“You, sugarplum. You are not yourself and you cannot hide that from me. I will have an answer. What has you reacting like a scalded cat? Jumpy and looking over your shoulder.”

“I’ve no idea what you are talking about, Gabriel,” Celia replied. She was saved from saying anything further when Katie entered the room to help undress her for the evening. The girl yawned behind her hand and drowsily stood by the connecting door to the lady’s chambers.

“I will help Her Ladyship tonight. You may go back to bed, Katie,” Gabriel said, his tone curt with frustration.

Katie nodded, and with another yawn, she departed for her room in the servant quarters. Once they were again alone, Celia stripped away her formal gloves and then sat at the dressing table. She began removing the pins holding her intricate coiffure in place, working in silence with her eyes downcast. When that was done, she finally met Gabriel’s stare in the reflection of the glass.

He was frowning, a muscle ticking in his jaw as he watched her.

“I know you are not telling me something, Celia. And for the life of me, I cannot reason out why you’ve been acting so strangely since we arrived here yesterday.”

Celia let out a little laugh of dismissal. “It is nothing, Gabriel. Just a bit of tiredness is all. Nothing more. Please do not worry so.”

Taking her hand, Gabriel pulled her up until she stood before him. His eyes darkened into melting pools of nearly black ink, his mouth quirking at one corner. Slowly, he spun her so she faced away from him and began unfastening the buttons running down the back of her gown.

“I don’t believe you, pet. At least, not entirely. And I will do as you ask for now and cease my questioning of your odd behavior. But tell me this at the very least. Are you too tired for your husband’s attentions? A continuation of what we started last night is in order, I think.”

Celia trembled as the gown parted and his knuckles brushed her skin through the material of the corset and her chemise. “I am not exhausted, my lord. If that is what you are asking.”

His chuckle was dark and whispered across her shoulder blades as he bent his head to the task of unlacing the corset. “I am gratified to hear it. I would take you anyway as my body aches for yours, but I am glad you are of a like mind.”

Before she knew it, he had loosened everything to the point she could step out of the puddle of material. Once again, she was left wearing only her chemise, stockings, and a pair of elaborately designed heeled slippers of sapphire blue decorated with delicate butterflies of gossamer thin silk.

Gabriel groaned at the sight of them, and Celia’s heartbeat increased a hundredfold at the husky sound.

“You are trying to kill me with these damned shoes, aren’t you, little witch?”