Page 10 of Thomas
“About you. That he’s been ignoring you for almost two days now.”
“And why is he ignoring me?”
Mira shook her head. “I don’t know. I couldn’t hear anything Lord Ashford said, and I didn’t linger because I was worried about being caught eavesdropping.”
“Huh.” Thomas stared blankly across the room. What kind of relationship did Lord Ashford have with his manservant that Lennon was permitted tochastisehim? And in his master bedchambers. Thomas’s elder father would have a servant flogged and dismissed for much, much less.
“I think you’ll see him soon,” Mira went on. She stood and dusted the front of her trousers at the knees. The slim-fittedpants were tapered at her ankles. “Perhaps not for lunch, but by dinner, I would bet.”
Thomas took her in for the first time since she’d come into the room. “They gave you new clothes?”
Her eyes widened as she looked down at herself. She lifted her arms. “Yes, they have lots of comfortable, nicely tailored options for uniforms here—I… D-do you mind if I wear them? Is it alright?”
He shrugged and reopened his book, glancing down at the page he was on. “Do whatever you want.” What did he care if she wore trousers? He was just surprised to see her so smartly put together for the purpose of setting wood into a fireplace.
She took a step closer. “Lord Ashford would probably have clothes made for you, too. You used to enjoy keeping up with the latest fashion trends. It… Perhaps if you ate meals properly, you’d return to your?—”
“Why do you do this?” Thomas asked sharply, his anger churning as he met her gaze. “Pretending as if you care about me.”
“Idocare about you.”
“You don’t. None of you do. If you did, you wouldn’t have left me in that hole beneath the castle to die for three months. Where was all your concern then?”
He waited as she opened her mouth, then shut it. She twisted her hands.
Thomas went on. “I don’t need you to feign compassion for my well-being. Even if it isn’t fake, it is absolutely misplaced and much too late.” Thomas snapped the book shut and pushed himself up from the chair.
“No, my lord, don’t—if you’re comfortable here, please stay! I’ll go…”
It was too late. Thomas stalked across the threshold, into the hallway and toward the curving staircase leading to his rooms.
After being betrayed and abandoned by every creature within his home estate, Lord Ashford had brought him here to this new place to pretend he didn’t even exist.
Perfect.
As Thomas climbed the stairs, the dark bitterness overcame his senses. Maybe it would be better if he didn’t exist? Then no one would need to ignore him or pretend to feel sorry for him. Nor worry about his eating habits or lack thereof. He’d no longer feel shame over being shabby and gaunt and useless.
He’d stay in his antechamber and slowly fade away. Maybe that was what the odd room was for?
The notion suited him just fine.
Chapter Four
Cameron pulled the duvet over his head, wishing with all of his heart that the material was soundproof.
“I will not permit another day of this behavior, Cameron—you need to get up.” Lennon was marching around his bedchamber, slamming drawers, opening curtains and generally being a stubborn old codger and a nuisance.
Cameron groaned loudly. “What have I done?”
He’d made a terrible, terrible mistake.
“Cameron.”
Lennon spoke loudly above him as the duvet was snatched away. Cameron jumped and flinched like an exposed, oversized rodent.
“You are being ridiculous. I’m embarrassed of you.”
“Can you blame me?” Cameron asked, his voice hysterical. “What have I done, Len? What have I brought into my home—his father! Did youhearhim? My God, did you see the way he behaved? This is a disaster. Afiasco.” He did not like other vampires in general, but Lord Charles Blakeley had set a bold new standard. Cameron didn’t think he’d ever met a more unpleasant, arrogant and garrulous creature in his whole life.
