by Heather Boyd
Rebecca blushed bright red and waved back with a very small hand gesture.
The food was spectacular, the array of dishes served sublime. If this was what being managed by Rebecca could be like, Adam was keen to secure such a future. He laughed through the speeches, mostly because Whitfield seemed extremely uncomfortable.
When the newly married couple finally slipped away from the guests hours later, Adam discovered he was envious. Not of Whitfield marrying Lady Jessica but the fact that his friend had someone to love openly.
Adam shouldn’t complain. He’d won the interest of the lady of his choice, but he was uncertain of what the future might bring. Rebecca could say no to his proposal when he made it. She had not exactly embraced the idea that they could continue after the house party.
After Ava had returned to the nursery, Adam kept an eye on Rebecca, but he’d not found another opportunity to catch her alone to discuss their future. And he wanted to have such a discussion with her. More than anything, he felt an urge to ensure their relationship continued well beyond the next few days of the house party.
He suddenly saw his chance when a female servant beckoned to Rebecca, and she moved into the hall. He followed via an indirect route but came to a standstill when he reached the hall. Adam didn’t see her at first because she had walked farther on. But he heard her voice, issuing instructions to wake her early tomorrow.
Adam reached her just as she dismissed the maid. “I have never enjoyed an evening more, Mrs. Warner.”
“I’m glad.” She glanced around. “It feels like a weight has lifted from my shoulders.”
“And now the burden of spoiling your sister will fall on poor Whitfield’s shoulders.”
“I’m confident he’ll manage,” she assured him. “And probably won’t complain.”
“New husbands rarely do,” Adam promised.
“Yes, I remember that. Men save their petulant displays for later.”
Adam caught her tone of disapproval and peered at her. “You did not enjoy being married, did you?”
“I never said that,” she said quietly.
Adam was learning to read between the lines to hear what she did not say. He could understand—she’d been betrayed and humiliated. It might take some doing to earn her trust and agreement to marry. Adam was optimistic that he could prove himself worthy eventually.
“I liked it,” he confessed. “It was comforting to know that at the end of the day, I would have someone to crawl into bed with.”
“I prefer sleeping alone.”
“All evidence to the contrary. You hog the covers, madam,” he complained with a soft laugh. They did well together in bed. Outside of it required perhaps a little more time for her to become accustomed to the idea of him always being around. He nuzzled her neck. “I adore the scent on your skin. It is so unusual. What is it?
“Jasmine and coal tar,” she whispered.
“Coal tar?”
“It is usually used for skin complaints but it works.”
“Remarkable. I have both of those at Gable Park, but I never thought they would do so well together.”
“Shh, it’s a secret.”
He chuckled. “Do you ever wish you were the mistress of a large estate?” he asked. “Don’t your fingers itch to tell someone what to do and benefit from it?”
“I benefit from that already.” When she smiled, his heart skipped a beat. If they continued to get along, he would make sure she always had reason to.
He stepped back, holding out one hand. “Come with me,” he whispered, beckoning Rebecca to join him in the shadows of a nearby chamber.
Although a frown immediately marred her brow, she glanced over her shoulder and then, to his delight, followed after him.
As soon as they had privacy, he pulled her closer then spun her around. He placed his hands on her shoulders, noting her muscles were tight enough to play music upon with a bow. He kneaded her flesh a moment, earning what sounded like a very definite moan of gratitude, and then kissed her neck. She was lovely—when she wasn’t angry with him. “You’ve accomplished so much. You must be pleased.”
“I think my father is pleased.”
Adam resumed nuzzling her neck, sliding his hands around her body possessively.
“I can’t stay,” she whispered.
“A minute more,” he begged softly. “I thought this might make you feel good. You’ve been run off your feet for days chasing your family about. You need a little attention, too.”
“You’re very good at that, but…”
“You’ll go back and stay on duty until the end of it all?” he finished for her.
“I had planned to. That’s why I wasn’t going to dance tonight.”
“I wondered why you refused, but I still want you.”
She raised her eyes slowly. “I can’t see you tonight.”
She looked so sad about it, Adam cupped her cheek and pressed a kiss to her brow. There would be plenty of time to be together if he had his way. “I understand. You can’t bear to let any of them down, can you?”
She shook her head.
“Go back then. I’ll still be yours tomorrow night,” he promised with a grin. He wasn’t leaving Stapleton until the duke kicked him out.
“Adam, there is something I must tell you before I go.”
Adam quickly pressed a finger to her lips. “You don’t have to say a word. I know you’ll miss me tonight.”
Although she nodded, another frown formed on her brow. “I have to go. Farewell.”
“Until tomorrow.” Adam allowed Rebecca to walk away. But tomorrow and the days that followed, he would formulate a plan to woo her for good.
He strolled back to the guests and met the Duke of Stapleton before he’d gone too far. The duke’s smile was strained. “I need a drink.”
Adam agreed to join him. He could drink now because he would not risk offending Rebecca’s delicate sensibilities later that night. Adam followed the duke into his study and took whatever he was offered. “A toast to a wonderful marriage just begun,” he cried.
