My Fair Lily(95)

Dillie sat on the bed beside her. “I’m so thoughtless! You must be exhausted and I’m keeping you up with needless chatter. Here, let me tuck you in. Do you need anything? Other than for me to stop talking and leave you alone to rest?”

Lily laughed. “Just a hug. And if you dare tell anyone I asked it of you, I’ll deny it and accuse you of being a fiend. Everyone knows you’re the evil twin, anyway.”

Her sister did as asked. “I love you. My heart ripped in half when I thought you were lost to us. It was as though the most important part of me was suddenly gone. And if you dare tell anyone I said this, I’ll deny it and accuse you of being a fiend.”

“You’re the best sister ever.”

Dillie rolled her eyes. “It’s about time you figured that out.” But after a moment, she sobered. “Ewan was so worried about you. If he hadn’t noticed your disappearance when he did, who knows what might have happened? He tried to play down the importance of his rescue, but I know he would have followed you into the bowels of hell to get you back. I think he’s fallen in love with you. Did he say anything to you at the inn?”

Lily felt the jolt of heat to her cheeks, and turned her face toward her pillow to hide her blush. “He didn’t say he loved me.”

“Well, his actions showed it.”

He’d made love to her. Not said he loved her. Then he’d puffed out his chest and said he’d marry her, as though he were doing her a favor. She didn’t need anything from him. Not his delicious kisses. Not his strong, protective arms to hold her. Not his dangerous smile to melt her heart. “Dillie, we’ll talk about it later.” She rolled away and buried herself in the comfort of her covers.

Her sister sighed. “Of course. I’ll wake you in time for the recital.”

***

Ewan reached Lotheil Court in the late afternoon, his body sore and his heart aching. He’d settled Lily in the Farthingale carriage and stuffed Jasper beside her for the ride back to London earlier this morning. The hairy beastie, delighted to ride in comfort, had rested his head on Lily’s lap and promptly gone back to sleep. Lily’s father and sister had been forced to share the seats opposite Lily and the big lump beside her. “We’ll take care of Jasper,” Dillie promised, though Ewan hadn’t been worried about him. Lily was his concern. “The children will love him. He’ll be in good hands until you return.”

After seeing them off, he’d led her brothers-in-law to the Mortimer residence in Maidstone, left them under George Farthingale’s capable direction, and then returned to London on his own. Hades made swift time, and he was glad of it. He needed sleep. He needed time to think about Lily... not that she was ever off his mind. He needed to court her, somehow convince her that he truly loved her.

His grandfather was waiting for him when he strode into the house. “How is the girl?”

“I don’t know who you mean.” How much did his grandfather know of Lily’s disappearance?

“Edgeware told me all that’s happened. In confidence, of course. You can count on me to keep it to myself. I’m asking after Lily Farthingale. How is she?” The old man appeared tired, and looked somehow different, as though beaten down by life.

“She’s fine.”

“Truly? Ewan, I must know.”

“She’s perfect.” And he was an idiot for not telling her so.

“No thanks to me,” his grandfather said with an ache Ewan never expected to hear. “Come into my study. There’s something I must tell you.”

He meant to decline, but he had never seen his grandfather so openly distraught. He followed him in as requested, hesitating a moment when the old man gestured toward the two oversized chairs beside the fireplace. Ordinarily, Ewan would have remained standing like a proud, stubborn Scot and probably tossed an insulting comment at the old man. It was time he behaved himself as his father would have wished. He settled into one of the chairs without protest. His grandfather settled into the other and slowly rubbed a hand across his aged brow and let out a heavy sigh. “Ewan, I’m to blame for what happened to the girl.”

He leaned forward, his body tense. “How?”

“She’s been a thorn in the Royal Society’s side for years now. We all knew she’d been working on that baboon monograph of hers, comparing us to a colony of monkeys. We’re scholars, men of science, and considered it thoroughly insulting. She wanted to send the monograph to Sir William Maitland.”

“I know. She told me.” Ewan felt his anger rising, for he recalled the sparkle in Lily’s eyes when she spoke of her research. The very scholars who should have been cheering her on were the ones plotting to undermine her good work.