A Guardians Angel (15 page)

Seth was curled into a ball on one corner of the largest blanket, sound asleep. Beside him, Thomas was yawning broadly, but resisting the lazy day that suggested it was time for all of them to nap. His sketch of the stone wall and the bush beside it remained as unfinished as it had been a half hour ago, although he bent over the paper whenever anyone looked in his direction.

Handing Delicia an iced cake, Angela smiled as the little girl carried it to where Esther was sitting on the next blanket. Angela brushed more crumbs of cake from her apron as she said, “I was sure that Esther would be delighted with the chance to get to know Delicia. Esther does not tease to bring Wallah with us now, because she does not want to share Delicia with her monkey.”

“She seems to have a habit of taking the defenseless under her wing,” Justin said, drawing his pipe from beneath his navy coat.

Angela’s smile faded when she heard regret in his voice. Closing the hamper, she said as he lit his pipe, “Delicia will remain defenseless if you keep her imprisoned here in the country, keeping her away from other children.”

“Do you suggest I take her to Town for the Season?”

“Do not be absurd! I meant only that she should be allowed to have a childhood like any other child. That includes playmates her own age.”

“Which you have so graciously provided.” He scowled as he looked toward the roofs of Oslington Court. “For two hours each Thursday afternoon.”

Softly she said, “That much was a hard-won victory.”

“I have no doubts about that. Oslington has forever had a stubborn streak as grand as his conceit.” His voice became less bitter as he said, “Now I have upset you, Angela. You must know that I do not fault you in any way for your association with that arrogant block.”

“He is my employer, and I would ask you to refrain of speaking of him so.”

His lips tightened, but he nodded. “As you wish.” Resting his elbow on his drawn-up knee, he pointed with his pipe toward the stream. “I thought, if you were willing, I would take the children on a walk along the water next week. I saw some frogs a couple of days ago, and I collect Seth, Esther, and Delicia would be particularly delighted to chase a few.”

“Next week, we will not be able to call.”

“Oh?”

She knew she should take warning when he spoke with such an emotionless tone, but she had sought a way to tell him about the trip to Scotland since they had arrived at Harrington Grange almost two hours ago. If she did not tell him now, she would have no chance, because the Sutton children must be returned to Oslington Court soon.

“The duke is taking the children to a wedding at the home of a friend not far from Edinburgh.”

“Is that so? Is this the interesting tidings you said, when you arrived, that you had to share with me?”

“No, that is something else, but I needed to tell you about this journey to Scotland so you will not plan on our call for the next fortnight.”

His eyes narrowed as his gaze raked her face. “And I assume you will be going as well?”

“Leonia wishes me to be there, and, as her companion, it is my place to be at her side.”

“But you are not today.”

“She is having a fitting this afternoon for the gown she will be wearing for the wedding. The duke is indulging her in agreeing for her to have this dress that she will not be able to use again until she goes to London.”

Justin came to his feet and held out his hand. When she slipped her fingers into it, he drew her up. “There are too many ears here to allow me to say what I wish to say.”

“I must gather up the children and return to Oslington Court.”

“Why disturb them?”

Angela looked across the blankets and smiled. Now all four children were asleep. Thomas’s head was resting on his sketch, and she guessed he would wake with marks from the paper ingrained in his cheek. Esther and Delicia were huddled together like two puppies.

Turning back to Justin, she said, “You are right. There is no need to disturb them right now.” She bit her lower lip, then added, “Especially when I have disturbed you so greatly.”

He did not reply as he led her out into the sunshine. While they walked along the stream toward where several trees clumped by a shore embroidered with pebbles and rocks, he puffed on his pipe and said nothing. He kicked one of the stones into the water before propping his foot against a boulder. Facing her, he said, “If you wish the truth, Angela, I am not so much disturbed as worried.”

“Worried? About our trip? I doubt there are many highwaymen on the road between here and Edinburgh.”

