“I hope you don’t mind I mentioned you, Uncle,” Paxton said, recovering quickly and seeming to have no trouble keeping a smile on his face and managing his usual jovial tone.
“Of course he doesn’t,” Lady Adele continued, paying no mind to the startled expressions she was receiving. “My brother has qualities like those as well, my lord. I consider them quiet admirable.”
That statement from his sister raised Hawk’s eyebrows even higher. Loretta was wondering how being so strong-willed you couldn’t show mercy to an eighteen-year-old young lady was an admirable trait. But then she had to remember that Lady Adele didn’t know the entire story of Loretta’s banishment to Mammoth House.
“And though I haven’t known Mr. Quick that long,” Lady Adele continued, “I do believe he has the same commendable attributes as the two of you. I should be quite pleased to call such a man my husband.”
“I’m glad to hear my nephew spoke so highly of me,”the earl said with a nod of arrogance. “And that he pleases you.”
Loretta knew that Lady Adele had taken the things Paxton had said about his uncle as compliments. Though Loretta would bet her pin money Paxton hadn’t meant them that way.
“Yes, Lady Adele, I too believe we are all good, strong men,” her uncle said. “Now, I hate to trouble you, but if you don’t mind, I’d like to sit down. These days I find it difficult to stand for long at the time.”
“Paxton and I will help you,” Lady Adele answered, her happy attitude continuing.
“Please let me attend to that,” Mrs. Philbert said, hurrying over to the earl.
Hawk looked at Loretta, nodded toward the back of the room, and said, “I think I hear a storm brewing. I’ll have a look outside while Price gets everyone a drink.”
“A storm you say?” Loretta asked, following Hawk to the window. She stopped as close to Hawk as she dared and whispered, “I thought I was going to faint when Lady Adele mentioned what Paxton had said about Uncle.”
“I was thinking I was going to have to stuff her handkerchief in her mouth if she uttered one more word.”
Loretta laughed softly. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“No.” A natural, easy smile came to his lips. “But I can’t say I haven’t been tempted at times.”
“She is so innocent. It does seem difficult for her to find fault in anyone. I suppose what Paxton said about Uncle really isn’t bad or even unkind given the right circumstances.”
“Unless you know the meaning behind his words. Obviously, Adele didn’t. Everyone should be willing to bend when the occasion merits it. But I don’t want to talk about him.” Hawk’s gaze caressed her face. “I want to talkabout you. How did you feel today? Any ill effects from last night?”
“Actually there was one.”
Concern narrowed his eyes. “What?”
She moistened her lips and said, “My feet were cold all day. I had no one to warm them for me.”
He chuckled softly. “Soon, my love. I hope you are ready to tell his lordship you recanted your vow because I don’t know how much longer I can wait to let him know that you are now mine and under my protection and not his.”
She glanced behind her. Paxton, Lady Adele, and Mrs. Philbert were helping the earl settle into a chair. “I’m ready,” she answered confidently. “But quickly, before we have to go back over to them, I must ask about Farley. Did you find any trace of him?”
Hawk hesitated.
She knew he was trying to decide what to tell her. “The truth,” she whispered.
“I found him. He admitted to taking the jewelry but he no longer has it.”
“Oh,” she said, and looked out the window as her heart constricted with disappointment. Her pain was more than just that the jewelry was gone. Hawk’s words confirmed that Farley had taken it from her. She’d hoped that maybe, somehow it would be proven Farley hadn’t been the culprit. A light rain had started to fall against the windowpane. She turned to Hawk. Swallowing her disillusionment, she said, “If he’s already sold it, did he tell you who he sold it to? Maybe we can buy it back?”
“No, that would be easy to do. He said someone stole it from him. There are reasons why I believe him. There’s no time to go into details right now. I promise I will tell you everything later. The earl is looking at us and it’s too involved to go into at the moment. I’m not giving upthough. I will get it back for you. It’s just that it may take longer than I was hoping.”
Loretta swallowed past a lump in her throat. “How is Farley?”
Hawk inhaled deeply. “He’s a fighter. You don’t have to worry about him. He’s going to be all right. Now, are you sure you don’t want me to tell the earl what you did last night? It would give me great pleasure to let him know that his reign over you has passed.”
“It will give me more.”
They walked back to where the earl had made himself comfortable in a chair with Lady Adele and Paxton standing beside him. Mrs. Philbert had gone to ask Price to get a footstool for the earl.
