“I can watch my own back, thank you.”
Pensive, Freddie gazed at his books. “But why would the Duke want revenge now? I understand this all took place years ago.”
“Who knows the minds of men?” Charles said, spreading his hands, palms up. “Your father once told me he thought His Grace had a touch of madness. There was no reasoning with him. Ever.”
“So,” Thea continued, her voice rising in a question, “perhaps he sits on his rage for all this time until it finally bursts?”
Charles nodded. “That is not unheard of, Miss Miller.”
“Perhaps I should pay a call on His Grace,” Freddie suggested. “See him for myself, ask him to his face if he murdered our parents and the servants. Ask him if he intends harm upon you and me.”
“I do not like it, Freddie,” Thea replied. “I feel that it is too much like the lamb walking into the wolf’s den.”
Freddie chuckled. “You think I cannot handle one aged Duke, Thea?”
“Even aged Dukes have protectors, Freddie.”
“If I may suggest, My Lord,” Charles said, dipping his chin. “Before you visit the Duke, let us wait and see what happens. Perhaps your survival frightened your would-be assassin. I mean, now that you know someone is out to kill you, it will be harder for him to try again. He may not think it worth the risk of getting caught.”
“Logical.” Freddie nodded. “All right, I will wait. But I do wish you to make some discreet inquiries as to where the Duke of Bradford is right now. His country estates are not far from here.”
“I certainly will.”
Freddie nibbled his thumb. “If that old monster thinks he can try to kill me or hurt my family, then he better be ready. For I will kill him before he can do it again.”
Chapter 8
Standing in the shadows of a tall elm, Liam watched the door, unable to take his eyes from it. He had been waiting nearly an hour for Thea and had begun to worry that she would not come to the lake this night. The new dock was not yet ready for anyone to stand on, thus he planned to escort Thea further along the shore and into the shelter of a stand of trees.
At last, the door opened. Liam straightened, his heart beating faster. Her form backlit by the lamps in the corridor behind her, she vanished into the darkness once the door closed. Listening to her footsteps, he knew exactly where she was as she made her way down the path toward him.
“Thea,” he said, his voice pitched low.
“Liam,” she responded, and he heard the smile in her voice. “I am so sorry I am late. Freddie was trying to convince me to go to London. For my own safety.”
“The post was in truth an accident.”
“Yes, I know, and Freddie knows it, as well. But if this Duke of Bradford is indeed trying to kill him, he fears I may be targeted as well.”
“The Duke of Bradford?”
Liam cocked his head, trying to remember. “I heard that name, many years ago, when I was learning my trade as a footman.”
“He was a business associate of my father, who does, in fact, carry a very heavy grudge.” Thea started toward the dock when Liam halted her with a quick word. “No, it is not safe as it is still under repair. Come, let us stroll this way.”
At his side, Thea picked up the hem of her skirts as they now walked amid the grass and short weeds. “Do you remember much about what was going on back then?” she asked him.
“Not at the moment,” he replied. “But I will try to recall the rumors that were running rampant through the servants’ quarters. I know there were a few.”
Thea laughed. “I am sure there are plenty of them still.”
“Not as many as you would think,” Liam replied with a grin. “These days they are mostly about each other.”
Walking on in companionable silence, Liam led her toward the stand of trees where they might be hidden from any casual observers. “I used to come here a great deal when I was small,” he mused. “This was my favorite place. I could see the moon, the stars, and the lake, but no one could see me.”
“That might be wise in light of my brother,” Thea agreed, gazing through the branches to the stars above. “I liked this place, too. I used to come here to dream that I was a fairy princess and that King Arthur would ride toward me on his white charger to carry me away.”
Liam chuckled. “I used to pretend I was King Arthur.”
