When the cookies were gone and the hot toddy half empty, he spoke. “Thank you for saving my life. No one’s ever done that for me before. Not that I’ve been in that kind of situation before, but what you did was still something remarkable. You’re kind of fearless.”
She snorted softly. “No, I’m not. I was scared out of my mind. But I didn’t know what else to do, and we’d left our blades inside. I just acted.”
“Did you think about what my reaction would be?”
She nodded. “Yes. For a split second. I was worried about that, but there wasn’t time to dwell on it.”
“You obviously had every reason to worry.” He let out a long sigh. “But you did it anyway. To save me.”
She lifted one shoulder. “To save us. Don’t make me out to be more of a hero than I was.”
He stared at her, amusement in his gaze.
“What?”
“You’re just something, that’s all.”
“Is that a compliment?”
He laughed. “Yes.” Then he put his arm around her and went back to silently watching the stars for a bit.
She got a little closer and relaxed into his embrace. Maybe this was even better than running barefoot through the forest.
“What else can you change into?”
She suppressed a smile, then realized he couldn’t see it anyway. “Pretty much anything. Living, that is. I can’t become a table or a chair.”
“Good to know. That’s quite a skill set. Could your mother do that?”
“No.” Maybe he didn’t know as much about changelings as she’d assumed. “She was full-blooded fae. Only someone with the right mix of goblin and fairy blood has a chance of becoming a changeling. We’re apparently very rare.”
“I’ve never known one. Until now.”
She leaned forward suddenly so she could see his face. “Please don’t tell anyone. It’s not something I share. Ever. My mother always warned that it could be used against me.”
He shook his head. “I won’t say a word. I promise.” Then he put his hand to his heart. “Thank you for trusting me with this. Although I know you didn’t really have a choice.”
She leaned against him again. “I guess I could have let us become hellhound food.”
“I’m forever in your debt for not going in that direction.” He pulled her in closer.
Happily, she snuggled in. He was very comfortable. Before long, she felt herself drifting off. Reluctantly, she shook off the weariness and sat up, twisting to face at him. “Tomorrow is going to be a busy day. I should go to bed.”
His half-lidded gaze made him look as drowsy as she felt. He nodded. “All right. Don’t forget to write that letter to your father about coming here.”
“You’re positive you’re still good with that?”
“Yes. I’m sure.”
“Then it’ll be the first thing I do.” She hesitated, then leaned in and gave him a quick kiss.
He caught her and pulled her close, making the kiss not so quick. When he spoke again, there was a mix of pleasure and reluctance in his voice. “See you in the morning.”
“In the morning. By lunch at least. My morning might be busy.”
“What else do you have to do besides the letter to your father?”
“I need to work on whatever dress I’m wearing for dinner.” She had one more project in mind as well. She scooted off the chaise before she could change her mind about leaving, because staying with him would be all too easy.
“Sleep well.”
“You, too.” Then, with a smile, she slipped out the door and down the hall toward her room, though that wasn’t her destination.
She was tired. Exhausted, really. All of the emotion and tension of the evening had left her feeling like a wrung-out rag, but she wanted to write the letter to her father now and make sure it got in the mail immediately.
Because first thing tomorrow she had something else she wanted to do. Something special. A little surprise she thought would put a smile on Robin’s face. Just thinking about it was making her smile. Such a rare thing for her. But it was becoming more common lately.
She went into the library. Moonlight shone through the windows, and for a moment, Theo felt as if she was standing in the middle of an ancient cathedral. She left the lights off. There was enough to see by, and she didn’t want to ruin the beautiful atmosphere of shadows and light.
Once at the desk, she turned on the small lamp there. Then she took out the supplies she needed, sat down, and jotted a quick note to her father about Robin’s offer. She tried to keep it as neutral as possible so that her father’s decision would be his own, but she knew some of her enthusiasm came through.
How could it not? A life here would be beyond anything they had in Limbo. More comfort for both of them. Less work for her. And a chance for her father to spend his last days away from the heavy burdens of his debt.
Plus, she didn’t see how he could gamble here. Not if certain precautions were taken, like spreading the word that no one was to engage him in such activity.
She thought it was very likely that, once she finished her schooling, she could easily get a job with the stonecutters here that would allow her to pay off the remainder of his debts in five years or less.
She finished the letter, sealed up the envelope, stamped it, addressed it, and sent it down the chute.
With that off her mind, she finally went to bed. But even as she lay there, her thoughts wandered to Robin. She understood why he had trust issues. She also understood that if she broke his trust again, regaining it would be exceptionally difficult.
In fact, it might not happen at all.
* * *
For the second night in a row, Robin slept with the ease of a cat in the sun. He woke with a smile on his face and Theo on his mind. It was early, and he knew she was busy, so he languished in bed, enjoying the feeling of being well rested. It wasn’t something he got to appreciate often. Maybe his days of sleeplessness were behind him now.
Maybe the distraction of Theo was all he’d needed.
That thought only made his smile bigger. He yawned. As comfortable as the bed was, the thought of coffee appealed even more. Then his stomach rumbled, and he was reminded that with everything that had gone on last night, dinner hadn’t happened beyond the salad.
