“Let’s go home and have a nice cup of tea.”
The drive homewas a blur because Perry was worried Edith might faint, so pale she was. She stared out of the window without saying a word and gripped his hand with surprising strength, almost crushing his fingers.
He sighed when she sat in his study with a hot cup of tea in her hands, in front of the warm hearth.
“Better?” he asked, peering at her from his armchair.
She shivered. “Yes, thank you. I think I’ll follow your example and avoid going to the park from now on. Too dangerous.”
“I doubt an incident like that will repeat itself.”
She blew on her cup, disturbing the steam. “Were you scared?”
He added a sugar cube to his tea. “To be honest, not really. The snake moved sluggishly; it was cold, I guess, and even if it bit you, I doubt it would be lethal. And Oliver or your father would intervene promptly.”
“I didn’t share your optimism. I’m not sure what scares me the most now. The water or the snakes.”
“So I saw.” He twirled the teaspoon in the cup, pondering for the umpteenth time if he should bring up the conversation between Edith and Uncle Neville.
“What troubles you?” She snuggled in the armchair. “Something has been bothering you from the moment I came here. What is it?”
He worked his jaw. “My uncle is causing you trouble, isn’t he?”
“Oh, that.” She rubbed her forehead. “Did you hear my conversation with him?”
“Oliver was a few yards away.”
“Neville…” She cleared her throat. “Apparently, while I was in the Scarlet Room and in my cups, I lost a silly bet against him, and he now demands I stick to my part of the deal.”
“How much do you owe him?” He dipped his head to catch her gaze. “Tell me the sum, and I’ll pay him today. He won’t bother you again.”
Her cheeks turned crimson. She stared at her tea for a long moment. “I don’t owe him money. The stake wasn’t money.” She shifted on the armchair.
A hot flare bothered him. “Hell. It’s you he wants.”
“It was a stupid wager done in the Scarlet Room. I shouldn’t have agreed, but between the champagne and the excitement of the night, I said yes, or so Daphne and Valentine said. Although I do remember something about a bet with Neville.”
A bitter taste soured his mouth. “When he said he could force you, he meant that.”
“I don’t think he did. He was bluffing.” She gave him a fleeting smile before returning her attention to her cup.
“I beg to differ. My uncle is usually very determined.”
She nodded. “He’s always tried to grope me, but?—”
“Excuse me?” He leant forwards. “How dare he!”
“Nothing has ever happened aside from a few brushes and unwanted touches. He teases but never pushes too hard, and I’ve always managed to keep him at bay.”
“That’s hardly better.” He clenched his cup. “Edith, you’ll forgive me if I don’t think that his despicable behaviour means nothing. You made me change my mind about him.”
And about renouncing the title. Albert would be furious to know a man like Uncle Neville was the next earl. Had his parents been alive, they would have been horrified at the thought. Hell, Perry was horrified.
“His actions are troubling, but I can deal with him,” she said.
“He’s my uncle.” He sipped his tea to get rid of the bad taste in his mouth. “I feel responsible for the way he behaved towards you and not at all proud. I could have been like him had the incident with his fiancée never happened.”
“I don’t think so.”
“I firmly believe that responsibilities make us stronger. That’s why I proposed that you work for me.” He paused to finish his tea and control his irritation. “Will you write a letter for me? I have a bad headache.”
She gave him a sceptical look. “Is it for Neville?”
“I mean to tell him that I don’t wish to renounce the title. What you just told me changes everything. Also, I really want to take my responsibility as the new earl. It scares me, but I want my brother to be proud of me.”
She closed her hand around his. “You’ll be a great Earl of Ravenscroft.”
He grinned. “But not a gentleman.”
