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Chapter fourteen

I breathed in his scent, relished the feel of his warmth encircling me, and wept. Cecily had squealed with glee and embraced him before being led away by a young maid for breakfast and a rest, leaving us alone. I peered after her, reluctant to be separated from my charge.

Tobias reassured me. “She is quite alright. We are safe here. I promise.”

After being her guardian night and day, it was hard to let her leave my sight. Especially after the night she’d wandered to the ruins while I slept. But that was months ago, and now… Tears threatened again as I gazed upon him.

Tobias stroked my cheek with the side of his thumb. When I looked into his eyes, they too, were shining with tears. Had he been afraid?

He spoke my name in a whisper as though he’d longed for me as I did him.

“Tessa.” He leaned his head against mine.

“I hoped you would come. I feared you might not trust my message —I realized my mistake. I’d written it too quickly.

I should have been more direct—more informative. I wasn’t clear enough.”

What mattered was that we were together again. My heart was near to bursting. “I did wonder if I was doing the right thing. But I somehow knew I was supposed to leave Burtins as Mrs. Fredrickson said. Regardless, Joseph’s men were our protectors. I knew I could trust them at the very least.”

“A cache was being moved to Burtins overnight. Though Banbury is dead, some of the workings of his operations continue under the Crown’s nose—and some within plain sight. Whatever suits the Crown is allowed by the Crown.” He smirked. “Unwise as it may be.”

“They cannot continue to utilize your property…”

“No, indeed not. The militia will be upon them to seize it and arrest the men involved.” He smiled. “We are out of danger, Tessa.”

“We are?” I loved the way he said my name.

He nodded with a gentle smile. “I feel like I can truly breathe for the first time in a long time.”

“Where are we?”

“Westhill Park, about fifteen miles south of Burtins.”

“Oh?”

“Lord Oberton is a good friend of Sherborne’s. I’d not been introduced to him until last night—he is a good sort. The old gent helped Sherborne take Banbury down. One of the few men Banbury hadn’t managed to manipulate.”

He drew me across an opulent foyer of lavish floral arrangements and gilded mirrors—I caught a glimpse of myself.

Disheveled, hair falling. I was undeniably rumpled.

Tobias didn’t seem to care, so I could not.

Had we not seen each other at our best and worst?

He led me into a quiet drawing room. Pale blues and creams lent a calming air, the red Turkish rug a generous dash of warmth.

Twas altogether pleasant. Tea was brought, the maid quietly set the tray on tea table and left us alone.

We sat upon the settee, he wove his fingers mine. I had so many questions, I wasn’t sure where to start. “What of your father? What did he tell you?”

Tobias took a deep breath, shaking his head. “My father…admitted to nothing. When I plied him, I didn’t tell him that Cummins was dead—or about Mr. Straight. But he knew. Somehow, he knew.”

“Someone at Burtins told him?”

“Or someone in the village is involved. I imagine more than a few men are. According to Mr. Ode, not just strangers frequented Cummins’s parties.

Villagers too. The operation wouldn’t work without them.

Not only that, but someone in Butterton.

” He closed his eyes and shook his head. “There is no end to this tangle.”

“Do you think the magistrate knows?”

“He does by now. I visited my father a few times but all he wanted to know was if Cecily was well. At least he cares about her.”

“You think he doesn’t care about you?”

“I don’t know.” Tobias shrugged. “His way of showing regard isn’t always in the most nurturing manner.”

I thought of the dangerous elixir he’d tried to use to fix his daughter—the same elixir that he’d slipped to Emma and put her to sleep so she wouldn’t leave Mayfield—and mayhap killed her grandfather.

We would never know the true ramifications of the drug.

There was no singular cure-all for every illness or ill temper.

Even so, I pitied the man. While he’d covered his sins with lies and manipulations, he’d also lost so much.

“When Father begged me to leave Mayfield and go to Burtins, I didn’t know what to think.

But after the attempt on my life and the threatening message, I took his advice.

I did need to go to Burtins and begin reorganizing the estate.

I believed he wanted me away from danger, but in truth, he wanted me away from Mayfield as the cache was being transferred from Burtins to Butterton. ”

Of course. Did the man not realize his life was on the line? Why did he still play at these games? “Had it been moved?”

“Indeed, but I was too late.”

“How did you know?”

