Exhaustion, physical and mental, washed over her.She laid her forehead against Matthew’s solid chest.He wrapped his arms around her, and she was safe in the circle of his embrace.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Morning light slantedacross the bed as Elizabeth cracked open her eyes.She blinked, trying to orient herself.The dark wood walls and navy-blue canopy were unfamiliar, but as she turned her head to the side, the familiar sight of her son sprawled next to her on the bed made her smile.Robert always slept on his stomach with his arms and legs akimbo.She reached out and ran her hand over his hair, so glad that he was safe.Racing through the house last night had been some of the most terrifying moments of her life.
What had Griffen been looking for?Had it even been him?What would have happened if he had found where Robert and Mrs.Todd were hiding?All her questions rolled around in her gut, increasing her anxiety.She sat up with a sigh, left the bed, crossed to the window, and pushed open the sash.Warmth skated inside on a light breeze.She pulled her long braid over her shoulder, and after removing the tie, she began to pull apart the plait.Running her fingers through her hair, she finger-combed through the loose waves.This was her favorite time of day.The world was quiet, and she could breathe before her day began.The only time of day when her hair could be loose and not tightly wound into her typical chignon.
When they arrived last night, Matthew ushered them in the back door and up the back stairs.A man sat on a stool in front of the doors that led to the wing.He was sent to fetch Ben, who had then proceeded to fuss over them excessively.Ben had cooed over Robert, who had been half asleep on her shoulder, and then ushered her and Mrs.Todd into two bedrooms next door to each other.Mrs.Todd offered to help prepare the beds, but Ben was having none of that.Elizabeth chuckled.Ben had simply flummoxed her housekeeper as she watched him efficiently make the beds.Matthew made sure that Ben had things well in hand and then excused himself to check on things downstairs.
She rooted through the satchel she had quickly packed last night.Pulling out her brush, she worked to untangle her long locks.Matthew had looked so grim.He thought that the intruder had been his brother.She paused the downward stroke of her brush.His brother.She still struggled to reconcile all that he’d told her last evening.He had grown up very differently from what she had expected after learning his true identity.And now, he protected his sister from their brother.Despite her concerns about his family and his profession, she had felt so safe within the circle of his arms.
Elizabeth got dressed and wound her hair into a simple bun.Robert moved around, rubbing his eyes sleepily.
“Good morning, darling.”She walked over to the bed.
He sat up, and with his habitual cheerfulness, smiled up at her.“Good morning, mama.Are we at the Blue Angel?”
“Yes.If you get dressed, we can go find some breakfast.”
Robert nodded and scrambled off to go empty his bladder in the chamber pot placed in the corner.“Will we go home today?Is our house safe?Will that man come back, do you think?”
His barrage of questions didn’t surprise her.“I think we will stay here for at least a few days.I need to get the back door fixed.Then the house will be safe again.And I will have a good lock added to the back garden gate as well.”
Robert came over and wrapped his arms around her leg as he gazed up at her with serious gray eyes.“I’ll set up my soldiers to guard the front windows.”
“That will be very helpful.Let’s get you dressed.I brought a fresh shirt and trousers for you.”
She held Robert’s hand as they emerged from their room and made their way to the double door at the end of the corridor.The stool outside the door was empty, but there was a maid sweeping the wide main staircase.She looked startled to see them, her gaze bouncing between her and Robert.
“Pardon,” Elizabeth said.“Could you direct us to the kitchen?”
“Surely.Down the stairs, then to the right through the big gaming room, at the corridor on the other side, go left, and the third door is the stairs that lead down to the kitchen.Sure you don’t want me to fetch Big Ben for you?”
“No, that won’t be necessary.We’ll find our way.”Elizabeth hoped it was true; this club was a maze.
She and Robert found the kitchen without any trouble.Perhaps the layout made more sense than she originally thought.The front of the place housed the main gambling rooms, separated by a grand foyer.Up the stairs was the theater, and to the left was Matthew’s private wing.To the right, she assumed, were more bedrooms that perhaps housed the other staff members.Behind the main gaming spaces were two long corridors, one in each direction from the center of the house.These were the private gambling spaces and high-stakes rooms.
Down here in the basement, they passed a warren of storage rooms containing food stores and barrels of wine and beer.Finally, they reached a large kitchen.In direct contrast to the quiet of the main floor, it was a hive of activity.
Scullery maids stood at the sink, scrubbing pots.Two adolescent boys peeled an enormous bucket of potatoes.Big Ben stood with a notebook in hand, next to a short, rotund man with a long mustache.She spotted Mrs.Townsend sitting at a long table in the center of the room and headed over to her.“Good morning.”
Ben’s head popped up from where he was scribbling into his notebook.“Ms.Harper!Good morning.Can I get you a cuppa?”
“Yes, thank you.That would be lovely.”
Ben snapped his notebook shut and strode toward them.“And you, lad?A cup of hot chocolate, perhaps?”
Robert craned his head back, with his mouth hanging open, to stare up at the massive Ben.He probably only had hazy memories of him from last night.
“Oh no, that’s too precious,” Elizabeth interjected.“We couldn’t possibly.”
“Nonsense.Nothing but the best for our guests.Boss’s orders.”He turned to set a large kettle onto a burner of a massive stove.Matthew certainly had not skimped on the quality when outfitting his kitchen.She sat down next to Mrs.Todd and pulled out a chair for Robert, who scrambled up onto his knees with a wide smile on his face at the prospect of having hot chocolate, which was a treat they only indulged in on Christmas Day.
“He wouldn’t allow me to help with anything this morning,” muttered Mrs.Todd.“I’ve never felt so useless in my life.”
Elizabeth smiled at her exasperated tone.Mrs.Todd was accustomed to being in charge of things.“Well, I must go to the house this morning before the staff arrives, so I would be grateful if you could entertain Robert.”She frowned.“Perhaps for today, stay inside the Angel.I will return as soon as I can.But with tomorrow’s edition to prepare for, I will also need to go to the print shop.”
“Of course, dear.Robert and I will be fine.You be careful.”
