Elizabeth Drake

Chapter Ten 2

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There was only the faint glow of lamplight in one window. The house on Pristine St. looked as calm and somber as a cemetery. Ryan wondered if he had waited too long to deliver Vincent’s message. However, he had a few other things to attend to and the hour was not too late.

The carriage pulled up to the front of the house and Ryan considered leaving. After all, it was possible that Vincent’s lover would send him home early. Considering the wounds to his ribs, he would not be capable of too much anyway.

When the carriage came to a full stop the driver waited to see if he was going to step out. Even though the driver was supposed to open the door, Ryan never waited for him. However, this time appeared to be an exception. Ryan was not making any moves for the door nor was he giving any direction to drive on. Stepping down from his perch the coachman came to the door and held it open.

“I’m going,” Ryan snapped. He looked up to the windows of the building, but when Ryan noticed a silhouette behind the curtain, he easily assumed that Elizabeth had seen him.

She had no idea what he was doing. The carriage had pulled up several seconds before, but Ryan did not get out. Elizabeth tried to see if there was someone in the carriage with him. It was the only explanation that she could think of. However, after several moments of hesitation Ryan stepped out and began to walk up the steps.

The way that he hung his head bothered her It was as if something was terribly wrong. Adding his hesitation to the way that he held his posture Elizabeth suddenly feared the worst. It had been days since she had last seen Ryan. It did not seem like he would be there for a social call at that hour, especially since Vincent had not come home yet. There was no other explanation for his appearance. Something terrible must have happened to her brother.

Elizabeth grabbed the pale pink fabric of her gown and ran out of her room. The feeling of contentment that had fallen over her in the last few days vanished as she ran through the halls to the stairs.

Painful thoughts began to rise in her mind as she took every step with haste. Vincent had not been recovering from his wounds as well as Elizabeth was. If any of Andrew’s men were to have gotten a hold of him it could not have ended well.

Descending to the lower floor of the house Elizabeth saw Letti walk toward the entryway. The glow of the lamp made the moment seem almost eerie. As Letti pulled her shawl around her shoulders, she opened the door.

“Mr. Hawke,” the maid greeted him with caution. Elizabeth stood at a distance behind her and she could not see Ryan’s face. However, she stood just inside the entryway and waited for him to come in. It was not his intention to stay long. He only needed to recite the message and be on his way. If he were quick about it, he would not need to deal with Elizabeth at all.

“Good evening, Letti.” Removing his hat, he stepped through the door.

“It is about time that one of you showed up.” The little lady held her hands together. “I was beginning to get worried about you boys.” Her concern was genuine, and out of all Vincent’s staff Letti was Ryan’s favorite.

“You worry too much.” Ryan was not in the habit of smiling but he made the effort to smirk at her.

“Then… Vincent is fine,” Elizabeth cautiously stepped into the room and around Letti.

Ryan could not respond right away as he looked at her. Yards of pale pink material wrapped around her in a very suggestive manner. Her figure was hidden only by the tuft of decoration that lifted off her hips and backside. However, Elizabeth’s bodice left little to the imagination. Her face had recovered far better than he could have expected. The swelling had nearly subsided and the bruises were barely noticeable against the shape of the dress and the golden curls in her hair.

“Mr. Hawke,” she whispered.

Letti noticed the strange look in Ryan’s eyes, and although the maid could not decipher the meaning, she left the room without a word. Ryan watched Letti walk away before his attention returned to Elizabeth.

“Yes, he is fine.” His words were slow and soft. “He will just be a little late.”

“Where is he then?” Without realizing how much her appearance was affecting him Elizabeth stepped even closer.

Ryan decided to wait. If Elizabeth came to stand in front of him, he would reach for her, but if she stayed where she was and showed hesitation, he would ignore his desire. Until then, he would remain silent. Without realizing the weight of her actions Elizabeth stepped forward as she tried to make him answer her.

“Are you alright?”

The fact that he remained quiet bothered her to no end. Ryan had made a habit out of being rude and obnoxious. So, for him to stand there without saying a word was strange. The soft expression in his deep brown eyes pulled Elizabeth closer, until finally Ryan held out his hand.

“What is it?” She asked.

His silence drove her to place her hand in his. Elizabeth did not expect what happened next. Ryan pulled her closer, breathing in the scent of her hair and staring into her eyes. Then, without allowing her a second to question him, he reached his hand around her waist bringing her body to his.

Only a few days had passed since she was assaulted by Gatler. Ryan had no intentions of frightening her, but he also had no intentions of changing his mind. The confusion was evident in her crystalline eyes, but she did not pull away.

His lips gently brushed against hers. The moment was quick and brief, but when Elizabeth leaned forward Ryan took her lips again. The desire grew as his hands trailed across the pink satin, making a quiet rustling noise. Innocently and with reserve, Elizabeth lifted her chin excepting every kiss.

Even though it felt like he was crushing her, every move was slow and seductive. The only error Ryan made was when he touched the base of her neck. The thought of his fingers entwined in her hair brought back terrifying memories of Gatler. Reacting on instinct alone, she gently pulled away. Knowing he had made a mistake, Ryan let her go.

Immediately, she wanted to apologize. She did not want him to stop, but the blank expression in his dark brown eyes had returned. Even as Elizabeth opened her mouth to speak, she knew it was too late. When she raised her hand to his face, Ryan stepped away. Without a sound, he turned, walked out of the door, and closed it behind him. Elizabeth instantly regretted her actions. Yet, as she stared at the closed door, she knew that Ryan regretted his as well.