Guarding the Spoils (The Wild Randalls - Book 3) (30 page)

The other carriage’s horses drew level with the window and the sweated beasts blew steam as they snorted in the cool air. She’d never known a Romsey groom to be so shoddy with the beasts. Charles Allen would be livid when he found out.

“Carrying important cargo, sir,” the other coachman yelled back. “Thought it important to return to Romsey quick-smart.”

Men on horseback circled the carriage and when she glanced up, Mr. Allen and his sons were grinning at her happily. They tipped their hats and kicked their horses toward Romsey, leaving them behind in their dust.

Tobias poked his head out the door and then began to chuckle to himself as he stepped out, too.

“Tobias, do share the joke,” Blythe huffed.

After a moment, he held out his hand to Beth. “You’re not going to believe your luck. Come and see what the important cargo is.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

OLIVER’S PULSE SETTLED to an easy rhythm as Beth emerged from the Romsey carriage with Tobias’s assistance. She sobbed when she saw her son. George ran to her, wrapping himself tightly about her as if he’d never let her go. Oliver smiled as the happy pair clung to each other in joy. He would have been content to view their affection all day, but after a time he grew aware that Leopold was glaring at him.

“How did you come to have George Turner?” he demanded. “And why the hell are you not already on your ship?”

How indeed? He’d been mulling over that very circumstance on the return trip and was no closer to a logical answer. First the wind had prevented him from sailing that morning, turning him back the way he had come, and then their carriage had been stopped on the road. Maybe Eamon had been right. Maybe he was not meant to leave after all. “Fate showed me another path.”

Leopold’s eyes narrowed. “Fate did?”

“That, and an overturned cart blocking our way.” Eamon grinned, rubbing his hands as he warmed to the tale. “Oliver’s got damn sharp eyes and saw young George being pulled into a seedy tavern and his mother was not with him. Had a little chat with Beth’s brother-in-law and came to a satisfactory agreement.”

“Eamon,” Leopold groaned, scolding for the implied outcome.

His friend held up his hands. “None of the negations were my doing.”

“It was Oliver,” George piped up. “He made Uncle Henry give me up.”

Beth hugged George to her again and then knelt to examine his bruised face. Her brow creased in concern and Oliver wanted nothing more than to reassure her that there would be no lasting harm.

Leopold’s frown grew. “How exactly did you do change his mind? Did you bribe him with your funds for the trip?”

Oliver had thought little of his lost funds or his trip since his first sighting of George being dragged into the inn. He really should have alerted the captain that they wouldn’t be joining him for the trip, but getting the boy back to his mother was much more important than any travel plans. “The patrons of the inn where George was being held were very appreciative of my contribution,” Oliver murmured eventually. “But Henry Turner will not show his face again.”

When Leopold continued to stare, Eamon drew him aside but spoke loud enough to be heard by all. “If I can make a suggestion, sir, it’s not in anyone’s best interests to make him angry again. You won’t like it. Trust me on this.”

“Oliver.” Leopold spun around, ignoring Eamon’s warning. “What the devil did you do? You didn’t murder Turner, did you?”

George started to giggle. “He made him soil his trousers in front of everyone.”

“Oliver,” Elizabeth chided. “That wasn’t very nice.”

Now that she had noticed him, Oliver strolled toward her. His hands itched to touch her skin and never let her go. “He wasn’t a very nice man to begin with. Never did like him and even more so when I saw what he’d done to you and George. We returned as fast as we could.”

“Thank you. I’m forever in your debt for rescuing my son.”

He touched her cheek gently. “There is no debt between us to be repaid. It was my pleasure.”

Elizabeth’s frown grew as she drew back. “Your trip?”

“Will still be there when I want to go.” He gestured to his carriage, hoping she would travel with him so they might talk privately. “Shall we return to Romsey?”

“You’re coming home with us?” Beth appeared shocked. “Surely there is another ship that might take you another day. There’s money in our carriage should you require reimbursement. I’m sure your brother will repay you for the inconvenience we’ve caused and I can repay him later when I can.”

“There’s no inconvenience involved.” He smiled, a little puzzled that she did not appear keen to have him go home with them. “It’s not money I need.”

Her skin pinked and she took a further step back, increasing the distance so he’d either have to shout or follow. “Thank you for returning George to me.”

George squawked a protest as he was pulled away to the other carriage. Oliver followed Elizabeth’s retreat in confusion. What had he said wrong this time?

Eamon clapped him on the shoulder. “Remember what you said you’d do before. Let her go for now.”

Although he didn’t want to, he had little choice but to return to his carriage without the two people that mattered most to him. He sat in glum silence as the carriage got underway. Because they faced the right direction, their carriage went first, but he called out to the driver to wait and allow the other to lead the way. At least this way he would know exactly where they were and occasionally catch sight of their carriage at any curve in the road.

They rattled through Romsey’s gates hours later and drew up before the house, which was cloaked in darkness. Oliver was quick to get out but was too late. Elizabeth had already disappeared inside the abbey, taking with George with her.

Leopold stepped up to his side. “I’d like a word with you in private.”

“It can wait.” He stepped away but Leopold’s hand clamped onto his arm and held him back.

“I don’t believe it can. Now. In the study.”

Tobias drew closer and frowned at their elder brother. “It really is none of our business, Leopold.”

“You stay out of it.” Leopold gestured for Oliver to precede him and, sensing the inevitability of the discussion, Oliver walked toward the duke’s study, disappointment clouding his mind. He’d deal with whatever was on Leopold’s agenda and then find Elizabeth and George and make plans for them all.

He moved into the quiet room and stood waiting.

