A drop of rain fell onto Simon's hair. He looked up at the dark clouds as a crack of thunder split the day. He could either ride Abbadon and get soaked to the skin, which would not improve his disposition in the slightest, or he could stay warm and dry in the coach. With her. He was safer on horseback. So was she. But as he turned to mount his hunter, he saw William slide into the coach along with Lily. Bloody hell. Now he had no choice.
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"You," he called to the driver, "attach these two horses to the back of the coach." He pointed to Abbadon and his brother's chestnut mount. Of course William had paid no mind to his own horse. As soon as the rogue spotted Lily, Simon was certain, every other thought had left his brother's mind.
He hauled the coach door open, glowering at William, whose innocent expression didn't fool him in the least. Simon settled himself beside Lily, across from his brother.
When the coach began moving forward, Simon leaned his head against the leather squabs and closed his eyes, willing the journey to be shorter than it was. If he didn't look at her, maybe he could control his lustful thoughts or maybe he could sleep.
It didn't work. She smelled delightful, like sweet magnolias, and he imagined himself tasting every inch of her. Simon groaned. He nearly jumped through the wall of the coach when her hand touched his cheek.
What the devil was wrong with her?
His eyes flew open to find Lily gaping at him with a horrified expression. Well, she should be horrified. She shouldn't go around touching creatures like him, not when she smelled the way she did. "What?" he growled.
"You made a sound." Her voice was very small. "Are you sure you're not hurt?"
He was about to hurt William, whose brow rose with mirth. "I already told you," Simon began, looking once again at Lily, trying not to notice that she'd unbuttoned her traveling cloak while his eyes were closed, trying not to notice how the swells of her breasts rose with each breath she took. "I'm not injured."
"I'm sorry—I mean, I'm glad—oh, never mind." She sat back in a huff, folding her arms across her chest and staring out at the darkening sky.
Simon winced. Didn't she know that made her breasts rise even further? Was she trying to get herself mauled?
He glanced across the coach at his brother, who'd noticed the same sight. If William touched her, Simon silently swore, he would break every bone in his younger sibling's body. The sneer he sent William was rewarded with an unrepentant wink. To hell with breaking Will's bones, he was simply going to kill him, quick and easy.
Simon turned his attention back to Lily, who seemed oblivious to everything else going on in the coach. He cleared his throat. "Miss Rutledge, my apologies. I'm not quite feeling myself at the moment. I didn't mean to bite your head off."
Fortunately, she uncrossed her arms, and then she turned to face him. "Thank you… for everything."
The image of her terrified expression in the taproom flashed in his mind. "What were you doing back there, Miss Rutledge? What are you doing traipsing across the countryside without a chaperone, for that matter?"
"A chaperone?" Her hazel eyes sparkled, and the most delightful laugh escaped her throat. "Honestly, Your Grace, I am quite on the shelf, raising a troubling twelve-year-old boy all by myself. Traveling alone is the least of my worries."
Thunder cracked overhead.
"Is Oliver twelve already?" Will asked, leaning forward in his seat, close enough to touch Lily's leg if he was of the mind to. He had better not, Simon thought. "He seemed a little scrap of a lad when I last saw him."
"He's hardly little anymore," she muttered to herself, though Simon clearly heard her, his senses more keen than most. Lily frowned at Will. "You last saw him, both of you, right after his parents died. I'm certain he's not the child you remember at all."#p#分页标题#e#
There was a rebuke in her voice. Simon chose to ignore it. He didn't know the first thing about raising a child, and Lily Rutledge had offered her services at the time. If she was unhappy with the arrangement, she should have said so earlier. "You say there've been changes in the boy?" he asked, hoping Billings was wrong in his assessment. "His development is worrisome?"
His brother's icy blue eyes flashed to Simon as understanding stretched across his brow. "His development?" Will echoed.
Lily nodded. "It's come on so suddenly. He's nearly doubled in size in no time at all. Just a month ago, he was quiet and sweet natured, but now he's angry and loud most of the time. I hardly recognize him."