Justin was silent and stoic beside her as she leaned on his outstretched arm, acting the perfect gentleman. Had they even known each other? He was behaving so coldly that Cordelia could not summon the worry she would have otherwise felt. There was no way anyone would suspect them, if he continued this behavior at least.
“Oh! I see them!”
Bea was the first of the small company, who were huddled under the awning at the stable yard. Her youngest sister ran up to them, getting the hem of her dress wet. She was smiling, but Cordelia could see red splotches under her eyes.
“I thought you were dead!” she shouted, wrapping Cordelia in a tight hug.
“Don’t be silly!” Cordelia replied, gasping at the shock of pain from the embrace. “Bea… could you not hold on quite so tightly?”
Portia was next, her arm at her side in a sling. “We were all so worried about you!” she said, allowing Cordelia to lean on her other good shoulder. Between Justin, Portia, and Bea, she was practically carried back to Hollyhead. She should have been relieved to see everyone, but instead she felt as though a tight cord that had been coiled in her chest had snapped.
Tears began running down her cheeks as they made it onto the flagstones of the stable yard.
“Oh, poor dear!”
It was the last voice she wanted to hear. Lady Billings was standing with her cane clutched in her hand. “I heard the doctor had been discharged to Hollyhead, and of course, I thought I should come over forthwith to see to your health!”
“T-thank you,” Cordelia blubbered out. Justin pressed a handkerchief in her hand. It smelled of leather and soap. She wiped her eyes and nose, happy to have something to do.
“I sent Rhys out looking for you, but by the time he arrived, he saw the rubble had been moved!” Lady Billings chirped on. “You can imagine how worried we were! Why, the Rothesay dukedom has already lost two of its lords this year alone! God forbid something happened again. Good heavens, what would we do?’
There was only one word Cordelia heard out of that entire sentence. “Rhys?”
“Yes, my dear!” Lady Billings replied, harrumphing. “Shall I ask Mrs. Norris to make us all a cup of tea? Of course, you both must change first, you’re positivelyslovenly, dears.”
“Rhys is back? In Hertfordshire?” Cordelia asked. She was starting to feel lightheaded again. She leaned heavier against Portia, who grunted in response.
“Yes, my dear! Haven’t I been saying as much?”
“But what about…” Cordelia stopped herself from sayingthe Italian mistress.
“Why don’t you say hello to him yourself?” Bea jumped in, gesturing to the doorway.
The entire group turned to see him leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed against his chest. The man was so handsome he could have been carved from stone. His golden hair was too long and he was in need of a shave, but one flash of that brilliant smile and anyone could have forgiven him for his scruffy appearance.
“Rhys,” she said.
“Lia,” he replied, pushing off the doorframe and offering her a curt bow.
Cordelia’s heart pounded as she felt Justin tense beside her. At this very moment she wished she had the capacity to faint on command. A gasp from Lady Billings was enough to end the moment. She pointed to the handkerchief that was pressed toCordelia’s nose. Pulling it off her skin, Cordelia saw that it was blooming with blood.
“Oh dear,” she murmured to herself.
Chapter Twenty-One
Cordelia’s china teacupwas rattling so much in its saucer that she thought it might break. Bea, who was showing off her pouring skills, was befuddled trying to aim the stream of tea into its shallow mouth. Holding her breath, Bea ended up pouring some of the steaming drink onto Cordelia’s dress.
“Stop shaking so much!” she complained. Reaching forward, Cordelia deposited the cup and saucer onto the side table.
“Poor dear! I am positively distressed at the scare you must have had! Why! Whatever would have possessed you to do such a thing?” Lady Billings’s voice was loud and insistent and rang through her skull.
Desperate to give her hands something to do, she reached for a plate of biscuits, stuffing one into her mouth to prevent her from answering.
“We have been feeling very nostalgic for our childhood, Lady Billings,” Portia answered steadily. Not only did the Nichols girls have a penchant for getting into danger, they were also brilliant at lying, Cordelia realized. If only she had the ability to believe their fibs.
“Well, nostalgia aside, we simply cannot allow further scandal and danger to be inflicted upon this family! Rhys, tell them,” Lady Billings said, popping a madeleine into her wide mouth.
“Indeed,” Rhys said. He was standing across the room, eyeing the sisters with an amused expression. “You know how important you are to me. All of you.”
