“No,” answered Trick. “It was Fairhurst. He’s dead.”
“Dear God,” muttered Giles. “Let’s settle you down, my Lady…”
“I can walk,” she choked out. “Oh Giles. It wasawful.” Suffering from the impact of seeing Sir Amery breathe his last on the carpet in front of her, Adalyn gave in to tears, burying her face in Giles’s shoulders.
The other two men arrived post haste, rushing to Giles and circling him like a squad of three bodyguards.
“Something happened to Sir Amery,” said Giles briefly. “He’s dead.”
“Jesus,” breathed Evan.
“I can’t believe it,” mumbled Daniel, eyes wide.
“Let’s settle Adalyn first,” said Jeremy. “She’s in shock.”
“You’re right,” Giles nodded. “I’ll take her to her room and in fifteen minutes I want you all there. We’ll have a conference, but somewhere where Adalyn can feel safe and comfortable.” He glanced at Evan. “Maybe tea with a spot of brandy?”
Evan nodded and hurried off.
“Trick is dealing with the gig, so please tell him when he comes in?”
Giles walked up the stairway as Adalyn finally caught her breath. She’d heard the conversation, but it took some time to get past the fog she felt in her brain. “I’m sorry, Giles,” she whispered. “I’m being silly.”
“Don’t be absurd, my Lady. You have had a severe shock.”
“It just…it brought back memories of...Wilkerson. Since I’ve been here, I could lay them aside. But now…they’re all back again.” She couldn’t help the shiver that wracked her.
Giles held her tightly. “We’re going to get you comfortable, my Lady. Safe and sound in your chambers. Then you can tell us what happened. All of us.”
“You’ll all stay with me for a little?”
“Of course,” he soothed.
She was quiet for a moment as he carried her down the hallway to her rooms. “You called me Adalyn, Giles.”
“I did?”
“Yes, you did,” she murmured. “I hope you will do so again. I feel more like myself when everyone uses my name, not my title. I was never meant to be a Lady anything.”
He set her down at the end of her bed. “You’re quite wrong. You are a natural-born Lady. But it is our pledge to make you happy. If my calling you Adalyn will further that goal, then so be it.”
She nodded.
“Now then. Turn around, and I shall attempt to loosen your laces sufficiently for you to disrobe.”
“Thank you,” she shot him a weak smile. “You will look the other way.”
Mildly affronted, Giles snorted. “I shall be outside the door, my…um…Adalyn.”
“Of course.”
“I asked the others to join us?”
She nodded as the tapes fell free and she clutched the front, untying the ribbon at her throat. “I heard. It’s a good idea. I think it should best be told once to everyone.”
“My thoughts exactly. So please let me know when you are ready for company.”
He bowed and left her to undress, which she did expeditiously, tying her thick robe around her nightgown and sighing with pleasure as she warmed her toes by the fire. “I’m ready,” she called.
