Growing cold, he walked on to warm himself, striding around the corner of the building, past the chapel with its stained-glass windows, and past the fallen ruins of the former abbey church. As he neared the front of the hotel, footsteps crunched up the gravel drive.
He glanced over and saw a tall man and a slight woman approaching the hotel together on foot.
Near one of the cone-shaped topiaries lining the drive, the young man pulled the woman abruptly into his arms and bent his head.
Frederick looked away, not keen to witness young passion, but then the woman’s gasp of protest caught his ear.
Passion was one thing. But not when it was unwelcome.
He started across the spongy grass of the manicured lawn toward the couple. The female figure turned her face away, and moonlight shone on her profile. Rebecca.
Illogical jealousy curdled his stomach, though he had no romantic claim on her nor any right to expect fidelity.
“Robb, stop it.”
The sound of her voice quickened his stride.
“Come on, Becky. Don’t be like that. We’re old friends.”
Concern washed away Frederick’s jealousy, and anger quickly swept in to take its place.
“Your father said I could do anything I set my mind to,” Robb said evenly. “And I set my mind on having you.”
“That is not going to happen.”
Nearing them, Frederick said, “Miss Lane. Mr. Tarvin. Am I intruding?”
Both heads turned in his direction.
“Yes,” Robb snapped.
“No,” Rebecca said, rather breathlessly, and pulled away from the young man.
Robb said, “I was just escorting Miss Becky back to the hotel.” He reached for her arm, but she stepped farther away.
“And for that I thank you, but for nothing else,” she coldly replied. “You ... mistook the matter. Good night, Mr. Tarvin.”
“Mr. Tarvin now, is it? Weren’t so formal-like before the high-and-mighty baronet showed up.”
“That’s enough,” Frederick said sternly. “I believe Miss Lane wishes you to leave, if you would be good enough to oblige her.”
“So you can walk her to her room instead? Oh, sure.” Robb frowned at Rebecca. “And you’ll no doubt thank him more sweetly than you did me.”
Robb turned and stalked away.
Frederick looked at her questioningly. “Shall I throttle him?”
“No, thank you. Although I am glad you appeared when you did.”
“Are you?”
“Definitely. As you may remember, my father championed him as a boy, and he believes that allows him a certain ... familiarity. He also assumes I admire him as my father did, but I don’t.”
“He said you are friends.”
“As children we were, yes. He often came to the vicarage to borrow a new book or discuss some scholarly tome with Father. I sometimes joined them. As we grew older, his ... interest ... changed. Mine did not. He thinks my parents were encouraginghim where I was concerned, and I have not had the heart to tell him the exact opposite was true. They sought to encourage his education, but that was all.”
“I trust he understands that now.”
