Bloody hell, he hadn’t meant to be so forceful, but the lad was trying his patience nearly as much as Ianthe had done before she became fearful.
Had he been such a querulous child? If he had, he owed his mother an apology.
Bentford’shard tone startled Cordelia, though she really couldn’t blame him when Edward was being so difficult.
If Edward rolled his eyes, Cordelia would take him by the ear and march him into Adam’s library to be dealt with properly. Not that her older brother disciplined enough as it was, but she’d make certain he did in this instance.
Lord Bentford clasped his hands behind his back, straightened his spine further and stared down at Edward in what Cordelia assumed was intimidation.
Edward looked up and any impertinence was replaced with a bit of fear as if he just now realized that perhaps he had overstepped. Cordelia bit back a smile. It was past time that someone cowed Edward into behaving toward another with respect.
“Can I trust you?” Bentford asked gravely.
“Yes,” Edward dutifully answered as he drew himself up, not that his height was near that of Bentford.
“What I am about to tell you cannot, under any circumstances be told to Ianthe, or my other nieces.”
Edward shifted his eyes to Cordelia, but she had no idea what secret Bentford was about to share.
“Do you promise?” Bentford demanded.
“Yes.”
“If you breathe a word to her, you will never be welcome at Nightshade Manor again. Further, I will cut down that tree so you can never climb it again to spy on us.”
Edward swallowed as his eyes grew wider.
Cordelia was quite pleased to see that her brother was finally being humbled and whatever Bentford was to tell them certainly carried heavy consequences if revealed.
“I promise, Lord Bentford, I will say nothing.”
Cordelia quickly glanced to Edward’s hands to make certain his fingers weren’t crossed, which they weren’t, thank goodness.
“Madam Boswell spoke to me a few days ago and then again today,” he began then went on to describe what she had seen and how they weren’t certain what it meant.
“Madam Boswell saw this?” Edward asked with alarm.
Her younger brother trusted everything that Adam’s grandmother prophesied.
“Yes. Until we know what this danger is and who can be harmed, Ianthe is not allowed to leave Nightshade Manor,” he said. “She is protected there, and nobody can step onto the grounds who has not already been deemed trustworthy.”
Edward nodded. “I promise that I will not let her leave.” Then he made an “X” across his chest. “I swear that I will keep her safe.”
Though if anyone or anything wished to harm Ianthe, there was little to nothing Edward could do to protect her as he was just a boy. Still, Cordelia was proud of him in that moment, seeing that he could understand the gravity of a situation and take responsibility with maturity she had feared he lacked.
“Why can’t she know?” Edward asked.
“She is finally gaining control of her fear, with the help of your sister.”
Edward glanced over at Cordelia with a disbelieving frown.
So much for admirable maturity, but Cordelia held her tongue.
“If she thinks danger is close, she may become overset again, and it’s important that she learn control and to trust herself, and she can’t do that if she runs and hides from who she is.”
Edward nodded. “I understand. I will say nothing to her, and I will not let her leave Nightshade Manor.”
Bentford placed a hand on Edward’s shoulder. “Thank you. It is good to know that she has a friend that I can trust.”