“Sherborne had men watching and we found evidence. With so few staff remaining at Mayfield, it was easy for them to hide it.”

“What did you hope to do if you caught them?” Tobias had no army at his command.

“I don’t know. It had already been taken to London from there. Lord Sherborne and I followed, but the weapons had been too well hidden. We took the opportunity to check on Mr. Straight’s story—posing as Patrick Audlington.”

My stomach did a little flip. I’d been oblivious about the life my husband had been leading, and the man that became his replacement. “And?”

He grimaced. “Was a drastic mistake on our part. Thanks to Lord Sherborne’s connections, we were released, but not without a promise, which was easy to give.

An exchange of information concerning what we’d discovered about Banbury’s caches of weapons.

Thus, why we had to act quickly last night.

We traveled night and day to get here—and rescue you and Cecily from potential danger. ”

“You were gone so long—the whole of summer.”

“The Crown detained us. Lady Sherborne was none too pleased—I will have to make it up to them somehow.” He laughed. “They released Lord Sherborne after a few weeks, but because I, being a Chinworth whose father awaits trial, was a suspect.”

“No! But—.”

He squeezed my hand. “I can’t say I blame them. Father’s deeds reached deeper than I knew.” His voice trailed as I poured a cup of tea and handed it to him. He sipped. “I make the same decision in their shoes.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I would have prayed over it specifically—and done something, anything to help.

His voice gentled. “Can you not guess why I did not tell you?”

I could only think of how I would have stopped at nothing to see him free. I loved him. I would conceal the fact no longer.

“You are Patrick Audlington’s widow. They assume you know nothing—that you are living somewhere in Scotland as Audlington had originally planned for you.” He smiled. “They grossly underestimated you and what you’ve been doing since.”

Indeed. I’d trained to defend myself and worked to defend another, if the need arose. I poured myself a cup of the strong brew and added cream. I was never one to simply sit by and wait for life to happen.

Tobias continued. “If you’d revealed yourself, they would have suspected that you were involved. They would have detained you, too—and for what? And for how long? I couldn’t let that happen to you. Cecily needed you. You aren’t involved. Not in that way.”

I drank my tea, hot and soothing, very aware that Tobias hadn’t taken his eyes from me. His regard warmed more than the tea. My heart thrummed as the strength of my feelings matched his. I wanted to weep and laugh at the same time.

“Don't you see? I needed you safe. I had to protect you.” He took the cup from my hands and settled it within the saucer. “I need you, Tessa.” His hand came beneath my jaw as his lips met mine. How I dreamed what it would be like to be kissed once again by the man who had my heart and wouldn’t let go!

He was so soft and gentle that I did begin to weep at the joy of being near him again. I couldn’t help it.

No, indeed. I would never again have to conceal my affection.

He kissed me until the tea grew quite cold but our hearts were afire. He drew back only when the butler entered and inquired to know if we still needed breakfast. The interruption, a sudden event that had us laughing. The look on the poor butler's face.

Tobias led me into the dining room where a morning’s feast awaited—and Lord Oberton. The man approached as Tobias introduced us. “Miss Smith, Lord Oberton has been anxious to make your acquaintance.”

The gentleman, though short in stature, was entirely handsome. I’d seen him before, at Almacks—years ago. His dark blonde hair with silvered sides bespoke his age, near forty I suspected, and single. More than one mother plotted on behalf of their daughters during the Season.

The man amicably grinned. “Let us away with facade, Chinworth. I know Audlington’s widow when I see her.” He remembered me as I did him. I flinched as He took my hand as he bowed. Was he truly safe?

He must have sensed my reticence. “Do not be concerned, my lady. It is my intent that you are seen and known for who you are and what you have endured. Nothing else. You have my greatest respect.” He turned to Tobias and bowed.

“As this man is fast gaining my esteem. Never thought I’d be able to trust a Chinworth. ”

Tobias laughed. “Nor did I think to trust a stranger such as yourself.”

He laughed. “Without Sherborne, we’d be lost, eh? Come, seat yourselves and Sunning will serve us.” The Butler saw to my plate first, then Tobias’s. Then Lord Oberton’s. Both tea and coffee were brought, with plenty of cream. After the long night of riding, the full breakfast was heavenly.

Lord Oberton spoke. “Young Miss Chinworth has been settled within her chamber and my best maid is regaling her with stories. I believe they’ve become fast friends.”