“Phillip, why did you go?”
“I went because I owed it to you.”
“No, you didn’t. You don’t. I’ve told you. You owe me nothing. You saved my life, Phillip. Surely that’s enough.”
“All right. I went because I wanted to see this pretty little dandy who cooed all over Richard Clarendon. I wanted to see the bastard who tried to rape his sister-in-law, who should be under his protection.”
“He is very pretty. You told him not to hurt my grandfather?”
“Yes. Whatever else Trevor Eversleigh may lack, he doesn’t lack an instinct for self-preservation. I told both him and Elizabeth, quite succinctly, that I would put a bullet through the future earl’s heart if the old earl died. There was a lot of outrage, sputtering about it being none of my business and the like, but eventually they believed me. But I admit, I did have to resort to a rather drastic demonstration. I had to knock Trevor to the floor and stomp on him a couple of times. Elizabeth stood by, shrieking. Actually, now that I think back on it, I think she might have been pleased that I hurt the little bastard. Who knows? It’s strange. Trevor yelled for the butler—”
“Ribble.”
“Yes, Ribble. He came to the doorway, stood there, saw what was happening, then just turned around and left.”
“But, Phillip, you’re talking about fighting a duel with Trevor if Grandfather dies. I can’t approve of that. He could hurt you. Why would you risk your life for an old man you don’t even know?”
“He’s your grandfather, Sabrina.”
“I’ve freed you of any obligations that Charles tried to foist on you. It puts me further in your debt. I can’t bear it.”
“It appears you will have to since it’s done.”
She’d told him the truth. She couldn’t bear it. She fanned her hands in front of her. “I thank you, Phillip.”
Phillip felt a surge of anger at the position she found herself in, through no fault of her own, through no fault of his either, but the defeat in her, the role of eternal supplicant, he hated it for her.
“I don’t want any more thanks from you, Sabrina. They are growing quite boring. Yes, all these little mewlings don’t fit you at all.”
Ah, that did the trick. Color crept up from her breasts to her hairline. Ah, her breasts, he tore his gaze away and looked directly into her eyes.
“Little mewlings? You fool, that doesn’t even mean anything. I have to thank you, there’s no way around it. Why don’t you do something more fitting your character, which Charlie told me was wild and reckless and selfish? Yes, I now about all these ladies you do things with that you really shouldn’t do because they’re married. Oh, enough of that. He also told me that you liked to build on your house, but that didn’t really count, just the other, which should shame you to your toes.”
“Selfish, am I? The other—wild and reckless—all right, I’ll accept those. I’ll even take your damned insults, but I draw the line at you calling me selfish. Don’t you remember how I bathed you, Sabrina? How I toweled you dry? All of you? Every damned little inch of you? I proved to you that I wasn’t selfish. I did everything for you.”
“I was unconscious. Well, I was barely conscious. Only a complete villain would bathe me when I was barely conscious.”
She was making no sense at all and he loved it. He wanted, quite simply, to see more. He fairly hummed with anticipation as he said, “You were nearly shrieking with pleasure when I suggested a bath. Unconscious? I don’t think so, Sabrina.”
“A gentleman wouldn’t remember such fine details.”
The color on her cheeks was blooming bright; her eyes were glittering with rage and life. Just a bit more, he thought, just enough so that she would growl at him. A growl would prove that she was regaining her fighting spirit.
“Now, now, Sabrina, a g
entleman should remember fine details. That ability aids him in pleasing the lady even more the next time. Should I not speak of them? I will think about that later. Ah, but I do remember that you weren’t at all unconscious that memorable day I bathed you. As for the earlier days, you weren’t completely unconscious either. You were in a fevered, almost frenzied state.” He looked at her left ear, framed by loose red curls. He said easily, knowing if there was a growl in her, it would explode upon him soon, “Don’t you remember how I warmed you when you were so very cold?”
Hazy memory stirred and she felt her skin flush the color of her hair. He’d held her tightly against him, warming her with his own body. Now she remembered his hands moving up and down her back, cradling her against his chest. She remembered the dizzying warmth of him, how she’d tried to burrow into him.
“You’re no gentleman.” She backed away from him, splaying her hands in front of her to ward him off, to ward the memories off.
He’d gone too far, pushed her too hard. No growl this time. Well, hell.
He said now, his voice clipped and hard, “You’re right. I apologize. Let me assure you that you were indeed unconscious. I did only what I had to do to save your life. Don’t become hysterical on me. I promise I won’t mention any of it again.”
“I’m never hysterical.”
He laughed, he couldn’t help it. “No, and I beg you never to become so. I have the rankest fear of a female who shows the incipient signs. Come, let’s go dance again. Or, if you’re too angry with me, I’ll simply return you to your aunt. The aunt married to a merchant, as I recall. No, forget I said that. You’re breathing too hard. It bespeaks a nervous state. Calm down.”