The empty bottle was beside one which was half empty. The second bottle he asked from the maid who informed him that one of the guest rooms was ready. Nick had no idea what time it was when he finally admitted to himself that he’d had enough to drink and that his stomach was feeling funny. Lucky for him, the butler was right at the door to assist his drunken self back to the guest room, where his first order of business was not to lie down in bed, but to go to the washroom to throw up.

The morning was not nearly as merciful. He awoke to a blinding headache and what must have been gentle knocks on the door. To him it sounded like a huge drum was being beaten furiously inside his room. He groaned but opened his eyes, thankful that nobody had pulled the curtains back yet. And then there was Claire in a green dress that emphasized how beautiful her eyes were. 

Nicholas fought to keep his eyes open. The night before, with his bottle of whiskey as company, he had enough time to contemplate his relationship with this confusing woman. They were husband and wife in the eye of the ton, but the fact remained that he was James Flannagan and not Nicholas Rochford. She was correct to get mad at him for being nosy and arrogant. He decided the night before that he would stop caring – that was his original plan, anyway.

Therefore, when Claire talked, he listened. He made sure to listen to her explanation and act interested with her apology. He thought none of it mattered. None of it, except that his head was throbbing and she was speaking at length. He liked the sound of her voice normally, but that morning it seemed too loud for him.

Nick slowly sat up then he went to his knees, bringing one finger up as she continued talking. His index finger was inches to her lips when she finished her question. 

[i] “Nick, I’ve talked a lot and I feel like nothing has been accomplished. What I’m saying is I want you to come back to your rightful bed and I was wrong. And if you need me I’ll probably be in the parlor reading or making a guest list. Do you think you can forgive me for acting like a child?”[/i] she asked.

Those blue eyes blinked twice, his whole body frozen in place for a short moment, before he said, “Oh, you’re done.” As if on cue, he let his body fall to the bed, after which he groaned and clutched at his side. He lay on his stomach with his feet on the pillow and his head beside the spot where Claire sat. “I was about to say I forgive you, you don’t have to explain further,” he confessed, but his voice was muffled. 

Even if she hadn’t chosen to apologize he would forgive her, because he had decided not to care and with that decision. In the first place, he should not be offended with her words last night and her actions yesterday. He turned his face to the side so his cheek was on the mattress. “I apologize for demanding a lot from you last night. I just got… I find it…. Yes, I was worried. It was late and none of the house staff knew where you went. And then you admitted to going to the prison, which made it worse.”

He sighed. “Anyway, I shall stay here for now. You may go about doing what pleases you, but please be a dear and allow me to sleep for a few more hours. My head is killing me right now.”