“You will not!” he roared, and she jumped.
“I’m sorry. Forgive me. But you will not accommodate me, and I don’t want to hear that blasted word again! I am not a brute, Georgia. I would never ask such a thing of you. I want only what you are prepared to offer with open arms and an open heart. Anything else I would find distasteful. Do you understand me?”
She wasn’t quite sure she did.
“Georgia, now why do you look at me so? Surely I made myself clear to you from the very first. To force myself on you would be repugnant to us both. I would far rather have your affection, and perhaps that will grow with time.”
Comprehension finally dawned, and she couldn’t help but stare at him in disbelief. He also found the sexual act repugnant? “Truly?” she said, unable to hide her astonishment. “You truly mean that?”
“Yes, naturally I do. Have I in any way indicated to you anything else?”
“No … no, you haven’t. Oh, Nicholas,” she said with a great sigh of relief. “Oh, Nicholas, you are wonderful.”
“Am I?”
“Yes, you are. You have taken a great weight off my mind. I have always thought you a man out of the ordinary, and you are indeed. You truly are.”
“I’m beginning to think I must be,” he said, looking baffled.
“No, really you are. And my affection for you grows by the day.”
“Does it? I hope it is growing by leaps and bounds, for I find myself in great need of it.”
She stepped forward and placed her hands on both sides of his smooth face, looking up into his eyes. “You must know that I think of you as my friend. My good friend.”
Nicholas looked down at her mouth. “Your good friend,” he said. “Yes, of course you do. I don’t know what I could have been thinking. Well. That’s quite enough of that, for I hear the word ‘gratitude’ threatening.” He moved away and gazed out of the window. “The rain shows no sign of stopping. We’ll be working inside today. Cyril should have the good sense to stay away until the weather clears, so it looks as if we might have the day to ourselves, Georgia. What would you like to do with it?”
“The kitchen could use some attention,” she said, returning to practical matters. “Let me dress, and I’ll meet you in the dining room. Raleigh is probably wondering what’s happened to his breakfast.”
She went through to her own room and, avoiding looking at her bed, started to wash in the now-cool water that Lily had left. Only a moment later she heard a crash and a howl from the next room, and then a volley of swearing.
She laughed and shook her head, reasoning that Nicholas must have dropped something on his foot.
The kitchen door banged and all three of them looked up from their various tasks in surprise. Binkley stood there, and he was soaked from head to foot.
Lily was the first to speak. “Mr. Binkley, sir! We had wondered where you’d got to. A bit wet out there, isn’t it?”
“A bit wet?” Binkley said indignantly. “It is a full gale, Lily.” He turned his attention to Nicholas, shaking the water off his cape, uncharacteristically ignoring the puddle of water that was accumulating about him. “I fear it is heading in this direction, sir. We were lucky to have been coming from the north, so the roads were still passable yesterday, but the inn we put up at last night was full of people who had been caught out. They are saying it is going to hit the coast, and the storm seems to be building in force.”
This was an unusually long speech for Binkley, who normally kept himself abbreviated, and Georgia’s concern grew. She looked over at Nicholas, who was leaning against the kitchen table, his arms folded, his brow drawn down.
“The wind direction, Binkley?”
“South-southwesterly, sir.’’
“Trouble, Binkley.”
“I believe so. It should arrive shortly, if my estimate is correct.”
“Oh, hell. Well, there’s nothing we can do but wait and pray. I don’t suppose you managed to bring back a side of beef?” he added hopefully.
Binkley’s mouth twitched. “Indeed I did, sir. It resides just inside the door. I shall prepare it for dinner this evening. Everything else is best stored in the stables until we have more clement weather. We had a most successful trip. Martin is looking after the horses, and I have instructed him to return to his family immediately after. As you know, they live on the water, sir.”
“Very well. Thank you, Binkley. You have been efficient, as ever. Why don’t you retire to your room and change into something dry? We’ll carry on here.”
“Very good, sir.”
Georgia picked up her rag, thinking how very lucky they were to be safe and snug in their part of the house. They were also lucky to have such loyal and reliable help, people not inclined to panic. For Nicholas’ worry did not escape her.
