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Chapter 14
“She already retired for the evening,” Jack said, bending to retrieve a book that had fallen off of the table next to Nick’s bed.
“But she has not come in to check on me.” Nick was aware of how pouty he sounded, but he was used to saying goodnight to his dark-haired angel. And he was used to her wanting to say goodnight to him.
He caught a look of irritation crossing over Jack’s face as the valet turned away to tend the fire. “Is there something wrong, Jack?”
The man glanced over his shoulder, an impassive expression falling over his face. “Of course not, sir.”
Nick did not believe him. What could be the trouble though? “News from home?” Nick pressed.
Jack returned his attention to the fire. “All is well at your farm, I am told. My father wrote me just last week.” There was an element of discord in Jack’s tone, but Nick could not quite put his finger on the cause. Or on what the man’s displeasure could mean.
Jack continued. “But Miss Pepper has caused quite a stir downstairs. Apparently she gave the earl a set down during dinner and stomped from the room.”
Nick choked on his tea, nearly spitting it across his blanket. “And you waited until now to share this with me?”
Jack crossed the room, his gaze falling to the tea cup in Nick’s hand. “Well, you didn’t ask before.”
Nick pushed his lips into a flat line. “Do you know what it was that bothered her?”
“Denny told me she got upset that the earl would not look at her. According to him, Miss Pepper told Lord Hart that if she was to be treated like she had the plague, then she would just as soon eat in the confinement of her room.”
Nick groaned. That was not the way to win Robert’s approval. The old man was as stubborn as a mule. Perhaps Giulia’s tea with the women earlier in the day did not go very well. Nick formed a wry smile. He could only imagine what nonsense those women had filled Giulia’s head with. Had they poisoned her against Nick? Was that why she had not come to bid him a good evening? Surely those women recognized that the man he had been on arriving at Halstead was not the man he was today.
He shook his head. Not that it mattered what Giulia thought. The woman was as good as engaged. What had she said? Oh, right. She was spoken for. Nick’s only thought was that if he had spoken for Giulia, he would not have let her go. He would have secured a ring on her finger as soon as the banns could be read.
Not that he ever thought along those lines, of course.
He did recognize that one day he would need to marry. If not, the earldom would be passed on to who-knows-what type of miscreant. The title had come to him, hadn’t it? And he was a farmer’s son. A gentleman farmer, of course. But a farmer, nonetheless.
Now, to contrive a way to convince Giulia to ignore the stories Mrs. Fawn and her friends likely fed her—that would take some finesse. It was a good thing he was blessed with a quick wit and a tongue to match.
“Do you need anything?” Jack asked as he stood poised near the door, his back straight and Nick’s dirty clothing hanging over his arm to be laundered.
“No, I will see you in the morning.”
Jack’s mouth was firm, his jaw tight as he nodded and left the room.
Nick blew out his candle and lay back in bed, the moonlight streaming through the window and lighting the chair Giulia usually sat in. He watched the empty space for so long he could imagine her filling it, her smile lighting up the depths of her chocolate eyes, and her wild hair streaming in every direction. She had seen more countries, cultures, and people than any one person could dream of experiencing. Yet, for her, it had been a burden. She never said as much, but Nick could tell.
Whether she knew it or not, she was searching for a home. And if he had anything to do with it, he was going to give her one. In Robert.
* * *
Hours crawled by and sleep evaded him. Nick sat up slowly and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Using the bedpost for support, he hoisted himself to a standing position and remained there until he felt balanced. Jack had been helping him get up and walk around a few times a day since he’d first awoken, and now that he was regaining his strength, Nick was grateful the injury was entirely on his shoulder and in no way affected his ability to walk. Still, the longer Giulia did not see him up and moving around, the better.
He planned to stretch his invalid status for as long as he could, though he would be glad if the doctor was no longer part of his treatment plan. His stomach soured with the image of Dr. Mason and Giulia discussing him. Mason had come to phrase their shared interest as our patient and Giulia went right along with him. Of course the man did not truly value her opinion on anything medical, he was simply humoring her.
But Nick would not let her down by making the doctor’s flaws clear. No, Giulia could figure that out on her own. She clearly did not see Mason the same way that he saw her.
She couldn’t possibly, for her heart was spoken for.
Unless she had created a fictional man to guard herself. Nick shook his head, his mouth forming an amused smile. That was the most likely scenario. The man who had spoken for Giulia’s heart probably did not exist. He couldn’t. How could any man have allowed Giulia to travel to Halstead so utterly alone? Not a very smart fellow at all, this fictional intended of hers.
And besides, if she really had an intended, she would have mentioned him right away, wouldn’t she? Any lovesick girl would, that was for certain.
Nick smirked, comforted by his theory. He would go along with her little story for now, if it made her feel safer. At least until he could prove to her that he was no longer the cad he used to be.
