Words seemed unnecessary as they lay in each other’s arms while their bodies cooled. Sometime later, Dominic had the presence of mind to cover them over with the covers, eyeing his clothing briefly before deciding to remain with her for a while. Mentally shrugging he settled down beside her. Viewing the cattle could wait.
Isobel had fallen asleep again. He wondered if their loving had been too much for her, but couldn’t find it within him to regret it. If necessary she would just have to spend a few days longer in bed. Stifling a smile at his wayward thoughts, and her reaction should he put forth such a suggestion, he gathered her gently into his arms. Placing a tender kiss on top of her head, he sighed lovingly as she instinctively nestled against him with a sigh. With a wave of contentment he had never experienced before, Dominic fell asleep.
“I am here to see the master.” Peter entered the hallway as the Butler opened the massive front door. “Please inform him Peter Davenport, Lord Harlec has arrived.” He brushed snow off his breeches before removing his cloak. It took him several moments to realise the Butler hadn’t moved an inch. “What is it man, is Lord Havistock not here?”
“Oh yes sir,” the Butler stammered, clearly uncomfortable about something. He had seen the riders approach and had recognised Mr Sanderson riding alongside the tall gentleman now before him.
He also recognised Lord Harlec when he saw him, and was fully aware the lady upstairs was indeed his sister. “I am afraid the Master is somewhat busy sir, but if you would like to follow me I shall ensure cook prepares you a tray of food. I am sure after your long journey you must be hungry.”
Peter’s brows rose as he eyed the rapidly retreating back of the Butler. “Wait!” he bellowed, his handsome features contorted with a harsh frown. “Where is Lord Havistock?” His concern rose when the Butler became increasingly vague.
“I am afraid he is out on estate business Sir. I shall inform him of your arrival, as soon as he is free.” With that Manvers quickly spun on his heel and made for the library, surprised when the latest arrival to the household made no move to follow him. Instead, somewhat startled he heard the heavy thump of his booted feet heading up the stairs.
“Please Sir, you cannot go up there,” Manvers protested loudly moving as quickly as he could to catch up.
Peter paused. “My sister is here is she not?” One haughty brow arched in condescension.
“Yes, Sir,” Manvers replied noncommittally.
“Then take me to her. I wish to see her forthwith.” Peter guessed that she was still in her sick bed. He had spent the entire journey trying to come to terms with Sanderson’s missive that his sister was indeed alive, although was in dire straits having suffered significant and life-threatening illness. Having been held up by the significant snowfall, frustration now ate at him. Nothing and nobody, especially an evasive Butler, was going to prevent him seeing the evidence with his own eyes.
“I am afraid she is still resting. She has been quite poorly.” The Butler panted behind him as they ascended the stairs. Manvers wondered how he was going to persuade the gentleman to leave his sickbed visiting, or how he could forewarn the Master of the imminent arrival.
“I know she has been significantly ill, that is why I wish to see her now. Are you going to take me to her or do I have to search this place?” Peter asked, not bothering to hide his impatience with the Butler’s evasiveness. His instincts warned him something was amiss, and he had a vague notion that that might be. Without hesitating, he spun on his heel and took the remaining stairs two at a time, striding down the corridor toward the master suite. He had visited Dominic’s house on more than one occasion, and was fairly certain he could remember the layout.
However, he wasn’t prepared for the sight that greeted him as he opened the door to the master suite.
“Bloody hell Dominic, what the hell have you been doing with my sister?” he all but bellowed, pushing the door open angrily until it banged against the wall with a thump.
In reality, he knew he should be extremely angry that Dominic had compromised and thoroughly disgraced his sister. Inwardly, he was delighted. Not only to see she was indeed alive and relatively well, but ensconced so comfortably with the man who would make her his wife, and would give her the utmost protection against Rupert.
Keeping a mock frown on his face, he stood in the doorway and watched as Dominic pushed himself sleepily onto one elbow.
