It was as close to a declaration as she was willing to make. She held her breath, waiting for his reply, but he just handed her her other slipper.

“Thank you,” she murmured. “I'll go inside now.”

“Yes.” But when she didn't immediately move he said. “Do you plan to sleep in the washing room?”

“I hadn't really thought about it.”

“I'd give you my bed but I don't trust Penelope not to come in and check on me in the night. She occasionally forgets her younger brother has grown up.”

“It must be nice to have a sister.”

He looked away. “Take the pillows and blankets off my bed. I'm sure you can fashion something comfortable.”

She nodded and started to walk away.

“Caroline?”

She whirled around, hope flaring in her eyes.

“Lock the door behind you.”

Chapter 17

es-cu-lent (adjective). Suitable for food, eatable.

I have often heard that even the nastiest of food seems virtuous and esculent when one is hungry, but I disagree. Gruel is gruel, no matter how loud one's stomach rumbles.

—From the personal dictionary of Caroline Trent

Caroline awoke the following morning to a knock on the bathroom door. At Blake's order, she'd turned the key in the lock the night before—not because she thought he would try to ravish her in the night, but because she wouldn't put it past him to check the door just to see if she'd followed orders. And she certainly didn't want to give him the satisfaction of scolding her.

She'd slept in her chemise, and she wrapped herself in a blanket before opening the door a crack and peeking out. One of Blake's gray eyes was peering back at her.

“May I come in?”

“That depends.”

“On what?”

“Do you have breakfast?”

“Madam, I haven't had access to decent food for nearly twenty-four hours. I was hoping Perriwick had brought you something to eat.”

She opened the door. “It isn't fair for the servants to punish your sister. She must be starving.”

“I imagine she'll eat well enough at teatime. You're expected to pay a visit, remember?”

“Oh yes. How are we meant to manage that?”

He leaned against a marble washbasin. “Penelope has already ordered me to send for you in my finest carriage.”

“I thought you only had one carriage.”

“I do. That's beside the point. I'm to send a carriage to your…ah…home to pick you up.”

Caroline rolled her eyes. “I should like to see that. A carriage rolling up to the washing room. Tell me, would you bring it by way of your bedroom or the servant's stairs?”

He shot her a look that said he wasn't amused. “I'm to have you back here in time for a four o'clock visit.”

“What am I supposed to do before then?”

He looked around the room. “Wash?”

“That isn't funny, Blake.”

There was a moment of silence, then he said quietly, “I'm sorry about what happened last night.”

“Don't apologize.”

“But I must. I took advantage of you. I took advantage of a situation that can go nowhere.”