AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Miss Sparrow is a companion. Her duty is to Mrs. Crawford, not to forward young men.”
But Bert didn’t appear to notice Rafe’s clipped tone, or the insult. He was too busy running a practiced hand gingerly through his blond locks. Rafe would bet good money the man slept in curling papers. “Then perhaps you can put in a word? I saw you talking to her this morning. You looked rather chummy.”
Rafe’s hands were in his trouser pockets. Otherwise Bert might have noticed the fists he was currently making. “I make no promises,” he said tightly.
Bert shrugged. “Even if you can’t, I’ll find a way. Not much else to do in the middle of the damned forest. She’s probably bored out of her skull listening to that old bat morning till night anyway. Why would anyone want to spend their time being a companion?”
“I imagine the pay is a rather strong incentive,” Rafe said dryly.
“Say, tell me again how you know Wardale? This doesn’t seem like your scene, if you don’t mind me saying.”
Rafe’s mouth tightened. He absolutelydidmind, not that he could say so. “We do business together on occasion.”
“No kidding?” Bert’s bright blue eyes flickered with interest. “What kind of business?”
Rafe only smiled at the invasive question. “Oh, a little of this, a little of that. It’s all rather boring, I’m afraid.”
Bert grunted. “I was invited to spend the fall traveling the Continent with some old schoolmates, but Father wouldn’t hear of it.” His handsome face twisted into a petulant scowl. “I got into some trouble in town. Nothing so terrible. Just the usual fun. But the old man insisted I come along.”
He clearly expected to find a sympathetic ear, but Rafe knew what “the usual fun” meant: gambling, drink, women. He had engaged in a menu of similar activities these last few months, but thinking of it now only elicited a feeling of extreme exhaustion.
“Don’t be too cross with him,” Rafe said, surprising himself. “He wants to spend time with you while he still can. My father and I always wanted to go to America. We spent most of my youth planning a route that would take us from New York to San Francisco. He died before we got the chance to go.”
As Rafe had been far too busy putting as much distance between them as possible.
Bert was quiet for an uncharacteristically long moment. “Well, isn’t that rotten luck,” he finally murmured. “I’m sorry about your father.” He looked properly chastened.
Rafe waved a hand, displaying a casualness he did not feel. “It was years ago, but thank you, anyway.”
Once they entered the music room, Bert loped off in search of the refreshments while Mr. Leonard came beside him.
“I apologize if my son caused any offense. He is a high-spirited young man. Though I suppose that’s my fault. His mother died when he was a little boy, and I worked so much that I didn’t have the heart to discipline him as much as he needed. Is that true about your father?”
Rafe nodded reluctantly and tried to ignore the metallic tang of regret bubbling in the back of his throat.
Mr. Leonard’s inquisitive eyes, the same shade of blue as his son’s, softened. “That is a terrible shame. I met him once, you know.”
Rafe cocked his head in interest. Since his father had spent so much time outside England, it was rare that he encountered such people—fewer still who wished to share their remembrances with him. “Is that so?”
“Many years ago in London.” A glimmer came into the old man’s expression as he recalled the night so long ago. “He was that rare combination of an honorable aristocrat. And your mother, my goodness!” Mr. Leonard pressed a hand reverently to his heart. “The rumors of her beauty didn’t do her justice.”
Rafe laughed. “She would appreciate that, I promise you.”
“Ah, she is still living, then?”
“Yes. I plan to see her soon. She lives in Monaco now.” With a French-Moroccan hotelier who treated her like the queen she was.
Mr. Leonard gave an understanding nod. “Society was intolerably cruel to her. She must have suffered terribly after your father died. They seemed quite taken with one another. It is a rare thing, to experience that kind of love. That was why I decided never to marry again after Bert’s mother died. I knew I would forever be comparing her to my Maude, and it seemed cruel to put an innocent woman in that position.”
“Yes,” Rafe murmured. He had caught sight of Sylvia sitting in the front row with Mrs. Crawford. The seat beside her was empty.
“Are you open to a little friendly advice from an old man, Mr. Davies?”
That got Rafe’s attention. “Sir?”
Mr. Leonard leaned closer and lowered his voice. “Don’t youdarelet my son take that seat.”
Rafe stared at him in surprise until the man nodded. “Hurry now. Bert won’t dawdle for long.”
