Page 48 of To Heal a Broken Earl
“Come, Katie, let’s get you something to eat,” Doris said, taking the girl off his hands.
“What is your most favorite gift that you’ve ever received?” Emma asked him cheekily.
“Ooh…that’s a hard one. Perhaps I’ve yet to receive it and will get it later tonight,” Michael quipped, waggling his eyebrows. He looked around, hoping they could find an excuse to leave for a few moments so he could steal a kiss.
“Happy birthday, Michael,” Lady Beadle and Aunt Chippie called out from the other side of the room as they approached him.
Masking a sigh with a forced smile, he winked at Emma, knowing that he’d have to wait longer for that kiss. “Maybe when the party is over,” he whispered, keeping an eye on the two older women who were weaving their way from the other side of the room. “There’s something I want to speak with you about.”
“Of course,” Emma said, sounding breathless. She looked up in the direction of approaching pair. “I should check on Katie.” She left to do so.
“Wilton,” Armstrong said, walking up to him, “I believe we were correct in our assessment that the fire at Lady Beadle’s was deliberately set. I received word from London that the man depicted in Burns’s drawing was recognized by several of Lady Beadle’s neighbors as the fellow watching from across the street when the carriage house burned. And Headquarters has put out an alert out for Lord Morgrave, but no one has seen him yet.”
Michael cleared his throat. “Should we discuss this in my study?”
Armstrong nodded, though he appeared troubled. He mouthed an apology to both Michael and Wright, indicating they could discuss it later.
Nearby, Aunt Chippie gasped softly. “My gosh, Millie! Did I hear that right? Someone set your house on fire?” she saidkindly, her voice filled with concern and compassion. “I had no idea.” She gently approached her old friend and gave her a comforting hug.
“Yes, Peg, they did,” Lady Beadle said. “I fear it might be the same criminal who set poor Emma and Katie’s house on fire. He put a torch to my carriage house. Luckily, my footman and ostler saw the flames and were able to contain them and douse them without any of our animals being injured in the process. So, I decided to check on Emma and Katie.”
“I’m sorry that your house was damaged, dear Millie,” Aunt Chippie said, gasping softly. “How awful. I even heard an older couple died in a recent fire that was set deliberately.”
“Yes! Dreadful circumstances. Emma and Katie came to me after the fire at Emma’s brother-in-law’s and sister’s home, riding Katie’s parents’ horses. They saw the man.” Lady Beadle visibly shivered and wiped a tear from her face. “The sooner we can find that dreadful man, the better.”
“Ladies, I must thank you for this wonderful party,” Michael said, hoping to change the discussion, moving it away from the discussion of Morgrave. His men were outside, helping to ensure everyone’s safety.
“I must say, this is a fabulous birthday party—and just the perfect size. I prefer parties that provide a chance to speak with every guest,” Lady Beadle said.
From the corner of his eye, Michael saw Emma say something to Wright, who winked at her before she quietly left the room. A strange wave of jealousy swept over him, making him pause for a moment. Were they planning some sort of liaison? As ridiculous as that seemed, even to him, Michael couldn’t seem to help himself. He wasn’t even sure he had the right to be jealous. There had been no promises between them. There had barely even been any kisses.
Suddenly, he felt an overwhelming need to remedy that.
But before he could take a step, Burns stepped forward and handed him a large, flat, rectangular package. “It’s a sketch that I think you’ll enjoy. And if you come to Brighton, I’ll be glad to paint it for you.”
“Thank you, Mr. Burns. Shall I open it now?” Michael asked, suddenly getting the feeling that the artist might want him to wait.
“I think perhaps you’ll want to open it when Lady Emma and Miss Katie are with you,” Burns replied, smiling. “Besides, it’s a pencil drawing, and sometimes the soft lead tends to smear. Perhaps it needs a bit more time to dry. I rushed it.”
“I imagine you will be very pleased, Lord Wilton,” Aunt Chippie said. “But I do agree with Mr. Burns. Sometimes a surprise is even more wonderful when we wait.”
“That’s true, Aunt Chippie,” Wright said, biting back a smile that looked more like a smirk to Michael.
Wright’s smirk irritated Michael. Did he know something about the sketch? Maybe he’d ask when they were alone. He felt another surge of jealousy. First, he’d seen Wright whispering with Emma, their heads close together, and now he had to contend with his friend knowing something about Emma that he didn’t.
“Pish-posh,” said Lady Beadle. “Honestly, Chippie, you’ve never waited in your life for anything.”
“I thought you two had mended fences?” Wright quipped.
“Well, we have, mostly. But what’s the fun in that, eh, Chippie?”
“Quite right, dear Millie,” Aunt Chippie said with a smirk. “Your penchant for snide remarks is unparalleled.”
Much to Michael’s relief, Mrs. Peppers stepped forward in the nick of time. “My lord, I made your favorite vanilla-strawberry angel food cake, but if we don’t cut into it, I’m afraid Miss Katie will be most upset.” Michael smiled as his gazelanded on Katie, who was seated next to Celia on a nearby settee, playing some sort of pretend game with her doll. “Besides, I’m looking at some hungry people here.”
Everyone burst into laughter.
“Then please do the honors, Mrs. Peppers,” Michael said.
