Engaging the Enemy (The Wild Randalls 1)

Leopold snorted. “I’d be more worried if you left here. Besides, I have my spies watching you. Behave yourself and I will see you at breakfast.”

“He will see you at lunch,” Mercy said from the doorway. “After this, we shall be all indulging in a quiet morning tomorrow. You don’t mind if you speak with him later in the day, do you?”

Tobias waved his hand about. “Of course, Your Grace, we wild Randall’s are yours to command.”

An impish grin crossed Mercy’s face. “Perhaps another time. Do excuse me; I need your brother as a matter of some urgency.”

Tobias chuckled. “Urgent again. Perhaps this time he will slip you out of your gown before he ravishes you. Poor form, by the way, brother. Even I know a proper lady requires better treatment for a tryst than a hard wooden bench.”

Leopold had forgotten what it was like to be teased by a brother. He hadn’t missed this aspect of his former life and it would take a while to grow accustomed to the discomfort.

Mercy blushed. “Enjoy your brandy tonight, Tobias. Tomorrow, you and I will also have a long discussion about what a lady likes to hear in her presence. When my sister comes to her senses, you had better be prepared. I should hate to see you gelded at such a young age.”

She stepped out onto the balcony ahead of Leopold.

Leopold glanced at his brother. “It really isn’t too late to end your life, Tobias.”

“No chance of that now. Besides, life is just getting interesting. Imagine us all here at Romsey Abbey. Who’d have thought it could ever be?”

“The old duke. It’s what he feared most. Don’t disappear overnight, brother. We have a lot of catching up to do.”

“I’m not moving.” Tobias wriggled to get more comfortable.

Leopold stalked to the door, eager to catch up with Mercy and find out what she wanted.

Behind him, Toby called out. “I’d like another nephew when you can arrange one. Mother was always said ‘one’ was too lonely a number.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Evening was the time for secrets and lovers, but tonight as Mercy stepped out on the terrace she was determined to dispense with both. She set her hands to the balustrade, listening to Leopold’s footfalls come closer and tried to steady her racing heart.

The danger to Edwin was gone, or so she hoped, but one challenge still remained.

Leopold set his hand to her shoulder. “I take it there is no change.”

“None. She sees nothing. Reacts to nothing. It is unnerving to see her so still.”

“You left a maid with her?”

“I left two. Wilcox was good enough to send to Walden Hall for Blythe’s maid and I have assigned mine instead of the young girl the doctor suggested. When she wakes, she will see friendly faces and they will send for me.”

Leopold’s sigh was loud. “I had thought you might have stayed with her tonight.”

“I want to but I had to make a choice.”

“What choice was that?”

“Sit with her or run the risk of letting you slip away during the night while I was distracted. You have no idea how relieved I was to hear you entertaining your brother just now.” Mercy leaned against his shoulder. “Are we ever going to talk about that night?”

“Is there truly a need? We were both there,” he said softly.

Perhaps there wasn’t. They had both been pawns in the old duke’s games, but in order to move ahead with her plans, Mercy needed t

o hear Leopold say the words. “Do you regret it then?”

Leopold set his hands to the balustrade and leaned forward. “I do not regret what we were forced to do. But he ensured we both behaved without honor. I still feel bitterness over that. My life has been manipulated by Romsey more than I care for.”

Mercy sucked in a breath, startled by the heat behind his words. “Do you resent me, too?”