The wind picked up that afternoon, increasing in force until it was howling about the house. They’d given up working in the kitchen in favor of the superior warmth of the sitting room. Nicholas once again stuck his head out of the window with an anxious frown.
“Nicholas, do stop worrying. There’s nothing you can do to stop the wind, or even the rain for that matter.” Georgia secured another pleat in the draperies she was making. She was just as worried about the roof, but determined that someone had to remain calm, even though she was ready to jump out of her skin with fear.
“I just don’t know if the coping is strong enough to hold,” he said, pulling his head in and shutting the window. “This is a full-blown gale, Georgia. We sometimes get them down here at this time of year, and they can wreak serious havoc. This one seems particularly fierce, and the roof is only temporarily secured.” He paced up and down the floor.
“Why don’t you try to relax and do something useful? There must be something that will take your mind off the storm.”
He turned and gave her a long look, then went back to his pacing. The wind continued to howl, a primitive, almost terrifying sound, and Georgia wanted to bury her head under the sofa every bit as much as Raleigh.
“Nicholas,” she said under her breath, desperately wanting to have him take her into his arms and comfort her as he had the night before, but she wanted to be brave. Being brave was what Nicholas would want, and she would do it well for him. So she continued her stitching and hoped the storm would soon abate.
And then there was a terrible crack from the back and moments later a great crash. Georgia jumped to her feet, her nerves finally shattering. “Nicholas!”
Raleigh howled, then buried himself more deeply beneath the sofa.
“Oh, hell!” Nicholas ran for the back door and grabbed up his coat as he went. “Binkley!”
Georgia ran after him, but he had already disappeared. He was back a moment later.
“It’s the old elm. It’s been torn up by the roots and thrown down on the middle wing. I’m going to have to go and try to shore up the roof or we’re going to lose the entire top floor. Tell Binkley to get up to the attic and work from below. And hurry.”
He was gone in a flash.
“Nicholas, don’t do anything stupid … Nicholas, please, it’s dangerous out there! Oh, Nicholas, be careful…” Georgia whispered as the door slammed behind him.
It took every ounce of self-control she had not to go chasing after him, not to try to pull him off the ladder, but she knew that would be foolish. Nicholas would not thank her for it. She had learned that he had an iron will and did not appreciate interference. Instead, she went to fetch Binkley, and then she found Lily and asked her to start the kettles for filling the bath, for she knew Nicholas would need one when he finally came in.
She went up to the attic to see how bad the damage was. Binkley was already up there, and he nodded at her politely, while at the same time trying to secure a board over the gash. Rain was pouring down on his balding head.
“Ah, Mrs. Daventry,” he said. “Nasty weather we’re having, is it not?”
Georgia couldn’t help smiling. “Yes, Binkley, perfectly foul. Here, let me hold that board for you, and you can fasten it.”
“Very good, madam. If you’ll just pull over the stool and stand on it, you can take the corner here. Thank you very much. That’s it exactly. A pity there’s so little light.”
They worked in tandem, Georgia alternately fetching boards and nails for Binkley, then holding them while Binkley hammered. And while she worked, she worried. She jumped half out of her skin when she heard another slither and crash.
“Not to worry, madam,” Binkley said reassuringly. “Mr. Daventry is a capable man. I believe he also has nine lives. He has used up only two or three to date. I am sure he will be perfectly all right.”
“Thank you, Binkley,” Georgia said in a small voice, the most she could summon over her fear. “I am sure he will.”
“That’s the spirit. If you would just hand me the next board…”
Another hour went by. Lily came up with linens to try to soak up the worst of the water. They did everything they could, and then went downstairs as the gray of the afternoon drew down to dusk and they could see no more. And still Nicholas had not come in. She could just hear the banging of his hammer over the wailing of the wind. She went out once to see if she could see him, but with no luck. The rain came down in sheets and the wind nearly blew her off her feet, and she went back inside, saying a small prayer. And then finally, as she was about to give way to her panic, the front door opened and Nicholas came staggering through.
“Oh, thank God!” she cried, running to him. She threw her arms around his back and pulled him against her, burying her head in his shoulder. “You
idiot!
