Thea gripped his wrist between their two bodies where no one might see it, smiling as though there were no troubles at all in the world. “It is a game to him, Freddie. Let him play it. I do not wish to see you make a scene right now.”
Calming himself, Freddie glanced around at the guests milling around the courtyard, waiting for their turn for their carriages to come forward. “I will kill him.”
Thea laughed heartily, waving at the landau that just passed them, the emblem of the Earl of Harrowshire on its door. The Earl waved cheerfully back. “Please do. I will help you bury the body.”
Freddie snorted in laughter, and also waved as yet another carriage filled with noble guests went past, drawn by quick trotting horses. “Why, you are a bloodthirsty wench,” he said, grinning and watching his guests depart.
“Only where he is concerned.”
Freddie’s smile faltered as the Countess of Sweetwater went past him, yet her eyes did not turn to him. Instead, her head swiveled back through the window to gaze at Robert and her hand lifted in farewell. Tohim. Dull fury swept through Freddie, burning worse than the cut on his cheek. Thea’s hand on his arm squeezed tighter, reminding him to not make a scene.
Only the steady presence of Lord Bradford arriving to stand beside him gave his rage a dampening, like a bucket of cold water over his head. He bowed as Thea curtsied. “My Lord.”
“My wife and I are departing, Lord Willowdale, Miss Miller,” he said, a faint smile creasing the corners of his mouth. “I do wish you luck, my good man, and I hope you will come spend a few days with us at the castle.”
“I would like that very much, My Lord,” Freddie replied, feeling his anger loosen a fraction.
“I also want to advise you,” Lord Bradford went on, his voice lowered, “that if you need assistance from the law, let me know. I have many connections with the constables and courts in London.”
“Yes, I will do that,” Freddie said, shaking his hand. “Thank you.”
“Miss Miller,” he said, turning to Thea. “Thank you again for the invitation, and your visit to my father.”
Thea curtsied. “It is my pleasure, My Lord. I do hope to see you and Lady Bradford again soon.”
“I am sure you will.”
Across the courtyard, Freddie observed Robert’s carriage, drawn by two matching bay horses, come forward, and the footmen load his bags onto it. Robert himself approached, forcing Freddie to rein in his anger. There were still other guests nearby to witness a scene, and Thea’s hand squeezed him once more in warning.
“Freddie,” Robert said, his voice and grin bright and cheerful. “I must be going now.”
He bowed to Thea. “Miss Miller, thank you for inviting me to your lovely party. I enjoyed dancing with you.”
“You are welcome, Baron,” she replied, her tone carefully neutral.
Freddie made himself shake Robert’s hand and say, “Have a safe trip home, Robert.”
Robert eyed him, his smile not quite so bright. “I say, is something wrong?”
“Not at all.”
No, you are busy stealing the one woman I found myself interested in for the first time in a long while.
“Jolly good, then. I will be on my way.”
He swaggered back toward his coach, making Freddie’s teeth grind together. Thea released his hand with a short sigh, and said, her voice low. “He is up to something.”
Freddie released his pent up tension in a short gust of breath. “No, Thea, I think he is just playing games like you said. He is just trying to make me jealous in some infantile competition.”
They both waved as his coach passed them, Robert’s hand extending out the window in a farewell gesture. The horses took him down the road in a faint cloud of dust, and a few of the other guests returned to the house. Freddie glanced down at his sister. “Let us take a walk down to the lake for a bit of a talk.”
“Very well.”
A quick glance over his shoulder showed him Mr. Carter following along at a respectful distance, just out of earshot. “He is devoted, is he not?”
Thea looked up at him, then back at the footman. “Mr. Carter? Yes, he is indeed. Very loyal to the family.”
“For his incredible service,” Freddie mused as they walked, “perhaps I should promote him. Find him a position that will enable him to have a better future.”
