Herb held his hands up.“I merely wanted to offer a friendly ear in case something was troubling you.Forgive an old man for overstepping.”
With one last drink in the bottle, Herb handed it to Ridge,who downed the rest and rose to his feet.“I appreciatethe brandy, Mr. Hopper, butrest assured, if I need advice in the future,Iwill come to you.”
With most of the work done in the stables, Ridge returned to the castle where he took a bath and changed.
He left his chamber to seek out Isabella, but when he didn’t find her in her chambers, or the kitchens, the hair on the back of his neck began to prickle. When she wasn’t in the gardens, hereturned to the castle and found Claudia heading upthe stairs. “Where is your mistress?”
Shedrew a startled gasp, and he regrettedhis rather harshtone, but he wasgrowingdesperate to find his errant charge. “The last time I saw her, she was in the master’s quarters.”
Ridge gave a curt nod and took the stairs two at a time until he reached the upper level. After a quick search of the main rooms, it didn’t take him long to find her lying on her side on one of the settees in the salon.
Another section of his heart thawed, for she was fast asleep.
