Undeterred, Trevor followed him. “It’s not only shoes! I can tie a cravat, fasten buttons, sew, readandwrite. I’m good with most tools, I can—”
“I don’t need a valet.”
Trevor paused in his diatribe and squinched his face.
“That’s not what I’m hearing in the kitchen, mi’lord.”
“I’m not a lord.” Seth fought the urge to tear his hair out.
“Yes sir… Sir?”
“Sir,” Seth affirmed with an exhausted sigh. Cooper chuckled next to him. Seth shot him a glare.
“I have nothing to pay you.” Seth started down the staircase into the main hall.
“I’ll pay him,” Cooper offered, lightly taking the steps.
“Youhave nothing to pay him.” Seth scowled, turning his attention to the boy. “And even if he did, I’m not going to poach you from Margaret.”
“Who is Margaret?” Cooper asked.
“Thehousekeeper?”Seth turned to Trevor.“Is Margaret still the housekeeper?”
“She was this morning mi’—sir,” he responded. “Please consider the offer, I’m willing to apprentice for shelter and food. I’m a fast learner, everyone says so—”
“How old are you?” Cooper asked.
“Fourteen, mi’lord,” Trevor said. “Turned fourteen this summer. Old enough to be on my own. I can start today. My Ma has already given her permission for—”
“Can you learn to be quiet?” Seth interrupted him, rubbing a circle into his temple.
Clamping his mouth shut, the boy nodded.
When Seth turned the corner to the breakfast room, Duke Kendall stood steps ahead, speaking with Bishop, and another man who—
Seth froze in the hallway.
Trevor bumped into his back.
Seth gripped his shaking hands into fists, and Cooper’s eyes followed the movement. Seth didn’t notice it, or anything else. His heart rate increased, and he begged himself tofocus! Focus-Focus-Focus!The words repeated in his mind, but he couldn’t process them over the ringing in his ears and the blackness shadowing his vision.
“Reeves?” Cooper asked slowly. Turning to follow Seth’s gaze, his eyes widened in comprehension.
Even with his back to him, Seth recognized Sir Reginald Thomas,uncle to Bishop… and father of the man Seth left to burn to death. All thoughts disappeared. Seth did the only thing he could.
He ran.
Weaving through the halls, he found an empty room. He couldn’t stop it, he was falling, he couldn’tbreathe—
Distantly, Cooper’s voice urged him, “Get it together, Reeves! Breathe!”
Memories slashed together—
“Breathe!”
—he’s not moving, he’s not—
“—breathing, he’s not—!”
