a smile, “Hey there, care to take a walk?”
She smiled back, “No, thank you.”
“Can I talk to you for a moment?”
She frowned, “I am not coming out for him.”
He sighed, “I know you are hurt. But I just want to speak with you for a moment.”
Eden motioned to the chair next to her, “You can tell me here.”
Elias looked uneasy, “I don’t think coming into my wife’s unmarried best friend’s bedroom is the best idea.”
Eden burst out laughing. His expression was priceless. She went over to the window and opened the curtain. Phillip looked shocked. He almost fell out of the tree. She opened the window.
“Will you chaperon a conversation for us?” She said regally, ignoring the nervous knots she had in her stomach, knowing that this was the first time she had spoken to him since their falling out.
The way he looked at her - so very grateful to even have the chance to see her face. She almost wept. Eden wasn’t sure if she was going to make it.
His voice was low, nervous, “I would do anything you asked.”
She nodded and replied softly, “Thank you.”
Eden turned back to Elias, who was eyeing both in amazement.