Page 9 of Snowbound with the Earl (Snowbound #2)

Five

“Stop shaking now,” Noelle told Miss Halifax quietly. The girl had hidden her face by pressing it against Noelle’s shoulder. “That nonsense is over and no one will remember your part in it by tomorrow.”

“My father will be furious,” Miss Halifax whispered.

“Then tell him to direct his anger at me. I ruined his plans, not you.” She pulled back and took Miss Halifax by the shoulders. She gave her a stern look. “Hold your head high now. No more tears in public.”

Miss Halifax sniffed and nodded. As though waiting for her signal, Mrs. Halifax rushed forward. “Sweetheart, are you feeling ill?”

“Yes, she is,” Noelle said. “The misunderstanding this morning has given her quite a megrim. She should lie down.”

When the two ladies had departed, Eva said, “Poor girl. She looked very ill indeed. That must account for her confusion. Should we call for a doctor, my lord?”

“There’s no need for a doctor,” Halifax grumbled.

“We couldn’t send for one if we wanted,” Lord Dorsey said. “The roads are blocked.”

Noelle jumped to her feet. “What?”

Dorsey gestured to the window on the other side of the chamber, where thick white flakes obscured the view of anything else.

“As Lords Evergreen and Foster remarked last night, the snow has been falling continuously. My steward tells me a foot and a half fell overnight, and it’s still coming down.

A man can’t see more than a few inches in front of his face.

I’m afraid it’s likely to grow worse as the day goes on. ”

“Then I should leave right now,” Noelle said. “I’ve packed my bags and want to travel to Fairborne today.”

“I’d advise against that,” Dorsey said. “Even if your coachman avoided running into a snowdrift or sliding off the road on ice, you are likely to be stuck in a snowstorm and freeze to death. Visibility is so bad that even if you were a few yards from an inn or residence, you wouldn’t see it.”

Noelle turned her glare on Eva. “You promised we would not be snowed in.”

Eva gave her a sheepish look. “I cannot control the weather.” She turned to look at her other guests. “But do not fret. We will make the most of our time. I have games and entertainments planned. For now, let us break our fast.”

The guests began moving out of the parlor, but Lady Dorsey stopped Graham at the door. “My lord, perhaps you might stay back and speak to Lady Bonneville in private. Explain that she really must not attempt to depart in this weather.” She closed the parlor door, leaving Noelle alone with Graham.

He took a breath, stuck his hands in his pockets, and leaned back against the closed door. “I suppose I should thank you for what you did.” He sounded as reluctant as he looked.

“I didn’t do it for you,” she said, walking to the window and looking out at the churning snow. Dorsey was right. She couldn’t see anything through the swirling whiteness.

“You did it for Miss Halifax?” he asked, his tone curious.

“Of course. You could see what was happening.” She turned away from the window.

“You don’t think that girl concocted a plan to trap an earl into marriage?

She was coerced into it. She no more wanted to marry you than.

..well, perhaps you shouldn’t thank me. Perhaps you would have delighted in a union with the blue-eyed, blond Miss Halifax. ”

“I have nothing against Miss Halifax, but I assure you the thought of marrying her had not crossed my mind. She’s little more than a child.”

“She is very young, but many men would see that as an advantage and make use of it.”

“Why are you so certain I didn’t? How do you know I didn’t lure her to my chamber last night, as she claimed? I think we both know you were not waiting there for me.”

“No, I was packing to leave, but you needn’t worry.

Swift will say whatever I tell her. She is very loyal.

As to your other query, whatever you may be, Grah—sorry, Lord Evergreen, you are not a defiler of young ladies.

I know you, and you would never behave dishonorably toward a lady.

I assure you, there were many nights I wished you would. ”

His eyes widened, and she almost laughed to think she had truly shocked him.

His small show of vulnerability made her bold.

“Don’t tell me you are one of those men who believe young ladies have no desires or needs.

I would never have told you I wanted more than a perfunctory kiss from you all those years ago, but I wouldn’t have denied you if you’d wanted more. ”

He pushed away from the door and ran a hand through his curly brown hair, disheveling it in a manner that was far more attractive than even Turlington’s most artful tousling.

