Lifting her chin, Aurora made a supreme effort to regain her composure. "You are making," she said, "quite an annoying habit of startling me to death, appearing suddenly and uninvited."
In response, Nicholas sat up and propped the pillows against the headboard, relaxing back among them. "You left your mask in the carriage when you ran away, so I thought I would return it to you. Like Cinderella's slipper."
Aurora couldn't help but stare at him, unwillingly admiring his bronzed skin and naked, muscled shoulders. She clenched her teeth, vexed at the way his physical attributes made her breathless. His knowing gaze irked her even more. He understood quite well the effect his near nudity had on her.
It was all she could do to keep her tone cool. "That hardly excuses your gall in sneaking into my room like a thief. You seem determined to cause a scandal – "
"I'm only determined to talk to you, love. We never finished our discussion about our future relationship."
"Well, my bedchamber is not the place to do it!"
"I'm not sure I agree with that," he murmured in a velvet undervoice laced with humor. "I can think of few places more enjoyable."
"Nicholas, you have to leave. Now, at once! Before I have you thrown out."
His expression turned thoughtful. "I must confess, I expected a more cordial reception than this from my wife. On our wedding night you were much warmer."
"On our wedding night, I thought you were about to die. We both thought so."
"You can't deny the fire we both felt that night."
"I can!" Aurora drew a measured breath, striving for control. "If we felt anything at all between us then, it was only an illusion… brought on by the despair of the moment."
"No," Nicholas said slowly. "It was very real, sweetheart. I didn't imagine it. And you are the same sensual, responsive woman I remember from that night. I know that now for a certainty."
Heat flushed her cheeks as she recalled just how wantonly she had responded to his erotic caresses moments ago.
She might have argued with him further but for the soft rap on the door. Aurora froze, watching in horror as her bedchamber door started to open.
In three strides she was across the room, pushing the door shut again.
"My lady," a female voice called through the oak paneling. "I've brought your morning chocolate."
"One moment," Aurora replied, almost frantic as she tried to think what to do. If the maid were to find Nicholas here, she would have no shred of reputation left.
Spinning, Aurora moved quickly over to the bed and yanked the bed curtains closed, concealing Nicholas behind the ivory brocade. She heard his soft chuckle as she returned to open the door, and had to grit her teeth at his misplaced humor. How could he put her in such a vulnerable position and laugh about it?
Stepping back, she allowed the maid to enter the room. Her heart hammering, Aurora tried not to glance at the bed curtains as the girl set the breakfast tray down on the bedside table.
"Thank you, Molly. You may go now."
"Yes, my lady."
With a curtsey, the maid left the room, and Aurora firmly bolted the door behind her.
"Is it safe yet?" Nicholas asked, his tone husky with laughter.
"Keep your voice down," she demanded in a fierce whisper. "The servants will hear you." She pulled open the curtains to find him lounging negligently on the bed, his dark eyes dancing. His audacity riled her to no end.
"There is no need for panic, Aurora."
"That is easy for you to say. It isn't your reputation that will be in shreds if a strange man is found in your bed."
"If a man were found in my bed, I expect my reputation would suffer no small amount. But there is little chance of that happening, since I am inordinately fond of women."
"Nicholas, this is not in the least amusing!"
"Oh, I think it is. I find it fascinating to see you in a passion. It requires work to make you lose that cool, regal air of yours."
Aurora raised her eyes to the ceiling, struggling for patience. "Will you put your clothes on and go away?"
"Where do you expect me to go?"
She controlled her vexation long enough to give him a quizzical look. "Don't you have somewhere to stay?"
"And if I said no? Would you take pity on me and invite me to live here with you?"
"I would have my butler help you to find lodgings," Aurora said repressively.
"You needn't trouble yourself, love."
"Seriously, where are you staying?"
"Aboard ship at the moment. But the docks are too far away for convenience, so I mean to take rooms at a hotel. I thought of staying with Wycliff – Brand claims a slight acquaintance with him – but Lucian is out of town, and the coincidence would only invite suspicion."
"I should think so," Aurora said in a tart undervoice. "You are mad even to be in this country. You are going to get yourself killed."
Ignoring her prediction, Nicholas glanced around the room. "This is a handsome bedchamber – I imagine the entire house is. You said you purchased it with your marriage settlement?"
"Yes." She gave him a questioning look. "You don't mean to go back on your word and nullify the settlement, do you?"
"Not at all. You earned it with your services to my sister."
"Yet you seem intent on destroying all my efforts on her behalf – and on giving me heart failure in the process."
"No, sweeting. I only want to talk. There is still the minor matter of our marriage to be resolved." He patted the mattress beside him. "Sit here beside me."
Aurora eyed him warily. "Surely you don't expect me to trust you after what you just did?"
"I thought you didn't wish the servants to hear. They will, you know, if I have to shout at you across the room."
His amused look suggested a reckless disregard for the consequences of discovery, but she didn't care to put his rashness to the test. With extreme reluctance, Aurora perched on the edge of the bed and crossed her arms over her chest defensively. "Very well, you may talk."
He contemplated her for a moment. "You seem eager to forget that you still have a husband."
"I am eager. I never expected this complication in our relationship, you must realize that."
"I do."
"I fulfilled my side of our bargain, Nicholas. You know quite well that lifetime commitment was no part of it. Our agreement was for one night only."
"So it was."
"Ours was to be a marriage of convenience, merely that."
"And it is no longer convenient for you."
"Or for you, either, I'm sure. You never wanted me for your wife."
"I think I could be persuaded to change my mind."
She gave him a startled look.
"We never had the chance to know each other," Nicholas said slowly. "To see if we would suit."
"The answer to that is quite obvious. You know very well we would never suit. You would never be happy with me – nor I with you. I could never fit into your world, among pirates and adventurers, on board a fighting ship. I would never feel comfortable with that kind of existence."
"I was considering settling down after the war ends."
"In America?"
"Yes. My home is in Virginia. My mother and sisters live there."
"What are you saying? That you want me to give up my life and return there as your wife?"
"I expect you would have to, since I obviously cannot remain in England."
Her gaze turned troubled. "This is my home, Nicholas. I have no desire to leave the only life I've known, to live in America among strangers. The war between our countries could last for years, and who knows when I could ever return here, or even see my family and friends."
"I didn't think you were overly fond of your family."