The Sweetest Love (Sons of Worthington Series) (25 page)

“Sally and I have been cleaning a room and getting it ready for his stay.”

“How is Sally faring?”

“She gets better and better every day. You can hardly see the bruises on her face.”

Diana smiled and squeezed her friend’s hand. “I thank you for everything. I do believe my life is going to change for the better now.”

“Indeed it will.”

It took a few more minutes for Mr.
Coggins
to finish unloading all of Diana’s trunks, and Tabitha assisted as much as she could. By the disapproving glares from Mr.
Coggins
, Diana was vastly relieved she wouldn’t have to deal with him much longer.

As she stood just outside the front door watching the man’s departure, a cool wind blew against her. Gathering her cloak tighter, she glanced up at the sky. Dark clouds threatened overhead, hinting that rain would be coming soon. From the fierce rumbles in the air, she surmised today’s storm would be long and bring plenty of moisture to the land.

She entered the cottage, and immediately, her mind returned to the last time she was here with Tristan. Finally, happiness had found her. She just prayed it would stay.

The stairs creaked and within seconds, Sally hesitantly stepped into view. Diana nodded and motioned with her hand for Sally to come closer. “Mr.
Coggins
is gone now. You will be all right.”

Sally moved closer, her hands clutched against her middle. “I—I am very happy to see you again, my lady. Your presence here lightens my heart.”

“What a sweet thing to say.” Diana lifted Sally’s chin with her finger and studied her. “You are looking much healthier, I notice.”

“I feel much better.” Sally smiled. “Soon I will be ready to obtain employment elsewhere.”

Chuckling, Diana shook her head. “Let’s not rush it. For now, you are welcome to stay here and assist Tabitha.”

Diana removed her bonnet and gloves as she strode to the stairs. “But for now, I’m going to retire to my room to rest. I fear the journey—and the turmoil on my mind—have exhausted me greatly.”

“We shall prepare a mid-day meal while you rest,” Tabitha said cheerfully.

“I thank you. I don’t plan on resting for very long, so please wake me when the meal is ready.”

Just as she placed her foot on the first step, thunder boomed through the house, shaking the walls. Within seconds after that, rain pelted the roof, sounding more like rocks were striking the cottage. She groaned. Perhaps she wouldn’t get any rest at all.

Once she walked into her room, she realized the howling wind was in competition with the hard rain to see which one could be nosier. She threw her bonnet and gloves on the vanity before flopping down on her bed. A lamp had been lit, but the dark clouds made the room much darker than Diana had expected.

She stood and went to the lamp to adjust the lighting. As she turned back to the bed and removed her cloak, a tree from outside knocked against the side of the house. Thunder boomed in the air again, but this time it sounded like men’s voices…even Tristan.

Chuckling, Diana rationalized that because she wanted to see Tristan so badly, she could imagine him and actually
hear
his voice. These next three days were going to pass slowly, she just knew it. She couldn’t wait to be in his arms again, gazing lovingly into his dreamy eyes, and hearing his husky tone…

Another sound ricocheted through the air and she swung toward the door, listening closer. Tabitha’s voice was raised, but not with excitement, nor was it lifted in panic. It was more like she meant to warn…

Quickly, Diana rushed out of her room and to the top of the stairs. The voices were more precise now, and there were definitely visitors in the house. By the tingles running up and down her arms, she knew Tristan was here.

With her heart beating happily, she hurried down the stairs to greet the man she loved, but as soon as she rested her gaze on the people in the room, her feet skid to a halt.
Lord Hawthorne?
What was he doing here?

Both men were drenched from head to toe and shucking out of their soaked cloaks. Although they had removed their hats, each man’s hair was saturated to their head. The rain pelting against the cottage reminded her of the storm swirling around them.