You might have been killed—blown off the roof, or hit by lightning, or any number of things! It’s amazing you didn’t break your neck!”
He put her away from him. “But I didn’t, and we have a roof again. At least for now. And I didn’t know my neck mattered quite so much to you,” he added.
“You really are an idiot,” she said furiously. “Now, go and stand in front of the fire and take your clothes off. If the storm didn’t kill you, the aftereffects will.”
“No doubt,” he said dryly, “given my congested state.”
“You’re not already feeling congested? Oh, Nicholas, what am I to do with you? Go on. Do as I told you. Binkley will bring in the water for your bath. We put it on hours ago. You’re going to sit in it, too, until you turn as red as a boiled lobster. I’ll make you a hot tisane.”
“Thank you,” he said, stripping off his sodden coat, his teeth chattering.
“I don’t know what makes you think a chunk of roof is more important than your health, Nicholas,” she said, taking it from him.
“But you have told me time and time again how important a roof over your head is,” he said with a wicked grin.
“Don’t try your foolish joking on me now. The effect is utterly ruined by blue lips. Now, go.”
He obediently disappeared in the direction of the sitting room, and Georgia went into the pantry to fetch her medicine chest. She prepared a preventive brew made of healing roots and herbs. No man should have blue lips as Nicholas had, nor look quite so exhausted. It took what seemed to her forever to properly prepare the tisane, but one could not neglect the correct steeping time of all the elements. Her mother had admonished her over and over about too much haste in these matters. She finally took the steaming cup out to the sitting room and pushed the door open with her foot.
Nicholas was indeed in the hip bath, steam rising about him, his back to her. She was about to step forward, when he put his hands on the sides of the tub and rose, reaching for a towel. She stood transfixed, the tray forgotten. He was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. His long legs were powerfully built, the thighs bulging in two separate muscle groups. His buttocks were defined by hollows at either side, and a ridge of muscle ran over the top of each hip. She saw the muscles flex smoothly in his back as he moved. She had never, never imagined that the naked male form could be quite so magnificent.
And then he suddenly turned around and saw her, and her hand went to her mouth as she understood, as all the pieces finally came together.
“Georgia,” he gasped, staring at her in return, and then the tub almost tipped over with his violent response as he fell back into it, water sloshing over the sides. “Georgia, for the love of God, what are you doing in here?” He drew his knees up to his chest, looking thoroughly disconcerted, and she understood why he would be. She wanted to cry for him.
“I’ve brought you a warm drink,” she said haltingly.
“A warm drink? Oh, yes, of course. But in here?”
“It was wrong. I can see that now. I hadn’t realized. Oh, forgive me, Nicholas,” she said with a choke of remorse. “I didn’t know. I’ll leave it over here on the table, and I’ll go. Please, forgive me…”
“It’s all right, Georgia, really. You surprised me, that’s all.”
“I … I’m so sorry.” She quickly put the cup down and flew out of the room. Only after she had closed the door behind her did she cover her face and let her tears of embarrassment and concern come. Poor Nicholas. Poor, poor Nicholas. No wonder he had been such a gentleman, no wonder he was not interested in asserting his marital rights.
He couldn’t.
“I am sorry for the lateness of the meal, sir, madam,” Binkley said, presenting them with the first course of soup. “It was unavoidable, given the circumstances. I took the liberty of taking Lily home in the carriage, madam,” he added. “She was worrying over her family in the storm, and I felt it best she be with them.”
“Thank you, Binkley,” Georgia murmured, keeping her eyes down, and Nicholas wanted to laugh. The poor girl was in agonies of embarrassment. She still had not lost the flush that covered her from head to, no doubt, toe. Although he hadn’t included the earlier incident in his strategy, he hadn’t thought the sight of his naked body would rattle her quite so much. Georgia had stood there staring at him as if she had never before seen a man in her life, and he had begun to wonder if she had. He was truly beginning to wonder. Her innocence was astonishing for a woman who had been previously married. He had begun to wonder about it the day he had fallen through the floor and she had pulled him out. She’d had absolutely no conception of what she was doing to him with her touch. And yet she had deeply loved her husband. It was most odd.