Page 25 (1/2)

"I’ll just go over to the corner," she said

"I’m already under the covers"

Indeed he was While she’d been fetching her nightgown, he’d slid down until he was supine and had pulled the blanket over his face

She would have laughed if she were not so utterly mortified herself

With quick and efficientand jaown It covered her from head to toe, just as much as any of her day frocks, and certainly oould, but still, she felt indecently exposed

She norave her hair fifty strokes with a brush before bed, but this seemed excessive, especially while he had a blanket over his head, so instead she braided it into a sleeping plait As for her teethShe looked down at the toothbrush and powder she’d brought with her froland, then back over at the bed Edward had not ht," she said Maybe it would

She set the toothbrush back in the wardrobe and hurried over to the far side of the bed Carefully, so as to disturb as little of the bedclothes as possible, she lifted the blanket and crawled in

"You can open your eyes now," she said

He uncovered his face "You’re very far away," he said

Cecilia pulled her right leg, which was half hanging off the side, back onto the bed "I think it’s best," she said She leaned over and blew out the candle, allowing darkness to wash over the roo next to her

"Good night, Cecilia," he said

"Good night" She shifted her position, rolling aardly onto her side with her back to hiht side with her hands tucked under her cheek like a prayer But it didn’t feel coht, and it certainly didn’t feel natural

She’d never fall asleep Never

And yet, sos to Lieutenant Rokesby and assure his do not write as often as I, it can only be because they lead farbut dull this ti but dull It is a good thing, then, that I prefer an uneventful life

--from Cecilia Harcourt to her brother Tho, his ly delightful dream He was in a bed, which was noteworthy in itself--he was fairly sure he had not slept in a proper bed in months And he ar these oppressive New York su in this dream; it was all about the feel of it The cloudlike coer to bask in the happy sensations He’d woken up stiff, as he often did, but without the acco could coainst a very delightful botto little cleft that cradled him in a cozy, feminine embrace

His hand stole down to cup one of her cheeks

He sighed Perfection

He’d always liked women, liked the soft curves of their bodies, the way their skin lay pale and tender against his He’d never been a rogue, nor had he been indiscrio his father had pulled him aside and put the fear of God and pox in him And so while Edward had visited brothels with his friends, he’d never partaken of the goods It was far safer, and in his opinion probably a great deal more pleasurable, to lie with a woman one actually knew Discreet s, er

But discreet s and opera singers were not thick on the ground in the A time since he’d found himself so blissfully entwined with a set of female limbs

He did love the feel of a o him