Diana took a quick survey of who stood in the room, and her heart sank when she noticed Sally still here. The maid stood in the corner of the room, twirling a blonde lock of hair around her finger as she stared at the floor, appearing as if she wanted to crawl in a hole and hide. Tabitha stood next to her—cheeks bright with fury—as she’d been talking, but upon seeing Diana, the young woman’s chatting ceased.

Diana swung her attention back to Tristan. Although he smiled at her, his expression was faux. Distrust coated his gaze. Within a split second, her heart cried out as guilt swept over her like waves of despair.

She wasn’t foolish enough to believe he was here for their secret get-away holiday, especially since he’d brought Lord Hawthorne with him. So then why had Tristan come…and in the rain?

Deep down inside she knew. Tristan was here for answers and nothing less.

Silently, she prayed he would believe her and understand when she confessed the truth.

Chapter Sixteen

Taking a deep breath, Tristan prayed for courage…courage to hold strong and demand to know the truth from Diana. He also needed the courage to keep his heart from melting every time he looked into her fascinating green eyes. Her lovely orbs had always had an enchanting effect on him that made him lose his mind several times since he’d first met her. How could one woman have this kind of control over his senses? If he discovered she was withholding the truth from him, his heart—and mind—wouldn’t be able to take it.

A shiver ran through him that had nothing to do with the coldness seeping into his drenched limbs.

“Lord Tristan. Lord Hawthorne. What a surprise it is to see you here.” Diana stepped toward them to take their cloaks. Tabitha rushed to help assist.

Tristan peeled his cloak off his shoulders and handed it to Diana while
Nic
did the same, giving his to the maid. Tristan moved his attention from beautiful Diana, past Tabitha and to the corner of the room.

A girl, slightly younger than Tabitha, stood still, acting as if she was afraid to move and appearing as if she wished she were a part of the wall. This must be the maid
Nic
had mentioned. Her pale face and downcast gaze let him know she did not want to be seen…and appeared to be frightened, like a mouse caught in a trap.

“Please come over here by the fire to warm yourselves,” Diana encouraged. “Today’s storm was certainly fierce and so
very
unexpected.”

He followed her to the fireplace, watching her reaction closely. It was obvious by her wide eyes and over-exuberant greeting that she tried to turn an uncomfortable situation into a good one. She also fidgeted too much, which meant she was nervous…more nervous than she should be, in his opinion.

He switched his focus to Tabitha. The young woman acted the same way around
Nic
, except she didn’t try to talk to him. Hawthorne, however, trained his suspicious gaze on her directly.

“Lady Hollingsworth,” Tristan began and he rubbed his palms up and down his arms, trying to circulate warmth back in his body, “forgive us for this surprise visit, but it was most urgent that I speak with you. Regretfully, Lord Hawthorne and I had no idea we would be caught in the rainstorm, so I hope we have not burdened you in any way.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Diana brushed her hand in the air. “You are always welcome here, Lord Tristan.” She glanced behind Tristan at Dominic. “And you as well, Lord Hawthorne.”

“You are very kind, Lady Hollingsworth.”

“I fear,” Diana continued, “that I don’t have any extra clothes for the two of you to change into while we dry your wet ones.”

“Actually,” Tabitha hastily cut in, “your grandmother was a large lady if I recall, Lady Hollingsworth.” She ran her gaze slowly over
Nic
, and Tristan was surprised to see disgust instead of interest when she looked at his friend. “So I’m certain if Lord Hawthorne wouldn’t mind wearing a nightgown—”

“I appreciate your concern,”
Nic
quickly replied, “but I would rather catch pneumonia than be seen wearing a lady’s nightgown—or
any
gown, for that matter.”

Tabitha glared at
Nic
, looking as if fire would shoot out of her eyes any moment. Tristan bit his lip to hold back a laugh. This was the first time he’d ever seen a woman not fall all over herself trying to impress Lord Hawthorne. This definitely couldn’t be good for
Nic’s
ego.

“Be that as it may,” Tristan said, hoping not to encourage Tabitha and
Nic
into starting a heated argument, “I think standing by the fire will dry
us
quickly enough.”

