Leaning into her, Franny asked, “Can I start sleeping in your bedchamber? Emma says my breathing keeps her up at night.”
“I would greatly enjoy having you as a roommate,” Mattie said with a smile. “I will have Mrs. Watson help us move your mattress after dinner.”
Franny sighed. “I miss my bed at Darlington Abbey.”
Mattie offered her cousin a wistful look. “Do you want to know what I miss most about your father?” she asked. “Whenever we would visit Darlington Abbey, he would send up chocolate to my bedchamber, knowing how much I adored it. It was an expense that my father could hardly afford.”
“My father loved having chocolate for breakfast, more so than my mother,” Franny shared, a small smile playing on her lips.
“I also remember how kind he was to me when my mother died,” Mattie remarked. “He gave the best hugs.”
Franny bobbed her head, tears welling up again. “That he did.”
Mattie kissed the top of Franny’s head. “You will get through it, but you must give yourself the grace to do so,” she said gently. “And you have to eat.”
As if on cue, Franny’s stomach growled.
Removing her arm, Mattie leaned back to meet her cousin’s gaze. “Come back down for dinner.”
“What if Emma says something ridiculously offensive?” Franny asked.
Mattie laughed. “She probably will.” She rose and offered her hand. “But I will be there. As will my father.”
Franny hesitated as she looked at Mattie’s proffered hand. “I suppose I am hungry,” she said as she accepted Mattie’s hand in rising.
They walked over to the door and Mattie opened it. “Perhaps we can play a card game this evening.”
“I would like that,” Franny responded.
As they descended the stairs together, Mattie felt a great relief that she had gotten Franny to return to dinner. However, a part of her couldn’t help but wonder what had kept Winston from coming this evening.
Not that she missed him. Heavens, no! She was merely worried about him.
Chapter Fourteen
Winston heard a faint knocking in the distance, but all he could seem to focus on was the throbbing in his head. What time was it? He managed to open his eyes wide enough to see the sun streaming through the windows. How long had he slept? And why had he been sleeping on the ground?
The knocking grew more insistent, forcing him to lift himself onto the settee.
“What?!” he shouted, immediately regretting it as his head throbbed even more. Blazes. How much did he drink last night?
The door opened and Melody stepped into the room. Judging by the tight set of her lips, she was not pleased with him. “You missed breakfast,” she remarked.
“Well, thank you for informing me of something so utterly unimportant,” he muttered dryly.
Melody glanced down at the empty bottle of whiskey, her frown deepening. “Did you enjoy yourself?”
Winston looked up at her through half-lidded eyes. “Leave me alone, Woman.”
Melody’s hand went to her hip. “I beg your pardon?” she asked, her words holding a warning.
Knowing he was going to fight a losing battle, he decided it was best to apologize. “I’m sorry. I am rather bottle-wearied,” he said.
Walking over to the bottle, Melody held it up. “Is this what you did last night?”
“It was,” he admitted.
Melody went and placed it on the table. “And what of your plans with Mattie and her family? Did you intend to miss dinner with them?”
