of the women he beds, I do believe you need to eat more,’ he finally drawled.
Her chin rose challengingly. ‘Speaking as a woman who has no interest in your preferences regarding “the women you bed”, I prefer to remain exactly as I am, thank you very much!’
Dominic gave an appreciative grin; Caro had obviously lost none of her feistiness in the hours since he last saw her.
They had been busy hours for him, as he first set some of his associates from the army ranks, now civilians, the task of investigating Nicholas Brown’s dealings over the past few days, before dispensing with his own household and estate business, and then returning to Nathaniel’s home to see how his friend fared. Dominic’s mouth tightened grimly as he thought of the other man’s discomfort and obvious pain.
‘Before you dismiss the dressmaker so arbitrarily, I believe you should be made aware that when your things were brought from your lodgings earlier, I instantly instructed one of the maids to consign all of the gowns inside into the incinerator,’ he announced with satisfaction.
Caro gasped. ‘All of them?’
‘All.’
Her startled gaze moved to the chair where she had placed her green gown earlier, only to find that chair now empty apart from her underclothes. And if the earl had indeed sent all her other gowns to be burned, then he must have included the three fashionable gowns Caro had brought to London with her two weeks ago. She turned back to him accusingly. ‘You had no right to touch my things!’
‘You were refusing to replace them.’ Dominic gave an unapologetic shrug. ‘It seemed easier to leave you with no choice in the matter rather than continue to argue the point.’
Her eyes sparkled indignantly. ‘And I suppose I am now expected to go down to the seamstress dressed only in my shift?’
It was a pleasant thought, if an impractical one, Dominic accepted. ‘She will come up here to you, of course. With, I might add, two gowns at least that you should be able to wear immediately.’ He had personally instructed the dressmaker to bring a gown of sea-green and another of deep rose, the one reminding him of Caro’s eyes, the other the tips of her breasts when they were aroused.
‘Have you received word on how Lord Thorne fares?’
Dominic’s thoughts of the anticipated changes to Caro’s appearance completely dissipated at this reminder of the attack on one of his two closest friends. Not that he would ever forget that first moment of seeing Osbourne covered in blood in the early hours of this morning.
How could he, when it was such a stark reminder of the last memories Dominic had of his mother sixteen years ago?
He moved away from the bed to stand in front of one of the picture windows, his back to the room, his hands clasped tightly together behind his back as he fought back those memories. Memories that had returned all too vividly after Caro had questioned him concerning his family …
He breathed in deeply before answering. ‘I have done better than that; I have been to see him.’ He went on to explain that Nathaniel’s aunt, Mrs Gertrude Wilson, having learnt that her nephew had suffered injuries and was confined to his bed, had wasted no time in having her own physician visit him, and fully intended removing Osbourne to her own home in St
James’s Square later this afternoon. An occurrence that aided Dominic’s determination to ensure the future protection of his friend.
Dominic hoped to have some news later today concerning the enquiries into last night’s attack, but if those enquiries should prove unhelpful, then he had plans of his own for later this evening that may give him some of the answers, if not all of them.
‘And?’ Caro prompted with concern as Dominic fell broodingly silent.
‘And the physician has discovered he has two cracked ribs to go with his many cuts and bruises.’
Caro knew by the harshness of the Dominic’s tone that he was far from happy at this news of his friend’s condition. ‘I am sure that he will recover fully, my lord.’
He did not look in the least comforted by her reassurances. ‘Are you?’
‘He is otherwise young and healthy,’ Caro nodded. ‘Now if—if you would not mind, I should like to get out of bed now.’ She had not had time to deal with her morning ablutions before her bedchamber was invaded, first by the maid, and then Dominic Vaughn, and that need was becoming more pressing by the moment.
He raised dark brows. ‘I was not aware I was preventing you from doing so?’
‘You know very well that your very presence here is preventing me from getting out of bed.’
He gave a disbelieving laugh. ‘You have flaunted yourself in a gambling club for this past week, in front of dozens of men, but now take exception to my seeing you clothed in one of my own shirts?’
Caro gave a pained frown. ‘The gown I wore at those performances covered me from neck to toe.’
‘And titillated and aroused the interest of your audience all the more because of it!’
Had it titillated and aroused this man’s interest? she wondered breathlessly. Obviously something had, if his passion earlier this morning was any indication. A passion she had responded to in a way that still made her blush. ‘Then it would seem the sooner I am clothed in one of my new gowns, the better it will be for everyone.’
His gorgeous mouth curved into a pleased smile. ‘You are sufficiently recovered from your previous outrage to now accept the new gowns?’
Caro bristled. ‘I believe it is more a case of having little choice in the matter when you have had all of my own gowns burned. I should become a prisoner of this bedchamber rather than just the house if I did not accept the new gowns, would I not?’
He winced. ‘You are not to be a prisoner here, Caro, only to take the precaution of being accompanied if you should decide to go about.’
‘I do not even know where “here” is!’ she snapped caustically.
‘Blackstone House is in Mayfair,’ he elaborated. ‘And as soon as you are dressed, and the seamstress has gone about her business, I will be only too happy to take you out for a drive in my carriage.’
‘Accompanied by the maid I do not have?’ she came back derisively.
‘We are believed to be cousins, Caro,’ he reminded her drily. ‘Making such a fuss about the proprieties would be a nonsense.’
‘In that case, if you would send the dressmaker up to me now I should very much like to go out for a drive.’
Her tone, Dominic noted ruefully, was almost as imperious as Osbourne’s Aunt Gertrude’s. Further evidence, if he should need it, that Caro Morton was a woman used to instructing her own servants and having those instructions obeyed. Because she was, in fact, a lady of quality?
He crossed the room to once again stand beside the bed. ‘Have you considered the possibility, Caro, that I might be more … amenable, if you did not constantly challenge me?’
‘I have considered it, my lord—and as quickly dismissed it.’ Her
