He nodded. We drifted toward a more private section of the library, an alcove with a window whose velvet curtains were drawn back to let in the brilliant afternoon light.
“The abbey held few happy recollections for me,” he said. “Until now.”
Under the warmth of his regard, I felt a flutter of pleasure. Had he found joy in the valley at long last, even despite the devastating hail? Could he find renewed purpose watching over his tenants?
Rafe palmed the back of his neck. “My mother left a terrible marriage and took me with her. I didn’t understand it then, but she hid us from my father. My mother’s family had never approved of the marriage and so we lived a quiet life, tucked away in a relative’s cottage. I grew up thinking the worst of my uncle and father. My father never changed, but my uncle? Your father seems to think he did, and I’ve found your father to be of sound judgment.”
I looked over my shoulder to see Father with Mr. Harrington, a bittersweet pride swelling within my chest. Gratefulness that the man I had idolized as a child had such a profound impact on theold viscount and the new. And sorrow that I had missed so much of his attention myself.
“He will find your regard encouraging.”
“Youhave encouraged me,” Rafe said after a pause. “The Miss Littleton I’ve encountered lets nothing stop her no matter the obstacles.”
A smile broke free of me as a shiver of excitement returned, recalling my previous discussion with Mr. Harrington. I wanted to share with Rafe the tremendous discoveries.
“If you must know, we have encountered something monumental. A gold ring with a ruby.” I shared the motto with him, along with the Christian symbol on the doll.
“Truly?” His eyes widened with awe. “A Christian symbol within this valley? Within a pagan home, no less?”
I nodded. “I was as surprised as you. Historians often claim Rome was one of the darkest empires despite its advancements.”
“And yet, you found a spark of light in that darkness.”
“It may be your land, Lord Hawthorn, but these discoveries belong to you and Mr. Perry and me. Without your men stumbling across the gladiators, I might never have encountered the grave and the doll. But this—all of this is something we’re both part of now.”
I had no desire to pressure him any longer, especially when he had done so much in his defense of me. But I longed to support him in some manner. Would he consider the idea of joining with Mr. Perry and me?
“Rafe,” he corrected with his lips curved slightly. “And it would have been nothing but Greek to us if not for you.”
“Julius Caesar, act one, scene two. For your information, the Romans were bilingual, speaking both Latin and Greek. It was the monks of the Middle Ages who labeled anything they couldn’t understand as Greek. It amazes me that for all these centuries amessage lay buried in the dirt.” Not the one I was seeking, but perhaps the one I needed most.
“Shakespeare was a clever man.” His smile faded and his brow furrowed deeply. “You found jewelry, after all.”
I nodded. “It’s not the gold ring that excites me, though. It’s the story waiting to be uncovered. Mr. Harrington believes the ring fell to the ground during a tussle. Imagine if someone really pulled the ring off a man’s finger?”
“You are indeed a romantic, for all your pursuit of reason and science,” he murmured as he leaned against the window frame while folding his arms across his chest. “Yes, I think you would find a tale tucked away in those tiled floors.”
But the warmth pooling within me dissipated when he frowned again. “Bridget, you must take care. Especially now that someone has stolen the mosaic. I don’t want to see you or your father hurt, nor Mr. Perry or his daughter. I have a safe in my office. If you require it, all you need to do is ask.”
“I will ask Mr. Perry if I can bring the ring tomorrow,” I promised.
My father pulled out yet another tome and showed it to Mr. Harrington. Both exclaimed over it, but my attention wandered when Rafe’s shoulder brushed against mine. Warmth rushed to my cheeks, fingers, and toes.
Rafe fingered my tin in his large hands. “I was surprised you wished to ride today, considering your impression of Chaucer that first night you met him.”
“I’m not riding him, am I?” Alarm shot through me at the idea of mounting that enormous beast.
He set my gift on a table beside a stack of papers and an inkpot. “No, something far tamer. And smaller. Annabelle won’t provide a thrilling chase. If anything, she’ll be content to munch on the grass and barely break into a trot. Have you ridden before?”
“I have, but I prefer not to. My brother loved to race horsesin the countryside. He simply couldn’t enjoy life without pushing himself to the limit. On the last occasion we rode together, my horse bolted, and I was thrown off. I suffered a broken ankle and was so terrified of the experience, I chose never to repeat it. Daniel and Abigail had gone ahead since a storm was approaching, and I was stranded for hours.”
As soon as the explanation left me, I realized how awful it sounded, and how it painted my brother in dismal hues. But it was the truth. Especially after encountering Rafe and Mrs. Eacher’s care, I now viewed my other relationships beneath a clearer lens. Daniel hadn’t cared what others thought of him, and I suspected, as truth dawned, he had not truly cared for me either. He was manipulative, charming, and ultimately irresponsible. He had completely let my father and me down, as much as I loved him. Not an easy admission, by any means.
“I am sorry,” Rafe said quietly.
So was I. So many regrets had followed Daniel’s departure and disappearance. I had accused Father of being too strict and demanding. But had I misread what my brother truly needed?
I studied the row of gilt tomes on the nearest shelf. “And now my brother languishes in a hulk, and there’s nothing we can do as you noted.”