“A knight of the pad is not what worries me.” He set his pipe on the rock and put his hands on her shoulders. “Angela, I do not know what Oslington has said to you about me—”

“Very little. He avoids speaking of you.”

“As I do him when at all possible, but you need to know that he is a man with a great and violent temper.”

“The duke?” She stared at him, too amazed to say more. She could not imagine the duke being volatile about anything; then she recalled the tightly restrained fury in his eyes when he had encountered Justin at Oslington Court.

His hands on her shoulders swept down her arms. “Trust what I tell you about this, if you never trust anything else I say to you. Even though you may not have seen it, that temper is there. I am sure the children have witnessed it.”

“If so, they have shown no signs of being afraid of him.” She took a step toward him, trying not to notice the incongruity of easing into his embrace as they spoke of the duke. “Mayhap he has changed.”

“I have told you. Oslington
never
changes.”

“And neither do you.”

He brushed his lips against her cheek. “You may be right about that, although Mrs. Graves has stated more than once in the past week how you seem to be having a tempering influence on me.”

“Tempering influence?” She laughed. “I would say it is quite the opposite. The children and I have created quite an upheaval in your life.”

“I don’t want to talk about the children. I don’t want to talk about Oslington. I don’t want to talk about anything.”

His lips slanted across hers as his arm went around her waist and enfolded her to him. Her fingers sifted up through his hair, quivering as each strand slid through them. She longed for this kiss to last long enough so she could recall every moment of its pleasure when she was far from him.

“No,” she whispered when he started to release her. “No, not yet.”

His laugh was muffled against her mouth. His tongue slid along her lips, then between them. It stroked hers, and she could not silence the soul-deep moan of need that rushed from her. With her fingers clenching onto the back of his coat, she let the thrilling sensations engulf her.

He tilted her head back and smiled. “Thomas may call you his sister’s guardian angel, but he is wrong. You are no angel.”

“And you have the devil’s own way about you.”

“Mayhap, but I can tell you that your kisses are so heavenly that they would be enough to convince Old Scratch himself to give up his evil ways.” Tapping her nose, he grinned. “Mayhap even persuade me to give up mine.”

“Do you have evil ways, Justin?”

“More than you should know about.” He started to add something else, but paused when a shout from the blankets warned them that the children had overcome the temptation to nap. Arching a single brow, he said, “I had hoped we could steal a bit more time before you had to leave.”

“I know.” Angela put her hand on his coat sleeve. “There is one other thing I wanted to share with you before we go.”

He twisted a strand of her hair around his finger. “There is more than one thing I would like to share with you. Right now.” His kiss was deep and tasted of the craving that was whetted with each touch.

Her breath was uneven when she stepped back. “Justin, I should not—we should not—”

“Of course we should.” At another call from the children, he smiled wryly. “But I guess you shall have to wait for later for me to convince you of that.” Taking her hand, he led her back toward where the children were rolling up the blankets. “What did you want to tell me?”

“I was reading the newspaper that the duke has delivered from London. There was an article in it about a school where they teach deaf children a way to use their hands to make others understand them.”

“A school?” He faced her, but glanced at his daughter who was chasing Seth around and around the tree. He sighed. “I dislike the thought of sending Delicia away to school.”

“I know.” She reached into the pocket of her apron and handed him the article she had cut out of the newspaper. “It is so far from here.”

“Where is it?”

“Near Paris.”

“You want me to send her to
France?
”

Angela was taken back by his sharp tone. “I know it is a long way from here, but the war with Napoleon has been over for nearly four years. Many people are traveling to the Continent. If you take Delicia there, the school might offer her an opportunity for a normal life she could not have otherwise.”

“’Tis out of the question.”

“But, Justin—”

Fiercely, he cut her off as he shoved the article back into her hand. “I said it was out of the question. As you have reminded me many times, let me remind you. Oslington hired you to intrude in his life, not mine.”

