“He’s not in any danger,” Jack said. “He’s protected. I’d never leave his side if I didn’t have full confidence that he was safe.”
“Still…”
“I always knew that Lassit would attempt to make contact with him. It’s why I was less than thrilled at the idea of Arden leaving Avendene in the first place.”
Beckett winced again. That was meant for him, and he deserved it. Fair enough.
“Making contact is one thing. Removing Arden from my protection is another altogether.”
“Are you sure he won’t?” Nolan, again, beat Beckett to the question. Beckett scowled at him. Nolan returned his scowl, and salted a little extra attitude on top.
Jack looked vaguely amused at their duelling glares. “Now that he’s visited Arden in person? It really depends on how their conversation went. But, no. I’m not sure.” Jack sighed. “Lassit has proven to be more unpredictable than I anticipated when it comes to Arden. It’s unlikely that he will attempt to physically remove Arden from my protection. He’ll know that I have taken measures to prevent it. He’ll also know that if he was foolish enough to try regardless, I’d hunt him down. I wouldn’t, however, put it past him to try bullying Arden into returning to Dalbryn voluntarily. To make him think that he’s unwanted. In other words, Arden is safe from being taken from us, but not safe from doubt.”
Beckett grunted. “I’ll make sure he’s good and clear on things, don’t you worry about that.”
Nolan scoffed, Beckett glared at him again, and Jack said quietly, “I know that you will, my love.”
That should have been an end to it, only Jack had been right about the earl being unpredictable, because not a few hours later, the man himself showed up.
CHAPTER 32
BECKETT
After breakfast, Jack and Nolan disappeared into Jack’s study, leaving a restless Beckett to take himself off to the servants’ quarters to find something to do.
He was unsuccessful.
The servants here in Sevennis, just like the ones at Avendene and at Greylag, had their own hierarchy, their own well-defined roles, and no real use for an interloper.
Especially not one who’d helped carry the duke’s and his secretary’s food up to the breakfast parlour and, instead of discreetly withdrawing with the rest of them, had pulled out a chair and sat himself at the table.
You couldn’t have everything. Beckett knew that.
Squaring his shoulders, he headed back up to the main part of the house and off to Jack’s study. If he was going to interlope, may as well go and do it there.
He walked in without knocking, taking Jack by surprise. Jack snatched the spectacles he was wearing off his face so quickly that they skittered over the crowded desktop and skated clean off the side to hit the floor.
Jack sighed ruefully as Beckett crossed the room, scooped them up, and made a meal out of buffing them on his sleevebefore handing them back to Jack with a little bow, as polite as you like.
Jack took them off him, paused for a second, then shrugged and popped them back on his large nose.
Bracing a hand on the desk, Beckett leaned into Jack’s space. “You look very distinguished,” he said seriously. “See if you can grow yourself a few more grey hairs, and you’ll be almost as distinguished as Marl.” He yelped when Jack, the refined duke eight years his senior, sitting at his fancy desk as he worked on Council business that would affect the whole country, chopped a hand at Beckett’s inner elbow and made him loose his balance, thumping his forearm flat to the desktop.
It was a decent enough position to find himself in, Beckett thought, and took advantage, licking his bottom lip suggestively. Didn’t take him but a second to get a kiss, and a firm hand at the back of his head to keep him there.
A stern throat-clearing from Nolan’s adjoining office made them break it off.
Beckett pushed himself up and straightened his hair. He tapped a finger on the stack of papers before Jack. “Best get on with it so we can head home,” he said, and strode off to Nolan’s office. He paused by the doorway, which was flanked by a pair of ladder-back chairs intended, presumably, for any visitors. “I’ll be needing one of these,” he said, picked one up, and carried it with him into Nolan’s office.
The beta looked up with wide eyes as Beckett set it across from Nolan on the other side of his desk.
The desk was bigger than Jack’s.
“Right, then.” Beckett sat. “I’ve got a lot to learn with regards to figures and correspondence and the proper way to talk business to fancy folk without getting their hackles up, or so Marl says. Since you’re the one who knows everything, seems to me you’re the best man for the job.”
Nolan stared at him for a long, considering minute. He began to smile.
It wasn’t a pleasant smile, and Beckett knew he was in for it, but he wasn’t wrong. Nolan was the best for the job. Beckett meant to take his place at Jack and Arden’s side, and make them proud to have him there.
