He frowned. “I have a bear enclosure to design. The beast managed to break out of the last one.”
She pulled on her dressing robe and brushed her hair back. “Is that what you do, locked in the library all day? I cannot imagine a bear enclosure takes that much thought. What are you really plotting?”
His face darkened for a moment, as though he were thinking of that very thing, and Maddie shivered. His grim expression worried her. She’d seen that expression on his face several times in the past two days, but each time she’d asked him about it, he’d said it was nothing.
She’d heard rumors about an altercation between Jack and Bleven at the prince’s ball, but when she asked Jack, he told her not to worry, he wouldn’t allow anything to happen to her.
Apparently, he wouldn’t allow her to know anything either. Since their conversation about his mother, he’d been even more closed than usual. Maddie wanted to find a way to reach him, to assuage his guilt over his mother’s death, but she didn’t know how.
“Well,” she said, walking to him now and kissing his forehead. “You’re welcome to join us if you want.”
Two hours later she prayed Jack wouldn’t take her up on her offer. She could just imagine his reaction if he happened to glimpse the chaos reigning in the drawing room.
But it wasn’t her fault! In fact, the more she thought about it, the chaos was his fault. If Jack wouldn’t let her go to the needy, she had to bring them to her. It was that simple.
Though, had she the choice, she might have brought fewer.
When she told Laura Millingham, the society president, that she’d like to meet some of the invalid veterans of overseas conflicts, she hadn’t expected Miss Millingham to respond quite so enthusiastically.
At present there were eight invalid veterans crowding in the drawing room. Even Maddie had to admit they were a motley bunch. A few resembled pirates more than decorated officers. Perhaps it was Captain Roberts’s peg leg or First Lieutenant Finch’s eye patch and gold hoop earrings, but something about the men made her pray that Jack stay ensconced in his library.
She had hoped to solicit the men’s opinion on the decorations and food to be served at the fund-raiser, but the conversation had rapidly degenerated into a heated argument as to who had suffered more in the Colonial Wars.
“Ha! You think having a finger shot off is bad?” a Colonel Shivers shouted at a Lieutenant Beebe. “Try having your toes frozen off. Lost three of them. See here.”
Maddie rubbed her temple as the bearded colonel removed his boot and wiggled the mutilated toes at the room as a whole. Poor Miss Millingham was white as a ghost.
The colonel swung the foot in Maddie’s cousins’ direction, and Catie shrunk back to avoid having the limb smack her in the face. “Oh, very, ah . . . nice.” She set her tea on the table and pushed it away.
Josie, seated beside her, craned her neck to get a better look. “Whoever the surgeon was, he did a good job sewing it up.”
“What surgeon?” Colonel Shivers said. “By that time the Colonials had so overrun us, it were every man for himself. Why, I remember one time a friend of mine had the green rot on his—”
“Sir!” Maddie stood abruptly, jostling her own teacup and spilling the liquid. “I know all of us are fascinated by your campaigns under Cornwallis, but perhaps you could save a few stories for later. We wouldn’t want you to have to repeat yourself.”
The colonel chuckled. “Oh, no chance of that. I have a thousand stories, but of course some aren’t suitable for ladies.”
Maddie could only imagine what those might involve. “In the meantime, we need to discuss”—she consulted her notes—“the refreshments.”
Catie nodded at her eagerly. “Good idea. I have the list of possibilities we compiled right here.”
Maddie took it and perused the selections. Behind her, the drawing room door opened, and Maddie stifled a frustrated groan. She finally had everyone’s attention, and now the staff needed her. She’d told them she didn’t wish to be disturbed. The servant—whoever it was—would simply have to wait.
“One moment,” she said over her shoulder, not bothering to see which member of her staff had intruded. “I’ll be with you shortly.”
She turned back to her audience and noticed they were all sitting quite a bit straighter. Despite his peg leg, Captain Roberts had even risen from his chair. Maddie sighed. It must be Ridgeley behind her. He was the only intimidating member of the staff.
“Captain Roberts, do not worry about Ridgeley. Please sit and make yourself comfortable.”
The captain opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Maddie shrugged. If he wanted to stand on one leg, she wouldn’t argue. At least everyone had stopped quarreling. The room was silent.
She cleared her throat and was surprised when several veterans jumped.
“I was thinking that we might keep the refreshments simple—” she began.
“Maddie?” Josie interrupted. “You might—”
Maddie gave Josie a sharp look. “Just a moment, Lady Westman, let me finish.”
