Two Notorious Dukes by Lyndsey Norton Page B

body back onto the
mattress, and climbed slowly off the bed. She stood
looking down on his calm face and she was amazed. It
made her heart ache to realise that he’d held her in his
arms and buried his face in her breast because he was
afraid. Maybe Lady Verity is right and we can cure each
other. She thought as she idly stroked her fingers over
the indentation in his shoulder. She knew looking at it,
that it was a gunshot wound, probably a musket, rather
than a pistol. She jumped as she realised what she was
doing and she scurried out onto the balcony, pulling the
door to and running back to her own room.
Once back in her room, she poured a little water
into the basin and using a flannel, she wiped the sweat
off her body. Then instead of replacing her nightdress,
she climbed under the sheet and like Robert, she slept
in the nude and it didn’t take her long to nod off.
    In the morning, Robert was distracted. ‘What’s
wrong?’ Argyll asked softly after breakfast. Robert
yanked him into the drawing room and looked about,
but couldn’t see anybody
    ‘I had a very disturbing dream last night.’ Robert
said frowning severely.
‘In what way disturbing?’ Argyll asked his
interest piqued.
‘I dreamt that my mother was here last night!’
he said and shook his head ‘and it seemed so real.’
‘I’m not quite following you?’ Argyll said. ‘Why
would you dream your mother was here? She never
lived here, did she?’
‘No, she didn’t. I had the dream again.’ He
looked keenly at Argyll, who nodded as he knew Robert
dreamed about the siege of Copenhagen. ‘And then my
mother was there telling me I was dreaming and
comforting me and then when I woke up this morning
the lamp was on and I know I blew it out when I went to
bed.’
‘Well, if it was the ghost of your mother, why
would she need a lamp?’ Argyll asked pointedly.
‘Somebody must have come to your room, maybe Sarah
or one of the maids.’ Robert was already shaking his
head. ‘You should check your balcony doors.’
Elizabeth was stood outside the door listening,
with a small smile. Should I tell him? She asked herself. Or should I leave him guessing! She walked slowly into
the room and smiled as both men jumped up for her.
‘Your Graces.’ She addressed them formally. ‘If
you would excuse us Lord Argyll, I really need to have a
private word with Lord Bosworth.’
Argyll smiled knowingly. ‘Of course, My Lady.’ He
said equally as formally and sauntered out the door to
find Sarah.
‘Please sit down, Your Grace.’ Elizabeth said as
she walked to the window. She took a deep breath and
sighed. ‘It was me.’ She said without preamble. ‘I could
hear you calling when I was on the balcony.’ She turned
to glance at him and was surprised to see a shocked
expression on his face. She smiled kindly and turned
away again. ‘I couldn’t sleep,’ she said in explanation. ‘It
was far too hot, so I braved the balcony and I heard you
moaning. I wasn’t sure whether or not you had
company at first, but then you started shouting and I
opened your window and came in. As the storm got
worse, you became more distressed. So I lit the lamp
and shook you awake.’ She smiled softly again. ‘At least
I thought you were awake, but obviously you weren’t.’
She laughed coarsely then. ‘I suppose I should be glad
that you weren’t. With your reputation I would have
been tupped quite vigorously, as most men can’t ignore
the woman in their arms for long.’ She looked at him
again. ‘You grabbed me, dragged me onto your lap and
buried your face in my bosom. I‘m ashamed to say it,
but I rocked you back to sleep and then left.’ She sighed
again. ‘So it wasn’t a dream exactly, you just weren’t
quite awake enough to realise it was me.’
Robert was dumbstruck. That it had been Lady
Elizabeth was shocking anyway, but that she did it at all
was astonishing. ‘Thank you, My Lady.’ He whispered.
‘Think nothing of it.’ She turned from the
window