She stopped short when she saw him. “What are you doing prowling the hall so late at night, Lord Marstede?”
Though he was disappointed she wasn’t Sadie, Nicholas tried not to let it show. He’d always liked Pippa. Apart from addressing him by his title, she had treated him the same as any other customer in her parents’ tavern. He might not have reciprocated the friendliness and teasing over the years, but he’d appreciated it all the same.
Tonight, he decided to answer her the same as he would have Sadie, with no prevarication. “I couldn’t sleep. Did Sadie tell you about this latest ploy of my mother’s? I’m stuck in a guest room in my own manor.”
Pippa smirked. “Sadie didn’t have to tell me, I already knew. Maisie told me about it this morning.”
Of course his mother’s maid had known. Probably every servant in Marstede had known before Nicholas. He studied Pippa. “Is there anything I can offer that would convince you to give me adequate warning before my mother pulls whatever stunt she has planned next?”
“And ruin the fun? Not a chance.”
He sighed. “That’s what I thought.” He inclined his head. “Good night, Pippa.”
She stopped him before he took a single step. “That’s it?”
Nicholas turned back to face her, his brow furrowed. “I don’t follow.”
“You aren’t going to ask me questions about Sadie?”
“Would you answer them?”
“No, but you should still be asking!”
He shook his head. “No. I know enough. The questions I still have are things only Sadie can answer.”
Pippa huffed. “That’s actually a decent answer.” Her eyes narrowed and she wagged a finger at him. “Just be sure you don’t break her heart, Lord Marstede. I don’t care if you are a baron, if you hurt her I’ll turn your entire staff against you and you’ll never have another comfortable day or night again.”
The threat should have given Nicholas pause—Pippa could, and would, do it. But hearing Sadie’s friend imply that he could break her heart instead buoyed him. He didn’t want to be the only one with that particular organ at risk. So, instead of quaking in fear as Pippa no doubt hoped he would, Nicholas smiled. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
She nodded once. “You do that.”
Then she turned the opposite direction from him and they each went their own way. At the end of the hall, Nicholas ran into another maid. She was one of the lady’s maids who had come with the guests, not a servant he knew. He nodded at her.
“Oh, Lord Marstede, I’m so glad I found you.”
“Is there a problem?” What sort of problem would a maid seek him out to solve? Especially at this time of night?
“My mistress needs your help, my lord.”
Well, that was suspiciously vague. Nicholas had an inkling he knew which guest was this maid’s mistress. And it wasn’t one he wanted to see in the middle of the night. Or the middle of the day, or any other time. But there wasn’t a polite way to refuse to go with the woman as she urged him down the hall toward his own bedroom.
He looked back the way he had come, wishing some escape would occur to him, and spotted Pippa. She had stopped at the far end of the hallway and had clearly seen Abigail’s maid talking to him. He mouthed the word “help” at her, then let himself be led away.
???
Sadie had justcrawled under the covers after Pippa left, ready to let the sound of rain and rumbles of thunder lull her to sleep, when her friend barreled into her bedroom.
“Wake up, wake up!”
“I’m awake,” Sadie said, throwing back the blankets. “What’s wrong?”
Pippa grabbed the dressing gown hanging by the foot of the bed and tossed it at Sadie. “Put that on. Quick!”
Sadie reacted to her friend’s urgency, wishing that the infusion of power Nicholas had added to her amulet wasn’t quite so strong. It would be nice to know why Pippa was so frantic. As it was, Sadie found herself wrapped in the silk dressing gown and pushed out of her room without any idea what was going on.
Once in the hall, Pippa gave her a shove between the shoulder blades. “Quickly!”
Sadie staggered forward a step, then caught herself and spun back. “What is going on, Pippa?”
