Lily smoothed it away and reached up to kiss him. “Tell me what this is about. What is troubling you?”
How could he tell her when he didn’t know himself? His emotions were in turmoil. He couldn’t concentrate. He barely recognized the person he thought he was. All he thought about was Lily. She was consuming him like a blazing fire sweeping through a dry forest. He stood up, his legs barely able to support his weight. “I’m going to run you a quick bath,” he said. “I’ll call you when it’s ready.”
In the bath chamber, he turned the faucet and placed his hands under the fall of water, letting its heaviness slide over his skin, cleanse away his guilt. Damn. It would take more than water. When the tub was full he called to Lily.
He picked her up gently and set her in the tub.
“Aren’t you going to get in with me?”
He shook his head and proceeded to gently bathe her as though she were a delicate child.
She held out her arms. “Come, Daniel. Please.”
“You want me, after what I just did to you?”
“Yes. Come bathe with me. It’s all right.”
What had he ever done in his godforsaken life to be worthy of such tenderness? He joined her in the tub, sitting behind her and pulling her back against his chest. He caressed her smooth skin, relishing the intimacy with this extraordinary woman who had somehow squirmed her way into his ironclad heart. How was he going to let her go?
“I don’t deserve this,” he said softly.
“Nor do I,” she said, her voice filled with compassion. “But we may as well enjoy it while we can.” She turned to face him and kissed him warmly, granting him grace without condition.
He had never felt so whole.
Chapter 8
Daniel and Lily dressed slowly, the tense air between them gradually returning to normal. They crept stealthily down to the second floor to Lily’s chamber. The hallway appeared deserted, and Daniel pulled Lily to him and kissed her.
Lily returned the kiss and moaned softly. Daniel was enigma to her. She had found a chink in his armor this morning, and she wasn’t sure what to make of it. She broke away. “I do need to go to my chamber.”
“I know.” He led her to her door. “I’ll see you this afternoon.” He kissed her temple.
Suddenly the door to her chamber swung open, and Rose stood before them in her nightgown, her blond hair in a tumbling mass around her shoulders. “Lily, where in the devil have you—” Her gaze moved to Daniel standing behind Lily. “Your Grace, what in the world? Get out of here before someone sees you!” She grabbed Lily’s arm and yanked her into the chamber, shutting the door quickly and quietly. “You have some explaining to do.”
“I guess I do.” Lily sat down on her bed. “I’m sorry if I worried you.”
“You did. When you didn’t come back to the terrace last night, I had to make excuses to Mummy and Papa.”
“What did you tell them?”
“I told them you went to bed because you were feeling poorly, due to your…monthlies.”
Lily giggled. “That was smart.”
“Yes, I thought so. Neither Papa nor Thomas mentioned you again all evening. I kept Mummy at bay by pretending to check on you from time to time.”
“Thank you, Rose. I’m sorry I put you in that position.”
“Yes, you owe me. And I’ll start collecting right now. What the hell have you been doing?”
Rose’s curse shocked Lily. Her sister never spoke like that.
“And I want the whole sordid truth.”
“I’m not sure where to start.”
“At the beginning.” Rose sat down beside Lily. “If you expect my cooperation for the remainder of this house party, you owe me that much.”