She hesitated a second in the doorway of his study before entering. It wasn’t as though he would keep her away. They had gone nearly five days now without saying more than a few polite words to one another.
There had been one fiasco after another that kept them occupied. First it was the sheep, and then food poisoning among half the staff over a new attempted recipe that soured too quickly. A pipe had collapsed on the side of the house following this, and he’d just recovered from sending off one ofthe stableboys two towns over after he broke his foot to a proper physician for better care.
Exhausted and ready to relax for a day without troubles, Sebastian hadn’t had the heart to remove the cat from his desk. Fluffy Pearl had immediately made her way into his lap, pawing at him until she was comfortably curled up there.
“She did. She was here before I ever entered,” Sebastian vowed.
Lips quirking, Isabel gave a short chuckle before sighing. She crossed her arms and sighed at the sight of Pearl in his lap. “She definitely likes you more than me.”
“I can hand her back,” he volunteered immediately.
“Don’t bother her, there’s no need. But I do appreciate the offer. And I don’t mind having some time to myself. Kittens are quite destructive, so Amber and I have a few stitches to fix in a few draperies.”
Noticing the lilt on the last couple of words she said, he echoed, “A few?”
“I would recommend you don’t look too closely at them for some time,” Isabel advised with a sheepish smile. “We’ll have them mended soon, I promise. It’ll be like it never happened.”
He nodded. “I trust you. If you need anything, please let me know how I can help.”
“Keeping an eye on Pearl is help enough. I was beginning to worry I was losing her beyond a normal amount. But I think she likes exploring and she especially likes you. Not that she can be blamed for that. Oh, there is something,” she added before he could focus on what she’d just said.
“Something what?”
Isabel paused for breath before leaning forward, biting her bottom lip. His eyes snagged on the sight for a moment. “I hope you don’t mind, but I thought I would invite Thomas to supper. He is staying in town, and I think he could use a proper meal.”
“Supper? Tonight?”
She nodded. “Do you mind?”
Yes.
Truthfully, Sebastian had expected the man to be gone by now. Or so he had hoped. It seemed other matters were afoot, however, and there was only so much he could control.
As he gave Pearl scratches down her spine, he considered the question for a moment. Because he did mind, very much, but he didn’t want to tell Isabel. There was a light in her eyes that told him how the answer mattered, whatever he might say.
Would she even listen? I don’t trust him. The man keeps coming to visit. How many times has he come now, three or four? Five? He sprang out of nowhere.
Sebastian wanted to refuse her but couldn’t when Isabel’s eyes shined so bright in the daylight. “Is that what you want?” She gave a hasty nod. “Very well. I’m sure the kitchens can manage one more plate.”
“Certainly. Where did you say he is staying in town?” He asked after a moment.
“I’m not certain, but you can ask him tonight,” she volunteered. There was a heartbeat pause before she added, “I don’t… Well, I hope you can be friends. He is trying, Sebastian, and I think he intends to make matters right.”
Can he? If he didn’t have a title, he would have been tossed in prison. Or worse.
“If that is your wish,” he said in response, albeit reluctantly.
A shadow crossed her brow when Isabel tilted her head at him. But she shuttered her thoughts away before nodding, excusing herself. Pearl stayed in his lap as the two of them were left behind.
“What do you think?” Sebastian murmured to the sleepy cat. Her pale-yellow eyes opened and closed blearily. “Do you trust the man?”
She just so happened to sneeze right then, twitching her little nose, before burying her face between her paws. That felt like enough of an answer to Sebastian, however. He nodded in agreement. No matter what Thomas did and no matter what Isabel wanted to believe, the man couldn’t be trusted.
I just hope she can see through him.
That evening, Isabel and Sebastian greeted Thomas together at the door at one of his few planned arrivals. He seemed to keep appearing there, almost like he wished to move himself inside for good. As they shook hands, Sebastian swore that would be a line that couldn’t be crossed.
“What, no drawing room?” Thomas asked when they made their way straight to the dining room. “I was looking forward to a brandy before supper.”
