Given his choice, he’d have started the day with a vigorous swiving. But there was something to be said for a pretty girl waiting on him. For too long, life had been devoid of any touches of courtesy or comfort.
“Thank you.”
“I’ve asked the servants to draw you a bath. I thought you might enjoy a good soak after coming off the ship.”
He wanted to ask her if she’d come and wash his back, but last night’s passion hadn’t banished the constraint between them. He took a mouthful of coffee and set the cup on the nightstand. Then after a jaw-cracking yawn, he flung back the covers and placed his bare feet on the carpet.
His attention snapped to his wife who had made a strange squeak, and now stared fixedly at the pink curtains.
“Morwenna?”
“You’re...you’re naked,” she said in a choked voice. Her head was turned away, but even in the dim light, he made out a blush on her cheek.
She should already know that, given what they’d done in the early morning hours. Dear God, had she imagined she was dreaming when he’d taken her? She’d been sleepy, but he could have sworn she’d been with him every glorious step of the way. Now he remembered her ill-concealed fear when he’d insisted on staying with her last night.
“I’m sorry. I only had the clothes I arrived in. Perhaps I should have tried to borrow a nightshirt from Silas.” Although his brother always slept naked, too. He couldn’t imagine that had changed. Robert was blushing himself. He’d felt like a beggar, turning up so shabby at his brother’s house. “Or waited to come home until after I’d arranged more suitable attire.”
She shook her head, although she still didn’t look at him. “No. I’m...I’m glad you came straight to us. Even...even given what was happening here.”
The engagement party, she meant. After last night, he was considerably less troubled by what he’d found on his arrival. She’d been palpably out of practice when it came to the marital act.
“I’ll have to do something about clothes. I need to report to the Admiralty today, and it would be better if I don’t turn up looking like a tinker. I suppose I’m still officially on active duty.”
“But first you’ll...you’ll tell us what happened to you?”
“I promised, didn’t I?” He wished to hell he could avoid sharing his experiences with his family so soon after coming home. He’d feel much more prepared to tell the story once he settled back in England. In about
twenty years, perhaps. “What time is it?”
Morwenna cast him a nervous glance, then looked away again. He realized he still stood before her, dick waving in the wind. But it seemed too jejune to scuttle back to bed like a pimply juvenile caught naked by a housemaid.
“Just past eight. I doubt if Caro and Silas are up yet.”
He’d lay a wager that they were—and waiting eagerly for him to tell them everything, damn it. “I’ll bet Amy was banging on the door at dawn.”
“She cares about you. We all do.” Morwenna didn’t smile, but her blush intensified, although he couldn’t imagine why. With a helpless gesture, she turned and scurried toward the door. “I’ll see you downstairs.”
* * *
Morwenna sat with Silas, Caro, Amy and Pascal in the breakfast room, looking out on a wet garden and waiting for Robert. Silas had sent all the servants away, so the family had privacy for what promised to be a harrowing session.
“But did he say anything more last night?” Caro asked for the tenth time.
Morwenna pushed aside her barely touched eggs and shook her head. “Caro, he was exhausted. It wasn’t the time or the place for a long conversation. I’m as much in the dark about where he’s been as you are.”
“And he wasn’t angry that you were planning to marry Garson?” She’d asked that question only half a dozen times.
“He didn’t tell me.” Although she’d noticed this morning that the edge was missing from his manner. Perhaps the satisfaction he’d found in her arms last night inclined him toward forgiving her for turning to another man.
Then you acted the complete fool. What a silly goose you are, Morwenna. One would think you’d never seen a naked man before. And you knew he was naked last night when he turned to you.
“So what did he say?” Amy asked. She hadn’t been as persistent in her questions as Caro, but it was close.
Pascal smiled at his tawny-haired wife, and Morwenna was struck again by his spectacular looks. Odd, though, how his beauty didn’t move her, whereas Robert’s much more rough-hewn handsomeness, even now when he was scarred and worn, always made her heart beat faster.
“She said he went to sleep, darling,” Pascal said. “It’s clear Morwenna doesn’t know any more than we do. Badgering her won’t change that.”
“It seems odd,” Amy said sulkily. “I’d have pestered him until he told me.”