Burning for Love by Evangeline Anderson
29
“You’re up early, Princess,” James remarked, as he walked into the main bedchamber. He’d spent a restless night in the smaller, front sleeping room, getting up from time to time to check on Ka’rissa and make certain she wasn’t overheating.
She’d had a restless night herself, as he well knew. Almost every time he’d checked on her, she’d been tossing and turning and mumbling in her sleep. Her dreams seemed to be bad ones, from what he could gather.
“No!” she’d been moaning, as she thrashed from side to side. “No, please—I do not want it—I cannot have it! Please, make it go away!”
James had chilled his hands to stroke and caress her forehead and cheeks, cooling her down as best he could. He wished again that he knew what was bothering her—he missed holding her in his arms and keeping her cool all night.
He wondered if the Princess had missed him too. Despite his best efforts, she looked close to overheating. Her hair was in a tangle and her nightdress was soaked through with sweat. But she had a determined look in her eyes that he didn’t understand.
“Thank you, James, I am quite well,” she said, nodding at him. “I must get washed up and then I think I shall take a stroll in the gardens before breakfast. I think…” She cleared her throat. “I think I’d like to decorate the breakfast table with some honeybell blossoms. They are blooming this time of year and so lovely.”
“I’ll go with you,” James said at once. It wasn’t unheard of for Ka’rissa to want a stroll in the garden before breakfast. She loved the exotic flowers that grew there.
She nodded.
“Thank you—that will be lovely. And how nice to have a day of rest—I am so glad there is no ball tonight!”
James was glad too. Since she hadn’t allowed him to help her with her Heat Cycle at all, he was afraid another ball would push her into overheating.
“You must be doubly glad that soon you can go and formally refuse Duke Grabbington’s suit,” he said, watching her closely.
Ka’rissa jumped, as though he’d stuck her with a pin. But she only nodded and said,
“Yes, that will be lovely as well,” in a vague, distracted voice. Before James could ask any more questions, she said, “Pray, excuse me. I must wash up before we go for our walk,” and disappeared into the bathing room.
James frowned as he watched her go. He had his suspicions about what was upsetting her and he was fairly certain it had something to do with that bastard, Duke Grabbington. What had happened last night when she was out of his sight those few minutes? He might have suspected the worst, but her dress hadn’t been disarranged in any way, which it surely would have if the other male had tried anything nefarious. Had he said something to her? Threatened her in some way?
James didn’t know, but he wished that the curvy little Princess would tell him. However, there was nothing much he could do until she finally decided to confide in him.