The duke agreed absently and downed his drink.
Adam put his glass down. “Is something wrong?”
Stapleton nodded. “Not exactly but my wife has taken ill again, and I do not like feeling torn.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. Her grace seemed well an hour ago when I spoke to her last.”
“The sickness comes and goes more often than I ever knew.” The duke looked up at the ceiling. “I’ve just found out my wife has been hiding that fact from me for weeks now. If not for Rebecca’s help, I now know the wedding might never have taken place today.”
“Your daughter is a skilled hostess,” Adam noted. But then he realized that if the duchess was still ailing, Rebecca would assume her duties again for what remained of the house party, and perhaps beyond that, too. He was disappointed Rebecca might have only a little time for him, and only at night.
“I had hoped to go to London.” The duke rubbed his hand over his face and yawned.
“When?”
The duke pulled out his pocket watch. “In a few hours.”
“That’s sudden, but I’m sure your daughters will be only too happy to keep an eye on her grace.”
“I’m sure they would, but I would be happier if Rebecca were staying,” the duke muttered before turning away to refill a glass.
In doing so, Stapleton missed Adam’s utter shock.
Adam eased to the front of his chair, anxious to hear more. “I never heard that she was leaving tomorrow,” he began evenly enough, but he quickly experienced alarm that his lover had had enough of him.
“No one knows yet that she plans to slip away at dawn. Damn girl drives her poor father to drink,” the duke complained as he downed another glass.
Adam stood and collected his own glass. He sipped slowly, but it didn’t help him feel any better. “Why is she going to London?”
The duke exhaled. “A small inconvenience. Nothi
ng for anyone to worry about.”
But Adam was immediately concerned. First, her brother-in-law drops by unexpectedly, and Rebecca won’t tell him why, and now she is rushing off to London. Something was definitely going on with her—and he would get to the bottom of it before he decided how to confront her, or if he even should. “I’m glad.”
Adam finished his drink and, after a moment of consideration, he poured another for the duke, too, making sure the duke’s glass was fuller than his own.
Adam drank slowly, biding his time until the duke was feeling the effects. Then he carefully posed the questions that would help him discover everything he needed to know about Rebecca’s sudden London trip.
Chapter 14
Lord Rafferty, at last, exited the carriage outside a busy coaching inn on the way to London and left Rebecca in the company of his daughter and her maid. They’d been traveling for hours from Stapleton now, and Rebecca longed to escape the close confines and the tense atmosphere—the result of being nearly abducted by the earl.
Apparently, sometime during last evening, Rafferty had learned of her journey to London and obtained her father’s blessing to convey her there in his own carriage.
Rafferty had not intended to travel to London as of yesterday afternoon. He’d given every indication that he would remain at Stapleton Manor for many more days yet. Rebecca had hoped to complete her London errand and return to Stapleton—and to him, if he was still there waiting.
But now they were traveling together, and he had not questioned her once about her reason for the trip. That was unusual, because Rafferty had taken to questioning everything she did lately. Rebecca was concerned that her father had let something slip last night about her troubles, too. Why else might Rafferty have felt compelled to make a journey that so closely coincided with her own out of the blue?
Rebecca leaned forward and helped Ava return her slippers to her feet. The girl had slept for most of the day, thankfully, and never questioned where her father was taking her. “We must be careful here and stay together,” she warned the girl. Nancy did not need to be told that coaching inns were dangerous places for women on their own. Ava would have her father’s protection, of course, but Ava did not always do as she was told. She had escaped the Stapleton nursery several times on her own, and it was only good luck that Rebecca had come across her.
“I’ll keep my eye on the girl,” Nancy promised. “Tonight, too.”
Rebecca appreciated it, but she worried about that and the other sly comments her maid had uttered along the journey to London. No matter that the earl had kept his head in a book while in the carriage, Nancy seemed to suspect that Rebecca was involved somehow with him. Her servant had glanced between them for the whole of the trip and began to smile as soon as Rafferty announced they would be stopping here overnight.
Rebecca peered out of the carriage at the dusty inn yard. She had never stopped at this particular coaching inn before and trusted that Rafferty had chosen well.
Rafferty returned then, looking a bit rumpled and weary, but he was smiling. He had a groom open the door again and put down the steps. He thrust out his hand to Rebecca. “The accommodations are arranged, madam. Let us go in.”
Rebecca accepted Rafferty’s help gladly but dropped his hand as soon as possible. Eager for a moment alone, she hurried into the building ahead of everyone and was greeted by the innkeeper.
“Lady Rafferty, welcome to our humble establishment,” the man said.
Rebecca nearly choked on hearing the false title tumble from his lips. Lady Rafferty indeed? She forced a smile though.
The man smiled warmly. “Your husband insisted that tea be provided in the private dining room as soon as you’ve refreshed yourself from your journey.”
“Thank you.” Rebecca swept past him with her most regal smile firmly in place but once alone, slapped her hand to her head. She could definitely feel a headache coming on. Rafferty seemed determined to make her life harder than it already was.