“I did not mean to intrude. Only—”

“If you will excuse me, I think it is past time Delicia and I returned home.”

A dozen questions begged to be spoken, but Angela voiced none of them as he walked to the tree where the children were playing. He took Delicia by the hand and led her toward the road. The little girl looked back, her baffled expression matching Angela’s confusion.

Esther ran to Angela. Slipping her hand into Angela’s, she said, “I wish they did not have to leave so soon.”

“I know.” She dared say no more because she feared her own distress would taint her words.

Justin had said many things to distress her, and she had irritated him often. But why had the mere mention of France unsettled him more than anything before this?

Eleven

Milborough Manor was perched high on a hill that would offer an excellent view of Edinburgh in the distance to the north. The original part of the house looked to be centuries old, and no effort had been made to match the old walls with the new sections of the house. The new wings had smooth stone walls, instead of being covered with gravel and lime like the center tower of what must have been an old castle. An elegant portico had been tacked onto the front of the ancient section, looking rather like an old dowager trying to dress like a young miss.

As Angela followed the duke and the children into the house, she smelled the odor of fresh paint. She stepped on something and looked down to see a forgotten nail beneath her shoe. Although the foyer was decorated with elegant furnishings, for there were benches with gold tufted cushions following the walls between the doors that must lead to other chambers, she guessed it had been chaotic just hours before the guests began arriving.

Quiet-footed servants led them up the stairs to where they could rest before the wedding later this evening. Angela’s hand tightened on the oak banister as she looked at the duke. His face was still the odd shade of gray it had possessed for the past three days. When he called an early stop yesterday, she had expressed her concerns about his well-being. His sharp answers that he was well and she should focus her maternal concerns on Leonia had warned her not to ask again.

Yet, even the children were subdued, and she knew they shared her anxiety about the duke’s health when they glanced uneasily at him when he was panting by the time they reached the top of the steps. Poor dears! If something happened to the duke, who knew where the Sutton children might be scattered? Few people were willing to take on the obligation of four recalcitrant youngsters and a monkey and all their other quirks.

Telling herself not to see the duke buried when he might be suffering no more than a head cold, Angela nodded when the duke turned to follow another servant and left her to herd the children ahead of her to the rooms they would share. They met no one else along the long corridor that led through the old section of the house. Looking back over her shoulder, she saw the duke disappear through the arch that led to the newer section. Lord Milborough was kind to give the duke a chance to enjoy the festivities without the children constantly underfoot.

Angela clapped her hands as she went into a large, circular room decorated in a brilliant red and gilt. Chairs were set by the bay windows, and the doors opening off the room revealed several bedchambers with walls as crimson. Blinking, for the very color burned her eyes, she pointed to which room each child would use. At first, she thought Leonia would protest sharing with her sister, but Leonia simply followed Esther into the room farthest to the right.

Sitting on a red tufted chaise longue, Angela sighed. Leonia’s compliance bespoke the young woman’s consternation about her guardian. More than once in the past few days, Angela had seen Leonia trying to ask the duke about how he felt. He brushed her aside with the same coolness as he had Angela.

Soft footfalls crossed the thick carpet. Esther put her head in Angela’s lap.

“What is wrong?” Angela asked. “Do you miss Wallah?”

“Yes, but not as much as I miss playing with Delicia. It is Thursday, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” Would her voice sound faint to Esther, too, or just her own ears? She had struggled to ignore all thoughts of Justin. There had been so many. Everything she heard, everything she saw, everything she experienced reminded her of him. When the children said something amusing, she stored it away to share with him … then realized their Thursday outings might have come to an end, for the duke had hinted that they would be busy with other things upon their return.

“I wish we were home at Oslington Court, so I could play with Delicia,” Esther whispered.

“We shall be returning there soon. A week, maybe two.”

“But I will have forgotten what Delicia taught me by then.”

“Taught you?” She lifted the little girl’s head off her lap. “What did she teach you?”