“We could break a window," Emily suggested at one point.
“Ordinarily I would. But if the servants should come running, how do I explain your presence? A month wouldn't go by before they have us in front of the vicar."
“I could hide in the bushes until it was safe to come out."
“I'm not leaving you here by yourself." His tone was surly, and she decided not to press him any further.
They had come full circle. Emily's feet were freezing, and she clinched her teeth to keep them from chattering. When Gabriel stepped back to better survey the back of the house, she sank down on the flagstone, wrapping her gown and robe closely about her bare toes.
Gabriel was at her side instantly, shrugging out of his jacket and dropping it around her shoulders. "Emily, why didn't you say something before now? I forgot about you not having shoes."
“Oh pooh, I figure we have more important matters to worry about," she said, staring at the house.
But he wasn't attending to her. Following his gaze, she saw the ivy vines clinging to the corner of the house. No window was immediately next to it. But she noticed the stone ledge, perhaps six inches wide, that ran the length of the house. And the first window on the second floor was open.
“My lord—er, Gab?" She didn't have to explain; he knew what she meant.
“I see it."
“If I--"
“Like bloody hell, Em."
“But the ivy will not hold your weight."
“No, but the drain pipe the ivy's hiding will. The vine will only make it easer to hang on."
She saw another problem. "That ledge is made of limestone."
“Yes."
“It is old and will probably crumble under your weight."
He looked at her for a long moment. "Don't even think about it, Emily."
"Now, Gab, don't be pigheaded," she began, then immediately recognized her error. He was giving her the same look Tom and Nick did whenever she used that tone. Another tactic was in order.
She smiled sweetly. "What I mean is--"
“I know exactly what you mean. And you can forget it along with the act. You were right the first time. I am pigheaded."
They glowered at one another for all of a minute before Emily finally shrugged her shoulders. She could see he wasn't going to listen to reason. Besides, she was cold, and the faster they got inside the better. "Suit yourself," she said, "but it will be all the worse for me when I have to explain why your corpse is laid out in the garden."
Gabriel was fascinated, angry too, but fascinated. Never had he met a girl like Emily. He could see she was cold and yet she'd said nothing, realizing the futility of complaining. And damn, she was right. The pipe would support his weight, but the ledge was another matter. Did he dare chance this adorable girl's life, though? Damn, did they have a choice?
He reached his hand out to help her up. "All right, Emily. We do it your way."
“Great!" she said, taking his hand and bouncing up on her toes.
“Not so fast." He grabbed her arms as she made to fly by him. "We will do this exactly as I say."
She gave him a steady look. She was beginning to realize that the Viscount wasn't like Tom or Nicholas or any other man she’d met before. "What do you mean?"
“Ordinarily I would. But if the servants should come running, how do I explain your presence? A month wouldn't go by before they have us in front of the vicar."
“I could hide in the bushes until it was safe to come out."
“I'm not leaving you here by yourself." His tone was surly, and she decided not to press him any further.
They had come full circle. Emily's feet were freezing, and she clinched her teeth to keep them from chattering. When Gabriel stepped back to better survey the back of the house, she sank down on the flagstone, wrapping her gown and robe closely about her bare toes.
Gabriel was at her side instantly, shrugging out of his jacket and dropping it around her shoulders. "Emily, why didn't you say something before now? I forgot about you not having shoes."
“Oh pooh, I figure we have more important matters to worry about," she said, staring at the house.
But he wasn't attending to her. Following his gaze, she saw the ivy vines clinging to the corner of the house. No window was immediately next to it. But she noticed the stone ledge, perhaps six inches wide, that ran the length of the house. And the first window on the second floor was open.
“My lord—er, Gab?" She didn't have to explain; he knew what she meant.
“I see it."
“If I--"
“Like bloody hell, Em."
“But the ivy will not hold your weight."
“No, but the drain pipe the ivy's hiding will. The vine will only make it easer to hang on."
She saw another problem. "That ledge is made of limestone."
“Yes."
“It is old and will probably crumble under your weight."
He looked at her for a long moment. "Don't even think about it, Emily."
"Now, Gab, don't be pigheaded," she began, then immediately recognized her error. He was giving her the same look Tom and Nick did whenever she used that tone. Another tactic was in order.
She smiled sweetly. "What I mean is--"
“I know exactly what you mean. And you can forget it along with the act. You were right the first time. I am pigheaded."
They glowered at one another for all of a minute before Emily finally shrugged her shoulders. She could see he wasn't going to listen to reason. Besides, she was cold, and the faster they got inside the better. "Suit yourself," she said, "but it will be all the worse for me when I have to explain why your corpse is laid out in the garden."
Gabriel was fascinated, angry too, but fascinated. Never had he met a girl like Emily. He could see she was cold and yet she'd said nothing, realizing the futility of complaining. And damn, she was right. The pipe would support his weight, but the ledge was another matter. Did he dare chance this adorable girl's life, though? Damn, did they have a choice?
He reached his hand out to help her up. "All right, Emily. We do it your way."
“Great!" she said, taking his hand and bouncing up on her toes.
“Not so fast." He grabbed her arms as she made to fly by him. "We will do this exactly as I say."
She gave him a steady look. She was beginning to realize that the Viscount wasn't like Tom or Nicholas or any other man she’d met before. "What do you mean?"
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