Page 81 of A Murder in Trinity Lane
A self-satisfied grin rolled across her lips. “I have hiding spots throughout the house. No one knows about them.” She fixed me with a sharp glance. “You are not to tell.”
“I won’t. I promise.” How else would I find out what the Rosehaven brood—and Rosalynd in particular—were up to?
“I don’t like him.”
“Mr. Vale?”
She nodded. “He has mean eyes.”
I leaned forward, sobered by her childlike certainty. “That’s very observant of you.”
“I am very observant,” she said, nibbling her final biscuit.
A moment later, Milford reappeared at the door. This time, there was no spark of amusement in his expression.
“Lady Rosalynd, Your Grace.”
He stepped aside, and Rosalynd strode into the room.
She looked radiant—her hair windblown, her cheeks far too flushed, her eyes bright with alarm. When her gaze landed on Petunia, relief flooded her features.
“There you are,” she said, rushing forward. “Sweetheart, you mustn’t run off like that. You gave everyone a fright.”
“I didn’t run,” Petunia said, indignant. “I walked.”
“My point is you shouldn’t have done it.” Rosalynd’s eyes cut to me, narrowing slightly. “I do apologize, Your Grace, for my sister. I’ll ensure it does not happen again.”
I very much doubted that. Petunia excelled at escape. Intelligence agents could learn a thing or two from her. “Actually, I’ve rather enjoyed her company,” I said, coming to my feet.
Rosalynd’s eyes flashed. “Don’tencourage her, Your Grace.”
Before she ‘Your Grace’d’ me to death, something I despised coming from her, I capitalized on her presence. “We need to talk.”
“I’ll arrange for a time.”
“Now.”
Her chin rose. “I must return Petunia home.”
“One of my footmen will escort her.”
Rosalynd blinked. “That’s hardly necessary?—”
“I insist.”
Petunia gazed between us, her lower lip trembling. “Please don’t fight,” she whispered. “It’s not nice.”
Rosalynd closed her eyes, then inhaled slowly through her nose. “You’re right, darling.” She kissed the top of Petunia’s head and turned to me. “Very well. Your footman may escort her.”
Petunia gave a teary nod and reached for my hand. “I hope you’ll feel better soon, Duke.”
I bent low and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “Thank you for your visit, Lady Petunia. It brightened my day.”
Silent as a shadow, Milford appeared. With a subtle, grave nod, he motioned Petunia to follow him and closed the door behind her.
With them gone, I turned to Rosalynd, fury still simmering in my chest.
“You should have told me.”
