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He kissed her and loved her in utter silence Nothing else existed but this twilit room with Beth under him--not Hart, not Fellows, not the ht into her eyes, but he evaded her If Ian looked directly at her, he’d get lost, and he didn’t want to distract hi into her

He loved her until the sky brightened, the short night rushing past She smiled sleepily at him as he withdrew the final ti onto the bed beside her

He slid his arainst hi hie, strong hand covering her sliainst her white skin Ian would keep her safe with him here, so safe she’d never, ever want to leave When Beth woke, she found the covers pulled around her and Ian still with her Before she could ask about breakfast, his smile turned predatory He pressed her back into the pillows and ain, swift and hard, until she was breathless with it

"We should get up now," she whispered when he lay still again, on top of her, idly kissing her neck "Why?"

"Won’t your brother expect us for breakfast?"

"I told Curry to serve us in here"

Beth stroked his cheek "I certainly hope you pay Curry high wages"

"He doesn’t complain"

"He stayed in the asylum with you?"

"Cameron sent him to look after me when I was fifteen Cam decided I needed soht I was aa tray heavy with silver and porcelain Ian didn’t get up, but made sure Beth was covered while Curry pulled a table to the bed and set the tray on it

As he had in Paris, Curry pretended he couldn’t see Beth as he set out the breakfast and poured fragrant tea into the waiting cups He’d even brought newspapers froh, which he folded beside the plates

He also deposited a few letters

Beth felt like a decadent lady, lolling about in bed while a servant brought her food and drink Mrs Barrington never held with breakfast in bed, even in her last, weak days Curry left therin at Ian, and Ian decided he’d rather feed Beth in bed than have the her bits of bread and butter and feeding her eggs frohing when he refused to give it to her

Ian smiled, too, and then let Beth feed hi his lap while she did it

The whole day was like this--Ianin the bed reading the newspapers while Curry brought the an aristocratic lady," Beth said as the afternoon wore on "I’ to rise at dawn and wait on someone else"

"My servants ait on you now"