“I don’t want to talk about the past.” His voice had softened, and he sounded almost like the man she remembered, but she dared not lower her own defenses. He’d made his dislike of her clear.

“Neither do I. If you’ll excuse me—” She started for the door, pausing when he held out a hand to stay her.

“And I don’t like being indebted to you.”

She rolled her eyes. “You are not in my debt, my lord. I told you. I didn’t do it for you. I’ve been in Miss Halifax’s position, and no one could help me. I saw a way to help her, and so I did.”

“What do you mean, you’ve been in Miss Halifax’s position?”

Her spine stiffened. How could he not know what she referred to? “I thought you didn’t want to discuss the past. If you’ll kindly step aside, I need to speak to my coachman.”

He had stepped aside but at her last words, blocked her path again. “Your coachman? Dorsey just said it’s too dangerous to travel.”

“I want a second opinion.” This was not strictly true.

She’d never risk the lives of others simply because she was uncomfortable being near Graham.

But the last thing she wanted was for the earl to think he had somehow influenced her.

She tried to scoot around him, but he moved to obstruct her path.

“If you want a second opinion, look out the window. The conditions are just short of a blizzard outside. Don’t risk your servants, your horses, or yourself.

It’s too dangerous.” His blue eyes blazed, and those beautiful eyes had always been her weakness.

She couldn’t help leaning closer to him, inhaling his smoky scent and feeling the warmth radiating off him.

It’s too dangerous, he’d said. Her heart rebelled against her mind, screaming he still cares!

She shook her head. It was too late for them, and the best way to remind herself that he did not truly want her was to scare him away. She arched a brow in seductive challenge. “Graham, if you wanted me to stay, you might have simply asked.”

Color rose in his cheeks. “That’s not what I’m saying, and I told you—”

“Yes, not to call you by your Christian name. And I won’t, if you’ll just step aside.” She had to separate from him before she said something she’d regret.

Something else she’d regret.

“You will go to the dining room.”

She cut her eyes away from his. “Right. I want to eat breakfast.”

He reached out and took her arm. Noelle felt the heat of his hand through the fabric of her cerulean, blue travel dress. Her mind went foggy, and she couldn’t quite remember why she’d wanted out of his presence.

“Your coachman works for you, and he will probably tell you whatever you want to hear. I’m telling you, it’s not safe.”

“Does this mean you do care for me, Graham?” Was she still trying to scare him away or did she really want to know?

She could see the way he clenched his jaw at her deliberate use of his given name. At least he was not entirely unmoved by her. “Dorsey told you the same thing I did.”

“Dorsey and I didn’t spend the night together,” she said.

“You and I didn’t spend the night together either.”

“But everyone thinks we did.” She put a hand on his chest, unable to resist and desperate to know how he’d react.

How long had it been since she’d touched him?

A decade, at least. She moved closer, partly to see if he’d retreat and partly because, well, because she wanted to.

“Everyone will be looking at you and me this morning, imagining what we did together.”

“Noelle.” His voice held a note of warning. But the sound of her name on his lips sent a shot of heat through her. She’d broken some barrier inside him, and he’d lowered a significant piece of armor. Should she exploit it or retreat?

“If I leave, everything will be less awkward.” She hedged, still not sure what direction to take.

“I prefer awkward to you being dead. I can’t let you go,” he said, his voice dropping to a murmur.

She could barely draw in the next breath.

She couldn’t walk away now, not when she looked into his eyes and saw his feelings for her so raw and exposed.

He did still care. He’d been fighting his feelings for her as much as she had for him.

“Yes, you can,” she whispered. “Just...” But her hand was already sliding up his chest to cup his neck even as he bent to touch his lips to hers.

“Let go,” she whispered against his lips.

“Not this time,” he said. His mouth pressed to hers as his arms went around her, pulling her against him.

Noelle rose on tiptoes to wrap her arms about his neck as his lips slid over hers.

Pleasure radiated from where their bodies touched and soon every inch of her was tingling with heat and desire.

The kiss deepened, Graham’s tongue touching hers and tantalizing her further.

He’d never kissed her like this before. His kisses all those years before had barely crossed the line of chaste.

Bonneville had rarely bothered to kiss her at all.

Noelle hadn’t known how much she could enjoy a kiss like this.