Free Cinders and Ashes by Rebecca King Page B

and leading her over to the bed.
    With any
other woman he would not have passed up the opportunity to bed her,
and would have seduced the dress off her back within minutes of her
appearing at the cottage door. With Amelia, he simply couldn’t. She
deserved more than a quick tumble.
    Their
first time together was going to be at his home, in a nice warm
bed. A nice soft bed, with plenty of thick blankets. In a warm
bedroom, in a house where they wouldn’t have to get up and worry
about food, heating or work.
    Ruefully
shaking his head, Sebastian tried to be as casual and non-sexual as
possible as he lay down, adopting the same position they had slept
in the night before. He sighed with relief when, without question,
Amelia settled down beside him. This time, he didn’t wait for her
to go to sleep before he tugged her close. As soon as she lay down,
his arm slid around her waist and he tugged her back against his
chest with one arm as he wrapped them in the layers of blankets
before settling down himself.
    “ Goodnight, Amelia,” he whispered, unsurprised when his only
response was a soft snore.

CHAPTER FOUR

    Amelia
was growing more despondent by the day. Sebastian was visibly
stronger, and could now move freely without wincing in
pain.
    Unable
to remain in the small cottage a moment longer than was absolutely
necessary, he had taken on the task of collecting branches from the
trees for the fire, and now spent most of his day
outside.
    Although
Amelia was pleased for him, she had forgotten just how lonely
living by herself had been. Or how much she missed having someone
to talk to other than Sir Hubert, and the occasional
villager.
    For
Amelia, the nights were the best. Being able to lie within
Sebastian’s warm embrace while she slept was simply divine. She
wondered how she was ever going to get to sleep in her rickety cot
by herself once he had gone.
    Closing
off the melancholy thoughts that threatened to overwhelm her, she
opened the door to the main house, calling out to Sir Hubert as she
went.
     
    Sebastian looked at the small pile of food left on the table.
With any luck it would get them through dinner, and maybe breakfast
if they ate sparingly. They had to leave tomorrow.
    “ There goeth another problem,” Sebastian muttered, as he considered the options. How do they
get to Tingdale? Over the past few days his strength had returned
and he had lengthened his daily walks. Having found Sir Hubert’s
house, he had discovered there was no conveyance there that would
get them to the village, let alone half way across the country.
That left Bestwick.
    Although
he had yet to tell Amelia, Lord Bestwick was friends with his
younger brother, Edward. Several years younger than Sebastian’s
four and thirty, Arthur Bestwick had gone to university with his
young sibling. Sebastian had met the man on several occasions, and
felt comfortable with asking for his help. That left him with
another problem.
    Amelia.
    Although Amelia had begrudgingly accepted sharing a bed with
him, Sebastian still sensed her underlying hesitation towards him.
He didn’t think he had done anything to offend her. Besides landing half-dead on her doorstep, in the
middle of a raging storm. Oh, and eating all of her meagre supply
of food, he thought ruefully.
    She
seemed to enjoy lying in his arms at night, and had conversed
freely with him in the hour between when she returned from work,
and they made their way to bed. She also appeared to actually enjoy
his embrace during the night, actively seeking him out if he turned
over. Despite her apparent contentment with their situation, he
wasn’t sure she trusted him enough to give up her home and
livelihood, and accompany him back to Tingdale.
    Given
she was a single woman living alone; he supposed he couldn’t blame
her for being wary. Despite the discomfort to his libido, he had
remained true to his word and been a gentleman. He had remained
fully clothed while they slept and ensured that there was