He glanced at her.“What’s the matter, sugar?You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.”
“I thought I saw the duke.”
“Unlikely.There are no clubs he would frequent around here.Besides, he wouldn’t be walking the street on a cold night.Toffs always take their carriages.”
She nodded.“Of course, you’re right.He would never walk the streets.”
“Hang on.We are almost there.”
Shortly, Rhys turned down a wide back lane and pulled to a stop in front of the mews.After he helped her down, he tucked her hand through the crook of his arm and tossed a coin to the stable boy.“We won’t be long, Kenny.Just getting some food.”
“Sure thing, Mr.Seaton.”
Rhys turned to her.“This way.”He led them down the lane until they got to a large stone building.They went to the right and down a set of stairs.“Watch your step in the dark.There are six stairs.”
Violet held tight to his arm as she carefully navigated the stairs, and at the bottom, he opened the wooden door, letting blessed light into the dark stairwell.They stepped inside, and Violet blinked to let her eyes adjust.The hallway had three sconces down the length of its rough stone walls.It was just as cold inside as outside, and Violet shivered.“Where are we?”
“Root cellars.”He led her down the corridor.“We also use it for wine and beer storage.Come, it’s this way to the kitchen and a hot meal.”
Soon they climbed a short set of stone stairs, only three this time.At the top, through an archway, came the sounds of pots and pans clanging and voices shouting.And sure enough, they emerged into a well-lit kitchen.The room was enormous, with arched ceilings in the same thick stone as all the walls.But the rest of the space was quite modern, with two large stoves along one wall and a rectangular wooden worktable against the opposite wall, which held a large sink with a hand pump for water.Two long tables dominated the center of the room.Rhys led her over to one and pulled a chair out for her.
Violet obediently sat.The room bustled with people, but no one seemed to take notice of them, except for three young women in dancing costumes who sat at the other table.The girls glanced curiously at her.
“I’ll just go wheedle some grub for us.Be right back.”Rhys removed her wrap, laying it next to her, then bent and kissed her neck.As he walked away, he stopped by the dancing girls.“How was the show tonight?”
“Real good, Mr.Seaton.”They all gave him wide smiles.
It wasn’t until he moved away that their glances flicked back to Violet.She sent them a small smile before looking down at her black crepe dress.She smoothed the skirt, feeling old and frumpy compared to the women in their sparkly blue costumes.She stared down at her hands and spun her ring around.It didn’t matter, of course.It was silly to compare herself.Her stomach rumbled, and she placed a hand on her belly.“Just a few more minutes, baby.”The smells in the kitchen were mouthwatering.Roasted onions, rosemary…and maybe carrots?
“Here we are.”Rhys returned, carrying two bowls of stew.He set them down and slid into a chair next to her.“Be careful.It’s hot.”
“Thank you.”She slid him a sideways glance.“You take such good care of me.”
Rhys’s hand froze as he reached for his spoon.He looked somewhat startled for a moment, and it made her smile.Perhaps he didn’t know that he was good at taking care of people, even the dog that he’d saved.She blew on her spoonful of stew, sending steam across the table.The first bite was delicious, and she let out a low hum of approval.She hadn’t been hungry at all earlier, but now she was famished.
When she had finished off her bowl, Rhys turned in his seat and chuckled.He laid a hand on her belly.“Is the babe satisfied?Do you want another serving?”
Violet stared at his hand on her belly.Strong, tan fingers spread wide across her bump.She covered it with her own.“Yes, satisfied, I think.It was delicious.”Then the baby moved as though it wanted to add its approval.
Rhys’s eyes went wide as saucers.“What…was that the babe?”
She nodded.“Yes, I have been feeling it move almost every day at some point.It likes it when I laugh, although that hasn’t been often of late.And I guess when I eat something good.”She smiled at him.He hadn’t moved his hand, and he was staring intently at where their hands lay together.
“I know, of course, that you are growing a babe in there, but feeling it move is another level of reality.”His voice was soft with awe.“Are you sure you don’t want more stew?”
Across the room, the door opened with a bang, and a woman raced inside with a man at her heels.She laughed as he caught her with one arm around her waist and twisted her around so he could pull her close and bury his lips against her neck.The woman yelped and pushed half-heartedly at the man’s shoulder.But he growled low, “Fair is fair, I’ve caught you.”
“Really, you two…in front of the staff?”Rhys’s dry tone carried across the room.
The dancing girls all giggled and rolled their eyes.
Two heads swiveled in their direction.Violet recognized the lady as Elizabeth Reeves; the man must be her husband, Rhys’s partner, Matthew.
The dark-haired gentleman grinned at Rhys.“I thought you went home.”He straightened, and he and Elizabeth crossed the room toward them.
“Violet?”Elizabeth said.“What are you doing here?”
“I needed to feed her,” Rhys said.
