Jamie sighed with head bowed; he shook his head to fend off the order.
“Of my students, Giovanni learns the fastest. He has a gift for languages,” Jamie said, diverting the conversation.
“We send him to London next year,” the count replied with a wry smile. “He has motivation.”
“Eduardo, on the other hand, doesn’t try. He is more interested in making jokes at the expense of the teacher.”
“Eduardo Mora? I don’t remember recommending him. He wishes to be my son’s friend,” the count said thoughtfully. “The others?”
Jamie reported the progress of his students with half a mind in a few short sentences. Eduardo bore watching. So did Victor Filiberto, whether his father thought so or not.
“Leave Isabella Beaumont at Santo Spirito,” the count said, when he rose to leave. “Leave her there or marry her aunt.”
It was quietly said, but an ultimatum all the same.
Nora pacedthe foyer in a swish of muslin. Jamie had promised to come and check on the work of the locksmith.He promised! Where is he?
That morning she had hired a cook. When the maids removed Holland covers from furniture in a sunny room across the courtyard and scrubbed it clean, it turned out to be a breakfast parlor. She ordered it set up for dinner. She didn’t want to eat alone.
“He has no obligation,” she chided herself out loud. She shouldn’texpect him to hover.When Isabella comes it will be different.When Isabella came, she wouldn’t be alone.
A knock interrupted that train of thought. Her new footman moved to the door, but she got there before him.
“Jamie!”
“Damn it, Nora, you shouldn’t answer the door. I thought you hired Wat as a butler.”
“Is that what I am?” Wat Jones asked with a cheeky grin.
Nora didn’t care. She pulled Jamie by the hand.
“Look, look. Look at the lock,” she beamed.
“Sturdy enough. The windows?” he asked Wat over his shoulder.
“He is still working,” Nora answered. “The other entrances are finished.”
“Damn!” Jamie ran his hand through his already mussed hair. She found the gesture endearing. “Sorry Nora,” he said. “I just realized I haven’t even checked to determine all the entrances in this palace.”
“No need. Did that,” Wat told him. Nora beamed at them both.
“But didn’t the locksmith do a good job on the door?” she asked.
“He’s done a better job than Castellimonte’s guard,” he said. “The damned fool waved to me when I came down the street. He is supposed to be invisible.”
Nora gasped. “The count hired a guard? What do you call him, the wolf? Do you want him watching the sheep?”
Jamie’s chuckle rumbled up from his chest in the way that she loved. His deep voice said, “Sheep indeed. Things have changed.”
Wat nodded. “I’ll be watching that locksmith,” he said before wandering off.
“Can we find a place to sit?” Jamie asked.
“I almost forgot. Eat first. You are always easier to talk to when you eat,” she said.
“I can’t argue with that. Shall we go out?”
“No. We have a cook. We have a breakfast room. Dinner is waiting.”
