After several minutes pa.s.sed since the head butler had left, Heidi continued to stare at the ceiling of her room. The rain continued to pour down nonstop, camouflaging all the sounds even the clock that she had got used to. Even though she was cold and drowsy now, she was happy to have caught the cold at the avoidance of not going to the party that was held tonight. She had been nervous and scared since Warren had mentioned about it. Sure, Warren was a good man but she couldn"t say the same for his mother or his mother"s acquaintances. She felt scared and vulnerable now. Before coming to Bonelake, she had nothing much to worry about. Her family weren"t kind nor were they caring. She knew they would never get a man for her to marry and that made it easier knowing she could leave when the time was right.

She wondered where her happiness laid. She had wished to be happy but it looked like no matter where she looked for it, it didn"t exist. Even with her eyes closed, a single drop of tear slid from her eye to trail down her skin and disappear on the surface of the pillow. When she opened her this time, she found someone sitting on the bed.

"You"re back," she whispered looking at Nicholas who was in a white s.h.i.+rt and black slacks.

"I am. Seems like your fever has worsened in time," he commented looking at her teary eyes, "Bare for it a little more while I go ask Stanley to get the doctor," Heidi stopped him, holding his hand.

"No, don"t. I just need to rest and a little heat," she said faintly, but the man heard it.

"I believe you have been resting since morning. Your room doesn"t have heat enough heat," he responded looking around the room.

"Hmm," she responded with a small smile.

"Come here," he helped her get up and placed her on his lap, pulling her close to him.

"W-what are you doing?!" she asked alarmed.

"Keeping you warm," he replied unfazed.

"No, that"s not what I mean. Put me back," she struggled weakly before she was pulled back into his arms.

"You have been s.h.i.+vering since I have arrived. Now stay put before you freeze."

"But-"

"Shh."

"Lord Nic-" she was stopped from talking anymore as Nicholas had covered her mouth with his hand. In no time she felt herself lifted in his arms and being carried straight to his room, "Where are y-"

"I noticed something," he interrupted her, "You seem to have lost weight. Has your engagement with Warren put a toll to your health," he said kicking the door open and close with his leg. Going to the arm chair that was placed in front of the fireplace, Nicholas sat in it with Heidi in his arms. She was too cold and tired to argue with him. The muscles in her body felt like they had been rolled down a mountain, though she had never experienced it. The heat which was coming from the fireplace felt good against the cold weather. After seconds pa.s.sed like minutes, Heidi asked, "Why are you doing this?"

"Weren"t you cold?" he questioned her back.

"That"s not what I mean," she said getting comfortable and feeling his hand press her head so that she could lean over his chest.

"Then what did you mean, darling?" he asked her softly making her heart skip a beat. She knew it wasn"t a term of endearment because she had heard him use it before many times. The problem was that it didn"t affect her before but it did now. So much that thinking about him created an ache in her chest. She had decided to avoid him for a while so that she could settle down with her new found feelings for him. But their current situation was nowhere helping her. Rather it only added fuel to it.

Pulling back to look at him in the eyes, she said, "You always tease me. Always doing whatever you please. Not worrying what the other person or people are going to think. Don"t you know I am your cousin brother"s fiance!" she huffed after letting out her thoughts in one go.

"There there," he rubbed her back soothingly, "You shouldn"t speak so much in that pace. Did you forget that you are a sick person right now?" he tutted her softly.

Heidi heard him speak, "I always do what I please. And talking about you being Warren"s fiance, I care less if you are his fiance or not. Maybe it is because of the fact that I met you before he did. The woman I met on a cold, rainy night who had a mouth of her own."

"I don"t get you."

"You don"t have to," he responded back quietly and she lowered her eyes to the blanket she was covered in, "Is the heat warm enough?" he asked and she hummed in agreement.

"But I don"t understand why you are sitting with me," she gave him a look before ducking her head to rest her head back on his chest.

"Don"t mistake me. I am cold tonight because of the rain."

"You feel warm though," she muttered.

An hour later when the butler arrived at the lords room with his drink as usual, he opened the door to only widen his eyes at the sight. Wondering if his eyes were playing tricks, he rubbed both his eyes with his free hand but the scene still stayed the same.

"What are you doing, dawdling at the door Stanley," Lord Nicholas asked his butler feeling his presence.

"Your drink," the butler handed his master with the gla.s.s before standing next to him, "Would you want me to add more logs, master?" he asked softly.

"Yes, that would be nice. While you"re at it, bring me the book from section six that I placed at the shelf in the library," Nicholas ordered.

"Right away, master," Stanley bowed his head, leaving the room. As he walked down the stairs and into the kitchen, a wide smile made way to his lips.