I sighed. “No. It’s like she knows to watch her habits. I was hoping he would find her walking out of another man’s room...but nothing.”
“She is bound to slip up. If the rumors about her are true, she’ll bury herself soon enough.”
“Most of them about her being a harlot, they are right. She talks like a courtesan.”
“From what you told me, she sounds lovely,” George sneered. “We need to come up with something quickly. My parents are getting restless. Madelyn’s death has rattled them more.”
“I’ll disappear and take Hara with me before I marry Chitwood.”
“Father would send half his damn army, and me, after you. Sorry, but I’d rather not trace the countryside looking for you.” He handed me his glass. “We’ll think of something.”
“I’m tired of thinking and planning,” I said, tossing back my drink. “I feel like I’ve done so much of it that I’m missing things.”
George sat on the edge of my chair. “Sounds like you need a break.”
“I need to go home.”
He slapped my back. “Why don’t you go check on your men? See if they are taking care of our prized jewel over there in Bampshire.”
I chuckled. “Fuck no. She’d have one of her pirate friends kidnap me and drop me off in the middle of the damn sea.”
∞∞∞
I was on my second decanter of brandy. The fireplace that I sat before started to morph into blobs of yellow and red, and I squinted to put them back into focus. I was drunk.
Very drunk.
I took another sip.
Red hair and sun-kissed skin assaulted my memory. I still hadn’t heard from her, and a part of me wasn’t surprised; she was stubborn and hardheaded.
She had been gone for almost a week. I had hoped she would have caved and sent something to me, anything. Something to tell me she was thinking of me, like I was her.
But why the hell would she?
I was nothing to her. She was supposed to be nothing too but, as the days went on, I became more agitated that she wasn’t around. That I hadn’t heard from her.
Then John brought me the news yesterday that Reddington was in Bampshire with Ava. If I hadn’t suspected his intentions before, it was confirmed now. He was up something, and I didn’t trust the bastard.
After tonight, I would be done with all this. It was too much, and I didn’t even court the damn woman. I was angry at myself for getting into this web of emotions. I thought, after rescuing her, I’d never see her again. So, I enlisted my men to protect her until I had the assassins under control. It was for my peace of mind, with her being so young, that she’d be kept safe. Now it was turning into so much more.
“Do you need any company?” A voice broke through my thoughts. I turned and tried to focus on the figure before me. It was a woman. Curvy. Blonde hair. Ear-bleeding voice.
Shit.
I laughed. As if this night could get any worse.
“No,” I said. “My brandy is just fine company, thank you.” As always, Sophia did exactly the opposite of what I asked. She sat down in the chair across from me, pouring herself a glass, as if we were old friends.
“Brandy doesn’t talk back,” she continued.
I sighed heavily. “I’m aware, but it doesn’t argue with me either. That’s what makes it so pleasant.”
“Only in the morning, when you feel like curling in a ball, retching up your food.”
I chuckled. She was right for once; I would reap the consequences tomorrow. “Well...I never thought I’d make you laugh, Cranfield,” Sophia teased with a small smile.
I brought my glass to my lips. “I’m surprised myself, Chitwood.”
Sophia took a small sip of her brandy. “You’ve been keeping yourself busy. I haven’t seen you.” I nodded and continued to stare into the reds and yellows of the fire. “I heard that Lady Barlow left the castle.”
I shifted to face her, feeling how drunk I was when my arm began to give way at my weight.
“If you came here to talk to me about Lady Barlow, you can leave,” I ground out.
Sophia held up her hands in surrender. “Then we won’t discuss her,” she replied simply.
I squinted at her. “What do you want?”
Sophia looked at me innocently. “We don’t have to talk about a thing, if that is your wish.”
I snickered. “Now you want to be cordial? It doesn’t suit you.”
“You barely know me,” she countered.
Oh, I knew her; I had men spying on her at every minute. But I wasn’t drunk enough to loosen my tongue. Give me another hour. “I know enough.” I sank into the leather of my chair and crossed my legs.
“I didn’t know you listened to gossips, Garrett.”
“Only the facts,” I blurted, sipping more brandy.
“And those are?”
“I’m not drunk enough to release those yet.”
“That’s too bad. Thought you’d be better company.”
“Sorry to disappoint.”
Sophia sat back in her chair and crossed her ankles. “What has you drinking so much, Cranfield? I didn’t think a female could hold such power over you?”
I glanced over at her and rolled my eyes. “I didn’t think you listened to gossips either.”
“Not normally, no. But ever since ‘She Who Shall Not Be Named’ left, you’ve been hard in your liquor.”
I reached for the bottle of brandy and tried to focus on putting more in my glass. The glass which spun in and out of my vision.
“Here.” Sophia leaned over and took the bottle from me, pouring my liquid friend for me. I held my drink in the air, in silent thanks, and took a sip. Sophia sat back in her chair and retrieved her glass from the nearby table. “Ava Barlow is nothing but a tease. An illusion to some goddess-like female, and while you blindsided men peer upon her as such, you all refuse to see her for what she is.”
I chuckled. “You’ve taken a special interest?”
Sophia chortled. “She would only be so lucky.”
“What was it again you wanted?” I taunted.
“Not a thing,” she answered. “I bid you good night, Lord Cranfield.” She curtsied and headed for the door.
“If you think your kind approach will sway me to marry you,” I responded before she left, “you’re dead wrong. Don’t push me any further. You’ll regret it.”
Sophia peered over her shoulder at me, her lips quirking.
She was never going to let it go.
Ava
Chapter 25
“Papa, are you sure you’re up to walking down the stairs? You’ve been in bed for nearly two weeks,” I asked as I helped him with his coat. Papa chuckled. I had made sure all his needs had been met, not that there were many. All the man needed was food and water, but I insisted on bringing him all three of his meals, reading the paper to him, and going over trade deals.
“Perfectly able. I’m starting to feel like the walls of this room are closing in on me.”
I looked at him, my tone serious. “If you feel lightheaded or short of—”
“I’ll be fine. Don’t fret yourself. I’m tired of soup and bread, and that cruel cook of yours won’t feed me anything else until I have the strength to come down for dinner,” he grumbled.
Mrs. Reynolds knew how to push him to get better soon. It worked, I’d give her that. She wouldn’t even let me sneak small snacks to his room, saying she’d skin me alive.
“Ava, you haven’t mentioned anything about the castle. Did they treat you well?” Papa asked, sitting on the edge of his bed, putting on one of his shoes.
I froze, but only for a moment. “Very well,” I answered, not able to meet his eyes. He’d see it. The dishonesty and turmoil on my face. I wasn’t about to add more to his plate.
“Everything still the same?”
No.
“Yes. The queen is still a terror, but she has aged beautifully. I can still beat the king at chess, and George has been chastising me almost every day.”
“But still something is amiss?” he countered.
I turned to face him, trying my best to keep my expression neutral. “What do you mean?”
His voice softened. “The light in your eyes has dimmed, along with your spunk. You’ve acted the role of active, caring daughter, but the grit is gone.”
I shrugged my shoulders. “Just tired, Papa. I’ve been up reading at night for too long.”