truly felt. He had never known a kiss to lie.
Suddenly there was a loud thunk. His already erratic heartbeat jumped to new heights until he remembered the book Ginny had been holding and was now hastily retrieving from the floor.
He stepped back and took a few deep breaths. How did he let the situation get so out of control? He must make an attempt at normalcy. “I recall that you planned to do a little reading before bed, Miss Delacourt. Don’t let me keep you”
Ginny stood up, her eyes full of angry tears. “No, I shan’t let you keep me, and if you think I would let you have me, you are like all the other men I have known, to my regret.”
Sir Anthony felt that familiar imperturbability come over him, almost unbidden.
“I am most sorry if I have offended you. I haven’t the faintest idea why I would do such a thing.”
Ginny’s eyes blazed with fury. “Perhaps this will help you remember,” she said. Then she hurled the book at him.
He wasn’t sure when Ginny actually left. He thought he heard the door slam, but it was difficult to tell with all the ringing in his head. The chit certainly had good aim. This time she had caught him without the protection of headgear, and there would be a good-size bruise on his forehead come morning.
He bent for the book and all the blood rushed to his head. He swore, long and competently. At least he knew what book she had chosen. The Taming of the Shrew wasn’t exactly what he would have selected as a sleep tonic, but it was better than some. Not that he would need aid in seeking Morpheus tonight. He was exhausted from reining in every emotion known to man in one short evening.
He finished undressing and climbed into bed. It felt wondrously good to close his eyes and rest his aching head on a soft pillow. If only he could banish the memory of Ginny’s tear-filled eyes from his mind, he could get the rest he longed for. He willed her from his head, from the house, and finally to Hades, but to no avail. She would not go.
He groaned and rolled over. Why couldn’t he conjure up the image of Ginny throwing that book at him? Certainly it would not inspire the tender feelings raised by the memory of how she had felt in his arms. For a moment he had felt he could be happy holding her that way forever.
He rubbed the painful lump growing on his forehead. He had come to his senses just in time. Could he have actually come close to kissing her? T’was appalling. For some reason, when around her, he found it most difficult to adopt the mask of indifference that had been his longtime number one defense.
He would have to steer a wide path around her until he regained control of himself. The house was rather small and company thin, but still it should not be too difficult a task since Ginny was furious with him and no doubt would avoid him as much as possible. In the meantime, he would have to find a way to get to sleep. With a curse, he jumped out of bed, dressed, and slipped outside.
The night was soft and balmy, with a high moon, perfect for a little night riding. What sheer relief it would be to ride fast and furious through the countryside, far away from the house and everyone in it. He made his way to the stables. It was pitch black inside, and he wondered how he would find the stable boy until he tripped over him where he had made his bed in the straw.
“Owww, eee! Wot’s yer lay, there?” the stable boy cried.
“Nothing nefarious, I assure you,” Sir Anthony replied. If he were bent on villainy, he would have had no need to leave the house. “Just find me a light and you’ll see you have nothing to fear.”
There was a shuffling and scraping as the boy found his lantern and lighted it. Swinging the lantern high, he peered up at Sir Anthony, taking in his well-cut clothes and cloudy expression. “You must be one of them swells staying up at the house”
Sir Anthony sketched a bow, allowing a fraction of a smile to play about his lips. “Indeed I am, and I
Suddenly there was a loud thunk. His already erratic heartbeat jumped to new heights until he remembered the book Ginny had been holding and was now hastily retrieving from the floor.
He stepped back and took a few deep breaths. How did he let the situation get so out of control? He must make an attempt at normalcy. “I recall that you planned to do a little reading before bed, Miss Delacourt. Don’t let me keep you”
Ginny stood up, her eyes full of angry tears. “No, I shan’t let you keep me, and if you think I would let you have me, you are like all the other men I have known, to my regret.”
Sir Anthony felt that familiar imperturbability come over him, almost unbidden.
“I am most sorry if I have offended you. I haven’t the faintest idea why I would do such a thing.”
Ginny’s eyes blazed with fury. “Perhaps this will help you remember,” she said. Then she hurled the book at him.
He wasn’t sure when Ginny actually left. He thought he heard the door slam, but it was difficult to tell with all the ringing in his head. The chit certainly had good aim. This time she had caught him without the protection of headgear, and there would be a good-size bruise on his forehead come morning.
He bent for the book and all the blood rushed to his head. He swore, long and competently. At least he knew what book she had chosen. The Taming of the Shrew wasn’t exactly what he would have selected as a sleep tonic, but it was better than some. Not that he would need aid in seeking Morpheus tonight. He was exhausted from reining in every emotion known to man in one short evening.
He finished undressing and climbed into bed. It felt wondrously good to close his eyes and rest his aching head on a soft pillow. If only he could banish the memory of Ginny’s tear-filled eyes from his mind, he could get the rest he longed for. He willed her from his head, from the house, and finally to Hades, but to no avail. She would not go.
He groaned and rolled over. Why couldn’t he conjure up the image of Ginny throwing that book at him? Certainly it would not inspire the tender feelings raised by the memory of how she had felt in his arms. For a moment he had felt he could be happy holding her that way forever.
He rubbed the painful lump growing on his forehead. He had come to his senses just in time. Could he have actually come close to kissing her? T’was appalling. For some reason, when around her, he found it most difficult to adopt the mask of indifference that had been his longtime number one defense.
He would have to steer a wide path around her until he regained control of himself. The house was rather small and company thin, but still it should not be too difficult a task since Ginny was furious with him and no doubt would avoid him as much as possible. In the meantime, he would have to find a way to get to sleep. With a curse, he jumped out of bed, dressed, and slipped outside.
The night was soft and balmy, with a high moon, perfect for a little night riding. What sheer relief it would be to ride fast and furious through the countryside, far away from the house and everyone in it. He made his way to the stables. It was pitch black inside, and he wondered how he would find the stable boy until he tripped over him where he had made his bed in the straw.
“Owww, eee! Wot’s yer lay, there?” the stable boy cried.
“Nothing nefarious, I assure you,” Sir Anthony replied. If he were bent on villainy, he would have had no need to leave the house. “Just find me a light and you’ll see you have nothing to fear.”
There was a shuffling and scraping as the boy found his lantern and lighted it. Swinging the lantern high, he peered up at Sir Anthony, taking in his well-cut clothes and cloudy expression. “You must be one of them swells staying up at the house”
Sir Anthony sketched a bow, allowing a fraction of a smile to play about his lips. “Indeed I am, and I
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