“You have been through an ordeal and need to sleep in a bed. Plus, it will be a miracle if you do not fall ill,” Warwick said.Lilly was three days away.
“I can sleep on the floor, my lady. It will be no imposition, and Penny knows me.”
“Are you sure? I have no wish to put you out.”
“He will be sleeping in a cold stable if not here,” Warwick said. “He will be glad of the warmth.”
“There is no need to be testy.” Samantha glared at him.
Another thing he could lay at her door. Warwick was never testy.
“I will,” Archie added quickly.
She hesitated.
“You can check on her again later, but for now, perhaps you could let her sleep and return to your room?”
Samantha gave a curt nod at his clipped words.
“Come and get me if you need me, please,” she said to Archie before leaving. She then gave him one of her sweet smiles.
Warwick ground his teeth.
They walked back to the room, and she took one of the seats before the fire.
“You need to change now, Warwick.”
“I will go and find a room first.”
“There will be no other rooms, as you very well know. Go behind the screen and get out of those wet clothes. They have brought your luggage in here.”
“At least you can speak a coherent sentence now, even if it is to order me about.”
“As you spent most of your life ordering me about, I thought to reciprocate.” Her smile was tight.
Perhaps everything would return to normal. They were, after all, annoying each other again.
He looked at his wet clothes and mud-splattered boots and thought maybe she was right. He did need to wash. Grabbing a piece of bread and jam from the plate, he ate it in four bites.
“You will choke if you keep that up.”
He grunted a reply and then went behind the screen. Stripping, he then stepped into the bath and washed. The water was now lukewarm.
“I missed everyone. So very much. Will you tell me about them?” Her words reached him behind the screen. She sounded wistful now.
“They are all well, and not a great deal has changed. Obviously, there are two more babies for you to inspect.”
“Inspect? Don’t you mean cuddle?”
His lips twitched at her words. He pulled on his trousers and shirt, then stepped out from behind the screen. She had a bowl in her hands and was spooning stew into her mouth.
“I’m sorry I was angry.” Warwick knew the words needed to be said, and he was as comfortable with them as his brothers usually were when forced to apologize.
“It’s not like I have not seen your anger before.”
“I had good reason, Samantha. I could hear the screams from the dock.”
She looked devastated. “I’m sorry. It must have been awful hearing them and knowing you couldn’t do anything about it.”
