most difficult task in the world. She wore a white sleeping gown with lace about her neck and wrists, and her midnight-hair spilled down her shoulders like a chocolate waterfall.
“—and then I’ll filch some of the servant’s clothes and meet you at the back of the house, near the alley where the milkman makes his deliveries.” She tapped her finger on her chin.
Her delicious red lips and cloudless-sky-blue eyes showed even in the single flickering light of the lantern on her nightstand.
“Make sure to pinch a set of clothes for yourself as well. I think the stableman’s wardrobe would suit you.” As she waved her ruffled sleeves, the scent of rosewater wafted in his direction.
He dug his fingers into the wooden armrests. “What the devil are you talking about?”
“Oh, keep up, James! Just explain about anarchy to me and let’s go catch the spies.”
In a second, he moved to her bedside and leaned over, grasping her thin shoulders. So fragile. She trusted people too soon and would fall prey in a heartbeat. It would be so easy for an evildoer to harm her, again .
He gave her a little shake. “You will have nothing to do with the spy ring. It’s dangerous. Don’t you understand they were attempting to kill you tonight?”
“But I—”
“No buts, Ellen, I’m serious. Promise me you’ll stay at the house and with your aunt. Say you’ll forget about the anarchists.”
“Never! You can’t tell me what to do. We’re in this together now.”
“Ellen, if something bad happened to you … I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”
“Because you care about me?”
He ran a hand over his jaw. “Because I saw Lewis experience the pain of losing one sister already. As far as it depends upon me, I won’t watch him lose another one.”
“So that’s the only reason? For Lewis?” She spat the words at him, her eyes narrowing.
“It’s dangerous.”
“If it’s too dangerous for me, then why are you doing it?”
He tipped his head back and stared up at the ceiling. “Because my life doesn’t mean as much as yours.”
She grabbed his hand, flipped it over and pressed a kiss to his palm. “It does to me. I’m in love with you,” she whispered.
The words he’d dreamt about hearing from her lips for the last year now made his skin grow cold. Maybe Prissy was right about him leading girls on. Nausea raced up his throat. Ellen and James could never be together. It’d be treachery to Lewis. His best friend had warned James once before to keep his eyes off his sister. And here he’d gone and betrayed Lewis’s trust the second Lewis wasn’t around.
James jerked his hand from her grasp and moved to pace at the end of the bed. “No, you don’t. You’re confused. It’s my fault. I never should have kissed you.”
She ripped off her covers and pounced into his way. He reeled backwards and averted his eyes.
With clenched fists, her arms trembled. “You will not tell me my own mind, James Kent. You might have been able to trick me when I was a child, but I’m not a little girl anymore. I know you care about me. You wouldn’t have jumped into the water if you didn’t.”
His lip pulled into a snarl. “Any decent human would—”
“And that might have been my first kiss.” Ellen crossed her arms, eyes flashing rage. “But I’m smart enough to know you felt more than brotherly affection during it.”
Reaching for the knots on his neck, James expelled a long breath. “Hardly brotherly indeed.”
“Ha!” A sharp finger jabbed his chest. “You admit you love me.”
He closed his eyes, messaged his fingers over his forehead. “If so, what does it matter? We can never be together.”
“That’s absurd. If we love each other, why should we be kept apart?”
Opening his eyes, he took in the beautiful sight of her. Stunning, really. Angry tears clung to Ellen’s long lashes as she tipped back her head to look up at him. Flushed cheeks gave her creamy skin a tantalizing glow.
“—and then I’ll filch some of the servant’s clothes and meet you at the back of the house, near the alley where the milkman makes his deliveries.” She tapped her finger on her chin.
Her delicious red lips and cloudless-sky-blue eyes showed even in the single flickering light of the lantern on her nightstand.
“Make sure to pinch a set of clothes for yourself as well. I think the stableman’s wardrobe would suit you.” As she waved her ruffled sleeves, the scent of rosewater wafted in his direction.
He dug his fingers into the wooden armrests. “What the devil are you talking about?”
“Oh, keep up, James! Just explain about anarchy to me and let’s go catch the spies.”
In a second, he moved to her bedside and leaned over, grasping her thin shoulders. So fragile. She trusted people too soon and would fall prey in a heartbeat. It would be so easy for an evildoer to harm her, again .
He gave her a little shake. “You will have nothing to do with the spy ring. It’s dangerous. Don’t you understand they were attempting to kill you tonight?”
“But I—”
“No buts, Ellen, I’m serious. Promise me you’ll stay at the house and with your aunt. Say you’ll forget about the anarchists.”
“Never! You can’t tell me what to do. We’re in this together now.”
“Ellen, if something bad happened to you … I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”
“Because you care about me?”
He ran a hand over his jaw. “Because I saw Lewis experience the pain of losing one sister already. As far as it depends upon me, I won’t watch him lose another one.”
“So that’s the only reason? For Lewis?” She spat the words at him, her eyes narrowing.
“It’s dangerous.”
“If it’s too dangerous for me, then why are you doing it?”
He tipped his head back and stared up at the ceiling. “Because my life doesn’t mean as much as yours.”
She grabbed his hand, flipped it over and pressed a kiss to his palm. “It does to me. I’m in love with you,” she whispered.
The words he’d dreamt about hearing from her lips for the last year now made his skin grow cold. Maybe Prissy was right about him leading girls on. Nausea raced up his throat. Ellen and James could never be together. It’d be treachery to Lewis. His best friend had warned James once before to keep his eyes off his sister. And here he’d gone and betrayed Lewis’s trust the second Lewis wasn’t around.
James jerked his hand from her grasp and moved to pace at the end of the bed. “No, you don’t. You’re confused. It’s my fault. I never should have kissed you.”
She ripped off her covers and pounced into his way. He reeled backwards and averted his eyes.
With clenched fists, her arms trembled. “You will not tell me my own mind, James Kent. You might have been able to trick me when I was a child, but I’m not a little girl anymore. I know you care about me. You wouldn’t have jumped into the water if you didn’t.”
His lip pulled into a snarl. “Any decent human would—”
“And that might have been my first kiss.” Ellen crossed her arms, eyes flashing rage. “But I’m smart enough to know you felt more than brotherly affection during it.”
Reaching for the knots on his neck, James expelled a long breath. “Hardly brotherly indeed.”
“Ha!” A sharp finger jabbed his chest. “You admit you love me.”
He closed his eyes, messaged his fingers over his forehead. “If so, what does it matter? We can never be together.”
“That’s absurd. If we love each other, why should we be kept apart?”
Opening his eyes, he took in the beautiful sight of her. Stunning, really. Angry tears clung to Ellen’s long lashes as she tipped back her head to look up at him. Flushed cheeks gave her creamy skin a tantalizing glow.
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