Oatmeal cookies and half a hot toddy were no replacement either.
He got out of bed and went straight to the shower. He swore he could smell coffee and biscuits, but was that actually possible two floors away? He wasn’t sure. Probably just his appetite working overtime.
A hot shower, a quick shave, then he pulled on his uniform of track pants and T-shirt and headed downstairs.
The delicious aromas intensified the closer he got to the kitchen. It wasn’t just coffee and biscuits, though. There was another note to the aroma that was vaguely familiar and a little sweet. He couldn’t quite figure it out. Maybe Mrs. Applestock was working on a menu item for tonight’s dinner party? Whatever it was, he planned on stealing a bite.
He walked into the kitchen and found Theo in an apron and thermal mitts taking a large tray out of the oven. A smudge of flour clung to her jaw. “Well, hello there. What are you up to?”
She jumped, nearly dropping the tray. “You scared me. And you’re not supposed to be up yet.”
He grinned. There was something incredibly charming about her when she was a little miffed and slightly bossy. He took a seat at the island. “I’m not? Did I forget that I asked for a wakeup call?”
She frowned at him. “I thought you’d sleep in is all. I was going to surprise you.”
“With?”
She put the tray on the marble countertop between them. “Nightberry scones. My mother’s recipe. Of course, at home we always made them with currants because that was what we could afford, but in the royal kitchens…” She shrugged.
“I remember those.” He closed his eyes and inhaled. The aroma made sense now. And it brought back so many m
emories. All good. Happiness filled him. He opened his eyes. “That is an outstanding surprise.”
Mrs. Applestock came in with a basket of ingredients. “They smell divine.” She looked at Robin and shook her head like she was disappointed in him. “All these years, we’ve had these delicious things growing in the garden, and you never said a word.”
“I really didn’t know,” he tried to explain. “Sorry.”
Mrs. Applestock went oddly still. “I didn’t mean to scold you, sir. I just—”
“No, you’re right.” He laughed as he nodded. “We’ve wasted time. And berries.”
She smiled. “I was thinking about doing a nightberry tart for this evening.”
“I love that idea.” Introducing Amelia and her niece to one of his favorite things would make the evening that much more special.
“Good,” Mrs. Applestock said. “Miss Theo here has given me her mother’s recipe. I didn’t know her mother had been one of your pastry chefs. Imagine that!”
He nodded as Lolly put a cup of coffee in front of him. “Caralynne was a very skilled baker. One of the best.”
Theo beamed. “Thank you.”
“Thank you.” He added sugar and cream to his coffee. “You must have gotten up pretty early to pick those and get the scones made.”
She smiled. “I thought it would be a nice surprise.”
“It’s the best one I’ve had in a long time.” Certainly better than the one he’d had in the woods last night. He pulled out the stool next to him. “Will you join me for a scone?”
Theo nodded. “Sure.”
“Mrs. Applestock, Lolly, please stop what you’re doing and have a scone. You have to taste these, too. In fact, we should get Mrs. Baton and Elswood in here.” Suddenly, he got to his feet. “You know what? Let’s just take all this to the staff dining room. The coffee and the scones, I mean. Can we do that?”
Shocked faces looked at him. Mrs. Applestock spoke. “We can do anything you like, sir.”
“Good. Let’s get Henry and Fenwick in here, too, if we can.” He glanced at Theo. “Unless you don’t want to share the scones? I don’t want to ruin anything you had planned.”
Smiling, she shook her head. “You’re not ruining anything. They’re meant to be eaten. And I made a lot. Oh! That reminds me!” She spun around, opened the oven again, and pulled out a second tray.
The scones were a little more golden brown than the first batch but seemed fine to Robin. He moved to stand closer to Theo. “Thank you. This really was a wonderful surprise.”
She looked up and into his eyes. “You’re welcome.”
A little flour decorated her left cheekbone, too. He wanted more than anything to brush it off, but Theo might not welcome the intimate contact in front of Mrs. Applestock and Lolly. There’d be no denying his relationship with Theo was more than just companionship if they saw that. Although they had to know something more was going on between him and Theo, didn’t they?
He needed to distract himself before brushing flour off her cheek was the least of his transgressions, because kissing her seemed like an even better idea. He rubbed his hands together. “What can I do to help?”
Chapter Twenty-three
Theo couldn’t quell her nerves. She’d already met Amelia, but that didn’t seem to make any difference. This was a dinner party, and she desperately wanted it to go well for Robin. The one possible crack in the porcelain was her. She was the weak link. The most uncultured and unschooled. He’d had to point out which fork to use when, after all. She didn’t have the manners that these people did for a situation like this. Or the upbringing.
She was a common-born peasant. Robin might have been common-born, but he’d also been king. And even though he hadn’t held the throne long, he’d been living in this house with that magnificent library for years. She knew how books could change you for the better.
They were her one saving grace, perhaps. But she’d never had access to the number of them that he had.
At least she’d had a well-educated mother who’d shown her by example how to be gracious. But was that enough?
She gnawed on her bottom lip as she paced through her suite. Why had she pushed him to do this?
