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“Alone? Why?”
“I thought I could,” he answered sheepishly. The longest distance he had ridden since his recovery was five miles. Now he had pushed himself to ride for more than thirty.
“Now you know better. Perhaps you will consider your sister and me next time you decide to be reckless and impatient.”
Albert gave him a displeased look but that was all he could do because Matthew was in the right. “I am going to call Emma to tend to you now. Do you want a physician?”
“No.”
Matthew chuckled at his petulance before rising. He walked to the door, and upon opening it, Emma stumbled in.
“Oh, I beg your pardon, Stormwood,” she said, catching herself. “I was not listening…I was trying to, however.”
Matthew allowed a small laugh. “It is well if you were.” He glanced back at Albert. “I think he will allow you to tend to him now.”
“Are you leaving already?” she asked.
“No. I am only going to find him something calming to drink.”
“I know what he should have. May I suggest?” At Matthew’s nod, she leaned close and whispered it to him, and Matthew felt an impish smile tug the corner of his mouth. “And I will get it when I finish with him.”
“Very well.” Matthew stepped out of the music room and went to the library to find a book. When he returned, Emma had already left and Albert was still sulky.
Matthew sat in his chair without saying anything. He opened his book and began to read, while Albert continued scrawling on his sheet.
A while later, Emma walked in holding a tray with two cups. Matthew began to grin but he bit the insides of his cheeks to contain himself. She set the tray down on the small table near the chaise and Albert turned to see what it was.
“What is this?” he looked positively horrified at the sight of milk in the cups instead of the liquor he was no doubt expecting.
“Milk, Brother,” Emma said sweetly.
“Did Matt ask you to do this?” He cast Matthew a suspicious glance.
“No, I only thought you should have milk which is more nourishing than liquor. It might also help you sleep better.”
Albert glanced ruefully at the milk before looking up at Matthew. “Laugh, you devil!”
Matthew did laugh, heartily, too. Emma joined in, and finally, when he realized how ridiculous everything was, Albert laughed. Matthew felt triumphant when he saw the mirth in his friend’s eyes. If they could make each other laugh, then everything else could be handled.
Matthew picked up his milk after Emma had gone and quickly downed about half of it. “I feel like a child drinking this,” Albert complained, but he followed suit and drank some.
“What does this remind you of?” Matthew asked, smiling.
“The night we snuck into the kitchen and drank several cups of milk and fell asleep,” Albert said, laughing.
“Yes!” Matthew raised his cup as if to make a toast. They had been seven at the time, and the three of them had fallen asleep in the pantry after drinking some of the milk and spilling some until Cook found them and called Matthew’s father.
It had been difficult recalling their childhood antics since they lost Simon but it was getting easier now. Still, a somber silence settled upon them.
Matthew was grateful when Albert broke it. “I wanted to come to the castle this evening to tell you what I found in Ramsgate.”
“What is it?” Matthew leaned forward in his seat, his demeanor turning serious.
“The crowbar you found in the warehouse belonged to the blacksmith, but he claims not to know how it got to the warehouse. I left him with the magistrate because my leg had already begun to burn. We will learn more about it tomorrow, I am sure.”
“Yes. I also expect to hear from London soon,” Matthew said.
He spent two hours with Albert before he got up to leave. “Do not come to the castle tomorrow,” he warned. “Do not go anywhere. I will visit you.”