When she returned to the hallway after freshening up, she heard Rafferty laughing along with others. The taproom was in that direction, she thought, but she hoped he would join her soon so she could give him a piece of her mind—preferably before he was too drunk to hear how upset she was with him.
A maid directed her to a pleasant chamber far away from the taproom, and the blessed tea was already waiting on the long table. She sat, allowed the maid to serve her and sipped—biding her time until Rafferty joined her.
When Lady Ava and Lord Rafferty came in together, unfortunately, all she could do was scowl at him and continue to wait for her chance to speak to him alone.
Rafferty signaled the servant to fill two teacups and then dismissed them with a flick of his long fingers.
“I’m surprised you are not holding a tankard,” she grumbled softly.
“People can change when they want to,” he murmured, and then took a sip of his tea. “The few travelers in the taproom report the road ahead is in excellent condition.”
She huffed at the news and looked his way.
Rafferty had changed in the past few weeks. She had to give him credit for that. But how long would such a miracle of his sobriety last or his choice of sedate waistcoats to wear continue?
She considered what to do. Only Ava was with them at the moment, and she had her face pressed to the windowpane, watching the yard below. Now might be the only chance she got for conversation before she retired for the night.
She caught Rafferty’s eye to whisper, “Who do you think will believe this ruse you’ve concocted?”
“Everyone, unless you give yourself away by continuing to protest my decisions—designed, I might add, to protect your reputation,” Rafferty said, sitting beside her. “Smile. No one knows us here, and Ava understands the necessity of a little harmless deception.”
“So it will all work out—until we come face to face with someone we know,” she snapped. “I told my father that I do not need an escort to London. Why are you going to London?”
“I have my reasons.” Rafferty looked beyond Rebecca. “Ava, come away from the windows.”
“But Papa, a fancy carriage just drove past.”
The earl chuckled softly. “We arrived in just such a conveyance. Or is Papa’s new carriage not good enough for you? Come back to the table now before I’m accused of rearing a heathen. Show her your prettiest manners.”
The girl skipped to a chair, a look of chagrin on her face. But then she smiled. “Sorry, Mama,” she said with an exaggerated wink.
Rebecca put her head in her hand. At least the girl seemed happy playing along with her father’s ridiculous deception. She had no idea the trouble her father’s ruse could land them in.
She lifted her head and squinted at the girl and then her father. Even though she liked Lady Ava, with her now sitting so close, Rebecca could not even whisper her complaints in Rafferty’s ear without the girl hearing every word. He’d just maneuvered her into silence.
She fumed.
When the tea had been consumed in near silence, the innkeeper’s wife returned with servants who rushed to place an array of dishes at the other end of the table. Nancy returned then, too, with assurances that the rooms the earl had rented for the night were prepared.
After they had eaten, she would send Lady Ava away to be with her maid and then she would exchange a few dozen private words with the earl. She was looking forward to that.
The earl smiled at her suddenly. “Let us eat. It has been a very long day, and I’m sure you ladies would like to retire for the night as soon as possible.”
After she’d eaten, and had sliced Rafferty to ribbons, Rebecca intended to sleep alone.
They moved to the other end of the table, and although Nancy tried to serve, Rafferty sent her to her chair. He served Rebecca first and then his daughter, and the maid, too. There was wine on the table, but he poured only a little for himself and some for Rebecca. Ava and Nancy had milk.
Rebecca quickly discovered she wasn’t very hungry after all. She moved the surprisingly good beef stew and potatoes around her plate endlessly and then pushed it away.
Rafferty noticed the half-eaten plate of food but said nothing about it beyond raising one brow in surprise. He continued eating, and entertained his daughter and Nancy with tales of his past travels. The girl lapped up the stories, hanging on her father’s words in a sweet way that had Rebecca smiling.
Seeing them so happy together made Rebecca’s irritation lessen. She did not know much about Rafferty’s interests, but he certainly told a good story about his life. She’d never had reason to know him better until now, and almost against her will, she became fascinated by watching him talk. Perhaps he had a good excuse for being here after all.
Rafferty brushed at the crumbs on his lap at the end of the meal. “Time for bed, my girl.”
“But Papa—”
“No. No. We will be rising with the sun tomorrow to reach London in good time.”
The girl came around and hugged her father tightly about the neck. Rebecca took the opportunity to gesture to Nancy to go with the girl. Nancy smirked at her then quickly wiped away the expression when Rebecca scowled.
Ava approached her with a look of uncertainty on her face. “Goodnight, Mama,” she said softly.
Rebecca would not play along willingly. “Good night, Lady Ava. Pleasant dreams.”
Ava suddenly embraced her before scurrying toward Nancy and slipping from the room.
She turned her attention on Rafferty as soon as the door shut. “What is the meaning of this trip of yours?”
“Can I not decide to travel to London at short notice?”
“No, you cannot. You intended to remain at Stapleton for the next few days.”
“Plans change. I discovered I have pressing business to attend to in London.”
“What business could you possibly have there that is so urgent? There were no messengers come to the estate yesterday for you, and you received no letters in the week before that.”