Page 10 of What Lies Beneath

“Harry!” Tilly cried from her place on the rug before the fire. The girl scrambled to her feet and ran to her as the earl stood. She took Regina’s hand, towing her over to the chair by the fire. “You’re just in time. Will you pour the tea for us?”

“Of course,” Regina said, nodding at the earl and taking the chair Tilly had manoeuvred her into.

Ashburton sat opposite her, his expression unreadable and Regina decided she would do well to ignore him unless he spoke directly to her.

Feeling very much the centre of attention suddenly, Regina poured the tea whilst Tilly chattered about all the things she wanted to do for Christmas. Listening with half an ear, Regina concentrated on what she was doing, afraid to look up. She felt certain the earl was watching her, but dared not check for fear of spilling the tea. Yet the quality of his gaze seemed once again tangible, and she shivered. Having prepared Tilly’s cup, she did one for the earl—milk, no sugar—and handed it to him.

As she could hardly do so without meeting his gaze, she lifted her eyes to his, and the cup rattled in the saucer.

“Thank you,” he said, taking the cup from her.

It was a perfectly normal interaction, she assured herself, and yet… and yet…. The way he looked at her made the empty place that loneliness had created inside her yawn wider, threatening to swallow her from the inside out.

“Can we, Harry?”

Regina looked down at Tilly, having no notion of what it was she was being asked.

“I beg your pardon, my dear. Can we do what?”

“Weren’t you listening to me?” Tilly said, sounding indignant.

Regina glanced at the earl, seeing amusement glint in his eyes, and fought a blush. “I was, but I was pouring the tea for your papa and concentrating rather hard, so I was distracted. I am sorry.”

Tilly sighed. “I asked if we could make paper chains, and go out gathering holly and ivy and mistletoe? And can we have a tree?” she asked eagerly.

Regina laughed. “It’s only November, you realise. However, I am happy to make paper chains with you, but as for the rest, that is for your papa to decide.”

Tilly turned pleading eyes upon her papa, who snorted.

“As if I wouldn’t let you do just as you please,” he replied dryly. “Yes, of course we can, but I insist Mrs Harris accompany us to choose the tree. Do not think I have forgotten our last visit to Gunters.”

Tilly giggled and covered her mouth with her hands as Regina sent her an enquiring look. The last visit to Gunters had been on Regina’s afternoon off, and her father had taken her alone.

“Well, it was so hard to make up my mind,” she said, somewhat defensively. “How is one to choose between pineapple, chocolate, and marshmallow?”

“One does not choose, one has all three and then feels sick in the carriage on the way home,” Ashburton said wryly.

“Oh, Tilly!” Regina said, before glaring at her father. “And you, my lord. What were you thinking to allow such a thing?”

“After a full twenty minutes of indecision, I decided I would risk the possible upset rather than spend the rest of my life at Gunters,” the earl said, with apparent sincerity. “After all, if she was ill, it would serve the little wretch right and teach her a lesson about gluttony. However, despite looking an interesting shade of green for the entire journey home, she bounced back the moment her feet were on terra firma. I remain convinced it was the terror of you seeing her in such a state that brought about the sudden return to health. In any case, we conspired together and decided not to mention the affair to you for fear of getting a dreadful scolding.”

Regina looked at him sceptically as he regarded her over the rim of his teacup, his expression quite serious.

“It’s true, I assure you. I believe I have mentioned to you before now that I live in fear of your set downs.”

Though she very much wanted to dispute this comment, Regina sensed danger and decided she would be best served by ignoring it. Instead, she turned to regard Tilly.

“Well, I hope you learned your lesson?”

“I did,” Tilly said, pulling a face. “I shan’t have the marshmallow again. Next time, I shall have pineapple, chocolate and lemon.”

“Ottilie!” Regina exclaimed, though she could not help but laugh as Tilly grinned at her in delight. “Horrid girl,” she said, though with such affection Tilly could not mistake it for anything but an endearment.

“I know,” Tilly said placidly, and then compounded her naughtiness by stuffing a whole queen cake in her mouth.

“Tilly!” Regina objected, but the wicked girl just giggled, her mouth full of cake, and ran off.

The parlour door thudded shut and Regina was suddenly horribly aware she was now taking tea with the earl, alone.