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Chapter Ten
He sat on the bed, George in his lap, the fire built up so that there was no chance of the Marquess catching cold. Bertram wiped George down with a towel while his son chattered away. He smiled, enjoying the moment of peace. He still had not found a way to break the news to George that Letty was gone.
Perhaps I am hoping that if I delay it long enough, she’ll come traipsing through the door and save me the trouble.
He sighed, knowing that wasn’t going to happen.
More likely, she’s already back in France.
He felt a distinctive pain in his chest at the thought and bent down to his son, tickling his belly to make him laugh. “George? I have something to tell you.”
George’s innocent blue eyes twinkled up at him. “Yes, Papa?”
“Yes. Well, I know how much you liked Miss Strange’s cakes and desserts, but she had to go away. But don’t worry, I’ll find someone else to make you cakes.”
“She had to go away?” George yelled, “No, I don’t want her to go!”
“No, no, of course you do not. I did not want her to go, either. But unfortunately—”
“Papa!” George leapt up to wrap his arms around Bertram’s neck, “Bring her back!”
His son began to cry.
Bertram drew him close, his heart breaking for his son’s grief. “Hush, son. I know it is hard but we must keep a stiff upper lip and endure.”
I don’t even know if I believe what I’m saying.
George hiccupped. “I don’twantto keep a stiff upper lip. I want Letty!”
Me too.
“I know you do, son. But she has gone and we just have to accept it.” He pulled George close, smoothing out his hair over and over as soothingly as possible. Eventually, George nodded off, still sniffing and hiccupping. Bertram held him close, his cheek laid gently on George’s head as his heart broke for his son.
I would have done anything to spare you this pain.
For a moment he hated Letty for putting him in this position. But then he thought of her, eyes stark as she begged him to believe that his life was in danger. To believeher. He could not bring himself to believe that she had not cared for them.
What does it matter if she cares? She’s a French spy and she came here to spy on me!
As bitter as he wanted to be, he couldn’t quite manage it. George gave a little snore and Bertram realized that he was fast asleep. Slowly, carefully he got to his feet and put his son down to sleep. He stood, just staring at George, all sprawled out on the bed, already kicking his blankets away.
The fire was roaring and the room was warm and so Bertram didn’t bother to cover him back up. He just smiled, and shook his head.
“Goodnight, son,” he whispered before turning to leave the room. Too late, he realized he hadn’t told George he was leaving. He stopped with a sigh, wondering if he should wake the boy.
No, I’ll just leave in the morning.
* * *
Walking in the dark where there was no road was harder than Letty realized. After tripping over the third root and falling to her knees, she decided to hunker down for the night. The wind was sharp but the grass was long and she huddled downward, using her cloak for cover. Closing her eyes, she willed herself to sleep.
She was awoken by warm sunshine the next morning. Sitting up, she brushed herself off, yawning drowsily before looking around to get her bearings. She realized that she’d drifted away from her path in the dark of night and now instead of heading for the shore, she was on her way to the cliffs. Considering the steep drop, she was thankful not to have continued walking in the dark.
With a sigh she turned and began to head in the other direction. She could smell the salt on the wind from the sea and knew that she was close. Pacing herself, she emptied her mind, determined to just put one foot in front of the other until she reached her destination. Once she did that she would give her report and then…
“It’s time I went in search of my mother.” She exhaled, feeling the weight of everything on her shoulders, as Letty tried to remember her.
Unable to stand the latent hostility of belonging to an army at war with her country, Letty’s mother had left her father and returned to her motherland. She had wanted to take Letty with her but her father would not have it. Letty washischild and she would stay with him.
