Audrey petted the puppy in bewilderment. “I … I’m not sure this is such a good idea. I won’t be able to see what he’s up to.”
“You can hear him, and once he’s older and trained, he’ll be a good companion.”
“Then I certainly won’t need a husband.” She bit her lip as if to contain a smile.
“I’m not laughing.”
“You know what Blythe is trying to do,” Audrey said tiredly. She stroked the puppy’s little head as it kept trying to lick her chin.
“Give you a gift?”
“She’s trying to distract me from—from everything. She means well.”
“Are you distracted?”
“I’m worried this is just one more responsibility that I am not equipped to handle.”
“You handle everything in your path, Audrey. You’ll handle this.”
The puppy was squirming so much, she had to put him down. He sniffed at her skirts, at Robert’s boots, then started to search the corners.
“What is he doing?” she asked.
“Exploring. And looking for a certain spot. If you take him outside every few hours, he’ll learn to piss out there. He’s used to that already.”
“Robert, your language.”
He stooped to tie the rope around the puppy’s neck. “Then find a better word. And a name. I’ll walk him outside.”
“Thank you.”
The puppy was all big paws and floppy ears, and pulled as hard as he could to lead Robert around the back, toward his home in the barn.
Mr. Sanford was repairing a broken rail in the paddock fence, then glanced up as Robert approached. He frowned down at the puppy. “I told Miss Collins the puppy weren’t a good idea. Mrs. Blake is sendin’ it back?”
“Not at all, I’m simply taking it for a stroll.”
Mr. Sanford’s expression only darkened. “A puppy is just another thing a blind woman can’t take care of. Comin’ here, tryin’ to prove herself independent—it isn’t right to worry her father like this. And I know all about worry.”
Robert eyed the man with speculation. Much as he wanted to rebuke him, he remained silent to see what else he might say.
“She should go home,” Mr. Sanford continued, “not that it’s me place to say such a thing, beggin’ yer pardon, milord.”
Why bring up Audrey’s father as her guardian rather than him, the man who intended to marry her?
The servants had been a puzzle from the beginning, and Robert wasn’t satisfied that all was well between them and Audrey. After the puppy had relieved himself, he led him back inside. It took some time to find Audrey, because he hadn’t thought she’d have reason to be in the kitchen.
He found her holding Louisa’s little boy, talking to him earnestly as he met her gaze. Louisa was stirring a pot over the fire, looking over her shoulder again and again at Audrey.
Robert felt a chill of unease. “Audrey?”
She lifted her head and her smile seemed all that was normal. “Do you still have the puppy, Robert?”
“I do.”
“I was just telling Arthur about him.” She set the little boy on his feet. “We still have to think of a name, Arthur.”
The puppy sniffed the boy’s toes, making him laugh.
