“Trouble already, old friend?” Percival walked into the room with Mr. Grimsby following behind him. “Why was your wife practically running from the room?”
“She was not-” Theodore cut himself off as he saw the state of his friend. “What on Earth happened to you? You look like a drowned rat.”
“It is raining.” Percival replied as though this explained everything. “Or at least, it was raining where I have just been. I expect it will not be long before it reaches the estate.”
“Get the Duke something dry to wear.” Theodore threw several logs onto the nearby fire as he barked out the order. “What were you doing out in a storm?”
“I fancied a stroll, obviously.” Percival replied drily as he took a blanket that one of the footmen handed him. “You know how I adore arriving places more mud than man.”
Something that sounded suspiciously close to a laugh drifted in from the doorway and both Theodore and Percival looked up to see Harriet standing there, her hand covering her mouth. Theodore’s frown deepened.
“Ah. Your Grace. A pleasure to see you again, and to meet you properly. We did not really get a chance to speak much at your wedding.” Percival swept into a bow, sending a spray of water out as he did so. “I am afraid I must ask your forgiveness for both my appearance and my somewhat unorthodox arrival.”
“Of course, Your Grace. It is a pleasure to see you again.” Harriet curtseyed.
“You still have not explained why you are here, Wright. Nor why you have traipsed mud all through my house and over my new carpets.” Theodore realized his shoulders had risen close to his ears and forced them back down with difficulty.
“Ah! I noticed that.” Percival glanced between Theodore and Harriet. “I take it those were your doing? You have quite the eye for such things. Remarkable what you have done with the place.”
“Thank you, but honestly, you are too kind.” To Theodore’s surprise, he saw Harriet’s cheeks flush slightly, her eyes briefly flicking towards him and away again. “I have not done that much.”
“You have,” Theodore said more firmly than he intended. “It has made a big difference.”
He saw her attention snap back to him, the room around them faded. Her lips parted slightly, even as her eyes narrowed. The tips of his fingers tingled, warmth spreading through him as he remembered the softness of her skin.
Please.She did not look away, a light slowly kindling to life in her eyes. He answered her unasked question. “A positive difference.”
He saw the corners of her lips begin to quirk upwards, a smile threatening to steal across her face that sent a thrill through him as though he were standing at a cliff edge. Yet he noticed a tightness to her muscles, and instinctively felt himself reach towards her, leaning forwards and then, Percival’s voice cut through the moment as clearly as a gunshot. “I would have to agree; your additions have made the place more inviting than I thought possible.”
Harriet’s cheeks flushed as she blinked and looked away from Theodore at Percival. He felt the bottom drop from his stomach and let out a breath.
“What are you doing here, Wright?” Theodore had not meant the words to sound quite so sharp and accusatory.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Harriet frown, though Percival simply arched an eyebrow at him. “I was heading back to London for the end of the season. My carriage snapped an axel on the King’s road about three miles East from here. Your estate is the closest place to it, and I thought it sensible to come to you for aid.”
“Was anyone hurt?” Harriet asked.
“No. We were not moving at great speed.”
“That is fortunate.” Theodore beckoned one of the footmen forward as he gestured for Percival and Harriet to sit down. “Have someone go out to the Duke of Wright’s carriage and repair it. You will need to bring it here when you are done, so have stablehands bring fresh horses as well, we shall tend to the Duke’s while repairs are underway.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a servant enter the room with a tray laden with coffee and breakfast food. “The Duke will no doubt have fresh clothes in the carriage and his valet. Bring them both here and have Mr. Grimsby prepare a suite for His Grace to change and bathe.”
“At once Your Grace.” The footman bowed and darted into one of the hidden doors that would take him into the servant’s passage.
The sound of laughter filled the room as Theodore turned to face Harriet and Percival. Her laugh was rich and alluring. The sound of it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He felt a tingling sensation across his face and the backs of his hand, as though gooseflesh was spreading across them.How do I make this last?
The thought caught him off guard and he would have pondered it longer had he not heard Percival’s laughter mingling with Harriet’s.No doubt some sort of shared joke. He clenched his jaw as he saw how relaxed Harriet seemed with Percival.
For some reason, the sight of it made Theodore want to reach across the table and throw Percival bodily from the estate. Bloodthundered in his ears and it was with an effort that he moved to the seat before him.
He sat down with rather more force than he had intended, and the sound drew the attention of Percival and Harriet towards him. He knew he should say something, but everything he could think of sounded petulant.
The laughter ebbed away, though Harriet’s cheeks were still rosy. Her smile faltered as she looked at him. He felt a pang in his chest.I always manage to do this.“You should be able to change soon. I have asked them to fetch your things and prepare a room.”
“That will be a relief.” Percival buttered a slice of toast and tugged the blanket around his shoulders. “I promise I will not impose upon you too long. As soon as the carriage is fixed, I shall be on my way.”
Good.Theodore kept the thought to himself. It would not be proper to be so ungracious.
