“Try it. I dare you.”
Once inside the house, as the footmen doused the torches outside, Lord Willowdale gestured toward the stairs. “Good night, Thea,” he said, his voice weary. “I am going to have a few nips in the drawing room. I will see you in the morning.”
Spinning on his heel, he stalked across the entryway as servants bowed or curtseyed as he passed. Thea stared after him for a few moments, then turned to climb the stairs, her skirts in her hands. Liam, following, heard her mutter under her breath, but he only caught the words, ‘dismissed like a child’ as she reached the second floor where her rooms were. At her door, Thea glanced up and down the hall for any witnesses before taking Liam’s hand to squeeze it briefly, then drop it.
“Good night, Liam,” she whispered, trying to find a smile for him.
Liam stroked his fingers down her cheek. “Good night, Thea.”
She went inside and closed the door softly behind her, Liam turned his back to it, standing his watch until Luke Jonesboro arrived to relieve him.
* * *
The next few days grew hectic for the Willowdale household as guests trickled in from all parts of the kingdom for the big party. The Baron of Ampleforth had departed early the morning after the fight, and his absence had been met by thinned lips and a shake of Lord Willowdale’s head at breakfast. Liam, due to his unrecognized status as Thea’s bodyguard, was spared much of the work that fell to the other footmen.
Standing a few paces behind Thea, the pistol concealed under his livery, Liam watched as Thea and Lord Willowdale greeted guests as they arrived. The Earl of Harrowshire, Thea’s escort for the party, turned out to be a man nearing thirty with a balding pate, bulging brown eyes, and protruding front teeth. Liam almost felt Thea’s wince from where he stood as she curtseyed to him.
“Welcome to our home, My Lord,” she said, smiling warmly.
The Earl shook Lord Willowdale’s hand, nodding gravely. “Thank you for inviting me,” he said. “I look forward to getting to know you, Miss Miller.”
“And I you, My Lord.”
To her evident disgust, the Baron of Ampleforth arrived the day before the party, walking up the steps to the porch where Thea and Lord Willowdale waited to formally greet him. He shook Lord Willowdale’s hand, bowed to Thea, and presented a bottle of brandy wrapped in tissue, tied with a ribbon, to Lord Willowdale. “A gift in addition to my apology, old chap,” he said, his grin wide.
“Thank you, Robert,” Lord Willowdale replied, slapping him on the back briefly as he passed into the house with a household footman carrying his bags behind him. Liam bowed as he passed, unable to cease wishing the man would depart for France and become embroiled in Napoleon’s war.
One of the next guests to arrive was none other than Lord Bradford of Bradford and his lady. Thea greeted them with enthusiasm, curtseying to the Duke’s son as Lord Willowdale bowed. “I am so happy you accepted our invitation, My Lord, My Lady. This is my brother, Frederick, Lord of Willowdale.”
“I am pleased to meet you, at last, My Lord,” Lord Willowdale said with a broad smile. “Welcome to our home.”
Lord Bradford shook his hand, presenting his wife, Lady Bradford. “I see you have recovered from your injury, Lord Willowdale. And my wife was so excited to receive your invitation. She adores parties.”
“How is your father, My Lord?” Thea asked.
“He is quite well, thank you, Miss Miller,” Lord Bradford said with a faint grin. “Your visit seems to have brought him some peace, as though a burden has been lifted from him.”
“I am very glad to hear that, My Lord.”
Supper that evening was a grand affair, with Lord and Lady Bradford seated with Thea and Lord Willowdale, and the Baron of Ampleforth, to Thea’s delight, had been seated further down the huge table because of his lower rank. Liam, serving the higher-ranking guests with their wine, cast a few glances in the Baron’s direction. The Baron, he found, seemed to be enjoying himself as he spoke and laughed with his dining companions, one of whom was the young Countess of Sweetwater.
At the party itself, Liam was far too busy to follow Thea around, nor could he, as she strolled around the vast ballroom with the Earl of Harrowshire.Not likely anyone would try to kill either of them amidst all these witnesses.He could not help but wonder why the killer had not tried again since the day he had gone hunting with the Baron of Ampleforth. When not serving food and drinks to the guests, or bringing more heaping platters from the kitchen, Liam watched Thea.
She smiled, and danced with every eligible bachelor who came, circling the room to chat with the guests, as did Lord Willowdale, no doubt charming every one of them. He noticed her demeanor change when asked to dance by the Baron of Ampleforth, but she did dance with him out of forced courtesy. Thea slipped away from him at her earliest opportunity, and Liam noticed how the Baron’s eyes followed her with no smile on his face.
Liam served her and the Earl of Harrowshire with wine as they sat at a small table, both of them watching Lord Willowdale dance with the young Countess of Sweetwater. “They make a lovely couple do they not?” the Earl asked.
“Yes, My Lord, they do indeed,” Thea replied, watching the pair. “Is she not married?”
“She is widowed,” Lord Harrowshire replied, glancing at her from his bulbous eyes. “Her husband, the Earl, died of pneumonia not long ago.”
“How tragic,” Thea said, appearing truly sympathetic to Liam.
Liam glanced at his lord and the widowed countess, grinning inwardly, thinking that perhaps someone had just caught his eye.It would be interesting if he gets married before Thea.The Countess was indeed a very attractive woman with ash blond hair and huge blue eyes, her slender figure fitting nicely into Lord Willowdale’s arms.
“And you are not yet betrothed Miss Miller?” Lord Harrowshire asked, watching her sidelong.
Thea shook her head, her eyes downcast demurely. “Not yet, My Lord.”
