39
Victoria was sitting in the armchair in her bedroom, watching the door expectantly. It was late, the children long asleep and the servants long retired to their rooms over the carriage house. She'd thought Victor would follow her directly. A glance at the clock said that it had been nearly forty minutes.
The fire was burning down and it was getting chilly. She pulled her woolen dressing gown more closely around herself. It was all she had on. She'd thought Victor was right behind her.
After five more minutes had gone by Victoria rose from her chair and made her way through the dark and quiet house to the study.
The door was open and several lamps were lit. Victor was sitting at his desk fiddling with his microscope. He looked up when she entered the room.
"Oh! Good evening," he said. "I thought you'd gone to bed."
Victoria made her way over to stand beside his chair. He had his new box of prepared slides set out along with the microscope. Part of her felt a little guilty for interrupting a project. The rest of her, though, felt in quite dire need of his attention. When she put her hand on his shoulder, he turned to her questioningly.
"I was waiting for you," she told him, hoping he'd take her meaning. She was not a very good flirt nor a very artful seductress. All the same she slid her hand across his back, then up into his hair.
"Sorry to make you wait," Victor said. He made a few adjustments to his microscope and then pulled the box of slides toward him. "I'm not tired."
Victoria watched him remove a slide and mount it under the scope. She waited until he wasn't touching anything delicate before taking one of his hands and putting it on her hip. Clearly surprised, he turned toward her fully, his old swivel chair creaking with the movement.
"I do not recall saying anything about going to sleep," she said. She could feel a flush rising in her cheeks as she bent to kiss his cheek. Since his other hand was now free, she took the liberty of placing that one on her waist. To make her point more clearly, she wrapped her arms about his neck and nipped him very gently on the earlobe.
"Oh," Victor murmured. "I see. All right. That is, yes, please." He stood without taking his hands off of her, and pulled her into an embrace.
Then, without another word and still with her cheeks very warm, Victoria took him by the hand and led him upstairs.