“But if you have no time for it,” she said, running her finger up his chest to his throat. “Then I must pursue you. That way, I can get ahead of those other tarts who want you for a husband.”
You proposition me and they are the tarts?“Well, I appreciate your interest in me, Vanessa, but right now I am not interested in getting married.”
Except to one woman who is surely not you.
Finally edging around her, Liam made his escape, striding quickly down the corridor to his small room. He heard her lilting laughter from behind him. “Do not take too long to decide, Liam. Or you may lose me to another handsome man.”
* * *
Carefully laying the silver on the table for the Lord and Lady’s breakfast the next morning, Liam kept his head down and his eyes on his work. Mr. O’Bannon’s eyes were on him, which in itself was unusual. The butler tended to watch all the footmen carefully to make sure all was proper, in order and undamaged. Wondering if he had done anything wrong, he tried to recall what he might have done to get into trouble.Surely he does not know about me and Thea meeting at night by the lake.
That thought made him break out into a cold sweat. If anyone found out about it, dismissal from the household was the least of his worries. Shifting his eyes slightly, he found Mr. O’Bannon frowning slightly at one of the other footmen, and he breathed a tad easier. Perhaps Mr. O’Bannon was simply having a bad morning thus far.
Lord Willowdale breezed in, forcing Liam to step aside and bow low. Though the master had seated himself at the table, work must continue around him until everything was in order. Liam shot him rapid glances, trying to gauge his mood. Though Lord Willowdale seemed to be on the contented and happy side, Liam knew things could change rapidly.
Busy setting Thea’s place opposite Lord Willowdale, Liam kept his head and eyes lowered, yet he felt the lord’s eyes on him. The unease in his belly grew, and once again he wondered if his and Thea’s secret was out. Had they been spotted together? The small strand of woods at night concealed everything within it unless one was standing at the edge of it looking in.
Liam knew no one had stood there as he and Thea spoke together. Thus, if they were caught, it meant someone had watched from the house to see them both come and go. Sweat once more trickled down his ribs.
“I do not recall thanking you properly for your service the other day,” Lord Willowdale said, startling Liam.
He straightened so he might bow properly. “I am happy to serve My Lord,” he replied, his tone soft and respectful.
“I suspect it was more than just service,” Lord Willowdale replied in a dry voice. He eyed Liam up and down, his brow quirked over his right eye and a smile hovered over his lips. “In any case, thank you for saving my life, Mr. Carter.”
“You are only thanking the poor man now, Freddie?”
Liam quickly sidestepped to permit Thea to sit at her place, bowing before pulling her chair out for her. She sat down, hardly looking at him, then he pushed it back in. He moved quickly to begin serving the meal as Thea continued.
“How ungrateful must you be.”
Lord Willowdale’s warm countenance died and turned hard. Liam knew he would now be listening to yet another sibling quarrel, and from their countenances, it would be a fierce one. Lord Willowdale dipped his chin in Liam’s direction. “I do apologize for not giving you your just due, Mr. Carter. But I am truly grateful for what you did. In spite of my sister’s theatrics.”
Liam bowed again without speaking, not daring to look up from his task of serving Thea her breakfast. From the corner of his eye, he saw Thea’s face cloud over in annoyance and quickly stepped away without making his haste too obvious. Standing against the wall until he was needed, he tried to gaze up and over their heads, but he was not quite tall enough for that.
“My theatrics?’ Thea exclaimed, biting into her bacon. “There would not be any had you done what was right.”
“Can we please drop this and have a nice quiet breakfast?”
Liam wished he could unsee the nasty smirk Thea unveiled upon her brother. “Yes,” she cooed. “Let us dine together in peace.”
Liam knew Lord Willowdale was in for a very hard time. Yet Lord Willowdale did not seem to see the danger signals. He ate several bites of his bread and butter, sipped his tea, then asked, his tone conversational. “Why did you not tell me last night that Robert visited you?”
“Since when is that any of your business?” Thea retorted.
Lord Willowdale gaped. “This is my house. I should be told what goes on under its roof.”
“This isourhouse, brother,” she snapped. “And you lost the privilege of knowing who my visitors are when you neglected to tell me you gave that odious Baron free rein to pay a call on me whenever he pleases.”
Thea leaned forward over the table, her pale brown eyes hot with naked fury. “And the reason I did not tell you last night was that had I done so, I would no doubt have killed you myself. This way, I had a chance to cool my rage before confronting you. Now I can leave killing you to the scoundrel in the walls.”
Liam forced himself to not make a move, to not bat an eye, to not breathe, or else he would burst out into wild haws of laughter. He respected Lord Willowdale a great deal, as a lord and as a man. But the shocked expression on Lord Willowdale’s face was one he would never, ever forget.
“I say,” Lord Willowdale said, his eyes like saucers.
“No, you do not say,” Thea snarled. “I say. And you will retract that man’s permission to come any time he pleases.”
“Thea,” Lord Willowdale said, his voice humble and apologetic. “I cannot do that. To do so would insult him.”