“Do you have to shout?” Dominic grumbled with a yawn. Isobel stirred sleepily beside him, and he pulled the covers higher to protect her modesty.
“Isobel!” Peter chastised, watching with delight as his sister’s beautiful blue eyes sprang open in shock. She was indeed very much alive and recovering well if the pink blush staining her cheeks was any indication, Peter mused fighting a smile.
“Peter?” It took all of Dominic’s dexterity to prevent her blushes when she immediately sat bolt upright in bed, wide awake. “Peter? Is that really you?”
“Yes, you can be bloody sure it is me, darling Sister. Get yourself presentable, I shall be back soon and then I want some answers about your behaviour, my dear.” He turned around to head back into the corridor before pausing and turning around to face them. “From the both of you!” he added, with a glare towards Dominic.
As he turned away, Peter closed the door behind him with a firm click and broke out into a grin. He could get used to playing the stern older brother, he mused, giving the shocked Butler a wink as he passed. If playing the outraged protector rushed those two in the bedroom to the altar, then he needed to put on the performance of his life. He paused beside Manvers.
“Do you know something Manvers? I do believe I am famished. Do you think cook would be able to prepare me a plate of something?”
“I am sure she would be delighted to Sir,” Manvers blank tone belied the very definite twinkle in his eye, and he rapidly disappeared to the kitchens to report the latest piece of news.
“Oh God, was that really Peter?” Isobel gasped, still coming to terms with their discovering in flagrante delicto by the brother who was supposed to be deceased.
“Yes my dear, it was,” Dominic replied, dragging on his breeches before trying and failing to turn his shirt the right way around. “Rupert lied about that too.”
“Why the hell are you smiling?” he demanded when Isobel dissolved into a fit of giggles.
Isobel couldn’t resist the surge of happiness that swept through her. Not only was Dominic here, but Peter was alive too. Could life get any better? She watched Dominic fighting with his shirt, and couldn’t stop the giggles that swept through her.
He paused, his arms only halfway into the sleeves of his shirt, and turned to watch as her eyes sparkled with merriment. It had been such a long time since he had heard her laugh, he hadn’t realised how much he had missed it, until now. A wave of tenderness swept through him as he eased his arms free before tossing his shirt down onto the bed.
Within seconds, Isobel found herself lying back upon the cool sheets, Dominic looming over her intently.
“Now you have to behave,” she giggled eyeing his answering lecherous smile. “My brother is in the house.” She suddenly found herself unable to wipe the smile from her face. The look of guilt that suffused his face made him look almost boyish, and it made her smile grow wider. She eyed his handsome features mere inches from hers, and began to place teasing kisses along his jaw.
“Behave yourself minx, you are still recuperating remember?” he tried, and failed, to make his voice stern as he gave her a mock glare. “We shouldn’t have spent the morning in bed while you are still recuperating. You need to rest,” he chided.
“Oh I am. I am,” she smiled cheekily, tugging his head down for a kiss. “I shall remain in bed for as long as need be.” Her smile deepened at his answering groan.
Later that morning, Dominic finally left the bed leaving an exhausted Isobel securely beneath the sheets. This time, Isobel let him go. “I had better make my peace with your brother
before he returns to the room to find out what is taking us so long.”
He eyed the white sheet she held haphazardly to her chest, and couldn’t hide the smile of satisfaction at the flicker of memory of the last few minutes. Keeping his satisfied smile well hidden, he turned to her with a mock sternness. “Now behave yourself. You shall get no more until you have rested,” he cautioned, sweeping up the remainder of his clothes. Splendidly naked he quickly left the room, closing the door quickly behind him before the pillow Isobel launched across the room, hit him at the back of the head.
CHAPTER SIX
“You had better have honourable intentions towards my sister,” Peter warned half jokingly as a now presentable, if somewhat smug Dominic joined him in the library several minutes later.
