It was a massive house, and they would have only so long before the gray light faded. Searching by candelight would be that much harder; with that prospect hovering, they were committed to searching thoroughly, yet as quickly as they could.
They’d agreed each floor had to be declared clear before any of them moved on to the next. On the ground floor, Del walked beside Deliah as she bustled down the corridor into the middle section of the wing to which they’d been assigned. Following them, Richard and Catriona were to search the rooms further along, to the wing’s end, while Vane and Patience had already disappeared into the room nearest the front hall.
The other couples were likewise spread throughout the house, down each of the main wings, and through the central section around the massive stairs.
Many footmen, all the parlor maids and housemaids, all the ladies’ maids and gentleman’s gentlemen-anyone familiar with the rooms abovestairs-were assisting, searching the smaller rooms, the service rooms, storage areas and cupboards hidden behind paneling or tucked between the main rooms. Grooms and stable lads, meanwhile, were positioned on all the stairs.
Reaching their appointed position along the wing, Del saluted Richard and Catriona, then followed Deliah into the billiard room.
She’d halted beside the massive table that dominated the room, looking around, taking stock. “There doesn’t seem all that many places to hide in here.”
“There’s cupboards along the side walls.” Del pointed out the doors cunningly set into the paneling. “They’re deep enough to hide a scrawny boy.”
Deliah nodded. “I’ll take this side.”
Del headed for the other side of the room. Although the billiard table currently held pride of place, this room had originally been a general indoor games room. The cupboards held boards, stacks of cards and assorted paraphernalia associated with various games popular with the aristocracy over the last…Del thought it must be something like a century. Some of the cupboards certainly held enough dust.
Across the room, Deliah sneezed, then muttered, “Ugh-there are spiders.”
A moment later, she reached the end of her wall of cupboards. Straightening, she noticed the heavy velvet curtains looped back with cords framing each of the wide windows. Each swag of gathered curtain was wide enough to hide a boy.
Walking to the windows, she patted and poked the first curtain, then continued along, subjecting the other curtains to the same treatment.
“No boy.” Turning, she arched a brow at Del. “Shall we move on?”
Before he rose, Del looked under the billiard table itself, then he nodded and straightened. “He’s definitely not in here.”
They only had two rooms to search on this level. The next proved to be a minor sitting room adjacent to the conservatory. The room was relatively small and contained no concealed cupboards. The two sideboards it did contain were easy to search, the few pieces of furniture easy to check beneath or behind.
“He’s not here either.” Through the window, Deliah could see Vane and Patience going down the avenues between the plants in the well-stocked conservatory. Every so often, one would duck to look under this palm, or behind that plant; when next she straightened, Patience flung a frowning glance over her shoulder at her spouse. “Perhaps we should help in the conservatory.”
Del came to stand beside Deliah. His lips curved as he looked into the glass-roofed room. “I think Vane has it in hand.”
Arching her brows, Deliah turned away. “In that case, we may as well wait in the corridor.”
As the searchers finished their allotted tasks, all returned to the wide corridors, shaking their heads when others looked inquiringly. Deliah considered the line of people gradually assembling along the wing. Richard and Catriona were strolling back to join them.
Gaze rising, she looked upward, thinking of the bedrooms, sitting rooms, bathing chambers and dressing rooms above. “If I were Sangay, I’d curl up in some unlikely spot-one that might be overlooked.”
Del nodded. “I’d wager that’s exactly what he’s done. And the rooms upstairs provide more scope for that.”
Vane and Patience emerged from the conservatory. Vane shook his head. Patience looked down, straightening her gown.
In the distance, Devil’s voice rang out. “All clear?”
Vane called back from their wing. They heard Gabriel reply from the other. Sangay wasn’t on the ground floor.
“Right, then!” Devil called. “Everyone back to the front hall, then it’s up to the first floor.”
Like well-ordered troops, they all headed for the hall.
Searching thoroughly ate the minutes; the light was starting to fade by the time Deliah and Del, along with all the others, trudged up the main stairs to the second floor.
All the men were starting to look a trifle grim.
Casting a glance at Del as she went past him into the first room they were due to search-a good-sized bedchamber-Deliah inwardly humphed. “I have to say that, quite aside from seeing a room through different eyes, Honoria was very wise in suggesting we search in pairs.” She halted by the foot of the four-poster bed and, hands on hips, surveyed the bedchamber. “At least this way there’s a lady with every overpowering man.”
Del threw her an uncomprehending frown as he walked to the armoire standing against one wall. “We aren’t overpowering.”
“Oh, yes, you are-even you. Or at least you’ll appear that way to a young boy who knows you’re after him.” She started with the bed, bending to check beneath it, then patting the pile of pillows and bolsters at its head.
Even though Sangay had some knowledge of Del, Del was still a man of action-a hard, military man. Even though he’d been out of uniform the entire time she’d known him, there was absolutely no chance of mistaking his bearing. Those shoulders, the way he moved.
As if seeking to refresh her memory, without conscious thought she glanced across the room.
Turning from the armoire, he caught her gaze. Held it for an instant, then slowly arched a brow. “What?”
She waved. “Nothing.” Suddenly feeling unaccountably warm, she turned and went to the window.
Del watched her pat down the cushions covering the wide window seat, then focus her attention on the swagged curtains. Noted the way her hands fluttered as she fussed. That glance she’d cast him…no matter what she said, it meant something. Said something.
Of how she saw him.
Given his resolution of the morning, put in abeyance but only postponed by the search, that-how she saw him-was something he wanted to know. Needed to know.
And, unlike every other couple he’d laid eyes on, he and she had yet to take a break from their searching to investigate other things.
Rounding the bed on silent feet, he closed in on her.
Finished with the window and its accoutrements, she turned-into his arms.
She started, startled, but her body knew his and softened immediately his arms closed around her.
Her widening eyes darted to the door.
Her lips parted-on what protest he didn’t need to know.
He swooped and covered them with his, took them in a long, lingering, searching kiss. With slow deliberation he filled her mouth, her mind, her senses, with something he wanted her to think about instead-him.
He kissed, and persuaded. Lured her into the silent communion, then used it.
Used the caress as a means to show her, to reveal and explain and cajole. He let all that he intended, all that he felt, well and flow through the interaction.
From him, to her.
This was what he felt for her, this was what he wanted, what he needed from her. The comfort, the inexpressible closeness, the simple joy.
The pleasure, yes, but beneath that, more important than that, he wanted and needed…her.