A Reckless Promise

What was the protocol in duels? Ten paces, then stop, turn and fire? Sadie could feel the tension in the room, and wondered if it was all coming from her, as the dratted man still seemed very much at his ease.

Well or in pain, he was a handsome man, possibly made even more so by the eye patch, and his height would have been intimidating to most. Sadie gave a quick thank-you to her parents, who had combined to make her the empowering height she was. If she’d been a petite thing, she might feel completely overwhelmed and overmatched by the man. In truth, she still would have felt more than slightly intimidated, save for the quilt marks on his right cheek, which made him seem more human. Rather like a young boy, playing dress-up.

She wasn’t sure now what she’d been expecting, as John had never mentioned the viscount’s age, but it was clear he still lacked a few years before he was on the shady side of thirty. So young, and yet one of the wealthiest men in England, with all the benefits and burdens that sort of thing entailed.

And now she’d added to his responsibilities.

“My lord,” she began, searching for the correct words to show she knew of the imposition John had placed on him, but he stopped her simply by raising his hand.

“Forgive me for doubting your identity earlier.”

That sounded rather like a demand, but she was too relieved to challenge him.

“I looked at the letter again, and clearly nowhere did you suggest that you were a solicitor acting on John’s behalf. In fact, you didn’t identify yourself at all.”

That was definitely an accusation. Even if he’d cut off her apology, clearly he wasn’t going to take all blame onto his shoulders.

“No, I suppose I didn’t,” she said. It had taken her some time and several attempts before she’d been satisfied with the letter. She certainly could not have given him the one John had written. Yes, John. A safer subject than the letter, no question. “I imagine you’ll want to know more about my brother.”

“I say again, a good man.”

“Yes, but you’re wondering why he would ask me to hold you to a promise you made him so long ago. That’s understandable. John was injured in the camp, shortly before the Russians found it and freed their men and the British who were there. What you might know as being belly shot. He—” Sadie hesitated, as the wound to her heart was still raw “—never fully recovered, and this past summer—the heat, you understand—was a torture to him. We both knew it was only a matter of time. His passing was a blessing in many ways.”

“You’re saying he as good as died in that camp. Again, I’m sincerely sorry, Mrs. Boxer. I tried to convince him to leave with us, but he wouldn’t desert his patients. Your brother died a hero, and I can do no less than stand by my promise to him.”

Sadie’s shoulders finally relaxed. One hurdle passed over safely. Marley would have a home.

“He said you were an honorable man, that you all were brave and honorable gentlemen. Thank you. I know Marley will be safe with you.”

The viscount pushed himself away from the desk. “Safe, Mrs. Boxer? That seems an odd choice of word.”

Wickedly intelligent. I shouldn’t forget that, must never fully relax my guard.

“John left little money, and owned no property. Everything he had came courtesy of our village, and hopefully there will be a new physician installed within a few months. It was only because I could manage the surgery on his behalf while he was away, and yes, after he returned, that we weren’t put out on the street months ago.”

“Really? It would appear you are a woman of hidden talents. How fortunate for the villagers.”

Was he mocking her? Applauding her? Doubting her? His tone, his smile, could be interpreted many ways.

“One does what one must, especially with so many doctors and surgeons gone to war, but I am no physician. Once John truly was gone, a more suitable replacement was in order. Marley is homeless, near-penniless and alone save for me. In today’s world, would you call that safe, my lord?”

There, that should satisfy him!

He rubbed at his forehead. “I seem to go from bad to worse with you, Mrs. Boxer, so I might as well push on. Where is your husband? May I assume he also is deceased?”

Or did he run, screaming, into the night, to be shed of you? He didn’t say that, but Sadie was fairly certain he was thinking it.

But she’d prepared herself for this question. “You’re correct to believe I am without a husband, my lord. Maxwell has been gone for more than two years now.”

So much truth, taken separately. It was only when the two were put together that her words could be seen as a whopping great lie.

The viscount appeared to consider those words for long moments, as if repeating them in his mind. He then walked around the desk, to stand, his back turned to her, before the impressive expanse of windows that looked out over the rear of the estate.

“My condolences on your loss. But back to my new ward. I was raised here at the cottage after my parents died,” he said quietly, so that Sadie sat forward on the couch in order to hear him. “She and I have something in common, as I imagine I was about her same age at the time. Eventually I went off to school, spending all my holidays here with the Camfords until I reached my majority. Your niece will be in good hands with them, unless you believe I turned out badly.”

There. It was settled, and out of his own mouth. But could she relax now? She doubted it, for she was still in the room, and what on earth had he planned for her? Truly, he couldn’t have planned for her at all, could he? The inconvenient aunt.

“Thank you. I am sure I’m not prepared to make any conclusions on such short acquaintance, my lord, and have placed my full reliance on John’s opinion.”

He turned away from the window. “A careful answer, Mrs. Boxer. Shall we return to you? Do you plan to remain here with your niece?”

And here it was, with her knowing she was still totally unprepared for the question.

“Have I been invited?”

“No, I don’t believe you have. You do realize you’ve put me in an awkward situation. You’re obviously too old to become my ward, yet you’re too young and, yes, too attractive to remain here as my guest without tongues wagging all over Mayfair. Not that I’ve ever been opposed to that, but there is your reputation to be considered. Therefore, if you’re agreeable, I believe I shall have to employ you in some fashion. Which do you prefer? Governess? Companion? Tutor?”

He was going to let her stay with Marley. Not that he had much choice, so she couldn’t consider his offer a win on her side of the invisible tote board that had apparently been set up somewhere in the room.

She straightened her posture to the point that her spine protested. “Companion, I would think, seeing that I am her aunt. The position includes a wage, I presume?”

His smile took her quite by surprise, and seemed to serve to remove the tension both in his face and in the room itself.

“You move quickly, Mrs. Boxer. Do you have a figure in mind?”

“I wouldn’t presume to—”

“Of course you wouldn’t.”

Now he was definitely being condescending. He had a burr under his saddle, most definitely, but Sadie still wasn’t certain what it was. It almost seemed as if her very existence bothered him.

“I have to rethink this business of companion. Not quite right, I believe, or believable, for that matter. Never mind, I’ll think of something.”

“I’ll await that decision, then, my lord, grateful that you’ll allow me to remain with my niece.”

“So happy to ease your mind, Mrs. Boxer. And now, unless you have more to share with me, beyond my painfully acquired knowledge that my ward has a predilection for violence, I believe you may retire for the nonce. If my ward has been suitably instructed in her table manners, you and she can begin taking meals in the small dining room. I can remember refusing to be constrained to the nursery for my meals by the time I was her age. However, alas, I am committed elsewhere this evening, and will be departing for London within the hour, to return tomorrow. Or perhaps next week.”

Sadie leaped to her feet, speaking before she could think better of it. “You won’t be here? Oh, no, that won’t do, my lord. Marley is your ward. She remains with you. I must insist.”

Could she have been more clumsy?

The viscount, his hands behind his back, walked up to her, stopping much too close to her, and looked into her eyes. “You must insist? And why is that, Mrs. Boxer?”

Sadie scrambled for an explanation that would seem reasonable. “She, um, Marley has just lost her father. She...she needs to know someone still cares about her.”

“Other than yourself?”

“Yes! Yes, that’s it. A...a male presence.”