The Redemption of a Rogue, стр. 49

Chapter 17

Imogen opened her eyes and looked around. She was in Oscar’s room, which was not an uncommon place for her to wake. The more uncommon element was that he was still abed beside her, despite the light coming in around the corners of the curtains, which told her it was late in the day.

They had not made love the night before. He hadn’t suggested it, she hadn’t the energy to do so, but he’d still taken her to his bed, helped her undress and held her. Held her all night, soothing her when the nightmares raged.

She rolled over now to face him and found he was watching her through a hooded gaze. Her entire body twitched with desire, despite the terrible circumstances. She ignored it and reached up to trace the angle of his jaw. His whiskers tickled her palm, and she smiled at the sensation. “Good morning.”

His lips were tight as he nodded. “I would ask you if you slept well, but I know the answer, I fear.”

“My nightmares troubled you,” she said with a shake of her head. “I’m sorry. I should sleep in my own room rather than keep you up all night.”

He lifted his fingers to her lips and pressed there gently. “It isn’t about my quality of sleep, Imogen. It never was. I rarely sleep more than a few hours any night, whether you are here in my home or not.”

“Why?” she asked, tilting her head at the thought.

He shrugged. “My mind is too busy, I suppose. Or maybe I don’t like my dreams, either.”

“What do you dream about?” she whispered.

He eased onto his back and hauled her tighter against his side. As he stared up at the ceiling above them, she remained quiet, hoping whatever space she gave him might encourage him to let her in just a little.

She needed that.

“My father,” he said at last. “I often dream of the last Duke of Roseford. I dream of the day he left. I dream of looking in the mirror and seeing his face.”

Her brow wrinkled. “Your father’s reputation is still spoken about in hushed whispers in the circles that matter. And there is nothing I’ve seen in you that has ever reminded me of the rumors about him.”

He shrugged, but despite that, it was evident this topic meant far more to him than he was allowing her to see. “Perhaps. I’ve worked hard not to be anything like him. But the blood breaks through, I fear, from time to time.” He let out a long sigh. “Whenever I hear those whispers, the ones you talk about, I cringe. Whenever some fop comes up to me in my club and starts in on how much he looked up to the last Duke of Roseford and his never-ending quest for pleasure, my stomach turns.”

She traced her fingers along his chest. “I wonder how your brother feels. The one who holds the title now.”

“Robert?” Oscar said slowly, as if saying the name was difficult. “He was like him. So much like him. And then he…wasn’t anymore. Just like that, like some kind of lightning bolt hit and changed him.”

“Love, they say,” she whispered, thinking of the rumors that had run wild a few years ago when the new Duke of Roseford wooed and wed his duchess. Imogen had waxed romantic about it one day, and Huxley had made some sharp comment about love not existing. Just another reminder that she couldn’t have what she wanted.

Now she looked up at the man who held her, and wanted…

No, she wouldn’t let herself think that. She wouldn’t let herself crave the lightning bolt he described. Those sorts of things only existed for a few lucky souls, and Oscar was nothing but clear to her about his boundaries.

She snuggled a little closer and his arms tightened around her. He was warm and solid and whole, that was what mattered right now. He was here and he would protect her, if nothing else.

“Did you enjoy your day out?” he asked. “Despite the end?”

She lifted her head. “I did,” she said. “It’s a funny thing. In my heart, I am not the kind of woman who craves parties every night or to have a dozen friends. I’ve always preferred a quiet night in reading a book to bustling about constantly. But being here, not being able to leave for my own safety, it has made me realize how much the choice of staying in or going out means. That moment when I realize I can’t just stroll over to the park or call on a friend…it hits me. So I very much appreciated you allowing me that moment of normalcy yesterday.”

“I’m glad,” he said, and there was that flutter of a smile around the edges of his mouth again. “It was a pleasure watching you. I know I’ve been hard on you about staying in or not contacting your friend. So I was happy to have the connections required to allow us a private showing of Carlton’s collection.”

She worried her lip as he continued. He didn’t know that she had thwarted his order and reached out to Aurora. Here he was going on about offering her a respite and being apologetic about his stiff rules, and she was lying to him.

She didn’t want to do that. Especially since he would find out soon enough. Aurora had said in her letter when she meant to be back in London, so Imogen had asked her to meet as soon as she returned. Just a few days now, for she knew Aurora would do everything in her power to make that meeting. Oscar would have to know about those plans at some point.

She cleared her throat as she sat up and stared down at him. The moment she moved, his gaze narrowed and his mouth tightened. “Imogen…” he said.

She worried her lip. “Can you read me so well?”

“I can see your expression