Page 35 of Wedded to the Scottish Duke

The footman took the hint. He blushed a little and bowed.

“I’ll leave you to it, Your Grace.” He bowed again and walked away rather promptly.

Keith stared down the passage, holding his breath. The moment he heard the footman’s footsteps on the staircase, he moved, walking from the gentlemen’s wing to the ladies’ wing.

He found Celia’s door and knocked lightly.

“I’m not exactly in a fit state to answer that door,” her voice came wryly from the other side.

“Aye, have it yer way,” he said, trying not to reveal too much of the humor in his voice as he opened the door wide and stepped in.

Celia sat bolt upright in the bed. Her dark red hair was wild about her shoulders, and she was only wearing a nightgown and dressing gown.

“What are you doing here?”

“Oh, I wonder?” he drawled, holding up the tray as he shut the door.

“You can’t be in here.” She scrambled forward, nearly falling out of the bed as she swayed to the side abruptly.

“Woah—what was that?” He hastened to put down the tray on a nearby table and ran to her, taking her arm and pulling her back up into the bed.

“This is just what I need—you manhandling me into the bed.”

“Fine, then get yerself back into the bed.”

As he released her, she swayed to the side once again.

“Your Grace!” she snapped.

He chuckled, taking her arm once more and pulling her into the bed. He tried his best not to think of the thin material covering her arm. It was made of lace and silk, barely hiding her at all.

“Well, ye look happy.” He smiled and moved to pick up the table and drag it nearer.

“Would you be happy?” she scoffed. “I’m confined to my bed just because every time I stand up, I get dizzy. I feel fine, the pain is gone—I just wish I wasn’t so dizzy all the time.”

“How is the wound?” he asked, placing the table beside the bed.

He eyed the foot of the bed carefully, looking at where her leg was covered by the blankets.

“It doesn’t need to be checked if that’s what you were thinking of doing.”

“As ye wish.” He dragged forward a chair and placed it beside the bed, sitting down. “Here. I brought ye food.”

“Thank you.” She seemed a little surprised as she reached for the food. “I saw the party leaving through the window. You didn’t wish to go with them?”

“I had better things to do.” He held her gaze, showing her exactly what he meant.

“Come to distract me?” She smiled a little. “I rather like the idea. I’m bored.” She sighed heavily as she took a bite of bread. “How do you intend to distract me?”

“Don’t ask a man such an open question when he’s alone with ye in yer chamber, sweetheart.”

Her jaw ticked. “I thought I told you not to call me that.”

“Well, that worked, didn’t it?” he said wryly, sitting back in his chair and folding his arms. “There was a moment last night when ye didn’t seem to mind me being a little…”

“Audacious?”

“I was going to say warm.” He smiled. “Besides, ye were the one who kissed me first.”