Freddie placed a calming hand on his brother’s shoulder, but Edward shrugged him off, muttering instead that he was going to find Kate, before storming out of the room, or at least attempting to. The tight space made his exit less dramatic than he probably hoped, but he didn’t stop glaring at both of them during it.
‘The second Teddy was too much,’ said Freddie, turning back to stare at the sprinkling of broken glass that covered the floor. ‘I do not know why I said it. I could see he was getting more uptight by the minute, and I did it anyway.’
‘He was being a pig-headed goat.’
Freddie smiled. ‘There is an image I will not forget in a hurry.’
‘I know he worries, but he is being over the top. If someone wanted to break into Glanmore House, this is a poor way to go about it.’
‘Perhaps,’ said Freddie, patting Christopher on the arm, before he too walked away, leaving him alone in the room.
Maybe all three of his brothers had gone outside to look at the damage from a different angle, but it would do no harm for Christopher to take a look too. He hoped he would find a few feathers to back up his bird theory, or better yet, a highly skilled badger lurking in the undergrowth.
He found only Tobias in the garden. His oldest brother looked lost in thought as he gazed up at the window.
‘It could have been a bird,’ said Christopher, somehow less sure of himself in the face of his oldest brother’s natural sternness.
‘Most likely.’
‘Do you really think so?’ Christopher wished Edward were around to hear Tobias agreeing with him, then realised just how childish that made him. He was a grown man, damn it. He could stand to be wrong, although he was sure, in this instance, he was right.
‘The flowers,’ said Tobias, pointing to the tulips that lined the path on either side. ‘They are undamaged.’
Christopher stepped closer to get a better look. Sure enough, none of the flowers or plants looked stepped on and there were no footprints in the surrounding soil. Reminding himself that he was an adult and a gentleman, he did not immediately run into the house to tell Edward. ‘It is unlikely that it was an intruder then.’
Tobias shrugged. ‘In light of what happened to Sebastian, I do not think we can be too careful. But I think it is more probable that there is an innocent explanation for this.’
‘Good, good.’ Christopher rubbed his hands together. He wasn’t going to gloat, but he didn’t mind being internally smug.
‘Be kind to your brother. He is under a lot of stress.’
He glanced up at Tobias, who had one eyebrow raised. Feeling rather like a scolded schoolboy, he muttered, ‘Of course.’
Christopher continued to look at the ground, it seemed impolite to walk away now, but it was apparent that Tobias was done talking and the very air was awkward. Before he could think of a courteous reason to leave, Sutton appeared.
‘Miss Jacobs has been taking tea with Lady Blackmore and Lady Katherine, Lord Christopher. They are just finishing up and have asked to see if you are available to join them for a moment.’
Something strange was taking place in his stomach. It was as if it couldn’t decide whether to swoop or dive and so it was swirling around in an uncomfortable circle. He and Sophia hadn’t seen one another in almost a week, and it took all of his willpower not to run towards the Blue Lounge like a schoolboy at recess. He had missed her company in their time apart, although they were still sending one another long letters, which went some way to keeping her in his thoughts. He had no idea why they were doing that, only he didn’tseem able to stop. He’d told himself that he needed to give her space to allow Robert time to try and woo her, but he didn’t want to not spend time with her either. The letters were a compromise and if he spent hours over his drafts, then nobody else needed to know.
Sutton had left the door slightly ajar. Through the narrow space he caught sight of her before she was aware of his presence. All evidence of tea had been removed and his sisters-in-law did not appear to be in attendance, although he doubted they were far away. Sophia was perched on the edge of a settee, her hands rested on a parcel on her lap. She was facing the window, a small smile playing around her lips as she watched something he couldn’t see.
On that first, hideous night at the beginning of their unexpected betrothal, he had thought her pretty, despite everything else going on around them. Her lips in a perfect circle of abject horror had still looked kissable, even though every fibre of his being knew that he would not kiss her. Since then, she had somehow become lovelier. It wasn’t just the way her dark curls desperately tried to escape from under whatever bonnet she wore. Nor was it the way her mouth was so ready with a smile or the way her head tilted to the side when she was listening intently. It wasn’t even the way her whole body shook with laughter when she was truly amused. It was all of those things and more combined together to make her the loveliest woman of his acquaintance.
He pushed the door open wider so that he could step into the room. Turning at the sound, she smiled when she caught sight of him and his heart tripped over itself in its eagerness to get to her.
‘Sophia,’ he said, when he reached her side, his fingers aching with the effort not to reach out and run his fingers along the length of her jaw or to pull her into his arms.
‘Emily has just gone to see Arabella, but she said she will be back directly. Kate had to go and sort out something to do with Silas and a bucket of water. I hope I am not inconveniencing you by interrupting your day.’
‘Not at all. We were in the middle of a brotherly argument and so your arrival could not be more timely.’ He could see the question as to why they were falling out forming on her lips and he did not want to talk about it just yet. ‘What have you there?’ He gestured to her lap.
‘Ah, yes. I wanted to give this to you in person.’
She remained sitting, her hands still resting on the flat package.
‘Are you going to show me what is inside?’
‘I suppose I should, although now I am here in this grand room, I feel a little foolish.’ She stood, placing the parcel on the settee on which she had been sitting.
