Page 33 of The Dare Before Christmas

“W-Well, it is a bit funny,” she stammered apologetically.

“Victoria, if you hadn’t stopped me, I would likely have despoiled you on the floor of… of whatever this place is!”

“No, you wouldn’t. Besides, I wouldn’t let you. That’s why I pushed you away. I’m no prude, Barnaby, but I do think our first time ought to be in a bed.”

“Our first—” He stared at her, too startled to say the words out loud. He turned his back on her before he could do something there would be no coming back from. “Get dressed,” he ordered, his voice taut.

Barnaby crossed his arms, tormenting himself with imagining what was going on from the rustling of feminine garments behind him. Closing his eyes, he tried to shut out the sound and the images, but he could not chase the memory of how it felt to touch her from his mind. The lush softness of her breast beneath his palm was indelibly imprinted upon his brain and he would remember every detail of that moment until the day he died. Which would be soon if Bedwin ever discovered what had just happened. He only prayed she did not need help with her corset, or he was a dead man.

“You can turn around now.”

Barnaby did, letting out a breath of relief as he discovered her fully clothed, if rather haphazardly.

“What is this place?” Victoria asked, staring around the room with curiosity.

“A kitchen—the original kitchen, if I guess correctly,” Barnaby said, striving to get his mind to concentrate on something other than breasts and the proximity of a woman who was driving him to distraction with remarkable speed. “They used to build them separate from the main house because of the risk of fire, but that still means we’re close to the house now, if I’m right. So… So we had best get back before we’re missed.”

Barnaby did not miss the disappointment that flashed in her eyes.

“Not yet,” she said, her voice soft and cajoling. “Couldn’t we just have a little look around? Please?”

Barnaby sighed and wondered at what point he’d thrown away what remained of his senses. Likely the moment he touched her breast, he thought ruefully, but it didn’t much matter now, because there was no way on God’s green earth he could refuse her.

“Fine. Come on then. We’ll look around.”

Hester opened her bedroom door and peered down the corridor. All was quiet, thank heavens. The skies outside were almost fully dark now, and the house too quiet. Lifting the lamp she had lit, Hester made her way down the corridor towards Victoria’s room. Other than Axton, she knew Victoria was the only one not to have gone on the shopping trip and, judging from the thick flurries of snow still falling outside, Louis and Evie and their guests had decided it was prudent to spend the night in Lewes rather than travel in a snowstorm. That meant Hester was alone in the house with blasted Axton, and there was no power on earth that would make her dine with the wicked creature alone. Hopefully, Victoria would be amenable to eating together in Hester’s room tonight, which would avoid any awkwardness.

The scent of pine and spices perfumed the house, and Hester trailed her hand over the greenery decorating the elegant banisters as she made her way to Victoria’s room. With a sharp knock, Hester called out to the young woman.

“Victoria? It’s Hester, dear. Victoria?” Hester knocked again and waited for a long moment before turning the door handle quietly, in case the young woman was sleeping, but the room was in darkness. Only the dim glow of firelight cast any light about a room that was obviously empty.

Hester frowned. Well, perhaps she was in the library. If she remembered rightly, the girl was a prodigious reader. Making her way down the stairs, Hester saw a footman heading towards the dining room with a full coal scuttle.

“Young man. Can you tell me where Lady Victoria is?”

The footman turned and inclined his head thoughtfully. “No, my lady. Would you like me to make enquiries?”

“Yes. I think I would,” Hester said, the first stirrings of unease tiptoeing down her back. “I suppose there is no sign of the comte and comtesse?”

“No, my lady. We assume they have decided to spend the night in Lewes. The snow is almost a foot deep in places already and shows no signs of stopping.”

Hester nodded and made a shooing motion. “No doubt, now run along and find what has become of Lady Victoria and make haste. I shall be in the library.”

The footman nodded and hurried away, returning ten minutes later with the disconcerting news that no one had seen Lady Victoria since early that morning.

“No one? And no one thought to look for her?” Hester demanded.

“We thought she was in her room, my lady,” the footman said, his expression pained.

Hester let out an impatient breath. “Well, she’s not.”

“Perhaps Mr Godwin has seen her?” the man suggested hopefully.

“Barnaby?” Hester said, staring at the man in surprise. “He went with the others.”

“Beg pardon, my lady, but he didn’t. He came back. He were looking for the lady too, as it happens.”

The fellow coloured, and now Hester realised why none of the staff had set about looking for her. They believed a tryst was afoot.