with. Surely everyone was asleep, so would it matter if she ventured below in only her chemise?
Another groan. No. She couldn’t risk it, and so the shawl went around her shoulders.
Rising from her bed was a challenge, although a hand pressed to her side helped. Still, she had to brace one hand against her bed to steady herself as tears blurred her vision and her head spun.
Gradually, her head cleared and the nausea abated. She lit the candle in the dish beside her bed and then, slow step by slow step, she crept out of her room and down below.
The entire house was dark. Garrett must have come in with extreme quietness, for she hadn’t heard the front door open and close. The house was still and peaceful, the shadowy darkness almost comforting as she moved down the hallway toward his office.
She opened the door and stepped inside. There, just as she’d remembered, the crystal decanter, half-filled with amber liquid, stood on the small table behind the desk.
Her hand shook as she lifted the stopper, which clinked as it struck the decanter’s lip. She poured a splash of brandy into a crystal glass and just stared down at the glass for a long moment. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so on edge. She kept waiting for Garrett to pop out at her from behind one of the rich burgundy velvet drapes and fire her on the spot.
“Oh, stop being such a ninny,” she chided, curling her fingers about the glass. “Just drink it already.”
Taking as deep a breath as she could, she lifted the glass, tilted her head back and swallowed the brandy in one mouthful. She promptly choked, as the liquor burned a flaming path down her throat. But that didn’t even come close to matching the burst of fire in her belly as the brandy splashed into it.
“Next time, sweetheart, you might wish to take a smaller sip. A bit more ladylike, and it won’t burn quite so badly.”
She started at the soft voice floating over her shoulder. The blaze in her belly turned into a slice of fire through her side as she spun around to see Garrett lounging against the partially open door, arms folded over his chest, legs crossed at the ankles and a slight grin playing at his lips.
“Oh. I…that is…” Katherine stammered, wanting to clutch at her side but not wanting to let him know she’d hurt herself. As her voice died away, he lifted one brow. She sighed, a feeling of iron dread rushing through her. “Very well. I will have my things cleared out of my room in the morning, then.”
“Really? Leaving so soon, are you?”
Perhaps she hadn’t heard him right. Then came the sensual smile still playing at his lips. If she wasn’t already rattled enough, his smile would certainly send her right around the bend.
“I — I, that is, you are not about to fire me?”
“Fire you?” He uncrossed his arms and entered the room in three long strides. “Why on earth would I do that?”
“For-for this, of course.” She gestured to the brandy, then the empty glass still clutched in her hand.
“My dear, I don’t give a damn if you take a sip every now and again. We all have a little trouble sleeping from time to time.” He arched that blasted brow again. “You were feeling a little restless this evening, weren’t you? It isn’t a habit I’m only now finding out about, is it?”
“Yes, that is, no, it isn’t a habit. I was having a bit of trouble sleeping, I’m afraid.”
He took another step closer. “If the bourbon fails, I’ve another solution that will most likely work.”
She glared down at the decanter, her brows knit. “Bourbon? I thought it was brandy. No wonder it went down so harshly.”
Garrett laughed, closing the gap between them. “Sorry, sweetheart. Brandy’s not high on my list of preferred liquor.”
All too aware of his proximity, she gripped the fringed ends of her shawl with her free hand and held them tight together as she looked up at him. “You mentioned another solution? I don’t think
Another groan. No. She couldn’t risk it, and so the shawl went around her shoulders.
Rising from her bed was a challenge, although a hand pressed to her side helped. Still, she had to brace one hand against her bed to steady herself as tears blurred her vision and her head spun.
Gradually, her head cleared and the nausea abated. She lit the candle in the dish beside her bed and then, slow step by slow step, she crept out of her room and down below.
The entire house was dark. Garrett must have come in with extreme quietness, for she hadn’t heard the front door open and close. The house was still and peaceful, the shadowy darkness almost comforting as she moved down the hallway toward his office.
She opened the door and stepped inside. There, just as she’d remembered, the crystal decanter, half-filled with amber liquid, stood on the small table behind the desk.
Her hand shook as she lifted the stopper, which clinked as it struck the decanter’s lip. She poured a splash of brandy into a crystal glass and just stared down at the glass for a long moment. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so on edge. She kept waiting for Garrett to pop out at her from behind one of the rich burgundy velvet drapes and fire her on the spot.
“Oh, stop being such a ninny,” she chided, curling her fingers about the glass. “Just drink it already.”
Taking as deep a breath as she could, she lifted the glass, tilted her head back and swallowed the brandy in one mouthful. She promptly choked, as the liquor burned a flaming path down her throat. But that didn’t even come close to matching the burst of fire in her belly as the brandy splashed into it.
“Next time, sweetheart, you might wish to take a smaller sip. A bit more ladylike, and it won’t burn quite so badly.”
She started at the soft voice floating over her shoulder. The blaze in her belly turned into a slice of fire through her side as she spun around to see Garrett lounging against the partially open door, arms folded over his chest, legs crossed at the ankles and a slight grin playing at his lips.
“Oh. I…that is…” Katherine stammered, wanting to clutch at her side but not wanting to let him know she’d hurt herself. As her voice died away, he lifted one brow. She sighed, a feeling of iron dread rushing through her. “Very well. I will have my things cleared out of my room in the morning, then.”
“Really? Leaving so soon, are you?”
Perhaps she hadn’t heard him right. Then came the sensual smile still playing at his lips. If she wasn’t already rattled enough, his smile would certainly send her right around the bend.
“I — I, that is, you are not about to fire me?”
“Fire you?” He uncrossed his arms and entered the room in three long strides. “Why on earth would I do that?”
“For-for this, of course.” She gestured to the brandy, then the empty glass still clutched in her hand.
“My dear, I don’t give a damn if you take a sip every now and again. We all have a little trouble sleeping from time to time.” He arched that blasted brow again. “You were feeling a little restless this evening, weren’t you? It isn’t a habit I’m only now finding out about, is it?”
“Yes, that is, no, it isn’t a habit. I was having a bit of trouble sleeping, I’m afraid.”
He took another step closer. “If the bourbon fails, I’ve another solution that will most likely work.”
She glared down at the decanter, her brows knit. “Bourbon? I thought it was brandy. No wonder it went down so harshly.”
Garrett laughed, closing the gap between them. “Sorry, sweetheart. Brandy’s not high on my list of preferred liquor.”
All too aware of his proximity, she gripped the fringed ends of her shawl with her free hand and held them tight together as she looked up at him. “You mentioned another solution? I don’t think
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