been
more than it appears.”
“ Absolutely, sir. And
perhaps Napoleon is secretly a spy for Mother England.” Adam
laughed aloud at his own absurdity as he made his way from the
dining hall. He stepped into the entry and was surprised to find
his bag and coat. This good riddance gesture was not lost on him,
and he shook his head in disbelief.
“ Lord, I’m glad to be
leaving this place,” he muttered under his breath as he let himself
out the door.
He circled around the front of the castle to
the stables in back, but his thoughts were centered on the lovely
woman in an upstairs room who could not escape her oppressive
existence. Whether he wished it or not, part of him would remain
with her once he left.
*****
Edgar watched his guest leave with equal
parts acrimony and relief. He slumped down in his chair and rapped
out an agitated tattoo on the tabletop with his bony fingers.
“Willy!” he roared. “Bring me a brandy and none of that damned
watered rubbish you served earlier.”
The servant scurried to do his master’s
bidding. “My lord,” he offered timidly as he placed the decanter at
the baron’s elbow.
“ Willy,” The baron said
morosely, splashing a generous portion of the potent liquid in his
glass, “I may have overplayed my hand.”
“ No, no, my lord,” Willy
hastened. “He’s leaving, ain’t he? I mean, he can’t do no harm once
he’s gone, can he?”
The baron stared at the little man in
disgust. “The only fool greater than you is I. The idiot has a
conscience. Why could he not simply have done his dirty deed and
left without making a fuss?” he wondered petulantly. “That’s how
most men would have handled it. He actually had the temerity to
challenge me.”
He drained his goblet and smacked it against
the surface of the table. The sudden impact caused the stem to snap
and a sliver of glass lodged in his index finger.
“ Bloody hell!” he bellowed
as he brought the wounded finger to his mouth. “What if I have to
take her to town? How will I control the situation
then?”
Willy looked nonplused. “Maybe it would be
best to find another bloke, one that don’t pose such a threat.”
“ Balderdash. I suppose
you’re going to say one fellow will do as well as another. My
wife’s developed feelings for Ashworth, and that adds a whole new
element to the affair. Do you realize how long it has taken me to
get this far? No,” he said in weary resignation, “I’m in too deep.
I’ll just have to see this little game to its end and hope I’m not
the one who ends up getting burned.”
*****
Adam entered the stable yard and Billy
greeted him. Since the earl was carrying his bag, one could assume
he was ready to depart. The obvious did not stop the young servant
from posing the question anyway.
“ I say, milord, are you
leaving?”
“ Yes, boy, it would seem so.
Are you helping Mr. Brown today?”
The youth nodded.
“ Could I get you to ready my
horse?”
Billy nodded again then trotted toward the
barn. As Adam watched the boy retreat, his gaze lit on Brown who
was leaning against the doorframe of the stable, observing the
proceedings. The earl approached the groom.
Brown straightened in the doorway, his
attitude wary as the earl neared. Adam came abreast of the man and,
in an unthreatening manner, placed his hands behind his back. He
cleared his throat before speaking.
“ Brown, I detect
considerable hostility directed toward me from you and everyone on
the estate. Only young Billy there has been unaffected. I’m at a
loss as to why.”
“ I don’t know what you
mean.” The groom’s gaze dropped as he sidestepped the
question.
“ Come on, my good man. I
don’t consider myself the sensitive type, but I’ve been treated
with more courtesy by those who dislike me.”
A long silence ensued while Mr. Brown seemed
to ponder how to respond. However, once he made up his mind, he
wasted little time getting to the point.
“ It’s my
more than it appears.”
“ Absolutely, sir. And
perhaps Napoleon is secretly a spy for Mother England.” Adam
laughed aloud at his own absurdity as he made his way from the
dining hall. He stepped into the entry and was surprised to find
his bag and coat. This good riddance gesture was not lost on him,
and he shook his head in disbelief.
“ Lord, I’m glad to be
leaving this place,” he muttered under his breath as he let himself
out the door.
He circled around the front of the castle to
the stables in back, but his thoughts were centered on the lovely
woman in an upstairs room who could not escape her oppressive
existence. Whether he wished it or not, part of him would remain
with her once he left.
*****
Edgar watched his guest leave with equal
parts acrimony and relief. He slumped down in his chair and rapped
out an agitated tattoo on the tabletop with his bony fingers.
“Willy!” he roared. “Bring me a brandy and none of that damned
watered rubbish you served earlier.”
The servant scurried to do his master’s
bidding. “My lord,” he offered timidly as he placed the decanter at
the baron’s elbow.
“ Willy,” The baron said
morosely, splashing a generous portion of the potent liquid in his
glass, “I may have overplayed my hand.”
“ No, no, my lord,” Willy
hastened. “He’s leaving, ain’t he? I mean, he can’t do no harm once
he’s gone, can he?”
The baron stared at the little man in
disgust. “The only fool greater than you is I. The idiot has a
conscience. Why could he not simply have done his dirty deed and
left without making a fuss?” he wondered petulantly. “That’s how
most men would have handled it. He actually had the temerity to
challenge me.”
He drained his goblet and smacked it against
the surface of the table. The sudden impact caused the stem to snap
and a sliver of glass lodged in his index finger.
“ Bloody hell!” he bellowed
as he brought the wounded finger to his mouth. “What if I have to
take her to town? How will I control the situation
then?”
Willy looked nonplused. “Maybe it would be
best to find another bloke, one that don’t pose such a threat.”
“ Balderdash. I suppose
you’re going to say one fellow will do as well as another. My
wife’s developed feelings for Ashworth, and that adds a whole new
element to the affair. Do you realize how long it has taken me to
get this far? No,” he said in weary resignation, “I’m in too deep.
I’ll just have to see this little game to its end and hope I’m not
the one who ends up getting burned.”
*****
Adam entered the stable yard and Billy
greeted him. Since the earl was carrying his bag, one could assume
he was ready to depart. The obvious did not stop the young servant
from posing the question anyway.
“ I say, milord, are you
leaving?”
“ Yes, boy, it would seem so.
Are you helping Mr. Brown today?”
The youth nodded.
“ Could I get you to ready my
horse?”
Billy nodded again then trotted toward the
barn. As Adam watched the boy retreat, his gaze lit on Brown who
was leaning against the doorframe of the stable, observing the
proceedings. The earl approached the groom.
Brown straightened in the doorway, his
attitude wary as the earl neared. Adam came abreast of the man and,
in an unthreatening manner, placed his hands behind his back. He
cleared his throat before speaking.
“ Brown, I detect
considerable hostility directed toward me from you and everyone on
the estate. Only young Billy there has been unaffected. I’m at a
loss as to why.”
“ I don’t know what you
mean.” The groom’s gaze dropped as he sidestepped the
question.
“ Come on, my good man. I
don’t consider myself the sensitive type, but I’ve been treated
with more courtesy by those who dislike me.”
A long silence ensued while Mr. Brown seemed
to ponder how to respond. However, once he made up his mind, he
wasted little time getting to the point.
“ It’s my
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