she resisted him shaking her head frantically. "No...must go...after them...need...orses..."
"Sit!" he ordered firmly. Startled by the hard tone, she immediately complied. "Now, you will tell me what has happened and do so slowly." He turned to the butler who was still hovering by the door unsure of what to do. "Leave. Prepare my horse, I will be leaving soon."
The butler hurried away. Phillip retrieved his glass of whiskey and thrust it into Penny's hand. "Drink, it will help calm you."
She peered into the cup, wrinkling her nose in distaste at the foul fumes and handed it back to him. "Don't want it."
He sighed and went on his haunches before her, grasping the glass, his hands covering her own and lifted it to her mouth. "Just a sip, you must be freezing."
She took a small sip and gagged, thrusting the glass away. "Oh lord! it tastes awful."
He set it aside and moved to sit beside her. "Now talk."
She nodded and took a deep breath, folding her hands on her laps. "I..woke up...went to use the...never mind that" she blushed when she realized what she had been about to say, and cleared her throat, "the barn door was open, so I went to investigate-thought it might be a burglar-but Bessie...our horse..was gone...called for Eddie and Lucy, but his room was empty-found the note...said he was on his way to Gretna Green to be married...came here so you could lend me a fast horse..."
He unfolded the note and perused the contents, "How long ago did you find this?"
She thought for a moment, "I...woke early, still not light outside...took maybe twenty minutes before...I saw the note."
He nodded, and rose to pace the room, while she followed his every move with her eyes, he rubbed at his jaw, feeling the rough stubble of overnight growth. "That does not help to know how long they have been gone."
She pressed a hand to her lips to stifle a sob, Phillip ceased his pacing and turned to her, noting how vulnerable and frightened she looked. He crossed to her and gathered her up into his arms. She melted against him with a cry, her soft body begging him for comfort and help. He stroked the silky cloud of her hair, inhaling it's lemony scent, wanting to drown his senses in her and never let go. What the hell was the matter with him?
He released her abruptly, the movement causing her dressing gown to part slightly, revealing the the very light night rail, the outline of her left nipple clearly visible. He felt an overwhelming surge of lust, completely inappropriate considering the fact that his fiancee had just runaway with another man.
Penny saw the flash of desire in Phillip's eyes before he turned away abruptly and strode to the doors. He paused with his hand on the handle and turned back to her, his voice cool and distant, all traces of the lust gone from his expression.
"You need to sit Miss Inglewood, I will send the house keeper up with some tea and a proper attire for you to wear if such can be obtained."
Realizing for the first time just what she was wearing and his own state of undress, Penny turned crimson in mortification. She hastily wrapped the dressing gown more securely, unable to meet his eyes or any other part of his body for that matter.
"W-where are you going?" she murmured softly, sinking back down to the sofa.
"I am going to see the viscount. Most likely the lady's disappearance has not yet been discovered. Then I intend to go in pursuit of the both of them. With any luck, they will make several stops at inns on the way. It will be possible to catch up with them if they do."
She rose, swaying a little as the room spun crazily for a moment. Clutching the back of the sofa for support, she finally met his eyes. "I will come with you."
He gave a bark of laughter and shook his head. "You can hardly stand and you are not even properly dressed. Even if you were, I do not wish for your company for you will only act as an annoying obstacle. Besides, there is no need to ruin your reputation by coming with me. I will
"Sit!" he ordered firmly. Startled by the hard tone, she immediately complied. "Now, you will tell me what has happened and do so slowly." He turned to the butler who was still hovering by the door unsure of what to do. "Leave. Prepare my horse, I will be leaving soon."
The butler hurried away. Phillip retrieved his glass of whiskey and thrust it into Penny's hand. "Drink, it will help calm you."
She peered into the cup, wrinkling her nose in distaste at the foul fumes and handed it back to him. "Don't want it."
He sighed and went on his haunches before her, grasping the glass, his hands covering her own and lifted it to her mouth. "Just a sip, you must be freezing."
She took a small sip and gagged, thrusting the glass away. "Oh lord! it tastes awful."
He set it aside and moved to sit beside her. "Now talk."
She nodded and took a deep breath, folding her hands on her laps. "I..woke up...went to use the...never mind that" she blushed when she realized what she had been about to say, and cleared her throat, "the barn door was open, so I went to investigate-thought it might be a burglar-but Bessie...our horse..was gone...called for Eddie and Lucy, but his room was empty-found the note...said he was on his way to Gretna Green to be married...came here so you could lend me a fast horse..."
He unfolded the note and perused the contents, "How long ago did you find this?"
She thought for a moment, "I...woke early, still not light outside...took maybe twenty minutes before...I saw the note."
He nodded, and rose to pace the room, while she followed his every move with her eyes, he rubbed at his jaw, feeling the rough stubble of overnight growth. "That does not help to know how long they have been gone."
She pressed a hand to her lips to stifle a sob, Phillip ceased his pacing and turned to her, noting how vulnerable and frightened she looked. He crossed to her and gathered her up into his arms. She melted against him with a cry, her soft body begging him for comfort and help. He stroked the silky cloud of her hair, inhaling it's lemony scent, wanting to drown his senses in her and never let go. What the hell was the matter with him?
He released her abruptly, the movement causing her dressing gown to part slightly, revealing the the very light night rail, the outline of her left nipple clearly visible. He felt an overwhelming surge of lust, completely inappropriate considering the fact that his fiancee had just runaway with another man.
Penny saw the flash of desire in Phillip's eyes before he turned away abruptly and strode to the doors. He paused with his hand on the handle and turned back to her, his voice cool and distant, all traces of the lust gone from his expression.
"You need to sit Miss Inglewood, I will send the house keeper up with some tea and a proper attire for you to wear if such can be obtained."
Realizing for the first time just what she was wearing and his own state of undress, Penny turned crimson in mortification. She hastily wrapped the dressing gown more securely, unable to meet his eyes or any other part of his body for that matter.
"W-where are you going?" she murmured softly, sinking back down to the sofa.
"I am going to see the viscount. Most likely the lady's disappearance has not yet been discovered. Then I intend to go in pursuit of the both of them. With any luck, they will make several stops at inns on the way. It will be possible to catch up with them if they do."
She rose, swaying a little as the room spun crazily for a moment. Clutching the back of the sofa for support, she finally met his eyes. "I will come with you."
He gave a bark of laughter and shook his head. "You can hardly stand and you are not even properly dressed. Even if you were, I do not wish for your company for you will only act as an annoying obstacle. Besides, there is no need to ruin your reputation by coming with me. I will
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