She frowned.
“Tell me.”
“What?”
“What you think you can hide from me,” he said.
She huffed out a breath.
“Come on, Samantha, tell me.”
Her eyes shot to the door to check Blanchet had left.
“Mr. Blanchet… well, he ah—”
“Is in love with you and made it known?”
She hissed out a breath.
“Not really, but I did get that feeling. I dissuaded him, but—”
“He wouldn’t listen?”
She nodded. “His family are of noble birth, and he talked a great deal about me visiting, but I did not realize his intentions until…”
“Until?” Warwick prompted when her words fell away. That bastard better not have tried to kiss her. The thought had him half rising out of his chair. Warwick ignored the fact he’d done just that earlier.
“He declared fervently that he wished to see me again.”
Warwick sat again and tamped down the surge of anger that Blanchet had made her uncomfortable.
“Why does his admiration surprise you?”
“I was not loved, or even liked for so many years. It’s hard to think of yourself differently, even though I have lived far more years happy than I have sad and scared.”
“You are no longer unloved.” Warwick’s words were gruff. “And we will take care of Blanchet if he visits.”
“He is harmless, and I do not wish to hurt him because I do not care for him as he does me. He’s a very nice man, but I don’t think of him that way.” Her eyes were on her plate now.
That statement relieved him far more than it should.
CHAPTERSEVEN
When their meal was finished, Samantha went to check on Penny. Warwick headed outside to see Bids, and if he was honest, he wanted to put some distance between himself and Samantha.
That kiss they’d shared had unsettled him.
For so many years she’d just always been in his life. He’d watched her grow up alongside him. Samantha had been his sister in every way but blood.
“I shouldn’t have done it,” Warwick muttered, entering the stables.
“We shall be ready to leave shortly, sir,” Bids said when he found him beside the carriage.
“Excellent, I shall try and secure a few pillows to aid Penny’s journey and ease her discomfort some.”
“I’ve made friends with the owner. I’ll see to it,” Bids said. “And I’ll have some food wrapped too. You can never be too cautious, sir. We might break a wheel and be stranded.”
“True, and Lady Samantha is unwell, so we will need to keep her strength up.”
