Blessed saints.
He did not want to think of it.
Tulip took another deep breath.“I love you, Alex.I love you so much.”
Her words jarred him out of his dismal thoughts, but it took him a moment to realize what she had just said.
“And I am fine with your not feeling the same yet,” she hastily added when he did not immediately respond with a similar admission to her.“I know it is too soon.But after Mrs.Granger’s near drowning, I could not hide my feelings any longer.Whatever happens next, I do not want you ever to doubt that I love you.”
A slow smile spread across his lips.
I love you.
She had no idea how desperately he’d longed to hear those sweet words tumble from her lips.
Lord, he loved her so much.
Andhideher feelings?
Tulip was an open book.
Her beautiful smiles, her welcoming response to his touch, the way she looked at him in gentle adoration.
She made him feel so good.
He hastily donned his second boot and rose to take her in his arms.“Tulip…sweetheart…”
A pounding at the door interrupted his next words, which would have been to admit he loved her, too.
But the pounding was persistent.
He hurriedly opened the door and saw one of the maids assigned to watch over Mrs.Granger looking quite overset as she bobbed a hasty curtsy.“Oh, Your Grace!Mrs.Granger is awake and insisting on talking to you and Her Grace.She won’t lie still and says it is urgent.”
He took Tulip’s hand.“Yes, we’ll come at once.Thank you, Mary.”
They raced down the stairs, then along the narrow hall leading to the servants quarters, and burst into their housekeeper’s room.
The maids had changed her out of her wet clothes and into her nightgown and robe.
The poor woman looked quite frail as she struggled to sit up.“Help me, Hortense,” she said to one of the beefy maids.
“Aye, Mrs.Granger.There ye go.”
Alex dismissed the maids once they had made Mrs.Granger comfortable.“But stay close, for I’ll have you return shortly to watch over her.”
“Aye, Your Grace,” they said in unison and scampered out.
Alex closed the door after them, and motioned for Tulip to take the lone, rickety chair beside the housekeeper’s bed.“Who did this to you, Mrs.Granger?”
Tears ran down her cheeks.“It was Ernfield.”
“I knew it,” Tulip mumbled, then immediately shook her head in dismay, obviously realizing she should not have said anything.“Do go on, Mrs.Granger.Tell us what happened.”
“I was overset after our morning conversation,” she said, her gaze on Tulip.“I ran out into the garden, but hadn’t gone far before I realized I should not be seen crying by the staff.It isn’t seemly.So I made my way to the salt marshes, intending to walk off my distress.I was only there a few minutes and had every intention of returning to the house because the tide was coming in and I felt my boots getting wet.Suddenly, Ernfield was there, cudgel in hand, and staring at me with such a demonic look upon his face.”
“So, you turned and ran?”Tulip asked.
She nodded.“But before I could take a step, he hit me across the back of my head.I fell to my knees.I was too dazed to scream, although I tried.But I couldn’t catch my breath and I felt myself passing out.He lifted me over his shoulder and carried me deeper into the marshes.The tide was coming in.I started to struggle, but he tossed me onto the ground, laughing as I landed face first in the mud.He must have struck me again to make certain I would not get up.That’s the last I remember until waking up just now.”
