Forsaking the Prize (The Wild Randalls 2)

Oliver wiped his hands over his face. “He would not spill Randall blood on Romsey soil. He wouldn’t risk their deaths being connected to this place. Someone else might have looked a little too closely at his dealings.”

Leopold grunted. “Have you remembered where the carriage overturned at all Tobias?”

“No.” He caught Oliver’s yawn and helped him to his feet. “That’s enough for one night. We’ll deal with the servants. Time to get you into a bed.”

“Yes. Plenty of time tomorrow for serious conversation. It will be pleasant to have someone sane to converse with.”

Tobias smiled tightly, wondering again how Oliver’s incarceration had affected him. He shuddered. Ten years without liberty. Tobias had thought his life had been harsh. Imagine never seeing, touching or even making love to a woman in a decade. It was enough to drive any man to the brink.

Thirty

Beth Turner hurried into Blythe’s bedchamber, her arms full. “Your breakfast, my lady.”

“Thank you, Beth.” Blythe lifted her gaze from her study of Romsey’s sunlit gardens and smiled at the interruption. Beth’s child waited, holding the door. “Good morning, Mr. Turner.”

He nodded. “My lady.”

“It’s not much.” Beth rushed to set the tray down. “The kitchens are deserted this morning. Half the servants are gone. George has been a great help.”

Blythe drew her wrapper tighter around her shoulders. “Thank you, George. I feared as much last night when I saw the housekeeper and cook among the dissenters. Did you prepare all this alone?”

Beth nodded. “I enjoy cooking. Her Grace and her son are eating together now, but since you hadn’t rung, I thought I should bring something up.”

“That was very thoughtful. Thank you.”

“My pleasure.” Beth turned away and opened her travel case. When she held Tobias’ shirt up to the light, Blythe winced. She hadn’t thought to open it last night and separate Tobias’ clothes from the contents. A ball of panic formed in Blythe’s stomach, but Beth merely handed the items to her son without comment and sent him outside to wait.

When she finished unpacking, she opened the wardrobe. “What should you like to wear today, my lady?”

“I’m not sure, but not a dark colored gown. I think something brighter will suit my mood better today.”

A quick grin crossed Beth’s face. “I think you’ll look pretty in green. The color will highlight the color of your eyes. It’s a beautiful dress.”

“It’s one of my favorites, too.”

Beth didn’t say another word while she changed, but she did spend an inordinate amount of time dressing her hair. “There. Perfect,” Beth said at last.

“Thank you.” Blythe stared at the mirror. She may feel optimistic, but she wasn’t altogether sure what to do with herself now. She wanted to find Tobias and talk to him. But she should visit with her sister and talk over the problem of filling the vacancies that now exist in the ranks of servants at Romsey. And there was Oliver Randall to enquire after, too. She wasn’t sure where to start first.

Beth bobbed another perfect curtsey. “If there is nothing else, I should return below stairs to the kitchens. Someone needs to decide what is possible for the later meals.”

Blythe frowned. “You shouldn’t have to work in the kitchens, Beth. When I employed you it was my intention to give you a more comfortable life. Slaving away in the kitchen for the Randall’s was not part of our agreement.”

“Never worry about that now. We must all eat something. I’m sure things will return to normal very soon. I don’t mind helping out where I can.” She hurried for the door and set her hand to the knob. After a moment, she looked over her shoulder. “Your presence is required in the morning room, my lady.”

Blythe frowned. “By whom.”

“I’m sorry, my lady. I couldn’t say.” Beth darted from the room before Blythe could call her back to question her.

Intrigued by the vague summons, Blythe made her way downstairs, listening to Leopold Randall bark orders in a rapid stream to Mr. Murphy and others. There was much to be done and no one paid her any attention as they hurried to do his bidding. She peered into the library as she passed, noting Oliver sitting with his head bent over a book.

The morning room door was ajar and she stepped inside the sunlit room. Tobias waited, standing across the room, and looking so very handsome and neatly pressed. She longed to fling herself into his arms. Instead, she forced her pulse to slow. They had made no plans, aside from discussing how a man might court a lady. She’d wrestled with the conversation all night and couldn’t figure out if she was hoping for more than he intended. He hadn’t snuck into her room last night and when morning came she’d feared she’d read too much into his words. But here he stood, dressed handsomely in the morning room.

“Good morning, sir.”

He bowed deeply. “My lady. Thank you for coming.”

Tobias looked decidedly uncomfortable.