Page 48

An Uncle and a Father Confer

A few minutes earlier, outside the door to Helen’s room

Steeling himself for the worst, Will lifted his hand, intending to knock on Helen’s door. If Tom was inside, he wasn’t sure what he was going to do to his nephew, but a dressing down would be the very least of it.

He began imagining all sorts of appropriate punishment for the young man.

A night spent alone in one of the temples with only a mummy for company.

Leave him in the desert with only a dromedary to find his way back to civilization.

Make him spend a day in Bradley’s company with nothing more than a single nappy and a bottle of milk.

He shook his head upon thinking of the last scenario. Knowing Tom as he did, he was fairly sure the young man and the babe would make a day of it, and they would both come out of it better for having spent the time together.

Will had thought he had made it clear to all the boys on this trip that they needed to be on their very best behavior.

The fact that Tom wasn’t in his room—Will had stopped there first—meant it was likely he was in Helen’s room.

Nearly fifteen minutes had passed since the ‘eleven o’ clock’ he had read through the paper when holding her letter to the light.

‘Eleven o’clock’ was no doubt the time intended for an assignation.

An assignation he now realized had been initiated by Lady Helen.

Will lowered his fist and considered what he was about to do, giving a start when the door to the next door room suddenly opened.

“Bellingham?” The whispered word was said by Harry. From his manner of dress and bare feet, it was apparent he had hurriedly pulled on a dressing robe, although he was wearing a pair of pantaloons.

“Everly,” Will replied, nodding to the earl. “I, uh,…” He rolled his eyes. “I suppose you’re wondering why I’m standing outside your daughter’s room,” he whispered.

“Actually, I am not,” Harry replied, a long sigh following his words.

“You knew…?”

From’s Harry’s expression, Will realized whatever Helen’s father knew, he had learned only moments ago.

“How did you find out?” Harry asked.

About to admit to finding Lady Helen’s letter on Tom’s pillow, Will was prevented from doing so when a strange sound came from beyond the door.

Thwack !

“What the hell?” he asked in a hoarse whisper.

“It sounded like… like a slap.”

“A slap? Or a… a spank?” Will countered.

Harry’s face screwed into a grimace. “Across the face,” he said, with the confidence of someone who had suffered the same fate. He even used a hand to rub one cheek as if in sympathy.

Will nodded. “I may have experienced something similar once a long time ago,” he admitted.

“Oh, I deserved it,” Harry said. “It actually confirmed for me that Stella would make the perfect countess.”

“Same,” Will agreed. He once again lifted his fist to knock on the door but paused when Harry placed a staying hand on it. “What?”

“I don’t know about you, but I only learned from Stella a few minutes ago that my daughter told her she intended to take matters into her own hands regarding a certain young man,” Harry explained.

“Thomas?” Will guessed.

“Indeed. Until this trip, I had no idea she was the least bit interested in him as a potential suitor, though. What do you know about it?”

Will cleared this throat, dipping his head as he tried to decide whether or not to tell Harry what he knew.

“What?” Harry prompted.

Will let out a long sigh. “I may have paid witness to a… uh,… particularly passionate kiss they shared during the Morganfield ball. In the gardens,” he stammered.

“The night before you left England?” Harry guessed.

“Indeed. I was going to interrupt and admonish him, but…” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I knew the two of them wouldn’t be doing more than kissing that night. And I knew we would be gone from England in a few hours, and…” He shrugged.

“You did the same with your countess, did you not? When you went off in a naval ship?” Harry asked, his query sounding like an accusation.

Will nodded. “I might have done more. I did more,” he admitted. “Which is why my oldest son is not my heir,” he whispered.

“Helen is the reason we made this trip,” Harry blurted.

“Oh?”

“Well, not the reason, but she suggested it a few months ago. I hadn’t been on an expedition for a very long time, and she had the idea to come to Egypt,” Harry explained.

“Did she say why?”

“She didn’t, but…” Here he chuckled softly. “If I remember right, she and Stella had just returned from Lady Devonville’s parlor when she brought it up.”

Will stiffened. “My stepmother,” he murmured. “She and Barbara have been corresponding regularly. Cherise would have known of our itinerary for Egypt.”

“Which explains why Helen insisted we be in Cairo the day we arrived,” Harry commented thoughtfully. “She helped with all the arrangements and all the details. Knew who I should contact about accommodations. She no doubt planned this… this assignation,” he added, waving to the door.

“She’ll make an excellent wife for any deserving man,” Will said. “An exceptional mother, too, given how good she is with your spare heir.”

The two glanced at the door, as if they thought it would open at any moment. “If she did slap him, then she’s probably apologizing to him,” Harry theorized. “Hopefully.”

“Or he is,” Will said.

“Which means they’re probably forgiving one another…”

“Probably kissing,” Will guessed.

“She’s no doubt concerned about the red mark she left on his cheek.”

“Serves him right,” Will stated.

A moment of silence passed.

“So… what would be next, do you suppose?” Harry asked.

“Well, I admit, I’m still a bit confused,” Will said softly. “I’ve caught Tom staring at her. I’ve seen her watching him. Half the time, he seems amenable. But when she has Bradley in her company...” He lifted an eyebrow.

“I think I might know why that is,” Harry murmured thoughtfully.

“Oh?”

“If you saw the girl you had been kissing in the gardens more than a year ago, and she had a babe in her arms or clutching at her skirts... even in the company of their parents, what would you think?”

Will furrowed a brow. “Well, truth be told, I thought Lady Helen was the mother of Master Bradley at first. That her husband was somewhere else… or that he had died,” he whispered. “At least, I did until Barbara explained Bradley was your son.”

Harry chuckled softly. “Poor Thomas.”

“Poor Lady Helen,” Will said, glad to learn what his wife had told him was true. He glanced at the door again, contemplating if he should knock or not. “What do you suppose they’re talking about now?”

“Uh… probably their future. If there is to be one. Marriage, children…” Here Harry’s dark brows suddenly furrowed. “ Making children.”

He reached up and was about to pound on the door when it suddenly opened.

His fist almost impacted Tom’s nose.