“Are you certain?” Diana asked in a tender voice. “I could find some woolen blankets and you two could wrap yourself in those while your clothes are drying.”

He smiled softly at her—it was hard not to. “I suppose we could do that.”

“Come,” she said, turning toward the stairs, “you and Lord Hawthorne can use the guest bedroom to change. Tabitha?” She glanced at the maid. “Will you find me two blankets, and Sally will you get started on our meal? I’m certain the men are extremely hungry after their long excursion.”

“As you wish, my lady.”
The women chimed together then moved out of the room, heading in different directions.

“Gentlemen?”
Diana aimed her attention on Tristan. “If you will follow me, I shall show you to the chamber.”

As Diana led the way,
Nic
nudged Tristan with his elbow then motioned his head toward the door Sally had exited and mouthed the words,
that’s her.
Tristan nodded, but didn’t say anything to his friend. Instead, he wanted answers from Diana first.

Marching ahead of him, he wondered what her big hurry was. He grasped her elbow in a loose hold, slowing her down a bit. She looked over her shoulder at him.
“Diana, who is the new girl?
She wasn’t here before.”

Her eyes widened and her attention jumped between him and Nic. “Her name is Sally. I thought she could help out Tabitha for a while.”

“How very thoughtful of you.”
He really didn’t know what else to say. Getting serious about a conversation as this point in the evening was useless. If he said something to upset her, she’d send him away, and in this downpour that wasn’t such a good idea. It was best to prolong their much needed conversation until sunset. Diana wouldn’t send him out of the house then. She was too much a lady to do that.

She led them into the bedroom before moving to the fireplace to lay some logs on. Taking fast steps, he hurried to her and grabbed the piece of wood out of her hand.

“Allow me to make my own fire,” he told her. “It’s the least I can do for showing up unannounced.”

Her stare delved deep into his eyes before slowly moving over his face. “Tristan, why are you here? What was the great urgency to speak with me?” Her voice was low.

He shook his head. “Not now. There will be plenty of time for us to talk once I’m out of these wet clothes.”

The shuffling of feet pulled his focus from Diana toward the doorway as Tabitha entered. She handed a blanket to
Nic
—almost shoved it at him, actually—then nicely handed Tristan a blanket.

“Thank you,” he told the maid.

“I shall leave you to change now,” Diana spoke calmly. “Just place your wet clothes outside the door and Tabitha and Sally will hang them above the fire to dry.”

As Tabitha walked past
Nic
, she turned up her nose at him. Hawthorne gripped her arm, stopping her and piercing her with his hard stare. “I better not see burns in my clothes caused by your careless hand.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Indeed, my lord, I had not thought of such a thing, but now…”

“
Tabitha
,” Diana warned. “I assure you, Lord Hawthorne, your clothes will not be burned.”

When the ladies left and the door was closed behind them, Tristan breathed a ragged sigh. Although wet and weary, the worst of the evening was yet to come.

“By Jove, my good man,”
Nic
said with a sudden cheerful voice, “I believe you put on a splendid performance.”

Gritting his teeth, Tristan glared at his friend as he started to remove his neck cloth. Traveling to the cottage had been a long journey, and his friend’s humor had grated on his nerves for the last time today.
“Oh really?
What gave it away?
My sarcastic tone?
The hard set of my jaw as I gnashed my teeth?
Or was it the distrust that I’m sure Diana saw in my eyes?”

Nic
tilted his head and gave Tristan a quizzical stare. “Honestly, was
that
called for?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m referring to your vicious attitude.”

Blowing out a frustrated breath, Tristan finished removing the neck cloth and shrugged out of his waistcoat.
“My apologies, my friend.
I’m in a sour mood, and I should not be vexed with you. After all, if you had not overheard the two maids, I would still have my head in the clouds feeling an abundance of lover’s bliss.”