Leopold wasted no time. “You seduced her and left her. How dare you, sir! I brought her here—my friend’s widow—to make her life better, not to become your plaything. Have you no conscience, no sense of duty to her or your family? Imagine my surprise to learn that you’ve been sniffing round her skirts while my back was turned.”

“It would have been far more disrespectful to Elizabeth to have made love to her where you could see,” he pointed out.

“So you do not deny that you seduced her.”

A smile tugged at Oliver’s lips. “You make it sound as if I imposed on her.”

Leopold deflated quickly. “Well, didn’t you?”

“Of course not. We discussed the matter in detail beforehand and she was well aware of my plans to leave. I was careful not to get her with child. Not that this is any of your concern. If I remember correctly, you bedded a married woman and got a child on her and didn’t even know her name. Elizabeth is a widow. Our affair hurt no one.”

“It hurt her.”

Oliver frowned. “In light of my reception today, I think you may be exaggerating. It is clear that she’s not happy to see me again. Perhaps I should resume my journey without delay after all.”

“No, you won’t,” Tobias’s voice cut in from the doorway. “You didn’t see her face yesterday after you left. A sorrier sight I’ve never seen. She missed you terribly and you’ve only been gone a day.”

Hope filled him slowly and he met his younger brother’s stare directly. “Then I’ll stay and try to convince her.”

“To do what?” Leopold cut in. “To lose what little is left of her pride after you abandoned her? There is not one servant in this house that doesn’t know by now that she was your lover.”

“The gossip will die down in time without additional reason to flourish.” Oliver nodded as he rearranged his plans for the future to accommodate Elizabeth’s understandably troubled emotional state. “Eamon reminded me that she might need time after the scare of George’s abduction and I’ll give her that.”

Leopold’s fists clenched at his sides. “So you are not going to be a gentleman and march upstairs and propose a marriage between you to restore her reputation?”

Oliver imagined such a request voiced at this point and saw the likely conclusion wasn’t in his favor. “No,” he said firmly. When Leopold’s face grew red he added, “Not yet.”

Leopold shook his head. “I will never understand you. Don’t you care about her even a little?”

“I care about her enough to put her first. She will want to spend time with George and until she is calm again and secure in the knowledge that Henry will not return to steal him away, she will never leave George’s side long enough for me to voice a proper proposal.”

Leopold snorted, a grudging agreement that his assessment wasn’t wrong.

Oliver rubbed his eyes as weariness tugged at his senses. “I will behave as I have always done and attend to George’s lessons. He has much to learn of languages before we travel to the continent.”

“You’re still going?”

Oliver nodded. “The boy has already expressed a wish to go and I am not against the idea. Elizabeth will warm to my ideas eventually.”

“It could take a while,” Tobias cautioned with a laugh.

Oliver shrugged. “The coliseum isn’t going anywhere. And while I wait for Elizabeth to be at ease, I can begin to write a history of Romsey. The boy is pestering me to write one and I’ve decided it’s a good idea.”

Leopold’s eyes narrowed. “Will you include the location of the sanctuary and the true entrance to it?”

Oliver smiled tightly. “What’s to tell? It doesn’t exist anymore.”

The door swung wide and the duchess flew into the room. “I just heard the news.” She pulled Oliver into a tight embrace and hugged him. “Thank God for you, Oliver. I’ve been so worried. We could have lost George forever to that dreadful man.”

Oliver greeted her and then glanced over her head, disappointed to see she was alone. “Where is he now?”

“He’s with my son. Beth is there, too, if that is what you’re really asking. Would you care to join us?”

He shook his head. “They’ll both enjoy the young duke’s company far more without me. I’ll see them again later, perhaps.”

He would see them only if Elizabeth wanted them to see him. For all he knew, she might very well remain behind locked doors forever. He sighed, wishing her chambers were closer to his. If she was truly worried, the east wing had excellent locks now they had been repaired.

The duchess peered up at him. “How long are you staying? At least until the wedding?”

The eager expression on her face made him laugh out loud. “Perhaps a bit longer than that.”

She beamed. “We’re going to have a grand family dinner shortly to honor your timely rescue of George. As the guest of honor, you are expected to attend and not be at all tardy.”

He grinned down at the woman determined to remake the pattern for all future duchesses of Romsey. “I’ll be early if you like.”

She spread her fingers over her chest as if in shock, grinned, and then swept from the room with a happy giggle. Oliver shook his head. Who’d have thought he’d find the antics of the Duchess of Romsey amusing?

Tobias approached and set his hands to Oliver’s back, giving him a none-too-gentle shove toward the door. “The dining room, if you’ve forgotten, is this way. Move along, I’m starving.”

As soon as Elizabeth stepped into the dining room, he became aware of her tension. She wouldn’t look at him and, determined not to make her uncomfortable, he tried to avoid her as well. But it was difficult to be indifferent. The duchess placed him directly across the table where he could see but not touch the woman he wanted.

When Elizabeth spoke softly to her son, he listened, blocking out everything else being said until Eamon, whom the duchess insisted joined them before he resumed his duties tomorrow, began to speak of the rescue. Eamon had those gathered hanging on his every word. “Our Ollie was like the hand of God in his vengeance. A poor pickpocket almost had his hand severed for standing in his way.”

“Hardly pricked his skin,” Oliver corrected.

Eamon ignored his interruption and continued, embellishing expansively until they’d faced a whole roomful of cutthroats instead of just Henry Turner and one associate. Only he and George exchanged speaking glances that told of their amusement at the scale of the story. The only good that came from Eamon’s was that Oliver was spared the need to talk. He never liked to boast and Eamon was enjoying the task immensely.

Without the pressure to be agreeable for the present, he spent his time considering what his new future might entail. More of this, certainly. Elizabeth enjoyed dinner conversation. He would do his best to make her happy and be on time for meals.