“I spoke to the housekeeper yesterday, and the manor is at full capacity. There isn’t another room she can be moved to. You’ll have to get over that, too.”
Wait… what?
Reeling from the unexpected shift, Seth pivoted.One thing at a time. The rooming situation also needed to be addressed. Bringing up courtship should probably wait untilafterCassandra moved to another room, now that he thought about it.
He truly was out of sorts this morning.
“There are ninety bedchambers in this manor andeverysingle one is occupied?” Seth asked incredulously.
Cooper gave an apologetic shrug. “That’s what I’ve been told.”
“Here’s an idea.” Seth pointed his finger at his friend. “Give heryourbedchamber!”
“I’m next to Duke Kendall!’ Cooper’s voice rose an octave. “I’m not putting Cassandra near him! He makesmyskin crawl. Why are you so adamant about getting her away from you? If she’s overbearing, I can talk to her—”
“No!”
Cooper’s eyes widened at Seth’s volume, and he said quieter, “It isn’t that. I can’t sleep with her in the room next to me. I know that assoon as I close my eyes here, it’ll be… you know how it’ll be, Cooper.”
Seth turned from Cooper, distracted by a tiny brown sparrow that landed on the windowsill outside. It chirped cheerfully before flying away.
“Cassandra knows about your… sleeping habits,” Cooper said after some time. Breathing deeply, choosing his words carefully, he continued, “I didn’t mention it before because it didn’t warrant a conversation, and you certainly never wanted to talk about it, so we all gave you your space… but the walls in Cooper House are thin.” Cooper’s tone gentled, and it made Seth sick to hear it, insultingly placating. “Cassandra is better equipped to tolerate it than most, I can assure you.”
But Seth felt no reassurance. Instead, he feltmorewretched. How many nights had he kept the Cooper household awake? What Cassandra must think of him. Weak andbroken.
“She shouldn’t have to hear it,” Seth said bitterly.
“Do you truly believe you’ll sleep better with anyone else next to you?”
Seth remained silent. Cooper couldn’t have known the double meaning that he took to his words. No, he didn’t want anyone else next to him. For the briefest of moments in the library, he had fallen asleep. It was glorious, but not as much as waking up. Seth could wake every morning to Cassandra’s serene smile, but a wall between them was the best that he could offer her.
“Give it a try tonight. Get into that bed andsleep, instead of holing yourself up all night reading…” Cooper grabbed the book from the desk and read the cover, “The Misadventures of Miss Moffet and Muffins?”
Cooper gave him a look of unabashed judgement.
“If you need a bed time story, perhaps you should try whiskey?”
Seth snatched the book from him and tossed it on his bed.
“Not here.”
“He doesn’t own you. You can do whatever you want.”
No,Seth thought miserably.I can’t.
As Seth opened his door to leave, a young boy fell into the room, head and shoulders tumbling onto the ground. Dressed in the uniform of a servant, the clothes a size too large for his frame, the boy’s brown hair was slicked back and trimmed in the fashion that Lord Bolderwood required for all of his staff.
The shine of his boots put Seth’s own to shame.
The boy recovered, rolled onto his feet, and stood at attention. Brown eyes stared star-struck at Seth, not seeming to register the Viscount behind him.
“An eavesdropper?” Cooper asked, peeking his head around Seth.
“No!” The boy waved his hands in the air between them. “I wasn’t eavesdropping! I was waiting for Captain Reeves!” He stood at attention once more. “My name is Trevor, mi’lord, and I wish to be your valet. I’ve been practicin’—practicing!—I can shine a shoe, better than anyone else in the Manor, even the Earl hisself can’t shine a shoe like I can.”
Trevor puffed out his chest in pride.
“No,” Seth said and walked down the hallway.
