“’Night, Frost. G’night, Issybee!”
The latch clicked. Enshrouded in deafening silence, she turned toward Nicholas. “My father?”
“Won’t trouble you further. You have my word.”
Not at that knowledge so much as the realization that the man at her side would always be so—a true champion, she’d somehow stumbled in front of—Isabella felt her heart take flight. Her fear too. “I do believe I could levitate, you’ve made me so happy. I should’ve known if anyone could out order my father, it would be you.”
“Well, now that I know what a rotten arse you’ve been subjected to, I shall do my utmost never to issue another command within your earshot again.”
She wanted to graze her fingertips over the shadowed jaw of his face. The masculine stubble Isabella had felt during their kisses a time or two had made her breasts and body burn wildly. She wanted to turn toward his chest and touch him in ways no maiden should ever dream, but she contented herself with snuggling deeper into his embrace. “’Tis all right. From you I’ve come to feel cherished by them. No one but Mama ever treasured me the way you do. Only she never stole kisses.”
“Paid with berries, I’ll have you know.”
The corners of her mouth did levitate then. “They’ll be free from here on out.”
One finger trailed over her cheek. “Issybelle, was there no one else to deflect his wrath? No siblings or…anyone?”
She gave a slight shake of her head. “None who lived. After me, Mama carried five more babes. Two were stillborn. The others abandoned her body too soon. You…you don’t think that will happen with ours?”
“Nay! Somehow those little babes knew the time and place wasn’t right for them. They knew…”
“That my father’s a pompous arse?”
She heard a snort of laughter then he sobered. “Issybelle, I begin to think in you I’ve found my guardian angel, one who will soar at my side and correct me when needed, one who I cannot wait to share my life and love and the seed from my body with. But now I must address one more item before we proceed into the unending bliss I hope we advance toward with our every breath.”
He sounded so very solemn…almost unsure for once. She craved the sight of him, wished with all her heart she knew his countenance and could match inflection with an image. “What concerns you so?”
“You’ve no doubt heard how very uncaring I am? How even my mistress found me so lacking she gave me my congé? How my own mother died from despair over never seeing her neglectful, coldhearted bastard of—”
She did touch him then. Rammed her pointy elbow in his side. “Stop it, Nicholas! Whatever people may say, we both know those are untruths.”
“Do we?” She imagined the lift of an eyebrow at his flippant tone and wanted to clobber him then.
“I cannot answer as to the mistress part and cannot help but think that topic shall be one best left in the past—”
“Forevermore and gladly. Who needs a mistress when they have a goddess in their lap?” He suited action to words, pulling her close and leaning back into the corner nook of the sofa. “In their life, one can only pray…”
Ready to assure him he misread nothing, Isabella paused when he tensed beneath her. “But I find I must elucidate for my own peace of mind. May I?”
“Certainly.”
“Before I begin, share with me what you’ve been privy to so I may know the depths of grievances I must account for.”
Her heart melted at the seriousness with which he took the accounting she truly didn’t require. “Only that of your…” She bit her lip before proceeding, unwilling to wound him with her words. “Forbidding, unfeeling nature, which kept you apart from your mother. That and your propensity to glower.”
He blew out a frustrated-sounding breath. “You must understand the woman who delivered me of her loins considered her duty ended there. Nannies saw to my care and I enjoyed the sporadic attention of my papa, but my mother was an unpleasant shrew who criticized everyone and everything around her…with one sole exception. My sister Althea.”
“You have a sister! That’s—”
“I don’t, not…any longer.” He spoke so quietly, so gravely, Isabella knew not to interrupt again. Whatever burdens this man had been carrying, they chilled him to his soul. It was time he released them once and forever.
But though she waited patiently, further explanation failed to greet her ears. Finally, after another full minute of silence, Isabella encouraged, “Nicholas? Tell me what happened. I need to know.”