“You know damned well I do,” Dominic replied, moving toward the decanter next to the hearth. Pouring them both a drink he sat in the plush brocade chair on the opposite side of the roaring fire. “I trust Cook and Manvers have seen to your needs?” Dominic eyed the empty tray longingly for a second and he sipped his drink.
“Aye they have. I shall steal your Cook before I go,” Peter replied with a deep sigh of contentment.
“You can try,” Dominic argued, letting the silence settle between them for several minutes. “Are you going up to see her?”
“I’ll let her get her energy back first,” Peter replied wryly eyeing the contentment of his friend slouched opposite.
“You know I have every intention of making her my wife. Now I have her, I have no intention of letting her go. She is perfectly safe with me.”
“I know,” Peter paused for several minutes but couldn’t prevent the question. “How is she really?”
Dominic sighed and took a long draught of his brandy before turning his gaze back toward Peter, and away from the flickering flames in the hearth.
“She is as well as can be expected. She was half starved when we found her Peter. It was clear she hadn’t eaten much at all since her escape from Rupert.” Dominic leaned forward in his chair, placing his forearms on his thighs, remembering the bones clearly visible through her wafer-thin skin. “It has taken some time to coax her to eat sufficiently to sustain her, but she is eating well now, but with the condition her lungs were it, her situation has been dire.”
“What do you mean with her lungs? What was wrong?” Peter eyed the solemnity on his friend’s face in alarm.
“She had putrid lungs. They are much better now than when we found her but there were times when I thought they were getting worse. If we hadn’t found her when we did, she would not be alive now, I am certain of it. She definitely would not have had sufficient strength or protection against the winter. She had two halfpennies left in her pocket.”
Peter swore. “What has the doctor said?” Peter knew that Isobel would have received the best of care money could buy.
“Her lungs are on the mend. She needs to be kept warm, and must eat as much as possible. He has given us some tisane for her to drink, which she is still taking. It does help, but it is slow progress. She has been so weak and malnourished that it is taking a lot longer than it should to get her back to full health.” Dominic settled back in his chair with a sigh.
“I should have got here sooner,” Peter sighed, shaking his head regretfully.
“You were stuck in a snow-storm. We sent word as soon as we got her here, but you couldn’t predict the snow would strike when it did. At least she was here,” Dominic argued. He knew Peter well enough to know that he would have ridden hard all the way to Havistock upon receipt of Dominic’s note, and would have been here in a matter of days, if it wasn’t for that wretched storm.
“Have you stayed with her at that time?” Peter felt the brotherly responsibility behind his question, but felt no worry that Dominic would be offended by his forthright inquiry.
Dominic fully understood Peter’s desire to protect his sister, and couldn’t blame the man for it. After all, they both had the same goal in mind. “I have spent most of the nights since her arrival in the chair beside the bed. She was in a temper today, and had taken objection to being confined to her bed any longer.” Dominic replied cautiously. He didn’t see the need to give her any further detail. He had, after all, seen more than enough!
Peter nodded in understanding. He had first-hand experience of just how wilful his sister could be. “She must be getting better if her temper was roused,” he added knowingly being fully conscious of his friend’s discomfort.
“She is definitely chafing to get up and about. But with the weather still being so cold, I am trying to keep her warm and safe in bed,” Dominic replied with a tone of caution. “It seems that I may have been a bit over-protective.” He saw Peter’s smile of understanding and was relieved that the man understood.
“What have you managed to find out about Rupert? Why did they take her?” Dominic asked after several moments of companionable silence.
“Rupert is in dire financial trouble. He has numerous billets around Town, some of whom are starting to lose patience at his lack of repayment. Rumours are he has turned towards loan sharks to repay some of his debts. There are people looking for him.”
“Most probably why he has vacated London, and nobody has heard from him.” Dominic nodded sagely.
“Undoubtedly. More interestingly, he has become close acquaintances with Bertram DeLisle,” Peter replied quietly.
