“What?”
“I should have pulled out. What is the matter with me?”
She couldn’t answer. For the idea that he filled her with his essence aroused her unnaturally. No, she did not want to be with child, but for some unknown reason, she wanted him to come inside of her.
“Don’t worry about it. As I said, the timing is not right.”
“And as I said, that method is completely unreliable.”
She truly wasn’t worried. She planned to seduce Mr. Landon anyway, so what did it matter if she were with child? She’d just tell him it was his.
Her heart seized. None of that felt right. Something niggled at the back of her neck, bothering her about her plans. Still, no reason she could see existed to change them.
“Please, Evan, let’s not worry about that for now. Let’s go to sleep so we can rise with the sun and get the bloody hell out of here.”
“Very well,” he said, turning away from her. “Good night.”
* * *
Ally jerked upward. “Evan, what is that?”
Someone pounded on the door.
Evan’s eyes shot open. “Someone’s here. Stay here. I’ll take care of it.” He moved to rise, but—
“Hello?”
The door opened. Two men stood in the doorway. And Ally and Evan were both naked as babies.
“Oh, my lord. I’m sorry,” one of the men said, looking away.
Evan threw the comforter over Ally and rose, taking a bed linen with him and wrapping it around his waist.
“Do you recognize them?” Ally asked.
“Yes. They’re servants from the estate.”
“My lord…er… We got word from the caretaker that you hadn’t arrived in London, and Lady Sophie was concerned… So we…” The servant’s face turned bright crimson.
Evan cleared his throat. “We’re thrilled to see you, of course. But if you could give us a couple of moments?”
“Yes, yes, of course.” They moved backward and shut the door behind them.
Evan’s cheeks were rosy, and Ally was sure her own visage was as scarlet as the servant’s had been. “What will we do now? He saw us nude!”
Evan shook his head. “I’ll see they’re compensated for their discretion. And if they breathe a word of this, they’ll be dismissed. I feel certain I can trust our servants.”
His voice didn’t sound as sure as his words did, but Ally had no choice but to trust him.
“Come,” he said, “we need to get our garments on. Yours should finally be dry by now.”
Ally’s chemise and drawers had been dry for a day, but her traveling outfit was still slightly damp. Nothing to be done. Either wear it, or go back to the Brighton estate wearing bed linens… No, not on today’s agenda. By the time Evan was dressed, Ally needed help with her corset.
He came to her without her asking and tightened it for her. “These things always seemed barbaric to me,” he said.
“Trust me, they are.” She sucked in her breath. “But what choice do we ladies have?”
“You don’t need one,” he said. “You have a lovely shape without it.”