For the thousandth time, she checked her reflection in the full-length mirror in the bathroom. She’d gone with the emerald-green dress. After removing all the gold braid detailing and about half the scattered rhinestones, it had turned into something that felt appropriate for a semi-fancy dinner party. A little sparkle, but not too much.
She wasn’t the hostess, after all. Just another guest.
But there was one other thing that she liked very much about the dress. It made the wearing of her mother’s starstone-and-emerald necklace seem intentional.
That was her only jewelry worth wearing anyway. For her hair, she’d done a single open-weave lace braid at each temple, then pinned them back. She’d applied a little bit of makeup, just like she had the night before. Her shoes were the same black heels as well.
Enough looking in the mirror. There was nothing left for her to do. She glanced at the time. Nerves had driven her to get ready too soon. Dinner wasn’t for another hour. She wrung her hands and searched the room for something to do. Maybe she’d try to read. That would be a good distraction. She’d brought a few books back from the library last night, too.
A knock on her door made her jump. “Yes?”
“Theo? It’s Robin.”
She exhaled in relief. He’d be an even better distraction. She opened the door. He was still in track pants and a T-shirt. “Hi.”
He looked her up and down, his brows rising and an appreciative smile bending his mouth. “You look beautiful. Very sharp. Green is your color.”
“Thank you.” She did a quick little curtsy. “You look…comfortable.”
He laughed. “Yeah, I’m going to get dressed in a minute. But, uh, can I come in?” He looked oddly sheepish. “I have something for you.”
“Of course.” She moved out of the way.
He dug into his pocket. “I need some help, too.”
“Oh? What with?”
“First…” He held out his hand. In it was a small black velvet box. “These were supposed to be a birthday gift for Vesta. Obviously, she never got them. Which I’m happy about. I know now she wouldn’t have liked them anyway. Not gaudy enough for her tastes. But I’m hoping you’ll feel differently.”
She stared at the box, not quite able to take it. The last gift she’d gotten had been for her birthday, and it had been the letter T carved from a piece of scrap wood her father had scavenged somewhere. He’d inlaid a few small river rocks into the surface. It was lovely. Her father’s carving skills were very good.
But this was jewelry. And whatever was in the box had most likely cost serious money.
More than all that, the gift was coming from Robin.
“Go on,” he said. “Take it.”
She inhaled, hoping fresh air in her lungs would bring her the fortitude she didn’t feel. She took the box. The velvet was so soft. The box felt almost weightless.
“If you don’t like the gift, that’s perfectly okay. I just thought maybe you’d want something to wear tonight. Or whenever.”
She hoped it wasn’t a necklace. She wasn’t going to replace her mother’s with anything else. Tentatively, she opened the box.
The tiniest gasp escaped her lips. “Oh,” she breathed out. Not a necklace. Earrings. Petite, dangling earrings. Each one was comprised of three starstones—a round one, a marquis and a pear shape—each set in gold. They were linked together like a chain so that the smallest movement set them dancing. “They’re the most gorgeous earrings I’ve ever seen.”
“I thought they would go with your necklace, too.”
“They will. Perfectly.” Suddenly, she realized her foolishness. He wasn’t actually giving these to her. They had to cost a fortune. This was a loan, plain and simple. “Thank you for letting me borrow these. They’re just the
finishing touch my outfit needs.”
“I’m not letting you borrow them. They’re my gift to you. For you to keep.”
She stopped looking at the earrings to look at him. “I can’t accept these. They’re too much.”
“Now, Moody…” He grinned. “You saved my life. That makes them not enough, but they’re all I could come up with on short notice.”
“But you don’t need to—”
“Nope. Not going to listen to any of that. Besides, I want you to have them. I can’t think of anyone I’d rather they go to than you. And they complement your necklace so well. Please. Take them.”
She looked at the earrings again. They sparkled like diamonds, but starstones gave off a distinct silvery glitter that diamonds didn’t possess. He wanted her to have them. If she said no, she’d only upset him. She couldn’t do that, not right before dinner. “They’re magnificent. I can’t thank you enough. They’re honestly the nicest thing I’ve ever owned. Besides my mother’s necklace.”
He looked incredibly pleased. “Put them on.”
She took them out of the box and slipped them into her ears, then went to the small mirror by the wall that led into the bedroom. She turned her head side to side. “They’re stunning.”
“So are you.”
She smiled, heat rising in her cheeks. “You’re making me blush.”
He shrugged. “It’s the truth. You are.”
She had to change the subject, or she was going to pass out from embarrassment. “What, um, did you want help with?”
“Oh, right. Could you fix my braids?” He tugged at the one at his right temple. It looked like it had been fresh a week ago. “They need redoing, and I’m not that great at it.” He stuck his hand into his pocket and pulled out two ornate silver braid caps. “I brought these. I can never get them to work.”
“I’d be happy to rebraid your hair.” Then she realized what an intimate thing he’d just asked of her. As king, he’d no doubt had someone to do his hair for him. But he wasn’t king. And she supposed he didn’t want to ask Elswood. Or Hyacinth.
Moody And The Beast (Shadowvale Book 4) Page 17