“I know. Do you know if Bertram or Rupert have a house near here?” Dominic queried.
“I don’t know. What makes you ask?” Peter rose to replenish their glasses and moved to stand before the hearth.
“It was something Rupert said in the village the day I found Isobel. He mentioned that he had a small house nearby here, but I wasn’t aware there had been any property in the locale up for sale. Moreover, I didn’t know there was anyone new in the area.” Dominic said.
“He could have moved in while we were away looking for Isobel,” Peter replied. “After all, we were gone for several months and with Isobel -” He paused, not wanting recount one of the most difficult moments of both of their lives.
“He may well have. I just wonder if it was where he brought Isobel when he took her from Willowbrook.”
Peter huffed cynically. “That would appeal to Rupert’s perverse nature. To know you are looking for her and have her stashed so blatantly nearby. He would enjoy that.”
“But that doesn’t explain why we were led to believe she had been murdered.” Dominic replied, trying desperately to block out the horrifying memories of standing beside Isobel’s grave.
“Unless they have funds nobody is aware of, they wouldn’t have the funds or contacts to buy a magistrate.” Peter tried to plot out the details in his mind but failed miserably.
“We need to speak to the magistrate,” Dominic considered the numerous questions they had yet to find answers for. “As soon as the weather clears, I’ll go back and ask a few questions of this magistrate.” A part of him was furiously angry with the man for letting them grieve unnecessarily. However, a small voice of caution warned him that the man most probably believed what he had told them, and until Dominic and Peter had answers, they couldn’t condemn the man for doing his duty.
“One thing is for certain. If Rupert didn’t buy the magistrate, he could also believe Isobel is dead. That would mean she is safe enough for now.”
“But if Rupert bought that magistrate, he knows very well she is alive and most probably here. I got the distinct impression the other week that the man was looking for someone. He could have gotten close enough to Isobel to know she was in the area.”
“Would he know she was in disguise?”
Peter looked at Dominic with a frown. “Disguise?”
Dominic realised that he hadn’t yet informed Peter of all of the Isobel’s adventures. “We found her wearing men’s clothing. I think they may have been yours.” He quickly described the thick breeches, rough work shirt and heavy boots that were far too big for Isobel
.
Peter’s brows rose in surprise and knew exactly where Isobel had got them from. With a rueful shake, of his head he fought the urge to ask Dominic how on earth he had known it was her dressed in men’s clothing, but that was something that would wait for now.
“If Rupert does suspect she is here, then she is most certainly in danger. I can ensure nobody gets to her during the night. Indeed, the safest place for her is beside me.” Dominic turned to stare at his friend. “But she is becoming more active, and doesn’t want to remain in bed. She won’t tolerate me dogging her every footstep.”
“We can take it in turns to keep her occupied, and make sure there is a member of staff in the vicinity should there be any problem. With staff inside and out keeping watch, there is little chance of anyone getting close to her.”
Peter refilled their glasses as a thoughtful silence settled between them.
“Do you think we should tell her?”
Dominic immediately shook his head. “No!” He paused, and took a deep breath at Peter’s surprised look. “She was in a state when I found her Peter.” Briefly, he described her reaction when she had seen Rupert in the busy village street.
“I don’t want her worrying unnecessarily. You and I both know that Rupert will not get anywhere near her.” Dominic’s voice dripped with deadly menace. “There is no need to worry her unduly.”
“She won’t thank us for keeping her in the dark,”Peter warned knowing his sister’s penchant for always being in the thick of things.
Dominic sighed, knowing full well Peter was right. “I know but hopefully this will be done and finished soon. I fully intend to keep her well and truly occupied once Rupert has been removed from our lives once and for all.”
Peter glanced at his friend, and knew the battle-hardened stare well. Nothing would get to his sister with Dominic around. He just hoped Isobel understood, and appreciated, just how much affection Dominic had for her.
If You Were Mine Page 8