That’s as may be.
Therese faced forward and let her sons lead her out of the house, across the porch, and down to the carriage.
From the shadows of the hall, Child watched the company pile into the carriages that would take them to the railway terminus. Reluctantly, he accepted that there was no way he could prevent Therese’s departure, even though everything a lifetime had taught him about Devlin insisted that this was all a horrendous misunderstanding.
He firmly believed Devlin would have a perfectly rational and acceptable reason for visiting a beautiful woman in Covent Garden. Alone, in the middle of the afternoon.
Inwardly, he shook his head and admitted he was looking forward to learning what that explanation was.
He watched the small cavalcade roll off.
When Portland stepped back and shut the front door, then turned to Child, Child flung up his hands in defeat. “I’m going to wait in the library. When Alverton gets in, please tell him I’m there.”
Portland bowed. “Indeed, my lord. Should you require anything, please ring.”
With a nod, Child turned toward the library.
Little had changed since he’d last been in the house. He’d been much younger then, and so had Devlin.
In those days, they’d been carefree gentlemen on the town. Now...
The tantalus was in the same spot in which it had always stood. Child poured himself a healthy measure of Devlin’s whisky, then walked to one of the large leather armchairs angled before the hearth and slumped into its comfort.
He sipped and waited and brooded on his old friend’s situation.
Drama of this sort usually sent him running. But this was Devlin, and he had to admit that despite her attempts to steer him toward a suitable wife, he’d grown rather fond of Therese and her often-acerbic observations.
When it came down to it, he didn’t, exactly, believe in love, yet he’d told Therese the truth—he didn’t want her and Devlin to senselessly pass up the chance of having a love-based marriage.
He dwelled on that darkly for several minutes, then grumbled, “Be damned if I give up on them now.”
He raised the tumbler and took a long sip. He flatly refused to let them fail, not if he could help it.
Chapter 13
Devlin arrived on his doorstep at twenty minutes past five o’clock, clutching the well-wrapped package he fondly believed would make the perfect gift for Therese’s birthday, ten days from now.
He located his latchkey and quietly let himself into the house. After carefully easing the door closed, doing everything possible not to alert any of his staff, he silently walked down the hall and slipped into his study.
Closing the study door, he exhaled. Smiling at his efforts to keep the package a total secret, he walked past his desk to the wall behind it and swung the picture that hung there aside, revealing the safe.
After fetching the key from his desk, inserting it, and releasing the lock, he manipulated the latch and swung the heavy door open. He placed the package inside, then stood back and looked at it.
He couldn’t help but feel smug. Everything was falling into place.
He swung the safe door shut, pulled the latch down, locked the safe, and removed the key. He turned to the desk and replaced the key in the secret drawer. As he pushed the drawer shut, a sound like a snort had him glancing up.
The door between the study and the library was open, and Child lounged in the doorway. He had a glass of what Devlin suspected was his prize whisky in one hand.
Before he could inquire what Child was doing there, Child pushed away from the doorframe and waved his glass. “I have news you’re not going to like, old man. Your wife has left you.”
Devlin stared at Child as he ambled forward, then evenly asked, “How much have you drunk?”
“Trust me, not nearly enough.” Child collapsed in a sprawl in one of the armchairs facing the desk, and Devlin saw that his old friend’s expression was abnormally stern and his amber gaze was steady and almost accusatory. “Let me tell you what’s happened.” Child pointed one long finger at the chair behind the desk. “I suggest you sit down.”
Devlin studied Child for an instant more, then slowly complied. He narrowed his eyes on Child’s face. “What did you mean about my wife having left me?”
“I mean that she’s taken the children and run away to the Priory.”
