Chapter 259 - Rude Awakening

Delaney and Miles got home that night and barely managed to make it to Delaney's bedroom.  It was so late that all of the servants were in bed so they had no idea which room Miles was supposed to be staying in.  Even if they had known though Delaney wasn't sure they would have been able to find their way to it with their wine-addled minds.

Miles instead got to her bedroom and sprawled out in the corner on her fainting couch that was much too short for him.  Delaney was going to insist he sleep on the bed and she on the couch but when she made her way over to him he was already sound asleep.

With a little laugh, she covered him with a blanket and weaved her way back to her bed.  She knew she should get her gown off but she was too tired and dizzy and didn't think she would be able to do it on her own anyway.  So she dropped down onto her bed and tucked her legs under her skirt.  Before she had a chance to think of anything else she was asleep.

That night Delaney found even more relief than she had at the club.  The wine worked as a sort of blanket over her mind, keeping out all dreams, good or bad.  She slept hard all night long without a single image of Vincent rising up and causing her heart to ache.  It was the best sleep she had had since leaving Edgewood.

-

When Ms. Bird got up the next morning she was relieved to hear from the men in the stables that her mistress had made it home safely.  She was also pleased to hear that the girl had stayed out very late and seemed to be in good spirits when she arrived back.  Not for the first time since he came, Ms. Bird said a silent prayer of thanks for Miles Adair.

The maid got a tray and loaded it with breakfast cakes and everything she would need to make Delaney a good cup of tea.  With a smile on her face, she headed up the back servants' stairs toward her mistress's bedroom to wake her up.

Opening the door to Delaney's room she found it was still quite dark and all the curtains were closed.  She carried the tray and sat it lightly on the table.  She used the bit of light filtering in to pour a cup of tea for her mistress.  Taking it in one hand, the older woman used the other to pull open the curtains, letting the bright morning sunlight wash over the room.

"Good morning my Lady," she called as she did every morning, "Time to greet the lovely new day."

"What the hell is this?" a deep voice barked from behind her.

Ms. Bird spun around and screamed, sending the teacup to the floor where it shattered into pieces.  There was a half-dressed man sitting on her mistress's couch.

"Ms. Bird for God's sakes," Delaney groaned from the bed, pressing her palms to her pounding head and closing her eyes tight against the sunlight.

Just then a group of men came rushing into the bedroom, having heard the maid scream.  All were servants except the master of the house who was now looking about wildly, sword in hand.

"What the hell is going on here?" Felix shouted, taking in the sight of the startled maid with the pieces of the shattered cup around her feet and his niece still fully dressed in bed but with her hair a wild mess.  Hearing someone clear their throat from beside him, Felix turned and was surprised to see Miles Adair sitting on the couch in the corner in only his breeches and boots with his shirt hanging wide open in the front.

"I believe I gave your maid a heart attack," Miles said cooly, "Which I find only fair since she tried to blind me and has now left my head absolutely pounding."

"L-Lord Adair," Ms. Bird stammered, finally recognizing the man as he pushed his black locks back out of his face and pulled his shirt closed again, "I-I-I'm so sorry I... I didn't know you were in here..."

"Why are you in here?" Felix demanded, glaring at the man who had spent the night in his niece's bedroom.

Miles looked over at his host in irritation, his usual temper returning after a day of forced cheer.

"I am in here because when my sister-in-law and I returned to your home after a night out cheering her up, we found not a single servant awake and about.  So instead of wandering aimlessly through your home opening doors until I found a bedroom prepared, I chose to sleep here on her couch where we wouldn't bother anyone and I could take care of her if she got sick in the night."

Felix still looked angry but there was nothing he could say to that.  Delaney couldn't keep from smirking at her brother-in-law.  For a moment he was back to being the same snobbish boy he had been before the war.  His sharp tongue had always been his best weapon and with one sweep he had put her Uncle and everyone else in the room in their place.

"Well," Felix cleared his throat, "Ms. Bird see to it that you show Lord Adair to his room and clean up this mess."  He looked between Delaney and Miles once more before nodding and leaving, taking the other men with him.

Ms. Bird looked anxiously between her mistress and the young man, not sure what to do.

"Would you please get us both some tea Ms. Bird?" Delaney asked kindly, rescuing the older woman from her embarrassment.

"Of-of course my Lady."

"Close those curtains before you do anything else," Miles frowned, rubbing his temples.

Ms. Bird was quick to do as he'd said, closing them most of the way but leaving enough of an opening that it kept the room from being too dark.  She moved to leave to fetch the tea but paused at the door and turned to Miles nervously.

"Should I... Should I show you to your room my Lord?"

Miles turned on her with unamused bloodshot eyes and didn't say anything.  Realizing he didn't intend to leave, the old woman bobbed a quick courtesy and hurried from the room, closing the door behind her.

As soon as she was gone, Delaney let out a snort of laughter she had been holding in.  She looked over at Miles and saw he still looked annoyed but a light smile was tugging at his lips.

"That wasn't funny."

"It was," Delaney laughed, "And you are so much like your mother."

"What?" he frowned, "What on earth are you talking about?  Is the wine still affecting your mind?"

Delaney laughed harder, shaking her head.  "You sound just like her when you're angry.  You have her sharp tongue."

Miles rolled his eyes and got up, tying the collar of his shirt and walking over to her bed.  He plopped down on the side opposite of her and spread out with a content groan.

"That couch is wildly uncomfortable.  My poor back."

"Well it's not made to be slept on," Delaney giggled at him, curling back up and rolling on her side to face him.

"Yes... I shouldn't have slept in here.  I should have had the carriage take me to an inn or something."

"What?" she asked in surprise, "Why?"

Miles turned and met her gaze, "Servants gossip Delaney.  I'm sure the entire house already knows I slept in your bedroom last night and by tomorrow everyone in the surrounding estates will know."

"Cora will know nothing went on."

"Cora's not the one I'm worried about."

Delaney looked at him in confusion, "Do you honestly think your brother would ever believe something happened between us?"

Miles sighed, "No but Vince isn't who I'm worried about either... It's your reputation, Delaney.  Rumors of you spending the night alone with a married man might hurt your prospects when you try to find another husband one day..."

"Stop it," she cut him off, her gaze deathly serious now "I won't find another husband Miles.  Not ever.  I love Vincent completely and I will never love anyone else so don't mention that again.  I don't care what the idiotic rumors about me are.  They can say whatever they want."

Miles studied her for a moment longer before nodding and looking away.

"Alright," he said quietly, moving to get up, "I'm sorry.  I shouldn't have mentioned it."

"Where are you going?" she asked as he walked towards the door.

"I'm going to go bribe your servants," he sighed in annoyance, "It might not be important to you but Vince would kill me if I didn't try to protect your reputation.  Not to mention Cora would kill me if I didn't try to protect mine as well."

Delaney crossed her arms and sat back on her bed.

"Fine... But will you come back once you're finished?"

"Of course," Miles smirked, "I still don't know where the hell I'm expected to sleep in this house."