“No, my lord. I... I just wanted you to know I’m here if you need me.”
“Thank you. I’ll remember that.”
The butler spun around toward the door, but he stood still with his hands flexed by his sides. His torso moved with the deepness of his breaths. In seconds, he squared his shoulders and turned back to face Collin.
“Forgive me, my lord.” He took a step closer. “But you must understand how much I care about Lady Kentwood and her family. I know how miserable she was when the wrong man showed up at the cottage and she was forced to marry Lord Kentwood. I also know that one year ago when I worked for you and Lord Kentwood, that you were a womanizer.” Simon paused briefly. “I donotwant to see her hurt again. Do you understand me?”
Narrowing his gaze on the servant, Collin slowly stood. He’d never had a servant talk to him in such a way, and he wasn’t going to allow this one to do it, whether he was Addie’s friend or not.
“Are you threatening me?” Collin asked.
The man lifted his chin slightly higher. “Once again, forgive me, my lord, but if you plan on hurting her again, then this is indeed a threat.”
Collin folded his arms across his chest and moved closer to the butler who stood his ground. “I don’t plan on hurting her. If you must know, I also care about Lady Kentwood.” He arched an eyebrow. “As I’m sure you well remember since you were the one who caught us together in the thicket of trees the night of her aunt’s masked ball.”
“I do remember, my lord, however, she does not feel that way about you any longer. I beg you, please leave her to live her life without the painful memory of you leaving her to wed your best friend.”
“Whether you want – or need – to know this, Simon, I also had painful memories this past year, so I understand Lady Kentwood completely. Not only did my so-call friend compromise Adeline, but Lloyd also tricked me.Hewas the one who’d sent the note, not I.”
“But... Lord Kentwood gave the note to me, stating that you wanted me to take it to her.”
“And we can add lying to the list of sins my cousin committed when he was alive. However, that’s all in the past. I’m telling you, I didn’t send it.”
“Either way, you broke her heart. You should leave this place and never see her again. That’s the only way she can be happy.”
“I think differently. In fact, I believe that the only way either of us will be able to put our painful memories to rest is for us to follow our hearts. She was falling in love with me back then just as I was coming to love her.”
“She will never have you,” Simon snapped. “Not now.”
Irritation rose inside of Collin, and although he felt like punching the insolent man in the face, the throbbing pain in his head told him to let the matter rest. Simon was only trying to defend Addie, which was what Collin would do if roles were reversed. So... did that mean Simon was in love with her, too?
The realization made him hitch a breath. Of course, the other man was in love with her. She was a sweet woman with the kindest heart, or at least she had been. Collin knew he’d be able to bring out her good traits once again if given a chance.
He rubbed his forehead. “Simon, I do understand how you feel, but rest assured, I don’t want to hurt her anymore. I want to repair the damage between us the best way I know how.”
Simon grumbled underneath his breath, spun back around, and rushed out of the door. Immediately, the man’s departure seemed very familiar. The color of his brown hair, and especially the bald spot on the back of his head. The dark blue of the butler’s uniform also seemed very memorable.
A memory flashed in Collin’s mind. He was hiding behind a tree as he watched Addie exit her carriage after he’d followed her when she came uninvited to his brother’s wedding. Someone hit him on the head with a thick tree branch. Before losing consciousness, he’d looked behind him and seen a man running away – a man who had a bald spot on the back of his head.
Collin growled and hurried after the butler. Anger fueled his every step whether his head was throbbing or not. He’d get to the bottom of this. Clearly, the servant was not happy that Collin was here, or that he was the new lord of this estate.
Stopping at the top of the stairs, he listened intently. Where had that man gone?Addie!Oh, course. The man would go straightway to the lady of the house and try to make her side with him instead of Collin.
He quickened his step and raced down the stairs. Floating through the air was her magical, heavenly voice. He followed the sound and it led him to the dining room. She stood talking to one of the kitchen maids. He stopped, not wanting to interrupt. When Addie looked his way, she paused in sentence. After a few silent moments, she turned to the maid and motioned her hand for the girl to leave. The maid curtsied and left.
“Forgive me,” he began. “I didn’t mean to interrupt, but I do have something very important to tell you – something that I just remembered.”
Slowly, she moved toward him, clasping her hands to her waist. “What have you remembered?”
He glanced up and down the hallway. “Where is your butler?”
“Simon?”
“Yes.”
She shrugged and stopped in front of Collin. “I don’t know. Why do you ask?”
He moved closer and lowered his voice. “He was the one who whacked me over the head with the branch.”
